Luther sat as still as a statue while we explained why we were calling. He hadn’t said much overall, and he seemed to avoid speaking unless a question was posed directly to him. Despite his peculiar nature, I didn’t find Luther unfriendly. He had an air of placidity about him that was soothing. Ironic, since he’d wiped out an entire village of humans, Sebastian’s parents—who would be my relatives, too—among them.
After a pause, Luther sat back in his chair, which was massive and plush like a king’s throne. Of course it was. He rubbed his chin before speaking. “So, you think this possible immunity to the epidemic relates to my bloodline?”
“Technicallyourbloodline, since I’m part yougenetically,” Sebastian said.
Luther’s nod was almost imperceivable, as was the way the corner of his mouth quirked up. I’d been worried about how he and Sebastian would react to one another, but they seemed fine enough. Perhaps time had eased whatever animosity they might have harbored, and they chalked up their past issues as bygones. I doubted they’d start exchanging Christmas cards any time soon, but they conducted themselves cordially for the greater good. It was better than I could have hoped for, given their history. It helped matters that Sebastian and Luther both had the same goal in mind, finding a cure for the epidemic.
“What is it you’re asking from me?” Luther asked, cutting straight to the point.
Joseph said, “We’d like to use your blood to create a cure for the epidemic.”
“Hopefullyfind a cure,” I amended. “I’m also donating more of my blood for the cause. Sebastian is, too.”
“I am as well,” Joseph added. “We don’t know if any of our blood will work when combined with yours, but we can’t overlook the immunities our lineage might offer. If you don’t want to leave Austria, we can come to you?—”
“No,” Luther cut in, raising a hand. “I will come to London, if you think it will help your scientists find a cure sooner. No need to complicate things, even if it means I’ll have to meet with Leopold. I’ve never met a vampire more insufferable.”
It didn’t happen overnight,but it did happen. Though it took some trial and error—Joseph’s blood combined with my blood and Sebastian’s, my blood combined with Sebastian’s, my blood combined with Joseph and Luther’s, etcetera—a cure was found. Sebastian’s blood combined with Luther’s blood, plus a few chemical additives thrown in, was what ultimately did it. The VGO had finally created a cure for the virus Richard and Maxine had created.
The antidote was distributed in water sources throughout the world, with a focus on areas with the largest populations of Reborns. Once again, humans had no idea that their water had been doctored. Like the serum the Nolans had created, the antivenin wouldn’t hurt us, but it would save a lot of vampires from extermination.
A reversal serum was also distributed to blood banks that catered to immortals. It was designed for Reborns wanting to revert to vampirism. To many, this was perhaps the biggest relief, as Reborns had believed they’d never be able to exist as vampires again. After receiving the serum, they only needed to be turned again by a vampire, which meant going through thewhole painful changeover process again. Most saw it as a small price to pay.
New humans like Jerry also had the option of not changing back if they wished, which was as simple as not receiving the blood bank serum. The antivenin in the water would not reverse the effects of the epidemic—heaven forbid a Reborn turn back into a vamp in broad daylight—but it would stop new cases from occurring. The VGO assured all new humans that they would be left to live their new lives under the condition that they never discussed the existence of vampires with anyone who didn’t already know.
Michael Graves had been right when he’d said that my involvement with vampires was destined. But he was wrong about the outcome being negative. The crisis had been adverted, and new humans and vampires would live on happily.
Like everything else related to vampirism, it was still a mystery why the combination of Sebastian and Luther’s blood succeeded in curing the epidemic. Maybe it was because they were the vampire and human at the epicenter of an ancient, altered bloodline—myaltered bloodline. Maybe it was because their cordial reunion had finally broken the curse Caterina had bestowed upon Luther. Everyone had their theories.
I liked to think that it was fate. What were the chances that my best friend would fall in love with the son of the vampire who’d made my grandfather what he was? One could get dizzy just thinking about it.
34
One year ago today, Andrew Sebastian Taylor-Bramson was born at exactly 12:01AM on New Year’s Day.
Giving birth had been an electrifying way to ring in the new year, though I wouldn’t recommend it for the fainthearted. I’d cursed poor Robert more times than I could count, and delivery had been painful and scary. Still, there was nothing else I would have rather been doing.
Our son was named after Robert’s human father, Andrew, and, of course, my grandfather, Sebastian. I know all mothers think this about their child, but my baby was perfect in every way a baby could be. From the instant Andrew was born, and each and every day I’d spent with him since, I felt love so intense and complete that it made my heart ache. Robert told me he felt the same. All I had to do was look into my husband’s eyes whenever he held his son to see that he was a man in love.
It was like our DNA had been spliced right down the middle. Andrew’s hair was chocolatey brown and wavy like mine, but his eyes were grayish blue, like Robert’s. He had my nose andRobert’s full mouth. Maybe I was biased, but the kid was gorgeous.
Robert was the best father in the world, which I knew he’d be. It worked out perfectly as far as scheduling. Because Robert was naturally nocturnal, I never had to get up during the night to tend to the baby. Unless I needed to breast feed. Robert couldn’t help withthat.
Andrew didn’t seem bothered that his father was a vampire. He might change his mind when he was older and better understood what immortality meant, but for now he was happy enough. Robert and I still hadn’t given up hope that I might one day be changed, though we were in no hurry. We tried to take each day one at a time, but I suspected I’d feel more pressure the older I got.
Little Andrew was a bit of a celebrity amongst vampires. Having been born from a vampire-human union, he was a symbol of hope for them. With the help of a new serum the VGO were developing, vampires who dreamed of parenthood might now be able to turn human long enough to safely procreate. Finally, my blood was going to be used for something that would bring happiness to others.
The VGO, with most members now reverted to their original vampy splendor, were hosting a birthday party at their headquarters to celebrate Andrew turning one. They said they were indebted to me for not only inspiring the procreation serum but also for devising the theory that led to a remedy for the extinction they’d faced. Whenever Joseph and other vamps brought any of it up, I always said anyone in my position would have done the same thing, and that I’d come up with the theory without anticipating reward or recognition. Still, it was nice not being hunted or extorted for blood for a change.
Robert and I were looking forward to Andrew’s party. Duringour flight to Scotland in the light-tight airplane the VGO had sent for us, we’d discussed how strange it was to feel like celebrated guests. The last and only time we’d ever been to the VGO headquarters was when we’d come to beg for our lives. Now, here they were, throwing our human son a party. Life was so strange.
During the flight to Scotland, I reflected on my own first birthday party. My grandmother had shown me photos of the event when I was a teenager, and looking at them had made me feel so bad that I never asked to see them again. For my party, my young parents had taped a few deflated balloons and limp streamers around the duplex we were living in at the time, before we’d been evicted and had to live in a motel. Some neighborhood kids were there, none that I’d recognized—we moved around a lot when I was a kid. In most of the photos, my parents were drunkenly passed out in lawn chairs while other parents awkwardly tried to keep the party going. My clothes were mismatched and dirty, my hair tangled. A cake had been purchased from the local grocery store, the kind that was about twenty percent spongy vanilla cake and eighty percent sickly-sweet frosting. The baker had gotten my name wrong:Happy Birthday, Oliver!Someone had tried to fix the misspelling, but the smudge was evident.
Andrew’s party would be different. Unlike my own parents, Robert and I were happy to have a child, and we thanked our lucky stars for Andrew every day. Also, if the VGO were anything, it was grandiose. Whatever they had planned, it would be over the top.
Other vampires Robert and I had never even met had been spoiling Andrew rotten. Since his birth, we’d received countless gifts in the mail: cashmere receiving blankets, designer baby clothes, handmade leather baby shoes from Italy, platinum gold baby rattles, a vintage rocking horse with real horsehair, a hand-carved mahogany crib . . . The list went on and on. I must have written hundreds of thank you letters.
On top of the vamps the VGO had invited, Liz, Sebastian, Marlena, and Andrew’s godparents, Jerry and Tim, were attending Andrew’s party. We’d even invited Leopold, who’d somehow managed to weasel his way back into the good graces of the VGO. Robert had said inviting his maker would be the polite thing to do, and I’d agreed because I knew it would make Robert happy. I’d promised Robert I’d be pleasant to Leopold, though it didn’t mean that I had tolikehim. Robert thought it was a fair bargain.
