“Did you guys meet any Bloodborns?” I asked, pausing at a particularly cute drawing of Scout’s.
“Some. But many were weary of talking to us. A vampire traveling with a human that she wasn’t feeding on? That was odd back then.”
Gum Man took his dog for a walk.
“You guys grew up in foster care, you said?”
“Yes, we met in high school. We were in a home together for about a year before we were separated. Both of us aged out of the system.”
Gum Man has gas.
“And she had no biological siblings?”
“Not that she knew of.”
“What about you?” I interrupted them, suddenly curious about the woman we sat with now.
“Me? I do have a sister. We were separated in the eighties.”
“Were you orphaned too?”
“No. My mother wasn’t a very good caretaker, and my father left when we were in elementary school. I turned out okay, though,” she added defensively.
“My apologies,” Gianni put his hands on my shoulders and gripped tightly. I flinched. “My brother has an inability to understand manners sometimes. Actually, quite often.”
“It’s fine. Scout does too. You guys seem like a good match.” She laughed.
“I have to ask, but how did she go through the foster care system without a last name?”
Nalida bit her lip. “Well, not exactly. She had one, has, I guess. Not entirely sure how things work when you’re a vampire, and you live forever. They gave her one to use for legal documents, but she dropped it as soon as she could.”
“What was it?”
“Smith.”
Scout Smith.How original.
“Well, if we went by that, I’m sure she has lots of family.” Gianni snickered. Nalida gave him a nod. “There were lots of kids named Smith in homes I passed through. She wasn’t anything special to them.”
She is to me.
“I wonder,” Gianni started, taking his hands off of me. “If we could be of help to her. To find her family. Her blood relatives.”
“You really think you could find The High Priestess?” Nalida raised an eyebrow, skeptical. I was too. Sure, the Amato name had connections, but I doubted we were that high on the chain of things.
“Perhaps. I’ll ask around. Are you sure there is absolutely nothing else you can share with us, Nalida? Someone she talked to of interest? Maybe we can read those diaries of hers. Or what about any past lovers? Were they human or vampires?”
She glanced at me and blushed. I tightened my jaw but said nothing.
“I can’t remember every man she dated. Not that there were a lot! It’s just been so long.”
“Why did she entrust you with this?” I motioned around the room. “No offense.”
“Scout never really had many people she could trust. Even the men in her life only knew very little. She knew that by giving me the extra key that her memories would be safe.”
“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” I offered her a small, awkward smile.
She waved it off. “You’re fine.”
