I turn my head to look at him, chuckling. “I’m seriously not.”
“It’s not a conscious thing, Ryet. It’s just your monstrous nature. Like two stallions meeting out on the plains. Only one is needed, after all. One stud per herd.”
I’m making a face of disgust. “Herd?”
“If we had a herd, it would be easier. Right now, all we have is Syrsee. So we must share.”
“You’re kidding, right? Tell me this is a joke.”
“It’s temporary. Black witches are hard to farm.”
“Farm?”
“We need many more, Ryet. But don’t worry. We have all the time in the world. And now that Syrsee is on board?—”
“Oh”—I laugh—“you have grossly misunderstood what’s happening here. Syrsee is not on board with anything you’ve got planned. That’s for certain.”
“Well, it’s like this, Ryet. She doesn’t have much of a choice. You fed her the jars?”
My stomach clenches up. “What did you do?”
“I did what I had to. I gave her a push. And you a push as well.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Thebabies, Ryet. We need more Black witches. It’s critical for my plan.”
“What plan?”
“Need-to-know.”
“Fuck that. I’ve got wings, Paul. It’s time for me to know.”
He turns in bed, lowering himself into a more horizontal position. His smile is wide and genuine. Which surprises me, because he’s typically a less-than-sincere guy. “We. Are. The American Vampires. It’s a brand-new dynasty. By now, several things have happened. One, Josep is with the Darkness, making an offering. We’re bartering with it to get power. And two, the Obscurati know you’ve been born. You, Ryet, are the very first American Vampire. I’m in charge, of course, since I am your maker. But you…” He’s nodding his head at me. “You are the one we’ve been waiting for. And together, you and Syrsee are the parents of our bloodline. A brand-new bloodline. Or, well, you will be. As soon as she begins having babies.”
I concentrate on this last part of his little speech first. “Why are you acting like Syrsee can just create a whole coven of witches in no time at all? Because human reproduction doesn’t work that way.”
“Are we human, Ryet?”
I get that sick feeling in my stomach again. “Don’t play with me.” These words come out angry and low.
“We’re not human, you know this. She will have your baby. Yourspecificbaby. That is a given. But there are other ways to make more of us. And that is what we need. A populationexplosion, Ryet. We need minions.”
“What are you talking about? Like… halfbreeds?”
“No!” He laughs. “And you know what I’m talking about. Youwereone, Ryet. A scion, of course. We can make dozens of them at once.”
“How? You said you planned me from birth and that’s the only reason it worked.”
“Does one put all one’s eggs in the same basket, Ryet?”
“Stop talking about yourself in the third person. You sound ridiculous.”
“The sentiment remains. I have dozens of scions, Ryet. All we need now is the blood to take them across the finish line.”
“What?”
“I did not pin all my hopes and dreams on you. I have more. But, to be clear, you will always be my first.”
