“THIS CANNOT HAPPEN AGAIN,”Santiago said to me later that night. You’d gone out to the yard to feed your cats while I discussed the situation with your parents.
“I know,” I said to him and Xavier both. “I accept full responsibility for his mistake. I should have been here to prevent it.”
“I can’t afford to clean up his messes, Henri, financially or politically. And you’re the one who’s going to tell Azrael.”
I lowered my head and tried my best to show humility. “Please understand, Santiago, the demands our hunger places on us, especially at his age. He didn’t do it out of malice or spite. It was truly an accident.”
“An accident that nearly resulted in the death of a young man. I’m a respected member of this community. You may be able to pick up and disappear at any moment, but I cannot. And neither can Xavier. He warned you Vincent was getting out of hand, and you ignored him. You should have considered his welfare when you placed this burden on our shoulders.”
“He’s not a burden,” Xavier argued, shooting an admonishing look at Santiago. “But it’s time, Henri,” he added with a pained expression. “He hasn’t been the same since you left. He’s been moody and depressed, lashing out, angry. Just like…” Xavier paused, seemed to have second thoughts, then gathered his courage and barreled on. “His behavior reminds me of when you abandoned Orlando.”
Abandoned.
“Does Vincent feel this way?”
Xavier gave me an impatient look.
“I was on a job. It’s only been…” I trailed off. It had been almost nine months… certainly longer than I’d anticipated. I’d delayed because I was afraid to return and face your questions. Lie or tell the truth? There was no good solution.
“You need to take him, Henri. Full-time,” Xavier said. I glanced up to find the two of them holding hands, a united front. This was something they’d agreed upon already. I didn’t feel ready for this kind of responsibility, but at the very least, I needed to teach you how to live as a god among mortals. And if it became necessary, how to disappear.
“What about his schooling?” I asked.
“He can’t go back to school,” Santiago said. “He can’t be trusted among humans.”
“Until he can control his thirst,” Xavier added, giving Santiago a look of reproach. “I’m sure he could get the equivalent of a diploma. He’s very bright.”
“In any case, we promised Carter’s parents he wouldn’t be returning to school or their place of work. It was one of their conditions,” Santiago added.
It seemed unfair to rob you of your life because of one slip, but there was no sense in arguing with them. We were lucky it hadn’t been worse.
“You’re right. Both of you. You’ve done a marvelous job raising him, but he needs a fellow bloodborn to show him the way.”
“You’re taking him tonight,” Santiago said. His upper lip curled in disgust. With the way he was acting, I didn’t want to leave you in his charge anyway.
“Let me talk to him,” I said. I didn’t want Santiago to present it as though you were being thrown out of your own home, and I assumed Xavier didn’t either.
With that settled, as well as some other details, I found you in the yard to tell you the news that you’d be coming to stay with me.
“Dad’s kicking me out,” you said, slicing through my pretense.
“Not exactly.”
“It’s okay, Henri. I get it.” You sighed and glanced down to where your cats were circling your ankles like sharks. “What about my cats?”
Something I hadn’t considered. “My condo doesn’t allow pets.”
Your face crumpled. “Even Spooky?”
I shook my head while you attempted to bite back your disappointment. You followed me inside and we packed up some of your things. Xavier promised to care for your pets in your absence. As a final blow, we made you leave behind your cell phone. We couldn’t risk word getting out about what happened.
“I’ll get you a new phone,” I promised. “After a while.”
You clenched your jaw and nodded, trying to be brave. You were leaving behind your family, your friends, and the only life you’d ever known. Your future was uncertain. Rules be damned, I could offer you this one comfort at least.
Which was how I ended up in your backyard with a flashlight, in the rain, on my hands and knees, trying to find that damned cat named Spooky. My beam alighted on two cabbage yellow eyes. The beast hissed at me when I grabbed it by its pelt and drug it from its hiding place under a bush. The animal then proceeded to scratch the hell out of my arm all the way to the car where I deposited the hostile feline onto your lap.
“Spooky,” you cheered, rubbing its wet fur against your cheek. The cat’s personality did a complete reversal, and it became positively tame and affectionate in your embrace. “Thank you, Henri. I’ll make sure she behaves. You won’t even know she’s around.”
