“We did this last week, Mom,” Dylan said.
“I know,” Charlie replied as she tried to ignore the twinge to her heart his words caused. He should be doing and learning far more than this. “But practice makes perfect.”
Dylan looked about to protest, but he smiled at her instead. “Yes, it does.”
Charlie knew he’d only agreed to make her happy.Shewas the one who was supposed to make him happy, not the other way around. “What would you like to learn instead?” she asked.
Jack waited for Dylan to say he didn’t want to learn anything, but the boy considered this as he stared at his mom.
“How about some history?” Dylan suggested. “Maybe Mal or Miguel can help us again.”
Because of their advanced ages, the two vampires were helping them with their history lessons. At eighty-seven, Mal knew a lot about New England, the Great Depression, and the wars the U.S. was involved in. Miguel had been regaling Dylan with tales of Mexico’s history and culture as well as teaching him Spanish.
Some of the others helped with his schooling too. Darlene, with her half Native American ancestry, had a vast knowledge of plants and animals as well as the Oneida tribe. Dylan had milked her dry for information, but Darlene patiently answered all his endless questions.
He may complain about having to continue his schooling down here, but he was a curious boy with a thirst for knowledge. Down here, he was like a plant denied food and water as he shriveled more with every passing day. She was doing everything she could to keep him alive, but she dreaded the day when his bright spirit wilted and died in these tunnels.
“We can do that,” she said as she ruffled his hair.
“I know some history,” Jack offered.
Dylan’s gaze swung to him, and he saw the enthusiasm in the boy’s eyes. “Do you know about World War II?”
“I know some things about it,” Jack said. “History was never my favorite. I much preferred science, especially biology, but I can remember some of what I learned about the war.”
“What do you know about science?” Dylan asked.
Jack smiled at him as they entered more familiar territory. “Plenty. Before I became a vampire, I planned to become a veterinarian, so I majored in science in college.”
Charlie couldn’t picture Jack surrounded by puppies and kittens, but then, she couldn’t see herself teaching a classroom full of eight-year-olds again either. Something about becoming a vampire, being hunted, drinking blood, and killing to survive didn’t exactly scream classroom appropriate.
“Science was always my favorite,” Dylan said. “Darlene and Mom have taught me some earth science, and we’ve examined insects and animals, but we can’t do a whole lot down here. I want to learn more.”
“Have you ever dissected something?” Jack asked before shooting a worried glance at Charlie. He may have overstepped his bounds. She stared warily back at him, but she didn’t tell Dylan to leave again.
“What would we dissect?” Dylan asked.
“I don’t know. We’d have to figure that out,” Jack said.
“How about the rabbit?” Charlie suggested. “Maybe Jack could use that, and you can eat it afterward.”
“The rabbit will work,” Jack said.
Charlie rose and wiped off her ass. “I’ll be right back,” she said to Dylan as she approached Jack.
He walked with her over to the rabbit and lifted its back legs off the ground.
“Do you really know how to do this?” Charlie asked. “I don’t want him cutting up animals for fun. He should learn something from this.”
“Cutting up animals isn’t my idea of fun,” he said. “I’ve never dissected a rabbit before, but I’ve done a baby pig, and I can recognize the major organs. He’ll learn something from it.”
And as much as the idea of dissecting anything made her stomach turn, she strove to give Dylan some semblance of an education while here. “Okay, good.”
She followed Jack back over to Dylan and handed Jack one of her knives as he settled beside her son. He held the knife while he explained to Dylan what he was doing while carefully cutting the rabbit’s belly open. Their heads bent close together as Jack removed the organs, identifying each one as he worked. Dylan watched with rapt fascination.
A strange feeling swelled within Charlie as she watched them. Everyone here helped with Dylan and cared for him. She believed his innocence and youth offered them some hope in a world where little existed anymore, but something about seeing Jack with her son touched a part of her she’d believed had been destroyed by Chad’s betrayal. With terrifying clarity, she realized she more than desired Jack; she liked him too.
Chapter Fourteen
