"She's wondering if Charles is her nephew now," he said.
Charles found that amusing and laughed out loud. "I'll settle for brother or cousin," he said.
"I th-think the information c-could go b-both ways," my voice was still wobbly and I stuttered getting the words out. Why hadn't somebody told me this before? I was listed as Wlodek's half-child? What did that mean, exactly? I had two sires to answer to, in addition to two mates?
"You have three sires, but I'm the most important one," Griffin slipped into the hot tub; Kifirin had moved aside to let Griffin have his space. Wlodek's arms tightened about me, perhaps in the hopes of keeping me there. Honestly, I was too shocked to move.
Chapter 4
"I have a story to tell you, little girl," Griffin said, watching me closely as Wlodek held me in strong arms. I was afraid to move from Wlodek's grip, blinking at Griffin stupidly from the jolt I'd received. Merrill reached over and stroked my cheek.
"I knew the vampire and werewolf races were dying on this world," Griffin began, an unreadable expression in his hazel eyes. "As you've already determined, I was vampire before the Powers That Be and the Nameless Ones chose me to become the first Saa Thalarr. They made me what I am now, but before that, I was a quarter Bright Elemaiya and a King Vampire. I had mindspeech and foresight. Those were my gifts. As Saa Thalarr, I have the ability to Look; that is reaching out and obtaining needed information simply by searching for it with my mind. Combined with the foresight I already had, it made my talent in that area formidable. Those two abilities enable me to see many things. I saw you, Lissa. My daughter. You are the answer to so many things that were troubling me. I had to go Looking for your mother. I intended to keep her safe; keep you both safe. Unfortunately, I didn't Look for what might happen in the meantime, I was so happy just to have seen you in the future."
My mouth must have been hanging open, I was so shocked. This was my real father? How in hell had that happened? I had no idea what to do. I mean, I liked Griffin, but this—how do you react to this?
"When your mother became pregnant, my immediate supervisor punished me," Griffin went on. He was watching my face closely, I could tell. His hazel eyes held concern; it was almost tangible. "Saa Thalarr are not permitted to interfere with any race or world; which is why I was being punished. Your mother and you were hidden from me; I could not find you—the information was blocked. I would have willingly sacrificed myself, just to make sure you were both safe. I would have come to you if I could have, Lissa. I promise you that."
"Saa Thalarr cannot lie," Merrill whispered next to my ear. "It is impossible for them to do so. Everything Griffin tells you will be truth." I sniffled and nodded my head at Merrill's words.
"Your mother was also a quarter Bright Elemaiya," Griffin said. "We could mindspeak one another and that's what encouraged her to come to me. To make a child with me. She was adopted, baby, she just never had time to tell you. And I was never allowed to see her again after you were conceived. The punishment was placed. I only learned of you once more when you were dropped in Merrill's lap as his adopted child. That was extremely encouraging; it led me to believe that there were other forces at work, helping me to find you again." My dream was unfolding before my eyes and proving true—my mother had been adopted. I moved uncomfortably in Wlodek's grip.
"Merrill and I have been as close as brothers for fifteen hundred years; since he gave invaluable assistance to me when I came to defend this world against the Ra'Ak back then," Griffin went on. "When I convinced my supervisor that you could help Dragon on Refizan, he reluctantly agreed. His superior, one of the Nameless Ones, discovered that Kifirin had claimed you there." Griffin was smiling, now.
"Kifirin is brother to the Nameless Ones from long ago," Griffin continued. "He agreed to balance the worlds of light by creating the Dark Realm. When the Nameless One learned that Kifirin had found his mate, and that we'd taken her to Refizan to help one of the Saa Thalarr, he wanted an explanation. That is when I informed him you were my daughter. He made a judgment, determining that fathering a child is not in itself interfering. My punishment was lifted. I could claim my daughter. Therefore, I am here. I am your father. Wlodek is your only living vampire sire, Merrill is your surrogate sire. That will not change. However," Griffin turned to the others, a warning in his eyes, "should any of you decide to punish her in future, I expect to be notified and the final decision will be mine to make. If I am not informed, I may consider punishment of my own and I will not be merciful."
"I will know as well," a curl of smoke floated from Kifirin's nostrils. "You do not wish to stand before me if you have harmed her."
Tony had been listening to the entire exchange in disbelief. "You are fortunate, young one," Kifirin leveled a warning glare in Tony's direction. "Had I claimed Lissa before you took from her, you would not be enjoying life at the moment. She has forgiven you, I think. You are safe because of her charitable nature."
"I've learned my lesson," Tony held up both hands. "And my sire has threatened me if I mistreat Lissa in any way."
"You are doubly fortunate that Karzac wished to repay Lissa in some way by healing those six you infected with vampire blood and ash," Griffin said. "The one who did the research will not fare as well as you have out of this."
"How do you know this?" Tony demanded. "Larry was fine the last I saw of him."
"Don't question Griffin, he knows what he's talking about," Merrill snapped.
"Lissa, I have also come to give you other information," Griffin said. "While I am your father and will protect you as well as I can, I have not been given permission to interfere with any of Saxom's turns or their turns. This seems to be your mission, along with Merrill and the others, here."
"I also will not interfere unless there is no other way; this is a matter for the worlds of light to deal with," Kifirin added.
I looked from one to the other. "Well, then," I said. "I think it's just about time somebody told me who Saxom was."
Griffin looked at Merrill and then Merrill glanced at Wlodek. Wlodek sighed over my head and settled me between Griffin and himself. Griffin placed an arm around me. I blinked up at him, still a bit dazed. I had a father. A real one. No idea how that was going to affect anything, though.
"We must start at the beginning," Griffin said, squeezing me in an effort to comfort. "Saxom was from Orpali, a world far from this one. There, his name was Saxom Melitu, which he later changed to Meletius. It fit the language here; the other name did not."