"Only disastrous for the one," Kifirin blew a curl of smoke from his nostrils.
* * *
Tony sat next to René at the linen-covered table where they'd eaten their meal, sipping the last of their wine. The dinner was excellent, but Corinne Alford had the saddest expression on her face. Tony glanced briefly at his vampire sire before turning back to his mother.
"Mom, you'll always be my mother, no matter what," Tony reached across the table and took his mother's fingers. "I mean that. Nothing will ever come between us. You raised me, you and Dad," he nodded at Lucas. Lucas had done as much or more for him than most fathers Tony knew. He'd never been treated differently or slighted in favor of Deryn. They were brothers, too, even if they weren't blood kin. "Mom, I know," Tony said. "I know I'm not Everett's. Or yours by blood. I'm yours because you wanted me."
Corinne Alford blinked across the table at her son before the tears fell. "How did you find out?" Corinne wept, her voice thick with emotion.
"Mom, I worked for National Security," Tony replied. "Don't cry. I've known for years, now. I went digging through the records. Somebody fixed the birth certificate, but there are no doctor or hospital records. I don't care who my birth parents are. They're not real to me. You are. You and Dad. Don't ever think I don't love you, because I do."
"I was pregnant by your father but that ended in a miscarriage," Corinne wiped tears away. "I went out running with the others three months afterward. Your mother had you in the woods, baby," Corinne sniffled. Lucas put his arm around her. "She left you. I scented the blood while on the run. I had to force the turn so I could pick you up and carry you out of there before the others found the scent."
"They would have torn me apart," Tony nodded his understanding.
"George Chapman helped me get the papers pushed through," Corinne named the Grand Master before Weldon Harper. "I wasn't about to give you up, Anthony. I think we had a bond the minute I picked you up."
"Old George did a good job; I almost didn't get past the records he paid for, they were so well done," Tony said. "Mom, that doesn't matter. René is a parent but you'll still be my parents. That's what I'm trying to say. René isn't going to stop me from calling or communicating with you, since we are what we are."
"I appreciate your intervention," Corinne smiled tearfully at René. "We'd have gone to Anthony's funeral instead if you hadn't done this for him."
"This is a first for me; before I had to hide my children away from their former family, it was the only way," René said softly. "Of course, none of their relatives were what you are. This makes things much easier."
"How many children do you have?" Lucas Alford was curious.
"I have had six, but only two are alive at the moment," René replied.
* * *
Xenides didn't care what the vampire's motives were; he was getting the information he'd desired; the date and the location for the Annual Meeting. He had others set up in Kansas in case the princess showed up. They'd been more than willing to help—for the right price and the opportunity to strike out at their Bright cousins, even if the blood percentage wasn't to their standards. It would still be a blow and an offer to further an ancient war. He turned his attention back to the one who stood before him.
"You are sure of this?" Xenides asked, looking over the copy of the invitation. The original had been carefully settled back inside the safe from whence it came.
"Yes," the vampire replied. "I desire payment in one way only, in exchange."
"And that would be?" Xenides' eyes narrowed. He preferred to settle payment on his own terms.
"I wish for a particular vampire to be killed," came the reply.
"And that vampire is?" Xenides demanded. The name was handed over. "Oh, do not fear," Xenides reassured his newly acquired spy, "We will certainly take that one down."
* * *
"Father, I think we should tell Lissa," Franklin was close to tears as he watched the IV drip slowly; it was attached to Greg's hand. He'd been hospitalized with pneumonia. Oxygen was flowing and Franklin and Merrill both wore surgical masks inside the room.
"I'm not sure it is a good idea," Merrill said. "Wlodek says this as well." Franklin disagreed with Merrill but didn't say it, settling for mentally cursing Wlodek instead. He knew that Wlodek was pulling the strings on this decision. Wlodek had his own agenda; Lissa was tracking Xenides because he threatened the vampire race. Surely, there was enough time for Lissa to come and see Greg; he wasn't doing well at all. The doctors were dismayed when Greg contracted pneumonia. It was a heavy blow to an already weakened system and now Greg was in and out of consciousness. It would mean much to Greg and Lissa both if she were allowed to come. Franklin sighed instead and bowed to his father's wishes.
* * *
Winkler drove Lucas and Corinne Alford to the airport during the day so they could catch their flight. He was just getting back to the house when he caught me filching another bottle of water from the fridge inside the main house kitchen.
"Lissa, this is getting to be a habit," Winkler said, leading me to a barstool at the island. I hadn't even had a dream this time; I just woke up anyway. I sipped my water and watched Winkler.
"You know, I haven't had to get rid of the water or the wine or anything else I've drunk lately," I said. "And it hasn't made me sick, either. Usually I start feeling bad if I don't get rid of it within a couple of hours. Now, there's nothing." I drank more water.
"Have you told Gavin or any of the others about this?" Winkler raked a hand through thick, black hair. He was such a good-looking man, smiling easily when he was amused. At the moment, his nearly black eyes betrayed concern—for me. I had no idea how Kellee could have plotted his death with her father. Well, there was greed, but still.
"No," I shook my head at Winkler's question. How could I explain to Gavin that I wasn't coughing up water or wine? He would have that vampire physician on the phone immediately, trying to find out what was wrong with me. He was probably thinking about it already, and I might do the same if he were waking during the day and failing to eliminate everything ingested except blood. I had no idea what was going on with me—I didn't feel bad or anything. I felt fine. I was breathing, too, when I was awake during the day. I had no idea what effect that had on my rejuvenating sleep cycle. None at all.