Blueblood 3: The Others - 6. Mom Becomes One Of Us

Colin frowned. “Mister Big Bucks?” He said looking not too sure.

Mark nodded. “Huge bucks! You’re not just a man with money…” he shook his head. “No, you’re a man with a hell of a whole lot of money! Above everyone else, whether they see that or not. You will be expecting them to treat you that way. It’s understood! You’re a billionaire!”

Colin shook his head. “I’ve not really done anything like that.”

Mark looked as to why we couldn’t understand what he was saying. “Yes, you did!” He waved at the house that surrounding us. “You went on TV showing everyone what you have. Now you just have to do it a little more…a little grander.” He smiled. “Get off the plane like you own or could buy everything you see.”

Colin laughed at Mark’s expression. “I guess I’m as guilty as others not trusting anyone. Being low keyed and hiding, slinking through shadows unseen is how I’m used operating.” He shrugged.

Mark nodded. “We had this visiting…whatever…sheik or some big shot over from the Middle East. He came with four of his ten wives! Ten wives! He hadn’t given a thought about whether or not we supported or even agreed with his life or lifestyle. He didn’t care. He just assumed we wouldn't care either.” Mark grinned. “You do the same. Religion or personal beliefs weren’t a consideration. We just…did it.” He shrugged.

I nodded. “That’s what we’re going to do.” I grinned. “I like a low profile myself, but…” I shrugged. “Now I get to see how the one percent live.” I smiled.

Wayne chuckled. “You’ll be royal.”

Mark nodded. “They won’t care about the sex part. I’m willing to bet many will give themselves sexually to both of you!” His eyebrows danced when he said that.

The next week, we had Ursula from Holms' Laboratories call the Cairo Museum of Egyptology and asked for the curator to call her back about a visit from Colin Wentworth. She did that as her computer broadcast the video of her calling to us. Tad Morsi was the curator’s name. He was a man in his fifties and pretty sure he didn’t care if Colin Wentworth came or not. Yet somehow, she piqued his interest when she shrugged and said she guessed he didn’t need help translating things. That Mr. Wentowrth would be happy to bring his new interest in translating other pyramid writings in Central America. She was sure everyone there was fluent in reading the hieroglyphics. She was sorry for wasting his time. She looked at the computer’s camera. “He’ll call back. I bluffed.” She had left her name and the name of the company Colin and George had and left him with that. It was two days later when Mr. Morsi called back. He apparently saw a little of Holms' Laboratories history and accomplishments. It seemed he was curious. Doing the search about Colin, there wasn’t a lot about Colin. Only his name and his worth, which was a lot. He was thinking Colin could come and show his computer and use the program. He was calling her bluff. Ursula smiled and said she would pass it along, but Mr. Wentworth was looking elsewhere. I got the feeling you didn’t play poker with Ursula. You’d lose.

I smiled when Colin was called to the phone.

“It’s Tad Morsi. He’s calling from Egypt.” Robert said handing Colin the phone.

“I’ll be right back,” Colin said and rushed into the other room and got one of the devices we had programmed to use to translate. “Hello, Mr. Morsi.” He said and he heard it translated to Arabic.

“You speak Arabic?” The man said in his native language.

“No, I don’t,” Colin said. “I’m using the Delkenzie program to speak with you.” He heard it said in Arabic.

Mr. Morsi paused. “But, I speak English.” He said in English.

“But, I don’t speak Arabic,” Colin explained. “I want to make sure I’m understood. It’s the only way to be sure there’s no miscommunication.”

“I see.” Mr. Morsi said again. “We have computers that can translate.”

“Hieroglyphics?” Colin asked.

“We use computers for that, too.” Mr. Morsi said.

“Right, so you’re not interested?” Colin asked. “Are these computers taking a while to translate? And the translation is assisted by humans to straighten out the bugs?”

“It’s part of the program. Certain words need human decisions.” Mr. Morsi said.

“I see. I guess there are many there that can translate those writings.” Colin said. “Well, I’m off to Mexico. Translating the Mayan Language was of interest to the government and universities there.”

“But, your program is faster? More reliable?”

Colin smiled at me. “That’s why we wanted to come there to see. You weren’t interested in Delkenzie software. My computers and the program might be faster and more thorough, but you weren’t interested. We’ll never know.”

There was a pause. “I would be happy to show you some tomb writings.”

“That’s okay,” Colin said. You didn’t play poker with him either. “I’m sure translating isn’t a problem there. I’m sorry I wasted your time.”

“Fine.” The man knew he had to get this program. “I’d really like to see this program and your computer work. There are people that can read the writing in tombs, but it’s up to the perception and knowledge of the reader.” He took a deep breath. “Please come.”

Colin looked at me and winked. “I suppose we could.”

“I’ll make arrangements for a hotel.” Mr. Morsi said.

“That’s okay,” Colin said. “We can make our own arrangements. We wouldn’t impose on you for my business.”

“No! I insist.”

Colin nodded. “Well, I won’t be coming alone. There will be fourteen of us. We need to bring our equipment and a secure place to keep it.”

“Fourteen!?”

“Do you think I’d come alone?” Colin asked. “As I said, we’ll make our own arrangements. We pay our own way.”

There was the inhale and then another pause. “No.” He said. “My brother works in the government. I’m sure I’ll find something that will work.”

“Well…” Colin said like he was thinking.

“Again, I insist.” Mr. Morsi said.

“Fine,” Colin said. “I’ll call you before we arrive. I have to get my equipment and pick up the others. I’ll be in touch. Have a good day.” Colin said and hung up. “We’re in!!”

I grinned. “And you can’t lie? I never want to face you or Ursula in cards.”

“Well, business is a game and I know how to play the game.” Colin looked sheepish. “When necessary, I can bluff. I guess I can lie, but I’m not comfortable with it.” He smiled. “I never lie to you.” He stressed to me.

I smiled. “How do I know you’re not lying now?” I would enjoy this.

Colin looked a little alarmed. “I can’t lie to you! You know that!”

“Relax.” I came closer to him bringing him kissing him gently. “I believe you.”

Colin nodded, but not convinced. Still, he moved on. “I’ll call your Mom and Willie. Have them meet us in Manhattan.” He pulled me close. “And then…you and I are going shopping.”

I nodded. “I know,” I said rolling my eyes. I looked at him again. “Don’t the rich have them come to us?”

Colin shrugged. “I don’t know!”

It was another week before we went back to New York. We came through the VUN and Colin said. “And we’re off again, back to another time zone.”

“We’re not suffering too much,” I said smiling as we went down to our apartment.

Colin consulted a few people at VUN. We were told to make the best impact; our clothing should be custom made. We looked for a good man that could do that and one name came up. A man that could make anything. He had worked as a young man for two top designers and was branching out on his own now. We both liked what we’d seen he had done and wanted his look. At first, he wouldn’t even come, but when Colin said he’d back his new collection and help finance him for the next few years. He came.

He wasn’t what I expected. He designed clothes!? Wasn’t it expected that he would be light in the loafers? (Gay!) I was as bad as everyone else. I had my vision of what gay men were like. He wore a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt covered by a leather jacket. Then he started talking and I heard a slight accent. He was German-Italian. His mother had been Italian, his father was German. Seeing him I could put him in a pair of overalls and on the back of a tractor.

He had black hair, but fair skin. He walked around us as he looked us critically up and down. He was not a tall man, he was an inch or two shorter than I was. “Well, we have something to work with.” The man took my right arm and held it out. To see the length? “Good form. Nice bone structure.” He said looking at my face and then went to Colin.

“We need this pretty quickly, Mr. Kurtz,” Colin said. “We’re going overseas in two weeks.”

The man smiled. “Gio.”

Colin blinked and moved his head forward slightly. “I beg your pardon?”

The man chuckled. “That’s my name. Gio Kurtz.” He smiled. “The combination of both my parents. My mother’s father’s name and my father’s last name.” He gave a grudging nod. “It can be a volatile combination.”

“Your heritage?” I asked.

He nodded. “And my parents.” He laughed.

“They didn’t get along?” Colin asked.

Gio shrugged. “It depends on the season.” He grinned. “They’ve married five times.”

“Five times!?” I asked.

“Well, they’ve married others, but somehow they come back and marry each other. They have ten between the two of them. Five of them are to each other.” He chuckled. “They are currently unmarried at all, but they’ll marry again to each other. They love each other, but…”

“And you?” I asked looking at his left hand with a wedding ring. “You’re married.”

He nodded. “Currently.” He smiled. “I’m only on number three.”

Colin looked surprised. “You’re how old?”

Gio grinned. “Oh, let’s not go there.” He chuckled. “I met the first wife when I was twenty. I married Carl, my husband, at twenty-seven. I’m married to Marta now.” He looked again at us. “I can do it.” He smiled again. “I will do it.” He looked at Colin. “Two weeks?”

Colin nodded. “Two weeks.”

“Okay.” Gio nodded. “I’ll get my crew busy. It will be ready.” He smiled. “You’re backing my new line; how can I say no?” He looked at us. “Three suits each and the more casual clothing? I need measurements for each of you.” He waved at our feet. “I have a colleague that does the footwear.”

Colin nodded. “It’s just important they be impressed.”

Gio smiled. “They will be.”

“And other clothes made while we’re there,” I added.

“Done,” Gio said. “Can I ask the climate?”

“Egypt. Desert.” Colin said. “Dry, but seeing that it’s nearly winter, it won’t be too hot.” He smiled. “It’s business.”

Gio nodded. “It will be ready.”

We got other things together for our trip. All the equipment needed was gotten together and my mother and Willie returned to New York.

I greeted Mom. “How’s married life?”

She smiled. “I highly recommend it.” Then she frowned. “We’re going further while we’re here.”

I nodded. “The turning into...?”

She nodded. “Willie’s having the disc removed today.” She looked at me. “Are you okay with this?”

I nodded, but a little hesitantly. “Okay with it? Not really, but I did it willingly. I know it needs to happen for you and Willie to have any future.”

She smiled. “And I am doing it willingly.”

“If anything happens to cut the serum off. You’ll be a bloodsucker. So, will I.”

“We need to make sure it’s not cut off.” Mom said.

“It takes a couple of days before Willie reverts to being a vampire,” I said. “He can do it then.” I grinned at her. “He really loves you, if he’s willing to go through the week of Hell afterward.” I looked at her closer. “And you have no idea what it’s like, but you will.”

Mom laughed. “According to Sarah in England, it’s like labor.” She nodded. “Nonstop labor for hours. I’ve done that.”

I frowned knowing I was the cause of her pain. “You poor thing,” I said hugging her.

Mom laughed hugging me back. “Oh, it’s over. I got you and now, I’ll get Willie! I love him.”

I smiled and kissed her. I knew the emotion. I love Colin that way.

There is no ceremony for this sort of thing. A vampire becoming a full vampire, biting his love and then going back on the serum. Willie shut himself in the room he and my mother shared. I knew what was happening when Mom didn’t bring food to Willie.

It was night when Mom and Willie went to one of the protective rooms we had for full vampires at VUN. I made sure all the cameras were off to the room as Mom closed the door behind her. Willie was starting to fidget as his nature was reinserting itself. He was a full vampire now.

Colin took my arm and brought me close to him and wrapped his arms around me. “You look worried.”

“Naturally I am.” I waved at the closed door. “My mother is becoming a vampire!” I said. “You told me Willie never hunted a human before. He may find her blood too tempting to stop!”

Colin nodded. “That won’t happen.” He looked me in the eyes. “It is tempting. Could it happen? Yes, but it won’t.” He assured. “It doesn’t take much venom for her to become a vampire. Willie loves your mother. Did you doubt I would stop?”

“No,” I said grudgingly. “I knew you’d stop.”

“Because you knew I loved you.” Colin nodded. “So, does Willie. He loves her. He’ll stop.”

I was tempted to wait right outside the room, but Colin pulled me away and took me to get something to eat. Naturally. I ate but was not that interested in the food.

“It will be fine, Devon,” Colin said smiling as he took my hand.

I could just nod.

The next night at sunset we went to the room where my parents were. We carried the needed blood they would crave. I knocked on the door which was opened with both my mother and Willie standing there. I didn’t need my senses to tell it worked. My mother’s eyes were dry as they always were with a vampire. The wound on her neck was healing. I saw they were holding hands.

I smiled at them. “Well, here’s the blood,” I said offering them to bags of blood.

“Thank you.” Mom said taking her bag of blood. She was still not certain until she opened the port and the scent of the blood hit her. She began to drink greedily.

Willie drank his and smiled. “We’re ready for the serum.”

I nodded. “George will begin that tomorrow night.”

I smiled at Mom. “How are you, Mrs. Kalinowski?”

She chuckled. “I feel…Polish.”

I smiled with a chuckle. “Better than Scottish?”

Mom grinned. “You know I loved your father.” She reminded me. “But he’s been…”

I stopped her. “I’m fine with it,” I assured. “I know you loved Dad. I also know you love my new Dad.” I said touching Willie’s arm. “And you are my Dad now.”

Willie smiled. “I know.” He hugged me. “I love you, too.”

I gave Mom my grin when I was about to be a smartass. “You know…your hair still grows.” I pointed to her head. “Even though you swear you don’t. You still will have to use that stuff you don’t use to keep your hair that color.”

Mom smiled and hugged me.

“Welcome to the family,” Colin said coming up and hugging her. “First when I married Devon, then when you married Willie and now…you’re one of us.”

I nodded. “Forever,” I added. “Or until George finds that way to reverse the venom.”