Blueblood 5: Exposed The Secrets about V5H Revealed - 11. Confrontation of Ralph

Colin and I went up to the place they gathered for more information on V5H and this whole vampire…mess. They gathered and talked about…whatever medical science people talk about together. They talked about findings made and how changing the chemical processing of the various ingredients that went into making the serum helped it work better. Mandarin again to me, but they were getting it. He even spoke about the trips we took and the people we met along the way. They got Dr. Hathaway and Dr. Peltran to video conference fielding questions on how they handled things there. Two more medical voices added more credibility.

“It sounds like Holms' Laboratories is already handling this crisis.” The man from Texas said. “You talk of these groups…like you are all one big group.” He was a hand talker, always gesturing.

George nodded. “We are one big group.” He struggled with how to tell them something. “Before the serum…a vampire was restricted. Movements had to be planned so much in advance. The only thing concerning a vampire was to hunt, find blood and return to shelter before the sun rose. The serum allows more freedom, but there were forms of communication even before the serum. Mail. Telephones later, but the computer and the internet caught on and…I was surprised that there was a network, made up of vampires that have been around for a long while. There was a hierarchy of power they followed and there was a First Vampire in the United States. She was basically the Vampire Queen in the United States. Not all vampires are simple victims, some are not nice at all…just like with the rest of humanity. One of them…who is a dear friend of mine now,” he grinned at me, “you know he is a vampire…it was Devon that said the name Holms' Laboratories was too clinical. He named the group the Vampire United Nations or just the VUN.”

I shrugged as everyone looked at me. “Holms' Laboratories? Come on, I like names that have zing!” I smiled at George. “Holm’s Laboratories just didn’t have the zing.” That caused George to laugh.

“So, why ask us for help?” The man asked. “It sounds like you’re spreading just fine.”

“Because of this expansion, we have found there are countless vampires out in the dark that we could not ever reach,” George said. “Every culture on this planet has stories about vampires because every culture had or has vampires. Restrictions and permission to treat and help people need to be made and it will be impossible for any one group to handle the load.” He looked at the man. “Could anybody? If we could, we would do it. We need help!”

The woman that had tried to win George over at first rose. “We? Not, they or I, but we…you include yourself with them. I wondered how a document, written by you was presented twenty-five years ago.” She shook her head. “You’re a vampire.” There were gasps of surprise from some others.

“Yes.” Another stood, an older man in his fifties. “I thought you might be his son, but I spoke to a Dr. George Holm almost thirty years ago. I thought it was…” he shrugged, “inherited qualities or something. You sound the same.” He shrugged. “I just knew I had to be mistaken.”

Colin sat up straighter and took hold of my hand. “Oh, god.” He said a little panicked. “They know.”

I was looking at all the others assembled here. No one was scared or concerned, just want the truth.

“Yes.” George bowed his head slightly said quietly. “I am. I was born in 1896.” He looked up as they spoke with each other.

The others were now standing alarmed. “You found the Fountain of Youth!” The guy from Texas swore, now excited about this discovery.

“NO!!!” Colin stood up quickly as he yelled angrily causing the Texan to back away. “That…is a LIE!” He pointed hard at the Texan. “It is no Fountain of Youth! Everyone you know, like or love will die!! You won’t!”

“Not if they have this…venom and serum. Your husband is right here!” The Texan protested. “You’re a billionaire! You’ll be rich and forty forever!”

Colin began to move toward the man quickly, which I grabbed Colin’s arm and held him back and I had to work at that.

“There’s no guarantee for that,” I said loudly to the Texan.

“I was in HELL for a hundred and fifty years!!!” Colin shouted angrily. “It is not a Fountain of Youth. Maybe, when George does his wonderful work and finds a way to reverse this…I don’t know. If we miss the serum…I’ve gone through it many, many times…you have to start over…it hurts! You can’t imagine the pain we go through. Like your heart is being ripped out of your body and the pain lasts for hours and hours! Fountain of Youth!? No! It is not!!” He was shaking he was so upset. “We do what we have to because we want a life! Devon has gone through three times, I went through it many, many times to just see the sun!” Colin was now crying. He pointed at George. “So has he! I had my home destroyed, I thought I’d lost my family, everybody died! Yet, I was alive…but not really. Only until George perfected the serum to this point can we do this.”

I came up behind Colin. “I’m here,” I said to him. “We’re here together. Calm down. They just don’t know.”

“Well, they need to know,” Colin said wiping his face with his hands in irritation. “There are vampires out there that suffered much longer and no one was there to help them. I’m going to, damn it. With or without their help. They won’t be alone!”

The woman, named Bobbi, Dr. Roberta Cummings, nodded to Colin. “I see that.” She said sadly and turned to George. “There are other vampires here.”

George nodded. “Yes. Just like Colin, me and Devon.”

“And me,” John said coming up from the group. He smiled at George as he stood by George’s side put his arm around George. “We’re getting married.” He shrugged. “Our places are beside each other.”

George smiled at John, kissing him. “Yes, it is.” He looked up at the visiting doctors and scientists. “There are others here. There are others who are not vampires but know about us. You won’t be able to tell them apart. For their safety, I am not telling you who they are.”

I brought Colin closer embracing him as he gathered himself together again. Again, a vampire, even though not bothered by the sun anymore, knows what time of day…when the sun was setting just by feel. “The sun’s going down. I need to get the blood ready for our three in there.” I got Colin to look me in the eyes. “Are you okay?”

He nodded he sniffed and did was a child does rubbing snot with the back of his hand, then reached in his pocket for his handkerchief. “Should have gotten that first. Did I get some on you?”

“Do you think I worry about bodily fluids on me from you?” I chuckled kissing him.

He chuckled shaking his head. ”I guess not.” He smiled at me. “Thank you, Baby.” We walked out of the observation area in the hall. I saw the container with the bags of blood waiting. The four guards were getting ready to open the door.

The feeling was…I could almost see the sun in my head. The orangey-white ball touching the horizon, then half showing until it was down.

I heard the hiss of Ralph. I waved at the guards. “That’s our cue!” I grinned at them.

They all smiled and one chuckled that turned the key. Getting the container, I walked in as soon as he opened the door. Followed by the ever protecting Colin.

I was greeted by smiles from Repetate and Iustina, but the hiss from Ralph. Repetate and Iustina knew the craving was going to be met, so no urgency from them. Ralph would have to learn that.

“…and this is what we got last night.” George’s voice came over the speakers as he activated the window for them to see. “He is still very wary, but he will learn to trust Devon. Then us.” I heard the gasps as they all saw Ralph.

I smiled at all of them, got the familiar rub from Iustina and Repetate. I said hello to them and handed them their bag of blood. I looked at Ralph. “You will get some every day here. I promise.” He was not quite there, yet as he reached out, but watched to see what I would do as he took the bag. They communicated very well by expressions. You could see he not quite sure look, but what choice did he have? I had what he needed. “It’s even been warmed for you. There’s nothing in it to make you sleepy this time.” I said as he opened the port and drank. “You need a bath, Ralph.” I said lightly and watched his head cock slightly at that. “You probably have no idea what that is, but you’ll find out.”

“That’s him!” I heard Wayne’s voice say over the speakers.

We hadn’t seen Wayne since Ralph had gotten here, but he’d come in to see if this was his sire. It was.

“Wayne! Stop!” I heard Amasis say urgently.

“Don’t!” George said quickly and we heard footsteps hurry.

I turned as I heard pounding on the door of the cell. The cell was pretty soundproof, so I didn’t know what was being said, but I knew Wayne was trying to get in. Then more sounds as someone struggled with the key in the lock and the door burst open and Wayne stormed in, causing Repetate and Iustina to crouch a little behind Colin. I was in front of Ralph, who was now looking at Wayne’s face of rage. Amasis came in right behind Wayne grabbing him to stop Wayne.

“You stole my life!!” Wayne shouted at Ralph. “I had a wife! I had a child I didn’t even know the name of or even if it was a boy or girl. You took everything I had!!” He struggled against Amasis who just held him from behind, his arms around Wayne as Amasis said things to Wayne to calm him down. It was Wayne’s turn to be crying. “I will kill you!!”

I looked at Ralph whose face was confused and he was scared. I don’t think he could remember all his victims. There were too many, but Wayne was a vampire. He couldn’t feed on Wayne. Ralph cowered behind me. I held my hands up to Wayne. “You can’t,” I said quietly to Wayne as he still struggled in Amasis’ hold. “You know that.”

“He made my life afterward Hell for fifty years!!” Wayne said to me. “For what!? I was a meal! I was nothing to him! My life didn’t matter! I lived in a fog! A nightmare for fifty years, just so he could eat!? I want him DEAD!! Rip him apart slowly to suffer.” The one last time struggled again more against Amasis who again didn’t let go. “YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!!! You destroyed me!!” Colin came over and began pushing Wayne back to the door as Amasis pulled. The door was opened and he was taken out again to the hall.

I looked at Repetate and Iustina who had paused seeing Wayne angry, they knew him. “You know what’s in here.” I put the container down. “Make sure Ralph get some,” I said putting the container down and walked out the door, too. They were still in the hall as Amasis was now hugging Wayne to him rocking him as Wayne sobbed speaking softly to Wayne as Colin put his hand on Wayne’s back rubbing to soothe him. I walked over and spoke to the one ear I could see. “I am so sorry, Wayne.”

“I was nothing to him,” Wayne said but was crying less. “I lost so much because of him…for a meal.”

I nodded. “That’s what they did. We’re trying to repair the damage. Nothing we do will undo what happened, but you’re not alone.”

Wayne pulled away a little from Amasis. “I know.”

“You’ve got a great daughter, Katie.” I reminded him. “A delightfully crazy son-in-law, Sean; three terrific grandchildren; Karen, Scott and that dynamo Kelly. Your life was destroyed, but it’s not over. You have them.”

“But I will watch them all grow up, get old and die.” Wayne said sadly. “That is just not right…this is Hell.”

“Yes, it is not right.” Amasis smiled softly. “I know the feeling of loss and it never gets easier. It will hurt a while, but it will get…more tolerable…with time.”

Colin squeezed Amasis’ shoulder. “He knows that better than any of us do.”

Wayne nodded as Amasis let him go. His eyes were swollen and face’s color was red, but he was calm now. He smiled at me. “Thanks, guys.” He chuckled then hugged me hard. “Thank you, Devon.”

I kissed him on the cheek near his ear. “I think that’s why we say we’re family. We feel it more. It’s so important to have people you know and trust. We’re all the same, we assure a little longevity.”

Colin nodded. “That’s right.” Then he frowned as he mockingly scolded Wayne. “But no one else tells those people they are vampires! They now know of six.”

Wayne nodded. “Yes, sorry, I just went…a little crazy.”

I bumped my head against his. “Understandable. We love you, Wayne.”

Wayne chuckled. “I know. I love you, too.”

I grabbed Amasis and hugged him. “You, too. I love you.”

Amasis nodded. “I know.”

One of the guards came over. “I’m sorry, Colin, Devon…I didn’t know what to do…Wayne is usually so calm and he was so angry…he’s one of the lead guys…we follow orders…”

I smiled at him putting my hand on his arm. “It’s not a problem. Don’t worry about it. You did great as always.”

Going back to the observation room, the visiting medical and science guests were a little hushed now. They’d heard what Wayne said, they saw Colin’s reaction to what the Texan said.

“I think…” the Texan said slowly coming over the George, “you can count on our support from Houston Medical Center. We’ll do all we can to protect those out there that have this.”

“I agree.” An Asian man said. “However, support from us is limited. Matilda Medical Centre. We will have to bring people of our government here. You will have to explain it again. Not all in my government are that…smart.” He and a few others with him chuckled at that.

Colin nodded. “But you know who these government people are. You know who you should bring this to their attention. We don’t. There are some in China, I know without looking.” Colin shrugged. “I never said it would be easy, but you see the problem now.”

“Yes.” They all agreed.

“Look.” Bobbi pointed to the window. “I swear, they are communicating.”

The large screen monitor came on and there were cartoons showing again, but Ralph didn’t understand what he was seeing. Repetate got near Ralph and pointed to the screen. Iustina nodded and came closer to Ralph extending his hand to Ralph. He was clearly communicating it’s alright, come sit with us. Ralph still watched the screen, but slowly took Iustina’s hand and they sat down together and began watching

“How are they doing that? Telepathy?” Bobbi asked.

“I don’t think so,” I said to her. “I can communicate with Colin. He and I don’t say a word. I know him. I read him. Facial expression, stance, and demeanor. These creatures have been around so long, reading others is…they can read the slightest variation. The vampire that had them spoke only Romanian. I speak only English. They understood both of us, maybe they see things we would miss. They communicate with me just fine. I understand what they want and need.”

“How could we miss them?” Another woman asked. “They were here for thousands of years! Yet suddenly I’m seeing a whole new world!”

“Hiding in the dark.” George nodded. “Only coming out at night and people just…were missing. Now, there are too many people to keep up with those missing.

The Texan said proudly. “We’ll do this.” The other scientists were nodded agreeing to help as well.

Colin and I smiled at George’s look of complete relief. He no longer had to work alone.