Blueblood 5: Exposed The Secrets about V5H Revealed - 19. Holidays Again

I could tell Colin was now starting to understand better. He got quiet after Chuck had seemed to get a point across to him. We had a nice dinner and visit, but soon everyone went back to their apartments. We made plans to take everyone back to Charleston.

Coming out of our bathroom before bed, I found Colin sitting on the side of the bed just…thinking. “For most of my life…” he began quietly not looking at me, “all I had was pain and misery. I’d wake up hungry for blood. Most of the life I had before I was bitten…it’s more like…a dream I can’t really remember too well.” He looked at me. “Am I not seeing these things clearly?”

This was going to be difficult to answer. “I think…” I began quietly, coming over slowly, “you had some very, very bad experiences for more than a century. I suppose you can’t see it any other way.” I sat by him, my arm coming around him, rubbing his back gently. “I brought that same subject up to you in the beginning. You shot that down so…quickly. I didn’t dare to bring it up again.”

Colin nodded sighing. “All I know is…if we don’t have the serum, we become that thing again. I didn’t want that for anyone.” He looked at me. “Certainly not for you.”

“I understand that,” I said bringing him in closer and putting my head next to his gently. “You know anything can be abused. They created this venom to make soldiers…it took a few thousand years, but George found a way to take away the bad things the venom makes its victims. Now, like those guys in Germany, Morsi, and Hoffman? They wanted what Chuck was talking about. A near endless life with no bad parts. It will be misused.”

Colin shook his head. “I just can’t understand…” he inhaled running a hand through his hair in frustration. “All I remember was the horror I felt…fighting that nearly uncontrollable urge to feed...”

“But you don’t have horror now.” I reminded him. “Do you?”

He shook his head. “No.” He held his arm up and touched his disk. “This is just…new for me.”

“The suffering was horrible for you,” I said softly. “My experience after being bitten was just a small fraction of what all of you had.”

“There is always the possibility that something will go wrong and we will be without the serum and be that vampire again.” He shook his head. “I am always afraid of that.”

I kissed him gently on the temple. “Soon, George will figure things out. We will return to being just people.”

“Maybe,” Colin admitted.

“We are all the same,” I said. “There is a fear of death. Everyone is afraid for that reason. You suffered. Why? You could have done what Amasis’ wives did.”

Colin shrugged. “Maybe we should.” He said almost too quiet to hear.

I wasn’t surprised to hear that but sad that he felt that way in any way. “You don’t believe that. Do you want to die? Do you want me to?”

“No, but is natural…all living things die.” Colin said immediately, but softer. “I guess I just couldn’t see it.”

“We’re heading into dangerous times,” I said moving us further up the bed. “Right now, we are fine,” I said pulling his side of the bed down and easing him in gently.

“I never wanted that for you.”

I nodded kissing him gently. “I know.”

He reached up pulling me down to him gently. “Make love to me.” He said softly.

I smiled kissing him increasing the pressure as it became more consuming. “We don’t do anything less. I’m happy to, Colin. I love you.” I lay next to him as his arms wrapped around me more.

“I know. I love you.”

“Yes.” I nodded kissing him. “You do.”

We went to the lab the next morning and told William Canaday what the plans were.

The Navy doctor looked at us surprised. More than surprised, he was not liking this at all. “You can’t go!” He waved back at the lab. “We’ve got work to do!”

“We can’t?” Colin frowned. “Why can’t we go?”

The Commander shook his head. “We have a serious problem here.” He claimed. “This vampire thing is dangerous!”

“Yes, it is dangerous.” Colin chuckled. “We’ve had the problem for a long time, Bill. You just found out about it. A week or two away isn’t going to make much difference.” He put a friendly hand on the Commander’s shoulder shaking him slightly. “This was why we didn’t want this under government control. We are still free.”

“It was made aware to the government, but there are no restrictions to be given,” I added.

“But you and Colin can’t leave!” Bill protested. “You and he…George and John are vampires. There are two others, I was told...”

Colin shook his head chuckling. “There are a lot more than that.”

“In the world,” Bill nodded, “but…”

“There are more than those six you know of here, Bill,” Colin said smiling tolerantly.

“Who?”

I shook my head. “You can’t tell. We mean for it to remain that way.”

“There is?” The Commander asked. “Who?”

Colin nodded again. “You pass several here, but can’t tell who they are.”

“Except for a few decades that pass…you go grey or bald and they remain the same.” I grinned.

“You’re taking Nicolae? The vampire’s son!?” Bill asked. “He’s needed…”

“He’s going, too,” I said simply. “The situation we face is important but can wait until after the holidays. Colin is right. You just found out about it. It’s been around a few thousand years. It’s not going to be solved in the next few days.”

“It’s a free country. We’re going.” Colin said and we began to walk out when Colin turned back to the Navy doctor. “Unless the President calls a stop to it and another agency forces us to remain…which if they do, we will resist with equal force.”

“And many of us here have experience from many wars having lives that span several centuries. Not to mention vampires are expert predators,” I said, “our forces will not be pushovers.”

Colin nodded. “We allowed the three of you access because we need help. You are a liaison to the President, keeping him informed. There are many countries’ governments involved with this now. With these combined countries and minds, perhaps we can go farther and faster…the other countries involved will not let this one country control this.” Colin grinned. “And we won’t let ourselves be controlled.”

“Relax,” I said smiled at the Commander. “Enjoy the holiday. Spend time with family…or work…it will still be here when we get back.” I took Colin’s hand. “Now, to tell the boys.”

We entered the room where the Old Ones were and were greeted by happy smiles from all three.

“Hi, Devon!” Iustina said and signed. The translator’s sophisticated mechanized voice said, even mimicked a happy tone.

“Hi, Iustina!” I hugged him and gave the kiss as usual. The same for Repetate and Ralph. “I need for you three to listen, okay?”

“Yes,” Repetate said and touched the translator that hung on the strap around his neck. “Like this.” He said. “You understand.”

I chuckled. “Who likes this?” I touched the translator, always trying to get them to speak clearly. Learning to think in a language was hard…especially since they never had one before. I think. They lived a long time, maybe it wouldn’t be as hard for them.

Repetate…and I’m not kidding…rolled his eyes. A very human thing to do. “I…like this.” He touched the translator again.

I nodded with a smile. “Talking is difficult, but you guys are doing well. I need to tell you…” I said taking Colin’s hand. “Colin, Vlad and others…we are going to be gone for a while.”

Ralph looked disappointed. “How many sunsets?”

The thing was, numbers meant something to everyone…time was determined by days. The concept of weeks, months and years we hadn’t dealt with much. Numbers weren’t difficult. “We should be back in twenty sunsets,” I said holding up both hands with my fingers spread. “My hands with all fingers and your hands and all your fingers, Ralph, of sunsets.”

“You come back?” Ralph asked and the translator even sounded a little worried.

“We will come back.” I smiled and hugged him. “It’s just something we have to do.” I hugged them again quickly. “I’ve got some new cartoons to see. They are funny. Just let Amanda know if you like them. Of course, you have the Tom and Jerry you’ve seen, that’s available as well as Bugs Bunny.”

We were going back to our apartment and Colin looked back at the way we came toward the door that was guarded.

“They seem to be okay here.” Colin mused.

I nodded. “Their needs are met.” I shrugged. “The blood is delivered. No hunting needed. They are out of the sunrise and…they have a near endless supply of cartoons. What more could they need?”

“I look forward to when they can…” he thought, “articulate things in the past. They lived so long. They seem to like each other and get along.”

“We can speculate, but…” I said. “We don’t know how this…whatever they put in the water supply…worked. We can’t assume every birth in those villages were like them. We can’t assume anything. It could have taken a hundred years or more for this formula to work on an occasional couple. Both the mother and the father had to be given this formula. Travelers through could meet and not be on the formula and it wouldn’t work if they married into the village. I don’t believe they were born in the same year or even decade. Was it a small village? How many people lived there in their birthing years?”

Colin shook his head. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“They socialize because that’s what humans do,” I stated simply. “We are not targets for them. They love to be with others that aren’t on the menu.” I sighed. “They are dangerous, I know. I just don’t see them the same as I did.”

Mark and Stan were going to Mark’s home for Christmas, but coming to Charleston before New Year’s. Amasis and Wayne had flown to Scotland to be with Wayne’s daughter, Wayne’s son-in-law and grandchildren. Shelly and Amir had gone to Shelly’s sister’s home and Chuck had gone to see his family. We flew to Charleston, taking the plane for Holm’s Laboratories. I watched as Vlad and Gaius handled our trip by helicopter to the small airport a little wary, but handled the takeoff of the plane better than the first time.

Robert, our Houseman, opened the door for us with a grin. “Who let you strangers through the gate?”

Colin grinned back and shoved him back lightly. “Yes, we have been gone a while. We missed you, too.”

The caravan of vehicles were unloaded…and I mean a caravan. Even with Mom and Willie going to their house, Gabriella and Alex to theirs…we had George, Burke, Vlad, Gaius, Nicolae, Helga and three children with us…and their luggage! Three vans to carry them all!

Helga looked as she entered the great, round foyer and up at the high ceiling. “Dumnezeule! Acest lucru este imens!” She said in Romanian.

Not using the translator, I only got the “huge” part of what she said.

“There’s a room for everyone,” Colin announced to them all. He looked at Nicolae and Helga. “There are two bedrooms upstairs you can use.” He shrugged. “There is one that’s kind of rose-colored with flowers on the wallpaper you might like.” Then looked to Vlad and Gaius. “There is a blue one if you like across the hall.” He shrugged. “It was my daughter’s room. Blue. Men…”

Vlad chuckled. “Anything is got to be better than a slab in a cave. We’ll be fine.”

Nicolae, Helga, and the children had been gaping since we arrived through the gate at the grounds. Jan didn’t hold back as he walked in more standing next to me at the base of the stairs as his eyes tried to take it all in. “Wow.” He said nearly silently and stretched the word out. No translator needed for that.

“Wow?” I nodded with a chuckle. “I agree.”

“Do I ask if you need your Death Wish coffee?” Robert chuckled to Colin who gave him a look. “I take that look to mean no, I’ll get them for you and Devon.” He looked at everyone else. “I have plenty, though Mr. Colin’s is a bit strong. I have regular coffee for anyone else.” He smiled at the children. “Sodas and other drinks also.”

I grinned at the many decorations that were hung for Christmas. The tree in the foyer and garland were strewn nicely. Red ribbons at points where the garland looked tied to the wall. Festive. Glass hurricane covered red candles on the various tables, the poinsettias in arrangements on the tables in the foyer and other places. “You did great, Robert. I missed putting them up this year.”

He shrugged pausing as he was going to get the coffees. “You had it laid out last year. All I did was put them in the same places, but thank you.” Then he grinned a bit evil. “You can always help take them down.” He said as he walked away.

Rica was happy he had his own room after having shared one with Jan most of his life. The children were thrilled to be able to go outside…with the caution, they had to stay within the walls of Wentworth protected grounds. There were acres of land to explore. The weather in Charleston was not bad, cool at about seventy-two in Fahrenheit, but not the frosty weather in Romania or Manhattan; and the pool was heated so we told them they could do that. Robert had the forethought of turning the pool’s heater on three days earlier knowing we were coming and children would be here then.

The night of our Christmas party, Vlad came down the grand staircase to the foyer. The century of his birth you could not seen by appearance. He was a man. A good looking man in a formal tuxedo which we all wore. He came down as people were getting things ready to serve for our few guests when they arrived. He pulled on his red bow tie standing near me.

“I feel…” he grimaced, “foarte incomod.” He muttered.

I chuckled at him. “Since I don’t have to a translator on me…what does that mean?”

“Very uncomfortable,” Vlad grumbled the translation.

“You look great!” I said and looked behind him. “And where is Gaius?”

Vlad thumbed behind himself and laughed. “He’s up there struggling with his…cravata.”

That I didn’t need the translator to understand tie or necktie. “You could have helped him with it,” I said simply.

“Oh, no.” Vlad shook his head chuckling a little meanly. “I had to put mine on…he has to put his own on.”

When the doorbell rang while Vlad and I were talking, I went to answer it. It was Colin’s and my party, I was one of the hosts. No one was arriving that couldn’t get in our gate and security. Opening the door, I saw Mitch, Sasha, David and a young man built like Sasha, but had blonde hair. He was in his early twenties with a young brunette woman all dressed formally. We had asked them to come earlier than others because of…

“Hello, Mitch!” I greeted my doppelganger. “It’s good to see you, my friend!” I hugged the man but noticed the eyes grow on the young man with them as he just…stared. “Yes, I know. Mitch and I look alike.”

"I know, I saw it last year," Alik said shaking his head. "It's just so...uncanny."

David nudged the young woman with them. “And just wait until you meet his husband. You will see Tony and Mitch. That will really blow your mind.”

I greeted David and Sasha. Sasha pulled the young man forward. “You know my son, Alik Ledebev.” His hand brought the young woman forward. “And the lovely lady is his fiancé, Brenda Duncan.”

She was a pretty girl. Dark hair and held her fiancé’s hand and that grip tightened as she was staring at me slack-jawed. “You two could be twins!” She said dumbfounded pointing at Mitch.

Alik chuckled and leaned toward Mitch. “Minus the grey hair, Uncle Mitch.”

“Runt,” Mitch grumbled.

“Sorry, I was just…” I heard Colin say as he was hurrying to our guests to greet them

“Jesus!!” Brenda blurted now looking at Colin. “He looks like your Uncle Tony!” He told everyone. “I mean exactly like Uncle Tony I saw the pictures of.”

Mitch nodded with a grin. “With a lighter complexion, but, yes he does.”

Bringing them inside as Gaius came down beside Vlad having won his struggle to get the tie on. And the same thing happened. Vlad was looking very confused.

“You two are relatives?” Vlad asked pointing at Mitch.

I shook my head. “Not that we know of.” I waved at Vlad. “Everyone, this is Vlad Dragon and his fiancé Gaius Dragon,” I explained the name part for immigration purposes.

Gaius shook his head. “There is almost…” he said looking intently at both Mitch and myself, “no difference between you.”

Mitch smiled. “I take that as a compliment.” Then he pointed to his eyes. “I think you’ll see I’m older than he is.”

Again, there were shocks when introducing them to Helga, Nicolae, Rica, Gina, and Jan. We had a few other shocks when Jan had been introduced as Nicolae’s son and then called Gaius grandpa.

Mitch nodded taking a glass of champagne from a tray a young woman carried for everyone. “He’s one of you, too. Isn’t he?” He said to me in a near whisper.

“Yes, he is,” I answered quietly. “Does anyone else know?” I pointed at his family.

Mitch shook his head. “How do I explain? You might have to now.”