Page 35 of Death Dance

“Why are the children of the Originals called Sleepers, anyway? It’s just because they’re old vampires who tend to go into hiding?”

He nodded, pulling down a pair of mugs from the cupboard. “That’s really it. We’re both complicated and simple beasts. The Originals were named as such because nobody could find much information on any other vampires from that era; there were some, but they were uncommon and died out—or were killed by members of your family for being a threat to humanity.”

“Right. My father and his father weren’t the only vampires made by that… god?”

“God, surge of magic; use whatever you’re comfortable with. Clearly, your family believed in this divine entity with enough vigor their belief manifested into something that was better left asleep. However much I appreciate my extended lifespan, I also acknowledge we tend to do a lot more harm than good.”

I struggled to imagine my father as a devout worshipper of anything.

In my childhood, he’d been careful to expose the science behind religious belief, which had done a good job of preventing me from believing in anything. With the understanding of why he’d taken such care, I made the decision to approach religion with caution.

Might humanity repeat the past?

I hoped not.

Emerick finished making us hot chocolate and handed me the first steaming mug. “Try to relax. I know it’s hard, especially with how many uncertainties we have right now. As long as we make it to boarding the cruise ship without Breckenan, everything will work out. Should he attempt to intercept us while we’re at sea, he will find himself attacking many angry preternatural eager for a chance to win the honor of sending him to his final rest. Should he set foot on European soil, he will learn that the Lowrance brood, while American now, began where he thinks to hunt. He has chosen poorly, which you will witness for yourself soon enough.”

“As long as these Europeans don’t attempt to steal you, my prize, from me, they can help eradicate Breckenan. I’m tired of this.” I sipped my hot chocolate and sighed. “I just want some peace, Emerick.”

“It’s why you hunt,” my husband replied in a gentle voice. “You want to pull people out of the darkness and back into the light, and you accomplish that through saving others. Whenever someone like Smith-Howards shows up and threatens the peace you want for others, you’re consumed with the need to be the change you want in the world. That’s never going to change. I’ll be working to limit how often you leave my bed after sunrise to hunt miscreants.”

“As long as you aren’t trying to stop me, because if a miscreant comes onto my turf, I am dealing with them personally.”

“Can I watch?”

I snorted at his question, delivered in his most hopeful tone. “I might even wear your favorite leathers the next time I have to sneak out of bed to deal with a miscreant. I’ll even have someone tip you off so you can arrive just as I’m dealing with the problem.” Once Emerick had his mug, I headed to the sitting room to observe our kittens, who still slept. “We better get the litter boxes finished, else our feline princesses will be distraught. At least they’re already litter box trained.” While the kittens had roamed the cruise ship, they’d already been taught how to use the robotic litter boxes the instant they’d been old enough to be able to use them safely. “Breanna is coming with us, right?”

“Considering she’s our primary bait to get Breckenan to come out so we can kill him, yes. I’m sure your father is going to be talking to her about it in more detail when he’s helping her assemble the litter boxes. However, I’m concerned Breckenan is aware of your past relationship with her.”

“It’s unlikely. She moved when I was fifteen. I don’t think Breckenan’s involvement with my father came anywhere close to that. We should find out, however. Maybe my father knows something we don’t.”

“Oh, your father definitely knows something we don’t.” Emerick sat on his favorite chair, put his mug aside, and made his lap available for my use. He took my mug long enough for me to get settled before offering it back. “What he knows and isn’t telling us is a concern. But understanding what he is—and the true origin of the Originals—helps a lot. But it also makes the tragedy more significant and real. When the Originals executed one of their own for crossing the line, it wasn’t just a member of their brood. It was their flesh and blood. And that the Master of the Originals was their father? It’s just a tragedy wrapped in a tragedy wrapped in even more tragedy.”

I sipped my drink, marveling over how my family, all strangers to me except for reputation, had endured through the many years. “Do you think we’ll have problems on the ship?”

“Not until we get close to Europe. Once we’re near Europe? Yes, I’m expecting trouble. We’ll be anticipating it so we can spring the trap on them. I expect we will have a skirmish on the ship, and they’ll flee upon realizing how large our force is. Then we’ll have to go hunt them in Europe. As such, I will be preparing a present for you.”

Since our marriage, I had learned my husband loved presents; giver or receiver, if a present was involved, he transformed into an excitable child before a holiday. The moments of bliss always caught me by surprise, especially as he made a show of solemn sincerity most of the time.

Thus far, I’d caught him three times receiving a small gift that had turned his evening from miserable to tolerable. Once, he’d gotten a few pieces of chocolate safe for vampires, which someone had tossed on his chair with a bow and his name on it. Another time, a new stake had made an appearance, also wrapped with a bow and his name on it.

The stake had been roughly carved, appraised as weak in general, but had become one of Emerick’s favorites.

I expected it would be a while before he stopped carrying it with him.

“You know, I could give you many presents on the cruise to Europe. Many, many presents. All of them delivered in bed.” I relaxed, sipped my hot chocolate, and took in the comfortable luxury Emerick had built for himself before changing it to be built for us.

When he found out I enjoyed warm colors, he’d begun removing a few of the colder decorative items, replacing them with an autumn motif. My favorite of them came in the form of a new lamp, which stood in the corner. Stained glass of beautiful trees in the midst of losing their leaves sent a cascade of warm colors over the floor, transforming the space with a flip of a switch.

For the most part, we kept the lamp off, but whenever he thought I needed a reason to smile, he got up, turned it on, and let it work its magic on me. I needed to find more ways to return the favor, although I’ve found luring him into our bedroom and removing my shirt did an excellent job of improving his mood.

Until we were headed to Europe, there would be no time for such pleasant pursuits.

Emerick sighed. “On one hand, I feel I must spend every single minute on the cruise planning. But then I realize you may be right; I should get many presents on the cruise, all delivered in bed. My sour mood can—and does—ripple through the brood bonds. Your presence stabilizes everything, but your worry is also present, and when you are worried, everyone is worried.”

I did some mental math, and I found the answer unpleasant: I held more than a little responsibility for others trying to soothe Emerick through gifts.

I needed to change that. “We need to work on this. When I’m dour enough I’m causing problems within the brood, you should be giving me presents in bed before notifying me of the situation. Right now, I have no idea when I’m doing it, so I can’t fix it myself.”