The Vampire SEAL Collection, page 42
“You’re damn straight rage is dripping from me. I’m standing here, trying not to strangle you. Was I not clear enough? Did I not tell you to obey the law? Do you want the government to lock us up?” The last few words were punctuated with a growl.
“I didn’t do anything!” I yelled. “I wasn’t anywhere near Ben. And why was he here anyway?”
Dad combed his fingers through his hair. “Lieutenant London, please check on Sam.” The anger in his voice was suddenly supplanted with concern.
I froze.
“What happened to Sam?” I glanced between Dad and Webb. “Where’s Dr. Vieira? Is that why you sent for me? Is Sam okay?”
When Sam and I had left the lab early this morning, he was on his way to sword training. Had he hurt himself?
“When was the last time you drank blood?” Dad asked.
I tilted my head to one side. “Why?”
“Just answer me.” His voice had a feral edge to it.
“This morning.”
“Was it mine?”
I nodded.
Fury flickered in his expression once again as his silver gaze seared through me. “Jo, you have a short time left before…the precautionary measures are lifted. Are you trying to get that sentence extended? Because I can extend it without any Counsel approval. In fact, I just…it seems you’re not ready to interact with humans.”
“Ben is my friend. He’s Sam’s best friend.”
“Humans don’t make good friends, Jo.”
“You keep saying that. I don’t agree with you. Don’t you have any human friends?”
“I may command human soldiers, but, no, I don’t hang out with humans.”
I lowered my gaze and took in a deep breath, tamping down the anger that crept closer to the surface. He was angry, but it had to be because of Sam and not because I went running toward a car that had driven away.
“And you owe me a flagpole.”
I raised one eyebrow. “What?”
“You bent the top of my flagpole. You can’t deface government property.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I told you not to get upset.”
Did I get that upset about Ben that my new powers took over? I couldn’t remember. All I remembered was Webb’s breath tickling my ear and whispering the word beautiful in it. Wait. He called me beautiful! Okay, how do I process that one? I shook it off. I didn’t have time to analyze the gorgeous vampire.
I turned to walk away. If I stood here any longer I was afraid I would destroy the lab and my father. I balled my fingers into a fist. The men in my life irritated me. My father had his control issues. Sam kept getting into…I didn’t know what. It seemed the universe had other plans for my brother. Webb had an elusive charm. Then there was Ben. Something drew me to him. Was it curiosity? His scent? His blood? Or all of the above? I wanted to find out. I had to find out, but would I lose my willpower around him and turn into the vampire Dad feared I would become?
“And where do you think you’re going, young lady?” Dad asked.
“I’m going to see Sam, since you won’t tell me what happened. Or maybe try to escape so I can see Ben,” I spat.
I assumed Sam was in the room on the far side of the medical facility; I’d watched Webb go in there after Dad told him to check on Sam.
I took one step before my face slammed into Dad’s broad chest. He grabbed my chin and yanked it up. A violent storm swirled around in his gaze and his eyebrows were drawn together so hard the crease in between had to be an inch deep. Irritation, fury and madness rolled off him in twenty-foot waves, causing my blood to freeze.
He inhaled. “What is it with you and the Jackson boy? Is there something going on between you and him I should know about?” he asked, raking his gaze over me and, no doubt, picking through my thoughts.
“My brain is empty right now, so don’t waste your time. And no, there’s nothing going on. It doesn’t matter anyway. Between you and Sam, I don’t stand a chance of ever having a boyfriend.”
“You’re damn right about that. If I had my way, I’d send you off to a convent.”
My mouth fell open. It took all the strength I had not to scream.
“That’s right.”
“You sure you were born in the eighteen-hundreds and not the sixteen-hundreds?” I spat out.
“Young lady…” His grip tightened around my chin. “You’re just lucky there aren’t any vampire convents or vampire nuns in our world. Though I have a good mind to change that…”
A door opened then closed. Footsteps scuffed across the tile. I turned my head to glimpse the person who approached, but Dad’s steel grip restrained me.
“Sir?” Dr. Vieira’s voice resounded, easing some of the tension in the air.
Thank God.
Dad let go of me. “How’s Sam?”
“He’s still under,” Dr. Vieira replied.
“Are her blood results from this morning complete?” Dad asked.
“No, sir.”
“Is anyone going to tell me what’s going on?” I asked.
My angry father began pacing in long strides, just as he had when he found out someone cracked into his blood vault. Dad didn’t seem as mad now. His power still ebbed and flowed, but from what seemed more like worry than rage.
“Steven, all the boxed blood from our supplier has been removed.”
“How could this have happened? Is the blood tainted or was it too early for Sam to switch to a different blood type?”
“I don’t know. Your children’s DNA is unique. I don’t have all the results ironed out yet. My preliminary conclusions suggest they should continue to ingest your blood as their source of nourishment until I can figure all this out. With that said, however, a couple of younger vampires onsite were sick earlier this week with the same flu-like symptoms as Sam.”
“I gave him strict orders not to drink any other blood but mine,” he muttered as he continued to pace. “These teenagers are going to…” His voice trailed off.
Then, in an instant, he slammed his fist on top of the granite lab bench, cracking it. The sound drilled through my ears as if a shotgun had fired.
“Webb!” My father raised his voice.
“Commander?” Webb appeared out of nowhere.
“Jo, follow me,” Dr. Vieira said in a calm tone, ignoring my father and his choleric temper.
And I owe you a flagpole? Right. I narrowed my eyes and looked at him. You owe the government a lab bench. I hoped he read that.
I followed Dr. Vieira to the same room Ben had occupied after he was attacked by one of the Plutariums. My hands trembled. I was afraid to walk in. A mixture of scents greeted me as I looked at Dr. Vieira. Blood for sure, which overpowered the other two scents of sweat and alcohol.
“You can go in,” he said.
I shook my head violently. The images of Sam sprawled across a gurney, pale skin, arms hanging off and a breath away from death were still too vivid in my mind.
“He’s stable, Jo. He doesn’t look like he did when we found him at Highland Memorial,” he said, as if he knew what I was thinking.
“What happened?” I asked.
“Sam passed out in sword training. When Tripp brought him in, he had a hundred-and-four degree fever.”
I gasped. “I’d wondered why he was hot to touch a couple of weeks ago. His hand almost burned a hole in my palm.”
“When was this?” Dr. Vieira asked.
“Um…the day we met the solicitors, I think?”
“Mmm-hmm. That explains a few things.”
“Like what?”
“We’ve had a few other personnel sick about two or three weeks ago. Then a couple more this week,” he explained. “We’re investigating whether the boxed blood we drink has been contaminated.”
“Did the other vamps get this sick?”
“No, but they’re older and their immune systems are stronger. Now, go on in. I’ll be with you.”
Once I was in the room the air pressure dropped.
Here we go again. I was always walking into a hospital room where a friend or family member was comatose.
I blew out a breath, following the tube from Sam’s arm to the IV bag that was full of blood. He looked peaceful, lying with his arms by his side, breathing in and out in a steady rhythm. Then out of nowhere, a man rose from the chair that was on the other side of Sam’s bed. I did a double take. The man also had an IV in his arm with blood flowing through a tube into a bag at his side. I froze.
“What’s he doing here? Get him out—now.” I ran up to Sam’s bed and pulled the needle out of his arm. Blood dribbled out and the small hole in the crease of his elbow closed up immediately.
What was Neil Foster doing in Sam’s room? And why was he giving Sam his blood?
“Hey, calm down.” Dr. Vieira pulled me away. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not! That man’s a Plutarium.”
“What’s all the commotion in here?” my father asked, stalking in like he owned the place.
Dr. Vieira picked up the needle. “Your daughter—”
“Why is a Plutarium giving Sam blood?” I interrupted. “Get him out of here!”
I tried to force back my anger. Releasing it meant my mental powers would surface, causing damage and destruction to the medical facility, and I already owed my father a flagpole. I took in several calming breaths.
“It’s okay,” Dad said, grabbing me. “Look at me. I know you don’t understand everything going on around here, but that man sitting in the chair, donating blood, could be essential to Sam making it through this. We suspect Sam has been drinking from the boxed blood in the refrigerators, which may have been tainted with an endotoxin. Dr. Vieira has a lab technician testing every box.”
I looked at Dr. Vieira then at Neil Foster then at my dad.
“And what’s so important about his blood?”
Neil had befriended Sam the day I was rushed to Highland Memorial Hospital. The same day Sam and I were running for our lives from Jonah. Neil had been kind enough to hide us at his parents’ abandoned funeral home, and while he was the one who told Dad where the Plutariums were keeping Sam, I wasn’t so sure where his loyalties lay. He had the Plutariums insignia tattooed on the back of his neck. Every time I asked Dad about Neil he told me he couldn’t talk about him. A part of me wanted to thank him for helping to rescue Sam, but another part didn’t trust him. For some reason, though, Sam had trusted Neil from day one. According to Sam, Neil had been one of the janitors at Durfee High School, although I had never seen him there before.
I looked at Neil again. He sat quietly in the chair with the IV tethered to his arm. His diamond earring glistened in his left ear. His appearance hadn’t changed, save for a close-shaven beard, which hugged his jaw.
If Neil were in fact a janitor at the high school that would mean Sam had to have seen Neil before that night. If that were the case, then…
Something twisted and snaked through the deepest recesses of my brain, pushing its way to the surface. Did Dad lie about not knowing where we were for fourteen years? As I stared at Neil, a sinking feeling coursed through me.
“I didn’t,” Dad said before I could speak.
I lifted my gaze. “You lied to me.”
“I—”
“Forget it. I knew I couldn’t trust you. Maybe Sam was right. Maybe you’re not our father.”
“Jo,” Neil said. “He didn’t lie to you.”
“I’m not talking to you,” I said to Neil, keeping my eyes on Dad.
His power rose, anger spilling into the air. I’d pissed him off too many times recently not to know his rage.
“If you didn’t lie, then why did Sam tell me he knew Neil from school? That would mean Sam and Neil knew each other way before the night I was in the hospital. Given all of that, you lied. You knew where to find us. You knew we were suffering in foster care. You let us live with a pervert like Cliff.”
Suddenly, Webb appeared, taking a stance behind my dad. It was as if he knew Dad were about to explode.
Dad released a deep breath. “I didn’t lie. I didn’t know where you were. One of the reasons Neil is here today is because he has a very special ability—his blood heals.”
Dr. Vieira cleared his throat.
“Not now, Damon,” my father said, not even looking at the doctor.
“Don’t change the subject, Dad. Oh, excuse me; maybe Dad isn’t the right word.”
“Young lady.” His nostrils flared. “Let’s go.” He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me out of the room.
Webb followed as Dad continued to march me into Dr. Vieira’s office. When we entered, Dad slammed the door, shaking the walls and everything else in the room.
Webb knocked. “Sir?”
“Not now, Lieutenant.”
Webb stuck in his head. “Can I help?”
“I said not now. This is between me and my daughter.”
He snapped his head and glared at me.
“Close the door, Lieutenant. This will only take a minute.”
Was Webb worried about me? Or was he more worried about my father and what he might do? He closed the door gently then Dad unleashed his power, zapping my skin. It was as if he were rubbing my arms with a pumice stone.
Webb’s apprehension made me uneasy all of sudden. I sat on the leather couch while Dad paced the length of the room, thrusting his fingers through his hair then rubbing his jaw. I regarded him with caution, afraid if I said a word he would…
I didn’t know what he would do.
“Dad.” My voice was soft.
“You don’t get to speak right now. I’ll do all the talking.” He stopped pacing and sighed. “Jo, come here,” he said, waving his hand.
I rose from the couch, all my senses telling me to obey the powerful vampire. Dr. Vieira’s office had the only window in the medical facility, which overlooked the grounds in front of the main entrance. The silence grew thick as we both stared out. The breeze had changed into a strong wind, causing the trees to sway from side to side. In fact, since I had entered the building, dark clouds had rolled in.
“Do you remember our conversation the first night you, me and Sam were together?” His voice had lost a little of bit of the angry tone.
“Yeah.”
“What did I tell you about why I couldn’t locate you and Sam?”
“You said it had a lot to do with Edmund.”
“Sure. I told you that with Edmund as my enemy it was safer not knowing where you were. That killed me more than anything. You may think ill of me for that, but my actions were to protect both of you. Do you think I lied to you?” he asked in an even tone.
We were both still looking out the window. I’d been watching a squirrel gnaw on what looked to be an apple core.
“I don’t know what to believe.”
I really didn’t. Hands down, he looked just like Sam. Was appearance enough to prove he was my father? I wasn’t sure. In fact, I wasn’t sure about anything anymore. The only constant in my life was my brother.
“Is Sam going to be okay?” I asked.
“He will.”
“Is Neil’s blood helping him?”
“We don’t know. Neil’s blood can heal superficial wounds like cuts and open sores, but only on humans. However, we’ve never had the need to test his blood on internal viruses or infections. It wasn’t until the day you came close to being a victim of the endotoxin when Dr. Vieira started experimenting with Neil’s blood to see if it could help kill the bacterium that the endotoxin emits. If the boxes of blood were sabotaged with this endotoxin and Neil’s blood helps Sam, we might be able to fabricate a remedy to counteract any effects other vampires have with the toxin. All this could be a long shot, though. It very well might be that Sam is getting better because of his vampire immune system. It’s just might take longer because he’s a young vampire.”
“Why did Sam tell me he knew Neil from school?”
The squirrel had eaten the entire apple core and was scurrying up a tree.
“Neil’s other special power is compelling people. He compelled Sam that night to believe he knew him from school.”
“You told me you had asked a friend for some help when you found out I was in the hospital. Is Neil that friend?”
“No, sweetie,” he said, letting out a breath as if he were releasing the last effects of his dangerous mood. “While Neil helped, he wasn’t the only one. You see, Neil has been undercover in the Plutarium organization for the past three years. Edmund sent him and Jonah to the hospital that night to confirm Dr. Case was telling the truth. When Neil arrived, he found Sam sneaking around the emergency room. Since Sam looks a lot like me, Neil knew he had to be my son. So he called me.”
“Is Neil still undercover?” I tore away my gaze from my little squirrel friend and looked up.
“No. His cover has been blown.” He touched my left shoulder and looked down. “I didn’t lie to you. I would never lie to you or Sam.” He pulled me into a hug. “I know we’re still getting to know each other, but you have to trust me when I tell you to do something. This is a different world than what you’re accustomed to. You need to accept that. Your safety is extremely important to me. I can’t lose you again. I won’t lose you or Sam again.” He stroked my head.
I stood in his embrace, listening to every word. I struggled with this father and daughter relationship. I’d only known my father for a short time. In that time we’ve had some very tender moments and at other times serious I-hate-you moments. I didn’t know if we would ever build a stronger and better bond. I did want Sam, Dad and me to be a family, but aside from Sam, I had a hard time allowing myself to feel attached to anyone. After all, foster care taught me nothing was forever.
He let me go, turned and looked out the window.
“Did you notice the flagpole?” he asked.
I joined him at the window. The pole was bent a few inches below the top with the ball dangling in the air. Did I do that?
“Yes, you did,” Dad responded to my silent question.
“I don’t know how to control it. I didn’t get that upset.”
“You got extremely upset. Your scream was deep and loud. I heard it from inside here.”
“Yeah, but vampires can hear a pin drop.”
“I didn’t do anything!” I yelled. “I wasn’t anywhere near Ben. And why was he here anyway?”
Dad combed his fingers through his hair. “Lieutenant London, please check on Sam.” The anger in his voice was suddenly supplanted with concern.
I froze.
“What happened to Sam?” I glanced between Dad and Webb. “Where’s Dr. Vieira? Is that why you sent for me? Is Sam okay?”
When Sam and I had left the lab early this morning, he was on his way to sword training. Had he hurt himself?
“When was the last time you drank blood?” Dad asked.
I tilted my head to one side. “Why?”
“Just answer me.” His voice had a feral edge to it.
“This morning.”
“Was it mine?”
I nodded.
Fury flickered in his expression once again as his silver gaze seared through me. “Jo, you have a short time left before…the precautionary measures are lifted. Are you trying to get that sentence extended? Because I can extend it without any Counsel approval. In fact, I just…it seems you’re not ready to interact with humans.”
“Ben is my friend. He’s Sam’s best friend.”
“Humans don’t make good friends, Jo.”
“You keep saying that. I don’t agree with you. Don’t you have any human friends?”
“I may command human soldiers, but, no, I don’t hang out with humans.”
I lowered my gaze and took in a deep breath, tamping down the anger that crept closer to the surface. He was angry, but it had to be because of Sam and not because I went running toward a car that had driven away.
“And you owe me a flagpole.”
I raised one eyebrow. “What?”
“You bent the top of my flagpole. You can’t deface government property.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I told you not to get upset.”
Did I get that upset about Ben that my new powers took over? I couldn’t remember. All I remembered was Webb’s breath tickling my ear and whispering the word beautiful in it. Wait. He called me beautiful! Okay, how do I process that one? I shook it off. I didn’t have time to analyze the gorgeous vampire.
I turned to walk away. If I stood here any longer I was afraid I would destroy the lab and my father. I balled my fingers into a fist. The men in my life irritated me. My father had his control issues. Sam kept getting into…I didn’t know what. It seemed the universe had other plans for my brother. Webb had an elusive charm. Then there was Ben. Something drew me to him. Was it curiosity? His scent? His blood? Or all of the above? I wanted to find out. I had to find out, but would I lose my willpower around him and turn into the vampire Dad feared I would become?
“And where do you think you’re going, young lady?” Dad asked.
“I’m going to see Sam, since you won’t tell me what happened. Or maybe try to escape so I can see Ben,” I spat.
I assumed Sam was in the room on the far side of the medical facility; I’d watched Webb go in there after Dad told him to check on Sam.
I took one step before my face slammed into Dad’s broad chest. He grabbed my chin and yanked it up. A violent storm swirled around in his gaze and his eyebrows were drawn together so hard the crease in between had to be an inch deep. Irritation, fury and madness rolled off him in twenty-foot waves, causing my blood to freeze.
He inhaled. “What is it with you and the Jackson boy? Is there something going on between you and him I should know about?” he asked, raking his gaze over me and, no doubt, picking through my thoughts.
“My brain is empty right now, so don’t waste your time. And no, there’s nothing going on. It doesn’t matter anyway. Between you and Sam, I don’t stand a chance of ever having a boyfriend.”
“You’re damn right about that. If I had my way, I’d send you off to a convent.”
My mouth fell open. It took all the strength I had not to scream.
“That’s right.”
“You sure you were born in the eighteen-hundreds and not the sixteen-hundreds?” I spat out.
“Young lady…” His grip tightened around my chin. “You’re just lucky there aren’t any vampire convents or vampire nuns in our world. Though I have a good mind to change that…”
A door opened then closed. Footsteps scuffed across the tile. I turned my head to glimpse the person who approached, but Dad’s steel grip restrained me.
“Sir?” Dr. Vieira’s voice resounded, easing some of the tension in the air.
Thank God.
Dad let go of me. “How’s Sam?”
“He’s still under,” Dr. Vieira replied.
“Are her blood results from this morning complete?” Dad asked.
“No, sir.”
“Is anyone going to tell me what’s going on?” I asked.
My angry father began pacing in long strides, just as he had when he found out someone cracked into his blood vault. Dad didn’t seem as mad now. His power still ebbed and flowed, but from what seemed more like worry than rage.
“Steven, all the boxed blood from our supplier has been removed.”
“How could this have happened? Is the blood tainted or was it too early for Sam to switch to a different blood type?”
“I don’t know. Your children’s DNA is unique. I don’t have all the results ironed out yet. My preliminary conclusions suggest they should continue to ingest your blood as their source of nourishment until I can figure all this out. With that said, however, a couple of younger vampires onsite were sick earlier this week with the same flu-like symptoms as Sam.”
“I gave him strict orders not to drink any other blood but mine,” he muttered as he continued to pace. “These teenagers are going to…” His voice trailed off.
Then, in an instant, he slammed his fist on top of the granite lab bench, cracking it. The sound drilled through my ears as if a shotgun had fired.
“Webb!” My father raised his voice.
“Commander?” Webb appeared out of nowhere.
“Jo, follow me,” Dr. Vieira said in a calm tone, ignoring my father and his choleric temper.
And I owe you a flagpole? Right. I narrowed my eyes and looked at him. You owe the government a lab bench. I hoped he read that.
I followed Dr. Vieira to the same room Ben had occupied after he was attacked by one of the Plutariums. My hands trembled. I was afraid to walk in. A mixture of scents greeted me as I looked at Dr. Vieira. Blood for sure, which overpowered the other two scents of sweat and alcohol.
“You can go in,” he said.
I shook my head violently. The images of Sam sprawled across a gurney, pale skin, arms hanging off and a breath away from death were still too vivid in my mind.
“He’s stable, Jo. He doesn’t look like he did when we found him at Highland Memorial,” he said, as if he knew what I was thinking.
“What happened?” I asked.
“Sam passed out in sword training. When Tripp brought him in, he had a hundred-and-four degree fever.”
I gasped. “I’d wondered why he was hot to touch a couple of weeks ago. His hand almost burned a hole in my palm.”
“When was this?” Dr. Vieira asked.
“Um…the day we met the solicitors, I think?”
“Mmm-hmm. That explains a few things.”
“Like what?”
“We’ve had a few other personnel sick about two or three weeks ago. Then a couple more this week,” he explained. “We’re investigating whether the boxed blood we drink has been contaminated.”
“Did the other vamps get this sick?”
“No, but they’re older and their immune systems are stronger. Now, go on in. I’ll be with you.”
Once I was in the room the air pressure dropped.
Here we go again. I was always walking into a hospital room where a friend or family member was comatose.
I blew out a breath, following the tube from Sam’s arm to the IV bag that was full of blood. He looked peaceful, lying with his arms by his side, breathing in and out in a steady rhythm. Then out of nowhere, a man rose from the chair that was on the other side of Sam’s bed. I did a double take. The man also had an IV in his arm with blood flowing through a tube into a bag at his side. I froze.
“What’s he doing here? Get him out—now.” I ran up to Sam’s bed and pulled the needle out of his arm. Blood dribbled out and the small hole in the crease of his elbow closed up immediately.
What was Neil Foster doing in Sam’s room? And why was he giving Sam his blood?
“Hey, calm down.” Dr. Vieira pulled me away. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not! That man’s a Plutarium.”
“What’s all the commotion in here?” my father asked, stalking in like he owned the place.
Dr. Vieira picked up the needle. “Your daughter—”
“Why is a Plutarium giving Sam blood?” I interrupted. “Get him out of here!”
I tried to force back my anger. Releasing it meant my mental powers would surface, causing damage and destruction to the medical facility, and I already owed my father a flagpole. I took in several calming breaths.
“It’s okay,” Dad said, grabbing me. “Look at me. I know you don’t understand everything going on around here, but that man sitting in the chair, donating blood, could be essential to Sam making it through this. We suspect Sam has been drinking from the boxed blood in the refrigerators, which may have been tainted with an endotoxin. Dr. Vieira has a lab technician testing every box.”
I looked at Dr. Vieira then at Neil Foster then at my dad.
“And what’s so important about his blood?”
Neil had befriended Sam the day I was rushed to Highland Memorial Hospital. The same day Sam and I were running for our lives from Jonah. Neil had been kind enough to hide us at his parents’ abandoned funeral home, and while he was the one who told Dad where the Plutariums were keeping Sam, I wasn’t so sure where his loyalties lay. He had the Plutariums insignia tattooed on the back of his neck. Every time I asked Dad about Neil he told me he couldn’t talk about him. A part of me wanted to thank him for helping to rescue Sam, but another part didn’t trust him. For some reason, though, Sam had trusted Neil from day one. According to Sam, Neil had been one of the janitors at Durfee High School, although I had never seen him there before.
I looked at Neil again. He sat quietly in the chair with the IV tethered to his arm. His diamond earring glistened in his left ear. His appearance hadn’t changed, save for a close-shaven beard, which hugged his jaw.
If Neil were in fact a janitor at the high school that would mean Sam had to have seen Neil before that night. If that were the case, then…
Something twisted and snaked through the deepest recesses of my brain, pushing its way to the surface. Did Dad lie about not knowing where we were for fourteen years? As I stared at Neil, a sinking feeling coursed through me.
“I didn’t,” Dad said before I could speak.
I lifted my gaze. “You lied to me.”
“I—”
“Forget it. I knew I couldn’t trust you. Maybe Sam was right. Maybe you’re not our father.”
“Jo,” Neil said. “He didn’t lie to you.”
“I’m not talking to you,” I said to Neil, keeping my eyes on Dad.
His power rose, anger spilling into the air. I’d pissed him off too many times recently not to know his rage.
“If you didn’t lie, then why did Sam tell me he knew Neil from school? That would mean Sam and Neil knew each other way before the night I was in the hospital. Given all of that, you lied. You knew where to find us. You knew we were suffering in foster care. You let us live with a pervert like Cliff.”
Suddenly, Webb appeared, taking a stance behind my dad. It was as if he knew Dad were about to explode.
Dad released a deep breath. “I didn’t lie. I didn’t know where you were. One of the reasons Neil is here today is because he has a very special ability—his blood heals.”
Dr. Vieira cleared his throat.
“Not now, Damon,” my father said, not even looking at the doctor.
“Don’t change the subject, Dad. Oh, excuse me; maybe Dad isn’t the right word.”
“Young lady.” His nostrils flared. “Let’s go.” He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me out of the room.
Webb followed as Dad continued to march me into Dr. Vieira’s office. When we entered, Dad slammed the door, shaking the walls and everything else in the room.
Webb knocked. “Sir?”
“Not now, Lieutenant.”
Webb stuck in his head. “Can I help?”
“I said not now. This is between me and my daughter.”
He snapped his head and glared at me.
“Close the door, Lieutenant. This will only take a minute.”
Was Webb worried about me? Or was he more worried about my father and what he might do? He closed the door gently then Dad unleashed his power, zapping my skin. It was as if he were rubbing my arms with a pumice stone.
Webb’s apprehension made me uneasy all of sudden. I sat on the leather couch while Dad paced the length of the room, thrusting his fingers through his hair then rubbing his jaw. I regarded him with caution, afraid if I said a word he would…
I didn’t know what he would do.
“Dad.” My voice was soft.
“You don’t get to speak right now. I’ll do all the talking.” He stopped pacing and sighed. “Jo, come here,” he said, waving his hand.
I rose from the couch, all my senses telling me to obey the powerful vampire. Dr. Vieira’s office had the only window in the medical facility, which overlooked the grounds in front of the main entrance. The silence grew thick as we both stared out. The breeze had changed into a strong wind, causing the trees to sway from side to side. In fact, since I had entered the building, dark clouds had rolled in.
“Do you remember our conversation the first night you, me and Sam were together?” His voice had lost a little of bit of the angry tone.
“Yeah.”
“What did I tell you about why I couldn’t locate you and Sam?”
“You said it had a lot to do with Edmund.”
“Sure. I told you that with Edmund as my enemy it was safer not knowing where you were. That killed me more than anything. You may think ill of me for that, but my actions were to protect both of you. Do you think I lied to you?” he asked in an even tone.
We were both still looking out the window. I’d been watching a squirrel gnaw on what looked to be an apple core.
“I don’t know what to believe.”
I really didn’t. Hands down, he looked just like Sam. Was appearance enough to prove he was my father? I wasn’t sure. In fact, I wasn’t sure about anything anymore. The only constant in my life was my brother.
“Is Sam going to be okay?” I asked.
“He will.”
“Is Neil’s blood helping him?”
“We don’t know. Neil’s blood can heal superficial wounds like cuts and open sores, but only on humans. However, we’ve never had the need to test his blood on internal viruses or infections. It wasn’t until the day you came close to being a victim of the endotoxin when Dr. Vieira started experimenting with Neil’s blood to see if it could help kill the bacterium that the endotoxin emits. If the boxes of blood were sabotaged with this endotoxin and Neil’s blood helps Sam, we might be able to fabricate a remedy to counteract any effects other vampires have with the toxin. All this could be a long shot, though. It very well might be that Sam is getting better because of his vampire immune system. It’s just might take longer because he’s a young vampire.”
“Why did Sam tell me he knew Neil from school?”
The squirrel had eaten the entire apple core and was scurrying up a tree.
“Neil’s other special power is compelling people. He compelled Sam that night to believe he knew him from school.”
“You told me you had asked a friend for some help when you found out I was in the hospital. Is Neil that friend?”
“No, sweetie,” he said, letting out a breath as if he were releasing the last effects of his dangerous mood. “While Neil helped, he wasn’t the only one. You see, Neil has been undercover in the Plutarium organization for the past three years. Edmund sent him and Jonah to the hospital that night to confirm Dr. Case was telling the truth. When Neil arrived, he found Sam sneaking around the emergency room. Since Sam looks a lot like me, Neil knew he had to be my son. So he called me.”
“Is Neil still undercover?” I tore away my gaze from my little squirrel friend and looked up.
“No. His cover has been blown.” He touched my left shoulder and looked down. “I didn’t lie to you. I would never lie to you or Sam.” He pulled me into a hug. “I know we’re still getting to know each other, but you have to trust me when I tell you to do something. This is a different world than what you’re accustomed to. You need to accept that. Your safety is extremely important to me. I can’t lose you again. I won’t lose you or Sam again.” He stroked my head.
I stood in his embrace, listening to every word. I struggled with this father and daughter relationship. I’d only known my father for a short time. In that time we’ve had some very tender moments and at other times serious I-hate-you moments. I didn’t know if we would ever build a stronger and better bond. I did want Sam, Dad and me to be a family, but aside from Sam, I had a hard time allowing myself to feel attached to anyone. After all, foster care taught me nothing was forever.
He let me go, turned and looked out the window.
“Did you notice the flagpole?” he asked.
I joined him at the window. The pole was bent a few inches below the top with the ball dangling in the air. Did I do that?
“Yes, you did,” Dad responded to my silent question.
“I don’t know how to control it. I didn’t get that upset.”
“You got extremely upset. Your scream was deep and loud. I heard it from inside here.”
“Yeah, but vampires can hear a pin drop.”
