Damage Control

by Eric Alan Williams

  "Dad, let mom turn you?"

  Vaughn nodded. "There is a bat sighting just outside of Mexico. Mom being a grand alpha, surely she could overpower a bat, and we can test it out?"

  He looked at his father. "Dad, if there is a chance of me becoming a pureblood, I am taking it."

  Cecilia looked at him with a determined gaze. "Me too, dad. If mom won't try and take the throne, then I will. It is the only way to keep my son Xairin safe dad." She started to cry. "I lost my son once. I gave him up thinking it was the right thing to do, and now he is right in the mix of what we hoped he would be safe from. It is the only way, dad."

  Cecilia tearfully spoke. "It would be nice if we all did this together."

  Vaughn chimed in. "As a family."

  Isac walked over to the painting of Sara and himself. He looked at his blond hair in the picture. His former youth, his stout build, and how lovingly both of them were looking at one another. The man had feared to see his children age out and die, while he remained a youthful thrall. Now he was being faced with the other option Sara had offered him countless times in the past. Seeing his children begging, and hearing of this news that they could be turned. Isac could only think about his family. He looked at his beautiful wife standing there with rarely seen tears. He wanted it to be like it used to be. Maybe this was the better option.

  "We once exchanged vows on a hillside. You were wearing a white dress that had yellow flowers embroidered in the seams. It was a small ceremony. Just you, me, a friend of mine that was legally ordained just to marry us. Our friend, that crazy ass professor we used to work for."

  Sara tearfully recalled. "Zelda Eastwick." She chuckled.

  Isac looked at his children, then looked at his wife. "In sickness and in health, good times and bad. And then you said, into eternity and beyond." He chuckled. "That night you told me what you were, and why you said that. It was the first time I refused being a vampire."

  He sighed. "If we are going to do this, Sara. I want to be my own vampire."

  Sara looked a little insulted. "Isac I would never will you to do something you didn't want to do. I told you that then, and I still mean that now."

  He shook his head. "You can enthrall me, my darling wife. Make me younger that way, and if a bat bite works on our children, then I will let a bat bite me. I would rather it be that way if you don't mind?"

  Sara relented. Her canines and lateral incisors lengthened as her eyes became dark. She went over and bit into her left wrist and extended her arm. "I heal fast, remember?"

  Isac took his wife's arm and wrapped his lips around her open wound. Sara willed her blood to make him younger, stronger than the average human. If they were doing this, she wanted to make sure her husband was powerful enough to take on anything thrown at them.

  Cecilia and Vaugh watched. Their father drank for nearly a minute.

  Vaughn looked at his sister. "I guess we are going on our first full family hunting trip?"

  Cecilia spoke lowly. "Not a full family outing yet Vaughn." She looked at him. "It won't be until I have my son back."

  Sara looked at her children as her husband became drunk off her blood. She helped him over to a couch in the room just to the left of the fireplace. "Honey, you know the drill, it is nap time."

  "I always hate this part." He mumbled.

  No sooner had the man laid down, he was out.

  Sara looked at Vaughn and Cecilia. "Vaughn, you said that there was a news feed describing a bat sighting?"

  He nodded. "One right outside of what was the Mexican border. If we take your Hover-Challenger, we could be there in an hour or less."

  "We're going to do this now?" Cecilia asked.

  Sara shrugged. "Your dad has some antique insulin syringes in a box in the armory. It should have a medical label on it. Go and get a few of them."

  Vaughn shrugged. "Why?"

  "Because we're going to collect some of those cells and bring it back for your father." She put her hands on her hips. "Go, if we are doing this, then let's get it done. I promised Peggy I would arrive at Ethan's mansion. The sooner we tested this theory out, the faster we will know, and I can leave you three here while you're turning."

  "Leave us?" Vaughn asked.

  She nodded while crossing her arms. "The rebirth phase takes a few days sometimes. Now with you two being dhampirs, it may take less, if it works that is. I don't know. I've never heard of a dhampir or any other species of." She hesitated to use the word halfbreed, but it was the only one she could think of. "I've never heard of a halfbreed being turned." She leaned against the wall. "Based on what I saw in Peggy's mind, I know it is true for dhamplings, so this is all uncharted territory."

  Sara looked at Cecilia. "Forget the charger, we need to take the van this time."

  Vaughn rolled his eyes and smirked. "The van will take two hours flying time."

  Sara nodded. She knew it would, but she had a good reason for it. "When we extract the cells from the glands, I have no idea if the cells will remain viable after collecting them once we kill the bat, we take it from. If the cells start to die, then we may need to bring a bat back with us."

  "What happens when we kill it?"

  Sara looked at Vaughn to answer his question. "Alpha evolution I'm hoping. Maybe more since you two are already a half vampire." She looked at both of them. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

  Vaughn blurted out. "Are you saying we could become grand alphas?"

  Sara shrugged. "I don't know son, maybe. Based on what I have seen in Peggy's mind, Xairin is already stronger than a normal delta, so who knows."

  "If it works, where do we go from here?" Vaughn asked.

  Sara looked at her husband, then looked at her children. She smiled. "I never knew my mother. I blamed her for not looking for me, especially when I knew the truth. There has been so much damage done to our family over the years. Not just us, but I'm guessing the broken heart my mother must have felt to just give up." Sara sat down on the same seat her husband was sitting in before she enthralled him once more. She looked at the fire, thinking. "They say that my mother had over fifty children. Brothers and sisters that I will never know because they were taken and killed before they could come of age. I have toyed with that knowledge for years now. She stopped looking for me because she lost hope." Sara looked back at her children. "I think you're right, Vaughn." She looked at Cecilia, "I made you do the same thing my own mother did but in a different way. I hope you can forgive me, Cecilia?"

  Cecilia stood there, looking at her mother. She was at a loss for words.

  "The damage is done. All we can do now is get a handle on it and control the road that lies ahead of us. We need to mend this family instead of hiding from it." Sara stood up. "Vaughn, Cecilia, I hope you both are ready for what we are about to do?"

  Sara looked at them. "Vaughn, if this works, both of you are pulling everything from me. My fighting, how to use what powers I have learned over the years, and we are going to go get your son Cecilia and kick a lot of fucking asses into the dirt."

  Cecilia looked at her mother while crossing her arms. "Are you ready to take the throne? Because that is the only way, we are saving Xairin and getting what we all want?"

  Sara looked at her with a troubled face. "No choice."

  Chapter 18

  Xairin arrived at Tenebris Island along with his crew at just five minutes past 11 AM. He was putting his eyewear on... He had sat there on the ship for quite some time looking at what was left of Alex Fifer. His emotions were raw. Xairin had tried his best to bottle down many of his feelings, most of them were coming from that night in the sewer. After Alex's death, and the encounter with the Grand Alpha and the thrall, Xairin was having a hard time keeping it all together.

  Commander Dolenigan had sent a message to the Sasquatch Tribe to inform them of the loss. Two of the pack's elders, along with Alex's brother were on their way to collect what was left of him.

  Xairin had been informed that the way Alex's rem
ains would be handled would be quite brief. In the Immortium world, long celebrations of death were often only reserved for Grand Alphas, those deemed an elder, or alphas. Betas, deltas and omegas, and even those transitioning was left to be celebrated in private by either their family or the house they hailed from. The same would be for Alex. The rest of the ceremony was up to the Sasquatch werewolf tribe.

  Commander Dolenigan also sent a coded report, written in a language that only Lulia would understand, detailing certain secrets about a certain vampire they wished to keep off the council radar for now. She had received a reply just before landing. The message had been shared with Damien.

  The very moment it was announced that Alex's remains were being taken off the ship. It became more real for not just Xairin, but the rest of the crew. Several could be seen with lowered heads as Helena came by to put the remains into a container.

  Outside, there was a small assembly waiting. Commander Dolenigan escorted a translucent jar containing Alex's essence. It looked like a glass urn she was carrying tightly to her chest.

  The crew came off the ship and lined up, facing one another in two separate lines. Helena went down the middle.

  Xairin noticed a man with wavy brown hair, roughly Xairin's age standing in front of two others. The ones behind the scruffy looking gentleman, looked like they may have been forty or less, one a woman, the other a male. The two older werewolves were wearing green robes that hid their faces, while the one standing in front of them was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. It looked as if he hadn't been given any time to prepare.

  He reminded Xairin of Alex. He looked like him in the face.

  There was no firing of weapons, no displays. It was merely a tradition for everyone to kneel. Xairin didn't know that but caught on quickly as everyone else was. Helena was the last to do so as she presented the urn to the man standing in front of the elders. "I present before you a fine warrior lost in combat. May the memories of his deeds eternally carry within your tribe, and amongst our Order." She looked up at Jason Fifer. "I am truly sorry for the loss of your brother." She handed the man the urn.

  Xairin could hear the man's deep voice. There was a trembling in it that everyone could listen to. The man was trying to keep it together, so far, he was doing well at hiding his grief. "Thank you, Commander Dolenigan."

  She stood up and placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "He was an exceptional warrior and a friend to everyone that met him. Words cannot express my condolences."

  Jason Fifer nodded while tears dripped down the man's face. "Thank you." Jason turned around and walked off. As for the two elders, they nodded and followed the young man.

  Right after Alex's brother walked off with the remains, everyone was given permission to go and rest. Xairin took off towards in his domicile while Dolenigan went before the council for the debriefings of their mission. He was feeling depressed. Several things went through his mind. It wasn't all just about Alex. Using two powers that he never knew about, had him feeling odd. He felt differently inside. He didn't think he was evolving or anything. He just felt like something inside him was brewing. Not to mention his PTSD that had surfaced thanks to that alpha and the thrall in the hallway.

  Helena turned around to look at her team. "Despite the death of Alex Fifer, I have to say, I am proud of what everyone accomplished tonight." She held her head high. "Each of you has done well. As a reward, each of you is dismissed and are to report back in exactly twenty-one days for training, followed by a probable tour of duty. Dismissed!"

  Though he was relieved in the fact he finally had some time to rest, the young vampire balled his fists as he walked to his dome-shaped white tent. His thoughts began to dwell on how he ripped through those thralls and fought that grand alpha that killed Alex. Knowing what he was becoming capable of, and how he still felt about what happened that night he turned, he wanted to hunt down the bastards that hurt him in the sewer. He didn't just want to rip them apart, he wanted to destroy them utterly. After that, he wanted to find the man responsible for Alex's death. Xairin's emotions were all over the place as he walked. He would go from one moment, feeling violated and defiled, to grieving the loss of a friend, and then fuming mand and feeling lost, all at the same time. He desperately wished for still having his family right now.

  He pressed his hand to the identification scanner, then scanned his eyes when the ocular scanner extended out like a tentacle which had a robotic eye looking device at the end of it. It examined his retinas and then closed at the tip right before retracting. The door slid to the side.

  Xairin walked into his housing unit, tossed his swords and his shirt off to the side and went over to see if anything had been stocked in his absence. When he went to reach for the door to the fridge, a man's voice called out. "They haven't stocked it yet. Well shit!" Xairin then added as he felt bad about not just Alex, and everything else, but Xairin was cussing more than he ever did. “When I get back, I’m getting this tongue under control.”

  Xairin turned around and was startled. He looked over to see a good-looking dark-haired man with shoulder-length wavy hair sitting in a chair near his bed. The man looked as if he had been to hell and back. His outfit was but a white shirt and brown cargo pants. He had a pair of sneakers on. The man looked as if he was accustomed to wearing finer things instead of that white shirt, jeans, and red sneakers. The clothing looked like hand-me-downs.

  "Who the fuck are you?" Xairin asked. He was tired, grumpy, and just wanted to rest. He didn't care who the hell it was sitting in there. Even if it was a council member, he just didn't give a shit right now.

  The striking looking individual leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and looked up at Xairin. "Seems as if I'm not the only one having a rough night?"

  "I asked you a question? Who the fuck are you?"

  The man with the jet-black wavy hair tilted his head. He didn't get offended, he just looked right at Xairin with an expression of longing. "For starters. I'm your grandfather, Vlad Tepes, but I prefer Damien Winters. I changed my name a few decades ago."

  Damien stood up and offered a handshake. Xairin didn't know how to react. All he could think of at that moment, was "Careful what you wish for I suppose?"

  Damien sniffed him. Xairin could then feel the pulling happening. Damien was sensing everything about him. The man's blue eyes went solid black as he performed the pull. Xairin's body reacted. Damien went flying against the back wall from a telekinetic blast that Xairin didn't have proper control over. It just happened when he drew closer together as he glared at the man.

  Damien got up and dusted himself off. His eyes transitioned back to blue once he got was standing upright. The experience left Xairin feeling weak.

  "Did you have to do that?" Damien asked.

  Xairin put his hands on his hips and glared. "Did you have to look inside my brain? It is rude, you know?!"

  "I honestly feel like I'm getting fucking brain raped every damn time I turn around here lately. First Ethan snooping, then Peggy, thinking I didn't truly know about it, and then my Commander, and now you… What the hell, man? Why? Trying to make sure I am who I don't want anyone to know I am?"

  Damien lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I guess I am so accustomed to doing it with my own house that I didn't consider it when I looked into your mind." He sighed. "This is new for me."

  Xairin rolled his eyes while he tried to add up how old his great grandfather could be and got a little bitchier? "Excuse me? What could possibly be new for a Council member?"

  Damien looked up at Xairin with a tearful expression. "Having a grandson."

  Damien looked away. "I've never had a grandson before. Let alone a great-grandson. I am sorry. I won't do that again."

  Xairin felt terrible hearing that. His demeanor changed to a more submissive stance, so did his tone of voice. He was already emotional as it was. "You're telling me that you have never had a grandson? Or just grandkids in general?"

  Damien looked at him. "Grandchil
dren. I've had children over the years, but, like Lilith, they never really made it past a hundred years or so. This is all new for me."

  Xairin felt more ashamed at how he approached the man, but at the same time, felt the need to be guarded. After everything he had been through, Xairin didn't want to take chances. "How do I know you're telling me the truth? I have, after all, been attacked by gorgons, gargoyles, and I hear that any number of factions could have it out for me since I'm also someone else's grandkid."

  Damien looked at him, sincerely. "You can pull from me; I will not hide anything. You deserve that, knowing who you can trust and that I mean you absolutely no harm."

  Xairin's eyes focused and squinted as he looked upon Damien. It was Damien's turn to feel a little off. Xairin's mind reached out through his gaze. He saw a few memories, the most recent was Damien looking at Lilith when he went to talk to her about what he had found. Xairin felt the emotions coming from Damien and heard that conversation they had exchanged as if it were him sitting there. Discovering that his grandmother Sara, and his mother Cecilia were both alive, that hit Xairin in the stomach like a baseball being thrown at a hundred and twenty miles an hour. He then saw what happened next.