Blueblood

Story: Blueblood

Chapter 15 First Vampire

Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)

Adult Readers, Sexual Situations, Sex

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First Vampire

There was a new feeling in the air for me. The idea of a new purpose made things...more exciting? Colin thought having the task force in Charleston was a good idea. He was opting for the jet that Holm's Laboratories had. We could take everyone in one trip.

It was a few more hours before George felt confident enough to let Willie come back to the apartment. He had one simple band aide to tell he'd had anything done.

George grinned as we helped Willie sit on the sofa. Willie didn't want to go to sleep yet. "The procedure went very well," George reported. Then he growled at Willie as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Of course, that little joke you played..."

"He played a joke?" I asked. "That almost doesn't happen. He never cracked jokes before." I asked Colin who looked as surprised as I did.

"I did." Willie grinned, but a little ashamed. "We were in there a few hours. He had removed two and...I sort of...acted like he'd hit something he didn't." He chuckled. "I sort of began blinking and acted like I was..."

"I thought he was having a reaction!" George said. "His face was contorting and then he goes, just kidding." George shook his head. "That wasn't funny." He said to Willie.

Willie grinned more. "Yes, it was. You should have seen your face!"

George nodded. "Uh huh. Anyway, he should be watched." George said. "Because it wasn't that invasive, he should recover quickly. We need to make sure he's recovering fully, but he's doing well."

I was surprised. "Not that invasive? You stuck that thing in his head! That is invasive."

George's reaction was to smile, but he defended touching Willie's band aide. "It was just a little thing. I barely touched anything! In, grab and out."

Colin shook his head but was smiling. "Willie. You didn't."

"I did." Willie shook his head. "I'm sorry, but he was so serious."

"You were having someone poking around in your brain!" I pointed out. "Of course, he was serious! What he was doing was serious."

Willie nodded. "I know I shouldn't have. I apologized then a few times and I'll do it again. I'm sorry, George."

George's frown turned up at the corners in a grudging smile. "Well, I suppose it was kind of funny."

Colin's face changed. "I'm not sure who you are. That's so...unlike you, Willie."

Willie nodded. "I just...felt I should." He shrugged.

George shook his head. "My point is...he'll be up and around, but we just need to watch him."

We got the others on the task force together in Colin's and my apartment and talked about what we wanted to have done.

"We're in," Chuck said.

Stan nodded. "If for no other reason to see this house I heard about. We're in, too."

Colin grinned. "We will leave as soon as Willie's stabilized." He looked over at Willie. "Just to be sure."

Willie smiled. "I feel great. My thoughts are clearer now."

George smiled. "He should be fine in another couple of days."

"We promised to not leave you, Willie," Colin said. "But we really need to go back to Charleston."

Willie looked thoughtful. "And I appreciate that you keep your word." He looked at George. "A couple of days? Could we go after that?"

I looked at Willie cautiously. "But you never left the abandoned subway," I said. "You would come with us?"

Willie smiled. "Well, I have to earn my keep. The idea of travel now isn't so bad now." He looked at Colin. "I'd like to see Wentworth Plantation."

Colin smiled also. "If George thinks it's safe." He nodded. "I'd love for you to see your second home."

I watched Mom touch Willie's arm. "It's beautiful there, William." She looked at me. "I got a text from David...or Stephen..." she shook her head. "...him. He asked me out."

"What did you say to him?" I asked.

"Just that I was out of town and wasn't sure when I'd be back."

Colin held his hand up. "I would never ask you to put yourself in danger. I don't think he knows we know the truth but tell him you will be back..." he looked at George. "...in a week?"

George nodded. "Sure."

"Accept his date," Colin said. "We'll confront him then on home turf." He looked at Mom. "You don't have to meet him, but we do."

Mom nodded. "Okay. Should I meet him somewhere?"

I grinned. "No. Invite him for lunch at the house."

Chuck smiled. "Of course, I'll be there."

Stan nodded. "And so will we." He said taking Mark's hand.

Shelly smiled. "Do you have enough room for everyone?"

Gabriella nodded. "Alex and I have a room. Betty has one. Mark and Stan will have one." She looked at George. "Are you coming?"

George nodded. "Burke and I will need a room."

I chuckled. "We have enough room, guys."

"We need to let Ruben know what's happening," Colin said to me.

"This is why we included them." I nodded. "At least now we have a plan. Sort of."

I don't want to say it was due to my mother, but Willie just...blossomed in the next few days. I knew that often after head trauma, personalities often changed. He was more confident and laughed more. Maybe having those pieces of shrapnel removed was responsible. He claimed to be able to think better. The combination of my mother and his surgery may have been the reason. He was funny!

We were told that Willie was fine to travel, so Colin arranged for the company's jet to take us back to Charleston. Stan worked out with Buddy to have a laptop that would connect with our main computer. We told Stan our home computer was also linked with Buddy.

We arrived at Wentworth Manor, and I grinned as our new friends were all doing the gazing and Mark even whistled as he did his turn at the center hall.

"Wow," Mark said in a much quieter tone than he normally used. He looked at Colin. "You are rich."

Colin grinned, but he didn't necessarily like it when people said that. "I was just lucky."

"Hear that?" Chuck asked. "Echo!" He shouted a little and listened. "It's so big it echoes!"

Willie was just...staring as he looked around. "Wow." He looked at Colin. "This ain't no abandoned ticket office."

It was two more days when the man who claimed to be David Braun showed up for lunch. Because Mom had brought him there before, security let him through again. Mom greeted him at the door letting him in and gave no indication that she knew the truth. We all were there in different parts of downstairs and upstairs. She led him into the house, stopping at the intersection of hallways.

"You visited your sons?" The man asked.

Mom nodded. "I did." She stopped, turning to look at him. "You've been busy. Were there problems with your stores?"

The man shook his head. "No, no problems."

Mom's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms. "And what was the name of those stores again?"

"Braun's." The man answered but backed a little seeing her face. "Is something wrong?"

Mom frowned. "And where are those stores again?" She shook her head. "Never mind, I don't care really, but I don't like deceit." She said a little angry. "You lied to me, David." Then she cocked her head. "Even that name is a lie. I know your real name is Stephen."

The man looked at her and his face became...angry.

I came from the library/music room. "Mom, you might want to get some space from him. There's no telling what he might do when he gets upset."

Stephen spun around looking at me surprised. "I would never hurt her."

Colin came in the hall from the dining room on the hall's opposite side of me. "Well, understand, Mr. Benedict. When you begin with a lie, it makes it hard to believe you later."

Stephen backed a bit back toward the front door, only Chuck came in the front door blocking any exit. "Hello, Stephen Benedict." He stopped right in front of the door with his arms folded over his chest. "Have I missed anything?" He asked Colin and me.

I shook my head. "Not yet." I looked at Stephen. "You were going to tell us why you're here and why you began this..." I waved at him, "...whatever with a lie. What are you really after here?"

Mark came down the stairs from upstairs using the left staircase. "I can't wait to hear the explanation."

"Make it good, please," Stan added from the right staircase.

Shelly came from another direction down the center hall. "Yes, as you can see..." she said making Stephen turn again, "...we're everywhere and even if you make it outside; this is a secure compound, you won't get far. Give it up."

Stephen began walking toward my mother, but she saw Willie come over and stood behind Stephen.

"I won't do that." Willie shook a finger in Stephen's direction, shaking his head. "You're in enough trouble now, don't make it worse by doing something stupid."

Stephen held his hands up. "It's not what you think."

George and Burke came in. "What are we supposed to think?" Burke asked.

"This seems to be a plan to get in here," George said. "You have. Want to tell us why you needed to?"

Gabriella and Alex came from another direction from the media room. Gabriella nodded. "But even after you tell us, you'll understand why we won't believe you."

"I was investigating!" Stephen saw he was vastly outnumbered. "I needed to know what was going on."

"Investigating for whom?" I asked. "Who wanted us investigated?"

Stephen shook his head. "I can't say."

"Can't?" Colin asked. "Or won't? There's a difference."

Stephen looked panicked. "I can't!"

Colin nodded. "Okay, you can't. What have you found out in this investigation? Can you tell us that?"

Stephen looked a little angry at Colin. "At first I was confused. Things weren't adding up here." He looked at me. "You are who you say." He looked at Colin and pointed. "You are not. I needed to find out why." He looked at the others. "I didn't know about most of the others of you."

"And what did you learn?" Colin asked.

"It doesn't make sense," Stephen admitted. "You don't add up."

Colin frowned and raised his fists in frustration. "Stop with the evasive answers. What did you find out?"

"You're older than you should be," Stephen said. "Perhaps over a hundred." He turned to George. "I'm not sure about you, Dr. Holm. I do know that there is a picture of you back in 1992 and you haven't aged a day." He turned back to Colin. "I don't think you have either. Your business ventures began in the 1970s. The 1970s! You were more careful, there are no photos of you, but it doesn't add up, you've been doing business for fifty years and you don't look over forty. How? I came here to find out how you did this."

"You have theories?" I asked.

Stephen nodded. "I do, but it didn't make sense. You can't be..." he hesitated on the word.

Colin walked closer. "I can't be...what?"

Stephen swallowed. "There are only four I know that are like you, but you're not like them."

"Who??" Colin asked. "Say it!!"

"Vampires," Stephen said softly.

I moved closer. "You said you knew others. They are vampires."

Stephen grimaced. "It is hard to believe, but they exist. I thought you might be, so I met Betty. I got to know her, and I won the right to come here."

I nodded. "Well, this has been informative." I got closer. "But if there are vampires...which you claim might be the reason Colin and George have been working as long as they have...and you said it didn't make sense. Something happened to change your mind?"

"I first ruled out the vampire when you had lunch with us that day," Stephen said. He shrugged. "I had to know what it was that was different. How are you walking in the daylight and eating food?" He looked at Betty. "One evening, there was someone else that investigated, and they sensed Colin and Devon are vampires." He turned to George. "You are, too."

Mark came closer. "And all this is being reported to who?"

Stan walked up behind Mark. "Who was the other that investigated? To sense they're vampires."

I was just a few feet away from Stephen waiting for him to say something. After a while I said. "Someone has to say something. The answers and lack of answers aren't getting anywhere."

Colin nodded. "He's right. So, here goes. I am a vampire." He chuckled. "You say I'm over a hundred? Make that two hundred."

"But how?" Stephen asked. "You're immortal, but nothing else? You don't drink blood...do you? You ate food!"

"Only once recently have I needed blood, in a long time," Colin admitted.

"We're now doing something that allows us to move in the daytime," George said.

"What?" Stephen asked.

Colin shook his head. "No. That question we won't answer."

I nodded. "Not to you. We might tell..." I grinned. "...whomever you're working for."

Stephen looked very uncertain as he looked around at everyone.

"We aren't monsters, Stephen," Colin said. "Is that vampire you work for a monster?"

Stephen didn't answer at first. "I'll take you. Let you see for yourselves." He turned to the others. "Only Colin and George."

I shook my head. "That is not going to happen. Colin and I will not be separated. Surely you can understand that."

Stephen looked at me. "Anyone else?"

"George and I won't be separated either," Burke said.

"Well..." Chuck came forward. "...they will need back up."

Stephen nodded raising his hands. "Okay! That's all."

Colin nodded. "Fine." He grinned. "This is how it will work. You see? I can tell who I can trust or not. So far, you've told the truth. When I sense someone's not truthful makes me very irritated and very uncooperative. Got it? Right now, you mean what you say."

Stephen nodded. "Got it."

The settlers that founded Charleston had spread out. The city was on a peninsula that had two rivers that were used heavily. The plantations and farms spread out from there. We were taken to where there were several historic plantations. The land was desired by a lot of investors. We went down a road that was known for its scenic drive with thick, grey, moss-covered oak trees lining the way. We stopped at a dirt road we were told to go down. There was a sign that said it was a hunting club. We went down a long road, but when we got to...wherever it was...there was a house made from wood that had faded in color to a grayish brown. It could have been as old as the original Wentworth Plantation home had been, maybe older. It was, however, intact. The house was not huge, but big enough. Stephen led us in, and it was nicely furnished...a few more antiques, but nice. I noticed there was no electricity. The sun was about to set as he led us to what we really didn't have here in this part of the world, stairs that went down a brick-lined tunnel. We were close to the waterline, and I could hear water droplets come down somewhere. He continued to take us lower to a room where there were torches lit. I could sense there was more here as I saw men in the room talking and they all looked up.

"Stephen?" A man said. He frowned seeing Colin, George, Burke, and I following Stephen. "What are they doing here?"

"They've come to give us answers," Stephen explained bowing slightly, hoping they would understand.

Another man came from a deeper part of the room. He was dressed in a casual shirt and pants. He looked to be in his late forties or early fifties. Bald. I sensed...he was a vampire. "It's true then?" He sniffed. "You are all vampires."

Colin nodded. "So are you."

The man nodded. "I am, but unlike you...I can't come here during the day time." He sniffed again. "I sense something else. You smell...a little off."

I nodded. "We don't need to feed. Unlike you." I said. "Which, right now I'd say is the most important thing to you right now."

The man chuckled. "Yes. You are correct, but I've learned patience. The hunger doesn't really drive me to do things recklessly."

Another of the men came to him holding a large golden goblet. He handed it to the vampire and then bowed, walking away backward like the vampire was royalty.

"But I don't have to be reckless." The man smiled and drank. He let out a sigh as his craving was being met. "But it feels so good. It tastes so wonderful."

Colin looked at him confused. "But...are you the one? The one here first?"

"No." A female voice said quietly. "That would be me." I watched as every man in the room instantly bowed! I mean all of them except us. Even the first vampire we met here was bowing. I looked at this new person came in the light, and I did not expect what I saw. She walked from where we'd seen the first vampire come from. She looked maybe...twenty at the very most. Probably younger when she was turned. Seventeen or eighteen? Only the eyes said otherwise. She was very pretty, but I saw it. I wasn't a sexist, but I had expected a man! Not this pretty, young girl. Yet, she wasn't a young girl with long brown hair. It was her eyes that told the truth. The lack of moisture was evident, but they were aware and very sharp. The first male vampire turned to her. "You should not have revealed yourself."

"Adrian." The girl...woman...kid...said in a voice that had fatigue. "Let's not waste time with these petty games. Okay?" She moved closer to us. "I'm Marissa." She said. "I am the first vampire in Charleston."

Marissa by the way she looked was young, but she held herself with authority. Dressed in a long dark gown that was clean! Other vampires never bothered with things like clean clothes or even washed. Marissa did. She looked at Colin intently as she did with me. "Interesting." She said as she got close enough to really smell us. "You are all vampires, yet I sense you're not vampires." She stood back from us a little. "Why is that?"

Adrian walked up behind her. "Are you sure this is a wise action?"

Marissa smiled at Colin and me. She didn't look at Adrian at all. "You must forgive my nephew Adrian. He is like many men, generals, mayors and men of authority..." She explained sadly. She looked at Stephen. "They think sneaking around trying to be clever is how every situation should be handled, right Stephen?"

Colin was slack jawed! He was no more prepared for seeing Marissa than I was. "You're the leader?"

Marissa smiled patiently. "I am First Vampire."

"First Vampire?" I repeated. "That sounds like more than just the fact you were the first vampire in Charleston."

She nodded. "That is my title. I am First Vampire."

"First Vampire?" I asked. "And that means what...Queen?"

She gave a slight shrug. "Yes, I suppose. I am the First Vampire of the New World." She laughed at my confusion. "You're new, so I'll explain."

Colin grimaced. "Then I'm new, too. Explain it to me as well."

Marissa chuckled. "Well, you're all new for me." She looked at one of the men. "Do I need to ask?" She asked a little terse. She didn't like waiting for...whatever.

I watched one of the men hurry off.

She again smiled at Colin. "I'll answer a question and then you'll answer a question. Does that sound fair?"

Colin nodded. "Sure. Ladies first." He motioned to her.

She curtsied at him. "Thank you. You can go out in the daytime?"

Colin nodded. "We can." He turned to George. "He'd be the one to answer that question in greater detail."

She smiled at George. "You were the one to find the way to do that?"

George nodded coming closer. "I did. I'm a doctor...scientist. I created a serum that keeps us safe in sunlight."

Marissa just blinked. "A serum? You mean medicine?"

"Yes."

Marissa smiled nodding. "No magic? No talisman or anything like that?"

"No." George shook his head. "Pure science."

"Now, my question," Colin said more relaxed. "You said you were First Vampire in Charleston."

Marissa nodded. "Really, I am First Vampire of the New World."

"You weren't made here? You were turned somewhere else?" Colin asked further.

She grinned. "I arrived as a vampire." She chuckled. "Which wasn't easy. When I arrived, this colony was called Charles Towne. It was 1648, but by then I was almost a hundred." She looked at George. "Can I get the serum?"

George grinned. "Well, it isn't a onetime thing. It is given at regular intervals on an ongoing schedule. And you need a fairly sophisticated lab to create it."

She nodded. "So, I can't just get it?"

George scratched his head. "I could give it to you, but you need to understand and have a working knowledge of biochemistry."

Marissa smiled tightly. "I see."

"It's not a secret I'm keeping from you, but you need to understand it," George said. "I'll give it to you." Then he hesitated. "Once I trust you."

Then she nodded shaking her finger at George as she walked. "There's what I was waiting for." She smiled as the man that went to get what she expected. She took the goblet and sipped.

Adrian came forward. "We need to trust you."

Marissa sighed. "Which won't happen if one doesn't talk to the other." She said more impatient. "I extend trust and he extends trust." She looked at Adrian. "Get it?" She wasn't used to having her decisions questioned and her voice carried that well. "I feel I'm answering questions here."

Colin nodded. "Are you responsible for the other vampires here in the United States?"

She grimaced. "A few, but not all of them. I did...make some foolish decisions in the past." She confessed. "Some of the vampires weren't turned right." She bowed as she paced. "They lost that part of themselves that...is human." She looked at Colin. "My turn again. You went where? New York?"

Colin nodded. "Maybe for you that was New Amsterdam." He grinned. "It was really more tolerable when I got there. When I arrived, I found there was a whole world I could be in and never have to see daylight."

Marissa nodded. "But you were from Charleston." A statement, not a question.

"Until Brett Marshall bit me," Colin said.

"Brett Marshall," Marissa repeated confused. "He wasn't any of my vampires. How long ago was that?"

"1851."

Her face held a sudden understanding as she nodded as she then suspected someone. "Ah, yes. During that time, I had a nephew that wasn't that discrete or picky. When I found out about it, he was disciplined."

"Disciplined?" I asked. "Punished?"

She frowned. "He was making vampires for a price." She answered. "A person would pay and he would make them vampires."

I was shocked. "Who would want to do that?"

She gave a nod. "People are often afraid of death and willing to do whatever necessary to avoid it, even give up the daylight."

"How was he disciplined?" Colin asked.

She didn't even hesitate. "I had him taken outside at sunrise."

"He was your nephew?" I asked.

She nodded. "He was the grandson or great grandson of my sister." She waved at the other men. "All these men are children of my sister or brother."

I looked at the six men there. They were all her nephews? After five hundred years or so, that was possible.

"So, they remained human." Colin clarified.

She nodded. "And these are their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren. There are things that need doing in the day time. Who better to do that?" She smiled. "There was a nephew who helped me get over here from England." She shrugged. "I couldn't have made it if he hadn't helped. It took weeks to cross the Atlantic and he kept me supplied with blood." She explained. "Other family offered their blood to me. I rewarded them by making some...including him...a vampire."

"Being made a vampire as a reward?" I shook my head and then I pointed to Stephen. "He said he knew of four. There are two more here? Are the other two coming out?"

She shook her head. "No, the other two live...elsewhere. There were more, but they were all killed over the years." She frowned. "Two committed suicide."

Colin's eyes widened. "Why?"

She smiled and stopped pacing. "They got tired of being a vampire after a hundred years and waited for the sun to come up." She shrugged. "And there were others that I had to discipline for repeatedly disobeying the rules."

"You killed them," I said.

She frowned. "I am a woman. No one would listen long to me if I didn't stick to the rules. Many, after they were turned, they thought they could take control. I let them know I was in charge. I was First Vampire." She folded her arms letting me know her decisions were final. "Order has to be maintained." She looked again at Colin. "Now answer my question more, what is it you are doing in New York?"

"Getting money to rebuild Wentworth Manor."

She shrugged a nod. "I mean after you took the serum. You've made your fortune. You married Devon, but that was local and recent. Why are you still up there?" She finished her blood. She jutted her head at Chuck. "And why do I sense he is human, but I can't feed off him?"

Chuck grinned. "I take something that repels vampires."

She smiled with a nod. "And it works." She looked at George. "You came up with that, too?"

George nodded. "I did."

She smiled. "Impressive."

George bowed slightly. "Thank you." He moved slowly forward. "Do you know the others? Like the ones in England or elsewhere in Europe?"

She nodded. "I do. I'll share with you...if you share with me."

George nodded. "I'd be willing to give you the serum..." he motioned to Adrian. "...to you and this man, but I insist I give it. Only I know what to do." He grinned at Colin. "And he does."

"But it will hurt!" Colin said. "It will hurt a lot!"

"At first," George explained. "But if you take it well and finish the first phase, you can see daylight again."

Adrian turned angrily. "No!" He turned to Marissa. "They're lying! It's a trick."

Marissa looked at Adrian shocked. "How do you know? They're standing right here. Stephen told us they were eating and walking around in the daylight. They are vampires, can't you sense that?"

Adrian nodded. "I feel they are vampires, but you would take some...medicine because they say so? It could kill you."

Marissa shook her head. "They have been forthcoming with answers. What will they gain by killing us...or me?" She walked to him. "Colin is worth a lot of money, so he's not after any we have. They go out in the daytime. We can't. You're not thinking right."

"I'm trying to keep you alive," Adrian said. "Keep us alive."

Marissa smiled. "And I appreciate that, but you're having suspicions where there doesn't need to be." She looked at Colin. "So, once again, what do you do in New York now?"

Colin shrugged. "We find other vampires."

"And do what with them?" Marissa asked.

Colin grimaced. "That depends on the vampire. If they have some humanity in them, we sometimes begin the serum. We really haven't had to do that much. The ones that are no longer human..."

"We discipline them, as you did." I finished.

Colin nodded. "We discipline them."

Marissa nodded. "A necessary thing." She looked at Adrian. "When you make a statement like you have, Adrian, you need evidence to back it up. There is no evidence."

"You're telling too much to them!" Adrian stressed.

"What will they do with what I'm telling?" She asked logically. "They can expose us?" She waved at us. "We can expose them! It's an equal threat." She went to Stephen. "You did well."

Stephen bowed. "Thank you." He smiled. "I guess I wasn't as careful as I thought."

Marissa smiled with a laugh. "No, you thought getting in with Devon's mother would help you get information. I'd say you did." She kissed his cheek. "Very good." She turned to us again. "But I'll wait before taking this serum for now."

Colin looked at George and then me. "Okay. That's fine." Colin said. "I have a friend that resisted for decades, but now he's on the serum and glad he is."

She nodded. "Well, when and if I agree to the serum...after I see the sun, I will give you the contact information for the others." She walked slowly toward us.

"There have been deaths in Charleston," I said. "Recent deaths that could be by vampires," I said. "Are there others?"

Marissa looked at me. "There are always others." She cocked her head. "I can assure you; none have been by vampires in my group."

Colin sighed. "Of course not." He looked at me sadly. "It would be way too easy, wouldn't it?"

I nodded putting my arm around him. "We know the vampire that made Brett is dead."

Marissa looked up. "And Brett?"

"The same as your nephew," Colin replied.

I looked at Adrian. "You're right. We could be lying. We may be trying to kill you."

Colin looked at me shocked. "Devon."

"But why would we do that?" I asked. "What do we have to gain? Colin is living a life where he has made money and eats an incredible amount of food and more freedom than I see than you have."

Colin moved closer to me. "Trust for a vampire is hard." He said. "If we're going to hide all our lives in the shadows and scurry like rats, we just have to do what we've always done." Then Colin smiled. "I aim to be more. I want more. Living as we do is dangerous enough, but with planning and cooperation, we can have more." He looked at Marissa. "Am I making sense?"

Marissa nodded. "Perfect sense." She moved to a chair and sat down. "Is there further business?"

Colin looked at the six other men in the room as his eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you are capable of..." he turned back to Marissa. "If Stephen reported to you everything about us, then you know my home is pretty well fortified. No vampire or human would get anywhere attacking us."

Marissa smiled. "He didn't mention much about the house except it was big. You spent a great deal of money to build it...and fast." She leveled a look at us. "Vampires are few enough as it is, Colin Wentworth. Warring with our own makes no sense. We would not get anywhere by attacking you."

Colin nodded but looked at Adrian. "I'm not convinced all of you are aware of that. That's why I stating it now." He took a breath. "Now, I will tell you this. I can usually sense who I can trust by what I hear and see from others." He looked at Marissa. "I sense nothing from you."

Marissa shrugged. "Perhaps that's because there's nothing to sense."

Colin nodded. "No, there should be something. I mean with you, I feel nothing, no feeling of goodwill or distrust." He looked at Adrian. "I sense great fear in him, but it's schooled." He turned again to Marissa. "Just as I think you are well schooled, but more so. There is more here than what you're saying." He looked at George. "I think we need to keep the serum to ourselves for a while. Until we know what it is you hide."

George nodded but was concerned. "We need those contacts. The others?"

Colin shook his head. "No, we don't. We've gone this long without any contact. We'll do just fine a little longer." He turned to Adrian. "We'll be in touch. We'll be running along now."

Marissa just nodded.

Adrian looked startled and back at Marissa. "We're just letting them go!?"

Marissa nodded. "They will do us no harm. They know where we are, and we know where they are."

Colin took my hand and led me back up the stairs followed quickly by George, Burke, and Chuck.

I waited until we were in the car and back on the road to Wentworth. That's when I shuddered. "That was...weird," I said. "I feel...cold." And it wasn't because it was cold outside.

Colin's mind was going, you could almost see it working.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked him.

He looked puzzled back at me. "I was...not prepared for what I sensed."

"Meaning?" I asked.

"I meant what I said. If a person is open and friendly, I sense it. When a person is suspicious and maybe not so trusting...I sense it." He explained. "I felt nothing from Marissa." Then he almost growled. "Adrian, I felt..." he thought of a word he could use. "...dark."

George leaned up from the backseat. "He didn't hide the fact that he didn't trust us. He was honest about that."

Colin nodded. "It was more than that." He gave a frustrated shrug. "I can't explain it, but..." his eyebrows knitted. "...he has an agenda. Whether it's Marissa's agenda or just his. The serum was what he was interested in, not us."

"He's dangerous," Burke said simply. "That much I felt, as well."

Colin looked at Chuck. "I'm sorry we drug you down here for nothing."

Chuck smiled. "Are you kidding? I needed a vacation, that house is sweet! If it were a hotel, I'd book it another week or so." He chuckled. "This job has its rewards."

When we got back to Wentworth Manor we reported what we found out to all that were there with us. We met in the dining room.

Stan shook his head. "I don't get it. How does she know all this? About you and Devon and what holdings you have?"

Colin shrugged. "I suppose the others report to her."

"He didn't get it from me." Mom said. "I wouldn't know what to tell him."

"Did he ever disappear in the house?" I asked to which she shook her head. Sitting beside Colin I nodded. "But are we sure that's where she even stays?"

Colin looked at me puzzled. "She's a vampire in every sense of the word. She can't go outside in the daytime."

"That house wasn't that big." I pointed out. "I can't imagine spending hundreds of years down there. There was no electricity I saw. There was more beyond that room where we met them. They came from somewhere."

"That's my point," Stan said. "She has information about the two of you." He shrugged. "Even if Stephen and others were reporting to her. She claims she has contact with the other groups. How? Snail mail?"

Mark nodded as he thought. "We should do a word search."

"A computer word search?" I asked. "Like you guys do for terrorism?"

Mark nodded. "Exactly." He pointed a finger. "We have a great computer." He grinned at Stan, "...and a great programmer/operator. We can monitor communication on the Internet. Do a word search. Flag messages that say things...like a vampire or other words for that. It would only have to be local search."

Stan nodded. "I'll do a satellite search of the area. I'll see if there are other ways in and out of that hunting club."

Shelly sighed and slapped Chuck on the knee. "And you thought this was a vacation?" She chuckled. "We'll start ground surveillance and see who comes in and out."

Chuck moaned. "Yeah." He said weakly with no enthusiasm.

Colin chuckled. "We'll help, guys. You know that."

"But we'll stay hidden." Shelly pointed out.

Willie smiled. "I can help, too."

I grinned glad he was ready to take a more active role. "I know you can. Are you sure you're ready?"

Willie rolled his eyes. "I did more recon when I was in service. I haven't forgotten how."

Alex smiled. "Me, too. I did recon for the army in World War II."

Mom looked at Willie. "It could be dangerous."

Willie nodded. "I spent all of my time running from danger. I can contribute to this." He smiled at Mom. "I won't be alone. I can do this, and we'll be careful."

Stan stood with a sigh. "Well, I'll start with those scans...we'll see what more is under that structure." He looked at Chuck. "I know you recorded the coordinates."

Chuck looked slightly offended having someone doubt him. "Of course, I did."

"Just checking." Stan grinned.

Mark nodded also standing. "It's daylight now. Perhaps I should do a little scouting."

"It's private property." I pointed out.

Mark grinned. "I'll be private."

"You, of course, won't be alone," Chuck said firmly.

"And we'll do the surveillance." Shelly stated looking at Willie and Alex. "Any volunteers?"

Alex stood. "I'll start it with you."

Colin nodded. "And we'll relieve you in ten hours." He frowned. "She claimed

that there were others but didn't say how many. She was evasive about the other two vampires. I don't believe those are the only other ones. Also, she has a lot of family that assist her, and they are human. They are the danger this time of day. I believe they will do anything to be rewarded by her."

"Rewarded?" Willie asked.

"Marissa rewards by making them vampires," I answered.

Mom's eyes widened. "That's not much of a reward; living only at night, having to drink blood."

Colin nodded. "But no certain death." He looked at Mark and Alex. "Be careful."

Mark nodded. He leaned into Stan kissing him quickly. "I'll be back."

Stan nodded. "See that you do."

Colin and I did take a watch doing the surveillance. We were in some heavy foliage with our car parked nearly a mile away and hidden. We watched from right across from the camp's entrance. There was not a lot of traffic in and out. It was a hunting club, but I didn't see any car or truck go in with the means to hunt. I expected pickups with gun racks. I also didn't notice any females go in or out.

"Marissa being female, you would think she'd want a few of her own gender there, too," I said as I looked through a camera's zoomed image. I would take pictures of people that came and went.

"Women in the 16th and 17th Century didn't have a lot of power." Colin pointed out. "She probably thinks like that even though she is in power."

I nodded. "How did she rise to First Vampire?"

Colin shrugged. "She had to be given that after something she'd done no one else could. I don't know this hierarchy structure with those vampires in Europe, but her age is less important, I think. She may use those looks to her advantage."

"They probably know they're being watched," I said.

Colin nodded. "We are, too." He smiled. "Our advantage is we live on an island, the estate is enclosed by a wall, and we have security guards."

I nodded. "Our other advantage is that she believes in magic."

Colin looked at me puzzled. "She does?"

"When she asked about us moving around in daylight...her first suggestion on a solution was a talisman." I pointed out. "That means she's open to the idea of magic."

Colin nodded. "You know there isn't."

I kissed him. "I've never seen anything except a performance with sleight-of-hand and misdirection. Other than that, on TV."

"So, do you believe in magic at all?"

I smiled. "I believe there are things we can't explain. I've never seen a witch, wizard, or ghosts. There are things we don't have the understanding to explain." I shrugged.

"Those shows about ghosts and those people who track them?"

I frowned. "I get the feeling those shows are a lot of hype. Is there something there? I don't know." I looked at a car we'd seen go in and was now coming out. "They make you excited telling the audience what they believe, wanting the audience to believe what the audience should see, but I feel it's mostly for ratings. I'm not sure their Aunt Harriet is necessarily a ghost or the ghost in question. I don't know that it's even a ghost." I shrugged. "I could be wrong, but I'd like to see it for myself."

Colin nodded. "I grew up in a much more simpler time. We didn't have all these discoveries and innovations. I was raised believing things were a certain way. You didn't question it." He chuckled. "There wasn't a lot of talk about dinosaurs and that stuff."

"But we know now," I said and smiled. "So, ask me."

Colin looked puzzled. "Ask you what?"

"If I believe in the Bible and God. We've never really discussed it beyond our love life."

Colin smiled. "Do you?"

"I believe there had to be something involved," I admitted. "We are such complicated creatures. Even lower animals are just as complicated. It's hard to think even with millions of years or billions of years we just evolved from simple pond goo. Someone or something had to be involved. Take the Earth. If you think how old it probably is...take you as an example of the Earth and evolution. Your whole body is Earth. We've only really been around in time like the tips of your fingernails that need cutting. Only that small fraction of time is the human being. This world wasn't created just for us. We're evolved from pond goo to the point we know we're from pond goo?" I sighed. "Personally, I think whomever or whatever involved would look down on us and laugh at the foolishness on how we explained it all."

Colin nodded. "Probably." He sighed. "And being a vampire doesn't worry you?"

"We aren't evil, Colin, if you're worried about that," I said to him. "I don't think I am evil and..." I chuckled, "...I know you aren't. We're vampires. Yes. We just...have a condition. It's medical, not supernatural." I smiled. "Otherwise, you'd burn your hand holding that crucifix." I kissed him again. "I do believe there is more after we die. When we do find out what was involved to make us who and what we are...we'll all do a forehead slap to ourselves and wonder why the hell we hadn't seen it before."

Colin chuckled. "You could be right." He thought a minute. "Marissa might have lived a long time...and she might be smart...but I wager those foundations she was raised in are still there just like mine are."

"Meaning?"

"We might use it to deal with her," Colin said. "I think our real threat, though, is Adrian. I just feel it."

"Do you think he is doing what others tried to do? Take control?"

"But knowing what Marissa did to those others, he's being careful." He frowned. "I wish I could tell you what I felt from him." He looked at me. "When I met you...the feeling I got was open, friendly and smart."

"And from Adrian?"

"He's definitely smart, I also sensed fear, hatred and...just a pit of...darkness," Colin said quietly. "It's hard to describe."

Nothing happened during our watch. We were relieved by Chuck and Willie. Going back to Wentworth Manor, we met with Stan.

"Did you find anything?" Colin asked him.

Stan's eyebrows rose. "Did I." He quickly brought up a computer image I recognized as a satellite photo. He pointed to a heavily forested part of the area where Marissa may live, but where we met her. "This is just a photo of the area." He typed again fast. Another image had this image...there was the house, but underneath were tunnels and chambers. "This is how we find those hidden cities and places that have overgrown by jungle or been buried. This area has a lot of area dug into rock and earth. That's why it doesn't leak like some areas around here would. It's almost as big underground as this place is." He waved at the sounding manor. "Now, there is a reading that says power is being used."

"Power for what?" I asked.

"It's done by a generator. There is no power line from anywhere else, but it is being produced. My thinking was that Marissa knew things that only a computer would know about. She had too much information about you guys." He folded his arms. "Even if Stephen had spoken with your mother about you...she wouldn't have known about Holm's Laboratories or your holdings to tell Stephen about. Even if he went to his home and used his own computer...I don't think there is too much about you, Colin or George Holms online for a simple computer." He nodded at the screen. "Someone has been specifically looking at you, Colin. Even I would have to look carefully to know you started the business in 1972." He pulled up a file. "This was your first venture into the financial world with investments." He chuckled. "And that was only working at night, but you made a profit. That was by C. Wentworth."

Colin nodded. "That was when George had worked out some serum, but not perfected it. The first serum did work a little. It only kept us from burning but didn't last but a few hours. The real serum took another twenty years to come up with." He sighed. "That sensation of tingling? You had that while out in sunlight. It lasted a few hours, and then you had to come back inside."

"I still say..." I began, "There is a threat with that serum. A person...or vampire...with that serum, if they used it for reasons less than lawful, could do some real damage."

Colin frowned. "Adrian would be the one to do just that." He grimaced as he paced slowly. "His caution to Marissa was real, that I got, but about her not taking the serum? He felt...threatened."

"By her taking the serum?" I asked.

"He was interested in the serum, but it would give her too much freedom," Colin said, and he shrugged. "I think." He threw his hands up in frustration. "I'm guessing!"

"Your guesses are usually right," I groaned.

"She's old and has been First Vampire a while. Say what you will, she's still part human and believes she is Queen." Colin said. "We should capitalize on that assumption. I don't know what she's capable of. What talents she has except her appearance of feminine youth. She may not know Adrian is a possible threat, but I do."

"We need to come up with a plan."

Colin smiled. "I wonder if we can see her without all those...others."

"She's pretty heavily guarded," I said. "I doubt it."

Colin's mind was working again in more effort. "I guarantee, Adrian's planning something now, but he needs the serum and formula." He looked at Stan and me. "We need to come up with something quickly."

I smiled. "I wonder..." I stopped as something was forming in my head. "George would administer the serum, right?"

Colin nodded. "Of course."

"Maybe we should insist they take it here." I began.

"Here? At the manor?" Stan asked.

I nodded. "We start the serum; they go through the pain and get to stay up a day or two." I grinned. "Would George be capable of making a disc that's a placebo?"

"A disc that isn't serum?" Colin smiled and nodded. "He could."

I nodded. "Once Adrian thinks he's got what he needs, he will move forward on whatever he has in mind. Once Adrian makes his move, if he's going to do something to Marissa or us, we don't give him the serum anymore. He becomes a full vampire again." I smiled. "We have the power; not them. If we see what they're up to and don't like it. The serum stops."

Colin nodded. "We'll have to protect the formula and serum more, but..." he smiled, "...that could work." He shook his head. "I don't want to end anyone's life, but if she thinks she's my First Vampire or Queen. She never was nor will be. This will be the beginning of a second American Revolution. She either gets with the program or goes on the way she is, without the serum. Her little group of vampires will die eventually anyway. She's been First Vampire a long time and it may be hard for her to accept. She's not in charge."

"Does this mean we're in charge instead?" I asked.

"We ask people what they want. We try to integrate them if possible. Like Willie, he could have chosen to remain a vampire and not take the surgery. Amanda didn't have to get with the program at all." Colin said. "No one is making absolute decisions for anyone else."

"Aren't we?" I asked quietly. "The criminal that was turned and still wants to steal; we would deny him serum, wouldn't we? It's either comply or remain what they are, but not in public."

"What should we do?" Colin asked.

"We need to have rules," I said. "Rules that are followed by everyone to get the serum. We've been lucky so far. We might get one like Adrian who may or not be nice. We are in charge. Who are we to decide to give or deny the serum?"

Colin nodded. "In case we turn into a Marissa?"

"To keep from becoming like Marissa." I nodded.

Colin smiled. "I guess we do need to make some rules and guidelines to get the serum." He nodded.

"After we deal with Marissa and Adrian."

Colin nodded. "At least we now have the beginnings of a plan."