* * *
*** Chapter 11
Elaina checked her reflection in the mirror again to take in her appearance. She couldn’t remember the last time she had worn a dress, but her mom had always loved seeing her in them.
She was ready to see her parents again, yet she couldn’t conquer her nervousness and anxiety. It had been too long since she’d last seen them. Never in a million years would she have guessed that her next reunion with them would be as a vampire. She could only hope that they didn’t hate her for it. Luckily, they already knew vampires existed, but they had a lot of catching up to do.
Leila still held ownership of a local bed and breakfast not too far from sanctuary, so she’d cleared out the entire hotel to accommodate the meeting. Elaina expected things to go smoothly, but like everyone else, she agreed that privacy was most important. Plus, her parents had traveled a long way to get here.
Vicq walked through the door, closed the distance between them, and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Ready?”
“They’re here?” she asked.
Vicq nodded once and offered his hand.
On the way to the elevator, all she could think about was what she would say. She felt she had more of an explanation to give to them about her new life than they did about why they had abandoned the old home and led authorities to believe they were dead. She’d rehearsed her speech in her mind over and over again.
There was a small dining area on the first floor. As she and Vicq walked down the hallway to reach the room, Leila, who was standing near the entrance, gave a small supportive smile and then disappeared down another narrow hallway.
Her father was waiting by the fireplace, which had been lit to keep the area warm for him. When he looked up and turned around, his entire face lit up. For a moment, all doubts and fear left her as she marched across the room to meet him in the center.
“Elaina,” he breathed as he hugged her tightly to his chest. “It’s you.” He pulled back a little to study her. “You haven’t changed a bit. Except your hair is longer and you’re slimmer. It’s really you?”
She nodded. “Yes, it’s me.”
He rubbed the outside of her arms. “You feel cold, LadyBug. Where’s your sweater?”
She shook her head. “I’m okay.”
He kissed her forehead and then ran the pad of his thumb across her temple. His brow wrinkled as he appeared to be deep in thought.
“Are you sure?”
“Um…”
An uncomfortable silence filled the room. Elaina glanced behind her, hoping to find Vicq still there, but he was long gone, and the door to the dining room was now closed.
“Where’s mom?” she asked. “Didn’t she come?”
Her dad’s suspicious stare turned to one of dread.
He shook his head. “She’s not coming because…”
“Because what? Dad?”
“She’s not alive.”
“What?” Elaina’s heart thudded uncontrollably. “I don’t understand.”
“That’s why I needed to talk to you, Elaina. I have explaining to do. We thought we could tell you together one day, but…she tried to hold on…”
His speech faltered. She could hear the uneven beating of his heart.
He took her hand and led them to one of the dining tables where they sat down.
“What happened? Please tell me.”
“Her cancer came back. There weren’t any other options available to her.”
Her chest tightened, and she pressed her lips together, willing her fangs to retreat. “She died?”
Her dad nodded.
“You said the cancer came back, but I didn’t know she even had cancer.”
“Years before you were born, Sandra developed the disease. We caught it early, and she fought through several rounds of chemo. At the time, the doctors offered her a drug treatment that had been tested and worked on patients just like her to help them recover quickly. After seeing the results, she agreed. The drugs were manufactured by the company D5 Holdings.”
“As in the District? D5?” she asked.
“Yes, the same company that owns the District. And the same company who cut my paycheck. I was a bounty hunter. I retired to take care of your mother after we found out about her diagnosis, but I was still on the payroll nonetheless. And since I once worked for them…I trusted them.”
“I had a feeling…I just didn’t…”
Elaina wrung her hands, and her dad reached across the table to console her.
“After the cancer was gone and Sandra’s health returned, we learned that she wouldn’t be able to have children. We tried, but…”
“So after you had me, you weren’t able to have children anymore?”
“No, Elaina…Sandra didn’t give birth to you. We adopted you.”
Elaina bolted up from the table, and the chair she was sitting in crashed to the floor. “This is a lie! You’re a liar.”
Pain washed across her dad’s face, and he bowed his head. He reached down into a briefcase and handed her some papers.
“Here is your real birth certificate,” he said. “It took me some time to find someone inside the District to find it for me.”
She snatched it from him. Along with her name, date, and time of birth was the location where she was born. “D5 Holdings Medical University?”
Listed under her birth name, Elaina Arakelian was her mother’s name: Chrishauna Arakelian. The father was listed as unknown.
Elaina dropped the paper on the table. “Who are you?”
“I’m still your dad, Elaina. We adopted you. We loved you. You were our child and that’s how we saw it from day one.”
“But you lied about your name?”
“Sandra insisted that you keep your birth name, so she changed hers. Sandra Arakelian-Smith. We planned to tell you everything when you were old enough to process it, but then…then things happened so fast.”
Elaina picked up the chair and took her seat again. “What do you mean?”
“When you turned thirteen, a representative from D5 Holdings came with news that would change everything for us. Apparently, your birth mother had signed you over to D5 Holdings before you were born. She never planned to keep you. I—”
“Oh, God.” Elaina’s mental breakdown had started. She knew what was coming next.
“I’m sorry, Elaina,” he said. “We were devastated, but there was nothing I could do. We signed the adoption papers, knowing at anytime you could be taken away from us. We didn’t expect it, but we made a mistake by involving the District in our affairs after I retired. You weren’t a mistake, Elaina, but things could have been different if we’d…”
“If you had adopted from someone else and gotten another baby that wasn’t me,” she said.
Her dad frowned.
“What was the news?”
“They wanted you back. They launched a new program—a genomics program—and they wanted you to return to D5.”
“To their labs?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know, but we fought for you until the very end. We asked them to reconsider, to wait until you were through with college to decide for yourself. They said they would.”
“And then?”
“There were conditions. You had to attend a college of their choice. So, I introduced you to Arnold Wade…”
“I remember. You suggested the university genomics program to me.”
“D5 Holdings also owns the University. It’s a for-profit college.”
Elaina squeezed her eyes shut and breathed through her nose slowly. When she opened her lids again, she looked directly at her dad and asked, “So, I was being tossed around like a product for testing?”
“No.”
“Yes!”
“We didn’t mean for it to happen this way. The masterminds behind D5 Holdings are monsters! We had no control.”
“What about my real mom? Couldn’t she have done something about the original contr
act?”
Even as the words came from Elaina’s mouth, she knew that all District contracts were lifelong. She’d lost her life to escape hers.
“She died too, Elaina. She died while in the District’s custody.”
“In the District’s custody?” Elaina’s voice shook.
“She was one of their drug testers,” he said. “I’m not sure which division, but we found her name on the payroll.”
Elaina pounded the table with her fist. “Dammit!” Tears fell down her cheeks, and she could do nothing to stop them.
“I know. I took my anger out when I lost you and then I took my anger out again when your mom died.” He passed a tissue across the table to her. “Our phone line and house were tapped that very same day as part of our agreement to keep you until you entered college and could decide for yourself. If we said anything to you, they would kill you. We were being watched, and so were you. Once you left our home to live on your own, we were forbidden from calling you or accepting your calls unless a D5 representative was present. I wrote a letter to you once, but it never got to you. And then we were forced to flee our home. Sandra died while we were on the run.”
“Which is why the house was abandoned.”
“Yes, Elaina. Both of us were presumed dead, and I kept it that way.”
“And all that time, I was working for them,” she said.
“I thought you had figured it out about how shady D5 was, but then you signed with them just like I did when I was young. When Sandra died, it was the last straw. I devoted the rest of my life to destroying the District.” He sighed. “I launched something called Refuge over a year ago. I’m the commander there. We’re here to protect those who have fled District 5. I’ve been trying to reach you for a very long time, but you kept a very low profile. I understood why, but I want to protect you like a father should, like I should have a very long time ago. I want you to join us, Elaina. I want us to be together again.”
“I can’t.”
“Elaina, I need your forgiveness. Please join us.”
“There was never anything to forgive. I don’t hold what you did against you. But I can’t be a part of your Refuge.”
“Why?”
“I’m not a human anymore.”
Her dad stiffened in his chair. “Who turned you? Was it Vicq?”
“I was captured by D5 trackers, and one of them shot me with a fatal round of poison. I died. Vicq and his coven saved my life. I had no other option, but my turn was imminent. It appears that they knew that I was a human in stasis.”
“In stasis? I’ve heard the phrase before. A human capable of maintaining the vampire agent without a complete transformation or dying.”
“Yes, the very thing they are looking for to help with their formulas. But when they realized that I had escaped and wasn’t going to return, they shot and killed me.”
He clenched his fists on the table. “Are they still after you?”
“They think I’m dead. At least, I hope they do. Either way, I’m of no use to them now. I know how they operate. I’m sure there are many more just like me.”
Her dad settled back in his chair, and a deep sigh left his lips. “This changes things. Everything.”
“Yes, it does.”
“Elaina, do you kill others?”
“I’m not a rogue, Dad, if that’s what you’re asking. I was made by a Superior—Vicq. The only time I’ve ever taken human blood was right before I turned.”
“How do you stay…? I want to say alive, but…”
Elaina chuckled. “Right now, I feed from Vicq. Like I said, he’s considered a Superior.”
“Superior?” he asked.
“As a Dresdan, a Superior is one of the highest ranks they can attain aside from the Master?”
“Is he your…?”
“Lover?”
Dad nodded. “If that’s what you call it these days…”
“Yes, he is.”
“Elaina, I have to let you know that my active duty guys are trained to shoot and kill rogue vampires on sight,” he said. “I don’t believe we’ve killed any of the Dresdan race. They’re harder to locate. But we’ve executed many, many rogue vampires. ”
“I understand.”
“Don’t get me wrong. We aren’t murderers. Members of Refuge have figured out long ago that not all vampires are murderous fiends. We banished that misconception once we learned the truth about the District. We just know how to steer clear of the rogues. If we hear of an incident where rogues were sighted preying on innocents, we pursue and execute without question. There’s no ulterior motive like with the District. We also educate human civilians on how to live safely until something can be done about getting rid of all of them,” he said. “Not you, though. I would never harm you.”
“I know. Most Dresdan are aware of the rogue problem. Sounds like it’s being taken care of from all angles.”
“But everyone has an agenda in mind these days, LadyBug,” he said. “One could only hope that agenda includes not harming anyone at all.”
Elaina smiled. “I’m proud of you, Dad. You were always adamant about helping others.”
“I wish I had done something sooner,” he said. “I guess all I was concerned about as a District bounty hunter was making ends meet. Except for my short stint in the military, it was the only job I ever had.”
“No regrets. Let’s move forward from here, okay?”
He nodded.
“Where did you lay my mom to rest?”
“A cemetery in Texas. I’ll give you the coordinates.”
“Thanks.”
“Elaina, I’m so sorry about everything.”
“Don’t be. You offered me a life I never would’ve had if I had stayed with my birth mom in the labs. I only wish you had told me sooner.”
“I wish things were different, too.”
“But had I not gone back to the District, I probably wouldn’t have known what I know now. I can’t let this rest. D5 Holdings, District 5, or whatever other names they hide behind will pay.”
“Are you planning something, Elaina?” He looked troubled.
“Yes. Since the moment I left, I’ve been planning to shut District operations down. No matter how long it takes. I’ll make them pay.”
* * *
*** Chapter 12
Elaina flipped through the suitcase that her dad had given to her back at the bed & breakfast. Dozens of pictures from Elaina’s childhood memories were stored inside. He’d even kept some of the poems she and her mother had written together. He’d also left the file that someone had managed to confiscate from District records about her birth mother. She was now mourning the death of not one, but two parents.
She sat cross-legged on the bed, holding the picture of the woman she never knew. One photo wouldn’t tell her the whole story, and she knew there was more. Why would a mother give up her child? Why didn’t she want Elaina?
Vicq walked into their bedroom, bringing a cold draft inside with him. They’d only spoken a few times since they’d left the bed & breakfast, and ever since, Elaina had been in the room trying to fit most of the puzzle pieces together. It was difficult to paint a complete picture when many of the bits were still missing.
Vicq approached the bedside and leaned down to kiss her forehead.
“I would take the pain away if I had the ability,” he said.
“I’m fine. I’ve dealt with death before,” she said.
“Of course you have, Elaina, but this time, it’s different. Hunting rogue vampires to death isn’t the same as this.”
She sighed deeply and ran her palm over her forehead. “You’re right, but was I doomed from birth all along?”
“Doomed, no. Chosen by fate because you’re strong enough, yes.” He stroked the side of her face. “But I like to think that you and I were meant to be together. Is that selfish of me to think that?”
“No. Meeting you was worth every moment. The bad ones and the good ones. If I hadn’t m
et you when I did, would I still be at the District dreading my decision? Would I have known what had happened to my birth mother?”
“Maybe. We’ll figure this all out. I promise.”
Elaina watched as he undressed completely and then came to join her on the bed.
“You’ve been up all morning, Elaina. And you haven’t fed,” he said, lying on his back next to her.
“I don’t feel like feeding right now,” she said, pulling her robe tightly around her body and then snuggling up next to him.
She handed Vicq the picture of Chrishauna Arakelian. His eyes narrowed and then widened as he took in the image of the woman.
“You look like her. Exactly like her. She looks very…” Vicq frowned.
“Young?”
Vicq nodded.
“That’s because she is. Much younger. According to the birth certificate, she was only fifteen years old when she gave birth to me.”
“God…”
“I wanted to be angry at her for abandoning me, but then I realized I didn’t know the whole story. How could I blame her?”
“This likely means that they’ve been using humans in their experiments for years. Men, women…innocent children. All the evidence is there.”
“The further I dig, the more I want to know. About my mother. About District 5. About everything. I’d do anything to discover and expose the truth. And I will.”
“And I’m with you.”
* * *
*** Chapter 13
The details about that day when Vicq rescued three adolescent boys from their kidnappers stayed with him in the months following the incident. The North Heights Health Clinic had been burned to the ground by his own hand, but the building sign still remained erected like a painful reminder of District 5’s misdoings. Just as he had the night he’d helped the boys escape, he drove south down the interstate until he reached the church where he’d left them. He figured someone would be there on this Sunday, but when he arrived, the churchyard was empty. It was only a quarter after six in the evening, but still, he was too late.
Vicq kept driving, following his instincts. His Maker had always told him that the people who he cared about the most would always hold a special place in his heart. Even though blood connections were strongest, Dresdan also had the ability to connect with a person’s soul. He knew the woman couldn’t live that far from the church, and about a half hour into driving, he spotted the same old Buick with the pink bumper sticker that said: Jesus Saves parked in front of a small brick house surrounded by a white picket fence.
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