Missing Vampire: Reward Available (Hypernaturals 6)

No Snails

Dinner was a massive feast. No snails appeared, so I think Agatha got the message on that from the kitchen staff that watched me return the platter untouched.

Morgan explained all the dishes to Diana, and Diana tried everything Morgan said she might like.

"I don't like this one mommy." She complained, holding cooked carrots up on the end of her fork.

"Too sweet?" asked Morgan.

"It's yucky." Diana replied as if that is an answer. To me it is.

"Her daddy hates cooked carrots." Helen said. "Probably should have said... Why you have never in all your years seen them at our house. Adrian makes horrible faces at them. Raw Carrots? That he likes."

Morgan nodded. "I never noticed that. I suppose that is because we never make them. I am not a fan either. OK. Well, let us try something else, love bug. You need to eat some vegetables, darling, but there are so many here to choose from. Do you know which ones your Daddy likes?"

Diana looked at my plate. "Green beans." she said, pointing.

Morgan gave her a smile for her ability to cut directly to the answer. "Ok. Shall we try those?"

"OK." Diana agreed amiably.

Morgan gave her a small serving and Diana tasted them gingerly. "These are good." She determined. Diana is not afraid of flavor: These are dilled and have garlic and butter in small amounts.

"Ok. Here are a few more." Morgan ladled on a slotted spoonful.

Jessica studied the center of the table, which is covered with layers of food. Looked around at the five Council and Crew member, Fiona, and our family. "We are going to be eating this meal for days."

Fiona shrugged. "I think that the kitchen took me seriously when I said 'feast'"

"I think they thought that meant the entire valley is coming. We can lay this out in the Winery tomorrow for lunch. Tell everyone to come in from tending the vines. Put on a huge wedding celebration. Mistress celebration, technically, for the humans."

Jacqueline raised a glass of a very nice red we are all having, the beer having been sidelined for now, and gave a toast. "To the Claremont family: May your new family member bring you joy and happiness."

This was roundly toasted by all.

It was generally decided that business is not going to be discussed at the dinner table because it is supposed to be a party, and also Diana is there. If the pre-dinner discussion is any indication, if we talked shop, it would devolve into who got to kill the most HPA members, and we do not even know how to get to the HPA members yet.

Now that I am safe from them again, I am not happy about killing in these kinds of numbers. I heard Morgan's reasons, and I do not disagree with any of it. I am tired of killing. I sat and listened with part of my brain to the chatter about various conclaves, and great wines, and what the differences in Vampire culture are between Europe and the States, but I am not really listening.  

The question about killing Para's that are in the way bothers me. I know they signed up for it and based upon the guys I killed on the van it is patently obvious that they would have shot me given the chance. Still: they are hired guns not human purists. They are amoral, not immoral. 

Is amoral is really better? Sociopath or Psychopath: neither of those is great.

I can't think of any way around that quandary. Helen's simple formulation seems best: If they are standing between me and my target, they die. If they run screaming in the other direction, and they have not seen anything they should not, let them run screaming. Their management would probably be firing them for running anyway.