Fangs and Fairytales: Orphans

Orphans: Chapter the Fourth

"He is." It was Jared that answered, to Shannon's surprise. "He's the same as her and me and Davrosh."

"Well done," Masha said appreciatively. He had been very quiet up until now but Jared seemed to be getting the hang of his new sense fairly quickly. Masha wanted to test how far that went, but first, he needed to know he was with family. "We are the same on several different levels. Once you meet some other moroi you'll understand." She gestured to Davrosh. "Tell me what you can about him."

"He's the same as us but.. more?" Jared speculated. "I mean he feels like he is more moroi or something. If that's possible. And he's very old."

Masha tried not to smile. "How do you know he's old?"

"I don't know exactly. He just feels very... well... old. I didn't know that was a feeling before but it seems to be now. Just like hot or cold or hard." Jared tried his best to explain but there were so many things happening in his head that he didn't have words for yet. So much of it was instinct, like knowing the odd way that the vampire stretched out next to him felt meant that he was older than the rest of them combined. It simply was. He knew he wasn't articulating himself well yet, however, Masha seemed to understand, seemed satisfied with his explanation.

"That's really good. I'm surprised you're able to identify that feeling already. It will get easier, I promise." She looked over at Silas.

"I spent the first week after my transformation more or less curled into a ball in a dark room. It was particularly bad for me," he confessed.

Masha continued. "Some people transition faster than others. I don't think I've seen anyone pick it up quite as quickly as you before though. There are actual lines of humans back in the old country who have been specifically chosen to become moroi. Certain families choose the third born of each generation. They end up becoming some of the strongest and most exceptional among us. I've never seen one of them go through the transformation but it is said they do so very quickly. Davrosh was one of them. His blood is particularly strong. That's one part of that "more" feeling you mentioned. But the other reason, the reason we feel the same to you and Davrosh reads a little stronger, is not just because we are all vampires, or moroi, but also because we are family. You are my child. Silas and I are Davrosh's children."

Jared took a moment to digest this as he watched the mostly still form on the sofa next to him. "So he is my grandfather?"

"Yes," Silas answered. "You're very lucky actually. We belong to one of the oldest and most respected moroi houses. That's important in ways that we'll get around to explaining later when things are calmer. We are generally very particular about who we choose to join us." This remark came with a significant look at Masha. Masha didn't back down, however. She was already growing quite fond of her newborn. She was convinced that destiny was in play here, somehow. Silas continued. "For now you just need to know that we are family. There is a bond between us that you will begin to feel more in the next few days. You probably already feel it towards Masha."

Jared remembered the powerful feeling that overcame him at the motel, the one that had driven him to open the door before he even knew what was on the other side. "Yes, I felt her before I even knew who she was," he confirmed.

Masha turned her attention back to Shannon, who was quiet now that he seemed to be getting the answers he was craving. She wanted to say something reassuring to him, she thought he probably felt pretty left out of all this, but Jared had more questions.

"What are they?" Jared asked, pointing at the two girls who were curled up together on the other worn sofa in the room. The younger of the two was lying with her head in her older sister's lap and looked as if she were about to fall asleep. They must be exhausted, Masha thought. "I can tell that we moroi are the same, and I can tell that Shannon is different, I guess that's what human smells like?" Masha nodded. "But they," he nodded to the sisters and the sleeping hexe, "aren't either of those things. Are they?"