Naked Came the Vampire (Hypernaturals 1)

Council of War, Vampire Edition

Danny and Lori were tired. 

Hell, I am exhausted. I have been drugged and jumped from a plane, nearly drowned, swam in a freezing ass lake, walked in tattered and chafing clothes down a road, ridden in a borrowed jeep with a borrowed driver, packed, and fled town. I want to sleep like crazy. All the fear and running away will really take it out of you.

I'd be starving too, but when we bought food, Helen snuck in a few boxes of protein bars, which are now gone. We ate a box of them each. It would never do to let the humans see us eating as we need to after the exertions Helen and I made today.

None of that mattered. Not being tired, not how soft the bed looked. Not even the idea of snuggling in with Jessica. We need a Vampire to baby Vampire talk first.

I suggested gently Danny and Lori retire for the night, and they gladly jumped on the idea. "Danny. Lori. Go to bed. You look like hell."

Danny stood quickly and pulled Lori to her feet and into his arms for an embrace.

Danny put a hand on my shoulders "Dude, I am really glad you got away, and that we finally got to meet Jessica, and now Helen too. Crappy day, but not all bad when you think about it." Danny whacked my shoulder flat handed in the age-old male slapping each other's back tradition. The flat smacking sound and the lack of flab under his hand resulted in an impressed look from Danny. I gave him a warning look back. He nodded.

I regret my actions at the gym: testing my limit's. That is a natural thing for a human who suddenly possessed new capabilities and did not know why. A Vampire who did not know he recently changed species. Letting Danny observe the weight lifting prowess is a colossal screw-up, and it has potentially life-ending implications for myself and Danny. I will need to figure out a way to deal with that even though I have no idea how yet.

Not knowing how to deal with something? That is the order of the day.

Sadly, at the moment, I have worse problems than being an outed Vampire.

When they were gone, and our room door swung shut, I turned to my partners in crime, arms folded across my chest. "OK. That was total bullshit."

Helen looked over to Jessica "He is not so stupid, for a young one. And a male. I begin to see some of why you keep him around. Other than the boy parts you like so well, of course."

"He does have his moments. You'd like those parts too." Jessica agreed, looking at me. "The thing is, Helen? I do not think he is ready for what comes now. He is so young! I do not think I would have been ready so soon either. It takes time to develop the right perspective on these kinds of Vampire necessities."

"Be that as it may, Jessica, you know what needs to be done." Helen said in a very soft voice with a hint of sadness.

Jessica looked downright depressed and replied in an equally soft voice "Yes. I wish I could protect him from it. So... Young."

"You can, my dear. You can. He does not have to. No one would reasonably expect him to. Not YET. But he will, anyway. Try too, in any case."

"Why will he?" Jessica asked.

"Don't be naive, darling. Because YOU need this done. He will never let you do it alone."

I swiveled my head back and forth as they talked in half sentences. I went from feeling smug about knowing that there is some other plan in the works to being a disconcerted by whatever the new plan is going to be. Jessica looked downright miserable about it, so that can't be good.

"It will help with the Council if he does." Helen added.

Jessica shook her head angrily. "That is not a good reason to do it."