We head down an archaic corridor. Torches line the walls red, blue, and green flames dance on either side, a stone gate parts for us, and suddenly we're in a modern basement. Sean and Leo sit in front of a massive flat-screen game controller in hand, chips, and popcorn are scattered everywhere.
I never thought immortals set around playing video-games and eating popcorn. Sean jumps in excitement, and Leo snorts, "Lucky win."
"You're just mad you lost," Sean tosses popcorn into his mouth, "the great Leo isn't great at everything after all."
Leo picks up popcorn and tosses it at his brother, "shut up," he's about to throw a soda can when Mika clears her throat.
"Having fun?" their mother asks.
Leo shrugs, and Sean looks away, I guess even immortals fear their mothers.
"It's nice not to be the one in trouble," Crow whispers in my ear, sending a familiar thrill through me. I turn to look at him, and he shifts flying to his sister's shoulder and tucks his head inside his wing.
"What's with him?" I ask.
Mika taps her brother's wing, "he's tired."
"We'll be upstairs," their mother says, "I expect this messed cleaned up," with that she leads us up the stairs and into a brightly lit kitchen. Pots and pans hang from the ceiling, a tray of freshly baked cookies sits on the isle.
"You'll probably throw them up," Mika points for me to sit in one of the floral chairs.
"I almost forgot, call me Heather, "Mika's mom sets a cup of spiced blood in front of me, and I drink it without a second thought.
"Thank you," I wish Crow could collect the last drops of blood like before. As if hearing my thoughts drops of blood start to float up until their one. I open my mouth and catch it; at the same time, I see Crow picking from under his wing.
"No magic on the dinner table," Heather takes Crow and sets him on a chair, he shifts back a bored look on his lovely face.
He leans back in his chair head hanging sideways, "So boring," without warning he reaches forward and wipes blood from the corner of my mouth, "don't be wasteful," he brings his thumb to his mouth and licks the blood away, "why can't I get spiced blood?"
Heather smacks him upside the head, "you're not a guest," she hands him a cookie and takes the remaining seat, "besides you only drink blood for the taste," she sets a plate of chocolate peanut butter cookies on the center of the table.
"Why would you drink blood?" I ask, to which he shrugs and munches on his cookie.
"What would you like to know?" Heather asks.
Looking away from Crow, I ask, "who turned me?"
Heather lets out a little sigh, "that I don't know, there has been an increase in rouge Vamps through the Cities."
Mika cuts in, "it looks like their looking to out all immortals."
"They're trying to take advantage of the supposed world's end," Heather says.
"You don't believe the world's ending?" I ask.
Heather shakes her head, "I've seen worlds end; this is nothing but a minor setback meant to teach people a lesson in human decency."
"What Ama's saying is, the earth is tired of all the pollution, wars, and the hate," Crow says, "the world's just trying to reset."
Mika reaches for a cookie, "Hopefully, all the racist f#$@*s get taken out of the equation. Along with all the sadist."
"Unfortunately, the world requires a balance," Heather says, "to have good, you must have evil. To many, it's all perspective."
"Can I really never see my family again?" I ask before they can go into more talk of balance and the such.
"Unless immortals are exposed, you have to avoid them," Heather says, "its best if you find a Clan to take you in."
"Clan?"
"Vamps are divided into clans or houses, their kind of like tribes or packs," Crow says, "they believe in strength in numbers and have rules in place to keep you safe."
"I thought Vamps are loners," I can't take it anymore. I take a cookie and not a second passes before I'm throwing it up.
"Best, she learns now," Heather hands me a dishtowel.
"Couldn't you throw up on Mika?" Crow asks.
"I didn't mean to," I say, just as Sean and Leo enter the kitchen. Sean starts laughing while Leo helps Crow clean himself off.
"You won't be able to eat," Leo says, "it's a blood only diet for you."
"But I love bacon," I say, thinking of all the things I love to eat only makes me sad, as sad as knowing I'll never see my family again, "Is there no way of undoing this?"
"You could drink pigs' blood," Leo says sympathetically, "cows when you want a burger."
"I doubt it's the same," I say.
"Kill your Sire," Heather says, "granted you first have to know who Sired you."