Page 69 of The Vampire King's War

“I admit that is strange,” Derek said, but his expression--though still somber--looked unbelieving.

“Come now, Derek, think about this! Can you really believe that societies who had never come in contact with one another all had the same idea about a creature and, what, had just all imagined it?” Professor Grove pressed.

“But if Vampires are real wouldn’t that mean other fantastical creatures are as well? Like werewolves?” Derek pressed, his lips twitching.

Considering that Caemorn’s werewolves, Tarn and Farun, were in his garden tearing up his plants at that moment, Balthazar wished they weren’t real.

“Derek, put aside popular culture of Vampires now--put aside your feelings about them--and admit that if we were speaking of anything other than Vampires, you would think that these disparate societies are saying the same or similar things about beings like these, because they are simply reporting what they had seen?” Professor Grove pushed.

“Now that may be a man we’d like as an Eyros, Meffy. He’s able to change people’s minds,” Balthazar said as he kissed Meffy’s overlarge ears.

The cat mewed in agreement.

Derek appeared to be considering this. He nodded a few times. “It would seem logical, but… Vampires?!”

“Yes, I know. They are like a dream and nightmare come true,” Professor Grove answered. “Imagine what they must know. Think of the powers they showed us last night. And then consider what they want now that they have revealed themselves.”

Derek’s eyes widened. “Want? You think they want something?”

Professor Groves’ penetrating blue eyes narrowed. “Of course.”

“And what is it that you think they want?” Derek asked, looking disturbed.

“What would an immortal race of beings want from their food source? A food source that seems intent on destroying itself and the planet it inhabits?” Professor Grove suggested.

Derek blinked. “By food source, you mean us? Humans?”

Professor Grove let out a mirthless chuckle. “Well, of course, Derek. They are Vampires after all.”

Derek, blinking rapidly and looking shaken, then turned to another of his guests, a man with hair shaved on the sides and long on top wearing a faded band t-shirt over a long-sleeved shirt. “Now, Kevin Hearne, you have been in the practical special effects business for over twenty years. What we recorded last night--”

“Next!” Balthazar pronounced loudly as he turned the channel.

Meffy mewed piteously as he had been falling asleep and Balthazar’s loud voice had woken him. More head kisses were necessary.

“They can’t seriously think this is special effects, Meffy. What Daemon did would take a special effects department an incredible amount of post-production to even come close to what he did,” Balthazar soothed the battle cat who gave him a sleepy mew before snuggling his head under Balthazar’s chin. “And that feed was live last night! Not to mention that if this were a hoax then multiple televisions stations would all have to be in on it. Do they really think the entire media would conspire to pull off a stunt like this?”

He glanced back at Caemorn and Christian whose heads were still close together as they both were looking into some large crystal. It reminded Balthazar of a crystal ball that a fortune teller would look into at a carnival. But this one glowed blood red and seemed to actually be showing Caemorn and Christian something.

“You know you could come over here and learn something,” Caemorn stated, without taking his eyes off of the crystal ball.

“I’m not a Kaly, remember?” Balthazar sniffed.

“Oh, but you are. Christian is proof that you are both Eyros and Kaly Bloodlines,” Caemorn countered him calmly. They’d had this argument half a dozen times since the night before. “You should be grateful for having both Bloodlines and both gifts. With Christian being a Speaker to the Dead, that means you must have untapped Kaly gifts.”

Balthazar crossed his arms over his chest. Meffy mewed softly as he had jostled the battle cat. He petted the sleeping kitten gently to make up for it. Caemorn was right. He should want to know what else he could do. He was proud as all get out about Christian being gifted in this way. But he wanted to reject it in himself.

“Perhaps another time,” Balthazar said.

Christian’s mouth pursed. He looked up at his Master. “Maybe you should go lay down. You’ve been getting all excited over the news. And there’s nothing we can do about it. Besides, Meffy looks like he needs a nap too.”

“Daemon and Julian are napping together,” Balthazar muttered.

Christian smiled. “I would like to lay down with you, but--”

“You have important things to do! Yes, yes, I know. And Daemon isn’t completely just enjoying himself. He’s communing or whatever he does,” Balthazar sighed.

He wanted to speak with Daemon. He could just reach out and touch the Vampire King’s mind, but he knew that Daemon had expended a lot of energy the night before. He needed to recharge himself. He was nowhere near full power, but was already doing god-like things. Balthazar didn’t want to disturb him and Julian.

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