Page 68 of The Vampire King's War

IN THE NEWS

The next night…

Balthazar turned on the television to one of the cable networks. There was a blonde whose perfectly sculpted head of hair was quivering as she continued on with the non-stop coverage of the Incident at the Museum, as the raising of the dead and Daemon’s dramatic reveal of Vampires was being called. Not that everyone believed they were Vampires. There were so many conspiracy theories.

“... now some are saying what occurred at the museum was caused by the release of a toxic gas, the same gas said to have killed everyone inside of the museum earlier that evening. I have with me Dr. Pamela Gunn who is going to weigh in on this explanation,” the pretty, but very serious looking blonde reporter said. “Dr. Gunn, now is it possible for people to all share the same delusion?”

Dr. Gunn was a woman in tweed in her mid-fifties who wore glasses and looked like she should be in front of a chalkboard. “Well, Samantha, yes, it is. In fact, that is what is thought to have fueled some of--”

Balthazar laughed. “Oh, please! So are we saying that the cameras are delusional too? They recorded what happened!”

He had watched all that footage. Over and over and over again. Daemon really had been magnificent. Balthazar was certain he would have found the Vampire King to have been even more so if he had been there. But no, he had been falling for Kaly’s trap, being nearly given his Second Death, being rescued by Caemorn and then convalescing. He’d missed all the fun.

“How can they even be suggesting mass delusion!” Balthazar waved the remote everywhere as if to somehow indicate by gesture how ridiculous that was.

But Christian and Caemorn, who were huddled on the couch together behind him, were deep into discussing ways to track down the various Kalys and the Harrows’ soul gems and didn't say a word. They did not even look up at him as they were so focused on their work.

The three of them were in the beautiful front meeting room with the grand fireplace, piano, and two-story tall bookshelves in House Ravenscroft. The television was over the massive fireplace that one could see through to the other side. This was one of his favorite places, but he was not happy because he was the only one at loose ends.

The whole of House Ravenscroft was busy as beavers working on things for House Wynter as they were controlling the city since everyone human in power had been wiped out the night before. Balthazar was not involved in any of it because he was to be resting. But he wasn’t going to just lay down in his rooms quietly! Not when so much was at stake and Christian couldn't lay beside him. But despite him being up no one would give him anything to do. He was even barred from entering Artemis-Kaly's mind as he was still considered "too fragile". And he was annoyed.

And hurt.

And… Well, so many things that made him grouchy and unable to sit still even though he was a bit tired.

He glanced back at Christian and Caemorn. They were seated quite close together. Not that he worried there was anything sexual there. That would have been easier to deal with. No, they were friends. No, more than that. Mentor and mentee. They got along well. Which he understood in a strange sort of way. Caemorn was… good to have on one’s side in a pinch. Maybe more than that. He and Caemorn were Blood Brothers. So it made quite a bit of sense that Caemorn should be close to Christian.

But Christian was ignoring him! Well, Christian hadn’t the first dozen times Balthazar had had an outburst at the television. Christian had simply told him that he shouldn’t be either upset with himself about losing to Kaly or about Daemon revealing the existence of Vampires without him.

“He really had no choice,” Christian had said, gently patting his shoulder. “Kaly had overrun the city with zombies. It really was too good a chance to pass up. I know he wanted you there. According to Julian, you’re the one who is supposed to give the speeches to the humans during the next part.”

“When is the next part? And don’t we have to deal with Kaly and get Julian’s parents back and--”

Christian had placed two fingers over his lips. “Yes, to all of that. But you… you need to rest. Caemorn has told me what you underwent. He can’t believe you survived it, let alone are up and about.”

Balthazar had grunted in a way that he hoped sounded strong and brave. “Yes, well, I am hard to kill. And Kaly certainly isn’t going to kill me.”

Not again, anyways.

So no, he was not at all that he was sore that his best friend hadn’t let him be a part of the insanity! And left him instead to deal with Kaly.

Unsuccessfully.

Balthazar sighed and moped some more. Their chance to simply infect the Artemis-Kaly with his mind-bug and send him back to the collective-Kaly was likely a bust. Kaly likely knew that they had killed the Moira-Kaly and captured the Artemis-Kaly. They would be suspicious if Artemis-Kaly would now return. And it was all his fault!

If only I hadn't messed up! It would have worked flawlessly! But no... I got cocky.

He turned his head to Meffy, his battle cat, who was perched on his shoulder. Head kisses between those soft ears made him feel better. Not much. But still better.

“Let’s find another conspiracy theory, shall we, Meffy? The humans are really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one,” he told his battle cat and changed the channel.

The next cable news network had a panel of guests led by a handsome man with dark skin and darker eyes. He looked solemn and sober and emanated reasonableness.

“Too bad the truth will seem anything but reasonable to people,” Balthazar murmured.

The dark eyed man stated to one of his panel of four, a man with a white-beard and penetrating blue eyes, “Now Professor Richard Grove, you are a professor of folklore studies at Miskatonic University. You have studied Vampires for over forty years.” The reporter said this respectfully even though some would have wondered at any adult studying Vampires for four decades. “You think that this King Daemon is the real deal, yes? A real Vampire?”

Professor Grove stroked his beard and seemed to hold the viewer’s gaze before he spoke, “Yes, I do. I want to put something to you and the audience, Derek. If you were to hear of a concept of, let us say, immortal blood-feeding beings not just from one society on this planet but from every society--and this was before the internet, mind you--would you think it a coincidence?”

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