Page 95 of The Vampire King's Victory

His father was looking a little teary eyed himself as he said, “It’s okay, Julian. We’re here.”

You’ve got this, Julian,Christian sent.They’re here. Let the pain go.

The pain--the memory of their loss--was still there like an overlay to his current happiness. It was almost like he was living two parallel lives. One where his parents died and he vainly sought revenge against those responsible, yelling into the voice, and this life where they were returned to him--exactly as they had been--and he got to have them with him forever.

It’s hard to believe this is real,he admitted.

Yeah, but it also feels meant,Christian answered.Like when we began this, it was always meant to end this way. Every step we took was to bring it here.

Julian covered his mother’s hand with his own and squeezed it. He gave a watery grin to the camera and said, “For those of you just tuning in for the first time, my name is Julian Harrow. My best friend, Christian Thorne, and I started this show to prove to you the existence of preternatural beings.”

A second camera was pointed at Christian who waved briefly at it even as he kept his gaze firmly on the viewfinder. His best friend still wasn’t fond of being in front of the camera.

“We specifically wanted to prove the existence of Vampires, because…” Julian looked at his parents and then over at Caemorn who was standing very still, staring at the ground very much like Elgar did, though he held no skull. “Because my parents believed they were real and I wanted to prove they were right.”

Caemorn lifted his head and stared at Julian at that moment. Shock was written large across his angelic face. He had fully expected Julian to talk about his parents being murdered by Vampires to keep the immortals’ existence secret. But Julian didn’t see the need to do that. What happened with Artemis-Kaly, Caemorn and his parents was in the past and it would stay there. The future was so much more important.

My Childe,Daemon said simply with warmth.You have chosen wisely.

Thank you for letting me figure this out,Julian replied.

Daemon hadn’t told him what to say about this. In fact, the Vampire King had made it clear to one and all, including Rajani, that Julian and Christian would determine the content of the show. Whatever they wanted to tell the world about Vampires was their choice. And Julian was making that choice. He was the Vampire Prince and the security and safety ofhispeople was paramount. He would not allow Artemis-Kaly to cause any more damage.

Caemorn, I forgive you. I said that before, but I want you to know it, to feel it,Julian sent to the Kaly Vampire.I know my parents are considering asking to be your fledglings and it’s okay with me. In fact, I’d like that. They’d be safe with you.

Caemorn inclined his head.I would be honored.

I trust you, Caemore, and I have your back.

Caemorn nodded once more. His emotions pressed against the carefully constructed facade of indifference he kept in place. Daemon put an arm around Caemorn’s back. Even Balthazar, who had retrieved Meffy from Sophia, pressed the cat against Caemorn’s cheek. The Kaly Vampire lifted an eyebrow, but then patted the kitten on the head.

Julian felt his own throat grow tight with emotion and his face hurt from how broadly he was smiling. That wasn’t the best when one had to speak to a camera. But he thought that showing his emotions would cause their audience to understand what a momentous occasion this was.

“What Christian and I had no idea about when we started this journey was that what we thought we knew about Vampires… Well, we didn’t know the half of it.” Julian gestured to his parents. “Which brings me to our guests tonight. My parents. Jack and Joanna Harrow.”

His mother and father smiled and gave brief waves to the camera. His father slid one arm over his mother’s shoulders. Both looked handsome and relaxed. Julian felt all eyes upon them in that room. There were those among the world leaders who couldn’t quite believe that his parents hadn’t simply been hiding out for a decade and a half. That they had been truly dead, their bodies destroyed, their souls still remaining Earth-bound seemed unbelievable to many. To think that Caemorn could create bodies for people who were long dead was just too fabulous--and too terrifying, in a way--to accept fully. Julian understood the conflict. Such power was godlike. And if the Immortals were capable of godlike powers, did that mean they weregods? Did that mean they should be worshiped? Feared? Both?

“Sixteen years ago my parents died in a car crash,” Julian said and swallowed the lump in his throat.

He had carried the burden of their deaths like a lodestone around his neck for all that time. He had flared with anger when people had claimed their deaths were an accident. He felt Caemorn’s eyes on him again, knowing the pain that this belief had cost him before. These were words that he had sworn to prove false. But, now, he was happy to say them and for everyone to believe them.

“But, as you see, they’re very much alive. These aren’t actors. This isn’t CGI or some Deep Fake technology. My parents have been brought back from the dead.” Julian said. He asked the camera, “But how is that possible?”

How indeed!Daemon murmured.Kaly has exceeded even my expectations.

There’s fear in this room and disbelief,Julian pointed out.Just as many people believe this must be fake as believe such powers are the work of the Devil.

Yes, fear is here. It will always be here,Daemon agreed.And we must take advantage of it. We must embrace it. But there will be plenty who will also see the wonder in what we can do. It is to those people that you are speaking now. You’re doing well.

“You’ve heard that there are different Vampire Bloodlines, each stemming from a different Immortal,” Julian reminded his audience. He saw world leaders glance at Caemorn. Of all the Immortals, except for Daemon, he was the one that fascinated and worried them the most. “The Kaly Bloodline has the ability to raise and control the dead. And Kaly, themself, has the ability to create new bodies and bring the dead to life. Among other things.”

Julian smiled at Caemorn. The true extent of Kaly’s powers were unknown. Caemorn and Christian were already testing boundaries that had never been pressed before.

He held a hand up to the camera as if anticipating the audience opening their mouths to ask millions of questions. The world leaders that were clustering about the interview area looked ready to start peppering him with those same questions.

“I know you have a lot of questions and concerns and ideas and we’re going to explore all of them,” Julian assured their audience. “But there’s too much to discuss in any one program. If you don’t hear the answer to your question tonight, there will be another show which will answer it. A website has been set up with answers to many questions as well and it's linked in the description below. But I think a good place to start is to hear from my parents themselves about their experiences. Mom, Dad, you died… and came back. What was that all like? Was there a light? A tunnel?”

His mother answered first, her eyes going slightly unfocused as she remembered. “There was a doorway. There was something beyond it. Something vast.”

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