Page 40 of Visions in Blood
Her anger was easy to read between the lines of her statement.She hadn’t recorded the conversation, nor given specifics, but she’d provided enough to form a conclusion.Her mother knew Christopher was looking for the necklace and had all but directed him straight to Cressa.The woman was also being tight-lipped about Cressa’s father.She knew more than she was telling, but he wasn’t sure what to do about that.For now, nothing.But if he ran out of other leads, he’d have to reconsider how to deal with her.
Devon focused on Cook’s knife as garlic was diced then minced.He knew Lucas waited for an answer, but his family had grown accustomed to his occasional propensity for lengthy deliberations.It was a quirk he couldn’t seem to stop.
“Nothing has changed.Lorenzo is looking for the necklace, though we haven’t found a direct link.How he discovered its existence, or what he knows of it, remains elusive.”
“And our next step?”
“I have an idea but need to do a bit more research.I’ll call a meeting in the next day or two.”
“Status quo until then?”
Devon stole another carrot and turned for the door.“Say hello to Ginger for me.”
“She’s in the theater.”
Devon stopped and turned to Cook.
“I just sent popcorn.”
He nodded then strode to the back of the manor and down the short hall that led to the theater.It had been installed decades ago, a special request from Lyra, and he’d been surprised to learn Cressa and Ginger had spent an entire evening playing movie after movie.Lucas said the two women had talked and laughed for hours.He’d never cared for films, preferring books and the quietness of a room, but most of his family enjoyed them, so he’d had a larger theater built at Oasis.He’d have to show Cressa the next time they visited.
At first, he didn’t see her in the dark room where an old black-and-white movie filled the screen.Each of the eight rows consisted of six high-backed recliners.He found her in the middle of the second row from the front, slumped with legs pulled up and arms hugging her knees.The tub of untouched popcorn shared the seat next to her.
The light from the screen reflected off her face, which was pinned to the movie, though he didn’t think she was watching.Her gaze appeared unfocused, and he considered leaving her to whatever demons haunted her, yet he stayed.Vampires experienced loss differently than humans.Each loss was felt deeply, but the sorrow didn’t last as long as it did with humans.It had to do with being nearly immortal.One would think each loss would be more difficult the longer one lived, but even within this modern world, vampires had developed within a war-like culture, living for the moment, where many humans lived in the past.And while Cressa hadn’t lost anyone today, the bond between mother and daughter was strong, and it must hurt her deeply to not have that with hers.
He advanced slowly and waited until he caught a flicker in her periphery vision.When she blinked, he picked up the bowl of popcorn and sat in the seat next to her, noting for the first time what movie continued to play.
“Bela Lugosi?”
Her snort gave him some relief that she wasn’t as morose as he’d expected, though she was good at hiding her emotions.He sensed her sadness but also a slow-burning anger buried deep, the type that, from his experience, could be difficult to extinguish.Was this what fed her strength and resolve?He’d seen it in others, and for those who never released it, the darkness eventually ate at them, leaving nothing but an emotionless husk.He didn’t want that for Cressa, and though she’d have to find her own way to reconcile those emotions, there was one thing he could do for her.
“I wasn’t expecting such a large array of vamp movies in your collection.”She took the popcorn from him.“You shouldn’t be eating that.”
“It’s organic.”
This time her laughter was honest if short-lived.She munched a few bites.
He leaned back and watched the movie.“Why did you turn down the sound?”
She gave him a one-shouldered shrug.“I wasn’t interested in the dialogue.”
He suspected it was more that she didn’t want to be alone yet didn’t want to talk.“These are Sergi’s favorites.”
Her shock wasn’t a surprise, but then her brows pinched together.
“I’m not lying.He prefers black and white films, but everyone has their favorite.His isNosferatu.”
“And Lucas?”
“He has several, but the one he plays the most is something calledThe Lost Boys.”
“Oh, that’s a good one.A lot of humor mixed with the horror.”
He cringed.“Horror.It’s no wonder we’re considered such monsters.”
“It might be the drinking blood thing, but at the end of the day, humans aren’t comfortable with anything that might be more powerful than them.More alien.”
He sighed.“I don’t think humans are the only ones that have that problem.”
