Page 44 of The Star's Sword

“Plus, you know human birth is risky, since they haven’t adopted pods like demons or taking the celestial route.”

“Which is?” I asked curiously.

Simon went on like he hadn’t heard me. “So even though I reassured all parents I would make sure they had the best medical attention and my protection for their young, we still haven’t had any new babies yet.” He shrugged. “But the children who came here with their parents are growing together with many others, and it is my hope that at some point, humans and vampires could live together. Vampires protecting humans from other paranormals, humans sharing blood and breeding freely.”

I laughed. “You should probably stop calling it breeding, then.”

“But that’s what they are to Simon,” Cayne said. “Livestock.”

“No,” Simon said. “They are my friends. I suppose I refer to all reproduction as breeding. I’m not a romantic after all.”

“I see,” I said.

“Here,” he said, standing and shoving off the ridiculous robe and kicking it to the side as he led us around a circular hallway with paintings of hot-air balloons to a side door made of wood and painted teal. “I’ll show you around, let you meet some of my humans.” He held the door as we walked out and I saw Cayne lean in to mutter something to Simon as he passed. I couldn’t make it out, but it was something like ‘we’re talking about that robe later’.

I raised my hand to shield myself from the sun, but it was pleasant enough and there were enough clouds that I was able to drop it.

“Nice day,” Samael said, looking at the sky above us, and the wind jostling the trees.

“I try to make sure it always is here,” Simon said, putting his hands behind his back as we walked out onto a spacious lawn with trees and play equipment. Children were climbing on mini castles and playing with mini swords and chasing each other, darting between trees and bushes.

All of the cottages were spread out nicely, and everything was circled and protected by the wall.

“It’s actually an artificial atmosphere I purchased from the Drorren,” Simon said. “There’s a dome extending over the top of the wall and I can make it any kind of weather in here using a mere touch pad.” He grinned. “Exquisite.”

“Simon’s richer than anyone I know,” Sam muttered to me.

“Easy to acquire wealth when you’re around a long time,” Simon said lightly, leading us past the playing children and over to a cottage.

When he passed, the children went quiet, lowered their swords, and seemed to almost fear him.

“Don’t mind us, dear ones!” Simon said, waving to them.

They looked at him like he was going to eat them.

“Still working on gaining their trust,” Simon said. “Then again, it’s not like I want them to trust vampires.”

He knocked on the door of one of the cottages, and I saw the curtains at the side of the door pull to the side as a human woman with dark curly hair peeked out, went wide-eyed and then darted out of sight.

It took her a while to open the door, and then only a crack. “Mr. Card? Did you need something? The children are down for a nap.”

Simon blinked at her. “Oh, nothing. Just wanted to introduce some friends of mine. Cleo here is a wolf shifter and part-human, and I thought you’d like to meet her.”

“I…” She nodded to me nervously. “I’ve got to go, Simon. Sorry. Come get me when it’s donation time.”

Then the door shut.

Simon shrugged at me, but there was slight hurt in his eyes. “Well, I thought me and Sherry were getting along well, but you know, she’s had close encounters with vampires. She’s still learning to trust, I suppose.” We walked past that cottage to another, where Simon knocked again.

This time a man with blond hair came out, his arm around his red-headed wife. They looked to be full human and I couldn’t make out anything supernatural about them.

They smiled at Simon, but there was still something tight in their eyes. “Yes, Mr. Card?”

Simon grinned at them and pulled them in for a three-way hug. “I knew you two wouldn’t hide.”

The man smiled at the woman as the two hugged Simon back and released him.

“We owe Mr. Card here everything,” the man said.

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