Page 89 of Dreams of Magic

Marshall pointed at Aiden, “What he said. I was expecting something worse. We can handle having a little vamp blood as long as it doesn’t make me suddenly start craving raw meat or anything.”

She knew he was trying to make her laugh, but it wasn’t working. “That’s a good point actually.”

Marshall glanced around like he didn’t know what she was talking about, “Of course we can deal with it.”

“No, not that. The raw meat. We have werewolf blood and can shift, witch blood and have powers. So, what does having vampire blood do to us?” She could see none of them had thought about it when Chris sat back down.

“Well shit.” Now Aiden looked a little concerned.

She really wanted to say, “I told you so”, but figured that would be insensitive right then.

Raven kicked her feet up on the book covered coffee table and leaned back on the couch, “Actually, I’m not sure we need to worry about it.”

“Why?” Marshall had a crease between his eyebrows and a frown on his face like he was trying to sort something out and failing.

Raven waved a hand around and made little lights dance around the room, “Well, as Kenzie pointed out, you have your wolves and magic. But you don’t seem to have any vampire traits. I’m pretty sure they would have shown up by now. Vampires are different than wolves in that they always have their strength from birth, always crave blood, are very fast, and can see in the dark. Witches start manifesting around puberty, which is the same for werewolves. You’re different in your magic with having to be together. But I’m pretty sure if you had been raised together you would have gotten it around the time you shifted for the first time.”

Marshall nodded at her, “Okay, we’re following. So, what does that mean?”

She continued, “Well, the witch who took care of Sebastian’s mate said she didn’t die as a usual werewolf would have. She didn’t change either though, so he couldn’t have given her enough for the change to take place or to cause death. I think it was just enough to taint her blood, to mix it. I think she became a hybrid. But with the blood diluted like that, even having children, they wouldn’t get much of it. I think you have just enough to have mixed blood, but not enough for any of the vampire traits.”

Kenzie sighed, “I really hope that’s right. I cannot drink blood, and I do not want to be the walking dead.”

Aiden tried to smother a laugh, but it still escaped. She turned to him, angry that he was making it a joke, “You think this is funny?”

He waved his hand in denial, “No no! That’s not why I laughed. I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it. So, the majority of what you know of vampires is just fiction. Books and movies. They are wrong. You saw Nikolai and Arabella walking around during the day and they didn’t burst into flames. They ate garlic bread at dinner, there were mirrors in the hall they had to pass, and they had reflections, crosses and churches don’t catch fire, and they are not dead. Think of it like when a werewolf bites a human, and they change. Vampires are just humans who got bitten and changed. Vampires can also have kids so there are born vampires as well. They are just slightly anemic. Kind of.”

“Oh. Okay, I guess that makes sense. Though, if they aren’t dead, Nikolai and Arabella seriously need to spend some time in the sun. Their skin is Casper white. It’s kind of creepy.” They gave her the chills every time she saw them.

Now Raven chuckled, “Girl, you should see a sorcerer! They give a new meaning to the word creepy.”

Kenzie knew even less about sorcerers than she did vampires. “What do you mean?”

Raven faked a shiver, “Well, you know how sorcerers were previously witches who basically gave up their souls for power?”

“Uh, okay.” She vaguely remembered someone mentioning it.

Raven continued, “Once the witch gives up their soul, they start to change. Their blood rots and turns black, their skin loses all signs of life, going a chalky white color. Some of the worst ones, the old ones, their hair even turns white. Their eyes turn black like their blood, and look empty, hollow. Without a soul, a person can’t feel. So, all a sorcerer has is need. They crave more power always, and they crave the things they lost. Emotions, their connection to the Earth, their ability to belong to anything. They are practically walking corpses.”

Kenzie got a chill down her spine. They sounded horrible and she hoped she would never come across one. “Please sign me up to never meet one.”

The others chuckled, and again Chris rose from his seat, “Hopefully you never will. I really am going to head out now, I’m exhausted. You guys should think about heading in too.”

He sounded so parental, she found it amusing and couldn’t help her response, “If you say so Dad.”

The room quieted as Chris just stared at her. She hadn’t meant to say it, and with how quiet he was being, she wished she could take it back. As she started to apologize, Chris smiled.

“I know you were joking, but I kind of like the sound of that.”

Her breath caught in her chest. She liked it too, more than she wanted to admit just then. She might still have a few unresolved issues, “I was, but I like it too. Maybe I’ll try to ease into using it if you’re okay with it?”

He walked over and pulled her into a hug, “No pressure sweetheart. You can call me whatever you want.” He kissed her forehead, then let her go.

They all said their goodbyes to Raven and headed out. Kenzie scooped up Fiona, then walked back to the house with the guys in companionable silence. The only sound was coming from the purring cat in her arms.

Chapter 20.

Kenzie

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