Since I am in the presence of a historian, I might as well make the most of it. So I proceed to ask Vlad a few questions, “So explain why some vampires have abilities and others are just normal vampires?”
“It's passed in the blood. It can skip progeny. Why I got it and Vincent didn't,” he explains.
“But your father is a normal vampire, correct?” I ask.
He nods, “Yes, but had residual abilities.”
“Like recessive genes in humans and other animals,” I say.
He smiles briefly, “Exactly.”
I look at my mates as Vincent smirks, “Vlad, I think you're right.”
“Alchemy of the blood,” Vlad says as he nods.
I sigh, “Please let this just be proximity.”
Eric takes my hand, “Eva, you know it's likely not. But we will test it because you're stubborn.”
“Pot meet kettle,” I reply.
He squeezes my hand in warning, “I'd watch the sass. We are in close quarters.”
I roll my eyes. Katie then decides to speak, “No no more hazing till you get your own rooms!”
“You know once it starts we can only fight it so long,” Sam reminds her.
“Oh I know all too well, mountain man,” she teases him.
I laugh, but Katie continues, “Oh I've heard and seen way more than I like from you too!”
“I heard you for years. Payback is a bitch. I retort cooly.
She rolls her eyes at me, “Whatever, Ho.”
I laugh as Vincent says, “And yes, they're always like this.”
“Awe, you know your eternity was boring till we came along,” I tease.
“Don't remind me,” Vincent says cooly.
“Oh drop that tone because I can ban you from my bed,” I warn.
He cocks his eyebrow, “I doubt that.”
I feel my eyes swirl as I rise to his challenge, “Care to test me?”
“Do her eyes always do that?” Marcus asks.
Enraprured, Vlad murmurs, “It's mesmerizing.”
“They do that when she's up to something. This won't end well if Vincent pushes it,” Eric explains.
Sam chuckles, “But it will be hilarious.”
“Like the cat in the pants,” Eric says as he laughs.
Vincent says with a smirk, “But this time there won't be any cats so my balls are safe.”
I'm over his cocky attitude as I say, “But I can do this.” I wrap him in an insulated blanket to prevent his use of electricity, then zip his mouth shut.
Awestruck, Marcus gasps, “You didn't say a spell!”
I smile, “I don't always need to.”
Sam grins wolfishly, “I think I know what you did and you know how I feel about it, but in this instance it's hilarious.”
“See if he figures it out. Until then we can enjoy some quiet time,” I say.
“Why does he keep challenging you?” Katie asks.
I grin, “He likes the torture.”
Yeah he's staring at me, but I'm not going to let on that it's mostly an illusion and I'm keeping my thoughts about it as hidden as I can too.
“I still like the cat trick better,” Eric says.
I give him a wink, “I'm sure it can be revisited at some point.”
“The killer butterflies were beautiful too,” Katie adds.
“Yeah we will see, I'm sure my creativity will continue to be tested,” I say.
“Well we shouldn't have issues letting you test your abilities because it looks like Vincent has volunteered to be your guinea pig,” Marcus jokes.
That gives me an idea, “Or I could turn him into one.”
Vincent's eyes go wide and I hear him talk to me in our mindlink,”You are getting very sneaky, my dear.”
“How so?” I ask.
“Oh you know,” he replies as he ends our link.
As our link is severed, I see his zipper unzip and the blanket starts to unfold before both vanish. I giggle.
Vincent looks at me with pride, “Very realistic illusion, love.”
Vlad studies me as he asks, “So what else?”
“I can see past, present, and future and interact with it like how the bats visited your dinner party,” I say.
“As in altering it directly?” Marcus asks for clarification.
I nod, “Yes. Just not with my mates when it comes to their pasts, I can only see and feel. I can't alter anything.”
“You're far different than even what my father spoke of the last war,” Vlad tells me.
Vincent exchanged a look with Vlad, “So you finally understand why I had to bring her?”
He nods, “Yeah, you were right to bring Eva here.”
It's getting dark when we land. We disembark. We approach the waiting car. Six lynx come out of nowhere and tackle Vincent and lick him. I laugh, “They won't fit in your pants but I couldn't resist!”
Sam smiles, “You should know by now not to test my Snow White!”
I decided to answer their questions before they asked, “Before you ask, I have full control of any animal, living or dead.”
“Even?” Marcus says worriedly.
“Yeah, even Weres and vampires,” I say.
“Absolutely amazing! No need for a spell or artifact either!” Vlad exclaims in awe.
“I'm hungry,” I say.
Sam smiles, “I brought snacks.”
I grin as he tosses me a granola bar, bottle of water, and a bag of chips, “Will work for now. There better be food at your place, Vlad”
Katie giggles, “She gets angry when she's hungry.”
“Everyone does,” I say in my defense.
“Yes but not everyone could destroy this world,” she says.
After a long drive we make it to Vlad's. It's a huge place with sprawling lands. The castle is huge too. As we pull up to the main gate, there are two stone pillars on either side with metal stakes standing erect on them. l arch an eyebrow at him.
He shrugs, “Yes, that part is true.”
Katie asks, “So you used to put poles through people.”
He grins, “I still do too.”
“What the fuck! Why?” she asks in shock.
Flatly he says, “Shows those who oppose me what to expect.”
I scoff, “Lead by intimidation and fear, not by cunning and respect.”
“What does that matter,” he says.
“Plenty, why people don't betray me and why no one comes after me. Do I look like I could kill with a thought?” I inquire.
“None can,” Vlad smugly responds.
I laugh as I roll down the car window. I have a moth fly in, “Hold out your hand.”
He does. I have the moth land on it I point my finger at the moth and think of the killing curse.
“It's dead,” Vlad says.
I nod, “Now watch.” I say as it comes back to life.”
“Are you controlling it because it's dead?” he asks.
“No and it's not dead anymore. Touch it and feel its heartbeat and its life force,” I tell him.
“You both can give and take life!” Vlad exclaims in both shock and wonder.
“I can control it too,” I add.
———-Vincent’s POV————-
I can sense how nervous Eva is. She's worried about the bond she's sensing with my brother. He's entranced by her but is fighting it too. Am I happy about it?
Certainly not, but I know that she shouldn't fight it. We were needed here and perhaps it was for her to find her last mate.