Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

W e waited till the early hours of the morning. Before I called Jana. I wasn't surprised I had woken her and if it wasn't so important, I wouldn't have, but she had been happy to hear from me and promised to come over in half an hour.

Rene and I were waiting by the front door, speaking quietly. As I stood in the opulence of the foyer, surrounded by my fellow vampires, the air was heavy with tension and mistrust. A serial killer had that effect on people, including the immortal ones. The atmosphere crackled like a lightning storm, and I could practically taste the resentment in the air. Every sideways glance, and subtle curl of their lips, whispered the one truth that I couldn't ignore—they didn't trust me. They blamed me for the events that had befallen them.

At my age, I'd faced my share of challenges and adversities in life, but being an outsider in a clan of vampires was an entirely different battle. I expected their skepticism. Of me and my intentions. It was as if they could detect the uncertainty that lingered in my mind. That I was the source of their woes.

The way they exchanged whispered words that I couldn't decipher only fueled my anxiety. It was obvious they had formed a tight-knit bond over the years. One my appearance threatened to shatter. This wasn't about trust; it was about power and envy. My proximity to Rene rubbed those with significant clan stature the wrong way.

Their eyes bored into my back, tracing my every move, and dissecting every nuance of my expression. It wasn't just my presence that troubled them; it was Rene's interest in me. Jealousy simmered beneath their frosty exteriors, a potent mix of resentment and longing. Frustration tangled with determination, as I waited for the one person who lightened my soul like no other.

When Rene opened the door to allow her entry into the foyer, my heart leaped. It had done the same thing when I laid eyes on her for the first time and my excitement at being in Jana's presence had only grown over the years.

Jana was the epitome of youthful beauty, with her radiant smile and shiny, black hair that seemed to catch every flicker of light. I wasn't sure how I felt about the appreciative stares she received while at the clan. The male members' eyes seemed to linger a little too long for my taste. In their eyes, Jana was a beacon of charm and innocence.

Still, as Jana ignored the attentive stares, I felt a certain pride. She was my legacy, my child, and watching her embrace her own power was a testament to her strength and the values Isra and I had instilled in her.

I hugged her fiercely when she wrapped her arms around me. "Thanks for coming. Sorry I woke you."

She waved her hand negligently. "I will sleep when I am dead. It sounded urgent... sorry about the dead comment."

Rene made a barely perceptible motion with his hand and the men admiring my daughter turned away and continued their conversations with their group.

Rene smiled warmly at Jana. "I assure you, it is fine. Thank you for coming, Miss Nasir."

Jana winked at him. "You are cute when you are formal."

There were some hushed chuckles around the room as Rene motioned toward the stairs. "Will you accompany Raven and I to our suite?"

We ascended the lavish staircase, and I had to admire how Jana could be so comfortable wearing simple jeans and a T-shirt when the surrounding vampires were in haute couture. Of course, she was used to drag queen attire.

I walked beside her as Rene trailed behind us. There was a hushed silence, and I glanced back to see everyone looking at me.

"What is that about?" Jana asked.

"I don't know. They have some odd protocols, and I probably broke one."

Jana bumped my shoulder. "Then good on you. They seem a little too rigid. They need to live a little."

I pursed my lips.

Jana gave me a withered look. "I just realized how ridiculous that sounded, but I mean that in the proverbial sense."

"I get it, honey. It is accurate, though."

We walked in silence until we entered the suite. I led Jana to the large office, and we took a seat on the couch. Rene took the chair opposite us and crossed his legs after he sat. He looked like he was there for a friendly visit and no tension was reflected in his gaze, but I could sense his eagerness to learn more about my strange ability.

"Jana, I asked your mother to call you here so I could ask you about your telepathic connection."

Jana stiffened on the couch next to me and I felt like I had betrayed her. I had asked her to keep that strange connection a secret and now a vampire she barely knew was asking her about it.

I touched her arm. "I'm sorry, honey. It appears there was a vampire fifteen hundred years ago who had a similar ability in life. We are wondering if there is a connection to me turning successfully."

She frowned as glanced between me and Rene. "What would that have to do with being a witch?"

Rene shrugged casually. "I believe it is a human ability and has nothing to do with magical power. You have no magic, but you can create this connection with your mother."

Jana nibbled her lip. "I am pretty sure Mom creates the connection. She seems to know when I need it, but it hasn't happened a lot or anything."

Rene nodded. "While your mother's gift is likely stronger than yours, you must have some level of ability. May I ask if you remember the first time it happened?"

Jana was quiet for a moment. "Mom told me about the incident when I was a toddler, but I don't remember that. When I was ten, I was swimming, and I swam underneath the wharf, despite my parents telling me not to, when we were at the lake. I bumped my head and began to panic, but Mom invaded my mind and... commanded me not to panic. She told me to swim down a bit and resurface outside the dock, and I did. She was already swimming toward me when I got on top. I had a goose egg the size of Mars, but it could have been a lot worse."

My heart squeezed a little at the memory. "I was so freaked out by that incident. I don't think I let you out of my sight for six months."

Jana nodded. "I could feel you checking on me when I was in class. I guess I am never really away from you."

I frowned. "I don't have the ability anymore, honey."

Jana's eyebrows furrowed. "Really? It was always kind of comforting to know you would come if I called you."

Rene shifted in his seat slightly. "I am not convinced that Raven won't regain her abilities. It is too soon after her transition to make such assumptions. Vampires develop over decades, not weeks."

Jana sighed. "I could be eighty before Mom regains it though."

The slight blip of fear that squeezed my heart earlier was nothing compared to the twisting in my core at the thought of me outliving Jana.

Rene glanced at me, but his face remained stoic. "I hope you will consider testing when you are ready. But you are a part of my family, no matter what you decide."

Rene's statement helped ease the tension in my core. But this predicament was why vampires were vetted and their family dynamic weighed upon before approval. Unfortunately, I knew the truth about Jana. "She doesn't want to be a vampire, Rene. I didn't either, so I have to accept the consequences of these events... someday." I heard the pain in my voice. So did Rene and Jana. There was a good chance I would follow my daughter when she left this world. I could handle her aging, but not dying.

Jana was quiet for some time. "I want to talk about that, but let's focus on why you think Mom's telepathic ability is somehow responsible for her transition."

Rene was staring at me. "I can't confirm it is. Raven, when did you begin to... sense things?"

I never thought about the strange ability I had. "I don't remember a time when I didn't. It was more of a sixth-sense thing when I was younger. Nothing overt and everything I did was easily explained, so nobody ever noticed it... well, until Jana."

"Your mother did not have this ability?" Rene asked.

"No. The earliest... occurrence was when I was eight. My mom was cooking pasta, and she had an apron on. It came undone and caught on the pot handle. Seconds before she would have pulled the boiling water onto herself, I yanked her out of the way. The pot hit the floor, and she still got a minor burn through her pants, but it could have been a lot worse if that water hit her arms."

"That could have been passed off as instinct. Not... premonition."

"It was. I assumed I saw what was about to happen, but I was in the other room and had to rush to the kitchen."

"You realize what you are describing differs from what you did with Jana. You did not command your mother. You simply sensed danger."

I shrugged. "Maybe my gift developed over time, too. I was a child then. And in every instance, my connection was with a family member. I have never been able to avert an accident for Isra, and I love him."

Rene's jaw twitched. "You never attempted to develop this ability, so it is impossible to say whether you could have learned to connect to those around you."

I shrugged. "Nothing showed in the witch testing, so there wasn't anyone to help train me. I didn't recognize it as anything special. Even when I connected with Jana, and I was happy that I did, part of me felt more alone than ever. Like I was some kind of mutant."

Jana's eyes widened. "No way. You are amazing. I can't believe you said that. Or felt that way. It was the complete opposite for me. I felt like we were superheroes keeping our identity secret."

I arched an eyebrow. "Superheroes. Really?"

Jana laughed. "Give me a break. I was a kid."

"Thank you for telling me. I am sorry I lost it now."

Jana tapped her chin with her finger. "I wonder if I will develop the ability in time. Where I can connect with and not the other way around. I do sense things sometimes."

I leaned toward her. "You do?"

She nodded. "You never liked discussing our ability. So I never bring it up, but I had an incident two months ago where I was sure Dad was going to fall on the stairs to the stage. He was wearing his five-inch platforms, and I insisted on walking him up."

"Did he fall?" I asked.

"He slipped, but I stopped him from tumbling. Those shoes have mysteriously disappeared from his wardrobe."

"He threw them away?" I asked,

Jana gave me her classic "Are you kidding me?" look. "Please. Those were two-thousand-dollar boots. I sold them online and gave him the money."

"He wasn't mad?"

"He already had his eye on a replacement, and they were far more stable."

Rene stood up. "May I offer you a glass of orange juice, Jana?"

She blinked. "You have human food in the suite?"

Rene motioned to a full fridge in the corner. I hadn't even noticed the new addition when we walked in. "I will have all yours and your father's... favorite foods on hand at all times."

I had to blink away the tears that formed in my eyes as Rene moved to the fridge. "Thank you, Rene."

He nodded to me respectfully. "Would you like a cranberry scone with your juice?"

Jana's jaw dropped. "That is awfully specific. How did you know that's my favorite?"

Rene smiled as he grabbed the orange juice from the fridge. "It was simple. I asked your father. He provided me with a list of... staples."

Jana laughed. "I should have known. He plans to exploit his connection to you like a fly on shit when you marry my mom."

I coughed as Rene paused in the process of pouring the juice. "Jana, that is highly inappropriate. Isra has no right to say things like that."

Jana folded her arms and gave me a defiant look. "Is that true, Rene?"

Rene continued to pour her juice and grabbed a scone. "It is my hope that your father will be able to... exploit me in the future, yes."

Jana smiled as my jaw dropped. "Rene, I like you more every time I see you."

Rene returned to the couch and placed the scone in front of Jana before handing her the orange juice. "The feeling is mutual."

"Are you two nuts?" I asked in an exasperated tone. Part of me was horrified, but if I was honest, another part sizzled with excitement.

Jana chuckled. "You have your work cut out for you, Rene."

He sat back down in his chair. "I am aware. But I assure you I am up to the challenge."

I fidgeted with my fingers. "If you two would stop conspiring against me, I would like to discuss your earlier comment about becoming a vampire."

Jana took a long swig of her juice. "You just want to change the subject."

"Yes." I gave her my stern voice. One I used when she was younger and trying to change my mind about a parental decision.

"Fair enough. My mom is a witch and I have heard the stories of witch transitions. The ones about witches who died with vampire venom in their blood. They were pretty gruesome."

Rene nodded. "They are and they are true. The early attempts to turn a witch were horrifying. There have been few deaths in the last thousand years, but I have seen firsthand the pain an empowered person endures in an attempt to transition."

Jana finished her juice and placed the glass on the table. "I'm not into pain. That was the true reason I didn't want to attempt transition. With Mom being a witch, I assumed I would not be compatible."

"We can no longer assume that is true. I would ask you to consider waiting until you have found a partner and had children, if that is your wish."

I pursed my lips, as the thought of grandchildren hadn't really hit my radar. I wanted my daughter for eternity and hadn't considered that aspect of her life. It just hadn't been something we discussed. She was too young and hadn't had a serious relationship yet.

Jana nodded. "I am not sure about that. I would consider taking the tests, though. Just so I know what my options are, but I want it understood that it is my decision.

"Of course," Rene said.

She grabbed her scone and took a small bite. "You should get a small microwave. These are better warmed up."

Rene nodded. "It will be here for your next visit."

Jana was staring at her food, but I could tell her mind was not on the food. "I never really looked into the vampire thing. Is there an information packet? I would like to understand the process."

Rene took out his phone and typed into it. "I have asked our admissions counselor to send you everything and have informed her that I will be sponsoring you if you choose to join our clan."

"Would I be your daughter? I mean, in the clan sense."

Rene's head cocked to the side. "You already are Jana. I have chosen your mother. Whether she chooses me does not change that."

Jane chewed her scone quickly and coughed when she swallowed. "Wow. You don't pull any punches do you, Rene?"

"I have lived through enough heartache and deception for ten lifetimes. I prefer honesty and loyalty in such things."

Jana stared at him. "Those things are important, but not as much as love. I would rather have one lifetime full of unconditional love than ten with mere honesty. And despite her predicament, so would my mom."

My daughter hadn't surprised me in a long time. I knew the straightforward woman I had raised, but her ability to cut to the heart of an issue without backing down was awe-inspiring. Especially when she was putting the most powerful creature in the world on the spot.

Rene arched an eyebrow and, while I expected him to be irritated, he looked intrigued. "I couldn't agree with you more, Jana. And the fact that you have asked this question confirms I must double my efforts to persuade your mother and you of my intentions."

Jana nodded. "You probably wanted to give her time to adjust, but if you give her too much, you won't convince her you are serious."

Rene's eyes flickered red. "I assure you I have never been more... serious about anything in my life."

Jana took another bite of her scone and leaned toward me. "You are in so much trouble."

"Thanks to you," I said, but my mind was racing. Rene had answered every question my daughter posed. Was it that simple? "Jana, how is your dad and the club?"

Jana finished her scone. "He is good. Getting blisters from the new boots, but that's expected. He has a new couture gown on order and is training Max. That young man has the voice of an angel, but his act needs some work. He could be a headliner someday."

"I am glad he took him in. He lost everyone he loved. He will thrive at Club Spice with the other ladies."

"He will. Max is grateful for the opportunity and really puts the work in. Dad is looking to find him a small apartment, but his van is parked at the club for now."

"Maybe you could rent him a room at the house. You barely stay there anymore," I said absently as my mind was more focused on Rene's words than Jana's.

She pursed her lips. "I was thinking the same thing. But I wasn't sure the house was mine to make that decision."

I grabbed her hand. "Everything I have is yours. I just want to pick up a few personal items I left when Cass and I were there last, but I don't need a room at the house. I would stay with Isra if needed."

"That will not be necessary," Rene said. His voice was neutral, but I detected his irritation.

Jana smiled. "Oh, yeah. You are in trouble. "

I shook my head. "Rent the house or part of it. Whatever you want. I will arrange to pick up my things."

Rene typed into his phone. "They will be retrieved tomorrow."

Jana stood. "I have to go. Max and I are going to yoga in an hour, and I want to grab a few things."

I arched an eyebrow. "You have become friends with him?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He wrote me a song. It's hard to explain. But I really care for him. As a friend."

"I know what you mean. Isra and I had that connection from the moment we met."

"Well, I'm not having babies with him, if that is what you are thinking. I love my life and my dad, but I do want a more conventional relationship. No offense."

"None taken. I want you to be happy."

Rene stood. "May we walk you out, Jana?"

She nodded, but as we approached the door, Rene's phone beeped. He glanced at the screen. "That was Manu. He found something he wishes me to look at."