15. SHOCK AND AWE

SHOCK AND AWE

"D id you just teleport?!" Christian gasped as Julian wrenched the last dead guy's head off that had surrounded them.

"Ah…"

"On camera?!" Christian continued, gesticulating at the helicopters whose searchlights were slicing the darkness into strips and had just spotlighted him.

Julian froze and a cold sweat broke out over his skin. "Do you think… do you think they saw?"

"Uhm…" Christian let out a little, slightly hysterical laugh.

They saw. Oh, my God…

"So I may have just exposed all Vampire-kind to the world?" Julian dry swallowed as suddenly there was absolutely no saliva in his mouth.

Christian put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I think the zombies are probably doing that all on their own."

"Yeah, but I teleported! But that one was going for your head and--"

"It's okay! I'm sure out of everything that's happening House Wynter will figure something out," Christian tried to reassure him.

But there were suddenly three searchlights on them from three different helicopters. Julian looked up at them and had to shield his eyes from the light.

"I think they are hoping you'll do it again," Christian said dryly.

"Just in case they didn't get it the first time on camera?" Julian heard the hysteria in his own voice. "I wanted to reveal their existence to the world and now… now, God, I might have done it! We should get away from these lights! We don't want them to know who we are."

Christian frowned. "Actually, maybe we do ."

"What do you mean?" Julian felt the skin between his shoulder blades twitching as the searchlights did not leave them.

"If they recognize us then someone will know about our show. They'll think this is fake," Christian said. "No one in the mainstream media has ever taken us seriously. Hell, they didn't even take your parents seriously and they were tenured professors!"

Julian let out a soft breath. "Maybe you're right. Though if the dead keep coming, we're going to give them a lot more material"

In fact, there were a dozen more of the dead with flaming blue eyes coming for them, hands outstretched, fingers curled like claws that were coming straight for them. Julian had to give it to Kaly. They knew how to put on a show.

"C'mon, we need to get out from under these spotlights," Julian urged and grabbed Christian's nearest arm and led his best friend towards a copse of trees.

The spotlights kept on them. Julian gritted his teeth. He felt Daemon's mind. He wondered if he should confess what just happened. But before he could summon the courage and the thought, Christian was speaking his own fears.

"Damn," Christian said as his eyes swept over the museum's rolling lawn. "Julian, I don't think this can be covered up. And I don't mean the teleporting thing. All of this. There's just too much. Even if Balthazar were here right now, he couldn't even fix everything."

The spotlights were almost blinding and Julian had a hard enough time making sure they weren't about to run into the trees so he couldn't read Christian's expression. And he had to make sure they didn't run too fast or that would give them away too just like the teleporting likely had that they were not normal.

"Are you worried about Balthazar? Contact him if you are," Julian suggested.

He knew that Christian wouldn't likely reach out on his own. His best friend was fiercely independent. But also, he was very careful of other's time. He didn't want them doing something just for him. How many times had he heard Christian tell him that he hadn't wanted to "bother" Julian with something because in his careful weighing of pros and cons, Christian's feelings always had little weight? Too many.

Unsurprisingly, Christian shook his head. "He's with Kaly. Part of Kaly anyways. He needs to keep his full concentration on them. If I tell him how bad things are here, he'll rush back and not complete the task that Daemon gave him."

In between battles, Christian had managed to tell him snippets of what had happened, which had Julian boggling. Balthazar was in the middle of something hugely important, but Balthazar was also very protective of Christian. Not to say that Daemon wasn't, but the Vampire King seemed more willing to let Julian make his own mistakes. Julian appreciated this. He would have chaffed under too much protection.

Though really do I think Daemon isn't watching out for me even now? I'm never truly alone. Which I'm glad for. So maybe he already did see the teleportation…

But Julian didn't reach out to Daemon consciously to find out. Not quite yet.

"They're still following us!" Christian grumbled as he noted that all four helicopters were still on their tail.

"And we're about to give them that second act!" Julian cried.

Since they hadn't been using Vampiric speed, Kaly had made those dead following them simply speed up. It wasn't like they grew tired. A quick glance over his shoulder showed Julian that not all of the bodies had held together so well under the brutal pounding. Of the dozen that had started after them, only half that many remained. The rest had lost legs and had crashed down. Some of them were still able to drag themselves forward with their arms. Others had simply broken into their individual pieces and would never move again. One Julian saw had long all its limbs but was using its mouth to grasp the earth in front of it and pull itself forward.

"I think you're right, Christian. This will not be able to be hidden or covered up! There's just too much of the unexplained!" Julian cried just before the wave of the dead crashed into him.

He slammed his right foot into the nearest dead man's kneecap. There was a snap and the leg bent the wrong way. The dead man staggered forward, bony arms flailing. Julian sidestepped his grasp and brought the heel of his shoe down on the back of the man's skull. It cracked as easily as a porcelain vase and his foot slid into the mess inside.

His lips writhed back from his teeth in disgust as this man hadn't died all that long ago and there were still brains inside. He brought his foot out of the slimy mass and shook it, trying to dislodge some of the slime off. But then a woman was on him, fingers clawing at his face.

Julian lightly pivoted and slammed his fist into her face. He felt her nose crunch and then the skull itself popped. He let out a disgusted sound as his hand was inside of her skull. Preserved brains slid between his fingers. He wrenched his hand from inside of her before he turned to his next attacker.

In that moment of turning, he saw Christian dance between two of the dead, slipping underneath their wild swings. Christian had learned to box among many other fighting styles and he was light on his feet, bobbing and weaving, while getting underneath the dead's defenses to snap their heads right then left before those heads simply snapped from their shoulders from the repeated blows.

Julian was about to clothesline another of the dead when everything stopped . Well, the dead stopped attacking and his arm sliced through empty air as the dead woman who had been about to attack him, froze in place. As he watched in confusion, she turned towards the center of the lawn. And it wasn't just her who had done that. All the dead did. Julian looked at where the dead gazed.

"Oh, my God," Julian whispered at what he saw.

In the center of the museum's lawn--or rather it was really a park--there was a rise that was higher than any other spot in the park except for the museum itself. And standing atop that rise was Daemon. Moonlight streamed down upon him brighter than any spotlight. It silvered his black hair and caused his olive-toned skin to glow. He still wore the tuxedo, but somehow it no longer looked like human garb. Or perhaps it no longer hid just how not human Daemon was.

Daemon's hands left his sides. He stretched them out and up. His head tilted back. Even at this distance, Julian could see his red eyes, glowing like volcanic fires. There was a hum that radiated out from him. It shivered over Julian's flesh. The hair on his arms and back of his neck stood upon end. He smelled ozone.

Clouds rolled in until there was only a circle around the moon and the light was all focused on Daemon. Lightning forked through them from the outside of the clouds to the inside of the circle around the moon and Daemon. It was unspeakably beautiful and totally magical.

"Can't hide this," Julian said and let out a hysterical laugh.

He supposed that there would be people out there--conspiracy theorists who saw too much in things and people who refused to see the obvious--who would doubt their eyes. But enough people would know that this was no movie magic, no special effects could do this, and would understand that the world--as they thought they knew it--was changed forever.

"What is he doing?" Christian asked then repeated himself with different emphasis, "What is he doing ?"

Julian's lips parted to tell his best friend that he didn't know. But he did know. Daemon was revealing himself and all of them to the world. His mouth went dry and a pit seemed to have opened up in his stomach. He had revealed the existence of Vampires! His earlier goal had been fulfilled by accident!

What have I done? Oh, God, what have I done? Daemon's doing this because of my mistake! Julian cried as nausea rolled through him.

He had just brought Daemon here to learn about humans. Everyone had been trying to convince the Vampire King that if Vampires were to be revealed to the world, it should be done in a careful manner after much thought and preparation. But instead it was because Julian had teleported on camera!

And it wasn't even for Christian and my damned show! Julian thought hysterically. This is all my fault!

No, my beloved Julian, there is no fault, no blame, no reason to castigate yourself, Daemon's rich voice filled his mind and Julian felt a mental embrace. It was meant to go this way.

But if it was, wouldn't you have mentioned it earlier?! Julian cried, not willing to be forgiven, especially if it wasn't true.

Daemon chuckled. Certain things had to happen to make this future possible. And they did. All in a line. Trust me. You did nothing wrong. I am filled with pride at how well you fought tonight.

Julian couldn't help but blush at the genuine compliment. Daemon wasn't lowering the bar for it either. Or, at least, not too much.

Now, I will have you join me in a moment, Daemon told him. But for now… enjoy the show. Kaly is not the only one with the touch of the theatrical.

Julian couldn't help but grin. He grabbed his best friend's arm. "He's going to show humans we exist."

"Yeah, yeah, I sort of got that." Christian's right hand shot out to point at the base of the rise where Daemon stood alone. "Everyone's gathering over there. I see Arcius, Rajani, Seeyr and Sophia… is that Meffy?!"

"Yep, she has a cat on her shoulder. The battle cat has made his debut," Julian agreed with a chuckle. "We should go over there."

"Yes," Christian agreed. "The battle seems over."

The dead stood at attention, all of them facing Daemon, and none of them fighting or paying any mind towards Christian or Julian at all. They both began to jog towards the center of the lightning show. The helicopters that had hovered over Julian and Christian finally left them, all going towards Daemon.

They sense where the real story is …

There was another hum flowing out from where Daemon stood. There were words--instructions or maybe orders--in it. It took Julian a moment to realize that this was the Syrin Bloodline gift. Daemon wasn't exactly singing, but his hum pierced every mind. It was similar to the Eyros Bloodline gift, but Julian could see how under certain circumstances--like this one--it could almost be more powerful, while under others, it would pale in comparison.

Julian glanced behind him to see exactly what the Syrin gift was doing to everyone. He saw that the police who had been held in thrall by House Wynter were released. Well, not quite released. Daemon wasn't going to allow them to do anything violent to anyone else or themselves. He didn't have to worry just then. The cops were too stunned to reach for their weapons as they, too, made their way past the still and rotting dead towards the base of the hill. Julian could hear their thoughts.

Who is that man? They wondered about Daemon.

Are these people dead? They thought as they looked at the corpses they passed by--or veered away from.

I thought we were dead! Quite a few believed.

They saved us! More thought as they walked alongside various Vampires whose eyes were glowing a silver-white and whose fangs were out.

But what are they? Others questioned.

Angels?

Demons?

It was easy to see why the cops thought of Vampires as angelic or demonic beings, but definitely not mortals. Julian, himself, was stunned by them. Old or young, conventionally beautiful or ugly, all of the Vampires held a kind of magnetism that Julian felt drawn to, even though he was one of them. In fact, as he and Christian passed by these Vampires, they reached out to him. To touch him lightly. To murmur their awe. To give him thanks. To pass on their service to Daemon.

"Julian," they whispered reverently.

" Prince Julian," they said with even more reverence.

Christian gave him a small nod and smile even as Julian wanted to say that he was just Julian. But Daemon had explained how that wasn't so. And, he supposed, so long as this was for Daemon's greater glory, he could endure the bowing and scraping.

"You woke our king. Look at him! So magnificent!" Vampires cried as they pointed to Daemon.

The blue-white lightning that streaked towards the circle around the moon, once it hit that circle rebounded outwards crimson red. It streaked over the entire city and beyond. The Horys Bloodline gift was spectacular. Daemon used it with ease and delicacy.

Glancing over his other shoulder, Julian saw that the cops who had been holding the media at bay out front were also coming around the sides of the museum towards the rise as well. Daemon's hum hadn't driven them mad. They weren't running, but coming in an orderly fashion. Julian's keen Vampiric hearing picked up on what some of the anchors were telling their audiences.

"Something extraordinary is happening here," one breathless female reporter in a cream pantsuit said as she walked backwards so that the camera could see both her and Daemon. "I have no idea who that man is. But…"

He's king, Julian thought almost mirthfully.

"But he's compelling ," the reporter finished

"These are dead people. Corpses! But they're… alive!" A male reporter was telling his audience as he passed near a female corpse whose jaw had fallen off and whose skin had become as hard as stone in places. "Is this the zombie apocalypse?"

No, just Kaly throwing a tantrum , Julian thought.

"Look at the sky! I've never seen anything like it!" Another reporter gasped.

Though many of the reporters held themselves somewhat professionally together, there were tears of wonder on cheeks, eyes wide with shock and awe, and a lot of pointing at something new and never before seen by many human eyes.

Those who noticed the Vampires had similar reactions to the police officers who had glimpsed them first. But instead of just thinking whether the Vampires were angels or demons, the reporters decided to interview them. A blond woman with carefully applied makeup and helmet hair thrust a microphone under Christian's chin.

" What are you? Who are you?" she asked.

Christian, who had been stunned into stillness, stared at her then the microphone then back up to her. In the past, Christian had been perplexed and gun shy when other reporters were interested in him. Like those that admired his looks or wanted to be close to him without actually knowing him, he would have brushed past this reporter in the past or shoved the microphone away. But he understood now that she had questions, just as he had, and Julian felt his sympathy for her. He knew that any answer he gave at that moment, she likely wouldn't have believed.

So Christian answered her, "Everything will be explained. But that's not important right now." Christian gestured towards Daemon. "You should keep your eyes there and hold your other questions."

Then they resumed jogging. They passed by many reporters who were trying to talk to the dead.

"Madam, can you hear me?" One reporter asked a woman so decomposed that she had gaping holes for eyes, and even if she had been able or inclined to speak, she had no tongue.

"This--this is just a skeleton held together by dried ligaments!" Another reporter gasped.

"Isn't that a World War I uniform? It's so faded and… but I'm sure it is!" A third reporter cried as he leaned in to study what one corpse was wearing. "This is someone's grandfather or great-grandfather! My God…"

"How is this possible? Are the dead rising from the graves to prepare for the end times?" Another reporter asked as she fingered the cross around her throat nervously.

"The dead shall rise…" another one whispered.

"But I don't believe in God," another stated.

"There must be a rational explanation for this," another insisted.

"If there's an answer, he has it!" A reporter pointed at Daemon.

Julian and Christian made their way through the Vampires--who were just as awe-struck as the humans in many ways--to Arcius, Elgar, Seeyr, Sophia, Fiona and Rajani. Elgar--who was stroking Eyros' skull--did not look up at them, but he smiled.

"I told you that I would keep them safe. My Whisper was most effective," Elgar stated.

"You made them fight one another. That was incredible, Elgar," Julian told him, effusive with praise.

Elgar pinked.

"Thank you for looking after us, Elgar." Christian patted his Blood Brother's nearest arm.

Elgar's eyes looked a little misty.

"Meffy wants you," Sophia said as she handed the very sleepy battle cat to Christian who dutifully took him, kissed him between the ears, and cradled the kitten in his arms. "I think he wants Balthazar."

"They'll have plenty of time together as Balthazar recovers," Sophia told him off-handedly.

"Recovers?!" Christian's voice went sharp with concern.

Sophia blinked at him. "Oh, don't worry, it already happened and he'll be fine. Actually, he'll be better than that."

She turned and started heading back to Seeyr.

Christian called after her, "Wait! I need to know what happened!"

But his voice was drowned out as there was a thunderous roar as lightning crackled across the sky and huge bolts of it struck the earth all around the city. The light showed that the storm that Daemon had summoned was huge . Julian blinked as white "boxes" appeared before his eyes from the sudden bright lights. The thunder silenced everyone. All eyes were on Daemon and everyone was as still and silent as the dead.

Arcius' hand thumped down on Julian's left shoulder. Julian glanced over at the Confessor. There were unabashed tears running down his cheeks. They were tears of joy , not sadness or pain. His gaze remained upon Daemon as he squeezed Julian's shoulder.

"He is so much more than I ever imagined," Arcius whispered hoarsely.

"Yeah, he is," Julian agreed.

Fiona was staring at Daemon too. She was not weeping as Arcius was, but there was this look on her face. A look of trust that Julian had never seen there before. She was smiling softly at the Vampire King. She no longer had any doubts about him or his rule. She was certain that this was best.

"So many things are going to change," Rajani whispered.

"Oh, yes, dear," Seeyr told her. "But there will be so many good changes this time around that you won't mind so much. You'll be busier than ever."

Rajani laughed. "Revealing ourselves to humans? Interfacing with people who never believed in us? Oh, yes, we will be!"

There was another rumble of thunder and crack of lightning. The dead levitated off of the ground. Julian's head jerked to the side at their movement. But this was not Kaly's doing. There was no attack coming. There were gasps of awe and moans of terror from the humans. The light in their eyes--the light of Kaly--grew bright and hot. Julian could feel Kaly fighting to take back control even as Daemon used both their gift and the Ashyr Bloodline gift to keep the dead where he wanted them. Julian felt a pull and the light in those eyes streamed toward Daemon. Balls of light impacted Daemon's chest and were absorbed.

The dead hung limp in the air. They were possessed no more and were just corpses becoming one with the earth again.

There was another rumble of thunder and more of that red lightning struck the ground all around the city. Julian knew that it didn't hit anyone or harm anything. But it left something behind. For a moment, Julian saw those tendrils that had come out of the ground for Daemon--and for their lovemaking--in Daemon's mind rising from the dirt here. They were nodes of power he would feed from later. Now they gave him strength to send the dead back to where they belonged.

Julian's mouth fell open as the hundreds of dead all floated back to their graveyards. Soon, they all disappeared from sight, even the bones of the disassociated skeletons--went back too. Only the humans and Vampires remained. The living and the undead .

Another ripple of thunder and forked lightning followed this. Julian found himself smiling and nodding his head. Daemon had put the dead back where they belonged. He'd undone some of Kaly's damage. Julian could feel that Kaly would not be working their dark gift here again for some time.

Then he heard Daemon call for him, Come, Julian. Join me.

Julian didn't have to think. He raced up the side of the rise at Vampire speed. When he was a few feet from Daemon, the Vampire King reached for him and the two of them were rising off of the ground, arms around one another, spinning slowly. Daemon kissed him. Tenderly. Warmly. He was treasured. Julian kissed him back hard and desperate. He was so proud of Daemon and he wondered now why he had ever worried.

What are you going to do next? Julian asked, eager to see Daemon's next act. A speech?

Daemon smiled broadly. I leave the speeches for Balthazar.

He'll be very upset he missed this. Julian frowned as he held tightly onto his Sire. He is okay, isn't he?

Of course! Daemon grinned. He and Caemorn will have quite the story to tell. And their nascent friendship will just be one of the things that will come out of it.

Friendship? Caemorn and Balthazar?

Not even Julian could believe that those two could be friends. But Daemon just smiled more broadly.

Oh, yes, and you do not have to worry about him missing anything, Daemon said as he held Julian closer to him. Julian could feel the power flowing out of Daemon in wondrous waves. Because this is just the beginning.

And then Daemon was using the Eyros Bloodline gift to touch every mind in the place. What he said was simple, but profound, I am Daemon. Vampire King. All is well now. Do not worry. We are here to protect you. You have many questions. And I promise there will be answers in time.

Then, even as the reporters shouted those questions, Daemon used the Wyvern Bloodline Gift to teleport every single Vampire away from the museum and back to their respective homes. Julian and Daemon were the only ones left. There were gasps and cries of awe and fear.

Finally, just as Daemon went to teleport himself and Julian back to Ravenscroft Manor, he told the assembled humans, For we will see each other again. Very soon.