"Lissa, that makes him your Uncle," Griffin came to hug me. "How long have you known about this?"
"Since Kifirin and I brought them in. I just didn't want to interfere with his instruction—he's brand new as a vampire. Turned because somebody framed him for a crime. He's a quarter Bright Elemaiya, as is his sire, Jeral, and both have mindspeech. I wanted to talk to both of them, though, and see if they have other talents."
"I want to be in on that meeting. You don't know who his father is?"
"No, Daddy. I don't. I didn't try Looking, either."
"Perhaps I should pay another visit to your grandmother," Griffin leaned down to kiss my forehead.
"My murderous bitch grandmother? I can't believe she killed her own parents," I shuddered at the thought. "I mean, I might have wished Howard Graham dead lots of times, but I couldn't do it."
"I know, baby." Griffin gave me a squeeze before he let me go. "I'm taking Amara home—she's had a long day."
"Sorry I let the cat out of the bag, Mom," I waved at her across the room. She just laughed as Griffin folded her away.
"Jeral," he smiled as I acknowledged him the following morning.
"Thank you for the clothing order," he said.
"We pulled you out of there without an extra stitch to your name—it was the least we could do," I said, as he and Davan made their way to assigned seats. The Belipharan Council held seven members and Davan came along to keep records for them. He'd been an accountant before, after all. I wondered if he'd liked his job. We might be able to find something for him, if he were interested.
"My Queen, many of our vampires grow bored," Jeral said as I gave the indication that it was all right to sit in my presence. Making somebody stand was just dumb.
"Well, that may be about to change—the Reth Alliance has approved our membership and we'll need crews to work shifts on the space station. I woke this morning and found more than ten thousand requests from Reth Alliance vampires waiting on my approval, for either visits or relocation. And this is just the first day." I breathed a troubled sigh.
"Are all these requests from vampires?" Jeral asked, sitting down. I sat in the seat next to his; that particular Council member hadn't arrived yet.
"No. Some are just thrill seekers, wanting to see vampires. Some are vampires who wish to see what Le-Ath Veronis is before they make a decision. Reth Alliance vampires are generally fine where they are, but they can still be treated differently."
"I understand that very well," Jeral gave me a small smile. Jeral and Davan both had dark hair and golden-brown eyes. Jeral was the handsomer of the two, but Davan was no slouch.
"And my father and I wish to speak with you and Davan after the meeting today," I said. "Can we get you anything before the meeting starts?"
"We have fed, my Queen. We are quite fine, today."
Once all the Councils were assembled, we discussed more laws, stopped for a blood break and then went after it again. We tabled what we couldn't reach a decision on and rescheduled. And as the Heads of Councils were the only ones notified before, Gabron, Adam and Merrill gave a presentation on the gambling planet proposal, including the brothels and other business concerns, to everyone present.
The Refizani contingent would be commandeering the brothels, but there were others who wanted in, so they agreed to hold a separate meeting the following evening. I really didn't want to get involved in that if I didn't have to. Most of the vampires were quite excited that humans and other races might be coming to visit, and they were very interested in buying shares in some of the businesses.
"But what if the vampires have no funds to invest?" Davan held up his hand. Though he wasn't a member of the Council, I dared anybody to challenge me when I answered his question.
"I have already thought about this," I said. "I and one other are buying shares on your behalf, if all this comes about," I told him. "These shares will be placed in the names of all the vampires from Beliphar. Meanwhile, if any of your people have experience in architecture, plumbing or building of any kind, please have them contact Adam and Merrill if they're interested in that sort of work. We are looking for help and are prepared to pay for good, experienced employees."
Flavio, Gabron, Wlodek, Adam and Merrill came with me as Jeral and Davan followed me to my private study after the meeting. Yeah, I had one, but I didn't get to spend much time in it.
"This is the first time I've seen this," Wlodek said, admiring my study. It was quite large and the Vermeer hung on the wall behind my desk. The Corot held a place of honor on the opposite wall. Merrill had placed both paintings in stasis when he hung them for me. They would never deteriorate while the stasis spell lasted.
"This is lovely." Jeral zoned in on the Vermeer right away. "I remember sunlight like this," he sighed. Yeah, I knew that feeling, except he'd been without sunlight a hell of a lot longer than I had.
"A master artist from my home world painted that, around seven hundred years ago," I said. "I was very lucky that this came my way."
Griffin folded in at that moment. I had a few snacks laid out, including a few bottles of blood substitute. Davan took one of those after asking Jeral. Davan looked to be in his twenties, although the records that Drake and Drew had pilfered from Beliphar said he was in his mid-fifties—slightly older than I was.
"Please sit down," I said, going behind my desk. Plenty of seating was scattered against walls and in corners inside my study. Griffin came and sat on the edge of my desk.
"I asked Lissa to bring both of you for this meeting," Griffin informed Davan and Jeral, after introducing himself. "Jeral, are you aware of your heritage—what gives you mindspeech?"
"I am, but I may be alone in that knowledge, at least among the Belipharan vampires," he said. "My father was a quarter Bright Elemaiya and he was dropped off on Beliphar more than seven thousand years ago. He could mindspeak, as can I. He told me of the Elemaiyan race and how cruel and cold they could be. He despised them after they forced him out. I was handed to him only a month later, after I was born to one of the half-Elemaiyan women. My father raised me when he was only sixteen and had little knowledge of rearing a child." I shook my head at Jeral's tale, but it was something I'd already begun to suspect.
"Davan, do you know anything about your parents?" Griffin asked.
"No. I was raised in a state orphanage. My records said I was three months old when I was left there. No records of which parent left me there were made. I'm not sure they ever knew."
"I know who your mother is," Griffin sighed.
"Who was she?"
"No, who is she." Griffin corrected Davan gently. "She is very much alive."
"And the biggest child-abandoning bitch in the universe," I muttered. "Griffin, Narissa gave us the information she had at the time. Jeral and Davan are both your brothers."
Chapter 7
Griffin whirled to look at me, a shocked expression on his face. "You're joking?"
"No, Daddy. They're brothers. That means they're your brothers. Well, half-brothers, anyway. Davan is definitely your mother's son, as is Jeral. You're both my Uncles," I had to lean around Griffin to see both of them, now.
"We are related to the Queen?" Davan didn't understand. Well, I was a card-carrying member of that club.
"Yes, you're related to the Queen," I sighed. "And I can take you to meet your mother if you want. Be prepared; if that is what you want. Jeral, Narissa had to seduce your father before he turned sixteen, because that seems to be the time when the quarter-bloods are all cast out."
"That is true," Gabron agreed. Griffin, who was still coming to terms with all this, nodded mutely. "That would make him more than a quarter-blood, wouldn't it?" Gabron nodded toward Jeral, who seemed stunned at the information he'd been given.
"Yeah. Don't ask me to calculate the math," I said.
"I have no wish to meet her," Jeral said. "You may go if that is your desire, Davan."
"Is she truly that cruel?" Davan asked.
"She killed her own parents," I informed him with a shrug.
"So, that's patricide, matricide, seducing a child, child abandonment," Gabron ticked off her crimes.
"I don't want to know what else she did," I muttered. "I know too much as it is. I can't help but think Daddy was abused growing up; he just won't say anything about it." He and I had that in common; I just didn't know how severe his abuse was at Narissa's hands.
"Daughter, she is paying for her sins, now," Griffin muttered.
"Yeah, well," I didn't finish my sentence.
"What does this mean, though?" Jeral sounded confused.
"It means that you have a place here, if you want it," I said. "Or we can find you another home, somewhere in Lissia, or you can go back to the house in New Beliphar." They'd named their new city after their old planet. Go figure.
"As members of the Royal House, it might be wise to stay here, at least in the city. While most of the vampires here have good intentions, it wouldn't be the first time members of a royal family were kidnapped or threatened to achieve certain objectives," Merrill said dryly.
"And I probably need someone to watch over the books; Kyler is doing what she can with help from Charles, but neither is able to keep up with all of it." I smiled encouragingly at Davan.
"Rolfe could use some help as well," Gabron suggested.
"Rolfe?" Jeral looked up.
"I'll get him," Gabron offered and slipped out the door. Rolfe was there with Gabron in a matter of minutes, a worried crease on his forehead.
"I'm not in trouble, Rolfe," I held up a hand. He breathed a relieved sigh. "Rolfe is my personal guard," I told Jeral. "But he can't be in all places at all times—he gets days off."
