“Mummy, it is him. Dante’s here!”
Alex and Michelle looked up the curving staircase to see the top of a blonde head appear at the top of the stairs. The owner had jumped up to see what the commotion was about, and was now racing down as fast as it’s legs could take it. When she finally could make out who it was, Alex was shocked to see a boy of no more than four years old sprint over to Dante. Fast.
Dante could not help but grin. “Hello, Nathaniel.”
“Where you been all dis time? It’s been decals,” Nathaniel asked as he jumped into Dante’s one good arm.
“Decades. You know me, pal. Dante gets busy,” he replied, tickling the child and bringing delighted shrieks from him.
Even though Dante seemed happy, Alex got the feeling he was heavy-hearted holding this particular boy.
“Hey, Dante, my fangs have gotten bigger! Wanna see?” Nathaniel didn’t wait for a response. He widened his mouth and the fangs dropped down. Alex could not look away. She was staring at a vampire toddler.
Dante set the boy down and gave him a tentative high five. “Wonderful, Nathaniel—”
Suddenly Nathaniel turned towards Alex, flicking his eyes towards Michelle and back again, sniffing.
“They’re pretty…”
Nathaniel’s eyes widened and clicked over to black. His knees straightened, his head was at an angle. Alex looked at Michelle with horror.
This kid is deciding which one of us he should kill first! Before Alex could react, Dante placed a hand on Nathaniel’s chest.
“Not so fast, little man. These are my friends.”
Nathaniel looked confused, frowning as he whispered. “They smell weally good. Expeshally her…” he finished, eyeing Alex.
“They are called Michelle and Alex. And I know they smell good. They are very nice girls.”
“No!” Nathaniel said with a vigorous shake of his head. “Awex is a boy’s name. I know that. I’m smart.”
“Yes, you are,” said Dante softly. “But Alex is just short for Alexandra. She is my friend, and will not be fed on by anyone. And Michelle is my donor, and you do not have my permission to feed on her. Understood?”
Nathaniel pursed his lips, deciding. “No feeding?”
“No feeding,” Dante repeated.
Nathaniel sighed deeply as his eyes reverted back. “Otay Dante,” he replied, giving him a thumbs up.
“I thought I would give you two some time to catch up.”
Alex looked up to see a stunning blonde woman standing at the bottom of the stairs. She wore a sweeping satin gown the colour of fresh grass.
“Hello, Cassandra,” Dante said as she kissed him on both cheeks. A formal greeting, rather cold compared to the way Dante had addressed the toddler. It did not take too much for Alex to decipher this to be Nathaniel’s mother.
Cassandra looked over Dante’s shoulder to Raul under the bookcase.
“So you still know how to make an entrance.” She said, shaking her head. “That foul temper of yours…”
“Where is everyone?”
“Waiting for you,” she replied. “The newborn was escorted upstairs a short time ago. She looked frightened. But I saw a slave enter her holding room, to feed her I suspect, just before you showed up.”
“Very well.”
“I wanna show dem da way,” Nathaniel said happily as he ran over to Michelle and Alex trying to grab their hands.
“Remember what Dante said, darling. No feeding,” Cassandra said.
“Muuuuum, I know! Dis one,” he said pointing to Michelle, “is Dante’s door. He don’t like people feeding on his door. And dis one,” he said pointing to Alex, “has a boy’s name. I hate boys.”
“How fortunate for them both,” Cassandra whispered, giving Alex a look that made her shudder. She determined not to let herself be in a room alone with her or her child.
The walk was not long, just through a hallway and down two flights of stairs, Nathaniel skipping part of the way. “Here we is,” he said gleefully.
Alex looked ahead to a giant, circular steel door. The designs that faced her were mesmerising. Immaculate carvings and sculpted pieces of dragons, griffins and serpents appeared to come out at her. Nathaniel turned to go back toward the stairs.
“Aren’t you coming in?” Alex asked.
Nathaniel shook his head. “No, girl-with-a-boy-name. I’m not allowed.”
With that, he took off in the direction they had come, and in an instant he was gone.
“Are you ready?” Dante asked both of them.
“Not really,” Michelle said matter-of-factly.
“Doesn’t really matter, does it?” Alex asked.
“Not to them, it doesn’t,” Dante answered. He reached for the door handle and turned it.
Chapter Twenty Eight
The Prodigal Son
Alex felt as if she had just stepped back in time. The room, like the door, was circular, torches lining the darkened stone wall. Opposite her were three chairs whose occupants faced the three of them. As Alex got closer, she realised they were thrones, the middle one raised substantially above the others. Vincent, she thought. She also recognised that the slender man to his right was Julian. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t put it together last night. The long pointed face matched Michelle’s descriptions. She took the female to Vincent’s left to be Melina. Alex caught herself staring at the woman’s porcelain-like features, silver-green eyes and luscious hair that gleamed with a darker shade of the flames that burned around them all.
The King spoke first. “Ah, the prodigal son returns. Welcome home, Dante.”
The voice was deep like Dante’s was. It reverberated around the room, but was scratchy and coarse. A chill went up her spine hearing Vincent speak.
“Your majesty,” Dante said, coming to a stop. Alex and Michelle followed suit.
“You shame yourself further, infidel!” Julian snapped. “Bow down to your King!”
Dante
