"She has a pulse," Alex said, her eyes shinning. "She's alive."
The number of jaws hitting the floor was just about equal to the number of conscious people in the room, including Juliet herself. Only Alex seemed nonplussed, her attention focused solely on the young woman she held in her arms.
"But, but, but.... how is this even possible?" stammered Cindy Van Heuson.
"Juliet made a wish," replied Justin, attempting to organize his thoughts as he talked. "The magical concentration created by the three of us may have been high enough to simply grant that wish." He shook his head. "I'm not sure. Perhaps our Dad would have a better idea. Although he doesn't have his powers anymore he's still the best grounded one of us all in magical theory. If not him we could consult the teachers at WizTech to see if this is permanent or temporary."
"It's not temporary," Alex declared firmly as she helped Juliet stand up. The teen wizardess held her girlfriend tightly.
"Whether it is or not, you need to find out," declared Alucard Van Heuson, much to everyone's surprise. He turned his gaze on his wife. "That is my decision. Too long have I let you manage things while I postured. Juliet is our daughter, regardless if she is human or vampire, gay or straight. And you need to accept that. I will have no more of your subterfuges. Remember what my wrath actually is capable of."
The other four in the room were astonished to see Cindy's face turn even paler than usual. She bowed her head. Only Justin, the nearest of the group, could hear her mutter "It's about time you took command again."
The foursome returned to the Russo household where Theresa took immediate charge of Juliet and put her to bed. The apparently former vampire girl was exhausted both mentally and physically. She fell immediately asleep and Theresa remained by her bedside to watch her.
The three siblings gathered downstairs with their father.
"Tell me everything that happened," Jerry Russo directed. "Apparently some pretty amazing things went on and I need to know in order to understand what happened and what the consequences might be."
"Consequences?" asked Alex in a frightened voice.
"I could feel the impact of the magic released at the Late Nite Bite all the way over here. I can't believe how powerful it was. Notice is bound to be taken by others, up to and including the Wizard's Council." Seeing their faces fall he hastened to reassure them. "Not that I'm criticizing what you did. Your mother and I have become very fond of Juliet and what was done to her by her parents is terrible. But I'm sure questions are going to be asked and I need to have the answers. So tell me what happened."
With an occasional comment from Alex and Max, Justin told how the threesome had gone to the other sandwich shop and described the confrontation with the Van Heusons. He discussed the spell they had cast to immobilize the mortal patrons and how it had slowed the vampires down. Alex told of Juliet touching her hand and the wish she had made.
"She used the word 'wish'?"
"Yes," Alex nodded and repeated exactly what Juliet had said.
"That explains what happened to her." Jerry looked thoughtful. "That was when the magic released?"
"Yes."
"With that much energy flowing I don't think there's any doubt that the transformation of Juliet from vampire to human will be anything but permanent."
Alex, her eyes shinning, couldn't speak but her face filled with happiness. She couldn't help asking her father, "Are you sure Daddy?"
"Yes, but," he held up his hand as Alex bounced to her feet in joy, "More than that may have happened to her."
"What?"
"I have no idea. That's what I'm trying to get a feel for." The oldest Russo gathered his thoughts. "You know, confronting two adult vampires on their home ground was an extremely dangerous thing to do. What were you thinking? Or were you thinking at all?"
"I don't know," admitted Justin. "Once I had figured out what had happened to Juliet I knew we had to get her back. And I was reacting, not thinking. Somehow I knew that I needed Alex and Max with me. And as we made our way to the Late Nite Bite I knew I was right."
"Right about what?"
"That all three of were going to be needed and the sum was greater than the parts. I could FEEL Alex, feel her linked to me and together we weren't twice as strong. We were four times as strong. Then Max linked to us and the power grew again geometrically. Together the three of us became the cube of our individual powers. It was frightening but it was awesome."
The other Russo children nodded.
"It was as if we were some kind of unit. We were bonded together," Alex tried to explain. "Each of us had our part to play in what we had become. We were separate, yet joined together. Does that make any sense at all?" she ended in near frustration.
"I think it does," Jerry answered slowly. "But I don't know WHY. After all, your Aunt Megan and Uncle Kelbo and I never felt anything like that at all when we were growing up and all of us had our powers. I know we never faced anything like this though. Something very special and unique happened today."
"It's like the three of us were cutouts of one piece that need to be put together under the right circumstances," Alex said.
"That's it," said Justin excitedly. "For some reason when we came together we each had a part to play. Each of our personalities contributed who we individually are to this whatever we became as a group."
Jerry nodded slowly. "I think I understand but tell me more Justin. What are you for example?"
"I'm the thinker, the planner," the oldest Russo sibling announced. "I'm slow but I'm thorough. I examine something from every angle. I plod along. I don't usually make great leaps of intuition but I can think things through."
He turned to his sister. "Alex is the opposite of me. She's brilliant, intuitive, a free-spirit and thinker. Her mind leaps ahead, skipping the steps that I have to take slowly. She's the emotion opposed to my reason. She feels things so strongly. But we need each other for balance. Without me Alex will go off wildly and without care, most likely in the wrong direction or even into danger. And without her I might never actually do anything."
"And Max?' asked their father. "What is Max?"
"Max is the will, the drive, the determination to get things done. His is the driving force that pushes us through any obstacle. Together we are each pretty powerful. But together..." Justin trailed of, unable to find just the words he wanted.
"Together you produce power beyond anything I have ever heard that even three full wizards could manage." Jerry sat back in his chair. "Well this is something to chew over and no doubt." He paused and thought. "Is there anything else you should tell me?"
"Not you Daddy but I have a question of Justin," Alex responded.
"What is it Alex?"
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you take such a chance? Like Daddy says, it was extremely dangerous for us to confront the Van Heusons. You had no idea that we were going to be able to build a base of such power. Did you?"
"I had no idea of it," admitted Justin. "But let me ask you a question Alex. Once you knew what had happened what would you have done?"
Alex looked a bit sheepish. "I would have rushed over there to try to get her back."
"Exactly," her older brother agreed. "Alex, you love Juliet. And for some unbelievable reason she loves you too. I knew you would have rushed to the Late Nite Bite and I had to come with you. And I brought Max because I wanted it to be three against two."
"But WHY Justin? I tease you and play tricks on you and sometimes I know I make your life miserable. Why risk your life to help me?"
Justin looked at Alex. A smile crossed his face. "Two reasons. First, you're my little sister Alex and I love you. I want you to be happy and Juliet makes you happy."
"And the second reason?"
"It's connected to the first. Last week you were as happy as I've ever seen you. You smiled and laughed and once I saw you dance around the room. I love seeing you like that. Besides, you went the entire week without pulling anything on me at all. I haven't been this relaxed since you got old enough to say 'Justin did it!'."
Alex flung herself into her brother's arms. She sniffed and then wiped her nose on his sleeve. "Well, I'll have to find time to do those little things to you from now on. I know you missed them."
Justin hugged his sister back. They both reached out and pulled Max into a group squeeze that became even tighter when their father wrapped them all up in a bear hug.
While the discussion raged downstairs Theresa had continued to sit with Juliet. She dimmed the lights and was dozing in an easy chair besides the bed. The one time girl vampire stirred and opened her eyes.
"Where am I?"
"You're in your bedroom here at our house Juliet," Theresa immediately woke up and touched the girl's shoulder reassuringly. "Everything is all right."
"Mrs. Russo? Is that you? It's awfully dark in here."
"Yes, it's me." She started to stand up. "I'll get Alex and turn on some lights."
Suddenly the room was brightened by a soft radiance. Theresa's mouth dropped open. The still not awake teen had sat up in bed, her eyes blinking sleepily. In her palm she held a conjured globe of cool glowing light.
"Oh my GOSH!"
(To Be Continued)