Chapter 7: A Fresh Approach
Jack had a hard time keeping his eyes open. The low hum of the jet engine was a soft lullaby. Mop dozed at his feet. Diana told him she'd reinforced the healing spell and that he'd be able to rest tonight. It was working.
The private jet was fitted with luxurious swivel chairs. Father H was reclined in one, reading a book. Marcus and Matthew were holding a muted conversation in the back of the plane.
Jack hadn't had much of a chance to talk with Marcus. Matthew's son appeared unannounced at Gallowglass's house late that evening. He'd only stayed for a few minutes before racing off to meet Matthew.
Jack wished he'd had a chance to say goodbye to Diana, but they'd sped off as if Benjamin were after them. And maybe he was. Matthew seemed particularly grim. The plane was already on the runway when they arrived at the small airport. They took off immediately.
Matthew had barely spoken two words with him since they boarded. Marcus joked about crisis mode being routine for the family. He then left to speak with Matthew.
Jack pulled out a sketchpad, his thoughts drifting in a thousand directions but all of them returning to Leonard. He'd barely had a chance to tell him they were going to New Orleans.
Was Matthew angry with him for what happened with Baldwin? Jack had explained to Gallowglass that he thought Benjamin was attacking them but he hadn't had a chance to speak with Matthew alone for over a day.
He hoped Matthew wasn't having second thoughts about his plans to form a scion. It was the only way Jack could be a member of Matthew's family. As long as Baldwin was the sieur of the de Clermonts, that route was closed.
He looked down at what he was doodling. More knots. A sign to continue work on his labyrinth? He began sketching details for the passages. He liked to think that Leonard was waiting for him at the end. First though, Jack would need to defeat the monsters lurking around every bend.
"Would you like to take a break?"
Jack looked up to see Marcus standing in front of him, a friendly smile on his face. He had a doctor's bag with him.
"Sure." Jack closed his sketchpad, eager to get to know him better.
"You should join us in the back," Marcus suggested. "Then we won't disturb Andrew. But first, I'd like to check your neck."
"No need." Jack was self-conscious about the wound. Baldwin had mauled him as punishment for Jack having bitten him. Not Jack's finest moment. He shuddered to think how Philippe would have reacted.
"Probably not," Marcus agreed. "But I told Diana I'd make sure it was healing properly."
He'd made the one argument Jack couldn't counter and by his smug expression, he was well aware of it.
Jack stood up to make it easier for Marcus to remove the bandages. Matthew joined them as Marcus inspected the wound.
"Even from Baldwin, I would have expected better," Marcus commented. "But the damage won't be permanent."
"He was making a statement," Matthew said. "More for me than Jack. Baldwin was demonstrating his authority over us."
"What he demonstrated was the need for you to form an independent clan," Marcus grumbled. He smiled at Jack. "But I'm sure this wasn't the first time you were bitten by a vampire."
"No, but Philippe was much kinder," Jack volunteered.
"I'd like to hear the circumstances someday," Matthew said. Jack had quickly learned he was very cautious about asking for information, but Jack was willing to answer his questions freely.
After Marcus cleaned the injury and applied fresh bandages, Jack went with them to the back of the plane. Mop tagged along.
"Does that sheep always accompany you?" Marcus asked.
"Just about," Jack said, taking a seat across from Matthew. "I've only had him for a little over a month. A friend adopted him from a rescue home for me." He ruffled Mop's ears. "He had a difficult start in life, and is a little over-protective now."
"An understandable reaction," Matthew said. "You're providing the nurturing environment he needs. We intend to do the same for you."
"I hope you'll view me as your brother even if technically I'm your grand-uncle," Marcus said and laughed. "That makes me sound ridiculously old."
"Consider how I feel," Matthew retorted. "I'm technically Jack's great-grandfather. Let's keep it simple and you can both call me Father."
Marcus grinned. "Okay, Dad, although I've gotten so used to calling you Matthew, I'll probably stick with that."
Jack envied the easy familiarity the two shared. Not a surprise since they'd seen each other often ever since Matthew sired him. It was the same sort of relationship that Jack had with Father H. He already felt comfortable with Marcus, but the situation with Matthew was much more complicated. The old habits of concealing any knowledge of him were hard to break. Could he ever get used to calling Matthew his father? He tried it on his tongue and it felt awkward—a term he didn't have the right to use.
"How long have you known about me?" Marcus asked Jack.
Matthew rumbled his disapproval, but Jack didn't mind. Here was one person who might ask nearly as many questions as he did. "Freyja—or Fanny, as she was called at the time—told me about you when you were living in London at the end of the eighteenth century." When Marcus shot him a quizzical look, he added, "I've been avoiding the de Clermonts ever since I became a vampire. No one wanted to risk wrecking Matthew's chance to meet Diana."
"That must have been difficult," Marcus said, wincing in sympathy.
Jack shrugged. No point in denying it. "I saw you once on a street in London. You were with someone wearing a buckskin coat with quills."
"That was John Russell," he explained. "He's a fellow doctor and a friend."
"It was in 1793. I know the date because you were discussing the news of Marie-Antoinette's execution."
A look of surprise crossed Marcus's face. "I remember sensing a vampire but I only caught a brief glimpse of you."
"That's the way it needed to be."
"It isn't now," Marcus said firmly. "We're family ... and I'm also your doctor, a free service I provide to all the members of the family. Do you mind discussing your bloodsickness?"
"No. Matthew already knows about it."
At that point, Father H came over and joined the group. Was he doing it to provide reassurance? No matter the cause, Jack was glad for his presence. It was easier to let him describe the symptoms.
"Philippe challenged me to a wrestling match at Whitehall," Jack disclosed. "It was the first time I had a recurrence since the period immediately after Father H sired me."
"Philippe was testing you to see if you would keep your knowledge of Diana and me a secret," Matthew said.
"Aye, and whatever he read in my blood made him realize I could be trusted. He tried to provoke me into blood rage by insulting Diana." Jack shrugged awkwardly. "But I blacked out instead. Pierre told me later I lost consciousness for a few minutes."
"Philippe would have killed you on the spot if you'd shown any symptoms of rage," Father H volunteered unexpectedly. "We nearly came to blows over his treatment of you. Later, we reached an understanding. Your blood enabled Philippe to realize the depth of your love for Matthew and Diana. He also saw through your eyes how Matthew looked at you. That more than anything else convinced him you were his son and worthy of his protection." He scowled. "Baldwin is no Philippe, more's the pity."
"So you've only blacked out a couple of times after the first month?" Marcus asked.
"That's right ... until Benjamin. Before him, the only time I got lost in drawing was after a witch abducted me in France and cast a spell on me."
"Matthew told me that when you were a child he had you draw the monsters in your nightmares as a way to make them less scary," Marcus said. "Slapping on my psychologist's hat, I could claim that last night your subconscious was using the old, familiar technique to heal you. As for the blood rage, I tend to agree with Andrew. You can't know who killed the victims you drew on Gallowglass's walls. Since Satu altered your recollections, you'll likely never know the truth."
"Diana's cast healing spells to mitigate the lingering effects," Matthew explained.
"Are they helping?" Marcus asked.
"I think so," Jack said. "I no longer have as many flashbacks."
"And you don't drink human blood?" Marcus said. "Not at all?"
"No, I can't." Jack shuddered. "Especially now."
#
"Is Jack asleep?" Matthew asked when Marcus returned to his seat in the back of the plane.
Marcus nodded. "The sedative I administered should knock him out for at least an hour. Andrew is staying with him. He promised to alert me of any issue."
Matthew's face grew troubled. "Do you expect any?"
"Possibly." Marcus winced. "I wish I knew more about vampire neurology. Virtually nothing has been written about bloodsickness."
"You may make that your next specialty," Matthew suggested.
"I just might! I'm convinced the type of blood rage Jack suffers from is different from yours. That may account for why the markers in his DNA are so much more pronounced."
"What do you suspect?"
"That what Jack is suffering from could be an acute example of what in humans might be called a food allergy. I've never heard of a vampire not being able to tolerate human blood, but Andrew confirms Jack's condition. Except for the years he spent with Benjamin, he's never shown any sign of being violent. That incident with Philippe was telling. If you had been in that situation, you would have attacked Philippe. Jack didn't. His need for sleep is another marker that's at odds with vampire norms." Marcus paused to jot down a few more notes.
"You're frustrated," Matthew commented.
"Of course, I am. Is it any wonder blood rage isn't understood? It's never been properly studied. You, Jack, and Benjamin are the only living examples. I'm willing to wager that, given the proper analysis, we'd find the disease radically different for each of you ... If it's a disease, and I'm not all sure it is."
"And now you're angry."
Marcus nodded, hesitating over how much to say. Acting on Philippe's orders, Matthew killed all of Marcus's children who showed any inclination toward blood rage. How many were non-violent like Jack? Some of the children could have had Jack's form of bloodsickness. But it was a moot point now, and Matthew had suffered enough for what he'd done.
At the moment, Matthew was more likely to be violent than Jack. Being separated from Diana, especially in her condition, was tearing him apart. Marcus hoped that discussing Jack's issues would give Matthew something else to focus on.
"It's my professional opinion that Jack is currently suffering from PTSD," Marcus said. "He was abused and tortured for three years. It's a wonder he maintained his sanity. As for the nature of blood rage and bloodsickness, I'm not prepared to call either one of them a disease."
"How can they be anything else?" Matthew retorted, his voice a low growl. "If you'd experienced what I feel now, knowing that I won't see Diana for possibly weeks or—"
"That's just it," Marcus interrupted, not letting him sink deeper into despair. "I don't because it's not my nature. Blood rage and bloodsickness for all we know could be similar to the different abilities of witches."
Matthew snorted. "They're hardly a gift."
"We don't know that. Weavers are feared by other witches. They were persecuted and killed just like vampires with blood rage." He made a face as he used the term. "We need an expression that doesn't carry negative connotations. Is blood rage difficult to control? Obviously. But it's time to view blood rage as an attribute with negative and possibly positive characteristics that we don't as yet grasp." Marcus chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood. "I can see my research path ahead for the next century!"
Matthew relaxed into a smile as well. "I'm curious to hear what Chris and Miriam think of your theory. I'll do my best to keep an open mind."
"I'm glad to hear it. For both your and Jack's sakes. He's wrestling with a ton of guilt right now, coupled with a strong sense of inferiority that's been pounded into him over the centuries."
"Because of Andrew?" Matthew asked.
"No, because of our family. I don't blame Philippe. He was looking after your future. And Andrew quite rightly didn't want to have anything to do with his sire. But from what Gallowglass told me, Jack's worked for the de Clermonts most of his life, but he had to conceal his blood connection. He needs to feel he's the equal of any of us. I view that as my first objective."
"And you're just the one to do it," Matthew declared. "You've always been a champion of democracy and the rights of the individual. Jack needs a strong dose of your attitude."
"I'm glad to hear you agree. Do you know anything about the witch working with Benjamin?"
"Jack heard her first name, and Leonard obtained confirmation that it's Satu Järvinen."
Marcus kept his curse at a low volume ... barely. "The same witch who tortured Diana?"
Matthew nodded. "Jack's experience proves she's a weaver. No one else would have the ability to plant those memories in him."
"Does Diana know?"
"Yes, she's cast spells to mitigate the damage but it's a slow process. You told Jack it was impossible to know who'd killed those people. Did you say that just to make him feel less guilty?"
"No. Jack's attack on Baldwin doesn't prove anything. Someone with PTSD could have easily reacted the same way. Benjamin could have believed wrongly—just like Baldwin—that Jack possesses a violent form of blood rage. If Jack didn't perform up to his expectations, Benjamin would have taken matters into his own hands."
"He also repeatedly fed off Jack to extract every bit of knowledge he possesses about us," Matthew said bleakly. "And Jack's not his only source. Gerbert's been working in collusion with him for centuries."
Benjamin was now more dangerous than ever. In the last communication they'd had from him, he was gloating over torturing a witch. But that wouldn't satisfy him for long.
#
Marcus had given Matthew a lot to mull over. Was his son right? Had they all been looking at blood rage the wrong way? He made a compelling argument. And in hindsight, the culling of Marcus's children was even more of a tragedy.
Christ, Matthew wished Diana were here so he could discuss it with her.
He glanced over at Jack. He was awake once more and busy sketching. They had another half-hour or so before they'd land in New Orleans—enough time to explain the purpose of his trip. Jack had bared his soul to him. He deserved the same treatment.
Matthew made his way to the forward section of the plane and sat beside him. "I'm glad you were able to rest. Any nightmares?"
"No, a combination of Marcus's meds and Diana's spell did the trick. Will we stay with Marcus in New Orleans?"
Matthew nodded. "He has a house in the Garden District. There's plenty of room for all of us and a decent-sized yard for Lobero."
"You plan to stay till Marcus's children have agreed to the formation of the scion?"
"That's right."
"Do you think it will take long?"
"I hope not. Why?"
"I'm eager to return to London, and I know you don't want to be separated from Diana for long."
"You're right there, but Marcus's children may not readily agree."
"Why wouldn't they?"
Jack's direct question provided a useful nudge. "You and I have been separated by secrets for far too long. I don't want you to be left in the dark anymore, but sometimes the truth hurts. This is one of those occasions." Matthew stopped to gather his thoughts ... and brace himself for Jack's reaction. "In the early 1800s, I was ordered to kill any of Marcus's children who showed signs of blood rage. I carried out the instructions. Now I need to ask the survivors for their forgiveness." He refused to tell Jack he'd acted on Philippe's orders. The boy worshipped Philippe. His memories should stay unblemished.
Jack swallowed. "Were there many children?"
"Yes. Marcus had rebelled against my order not to sire offspring. The Congregation heard rumors that blood rage was resurfacing in New Orleans."
"So to prevent exposure, Philippe ordered you to kill them."
Once again Jack threw him for a loop. He hadn't made a question of the statement. Clearly, he was much more knowledgeable of Philippe than Matthew appreciated. "Marcus didn't realize I have blood rage because I never told him about it. Back then we didn't understand genetics. He thought he'd caused the issues because he was too young, and I didn't correct the misunderstanding. Marcus has accepted my apology. Getting his surviving children to agree to the scion is a way to partially atone for my crimes."
He expected Jack might look at him with fear and he'd already prepared his reassurance, but instead, he saw unexpected understanding on his face.
"You were carrying out the orders of your sieur," Jack said. "You're not to blame any more than a soldier on the battlefield."
"And you're even less to blame," Matthew quickly countered. "You were enthralled by a witch. Your mind was poisoned by Benjamin. I'm grateful for your understanding. Now we both need to accept our nature and control it."
"Meaning blood rage?"
"Yes. Marcus doesn't like us to describe it as a disease. Our genetic makeup is what causes it, but until it's properly evaluated we're not in a position to label it." Matthew explained Marcus's comparison of blood rage to Diana's ability as a weaver. "You didn't see what she was like before she timewalked to England. She could no more control her ability than you can yours."
Jack snorted his disbelief. "What I have is hardly an ability."
"We can't say anything definitive yet. You and I are about to become Marcus's lab rats."
Jack laughed. "Me maybe. Not you."
"He's just as interested in me," Matthew assured him. "Vampires with our disposition have been ruthlessly culled. You and I are the only ones available for study." He chose his words carefully to avoid mentioning Benjamin. "Vampires have been afraid of blood rage. Baldwin also falls into that camp."
If Jack showed any sign of losing control at the mention of Baldwin, Matthew would stop the discussion immediately. But so far Jack remained outwardly calm. The only trace of nerves he showed was to dig his fingers into Lobero's thick fur.
"Did Baldwin order you to kill me?" Jack asked.
Matthew hated to confirm it, but if he wasn't honest, Jack could discover the truth later and be even more devastated.
"God forgive him, yes, but I won't do it, nor do you have to worry about Baldwin attacking you. He acknowledges that you're my responsibility. His anger will be turned on me, not you."
Jack's expression was bleak, but mercifully his eyes remained brown. "I could flee. Then he won't blame you."
"You tried that once, remember? When Stidolph ordered you to steal from us, we turned the tables on him. You, Gallowglass, and I took him down together, and we'll do the same with Baldwin."
When Jack's eyes widened in shock, Matthew quickly added, "Not literally, of course."
He flashed a grin. "I figured. Although I wouldn't mind if Gallowglass threw him around a few times."
"Me neither," Matthew confided with a smile. It was a positive sign that Jack could joke about it. "Baldwin is afraid of what he doesn't understand. It's our job to educate him and the Congregation. And we will. This isn't just about you, Jack, although that would be sufficient cause. Philippe ordered me to kill Marcus when he sent me to New Orleans. I didn't carry out his order, and I won't carry out Baldwin's. You can count on that. For the sake of Diana's and my children—as well as for Marcus's children—we have to come up with a better solution. Are you with me?"