- Laurell K Hamilton
- Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter #14 - Danse Macabre
- Danse_macabre_split_125.html
Jean-Claude running around? The
thought of a baby was terrifying, but the thought of a little
living version of Jean-Claude wasn't horrible. I shook my head,
hard enough that they all looked at me.
"What is wrong, ma petite?"
"Sorry, thinking too hard. Maybe I've
never seen master vamps talk about honesty and friendship. Takes
some getting used to."
Samuel smiled at me. "I suppose for
the Executioner, it would be a very alien concept."
I shook my head. "No, as
Jean-Claude's human servant, that is where it gets weird. As the
Executioner I just kill people, I don't talk to them."
He looked at me with those
brown-green eyes, a long, considering look. He turned the look back
to Jean-Claude. "I think we can help each other, Jean-Claude. I
will begin." He gave a long sigh. "When Sampson said that Thea does
not think like a human, he is quite right. She is the last of the
sirens, and it preys upon her mind. She sees the promise of power
in our boys, and she is determined that it be brought out." Samuel
hesitated, and even through centuries of control he seemed
uncomfortable. "Thea comes from a time and a people where close
family relationships were not a hindrance to sex, or even marriage.
Her people were worshipped as gods and goddesses. Are you familiar
with the Greek mythos?"
"Anyone who is classically educated
is familiar with the myths," Jean-Claude said.
"You're making this a long story,
Father."
Samuel looked at him. "I admit that
now that the time has come to be honest, I am having second
thoughts."
Sampson touched his father's hand.
"Let me, then."
He shook his head. "No, I am master,
and father, and I will do it." He looked back at Jean-Claude. "Thea
tried to bring Sampson into his powers as a siren."
Jean-Claude and I just blinked at
him. Richard was lost, because we hadn't given him the whole story
about how sirens come into their power. Or had we? I couldn't
remember anymore. I was the one who said, "Do you mean that your
wife tried to seduce your son?"
He nodded. "Sampson came to me, and I
told her, in no uncertain terms, that if she ever tried to do it
again I would kill her. When the twins began to exhibit faint signs
of power, I gave her the talk again."
"Would you truly slay her?"
Jean-Claude asked.
The polite mask dropped, and Samuel's
eyes blazed for a second, before he lowered his eyes, and hid the
anger. "I love my wife, but I love my sons, and they are children
and cannot protect themselves against her."