Lilith/Cain

Vivian seemed so worried, it was silly. Didn’t she know that her life was so much more important than his? She had two children to care for. They might technically be grown, but they would be lost without her.

What did he have? Blood on his hands and a pile of regrets. It would be nice to have some peace and quiet for a change, to finally rest.

His heart thudded, loud in his ears. With one beat he saw Vivian, holding his hand with both of hers. They were both covered in blood. It was his. She was trying to save him.

Didn’t she know this was for the best?

The next beat brought silence. Sweet calm darkness.

Another thud and he was staring at the ceiling of an ambulance. Vivian was there again, barking orders. The paramedic was trying to calm her, but she was adamant. She wasn’t looking down at him, but one hand was holding his. So firmly it should hurt.

But it didn’t.

Beat. Silent, oppressive, blankness.

The echoing thuds were slower now. His body had stopped trying to fight against it. How long had he fought now? What did it mean in the end?

Was this really peace?

The thudding in his ears stopped.

A hand rested over his. It was shaped like Vivian’s. Delicate knuckles and long fingers. It was hesitant; not like Vivian at all.

His lips parted, releasing a small breath he’d been holding for an eternity. “How come I’m not dead?”

“Because Mom doesn’t know how to let things go,” Angie whispered carefully.

He brought his gaze up to her face. Those soft brown eyes that he’d never had a chance to have were looking down at him. They glistened with moisture. “Just be glad you don’t owe her money.” Her voice broke and she hid it by swallowing.

“You’re crying,” he observed dumbly.

“I thought you might not wake up.” The muscles in her hand tightened, but she kept it over his lightly. She swallowed again. “Mom likes you a lot, uh, and she’d be sad if you died.”

“I’d miss her too,” he admitted.

“Plus, I need you.”

His brows knit together in confusion, about the only movement he was capable of at this time.
She reached for something on the bed, next to his leg. It was her prosthetic. She held it up with her free hand. “It’s broken, and I need you to get it fixed.”

It looked alright to him. “Where is it broken?”

She lifted her hand off his to show him the ankle joint. “It, uh, fell out of a window. Really high up. A… friend, he managed to catch it, but the joint is kinda wonky.” She rotated the ankle easily. “I can use it for now, but it really has to be fixed.” She glanced at him, then back to the prosthetic. “You own Mechanex, sort of, so you can have them fix it.”

He lifted both hands slowly, and took the prosthetic from her. Despite her rather rough use, it was still as sturdy as when he took it out of its box. He rotated the ankle joint. “I see what you mean,” he answered solemnly. “I can’t let you walk on something like this. You could fall.”
She took it from him quickly. “I can manage for now, as long as I don’t try to fight any more vampire kings.”

He frowned deeply. “What do you know about vampire kings?”

Her shoulders jerked and she laughed nervously. “I’m joking, they’re not organized like that. Cain was just a little bit tougher than the usual lot. That’s all.”

“Cain?” A dim memory started to come back to him. Something his father was always raving on about. He tried blocking it out most of the time, so it was tough to fully recall. Something about their ancestors.

It faded from him and he let it go. The man had been a complete basket case. Nothing he’d said had ever made any sense.

“Was that the vampire that took your mother?” He could definitely remember the suave vampire that had totaled his car and made him look like a fool.

“Yeah, but he’s promised not to bother us again.” She swallowed again. “It’s… complicated.”
He thought about reaching for her hand, but decided against it. “Is it over, then? Did you find everything you wanted?”

She nodded. “This time for sure.” Without looking at him she put her hand over his. “I’ve tied up all the loose ends. No more Katrina. I got Gabriel back. Nora has her throne. You’re not out there fighting any more.” Her hand twitched again. This time her fingers curled over his tightly. “The past can’t come back and get us again, from now on we just have to look out for the future.”

A short silence fell, interrupted when the door opened. Vivian hurried in, a cup of coffee in her hand. “Has he moved at all?”

Her eyes widened when she saw him awake. Angie removed her hand from his and moved over. Vivian took her place, setting the coffee cup down on the table beside the bed. “Arthur, how are you? You’re finally awake.” Her honey-colored eyes were usually so sharp, but now they were soft.

“How long was I out?”

“Two days,” Angie answered from the foot of the bed. She snapped her prosthetic back into place. “Excuse me while I go check on Chris. He’s next door waiting for the plastic surgeon.”

“Try and get him to see some sense,” Vivian ordered as her daughter left the room.

xxxXXXxxx

Chris sat up in bed in the room next door to Arthur’s. He was alert and looking at his reflection in a hand mirror. Azri sat in a chair across the room, looking bored out of his skull. “Can I leave now?” he asked Angie as soon as she entered the room.

“Not till we figure out what to do with you,” she answered tersely.

“Oh come on, I’m not a child!”

She turned to him, her eyes stern. “No, but you are dangerous. You killed a lot of people, and I have no guarantee you won’t continue that behavior as soon as you’re out of sight.” Azri sighed in exasperation. “Hey, don’t make me lock you in a stone coffin for fifty years.”

“That’s just ridiculous. Who would even do something like that? That’s even sillier than being raised by pirates.”

Angie was about to continue her scolding, but paused. “That’s actually not a bad idea. I should call Donovan.”

Both of Azri’s eyebrows shot up. “You wanna stick me with the same yahoos that left me in the snow? Like, literally out in the cold?”

Angie already had her phone out. She typed out a quick text to Florence and pocketed it. She then turned her ire over to Chris.

He was inspecting his face closely in the hand mirror. His fingers traced the stitched together gashes across his left cheek. The longest one started at his cheekbone and went up to the outer corner of his eye.

“Mom says you have to see the plastic surgeon.” Angie plopped down into the chair next to the bed.

“No way, these are gonna look so cool when they heal.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“The special ops guys are gonna be so jealous. You can’t even get a tattoo this cool.”

“Exactly, special ops. Sometimes you do spy work. How are you going to do that with a huge identifying feature on your face? At least your tattoos are on your back.”

“A little makeup will cover them, once they smooth out.”

“Cain must have hit you pretty hard for you to be THIS irrational.”

He put the mirror down finally, in order to give her his most serious look. “We just went up against the most powerful vampire in existence and you really want me to have nothing to show for it?”

“Yes. That’s correct.” She stared at him without blinking.

He threw off his blanket, revealing that he was already dressed in jeans and boots. “Well too bad. It’s my decision, so I’ve already been discharged. No plastic surgery for me.”

Angie kept her gaze unwavering, her expression deadpan. “Mom’s not gonna invite you to the wedding. You know that.”

Chris’ eyes widened. “Wedding?” He looked towards Arthur’s room. “You mean, they’re…”

Angie nodded. “Mom showed me the ring. I don’t think Arthur realizes she has it.” Here she cracked a smile. “I hope it’s funny when she tells him.”

Now he looked worried. “You don’t think she’d really not invite me, do you?” Angie’s expression turned frank, and he started to fidget. “Nah, she wouldn’t do that.” He got to his feet. “Would she?”

A loud commotion came from next door. “Dammit, I missed it.” Angie headed quickly for the door at the same time as Chris. They fought each other on the way through and crowded the door to Arthur’s room. Azri sighed again and didn’t get up.

Arthur was sitting upright, looking like he’d seen a ghost. Vivian was laughing loudly, hugging her stomach.

“You showed him the ring without me, didn’t you?” Angie accused.

Arthur gave her a bewildered look. “Viv has the ring?” He’d wondered briefly where it had ended up during the kidnapping and fighting.

Vivian shook her head while wiping tears from her eyes. “No, no, I just told him about the baby.”

Now Angie and Chris were confused. Their eyes moved to their mother, who was still holding her stomach. Angie spoke first. “Mom, you’re not-”

Chris squeezed past her and over to Vivian. His face showed barely suppressed excitement. “Am I getting a baby brother?” he whispered like he was holding his breath.

Vivian snickered. “It’s the size of a grape, how should I know?”

Chris got to his knees and gently hugged his stepmother. Then he placed his cheek on her stomach, as if he was trying to hear something.

“Chris, you’re being silly,” Vivian told him. She put a hand on his head patiently.

“Be a boy,” he whispered. “I have had enough sister for a lifetime.”

“And you think I want another brother?” Angie asked irritably.

Gabriel walked down the hall and stopped outside of Chris’ room. He looked down at Azri. “Have I missed anything?”

Azri shrugged. “Human stuff.” His mood changed from bored to annoyed. “Angie wants to ship me off to the pirates.”

Gabriel nodded. “That’s a very good idea. You’ve not seen nearly enough of the world. It’s massive.”

Now Azri looked away worriedly. “So, you don’t want me around then? After everything?”

“Of course I do. You’re my brother. And we’re going to still see each other.” He put a hand on Azri’s shoulder. “I live with Evangeline right now, and I want to enjoy that for the limited time I have with her. We’re always going to be brothers, till the end of time. You can always visit us in between your own adventures. If you’re with Donovan, you’re going to have plenty.”

“I guess it doesn’t sound awful,” Azri sighed grumpily. “Just buy me a cellphone, and show me how to use a computer. Oh, and buy me a laptop.”

“Okay,” Gabriel agreed. “It’s a deal.”

“And… we have to visit Mom every now and then. I miss her. The real her.”

Gabriel nodded. “I do too. I’m worried she’ll try to turn Evangeline, though.”

“That wouldn’t be a bad thing, would it?”

“To me it would. Evangeline is the strongest person I have ever met, and she’s done so many things, all while being human.”

“Wouldn’t she then be even better as one of us?”

“Maybe, but it’s more likely that being human is what makes her so strong.”

Azri thought on the meaning of those words as Gabriel walked past the room and up behind Angie. He carefully wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned his cheek against her soft hair. “What’s going on?”

“The usual. Shenanigans.” Angie placed her hands over his.

“Good. Shenanigans are the best.” He turned his face towards her and kissed her cheek.

“If you say so.” She was still frowning at her brother. “Chris, Mom’s not gonna have a boy if you don’t get those scars fixed.”

Vivian’s patient look turned to a scowl. “You’re not seeing the plastic surgeon?” Her voice took on a dangerous edge.

Chris backed up quickly. “Mom, listen, just relax. Think of the baby.”

Arthur put a hand through his silver hair. Wisps of it were all over the place. His expression was bewildered.

“Get used to it,” Angie told him from across the room. “You’re never getting away from us now.”

He stared at her in astonishment. Then he closed his eyes and smiled. Tears ran down his cheeks. “Oh good. I thought I was dead after all and heaven looked like a hospital.”

Vivian and Chris turned on him then, each trying to comfort him. Angie’s hands tightened over Gabriel’s. He watched as her eyes welled up. “Yeah,” she whispered roughly. “Shenanigans are the best.”