Forever(37)
“What do you mean?”
Thayde and Gavran shifted uncomfortably.
“Vampires feed off a merperson once a year.”
Shock blanketed every molecule in my body and it must have shown because he looked away, humiliation written across his face. Thayde put his arm around me and continued for Flynn.
“Merpeople and vampires are sworn enemies. But Flynn is the exception and he’s Gavran’s friend.”
I couldn’t tear my eyes from Flynn. “Why? Why do you kill merpeople?”
“They have to feed upon magical blood to keep them alive; it’s the only thing that keeps them immortal.” Thayde’s grip around me tightened.
Don’t hurt him. He’s here to help us.
“How can he possibly help us?” I asked.
“We’re going to halve each other.” Gavran answered in a dull voice.
“What?” I almost stood. “Are you insane?” The thought of a new species – half vampire and half mermaid was beyond thinkable. It had never been done before.
“We’re doing it tonight.” Gavran tried to drink what little was left in his beer glass.
“Flynn?” The anger in my voice made him look at me. I expected retaliation, but to my surprise, there was sadness. “Why?”
“We are hoping to try and stop it.” He picked at an imaginary thread on his sleeve. “If we can halve each other, it might be that we can halve the rest of us. If that’s the case, we might be able to live in harmony instead of killing merpeople.”
“What do you mean halve the rest of you? You wouldn’t change! You’d be changing a merman!”
Not a word was uttered.
“Well?”
Thayde rolled a straw around on the table. “It will change Flynn.”
Flynn slumped back in his chair, looking, for the first time, defeated.
“In what way?” I pushed.
When Flynn didn’t answer, Thayde spoke, looking at his hands. The effect was somber – as if I were about to hear the worst news possible.
“Flynn and Gavran have to bond their blood. It’s extremely dangerous and if it doesn’t kill one of them, it will alter them for the rest of their lives.”
“Has this ever been done before?” I interrupted, knowing full well that it hadn’t.
“Not to my knowledge,”
“How do you know it will work?”
“We don’t.”
I just stared at him while he continued.
“Each may receive the other’s powers, which can happen when you take a blood bond. Both will live a considerably long life – almost forever, but Gavran,” he paused, looking at his little brother. “Gavran will have to survive off human blood for the rest of his life.”
“What?” The notion of it made me nauseous. “He’d be a vampire when he’s not in merman form?”
The tilt of his head was the only confirmation I needed.
“No.”
“I have to support Gavran’s decision.” Thayde said, his voice a warning to back down. When I didn’t answer, he wearily rubbed his forehead. “It’s his decision, Morgan.”
“Will it make Flynn a merman?”
“No.” Thayde answered.
“I don’t see how there’s any drawback for Flynn.” In disbelief, I threw up my hands. “Do you lose a leg or something?”
Flynn’s upper lip quivered.
“Morgan!” My husband’s voice reflected the stress we all felt. “He could die!”
“We could all die,” I replied, inching forward in my seat. “How do you know you won’t turn merman if this has never been done before?”
“Because we’re not predisposed to the gene like merpeople.” Flynn answered.
“What if it could be done?”
Flynn raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, if a vampire could be made a merperson, it would open up an entirely different realm to you wouldn’t it?” My thoughts whirled as ancient memories began to dredge themselves to the surface.
“I suppose,” the doubt in Flynn’s voice was not comforting.
“Gavran?” I shook my head, trying to gain some clarity. “Why do you want to do this?”
Leaning on the table, he held his head in his hands. “I’ve never done anything with my life. I’m always the third wheel.”
“That’s not true,” Thayde interrupted and Gavran waved him off.
“My father always made me feel like I was nothing. If this works, I won’t be nothing. Maybe I’ll be able to help in some way. If I can turn into a mer-vamp, I might be able to defeat her.”
The wheels in my head began to click. “You mean make her think you’re on her side and then kill her?”