Page 35

Always

B althazar smiled winsomely at the sea of reporters, and then particularly, at the blond-coiffed woman with the broad smile and very long legs, crossed at the knee that was nearest to him and Caemorn.

“Ms. Cafferty! I’m so honored to meet you,” Balthazar beamed and offered his hand, which she took in a firm shake. “You’ll be handling the questions today for the pack?”

He liked how the burgundy coat allowed a bit of the frilled shirt cuff to puff out onto the back of his hand when they shook.

Very Vampire , he thought and she thought so, too, though she didn’t say it outloud.

He smiled, just showing a hint of fang. One had to meet expectations in some ways.

“And you, Lord Ravenscroft. But please call me Jane. And may I call you Balthazar?” Jane asked.

“Of course, we’re going to have quite a few of these cozy chats as the school year continues,” Balthazar agreed magnanimously.

One had to appear as if one was allowing something one would not otherwise entertain in order for it to count. And yes, his first name in her butter-wouldn’t-melt in her mouth was something.

“And yes, I have the honor of asking you what everyone wants to know about this little endeavor of yours.” She smiled back just as toothily.

Fang for fang, Jane? Ah, you think to ask me the tough questions. How quaint to think that would work! But Balthazar mentally rubbed his hands together in any case.

He heard Caemorn mentally sigh beside him. They were both seated in one of the Eyros Palace’s formal living rooms. It was very luxurious yet cozy with a mixture of contemporary--lots of glass and metal--with the warmth of wood and rich, jewel tones.

A fireplace was to the right of their over-large, plum colored, velvet chairs with the gold accents.

Jane’s chair was not half as fine. All were comfortable though for this long interview.

Books lined the walls, except for the one that was a sheet of sheer glass overlooking some of the formal gardens around his palace.

The red and blue moons of the Ever Dark spread their ghostly light over all of the blooms. Many of the reporters’ heads turned to look out at that sky, to remind themselves that no matter how much this space might remind them of Earth, they were no longer there.

We need to play the game, Caemorn, he reminded his grumpy co-Headmaster.

I do not have to read these peoples’ thoughts to know that they are banal at best and antagonistic to us at worst, Caemorn replied. Likely, more than a bit antagonistic.

Caemorn thought the last as he narrowed his silver eyes at Jane. A makeup artist was dusting her brow and nose with powder so that her skin wouldn’t shine under the hot lights. He and Caemorn did not need powder as they did not sweat.

She’s looking for an Emmy, I think. It is an Emmy--

And she won’t get that by playing along, Caemorn reminded him. She needs something juicy--and bad for us--to tell her viewers.

I’m well aware of what she needs, Balthazar said and mentally cracked his fingers with relish.

You like this sparring? Caemorn frowned.

Of course! It’s a challenge to not use my powers against her but still get what I need from here nonetheless. And, if I’m very good, without her knowing I’ve gotten anything at all, Balthazar explained gleefully.

Elgar is here. Can’t you just have him Whisper? Then we won’t even have to do the interviews as they will be so pleased with everything and everyone, Caemorn stated as he brushed what looked suspiciously like bone dust off of his black pants.

If you’re going to play with Bone Bear before you do an interview for goodness sake, do not wear black! Balthazar groaned.

Caemorn pursed his lips, not denying that he had been playing with the dead bear he’d brought back to life.

If you want a pet, you should get a cat. Like Meffy. Soft and sweet--

You are covered in cat hair constantly , Caemorn said.

Bone Bear smells. Balthazar sniffed.

That is unkind. He’s clean. He doesn’t track litter litter everywhere or have cat food breath, which he proceeds to lick all over one’s face. Caemorn rubbed an imaginary spot on his cheek that Meffy had supposedly licked.

But Balthazar knew better. Meffy had better taste than to be licking Caemorn...

Clean? Bone Bear is clean? I think not! He keeps trying to sleep in my bed! Balthazar sent as Caemorn crossed one leg over to hide the bone dust.

You’ve encouraged him, Caemorn stated, pursing his lips.

How have I encouraged Bone Bear to leave droppings of old flesh, bones and other unmentionable things in my bed? I demand to know! Balthazar scowled at him.

You are very still around him--out of fear, of course--but he thinks you are just shy. So he’s taken to you, Caemorn answered.

It’s because you’ve told him to do it, haven’t you?

Balthazar shook his head as the camera operators adjusted lights and stared strangely at the fact that nothing needed to be plugged in yet their battery packs weren’t draining.

He went back to the real reason they were there, But, in any case, we’re not here to convince these reptiles. We’re here to convince the public.

The naive public? Caemorn sniffed.

They’re not naive. They’re just much more open to Vampires than these creatures are, Balthazar answered as he continued to smile, nod and greet each reptile-- reporter --by name.

These people want to think they are in on the magic.

They think they create the magic. They make and break people with their reporting.

Now, here we are, and they want to establish that we’re not above their power too.

Are we? A lifted eyebrow from Caemorn.

Of course, we are. But reality doesn’t matter. It’s what people believe, Balthazar said.

“Are you ready to answer some tough questions, Balthazar and Lord Losus?” Jane asked.

She didn’t ask to call you Caemorn! Balthazar chuckled.

No one would dare , Caemorn answered, somehow managing to both sink back into his chair as if he wasn’t interested, but loom over Jane all the same.

I really must figure out how you do that, Balthazar told him even as he smiled warmly at Jane.

And I wonder how you can fake a smile that reaches your eyes, Caemorn remarked dryly.

I think of Christian, Balthazar answered, and he reached out to touch his fledgling’s mind.

Christian touched him back. A happy hum filled his head and he nearly shut his eyelids to simply listen to his brilliant Childe’s thoughts running like a river beside his own.

Unsurprisingly, Julian and Christian were together.

They, along with their respective parents, were giving interviews to other reporters who would ask tough, but friendlier questions than he expected here.

They were capturing the Harrows’ continued journey to choose a Bloodline then a House and then a Master or Masters.

Ah, I shall try that then, Caemorn said, a faint smile appearing on his lips, but somehow it wasn’t welcoming at all but a little unnerving.

A deadly angel smiling, Balthazar thought and it was his turn to sigh.

“We’re more than ready, Jane.” Balthazar tented his fingertips together under his chin. “Ask away!”

“I think that most viewers are very curious as to the selection process that was undertaken to get this year’s 100 students,” Jane said briskly, her one leg bobbing slightly over the other.

“The advantages of being a Vampire are well known now. Your Immortality. Your greater strength, speed and healing. And then, of course, your extra special gifts such as mind control or even raising the dead.” She tipped her head first at Balthazar and then at Caemorn as she listed those extra special gifts.

“Obviously, we have no control over who you already have given these powers to. That is said and done.”

Does she know about the War Children? Caemorn suddenly asked.

Yes, but she won’t spring that on us just yet. Balthazar sighed again.

“But, now, knowing that you exist and wanting to keep relations between our two species, it behooves humanity to know who you’re going to turn,” Jane premised.

“Is there a question in there somewhere, Jane?” Balthazar dazzled the viewers with one of his smiles.

Even Jane blinked a little at the force of it. To the audience, he would appear almost as angelic as Caemorn, but in a more earthy kind of way.

“I just noticed--and how remiss of me--that we don’t have the third Immortal that runs the academy. Seeyr. She’s never given an interview,” Jane said, pivoting as she sought to surprise him with her questions.

“No, she’s not one for giving interviews,” Balthazar said simply.

“But why not? Does she fear that we’d all be asking her what our futures are?” Jane laughed as if Seeyr were no more than a fortune-teller at a carnival.

“ Fear ? No. She knows you would,” Balthazar answered. “Maybe not on air.” He gestured broadly to the cameras. “And maybe not with words.” He gave her a sad smile. “But you would ask. Everyone does.”

Jane shifted slightly on the edge of her seat. Her posture was so ramrod straight that it made his back hurt just looking at her.

“Well, I suppose one would like to know,” Jane recovered nicely.

“But I’m more interested in her role in choosing the students that have come here.

Because, as I said, I think people are rightly concerned that the gift of Vampirism is not given to people undeserving or who might be dangerous to humanity. ”

Vampires are not dangerous? What unreality is this woman living in? Caemorn asked.

In the one that we fashioned for her. It’s not polite to talk about the fact that we’re predators, Caemorn. It’s like eating with your mouth open, Balthazar said.

“A fledgling dangerous to humanity is also dangerous to Vampires,” Balthazar answered her.

“There is no us versus them in this. Even when we were not openly living amongst you, we needed to be careful that we turned only those who would not act in a way to expose us to unwanted scrutiny. Now that is doubly true.”