Byron

Byron stood and bit his tongue to keep from screaming. Anxious to regain the strength he’d lost while in a coma, he’d overdid it at Doc’s gym again. He tried to put on a t-shirt, but couldn’t put his arms up far enough. So, he settled on a button-down flannel instead. His hands shook so much, fifteen minutes passed and he was still only midway. “Rory,” he called.

A surprised squeal from the floor below was followed by a scuffle of feet and a crash. “Ow.”

“What the hell is going on?” he asked and took one small step after another. Sweat beaded his forehead from the strain. Sore as he was, it would be like an old slapstick routine if he was forced to lift her. “Seriously, are you all right?”

She entered their room, smiled through rosy cheeks and said, “Yeah, I’m fine. Got a little too excited when you called my name. Didn’t see the chair leg until, well, it was too late. Is everything okay?”

“Just making myself presentable.”

“And why are we getting dressed?” she asked, rolling her eyes.

“There’s that summit with the Catherine today. The one about vampires. Figure I should go. Somebody needs to speak for the brood now that they’re not welcome in Alma anymore.”

“Who told you?”

“Billie. He came around the other day.”

She squinted at him, and lines emerged from her forehead. “I told him no politics until you recovered.”

“Yeah, so he didn’t listen,” Byron said and grinned. “Anyways, he’s going with Sven to the meeting. He tried to lie to me, but ended up spilling his guts. Told me they were making a blood alternative for the vampires—you know how he is about keeping secrets. He also said you were in on it.”

An embarrassed look flashed across her face and she reddened all the more. “About that… I was planning on telling you, but I thought you’d jump out of bed and do something stupid.” Then she shook her head and asked, “Did he seem changed to you? Billie, I mean.”

“Yeah, he did. Seemed more serious. Same guy and all, but different. Kind of like me.” He frowned.

She placed a finger on his lip and shushed him. “Based on what Doc said, you’ll be back to normal in no time. Just need to pace yourself.”

“Sure I will,” he said and shook his head, not intending to change anything about his workout routine.

A lengthy gaze passed between them and broke when she scoffed, pressed her hands to her hips and shook her head. “You’re just too impatient for your own good. I have ways of making you listen.”

He put his hands up in a gesture of compliance and a sharp pain shot through his overworked muscles, causing him to wince.

Her eyes widened in concern and she asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Yeah, you could help me button this damn thing.” And he pointed down to his half open flannel.

“So, you’re going whether I like it or not?”

“Sounds like me,” he said and laughed so hard his stomach ached.

She shook her head at his amusement. “You know, you were so much more agreeable when you were comatose.”

“Ah, but did you like me that way?”

Her hands pulled at his shirt, and she kissed his exposed chest. “One of these days, we’ll talk about how I like you.”

Byron pictured a number of adult situations and shrugged. “Why not today?”

“Because, today, you have a meeting to attend.” She did up the rest of his buttons and pecked him on the cheek. “Now, how are you going to get there? Think you’re up to it?”

“We’ll see.”

* * *

In front of the Catherine’s chamber, Billie ran up to Rory and Byron. After he hugged each of them, he said. “You came.”

Sven walked out behind and nodded in greeting. “Good to see ya. Let’s get on with it.”

Through double doors inset in an impressively carved arch, they walked as a group. A smattering of Immaculate Daughters sat to their left on several rows of wooden benches and a few stood, ushering the witches to a matching set of empty seats on the right. As they sat, the Catherine beamed down at them until her eyes met Sven; at whom she sighed and nodded politely.

She stood from behind her large metal desk and paced atop a raised stage before clearing her throat. “Today we’re gathered to address a secret. When I became a Catherine, it was but one mystery revealed. And, well… it was the hardest to keep. A very long time ago, the first Catherine, afraid for the safety of her flock, struck a deal with the vampires. She traded the Daughter's blood for protection.”

An audible gasp escaped the assembled Immaculate, and the Catherine paused and sat down, allowing time for them to get over the shock of her revelation. A tall, mature woman with impressively broad shoulders stood and crossed her arms. “If I may?”

A heavy sigh passed from the Catherine and she said, “Go ahead, Grace.”

The woman turned to face the Daughters. A hard scowl twisted her face, and she pointed a finger at Rory. “This is a private matter of discussion for the Immaculate. Yet, she lets in outsiders and even worse, witches. Why are we not stringing them up by their necks for setting foot in Alma again?”

The Catherine banged a gavel on her desk. “Grace, I never gave you the order to banish the witches in the first place. They have as much right to be here as you. You’re lucky it’s not you on the gallows.”

“Fine then, let’s talk about vampires.” She pulled a scarf away from her neck and showed a pair of unsightly scars. “When a dog bites, you put it down. When the vamps bite, we make deals? You want to know why none of you remember these encounters. Well, I’ll tell you about the glamour. They play this mind trick on you that makes you forget. Far as any of you know it was a holy journey or some garbage like that. Which brings me to my last point-”

“I think that’s enough out of you, Grace. Sit down.” The Catherine questioned the other Daughters with a look and asked. “Anyone else? Anything you’d like to add?”

A hush fell over the ladies in white as they glanced back-and-forth. One after another shook their head.

“Good. So, Byron,” the Catherine said, turning her full attention to him. “I wasn’t sure if you’d make it. How are you holding up?”

He stood and nodded. “Better. Wanted to thank you for all of your support, by the way.”

“Don’t mention it. I should be the one thanking you. In fact, we all should after what you did. There are those who wouldn’t be here today if not for your bravery.” She looked down at her desk before locking eyes with him. “Feel free to say no, but would you mind sharing some details of your life before you found yourself grouped with the witches?”

Right away he knew she meant back when he was a vampire. He read the tension in the room and brushed it off. Do I really care what they think of me? Nah. “Will it help?” he asked.

Her head bobbed, and she said, “You’re the only one who was there. I think so.”

“All right.”

“If you don’t know—and why would you—he was a vampire.” The Daughters rabbled at this fresh development, and she paused until their cries mostly died. “Enough. He no longer is one.” She dared her followers into silence with a glare before her voice softened and she said, “According to my records, he was there when the deal with the first Catherine was struck.”

Byron bowed his head to her and said, “No one would likely be here today if the deal hadn’t been made. There was disorder among my former kind. They’d learned at a place called Haven it was unsustainable to kill humans any longer, and yet, weren’t ready to change their ways. An old friend of mine, named Galena, met with the first Catherine to put a stop to the killing. At first, we protected your kind from ourselves and then later from the Blueskins-”

“Nice job, by the way,” Grace said.

The Catherine rose from her chair, and in a sharp tone said, “That’s it. Go.”

On her way out, Grace sneered and called behind her shoulder, “A curse on all of you witches and vampires. Mark my words, this doesn’t end here.”

Besides himself, Sven rose and spat a thick wad of phlegm on the floor, “Ah, go clutch your pearls somewhere else, you batty cu-”

With a hard smack on his arm, Rory interrupted what was surely the worst thing he could say in the company of women. “Seriously?” she asked.

“Sorry, love. It’s not like I was talking about ya.”

The Catherine glared at him for a moment and then motioned to Byron. “Please, continue.”

“Forgive me. I forgot where I left off.” He turned to the group of Immaculate Daughters and gazed out at them, recognizing a few from days past, swallowing a stone in his throat when he realized why he remembered them. “Look, the deal saved many lives, both vampire and human. They aren’t all so bad and with the right carrot they can be useful.” He gestured behind him and said, “And Sven may just have developed that carrot.”

“Thank you, Byron,” the Catherine said and waved for him to take a seat. She glowered for a moment at a spot far above and sighed. “Which brings us to Sven…”

“Well, um, it’s like this,” he said and pulled out a mason jar full of a red substance which he placed on her desk. “Think I’ve made a kind of alternative to blood-”

“With my help.” Billie stood and waved. His face aglow.

Sven shot him an ominous look and said, “Yeah, with his help, sorta. And we don’t have anyone here to test it on, but I think it might just do the trick.”

“So, what’s in it for you?” the Catherine asked.

“Well, uh, a small gratuity. A pittance.”

“It’s something to consider…” Her face turned green. “Maybe you could remove it from my desk?”

The glass fell into his pocket, clinking into several other concoctions contained within. He made a little bow and sat.

Her gavel knocked on her desk one last time and the Catherine asked, “If no one has more to add?” She scanned the silent group. “Good. So, I believe Byron will make a fine liaison in negotiations with the vampires. He’s right, after all, we are here because of that deal made so long ago. Perhaps this blood alternative Sven developed will be just the item we need to keep a semblance of the arrangement in place. We shall see. For now, this meeting is adjourned.”

Rory whispered in Byron’s ear. “Are you sure you want to be the liaison?”

“It’d be a way to earn my keep around here. Besides, who else could do it? Sven?”

She laughed merrily, “Nope.”