The Shape of Things to Come (Hypernaturals 15)

How to Hunt

"When will you get back the genetic samples of the babies?" Lori asked Denise at dinner. The entire family is now informally briefed on her research and discovery.

"That will be interesting. I am so glad you are in a position to continue your fabulous research like this. Help a new Vampire who is lost. Help some children that probably need it. Just: Excellent! Well done, my daughter." My mom agreed, with enthusiasm.

Other than Morgan, Angel, and Lori, of the adult women in the family, Mom is the youngest. No one ever doubts she is the Mom, and they are her kids though. Not even Helen.

I watched Denise's reaction. She practically glowed at being asked and getting my Mom's interest going. Being called 'daughter' in that way.

Denise is deeply competent. Crew Lead. Was with me on the takedown of the SPH, which has taken on proportions of a Vampire legend now in some quarters. I do not encourage it but I do not control the Vampire grapevine.

No one in the Vampire world questions Denise's abilities.

Denise, whether she admits it to herself or not, always feels a little like she has to peddle harder to keep up with all the exceptional people around her. Morgan is the senior detective and protector of the Not-So-Innocent. Me. Helen is Council and has more money than the goddesses above and below. Rachel is Council. Jessica is the head of R&D and the best Doctor ever. Angel is the most capable Astral. Mom a preeminent Doctor and prominent epidemiologist. My Dad brilliant, with more patents to his name than he knows about anymore. Even Nakoma gives Denise a ration of shit now and then.

I know how she feels. Growing up, I was the underachiever in this family before it became this big, messy, happy Vampire polypod.

Getting that question about her work from my Mom made her light up with happiness.

Morgan then layered on more joy. "It was an excellent idea. Like all breakthroughs, it sets up a new way globally to find Catalysts, should they appear elsewhere. It brings up interesting questions too, such as why are all the known Catalysts clustered in this area? Answers Denise is uniquely positioned to answer via her Crew resources, and their ability to gather the genetic data raising no questions. Well done. All of it."

Denise glowed. "It will take a while to get all the samples. We have to be careful. As the mothers bring them in for checkups, we'll do swabs, but we are not planning on doing any breaking and entering. We have one sample already, from a 'well baby' exam with her pediatrician. The little girl needed a Hepatitis B vaccine. We collected that sample yesterday. It's on its way to the clinic for analysis. We were also able to collect a sample from her mother via some sleight of hand with a water glass. That is on the way too. In case you need to compare genetic markers between mother, daughter, and the father when we locate him."

"Outstanding!" Mom said.

More Denise happiness.

"If even one of those children you found has Vampire DNA markers, the same way that any of our children already have been shown to have, then you know you have found a new and active Catalyst Vampire." Morgan looked at Ben, in her lap, kissed him on the head. "A third catalyst changes many things. A third data point."

"I will have found evidence of a Catalyst. I have not found him. The birth certificates name no names. There are no pictures." Denise replied.

"Denise. If this is a Vampire sired child, you know what you will do next." Mom chided.

Denise took her motherly tsk-tsk with a wry smile. "Yes, mom. I'll load up the RV with a couple of hyper-sensed Vampires, a Doctor, and head to New Mexico, where we shall find him."