Conclave (Hypernaturals 3)

THE Morgan

You could have knocked me over with a hammer. Takes more than a feather these days. "Morgan... You know what?"

Morgan seemed to be enjoying my discomfort. I have known her for years, but the idea she is in on the Vampire secret is refusing to compute. "About Vampires, Adrian. I came across the big secret when I looked into my mother's disappearance."

Jessica twigged to it. "Your mother... is a Vampire?"

"She is now. Not when she had me, of course. Shortly after my birth, she disappeared. I was raised by my dad and never knew her before I hunted her down. As a human detective hunting a Vampire, it was not easy, believe me. That's when I met Becky, up near Denver."

I wanted to be clear on that point "Becky? Pastor of a church north of Denver. Becky?"

Morgan smiled a Mona Lisa like smile. "That is the one. Married to Jon, a Human, and a State Senator. Used to be on your Subcommittee."

I am not going to ask the next obvious question. Questions really. How much did Morgan know about me? What does my brother know? Morgan is the best PI around and she would never violate a confidence. I guess that is why she is 'sanctioned' rather than 'erased'.

Since I am not asking any of the things running through my head, Morgan filled in the gap. "So, We are now in the open about what we mutually know, which is a relief I might add, since every time I talked to you recently I needed to pretend I did not know. I would like to ask you Adrain: it is my understanding you are the rarest of the rare?" I started to worry about how much Morgan-the-PI actually knows. It is all I could do to not look over at Helen.

Morgan relieved that worry with her next statement "A bit of a legend, perhaps? Getting off probation so quickly I mean." She paused, looked at me very closely "I assume Don and your family do not know? Of course, if Don knew, he would never say anything to me about it. He would not know what I know about Vampires."

I tried to keep the relief out of my voice. "You assume correctly Morgan. Big family secret that no one in the family knows."

"I am sorry. That must be difficult." Morgan said.

I stopped and looked at Morgan in a new light. She knew about me and never said anything. She can sure keep a secret!

"Shit: When I saw you at Solstice, at my house: you KNEW." I said in disgust.

"Indeed. I did. Part of why I did not linger, since Helen knows I am sanctioned to know as well, among other things. I could not see how that would not become uncomfortable."

I decided to ask a different question than the ones that dashed through my brain. "You have done security at a Conclave before?" I waved at Helen, who said Morgan has.

"Several of them." Morgan answered.

I kept my tone innocent. "So you have seen what happens in the hot tub. Is it as bad as it sounds?"

"Bad?" Morgan asked, confused.

I expanded on it for her. "You know: Naked women writhing about wetly, biting any willing human that comes within reach. Vampires hunting among the hot tubbers for their next sexual conquest."

Morgan understood now. "Oh. Yes, they are somewhat like that. I would not characterize that as bad, however. Vampires need love too, you know."

Now I am confused. "You don't mind being chomped on by a bunch of naked Vampires?"

Seeing my confusion, Morgan elaborated "Never been, as you put it, 'chomped on' in my life. I have been to and in the hot tub, but being human does not make one food. Being a woman, and knowing the odds, I would never agree to such an arrangement. Also, I am heterosexual. To be the source of a blood meal in an intimate setting would require a male, and as we know, those are rare. Again, given the odds, being bitten is nothing I would want or do, and Vampires respect that. A male Vampire will have far more sexual options than a puny human such as myself as well. No: For me, the Hot Tub Party is a place to relax and hear stories."