Thicker Than Water

Chapter Fourteen

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"This... this cannot be!" The King finally sputtered. "You... you died!"

            I shook my head, squeezing Apollo's hand. "That wasn't me." I admitted. "Apparently I am the spitting image of her, though."

            Aphrodite crouched on the floor, waking the Queen. After a few moments, she roused, and Aphrodite lifted her onto the couch. The King remained frozen in place, his eyes directly on mine.

            The King finally moved, taking a seat next to his wife. He took her hand, though in comfort or solidarity I was not sure. Staring at the three of them- King, Queen, and Aphrodite- they all looked as though they belonged together. Here I was, the misfit, come to "ruin" the vampire race...

            Apollo lifted his hand, which was still laced with mine. He placed a gentle kiss on my knuckles, his lips soft and sweet. He brought his head down, and he pressed his forehead against mine.

            "I love you." He whispered.

            "I love you, too." I said back, a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth.

            "Apollo, stop it!" The Queen whimpered. "Please... we also have news. It's... my health."

            Apollo's gaze immediately moved from me to his mother. "Your health?" he asked, a look of concern growing on his face.

            "Yes." Said the King, squeezing his wife's hand. "Your mother... she's ill."

            I didn't know vampires could get sick. I thought the Booke of the Dead said that vampires cannot contract human illnesses, and there are no known vampire-borne illnesses?

            Hermes answered. That is definitely what it says. He sounded just as suspicious as I was.

            Apollo let go of my hand and walked over to his mother. He knelt before her and dropped his head. "Mother?"

            "Yes, son." She whispered. "It is as we feared. Human DNA has begun to mutate and evolve. Their bodies are creating anti-vampire immunities. I fear it will overcome us all."

            Apollo nodded, and a somber weight came over the room. "Is it fatal? How long do you have?"

            The King spoke, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "Doctors do not yet understand the illness, so they cannot be certain. But the symptoms are progressing daily. It may be as little as a week."

            Apollo's head dropped further in heartbreak. I wanted to move forward and comfort him, but panic was stirring within me. A vampire illness? What does this mean? I looked over at Hermes. His face was set in confusion and fear. He looked at me and shook his head.

            If this is true, it means that none of us are safe anymore.

            Shortly after the explosive meeting, Hermes escorted me and Aphrodite out of the room. He took us to the kitchen for a snack while Apollo found Missy and brought her to the parlor for a family meeting.

            I sat on an island barstool, stirring the drink in front of me. Aphrodite was seated at a breakfast nook a few feet away, staring at me. We'd sat in silence for the last twenty minutes. I looked over at her.