North American Vampire Council & Past Calling (Hypernaturals 12 & 13)

Not Like You Care

Helen cornered me at the base of the stairs after dinner. "Why the hell are you so pissed?"

I was coming down the stairs after tucking in the girls. Morgan and Jessica are cuddled on the couch, reading a new graphic novel of Jessica's. Morgan has taken a sort of 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em' attitude about graphic novels. Denise is still at the office. She is not getting the idea of 'downtime' just yet. I am going to have to talk to her.

Helen continued. "I talked to Denise today. She and Anne are so excited about the changes you want to make. She said at first she felt like they were drafted..."

"... A popular way to get things done around here, except I did not paint them into a corner. I gave them options. I told Denise she has an early out. Anne, I asked nicely." I inserted.

"... But the more they talked about it, the more possibilities they saw. On Council for a fucking week, and you have the Crew EXCITED. Yet you are pissed. WHY?" Helen seemed very confused.

She does not get it.

"I was not asked, Helen. I was cornered like a dog being pursued by animal control. Darted like the Sirens are after me again, except that was better as all they were trying to do is take away my Vampireness." I said, stopped mid-stairs because Helen is mid-tread. I could hop over the railing of the stairs. It would have been a cowardly exit from the confrontation that has been boiling for a while. I would prefer to knock her smarmy self-righteous ass down the stairs, but that is not who I am.

"So? You would have said 'no' if I asked. If it were only me asking. I had to get Victoria to do it and in front of everyone. That way you couldn't refuse." Helen said as if that was a just and fair explanation.

"If you asked me, one on one, the way you should have, I would have used far more invective, Helen. I would have told your stupid self 'Oh hell the fuck no!' at the very least. I would have put an end to this train wreck immediately."

"This is an honor! You earned this!" Helen complained. "So many firsts! You earned this!" Helen repeated.

"I already got raped once. Thank you very much. I must be a fucking idiot because according to you I earned having my life taken away from me for fucking CENTURIES to go do Council bullshit. I did not want this. I would not have asked for this. YOU are the politician in this family. I did not want that garbage spilling up onto me. YOU do the hazardous waste job. I sit on the couch and write code or run around in the car and solve mysteries. I think about Holly, Morgan, and my bar and how to make it better. Mostly I play with my kids. Now I am fucked in the ass. Have I ever told you how much I hate getting it in the ass? First Sandy. Now you." I let my anger seep in and only kept my voice low so my kids would not hear just how furious I am.

"Sandy..." That rocked Helen back for a moment. "You don't think this is important? You don't think that what I do matters?" Helen asked, getting red.

"The very opposite: I think it is very important. I think it is how the Vampire species stays hidden and safe. I think you are the best of the best at it. I am in awe of your consummate skills here. YOUR skills, Helen. Not mine. If I was good at it, I would have found the way out."

That made Helen grab her head with both hands. "Then... Why? Please explain this to me. It's important. You are important!"

Morgan said from the couch, "Helen: Adrian was going to study to be an Astrophysicist like his dad. A Doctor like his Mom and Jessica."

I pointed at Morgan and then touched the tip of my nose. "Points!" I said. "I needed YEARS to get good at those things. Get Nakoma to help me on the math. Focused time where I can study and learn. I want to do the important science. I want to help people like Jessica does. I am one of two known Catalyst Vampires. I want to study that. Understand that. I wanted that! But fucking hell no. I got roped into this goddamn bullshit rodeo instead. Something I am not good at. Something I do not want to be good at. You are good at it. You like it. This is what you are supposed to be and do. Not me. You do the political rodeo stuff. I sell beer up in the stands to drunk fans."