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

Come In

The next part of Sam's case will be finalized by just the two of us. Olsen and Sagan. Denise, Jessica, Vera, Helen. They all loved being part of a case. Angel always is. The reality of this trip is that there are too many people on the case. There is no research to be done. No leaves that need to be turned over. We took our time, built our case, stocked our evidence box. We know where we are going. For this last phase, we do not want to be intimidating.

I asked Morgan as we talked about it one evening: "Should it even be you and I? Maybe only you?"

"You and I." Morgan replied. She left no room for discussion or anything. That was final.

Not like I mind. "OK." I agreed.

Denise is probably the most unhappy about not being able to go. She did not say that. She did not need to. She thinks I have to be protected at all times, and by her. That's only part of it, though. Denise loved being part of a case. A non-Crew case. Morgan and I agreed without ever saying it: a look between us when we said goodby, that Denise wants this. Us. Being a Sagan. Being involved and right in the middle of what we do.

She will be. Her love, passion, and loyalty have moved her ever closer to her goal. It is her pacing anyway. She is the one that needs to work on the issues and forgive herself. We'll help because one way that happens is cases like this. Cases where we made a difference to someone. Helped people. That is Denise's road to self-redemption. My unspoken disagreement with her is that she can do that while doing all the other things she wants too.

We are wearing her down. Little by little.

Denise understood this time is different. This time requires less presence. Not the stormtrooper thing we did at the Trailer. Cherlynn needed that in her face.

This one is more like Lucy. Sam, alone, appearing out of nowhere and helping his daughter. Not counting Nina. She did a fade as soon as it was under control, to let the worried dad and the scared young woman connect.

Now we have another daughter, but this time Sam cannot be there. We are his surrogates.

I have never been to this part of the Napa Valley. I took a wine tour once, long ago. Pre-Vampire. Flew into San Francisco with friends. Caught a bus. Drank a lot of wine. It was not even my idea: I'm a beer and Scotch person, so my nirvana is touring breweries. It was fun. The woman I was dating at the time that wanted to do it was the wine drinker. It was something she always wanted to do, so we put together a group and we did it. It is not as if I am averse to wine. Or touring the West Coast. Or sex in hotels after a lot of wine. For several days in a row. I have had worse trips.

I never came here and toured Napa this way. Driving through the area. In control of the stops and the ability to say to the driver: 'That looks interesting: Let's eat there!'.

I am not sure after some time driving and stopping here and there that Morgan and I are technically still IN the valley. Morgan drove as is our way, and I looked at her, or out of the car at the area. Observed grape vines growing all around us for a while. Thought about my Winery. Looked at Morgan. Remembered marrying her in the pool of my winery. Thought about Helen's gift of the entire Claremont Estate. That first time there, seeing Helen after a month alone in the wilderness. I rubbed my beard that it turned out she loves so much. Remembered the night before Morgan and I left for California. Helen in bed demanding of me: 'Beard. Between my legs. Now'. Then I looked back out the window to look at grapevines again.

My hatred of being on Council does not stand up to the picturesque ideal of being on this trip. I feel so calm and peaceful right now. I want to absorb these moments. In this moment, my life is mine and being lived as I would do it. With my Morgan and in a paradise of growing things, in a perfect climate.