“Why cure vampirism? You’re immortal, kept forever young. You’re stronger and faster than most humans. Don’t get sick. I think most humans would want to be a vampire.”
A soft sigh slipped from Bel’s parted lips, and he closed his laptop lid with a quiet snap. “Because not every vampire was given a choice. Some would very much rather go back to being human than watch their loved ones age and die without them.” He paused and gave a little shake of his head. “And some…some should have been allowed to die as a human rather than be reborn and bring a horrible danger to the world.”
There was a weight of personal experience to Bel’s words that River couldn’t begin to understand. The only thing he was sure of was that Bel had not tried to cure vampirism out of idle curiosity. He was trying to help other vampires, even if he never met them within his very long existence.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, nothing to be sorry about.” Bel flashed him a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Science is about countless failed tests and trials in the search for truth. Every negative brings me one step closer to the answer I’m looking for.”
River stepped back as Bel started tidying up his work area. His movements were quick and precise, but they also struck River as being nervous.
“Where’s Wyatt?”
“He went to patrol your grounds.”
Bel froze in the act of turning off the water where he’d been washing his hands. “Really? Is everything okay? Are there more wolves in the area? I didn’t feel any, but I wasn’t exactly watching for them. I’m sorry. I should be paying more attention with you and Wyatt here.”
“Whoa, whoa!” River said, holding up both of his hands. He nearly reached for Bel to reassure him, but he quickly dropped his hands to his hips. “Everything is fine. It’s just a thing he does. Gives him a chance to stretch his legs and reassure himself that we are safe.”
“Oh. Okay,” Bel murmured.
He turned off the water and looked out toward the wall of windows that stretched along one side of the lab. Snow still coated the ground in places, though much of it appeared to have melted during the day. Energy swept past River, and it was like being touched by a summer breeze. It rushed past him and out into the surrounding woods. A couple of seconds later, an echo bounced back, and he knew without a doubt that it had been Wyatt.
“That’s Wyatt. You can feel him,” River breathed in wonder. It was stunning to be wrapped in both Wyatt’s and Bel’s powers. He’d never been aware of Wyatt quite that way, but something about his connection to Bel had made it possible for him to sense Wyatt through the vampire. It was…beautiful.
Bel nodded with a smile. “He’s heading to the house. Everything is okay.”
“That’s an amazing gift.”
Smiling, Bel picked up a towel and dried off his hands. “It’s come in pretty handy over the years. When it first kicked in, I was afraid I was losing my mind.”
“Really?”
Bel’s smile turned a bit mocking as he folded up the towel and placed it next to the sink. “I thought I was hearing voices. It didn’t take too long to determine that I was receiving the thoughts and feelings of animals around me. The hard part was learning how to tune them out, so I didn’t go insane.”
“True.”
“But it gave me a chance to study a variety of animals that I hadn’t considered before.”
“Like that bird you spoke to last night?”
Bel gave a little laugh. “That’s Ozzie. We’ve been together for quite a while.”
“Is he a pet?”
Bel’s brow furrowed, his lips pursed together in thought; then he shook his head. “A neighbor. Or maybe a friend, I guess. We met while my family was living in South Carolina. Ravens travel in flocks when they’re young but are generally solitary birds. I was out hunting one night, and there were a handful of ravens about that I politely borrowed to scout the area.”
“Ozzie was one of them?”
Bel nodded. “After he and his companions completed their task, I thanked them with a sandwich I’d purchased at a gas station. But he wasn’t interested in the sandwich. He seemed to be more curious that I could understand him. I think he was lonely.”
“You talked…to a bird?”
Bel’s smile turned a bit sheepish, and River couldn’t deny that there was something sort of adorable about the vampire’s embarrassment.
“Ravens are among the smartest animals on the planet. After I fed, he followed me as I walked home, flitting from tree branch to tree branch. It wasn’t much of a conversation at first, just showing me places he liked to hunt for food. Sadly, it took me another few nights to realize he was giving me advice on good hunting grounds.”
River leaned his hip against the nearest table and chuckled. “He was being a good neighbor. Helping out the newcomer.”
“Exactly.” Bel shrugged. “As time passed, he kept coming back to me. Our conversations became more complicated as our communications skills evolved.”
“He followed you from South Carolina to Connecticut?”
Bel blushed and looked away from River. “I will admit…that’s the one time I’ve put him in a cage. We discussed it thoroughly beforehand, and he agreed it was for his own safety. I flew from South Carolina and I brought him on the chartered jet with me. We were worried about his safety over such a long flight, and he was worried about my safety since we’d be separated for so long if he flew on his own. When I moved in here, I set up a large birdhouse near mine for him, but he knows he doesn’t have to use it if he doesn’t want to. He also knows that he can leave me at any time.”
“But he won’t,” River said softly, speaking mostly to himself. And he got it. Why would he leave? Bel was his friend. The vampire didn’t treat the raven like a pet, but as a respected friend, giving him both safe boundaries and kindness.
“Probably not. Ozzie has a well-developed sense of humor, and he finds my family very entertaining.”
River shook his head and grinned at the floor. Bel had the most interesting view of the world. And for the first time since he and Wyatt had been kicked out of their pack, River enjoyed a small taste of hope.
Bel wasn’t Brett. River wasn’t entirely sure who Bel was, but River knew he wasn’t like his past.
And it was all thanks to Ozzie.
“Have you always been interested in science?” River asked suddenly. He needed to know everything about this man. Was there some secret that would prove he was hiding a darker side? Or was he the protector they’d been looking for?
“Oh, yes! I love science. I think I’ve studied a little bit of everything over the years. I enjoy learning how things work and why things in nature are the way they are. What about you?”
“Science? Oh, God no.” River shuddered. “Never really cared for it. Wyatt enjoys biology. He had plans of becoming a doctor. Me? I guess I’ve always been afraid of being discovered by humans as a werewolf and getting dissected.”
Some vampires had the benefit of having the ability to fuck with human brains. They could wipe memories so they didn’t realize they’d just donated a pint of blood or saw a vampire do something freaky.