“That’s insane,” Charles said slowly, staring at the couple. “You’re insane.”

“Not anymore,” Cilla replied with a sad smile. “Everything we’ve said is true. All the monsters and the people that fight them.”

“You’re telling us that you two used to be vampires, Harris is over 2000 years old, and my youngest crew member is the reincarnated soul of your sire?”

“Yes.”

He dropped his head into his hands, sighing softly as Erna rubbed his back. “Don’t tell me you believe them?” he asked his mate.

“What they’ve said fits the tales I heard growing up,” the First Mate answered. “It’s hard to digest, but I believe they’re telling the truth.”

Charles lifted his head and met Cilla’s eyes. “Why are you telling us this now? Or at all?”

The woman glanced away and bit at her lower lip. “I am a Seer. It’s one of the few things that carried over from our past lives. Back then, I had a vision of a possible future, one I had to prevent at all costs. It is what made us seek death and leave Xander alone for all these centuries.” She looked at him, weariness in her gaze. “I Saw a future of everything dying, all life, all species, because someone managed to resurrect the vampire lines.”

“What do you mean?”

“Vampires died out as a species,” William answered. “Being among the stars changed humanity too much for us. It started before our deaths, but we had Xander to help us when it got bad. There are a few old ones left, those who can go long periods of time, or adapt well, that still roam, but on the whole, vampires are extinct. And someone is attempting to bring them back.”

“How?”

“That’s were it gets confusing,” Cilla admitted. “All I’ve ever seen is a hawk, Xander, a boy, a vial of something, and a shadowed figure.”

“That’s vague,” Erna muttered.

Cilla smiled wryly. “Try it from this side.” She sighed. “I know this is a lot to take in, but so far everything has gone like in my vision.”

The Captain stared at her. “What does all this mean for Tai?”

“Part of him may be Angel,” William said softly, “but he’s still his own person and can make his own choices.”

“Do you think Harris will-”

Cilla cut him off. “Xander has given up. He will probably avoid Tai if he finds out about their connection. If anything happens it will have to be from Tai’s end.”

Charles nodded. “Should I let him know?”

“No,” Erna answered before either of the Pratts could. “It’ll be better if he finds out on his own. Tai’s a smart boy, it won’t take long.”

~*~
When two of the four lifesigns left the bridge, Sal sent a ping over the comms to let the Captain know she wanted to talk to him. Normally, she would have just headed up there, but she wasn’t willing to leave Tai alone. There were too many unanswered questions floating around, and too many players.

“Sal?” the Captain inquired when he noticed Tai’s unconscious form.

“It was for the best,” Sal remarked. “Information, sir?”

“Oh, I got a lot of that,” he sighed, slumping against one of the beds. “More than I can believe.”

“Sir?”

“What do you know about vampires, Sal? Seriously.”

Violet skin darkened as her emotions fluctuated then settled. She locked gazes with her captain. “A lot.”

“How much is a lot, Sal? I need to know what I was just told isn’t some joke,” the Captain ground out.

“When your race first came to the stars, vampires and other creatures followed,” Sal said slowly. “We watched. We noticed that things were changing.”

“Vampires were dying out,” he added.

Sal nodded. “Humans changed too much. The stars do that. They change species for better survival. But vampires weren’t an adaptable species as a whole, and they faded away.”

“From what the Pratts just told us, someone is trying to change us.”

A shiver of fear worked its way up Sal’s spine. “Someone is trying to revive the vampires?” She guided the dark skinned man to the chairs on the far side of the room. “Tell me everything, please.”

As he relayed all the information that the Pratts had given him, Sal glanced at Tai. So young to be caught up in such a mess. True Champions had faded out before even the vampires, but it looked like they would be rediscovered soon.

 

 

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