CHAPTER 17

Arriving back to the Old House with Reginald in his arms, Syerren took him upstairs, putting him down on the bed which was reserved for himself.  Rushing then downstairs as he yelled out for Simon, he found him, once again attempting to drink himself silly after all that had occurred.  Instantly taking the bottle of liquor from the man, Syerren smashed it down on the floor before him.  "Goddammit man!  Get a hold of yourself!  You have bigger responsibilities around here then drinking your blues away, and right now it's saving my nephew!"  Looking towards the door just as Lauryn burst through, and now as Ange, and Cecillia joined the conversation, Syerren grabbed Simon's arm, pulling him towards the stairs.  "You need to get up there, now!" he demanded.  "Vladimir had no choice and attacked Reginald, and now he is hanging on to life by a thread," he said the words, glaring at Ange as he did, feeling the sorrow and remorse that her face expressed.  "I must get back to Vladimir now to check on him, but will be back as soon as I can."

Quickly running up the stairs as soon as Syerren had left followed by Ange, Simon went into the bedroom where Reginald lay, finding Lauryn crying on the bed beside of him.  Going over to him and examining him, Simon cursed under his breath, shaking his head as he glared at Ange.  "Had the desperate fool continued any longer, he'd of managed to kill his only son; but even still, it will be pure luck if he manages to pull through this without any damage." After examining Reginald further, finding him to be very gray and clammy, with a weak, sluggish pulse, he sighed, turning to Ange.  "Go to my bedroom and look in the closet.  You will find a silver, metal box.  Grab it and bring it to me at once," he said, as she ran off, returning not even a minute later.  

As he opened the box, exposing a tourniquet, various needles and tubing, as well as a few vials, Simon then looked to Lauryn, placing a hand on her shoulder.  "Dear; I know that you are in a world of hurt right now, but I need you to concentrate.  Now, when you had your son, do you recall what blood type that you are?" He questioned, as Lauryn thought about it.  

"I was O positive," she remarked.  Glancing then back at Ange, he shrugged.  "There is a fifty fifty chance that her blood would be rejected by him, but what other option do we have?"

"You have me," said Cecillia, who entered the room, having remained outside this time wanting to give everyone space to work.  "I am O negative, I assure you.  One hundred percent compatibility," she said, sitting down on the side of the bed.  

"I don't know if that's the best idea giving your . . . circumstances," Simon then said, unsure of the effects, but willing to take the chance.  "However, you're all we have."

Getting Cecillia comfortable quickly beside of Reginald, Simon wrapped the tourniquet around her arm, initiating IV access almost immediately as he hooked on the tubing that was connected to a collection blood bag.  As blood began pouring quickly into the bag, Simon turned then to Reginald, prepping his arm for an identical procedure, but preparing to infuse the blood from Cecillia back into Reginald.

"Is this going to work? Is he going to be okay?" Lauryn questioned, holding on to Reginald's hand as Simon placed the IV in his arm.  

"It's the only option that we have," Simon said, sighing, knowing that there was just as good of a chance that Reginald was going to inherit Vladimir's cursed disease, at least partially to some extent, as most living victims of a vampire did.  As the bag of blood was full enough to hang up, Simon switched it over to Reginald, getting Ange to hold the bag, and then started filling up a second, and last, bag.  "Unfortunately two is all that we'll be able to get at this time, but hopefully it'll be plenty," Simon said, placing a hand on Reginald's head, feeling his skin still cool and clammy but his color starting to look a little more pink.  "It seems that there's some life coming back in him."

High above in the trees on a sturdy branch, Vladimir sat trying his best to clean himself, while coming to sense of what he had done. My God what have I done? Must I be such a monster? now looking at his hands. And now I’ve killed my beloved son! He wept tossing the damp but blood filled handkerchief aside. “What is wrong with me?” Hearing then in the distance a familiar voice call out to him, Vladimir grew anxious jumping down from the tree and landing seeing it to be his wife looking for him. “Amy?”

Amy, having only learned of Reginald’s condition, made it a mission to find Vladimir and tell him the news knowing he must be in a melancholy state.

Hearing his voice behind him, Amy turned and ran to him, “Oh Vladimir, I’m so glad you’re alright.”
“Yes, I’ll be fine. Tell me though, how is our son?”

Amy pulled herself up and stared at him, “He’s alive but in critical care. Oh Vladimir what’s going to happen to us?”

Turning away thinking about it, he shook his head, “I don’t know Love but I am tired of running; tired of the secrets kept from the family. Like many before him, he will learn everything there is about us and . . .” Only recalling Reginald’s face and what he had done to him, Vladimir crouched downwards, “Oh I am a fool!”

“That’s not true!” Amy protested, “You were kidnapped, dear and what could you have done any differently. I’ll have you know, Reginald was out looking for you as was all the family members. Despite what you, I and your brother are Vlad we all love and care about you and right now, our darling son needs us, despite what we told him and what had happened.” Kissing him on the cheek relieved in seeing his cross scar was vanishing.

At that moment, Syerren emerged from the darkness appearing to them, “There you are, brother, Amy. “I don't care what grief you might still have in you but you and you are needed back right now. I don't know what Simon has planned but what ever it is, I have a feeling Reginald will live!"

Confused by the statement, Amy shrugged as Vladimir possessed a more promising expression about him and followed Syerren back to the Old House.

Upon arriving back to the Old House, Vladimir, Amy and Syerren gazed at the family and friends hovering over Reginald’s body. Feeling once more awful for his actions, Vladimir turned away prepared to leave but then was grabbed by Syerren.

“I . . . I can’t do this. I shouldn’t be here.” Vlad muttered.

“Of course you can; you’re his father!” Syerren replied.

“But look at him, Brother; I caused that! It’s my fault this happened,” gesturing back towards the room.
“And you said yourself you didn’t want to run away anymore.” Letting out a sigh, looking back into Vlad’s eyes, he spoke, “It’s time we reveal ourselves to everyone.

Walking back into the room, still in a saddened expression, Vlad then saw Ange come up to him, grabbing his hands. “Listen to me. We did a blood transfusion on your son. It . . . only did so much I’m afraid and in turned Simon and I took the liberty of producing a powerful spell on him; unfortunately we don’t know the outcome.”

Moving past, her Vladimir lowered to his son still fast asleep, almost looking as though he was dead.

“I’m sorry Son. I’m sorry for the lies the deception, the abandonment. Please forgive me.”

“You best let him sleep mate; he’s likely to be out the rest of the night.” Simon spoke feeling just as awful.
Sighing, deeply glancing at the clock, Vladimir turned back to Robert in the far corner. “I thank you for everything you have done.” Going to the desk he pulled out and old set of keys then passed it to him. “I want you to have keys to our Romanian Estate. There I’m sure you’ll find all the information you need about the life from your father that was kept from you.

Seeing him nod and pocket the keys, Vladimir looked back to the group, unsure what more could come of this tragic evening.