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blood.”
    “Bribery?” Serina wrinkled her nose at him. He returned her wrinkle with a shifty eyebrow and then tapped a finger to his arm, reiterating his desires silently.
    She argued and ran nothing short of a filibuster that Lucian wasn’t strong enough to donate after losing so much blood last night, but he insisted and made a liar out of her by the time they were finished. He was a spry one.
    ****
    “Hello, my child.” Father Butler greeted Serina with a quick peck on her cheek. Coming in from the blustery morning what few hairs the man held were windblown and stood on end, his cheeks a ruddy purple. The portly little man carried a smile big enough for all of them until he saw Raven’s grave appearance. Shortly thereafter, the priest administered her last rites.
    In the corner of Serina’s kitchen, Lucian stared into space. Lost.
    Last rites .
    Father held little hope for her. Lucian’s heart ached like never before. Yesterday they danced at a ball, laughed, enjoyed their friends, spoke of future dreams, and today...the Grim Reaper loomed outside. He wiped the foul tears from his cheeks as he watched Father Butler pour the blessed water over his sister. With each bubble that boiled from the holes in her neck, the acid within his stomach rose. He swallowed hard.
    Not long after, Father Butler told him Raven may not respond to his exorcism or the transfusion, but if she survived, she may show signs of turning into a vampire.
    Lucian listened to Father tell him things he’d never thought possible. It was as if someone wrote a horror novel and he was the main character, Raven the poor waif, destined to a gloomy ever-after. When Father Butler told Lucian he had to pour the blessed water on him too, Lucian decided his gloomy ever-after was looking a little too surreal for his liking. He never uttered a sound as the water burned through his flesh to rid the evil incubus from his body.
    Serina couldn’t watch. She worried that Father Butler was right to give Raven her passage to heaven. She’d seen cadavers in the morgue come in looking better, even the bloke she beheaded. Was that only yesterday?
    Father Butler tapped Serina’s shoulder jarring her thoughts. “I’ve done all I can for your new friends. You be safe, little girl. You are my heart.”
    “I won’t allow anything bad to happen to them, Father.”
    “Little girl, the bad things have taken place. There are some things you truly have no control over.”
    “Ye of little faith, Father. You don’t give me enough credit.” Serina stepped closer and kissed Father’s cheek. “Thank you for your help.”
    “I’ve seen your work, dear. You’re years away from enlightenment. ’Tis a shame your mum left in such a tizzy. So much to learn, so little time.” Father attempted a small smirk and quickly lost it. “For you, Serina, I’d lie down and die if you needed me to.”
    “There’s a gloomy note to end the day on. Love you, Father. Give my babies at the home one of these for me.” Serina hugged the man to her.
    He broke away. “If you have need, call.” Father Butler handed each of them a silver cross, said a silent prayer and then left, his step much slower than his racing mind.
    Hours passed and morning turned to early afternoon. Raven spent the majority of the morning teetering between lucidity and lunacy. Lucian had carried her upstairs to Serina’s spare room. Worn out, he too stretched out on the floor beneath his twin. The last thing he saw before he drifted off to sleep was Serina curled up in the seat by the bay window reading.
    Upon awaking, Lucian asked Duncan to run to the manor for fresh clothes. The remnants of Serina’s stomach contents lingered on his shirt, and the scent did not resemble the fine cologne he usually dowsed himself in.
    Serina met him at the base of the stairs.
    “I’m going to check on Raven. Coming back up?” She held her hand to him.
    Lucian grasped her fingers and trailed after her. A shrill squeak