Page 52 of The Firebrand
“There’s more.” George exchanged a look with Alarik.
Rein lifted a warning finger when she hesitated. “That’s enough for today. The rest can wait until you’re home.”
What is Rein saying? The rest of what?
“George must explain this last thing, son. It could shed light on why Braelyn is immune to your mindwipe.”
****
Reinguessed where the yada yada yada might go. Indifferent, he returned to lean a shoulder on the wall, one ankle cocked over the other. He tapped his D-chip to check the time.
“What? What else could you have to say?” Braelyn threw herself back into the chair, crossing her long legs while tucking what little skirt she had under her ass.
“Sweetheart, when the Blood Coven created the Schism, some Aeternals remained in our realm. The Cambion ordered his witches and warlocks to settle on Earth, fearing a powerful mage on Scath could use them to destroy the realms. Besides them, others chose to stay because they had human families. In time, their children bred. Their offspring bred, and so on. Fast forward centuries later. Today, some in our population have the genetic markers of another species. Medical researchers see them as yet-unexplained anomalies.”
“There must be millions of these descendants on Earth.” Braelyn rested her elbows on her knees.
George shook his head. “Not nearly so many. When Aeternals breed, whether among themselves or with us, offspring are infrequent. With later generations, birthrates remain low. Anyway, these people formed the Alliance.”
Braelyn scooted to the edge of her seat, her spine stiff.
Rein was right about the conversation’s journey, and Braelyn would not like it. Alarik’s office was not the place to spring this shit on her. George was a sonofabitch for not sharing the info years ago.
But he continued. “I carry one of these markers, sweetheart. In fact, all Alliance employees carry these anomalies. It’s why I became an agent, why I followed in my father’s footsteps, why I continue to serve on the board. You also carry the marker. Understand, though, our Aeternal ancestor is from more than a thousand years ago.”
“How do you know that? Why not just two or three generations in the past?” Braelyn jittered a foot against the floor.
Rein straightened from the wall, eyeballing her. “I can answer. Alarik’s people monitor Aeternal breeding on Earth.”
“What do you mean?” Braelyn’s gaze pinged to his father.
After Alarik removed a pen from a holder, he tapped it on his desktop. “When we suspect the possibility of a mixed offspring, we verify the intel. If true, we offer solutions. The Aeternal parent may raise the child here. Without the human. Too dangerous. Another solution is to allow a family on Scath to adopt the child after it is born. Last and only with the mother’s permission, the fetus can be aborted.”
“Why can’t a human raise the baby on Earth?” Braelyn’s lips parted, her tongue flitting across them.
Alarik tap-tap-tapped. “First-generation mixlings are quite a handful. They carry our traits. How could a human raise a vampire on Earth? The young adult would be a danger to the family as well as to others.”
“And, of course, the child could expose Aeternals.”
Braelyn was no dummy. She zeroed in on the real reason.
“If the mother or father refuses all options, we monitor the offspring but step in when the mixling reaches the age of their Awakening. At that time, we force them to Scath. What more can we do?”
“What happens to the human mother or father?” she asked.
Rein interrupted Alarik. “A skilled Aeternal scrubs their memory.”
Braelyn twisted in her chair, her eyes slitted. “Someone like you?”
He nodded.
Both feet on the floor, she inhaled, her breasts stretching the borrowed sweater. She whispered, “What breed was our ancestor?”
Her father sighed. “Tests can reveal the genetic marker. Many years ago, as a curious youth, I demanded an examination even though the methods were painful. They now require only a blood sample.”
Braelyn raised her voice. “What is our marker?”
“Your heritage prevented Rein from wiping your memory. It’s the best explanation.” George cast a sideways glance at Alarik.
