Chapter 429) Actions & Reactions

Windenburg Isle
Liam and Vivien's home
Moments after a long speech in which Liam and Vivien revealed being Vampires to their kids and their spouses

Nick felt someone grab his sleeve, then his wrist and he was pulled into a room by his little sister Aria-Grace, so he allowed it, as well as for her to peek out and shut, then lock the door.

With one eyebrow raised he waited for her to look at him.

“Yeah, this isn’t weird. Any particular reason my lil sis locks herself into the guest crapper at our parents’ house with me or am I just gonna book that under ‘eh, we’re Camerons’?”

“Mom and dad’s news! Vampires? Both of them?! Nick, what the hell!?”

“Still better than what I thought this was about. I was legit worried they were gonna drop some baby news on us. Thank God that wasn’t it. So, from where I sit, this is good news and best-case scenario. AG, come on, we both knew that they would get turned at some point. I am honestly more shocked that it took until now for it to happen.”

“Okay, I DIDN’T think it would happen. How are we supposed to roll with this, Nick? I am first chair at the San Myshuno symphony, that is as conservative as it gets, I am not a pop star like mom where weird stuff is kinda expected. Plus, Max and I are trying to lay low, so this whole monarchy-elimination crap blows over enough for people to forget it. I always knew Caelan was just a little bit too much. Now there we have it. He just randomly goes and turns both our parents!”

“AG – chill! What does what our parents do have to do with your job? You’re supposed to play the piano and violin. Anything beyond that is none of their business unless it affects your performance at work! If they give you grief, you tell me and I will send them a fiery letter on company letterhead! As for Caelan, I am pretty sure he didn’t just randomly dream that up. There is more to that story.”

“So, you don’t mind mom and dad like this?”

“Nope. Doesn’t bother me one bit. I grew up spending most afternoons at Cameron Mansion with grandpa when we lived in DSV. That place is always crawling with Vampires.”

“What about Caelan?” AG wondered, frowning.

“What about him?” Nick shrugged.

“Aren’t you worried about him? What if he loses it again and ends up turning us … or our babies?!”

“Nope, not worried, and neither should you be. He and mom ALWAYS had some strange bond. And dad told us himself he asked … no … he MADE Caelan turn him. I believe that too, we both have seen dad angry, I can see him whipping Vampires around while he’s foaming at the mouth. Honestly, Caelan is fifty shades of creepy, I give you that, but he’s harmless, he would never just turn someone for no reason. Mom and dad both assured us we’re save and I believe them. I have no problem letting Ryan go visit his grandparents, even for the weekend, just like before. Not even if Caelan’s here. Honestly, I believe that Caleb was behind it. I bet he allowed the turn. If it wasn’t his idea to begin with. That’s what I think.”

“You think they are gonna turn us?”

“I think it will come up at some point. By the time it does, I will have some sort of idea on how I feel about it too, Addy and I are definitely gonna discuss that after Ryan went to bed tonight, luckily it won’t become a current topic anytime soon for us. If you read up on Vamps, when they are this fresh they can’t turn people yet. They have to build sun immunity and such first. I did a few quick searches on my phone while mom was talking.”

“Nerd! So you, to get confronted with a whammy of news like this and your reaction is to google information on it, rather than freak out like a normal person!”

“If I am a nerd for wanting to be informed, then you are a bimbo for overreacting and NOT looking stuff up before shitting your panties about nothing!” Nick countered.

“I can’t believe our parents get turned and you are cold as a fish about it.”

“AG, you think us both freaking out now changes anything? No. Be happy we get to keep our parents longer than others.”

“Our parents who look about our age again now! OMG – how are we gonna explain that when we are all out together and the kids call them grandma and grandpa?!” Aria-Grace pulled faces.

“I don’t know, AG, maybe act appalled, as if mom and dad had been teen sluts.” laughed Nick.

AG sighed heavily, so Nick pulled her into his arms, kissing her forehead.

“AG, seriously, we both have 99 problems, but mom and dad getting turned isn’t one of them. It’s all good. Speaking of all good, Addy and I went to see Rohan again yesterday and he keeps whining about you not coming by. I have blown sugar up his ass making excuse after excuse when you still lived in HOB, and after you just moved, but you have been settled into your Windenburg home for months now, you literally live no more than 30 minutes from his house, I am fresh out of excuses and just annoyed to be caught in the middle of you guys’ weird shit. My best friend and my little sister. You need to get the fuck over it, and you need to go see him or call him up and invite him to visit you. Tired of that man crying me a river. Worse, I get him. It’s a you-problem, AG. Fix it.” Nick urged.

“YOU know why this is complicated. But I will, it’s just hard finding time with the kids and all. Bad thing about not being royalty anymore is not being waited on hand and foot. Ever since I had kids there had been people to help with them. Now, there are no nannies. Or maids. Or chefs. That’s all Max and me now. Teaches a person to be careful what you wish for. I hated castle life, so restrictive, so many rules, I wanted a normal life again, now I got it and … yeah … still adjusting to being a mom and having to deal with housework. Max is working on a new career that allows him to work from home so he can help more, but so far, he’s gone all day and I work evenings. Meaning he gets the kids when they are sleeping, I get them bouncing off walls being needy.” AG countered.

“AG, it’s Rohan, not some stranger you have to impress. Don’t pull lame excuses out of your ass to shove down my throat. I get it, I get everything. Going from life at a castle back to being normies is hard, just like it was hard adjusting to living at a castle. I get it. But it’s been almost a year now since monarchy was eliminated and 9 months that you moved to Windenburg. You are avoiding Rohan, you know it, I know it and he knows it. You two once were really close, now you both have husbands and different lives. I do get that it’s iffy. But Rohan still loves you to pieces and misses you. I’ll watch the kids. I’ll even drive you to his place.”

“Yeah, iffy is a good term. If I go with Max, it’s kinda weird, if I go without, it feels like I am sneaking around …”

“Sneaking around? With an openly gay guy? If anyone were to think that they need a brain transplant ASAP. They do NOT need to be sticking their noses in your business or Rohan’s! They need to fix their own malfunctions first.” Nick ranted.

“Well, let’s not conveniently forget that there was a time when Rohan wasn’t gay, openly or otherwise. Or at least a time before he realized he was gay, a time he and I were engaged. Twice. Remember? Max likes Rohan, but it’s kinda iffy. Just like I feel iffy around Harrison. He’s a super-nice and sweet guy, but … he’s married to someone I used to be intimate with. God, my life is a mess. Why can’t I have a normal life?”

“And this would be the reason why most big brothers lose their shit when their best friends start dating their little sisters. I get it now. Look, Rohan is still the same Rohan as he ever was. Same old nerd. Maybe you can try to forget the engaged part and just be friends like before.”

“Nick – I have never NOT had a crush on Rohan. Since I was old enough to know what a crush is, I was drooling over your best friend. You can’t just rub dirt on that and walk that off. Maybe if he had been gay all along. But he and I were together. He was my first! I cannot help this being weird.”

“Oh man, this is little sister TMI overload. Look, AG, I know all that. In case your memory lapsed, it’s me, Nick, I am not a fair-weather brother or friend, I was there, along for the whole damn miserable ride with both of you. I was there after you two were at odds, feeling like a double agent sometimes, unwilling to side with either of you, but it was hurting me that you both were hurting. I was there the times you both sat down to talk this out, and yet, round and round we go. Now years have passed, you have Max, he has Harrison, you both have kids … time to suck up and grow up! I need to get out of this bathroom or we’re gonna level up the Cameron weirdness another notch when people imagine what you and I might be doing in here.”

“Eeew, you’re my brother! And what people? There are no people here but mom, dad, Addy, Max, you and I!”

“Tell me about it. I probably mean the same people you dream up to worry about giving you grief about mom and dad’s transition, you know, those imaginary ones. Besides, mom and dad are cousins … so what’s a little brotherly-sisterly love when you’re a Cameron, right?” Nick grinned about finding a new way to gross out his little sister. Worked too, as he could tell by her face, which amused him greatly.

“EEEEEW! Nick, I get the point you are trying to make, but still, gross! And mom and dad are only SECOND cousins!”

“Yeah, THAT makes all the difference. Except it doesn’t. If you want to be such a stickler for prim and proper, don’t forget that technically you and I are the product of mild and legal incest between two Camerons.”

“Mom was a Vatore when they got together, not a Cameron! And it’s NOT incest when it’s legal, Mr. Lawyerman!” AG insisted.

“Yeah, she was a Vatore because she was born out of wedlock and grandpa didn’t even know she existed until she was like 3 years old. Oooh, more drama for your imaginary nay-sayers to try and boot you from your job at the Symphonic Orchestra, cos, THAT really matters when you make music. As does whether or not our parents are mortals or Vampires.”

Nick chuckled as he unlocked the door and left AG with a lot of food for thought.