The sun sinks beneath the horizon and Vanessa's eyes open slowly, the flush of life warming and coloring her cold marble flesh. She glances around the room, sees she's alone, and then hears Armande humming from the kitchen. She smiles excitedly. She can't wait to hear how the visit with Hope went!
She gets up naked from their bed, and quickly dresses in a pair of tight red pants and a black halter top, runs a brush through her hair a few times, and then hurries down the hall to the kitchen.
She stands in the doorway, striking a seductive pose, and grins. "So how did your hot buns go over..." she purrs with a wink.

Armande looks at Vanessa and gives her a look that says not right now. "So how was your rest? I had a busy day of baking I can tell you, you know?" Armande says. "I was thinking about calling Kassandra what do you think about that?"

Vanessa smiles, sauntering into the kitchen, trying to hide her disappointment that he doesn't want to talk about today! It's all she could think about before she fell asleep!
"I think she would be excited at such a wonderful surprise, that's what I think! You know how much she loves when people call her. I got at peek into her heart, and she always feels a little worry before she calls someone...dreading that they'll think she's a pest-- as silly as that sounds. But when someone calls HER, she knows they are happy to talk to her."
Vanessa kisses Armande, and then glances round the kitchen. "Wow...what's the occasion?" she asks in surprise.

"No occasion. I just felt like baking." Armande says with a big smile. "I just forgot how much I loved doing this much baking. Look!" he says. "I baked two pies, some bread, a few pastries. Look at all this. I didn't know I could do so much in one day." he says smiling at all the little pans around the kitchen cooling and filing the kitchen with the aroma of baked goods.

Vanessa grins and shakes her head. "Something got YOU going! That's all I have to say! Looks like you're going to need Kassandra to come over to help you eat all this!" she smiles. "If this is what you do in your spare time, Thanksgiving's going to be...insane!" she laughs. "Maybe John'll be back by then...with a friend or two to tackle the feast!" she smiles at him.
She sashays into the parlor and turns on the stereo to her favorite Latin station and starts dancing to the song.

Armande turns from his cake and leans on the door frame watching his beautiful wife dance. He smiles contently and then chuckles. "You know you better stop that. Or else all that food will go to waste while we're in the bedroom." he says with a wink. "You're in a good mood." he says.

Vanessa laughs and sambas up to Armande, taking his hands and dancing in front of him. "Oh come on, baby...come dance a song with me! It's been a while since we danced!" she smiles. She doesn't know how to tell him, but she's in such a good mood because he's radiating this incredible joy and excitement from out of nowhere and it's affecting her, too!

Armande smiles and puts the hand towel over his shoulder and dances in, taking her hand in one hand and putting the other behind the small of her back. "With an invitation like that how could I refuse." he says winking at her.

Vanessa throws back her head and laughs as he spins her, and then presses against him, moving her hips in time to the drums. Then she slowly leans in and kisses him. She's not trying to distract him from his cooking, she just wants to be close to him right now...it's very intoxicating!

Kassandra's car pulls into the driveway. She sits there for a moment with her hands on the steering wheel, and then gets out and walks up to the house. She can hear salsa-music thumping from the parlor and gives a little smile. Mom's up! She takes out her keys, unlocks the front door, and walks into the house.

Even with Vanessa's extra-sensitive ears she was so wrapped up in Armande that she didn't notice Kassandra's car pull up! Armande spins them around, and then dips Vanessa backwards. Head hanging back, Vanessa glances up and notices two feet standing just behind her and feels the presence of her daughter. She grins. "Hey Kassy! We were just going to call you!" Armande pulls her back up, and she gives him a kiss and then turns around in his arms and laughs.
"You won't believe what your father's done in the kitchen!"

Armande smiles broadly. "Hey Kassy!" he says happily. "I have lots of pastries, cake, pies, you name it. Come on in and eat. Manga manga!" he says dancing back into the kitchen with a light step and swinging the hand towel around.

Kassandra smiles at her father as he dances by. "OK Dad..." she calls. She feels a pang of regret at the timing of her visit. Her parents look so happy, and she's here to be their doom and gloom and ruin it. But she still feels strongly that the timing is right for this. What to do?

Vanessa watches Armande dance into the kitchen and laughs, her eyes soft with admiration. Then she looks back at Kassandra and can see something's up at once. She feels a seriousness coming from her daughter. She walks up to Kassandra and smoothes Kassandra's hair back from her face, looking at her with intent eyes.
"What's wrong, baby?" she asks quietly so Armande won't hear. She's worried her daughter will burst into tears at this question, and is surprised and looks at her with new respect when she doesn't. Something's definitely different about her.

Kassandra exhales. "Nothing's wrong, Mom...I just came over to talk. But I don't want Dad's cooking to get cold-- he'll be disappointed, and he looks so happy that I don't want to do anything to ruin that. Let's go see what he made." she smiles a little smile.

Vanessa raises her eyebrows. She wonders what this talk is going to be about...Kassy is so serious! She's tempted to just open her mind and see right now, but that would be very disrespectful. She's a vampire-- she's used to having to be patient! She'll try to wait! First Armande being secretive about his visit with Hope, and now Kassy! 'Damn Italians...' she thinks with a smirk.
"OK...let's go see his spread!" she grins, putting her arm around Kassandra's shoulders. The two walk into the kitchen to see what Armande's doing.

Armande dances into the kitchen and waits for them to follow. When they finally get there he smiles and opens his eyes wide. "Look at this, eh? A cake a few pies, some pastries over here." he says motioning to each item. "All made today. Had a sudden urge to bake and they look good don't they? I need help eating some of this or I'll get so huge there won't be any room for your mother in bed."

Vanessa laughs hard and opens her mouth to make a VERY dirty comment back, and then glances at Kassandra and grins, wiggling her eyebrows.

Kassandra has to laugh back. "Mom, you're horrible! I'm not even going to try to imagine what you're thinking!"

Vanessa pretends to look hurt. "What? ME? Why I wasn't thinking anything inappropriate at ALL! I was definitely not thinking about your father being huge, not anything about his current size, nor how much I currently enjoy the two coinciding! Nothing like that at all!" she exclaims.

"AAAAAAAAAH!!!" Kassandra cries in distress, quickly cupping her hands over her ears.

Armande laughs and wags his finger at Vanessa. "You're not helping this at all." he says teasingly. "Now come along, manga! Eat eat," he says motioning to a chair. "I've got lots for you to try, you're always the best judge of my cooking," he says sliding a plate of pastries across the counter at her.

Kassandra walks over to the chair-- hands still over her ears-- and then carefully sits down. She gives her mother the eye, and then slowly removes her hands from her ears and folds her hands demurely in her lap. She glances across the table at all the desserts.
"Wow, Dad! What's the occasion? Did you watch that dessert show again on the Food Channel?" she asks curiously as she pulls the plate of pastries in front of her. She takes one, looks it over appraisingly, and then takes a big bite out of it. She chews slowly with her eyes closed, and then smiles and sighs. After she swallows she looks up.
"Wow...it's so flaky and has a perfect light sweetness! This is GREAT, Dad!" she exclaims sincerely.

"Nah...just got in a mood," Armande says smiling. "Glad you like it, Kassy. Alright now try this pie." he says sliding the pie over to her. "It's a new recipe so be tough on it and don't spare my feelings alright?" he says looking at her expectantly.

Vanessa leans against the wall and folds her arms, smiling and watching. She's so glad Armande has a human daughter he can share his passion with. She always feels bad when she can't sample the food Armande is so excited it. She knows some kindred who can manage to eat food and use their digestive organs without throwing everything back up again, but she's just not one of those, unfortunately.

Kassandra holds up a finger as she takes another bite of the pastry, closing her eyes and mmmming. She thinks she's going to have to sneak this plate home with her. And then suddenly she has an idea for a job she might be able to do! Hmmm. She'll have to talk to Richard soon.
She finishes chewing and swallows. "Mmm...sorry Dad, I had to have another bite! Hold on-- let me cleanse my pallet!" she grins, hurrying over to the coffee pot and pouring herself a cup. Then she returns back to the table, drinks a swallow of coffee, and then pulls the pie towards her. It's a cherry pie with a crumble-top instead of the usual dough pie-top. She cuts herself a little piece and then samples it.
"Oh wow...I don't think anyone's ever done this before! It tastes like a cobbler-pie, doesn't it! Maybe some vanilla bean ice cream on the side..." she ponders. "I like how crispy the top is...maybe another inch of crumble and it would be perfect!" she exclaims. "You better copyright this before Village Inn or Marie Calendar's finds out about it and steals it! Seriously, Dad!"

Armande smiles broadly, "That's my girl, always thinking," he says as he reaches across the counter and pinches her cheek. "Another inch of crumble...alright I'll remember that." he says. "Alright try the cake. It's lemon with a twist..." he says slicing a piece and giving her it.

Kassandra grins. Her dad's cooking always has a way of cheering her up. She takes another swallow of her coffee and then cuts a slice of the cake. She looks at it in wonder. It's a 2-layer cake, and the bottom layer is yellow and the top layer green. She leans in and sniffs, and then takes her fork and gets a good striated piece of the cake and puts it in her mouth. She chews, and then squints a little and chews slower, her face puckering a little. She takes another swallow of coffee, and then gets only a part of the green cake layer and chews slowly.
"This lime part is a little bitter...it's a really creative idea...I can't believe no one thought of it before! I mean, there are lots of lemon cakes but no lime. The lime parts are a lot moister than the lemon parts, and you'd totally think that the two would go together really well, but for some reason I'm...well...just not liking them together too much..." she says as gently as she can. "I think you should keep working on a lime cake, though! Seriously, Dad! It's another innovation!" she says, hoping she didn't ruin his spirits.

Armande smiles. "Yeah I wasn't too fond of it either. I just wanted to see if I was being too critical." he says. He starts having her try each and everything that he's baked and so far all of them but the lemon-lime cake are excellent. Finally they reach the last baked good and then Armande starts cleaning up the kitchen with his usual fastidiousness.

Kassandra watches him as he cleans as if seeing him for the first time, remembering back to this morning when he talked to Hope with tears in his eyes. She wonders again what he could possibly have to redeem for.
She slowly gets up from the table and walks over to stand behind him, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his back. She doesn't know what she's going to find out about her parents tonight, but she wants to always feel the way she does about them now and forever.

Vanessa watches this with surprise, but continue standing silently. She's dying to know what has caused her daughter to act the way she's been acting tonight.

Armande stops cleaning and looks behind him. "Hey Kassy. Everything ok?" he asks wondering what made his daughter so affectionate.

Kassandra takes in a deep breath and exhales. "I just think you're wonderful, Dad, and I didn't know if you knew that. You're the most generous, kind, talented man I know." she says, taking note of the familiar and comforting smell of cologne from his skin that she's known since she can remember.

Armande smiles. "Thanks Kassy," he says and hugs his daughter. He looks over at Vanessa and gives her a 'what's up?' look. "What brings this up hun? Is everything ok? No one hurt you right?"

Vanessa shrugs back at Armande and shakes her head, her eyes wide in surprise, too.

Kassandra shakes her head. She can't tell him that she saw him at Hope's and doesn't want him to think he's a bad person or needs redemption. She wants him to know that she finds him wonderful as he is right now.
"No...no one's hurt me, Dad. I just couldn't remember the last time I told you that, and I wanted you to know." She pauses. "Can...I talk to the two of you...serious-talk?" she asks nervously.

Vanessa glances at Armande again and pushes off of the wall, nodding. She has a feeling of worry and fear in the pit of her stomach.
"Sure, Kassy...want to go into the parlor?" she asks.

Kassandra nods. "Sure..."

Vanessa waits until her daughter gets closer and then sniffs delicately and carefully. She smells that familiar combination of cigarette smoke and Constantine faintly lingering around her daughter. It's not recent, but from today.

"Alright," Armande says putting the towel on the counter and following the two ladies into the parlor. Once everyone has a seat and Armande has his coffee with him. "So Kassy what's bothering you? You can talk to us."

Vanessa crosses one leg over the other. "It was John, wasn't it. I can tell you've been with him today. What did he say?" she asks, a note of resignation in her voice. She wonders if he's said something to upset her. John has that affect on people!

Kassandra starts a little in surprise, and then shakes her head. "No...it doesn't have anything to do with Uncle John. I just went over to see him and Ric before they leave for England again. Their friend Brendan is dying and doesn't want to be healed."

Vanessa raises her eyebrows. "Really?" She sits for a moment. "He wouldn't say why he was going when he called...I wish he would have said something..." she says thoughtfully. After a minute she looks back at Kassandra.
"OK, Kassandra...tell us what's on your mind, baby." she says encouragingly.

Kassandra takes a deep breath and exhales. "This probably isn't unexpected...you're probably wondering why it took me so long to finally have this conversation with you both...well...the truth is I think I've always known there was something different about you guys than other people's parents-- aside from the obvious fact that Mom is VERY different-- but I've hit a point in my life where I have to know the whole story. The whole truth. No more candy-coating things or skipping past the dark details. I love you both very much, and nothing will change that. I..." She lowers her head. "...I know how I was born. I saw a vision in Uncle John's bathroom. I saw Mom give birth to me. I...I saw the rainbow egg shells come out of you, Mom. I want to know...Mom...Dad...what kind of beings are you, and where did I come from?" she asks carefully, and then sits there looking pale but determined.

Armande blinks for a moment and then leans back. He takes a sip of his coffee, his hands shaking. "Did John show you this? Hmm? Did he? Tell us the truth." Armande says as a little red vein begins to pulse in his head.

Vanessa's face has gone still and pale, and she slowly uncrosses her legs and clasps her hands together tightly, looking at the hardwood floor.

Kassandra shakes her head quickly. If John somehow gets into trouble for this he'll never forgive her! "No...he didn't know what I was doing in there. I can do that with my magik now...I can see into the past and future. I'm a real seeress now...just like you always wanted me to be, Mom." she says.

Vanessa closes her eyes for a moment, and then opens them and looks at Armande.
"She's telling the truth, mi amor..." she says quietly. She closes her eyes again, trying to figure out what to say. Finally she sighs and looks at Kassandra.
"All right, mija...you're right. You're 26 now...you should know everything." She opens her mind-link to Armande.
'Oh my god oh my god...!!!!' she thinks loudly to him while keeping her face calm. 'How should we DO this??'

Armande nods, his hands still shaking, but the red vein is gone. "Look honey. Just know that whatever you hear tonight we love you alright? Whatever is said doesn't change that fact." he says. "You understand?" he asks almost pleadingly.

Kassandra nods quickly, looking at him intently. "Of course!" She looks back at Vanessa. "I saw how Mom looked at me when I was born...I saw how she cried and thanked the loas...I know you both love me." She has excitement in the pit of her stomach. They're really going to tell her!

Vanessa nods to herself. "All right. I'll tell you about myself. Then I'll let your father tell you about himself. Then I'll tell you how we met and where you came from." she says softly.
Vanessa closes her eyes and says a quick prayer to the loas that they help her with this. Then she looks back at Kassandra.
"As far as I can estimate I was born in 1942 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. I was an orphan and lived on the streets with the other orphans. I didn't have a name...didn't remember my parents. There was a kind older lady named Rosa Negra who made sure we had dinner and a place to stay if we were cold and hungry, and she'd tell us stories. We knew she was a powerful voudoun mambu, so we always felt safe with her...protected by her. She was our mother. But I alone got the courage to ask her to teach me when I was 12, and she said she'd been watching me and would be willing to teach me. And so I became her student. I'd chosen the name 'Vanessa' because it felt sexy and powerful to me, and so was called Vanessa ever since."
"When I turned 16-- like you-- I was allowed to conduct my first ritual, and was ridden by Ayida Wedo...my beloved patron-loa. I didn't turn into a snake as you did, but I would have been so thrilled to be able to do that! I wasn't a mage...but I think your Uncle John would have called me a 'hedge.' When I was 18 Rosa told me that I was ready to move on to the next step in my transformation into a great mambu. She said it would involve drinking her blood, and that her blood had been made immortal many, many years before that. I would remain a human...mostly...but would be given some enhanced abilities and would stop aging from that moment on. Of course I agreed, and became a being called a 'revenant.'"
"Then she let me know how her blood had been made immortal. A being that popular culture calls 'vampire' but we call 'kindred' had removed all the mortal blood from her body and filled her with kindred blood. Her mortal body had died that night, and then been reborn immortal...kindred. However, there was a price to pay. She could no longer walk in daylight...could no longer gain sustenance from anything but blood...could not longer bear children. However in return she could learn powers beyond her imagination and would never age. She also told me that all of this could be mine, as well, if I wanted it. And, of course, I told her I did. And so after teaching me as much as I could learn as a revenant, she finally transformed me into an immortal like herself when I was 24."

Kassandra listens to all of this, enrapt in her mother's story. "So�you ARE a vampire? Like�like the vampires Uncle John has taught me about? Stake in the heart, hate holy water and all of that? Go out hunting mortals at night?" she asks, although not disrespectfully, just excitedly.

Vanessa winces and draws back a little, looking hurt. She glances at Armande and then back at Kassandra.
"You make it sound like I'm a mythological cartoon character." She says a touch self-defensively. "We don't all have to go out and hunt. Ever since you were born your father has brought home blood-bags from our supplier for me to drink from. And I'm sure your Uncle John knows that stakes in the heart don't kill us�especially SOME of us on which it's completely useless. Holy water only works if the person using it is especially faithful. It's the person, not the tool." She says and then sits back, looking self-conscious.

Kassandra sees her mother looking self-conscious and feels a stab of guilt. "I'm sorry, Mom...I didn't mean to upset you..." she says quickly, but she feels this new awe when she looks at her mother...like she wants to just sit and study her, knowing what she knows now. She can't believe her mother is...'immortal,' to use one of the terms.

Armande sighs and hangs his head a moment. He looks up at Kassandra and speaks, "I was born in 1915, in a little town in Italy. I was raised there till I was twelve and then my family came to New York. I grew up on the streets of Brooklyn and hung with a crew of Mobsters. It was during a job I met a vampire named Carter. He said he needed me and that if I took him up on his offer I would live forever. I took it." he says. "I became a revenant like your mother but never turned into a vampire. I worked for him during the day-- you know pay bills, do all the daytime things that he couldn't do. I met your mother through him. She and I fell in love and moved out here to San Francisco." he says. He looks at her with so much regret in his eyes.

Vanessa moves over and sits beside Armande, taking his hand in hers and holding it tightly-- her skin cold to the touch.

Kassandra listens to her father quietly. 'So that's why she called you "little prince of thieves?"' she thinks to herself.
"So...you have enhanced abilities, too?" she asks quietly. "What kind?" Her mind is spinning. She knew her mother was different, but not her father! This is the real shocker!

Armande shrugs, "I'm a little stronger and heartier than normal people. That's all. I live forever, I won't get sick and age." Armande says. "Are you alright with this. Kassandra?" he asks looking at her sadly.

Kassandra is lost in thought for a moment, and then realizes her father just asked her a question. She looks at him and quickly nods.
"Yes...I'm...just trying to absorb all of this..." she says slowly. "Mom's always joking that you're so much older than her, but...I didn't have any idea how old either of you were, really...and I didn't think anything of it because I think to most kids their parents always look the same age as when they were little...like they don't seem to age..." She pauses, head down, and then looks back up at her parents. "So Dad only needed to drink Carter's blood that once and he became a revenant?" she asks.

Vanessa squeezes Armande's hand and shakes her head. "No...revenants need a drink of the blood at least once a month or they revert back to what they would be if they were normal humans again, and we don't want to think about that, do we?" she says with a sad smile. "No, now I give your father life, and he gives ME life, in return."

Kassandra's eyes widen. "OH!" she suddenly exclaims, hand going to her mouth. "Is that what that was? When I was little I-- hehehehe!" she laughs, flushing bright red. "You two are really loud in the bedroom-- just in case you didn't know that! When I was little I was so curious what was going on in there, and one time I peeked in and...and saw Dad bite you...here--" she says pointing to her neck, "-- and I couldn't tell what he was doing, but it made you...well...really excited..." she says, lowering her eyes and flushing more. "Is that how he gets blood?"

Vanessa glances sideways at Armande with a little grin and nods her head. "Oh yes...and it is about the most pleasurable thing I've ever felt! And in return he shares his blood with me on occasion because he likes how the bite feels as much as I do!" she grins.

"Oh shit!" Armande says. "You saw that?" he asks. He looks over at Vanessa and shakes his head. "What did I tell her about spying." he says. "So honey...is that all you wanted to know?"

Kassandra flushes and lowers her eyes again when her dad looks upset that she'd spied on them. "Sorry Dad..." she says. Then she looks up again.
"No...I have more questions." She's back to being serious again. She thinks for a moment. "So why were you both so reluctant to tell me all of this? It's very close to the story you told me when I was growing up."

Vanessa sighs. "Because before your father and I became a couple we...did a lot of things that we're not proud of. I abused my powers...making people do things against their will...and Carter used to have your father clean up his dirty work. Back in the day we didn't think we were doing anything wrong. You see...there's a reason I haven't introduced you to our old friends. There are different kinds of vampires. I used to be a Sabbat. They are demon-hunters. That's how we met your Uncle John...he's a demon-hunter of sorts, too, and he helped us catch some big demons. However, the Sabbat are also the most violent of all the vampires. Each one seems to have a secret vice they practice. I...was full of anger and resentment against the 'beautiful people' for looking down on me and my kind when I was a child on the street, and so I spent many years getting revenge for this. It was only at the moment I saw your face when you were born that I suddenly didn't want to go back to my old life ever again, and I never have."

Kassandra listens to this quietly. "So that's what Uncle John meant by you being wilder when you were younger?" she asks.

Vanessa's eyebrows raise. "He said that? Oh like he has room to talk!" she laughs. "Yeah...I guess that's what he meant." She looks at Kassandra. "You're not saying anything, honey. It's making your father and I very worried that you're angry."

Kassandra takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "So you guys don't associate with other vampires and revenants anymore? You're just living here in our house together playing humans? Are you always going to do that?" she asks, immediately feeling bad for how that came out.

Vanessa lowers her eyes. "We don't play at anything. I am what I am, and your father is what he is. What we're doing is keeping a low profile to stay out of politics and trouble and be left in peace. The vampire-world can be nothing but back-stabbing and secret-keeping in the worst of times. However San Francisco is different...that's why we raised you here. The vampires here are called Anarchs. All they want is to be left out of politics and live however they choose. I've remained friendly with most of them so they don't wonder what I've been up to and come seek me out. It's worked wonderfully."

"Exactly. When we had you those days were over. We decided to stay here and live a normal life...as normal as we could anyways." Armande says. "We didn't tell you because we were afraid that you would hate us or be afraid of us." he says. "You're not are you?"

Kassandra shakes her head slowly. "No...I don't hate you, Dad. I have to admit, though...I had no idea you were a revenant. I've been suspecting that Mom was a vampire all along, but I didn't know you were anything other than a regular human, so right now I'm seeing both of you through new eyes...not SCARED eyes...just...like 'wow...these two have powers I can't even understand!' I...well...Mom...I've always thought vampires were bloodthirsty and only see humans as food. So that's not true then? I mean...I'm a human...how do you see me? Or Uncle John?" she asks, needing to understand.

Vanessa holds Armande's hand tightly, her eyes a little red-rimmed with tears. "I see you as my daughter. I see John as someone I can torment, although fondly." she says, trying to keep her voice steady. I do not see humans as food. On the contrary, I rarely fed from humans even during my darker days. Only when I had to. I see everyone as what they are-- some weak, some magickal, some dangerous, some family, some friends, some enemies. Some vampires do see all humans as food, but that's never been me, Kassandra. So you honestly think I would look at you and see food? My own baby??" she asks, a red tear finally escaping from her eye.

Kassandra has never, NEVER seen her mother cry. That's both parents in one day. A red tear...blood. She's making her mom cry blood. Kassandra's feels horrible remorse, and she quickly gets up and goes over to her parents and kneels in front of them, reaching up and taking each of their hands. "I'm sorry, Mom...I'm just trying to understand so I'm asking every question that comes to mind. Please don't cry!" she begs.

Vanessa lowers her head and closes her eyes. "We've been so terrified that if you found out about us that you'd ask questions like that...as if we were monsters just barely able to contain ourselves around you, or something."

Armande puts his arm around Vanessa. "It's OK, Vanessa. She's just asking a question...I don't think she's afraid of us," he says looking stronger for the first time since this conversation began. "We wanted questions and now we're getting them hun." he says. He looks at Kassandra. "We love you and you're our daughter, Kassandra. That's all you'll ever be."

Kassandra feels bad. She's never seen her mother look so vulnerable before-- her laughing, happy fun-loving mother reduced to huddling against her father and crying.
"Tell me about where I came from." she says in a soft voice. "I've always wanted to know."

Vanessa takes a moment to compose herself, and then nods. "After your father and I fell in love and I heard about his family, I felt bad that I would never be able to give him a child of his own. I knew he'd be great with a child. I never told anyone about that, but I thought about it constantly. What can I say-- I'm a weird vampire! One night I decided to do the great rite where I let Ayida Wedo ride my body so her mate could manifest and mate with her in the flesh, and your father played the drums during the ritual. During the ritual Damballah came and the two mated-- Ayida's spirit within my snake-body." "I didn't know the full story at the time, but I do now. When they mated they took my DNA and your father's DNA and created you out of it using the great and miraculous powers they wield. They created an embryo, and because my body is inhospitable to nourishing a live human baby, they gave you a beautiful, shimmering rainbow egg to house and protect your body while you grew, and give you the nourishment I couldn't. This egg they deposited within my body, and then their spirits told me to watch and protect it because it would grow into something incredible and would have something very important to do one day, and then they departed."
"I 'layed' the egg and then turned back into my human form. My darling serpents immediately came out and wrapped themselves around you to keep you warm and protected. And at night I'd shift back into a snake and wrap around you, myself. I wasn't the only one who thought you were my baby!" she laughs. "And they STILL do, if you haven't noticed!"

Kassandra smiles and nods. Her mother's snakes could compete neck-and-neck with her father for who's more protective of her!

"Anyhow..." Vanessa continues, "...the months went by, and I could feel you move and kick in the egg! I didn't know what exactly was in the egg, I just knew that I loved it and would protect it with my life and couldn't wait to see the egg hatch. When we were told we needed to move to San Francisco I decided I wanted to keep you inside of me to better protect and keep you secret, and so I turned into my snake-form and swallowed you back into my body, and when I turned into my human-form again you fit perfectly in the center of my body somehow. There you finished your nine months of growing, and when the egg finally cracked I went into labor. I just happened to be in John's living room with the other vampires of my pack-- a pack is like your cabal, only it's made up of vampires."
"I had only just barely told them about you-- I'd been keeping you a secret from everyone but your father to protect you-- so I wanted to give birth to you in private because I was so worried that one of them would want you...I had NO idea how they would react to you! So I knelt in John's bathtub so I wouldn't make a bigger mess, and that's where you were born. I had NO clue that the being inside that beautiful shell was a human baby girl, nor that she was in every sense of the word my daughter...your father's daughter...and a mage! It was the most earth-shattering moment of my life, and it changed us both forever."

"Wow..." Kassandra says quietly, tears in her own eyes now. She sits there struggling with words for a moment, looking from Vanessa to Armande.

"Yeah and when she came home to show me, I was shocked to my core." Armande says. "And the fact that you looked a bit like me shocked me as well!" he says with a big smile. "That's when we knew we could no longer live with her pack. It was time to move. And we've been here ever since."

Vanessa smiles and nods at Armande with love in her eyes. "He thought I was just teasing him when I told him that you had his thick black hair until he layed his eyes on you, himself!" she laughs. "The moment he saw you he knew you were his somehow! We were SO happy when we found out that it was biologically true!"

Kassandra's face is alight with wonder. "So the loas took the parts they needed from each of you to make a human baby...I'm kind of like those babies that doctors make from fertilized eggs in a lab and then insert into the mother's womb, hoping one of them implants and turns into a baby, except with me the loas made it a sure thing!"
Kassandra knows all about pregnancy from what she learned during her 3 years of working with infertile couples in the voodoo community.

Vanessa laughs and nods. "Exactly! The gods are always far ahead of medical science, and it's only once medical science figures out one of the mysteries that it's suddenly no longer 'impossible!' Ha!" she laughs, reaching down and touching her daughter's face fondly. "What do we need with science, hmm?"

Kassandra closes her eyes and rests her face against her mother's hand. She's feeling much calmer now...her parents have stopped looking like strangers and have resumed looking and feeling like her parents again. And suddenly all the mysteries are gone...the dark corners where secrets lay are lighted and aired...she feels so much better...calmer. Now she understands what Andell meant by "I know what your father is." Now she understands why her father is seeking redemption. Not because he's a revenant, but because of the things he did before and after he became one.
And, of course, everything about her mother makes sense...why she was always drinking "wine" at the dinner table and never eating...why she has the "sun allergy"...why she looks like a cold, dead statue when she sleeps, and then suddenly flushes with life when the sun goes down...why she has the special powers she does! She's so glad there's finally an explanation for all of this!!
Suddenly she gives a little laugh, still resting her face against her mother's hand. "Poor Uncle John...he knew all of this and couldn't tell! I've been such a torment to him lately!" she smiles. "I guess I take after my mother!"

Vanessa gives her a gentle swat and laughs. "Good, because he deserves it!" she says with a firm nod.

"Yeah he does," Armande agrees. He sighs, relieved that his daughter is taking this all so well. He leans back in the chair and lets out his breath. "You don't know how happy this makes us, Kassandra. To see you accept it all. We were so worried." he says.

Vanessa nods, her face sobering a little. "OH yes we were...we told you as much as we thought we could without making you think we were monsters, or something. I don't want you to think we held back information for any other reason than that we didn't want you to be afraid of us."

Kassandra nods. "I understand, Mom...I do. Plus, I was thinking about it, and if you'd told me the whole truth when I was little, I'm sure I would have blabbed it to my friends and enemies alike to get them to like or respect or fear me, or something...you know how kids are! One kids threatens to beat you up and you're automatically telling them how big and tough your dad is, and how he's going to come and beat the shit out of them if they dare touch you! Just imagine what *I* would have been able to say about MY dad!" she grins. "Not that I didn't already have the toughest, strongest dad at school, anyway!" she smiles proudly at her father.

Armande smiles. "You got that right." he says. "That's why we didn't tell you hun. We had thought the same thing, and it's not something we wanted to get around. We're so glad you understand." he says.

Kassandra nods and crawls closer to hug her parents tightly. The three continue talking for quite some time-- Kassandra asking questions as they come to her, and her parents eager to answer. They eventually migrate back into the kitchen where Armande and Kassandra do more damage to the desserts, and then finally Kassandra realizes it's after midnight and she hasn't been back to the chantry in almost 24 hours! She did leave a couple of messages with Jishna, but she needs to get back and make sure everything's OK and let them know she's fine.
Her parents walk her to the door with the rest of the pastries-- which she does NOT intend to share!-- and she hugs her mom and dad good-bye and heads back to her car, feeling lighter and happier than she has in a long time.

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