"There was a vial of the child's blood. I stole it from the nurse who was caring for the baby at the hospital. I had that vial with me when I took you up to the mountains."
"Why did you take me up there? You never explained that."
"To cremate your body. You must remember that when you woke up you were lying on a huge pile of wood." I squeeze his shoulder. "Seymour."
He jumps back and trembles." That's not possible. You're making this story up. I couldn't have been dead. When you're dead you're dead. God damn it, Sita, dontlie to me this way. You're scaring me and I don't like it."
I am patient. "Just before I lit the wood, a strange feeling swept over me. I was looking down at you and I was holding this burning lighter and I couldn't stop staring at your face and thinking how you shouldn't be dead. Then I remembered the vial of blood, and I took it out of my pocket and poured some over your wounds and some down your throat. Then I walked away and stood behind a tree and prayed to God that everything would be all right." I move to his side again and put my arm over his shoulder. Both our eyes are damp. "And you were all right, Seymour. It was a miracle. You were sitting there and everything was perfectly all right." I kiss the side of his face and whisper in his ear. "I wouldn't lie to you about this,you know. I don't lie to those I love."
He is still shaking."But I don't remember any of this."
"Maybe that is part of the miracle. Maybe it is for the best."
He looks at me with a sad little boy's face. "She really killed me?"
"Yes."
"And that baby's blood brought me back?"
"Yes."
He is awed as well as shocked. "That must mean..." He can't finish.
"Yes." I bury my face against his chest and dry my eyeson his robe."I can't let my daughter get to him or to Paula. I just can't. I have to stop her and the only way I can do that is to kill her."
Seymour strokes my hair. Now he comforts me. We make a fine pair.
"Can she be killed?" he asks.
I raise my head. "I think so. Even Yaksha could be killed."
"But she is more powerful than Yaksha.You said so yourself."
I turn away and look at the ocean out the window.
"She must drink blood to survive," I say. "She has needs that only mortal flesh can fulfill. A portion of her must be mortal.She must be vulnerable."
"To the fire of automatic weapons?"He is recovering from the shock.His inner strength never ceases to amaze me. But he is a believer now,even if he won't admit it. Perhaps Lazarus argued that he had never been dead.For God's sake,Jesus,it wasjust abad cold.Yeah,well, why doyou smell sob ad, Laz?
I continue to stand with my back to Seymour.
"I have thought of enlisting their aid,"I say." Butto doso I would have to tell theman awful lot,maybe even what I am. I might have to give them a demonstration."
"You don't want to do that. They'd kill you after they killed Kalika,just to be on thes afe side." Seymour considers. "Kalika is described in their scripture?"
"That'sa perceptive question. Yes. But they haven'tl et me read that portion of the scripture. I only know of their knowledge of Kalika because I eavesdropped on their conversation."
"Did they call her Kalika?"
"The Dark Mother. It is the same difference." I grimace." They have a horrible opinion of her."
"No doubt. Especially if Suzama was as accurate as you say." Seymour scratches his head."You can't tell them that you're a vampire and knew Suzama personally. You would have to drink some blood in front of them to get them to listen to you after that,and then they would go running for their guns.But if you're able to describe Kalika in clear enough terms,they might believe you enough to check her out. How many of them are there?"
"Two dozen,which is a small army if they have the guns I think they do."
"You can give them some of your high-tech weapons."
"I've thought of that as well," I say.
"The only problem is that you don't know where your daughter is."
"That may not be true." I explain how Kalika spoke of her wonderful view, and the large pool below her. Yet this tip only seems to disturb Seymour.
"She mentioned the view," he says. "She went to the trouble to stand out on a balcony when she spoke to you. She knows all about your phenomenal hearing.And she probably knows how few places fit the description of her current residence. Does this add up to something in your mind?"
"A trap, of course. She might be lying in wait for us."
"She might be lying in wait for the entire Suzama Society. If she was watching youl ast night, she might suspect you will turn to them for help."
"I don't know if she takes them seriously. She called last night's lecture boring." I pause. "Plus she promised she wouldn't kill unless it was necessary."
"Oh, that's a relief. I feel a whole lot better now. The Mother of Darkness promises her vampire mother she's not going to get rough unless she gets pushed around. If I understand you correctly, the Suzama Society thinks it is their destiny to kill Kalika.Well,your daughter's not going to stand around and let them fill her full of lead."
I shake my head. "Kalika is many things, but I don't think she would have said such a thing to me unless it was true."
"By that reasoning you should believe she has no intention of harming the child."
"No. Obviously she intends to kill the child. She has killed to try to get to him. She is not some star-struck devotee who wants to gaze upon him in wonder. But her promise to me was something else. In fact, she asked if there was anything she could do for me."
"Still,the Suzama gang will have to hit her hard and quick if they're to survive."
"Agreed. But should we go to them for help? Should we risk their lives? Do we have the right?"
He shrugs."It's their decision."
"Don't be so flip. No matter what you or I tell them,they won't understand how deadly Kalika is until they come face to face with her."
"I meant what I said. Their decision would not be flip. This is something these people believe in. They have dedicated their lives to it. Also, if all this is true, look at what's at stake? If this baby is the Big Guy then the world needs him. Kalika must be stopped,and I have to say no price is too high to stop her."