Chapter 18: Chapter 18 - Blood Brothers

What was the first thing you saw?” Corinne asked as she scribbled in her notebook. John sat across from her at the Durhams’ table. Sam sat at the other end, sipping black coffee from a large mug.

John waved his hands excitedly. “It all kinda happened really fast. Mr. Franklin and I saw the two vampires in the kitchen. One was really big, but your uncle took it out with his crossbow, and then he fought the other one with his sword. Your uncle is awesome!”

“Ah, those were weak vamps,” Sam said with a wave of his hand. “Easy pickings.”

Corinne continued. “I see. Did you kill anything?”

John paused. “Um, I shot at one, but I missed. Your uncle killed it.”

“Interesting,” Corinne said, tapping her pencil to her mouth, “What do you think you could have done better?”

John thought for a moment. “I could have aimed more before I shot.”

“Good. I already got information from Uncle Sam and my dad. As they’re the only ranked Hunters, I just need their reports, but this is good practice for you too. Was there anything else you saw or heard?”

“I don’t think so.”

Corinne put the pencil down. “Then, I guess we’re done.” She smiled at him. “Thanks for letting me practice on you.”

John tapped the table. “Sure, uh, no problem, I guess. Any time.”

“Donny,” Sam called to the parlor, still relaxing in his seat at the table, “It’s your turn. Come on in.”

Donovan sat in the living room and looked up from the video game he had been playing against his little brother. He scowled as his character blew up on the screen. Donovan placed the controller down and skulked into the kitchen.

He glowered at his sister. “I’m only going to give a report to a real Chronicler.”

“She’s doing it under my oversight, Donovan,” Sam said angrily, “You will give her your report. Now. I am your supervising Hunter.”

Donovan acted like he did not hear and stomped up the stairs toward his room.

“Donovan! Chris, get your son back in here,” Sam said as he stood.

Christian just sat there with an apathetic look on his face. “He’ll get over it, eventually.”

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“You’re kidding me!” Sam said, his low voice rising in pitch and volume. “He will never respect authority if you don’t make him! He could get us killed in the heat of battle! Besides, the Assessor is coming in a few weeks, we don’t want Donovan disobeying or griping when she’s here. We can’t—” Sam stopped, having suddenly realized that John and Corinne were still sitting at the table. He breathed deeply a couple of times, trying to calm himself.

“Chris, could we talk outside?” Sam asked.

“There’s nothing to discuss,” Christian said simply. Sam stared at him for a few moments, then walked out of the house. John and Corinne sat there in awkward silence. Corinne absently tapped her pencil on her notepad and fought the tears that threatened to cascade down her face.

“I’m going to go talk to Donovan,” John said finally. “I’m sorry for the fight.”

“It’s okay,” Corinne said, pressing her lips together. “Thanks again for letting me practice on you. Just tell him I think he’s a jerk.”

John walked up the stairs toward Donovan’s room. He tried to think up something to say to calm everyone down, but he’d grown up as a single child. He had no idea how to make people happy.

When he entered Donovan’s room, Donovan was sitting on his bed. He was texting someone, probably Emilee. John knocked on the doorframe. “Can I come in, dude?”

“Yeah, sure, whatever,” Donovan said, slowly getting off the bed. He dropped his phone on his dresser. “What’s up?”

“I’m just curious. What’s your problem with Corinne? Why don’t you want Corinne becoming a Chronicler? I thought she was doing okay. She might be a little different than normal people, but she’s nice.”

Donovan sighed and closed his eyes. “People always want to talk about my sister.”

“Seriously, I don’t get it, Donovan. Why—”

Donovan cut him off. “There’s something that’s been on my mind for a while. Did you know there’s an old hunter song about two young hunters who fight vampires together for the first time?” Donovan sang a few lines. “Anyway, at the end of the song, they become blood brothers.”

“What’s a blood brother?”

“It’s something special that we Hunters do. It’s tradition or something. It means we will always fight for one another. You know, like that old saying ‘All for one, and one for all.’”

Donovan grabbed his long, thin knife from the top of his dresser. It was the one he’d used to rescue John from that Merrick vampire. Now that John saw it up close, it was even more beautifully simple. It curved slightly backward like a talon.

John stepped back. “Whoa, dude, what are you going to do with that?”

“My own brother is four,” Donovan continued as if John had not interrupted, “If he has the Gift, he won’t manifest for another few years, so it’s not like I know if he will be able to be my blood brother.” Donovan sliced a small cut on his palm and gave the knife to John. “You need to cut yourself like this. Then, we put our hands together.” Donovan took a piece of paper out of his pocket. “After that, we both read this paper at the same time. It used to be in Latin or something, but we all say it in English now. This will make us blood brothers.”

John hesitated. “Is something supposed to happen when we do this?”

“Not that I know of. It’s just one of our traditions.”

John thought for a moment. Hunters had some weird traditions, but who was he to complain? He picked up the knife, cut his palm, and he and Donovan clasped hands. Then they began to read: “Of two bloods but of the same family, two brothers join the sacred Hunt.” John half-expected some sort of magic to happen, but there was only silence. “We’re brothers now,” Donovan said, smiling.

John grinned lopsidedly. “I’ve never had a brother. This is awesome!”