The Arcane Ultimatum by Andrew S. French

Author:Andrew S. French
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: A. S. French

15 ALICE: BLOOD

I didn’t fall, but placed my hand on my mother’s and steadied my feet.

‘The evolution of the supernatural?’

She led me towards the groups of white-coated people working in the lab.

‘Ever since I created the Foundation - long before your father betrayed me, betrayed us, and Lucy dragged me to Hell – I’ve wanted to help others like me. It didn’t matter if they were human or supernatural. After centuries of running and hiding, I was determined to support the oppressed of this world. But I was never sure how to go about it. The organisation was in its earliest stages when I went into hospital and…’ She stared at me. ‘Well, you know the rest.’

Dr Silk was at my side. ‘I did my best without your mother’s guidance, helping the less fortunate in the city where I could, but it was always difficult reaching out to those beings that weren’t human.’ He beamed at her, and then at me. ‘But now, with you two here, we can fulfil all of our ambitions.’

Mother led me to a bench full of test tubes and phials. ‘Julius and his colleagues will collect blood and DNA samples from every supernatural being we find.’ She pointed at Amy. ‘Ms Weaver has been promoted to oversee all the data collecting, inputting, and collating. And you, my dear daughter, will analyse everything we gather and formulate a system of the supernatural to rival Darwin’s theory of evolution of natural species.’

My legs buckled again, and this time I had to grab a seat. ‘I need a drink.’

With shaky fingers, I grabbed hold of the bench, the plastic cold to my touch.

‘Here you are, Alice.’

Amy was at my side with a glass of water. I took it and downed it. It slipped between my lips and shivered against the back of my throat. I finished it and placed the glass next to a test tube full of red liquid. It was sealed, but I knew if I removed the stopper, I’d smell blood.

I steadied the shakes and looked around the annexe, observing the people at work and the supernatural creatures I’d just met. To be a scientist; to run experiments, discover new things, and change the world: that’s all I’d wanted since forever. And now everything was waiting for me.

My mother beamed at me. No, that wasn’t all I’d wanted. I’d desired a family as well: a real family, not those fake ones who pretended to like me in all those care homes and foster houses. Well, now I had one. I smiled back at her. It was only when I clenched my fists I remembered I had a sister.

Or did I still have a sister? If what Mother had told me last night was true, would I feel the same way about Cassie if she was working for the American government?

‘So, what do you think?’ Mother’s hand was on my shoulder. I placed my fingers on hers.

‘This is wonderful; thank you.’ Our smiles mirrored each other’s. ‘This is a dream come true for me, but we need to change the terminology we use before we begin.

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