"Glen..." Elora began.
"Yes ma'am?"
"Would you please translate for me?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Which one of you is in charge?"
Glen repeated the question in French. The vampire who was standing off to the side who appeared to be taking life more seriously raised his index finger.
"Okay. Talk to him." Elora looked at the one who had claimed leadership as she spoke. "Please tell him that our reality has been plagued for at least six hundred years by a virus that mimics vampirism." Glen talked to them quietly. "The infected lose themselves to the disease and become dead to themselves and their loved ones. They commit gruesome murders when they feed. It is a plague that has ravaged our kind, creating centuries of fear and sorrow." Glen spoke quietly again. "And, apparently, you were the source."
When Glen concluded with an accusation of culpability, the five vampires' looks of shock were replaced by scowls. Everyone except the self-identified leader began shaking their heads in adamant denial.
"Tell them it's true, that we don't blame them, because they couldn't have known that our chemistry reacts differently to contact with their fluids, but intentional or not, their kind were the cause. We think the least they can do is agree to stay long enough to help clean up the mess.
"After that we'll be asking for a promise of treaty that their kind will declare this world off limits."
Glen translated. The five went into a huddle and talked animatedly for several minutes. Then the self-identified leader said something to Glen. Glen looked over his shoulder at Elora. "They agree. They will consider it a mission of diplomatic goodwill to the human people of Loti."
Sol looked at Monq. "So what now?"
"I guess we need a place for them to stay and some guidelines about blood."
Monq turned to the vampire and spoke in French. At one point they all laughed. Then Glen translated for the others.
"Monq thanked them for their commitment and said we are going to arrange quarters for them. He said the human population of this world is unaware that vampire exist. They laughed about that. And he said we're going to have to ask them to conform to a few ground rules.
"They said, 'Like what?'
"He said that they need to stay on the premises unless accompanied and that they are to eat the blood substitute - you know, the one we developed for Baka's confinement. And that they are not to interact with the people of this world, for obvious reasons."
One of the vampire said something in reply, but was grinning at Elora as he said it. Glen translated. "He says they do no harm, that women love them. They have a little nip, spread a little seed..."
Javier smiled at Elora seductively and spoke directly to her, saying, "Si je te mords, tu promets de couiner pour moi, mon amour."
Glen paled a little when he looked at Elora. She frowned and said, "Go on. What did he say?"
Glen turned an interesting shade of red and clearly didn't want to repeat it. "He said, 'If I bite you, will you promise to squeal for me, my love?'"
Rammel went straight over the delicately set table en route to a spectacular mid air dive at the vamp who had been looking at his mate while suggesting biting and squealing in the same sentence. When Ram got his hands around the throat of the surprised vamp, it took the combined effort of Storm, Glen, and Elora to pull him away.
Javier was unharmed, but flushed and looking angry, no doubt shocked about what he thought was an unprovoked attack. He didn't quite shout, but did give a small speech in an offended tone.
When Ram had regained a semblance of control, Monq turned to the knights. "I won't repeat that verbatim, but basically he said, 'What's your problem? First, you ruined my blouse and now you come for my throat as well?'"
Glen let go of Ram and walked toward Javier. He said a couple of things while pointing at Elora. Javier looked at Elora then at Ram. Considerably calmer, he straightened his clothes, looked at Ram and said something that was punctuated by a semi-sincere bow of his head.
Glen was clearly working hard at stifling laughter. He directed his attention to Ram and translated the last exchange. "He wants you to know that he meant no offense, that he did not know the lady was your property."
Elora gasped while jerking a wide-eyed and indignant gaze to the vamp. Javier looked thoroughly confused. He shook his head, threw up his hands, and muttered something.
Glen translated. "He said, 'Jeanne's Voices, what now?'"
The best idea they could come up with on short notice was to commandeer the trainees' rec room and turn it into a large temporary dorm. Sol called operations with instructions. When he hung up he said, "They can have it ready in forty-five minutes."
Everyone simultaneously turned and looked at the five vampire who reacted by raising eyebrows and shoulders in a universal gesture to indicate, "What?"