{"id":21644,"date":"2023-12-08T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2023-12-08T16:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sylumclan.com\/sylumblog\/?p=21644"},"modified":"2023-11-24T21:39:56","modified_gmt":"2023-11-25T05:39:56","slug":"sylum-advent-2023-day-eight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sylumclan.com\/sylumblog\/sylum-advent-2023-day-eight\/","title":{"rendered":"Sylum Advent 2023: Day Eight"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Title:<\/strong> Episode 2 – Salina Cruz\u00a0<\/span>
\nAuthor:<\/strong> Bj Jones<\/span>
\nSeries:<\/strong> Crossroads<\/span>
\nPairing:<\/strong> Dom\/Brian<\/span>
\nSummary:<\/strong> The group travels through Mexico and arrives in Salina Cruz at the ranch.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Brian groaned as he dropped down into the car. “I definitely ate too much breakfast, but that was fucking fantastic.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom laughed. “Yeah, their food is great here. That’s why we usually make this the first stop on the way back home.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Is Vince riding with us or Han?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Han. I’m not listening to you two bickering again all day.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian blew a raspberry as he pulled on his seatbelt. “He was the one who started it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“He always does. He likes to poke people with sticks. Vince lives a dangerous life, considering someone in our Clan is always on the other end of that stick.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Laughing, Brian settled in as Dom slowly pulled out of the parking lot. “I think he misses Leon already.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Oh, I know he does. They’ve always been thick as thieves, and they’ve pulled Jesse into that mostly, but those two have always been close. Yeah, they bicker and do stupid shit to hurt each other sometimes, because they’re only human, but it’s never malicious. Even this thing with Jesse wasn’t malicious when it came to what happened to Vince, but Vince is less inclined to forgive him, especially with Jesse doubling down on not taking responsibility for his part in everything.<\/span><\/p>\n

“But yeah, Leon’s not here, and he’s not going to be talking to Jesse anytime soon, so he’s a little bereft. He’ll survive.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian laughed and then settled in further as they got on the road. “Can I ask a question? I haven’t asked, because I’ve got the feeling it’s kind of a thorny topic, but I also don’t want to inadvertently stumble into a minefield about it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Sure, you can ask me anything. If I can’t answer, I’ll let you know.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“It’s about Leon. I heard Vince mention that he doesn’t want to be Turned during a conversation he was having with someone else, and I was wondering if there was a reason I needed to steer clear of, or if it was just him not wanting the immortality aspect. I figure some people would find that a hard no.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom sighed. “Yeah, this is something you need to know, and Leon gave me permission to talk about it if you ever asked. It’s…not a good or happy story. Remember I told you that he was Mia’s great-grandson?”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian nodded as he shifted in his seat so he could look at Dom more easily. “Yeah, making him your great-grandnephew. Which is kind of trippy.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Laughing, Dom nodded. “Yeah, I can see that. But yeah, he’s her great-grandson, which reminds me to give you a heads-up that several great-grandchildren are running around as Chosen, so you’ll probably meet some of them, especially around the holidays. They pop up now and again.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Good to know. Are any of them looking to be Turned?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“There’s a couple that we’re pretty sure will be eventually, but they’ve got time for it, and they honestly don’t want to be baby-faced when they do.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I can understand that, if there’s no real need for them to be Turned earlier,” Brian said. “But Leon doesn’t want it.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“No.” Dom cleared his throat. “Leon’s mother, Mia’s granddaughter, got married fairly young and moved away from the Clan. Leon was born a couple of years after they got married. They came occasionally, mostly during the big family holidays when it would be weird for them not to come, and they gave the impression of being a good, solid, happy family.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We had no fucking clue that for the rest of the year, that piece of shit was an abusive motherfucker who routinely beat her and Leon whenever the hell he felt like it, which was pretty much on the regular from what Leon said later. She never said anything or gave any indication of what was going on, and Leon was so young…”<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom blew out a breath, clearly distressed by the conversation, and part of Brian felt bad for even bringing it up. “When Leon was about ten, Maria had had enough. She planned to leave him and bring Leon to the Clan for protection. He found out that she was going to leave. We never did discover how she found out about it. We always suspected an enemy might have found out, possibly an affiliate of Tran, but there was never any evidence of that, so it could have just been bad luck that he overheard her when she was making plans or something. I really don’t know.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“What did he do?” Brian asked softly. He had a horrible feeling he knew exactly where it was going.<\/span><\/p>\n

“That bastard bought a gun, shot Maria in front of Leon, and then he shot Leon. Then the bastard took himself out. Murder-suicide. A neighbor heard the shots and called the police immediately. From what I understand, they got there quickly, but by the time they got there, only Leon was alive. The other two died almost instantly. It was touch and go for a while with Leon, but he managed to pull through after an extensive stay in the hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Mia was Leon’s emergency contact on his paperwork, which the hospital had on record because he’d been there for a broken arm he got at school and later for appendicitis. She went there immediately and took over his entire life. She was also named the guardian in their will, and she went about adopting him immediately. The bastard’s family tried to protest it and cause issues, but we were all vicious and it was proved that they knew about the abuse of both Maria and Leon and did absolutely nothing. Leon hasn’t seen or spoken to them by his choice since then. When he was eighteen, they tried to contact him, and he told them to eat shit and die.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Brian said, rubbing his face. “I don’t know how he lives with that kind of thing, honestly. I think it would break a lot of people.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“It’s not easy for him, and he’s had a lot of therapy for it over the years,” Dom told him. “It’s helped to have Vince around. It gave him someone to finish growing up with. He’s had nightmares ever since, but they’re not as frequent as they used to be. He’s definitely suffering from PTSD. He despises guns so much that he had to learn to defend himself with a sword because he refuses to get near one.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, I can imagine,” Brian said, glad that his gun was now with the LAPD. “Is he still in therapy?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“He talks with Red about once a month, in person if we’re in Mexico and over the phone if we’re up in LA or we head off somewhere else for a vacation or something. He makes sure to check in. He’s learned to live with it, and he’s grown comfortable in our safe environment, but he’ll never be Turned. He says he’d rather pass on naturally, and then make that decision in another lifetime.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian frowned. “What if someone like Tran Turns him, like Tran did Mia?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“He said he’d seek out the Council to put an end to his life. He doesn’t want to live with this for the rest of his life. He feels like it’s ruined him, and he’s just making the best of this life he can. We understand it, and we support his decision on it. Any grief we have over it is purely for selfish reasons. It’s his decision and we’ll respect it, no matter what.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, I can’t blame anyone for any of that, especially not him. It’s not easy living with that kind of trauma. Hell, it wasn’t easy seeing people go through that kind of trauma as a cop. I’ve seen a few scenes that will live inside my head for the rest of my life.” Brian blew out a breath. “Thanks for telling me. Knowing that, I’m really glad I won’t accidentally poke that particular wound.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“You needed to know, so I’m glad you asked.” Dom picked up his hand and kissed the back of it. “I’m really glad you decided to come with us.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“No place I’d rather be. Though I do wish I was a little less full right now. I really did eat too much.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom laughed at him and Brian sat back to stare at the scenery.<\/span><\/p>\n

~*~<\/span><\/p>\n

They were still a couple of hours from stopping for the night when Brian nudged Dom a little. “Tell me about where we’re going. What’s it like there?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“The ranch or just the area in general?” Dom asked, glancing over at him.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Both.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, the biggest city nearby is Salina Cruz. The Clan actively works to keep it as safe as possible, since a lot of our workers and our Chosen come from there. Like I said, it’s pretty much an open secret that we’re not normal. Some of the kids that used to run around the ranch as children or frequent our shops are now grown and have kids of their own who frequent our shops. We own several businesses in town, several people in the Clan and our Chosen work as police. Gabe works at the hospital there, and Mia plans on working there once she’s done with her schooling and her residency.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Other than that, there are several smaller towns and villages around the area, and some of the people there also work at the ranch, especially during planting and harvesting seasons. Many are year-round employees who help take care of the greenhouses and the animals.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“And you don’t have problems with them knowing that there’s something up?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“No, not really. We pay very well, we provide food to the markets there, and we also make sure there’s clean water available, especially when there may be issues getting clean water into the area for some reason or the other. I know a lot of people think of places like tourist cities when they think of Mexico, but Mexico is not an easy place to live when you’re out in the middle of nowhere.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian nodded. He could well imagine that certain things were a luxury for some of the more remote places. “What kind of animals do you guys have at the ranch?” Brian asked curiously.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We have cattle and horses. Goats. Several types of birds. Chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys…emus.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Emus?” Brian said, staring at him with amusement. “Why, of all things, do you have emus<\/em>? Aren’t they one of the big asshole types of the birds?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“All birds are assholes if you want to be real about it. Don’t piss off a chicken, and definitely stay clear of the geese. They’re real dicks. But yeah, emus have an attitude. And as to why, ask Daniel about that sometime. It was his brainchild after all. We just went along with it, because the fight wasn’t going to be worth it. Daniel’s weird about some things.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian laughed. “Okay, well I’ll make a note to ask him about it next time I see him.” Brian ran his hand through his hair. “What’s the living space like?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“There’s the main house, which is where the majority of Border’s Council lives. Then peppered all around it, behind the main house, are several other large, two-story homes. The compound area is situated on a cliff-like area. Not too high up, but high enough up that we don’t have to worry about water issues unless there’s a massive storm. There’s a long, sturdy walkway leading from the house down to the beach. It’s part stairs, part ramp, and goes all the way down at a safe incline for wheelchairs if need be. There’s also a huge garage area near the homes for people to work on their cars. There are also garages near the race track we have there.<\/span><\/p>\n

“There’s also an airstrip for the plane, as well as a hangar and everything we need to make sure we don’t have issues with our plane landing on the ranch’s property.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Wow. It must be huge.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“It is. There’s also an underground area, a big portion of it underneath the main house, but we also have passages to the other homes. Mostly down there are the conference rooms, the science labs, and the infirmary. It’s all above sea level despite being so close to the beach.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Sounds like it’s going to be an interesting place to explore while I get my feet under me,” Brian said. “I don’t even know what to do with myself now that I’m not a cop and everything’s so different.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Don’t worry about it too much right now,” Dom said. “Not that you can’t think about it, but don’t stress over it. You’ve got a lot you’ll be preoccupied with, just learning about the Clan and what it means to be Turned and be a Vampire. Don’t stress yourself out about whatever it is you might want to do. Give yourself a chance to breathe and experience everything. Not everyone gets a chance to just ease themselves into this world.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian knew he was right, so he relaxed and put it out of his mind for now. He knew he had a huge learning curve ahead of him, and he had to inevitably deal with the culture shock that his new circumstances thrust him into. Worrying about a job when he basically was going to have forever was kind of ridiculous.<\/span><\/p>\n

~*~<\/span><\/p>\n

“Seriously, I’m going to have to learn Spanish,” Brian said to Vince as they headed back toward the cars with bags full of snacks from one of the vendors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vince hummed as he took a drink of his soda. Then he nodded as he swallowed. “Yeah, it’s going to be necessary. But there’s a ton of people that can help you with that, including Dom. It’s honestly easier when you can immerse yourself and just dive in once you get some basics down.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian sighed. “Yeah, I get that. I took Spanish in school and everything, and I know some words, but I don’t know how useful it actually is. I know that what they teach isn’t really what they use outside of Spain more often than not.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, the dialects are different in Mexico, so the words and phrases, and especially slang, aren’t always the same. It’s weird, but it is what it is. You’ll be fine. We’ll make sure you don’t make yourself look too much like a dumbass.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Cute. I’m riding with Han. Go and bother Dom for a while.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Will do,” Vince said, jogging towards the Charger while Brian headed for his car.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Decided you wanted to be with the most awesome person in the group?” Han asked as he slid into the car.<\/span><\/p>\n

“You know it. Also gotta keep Dom on his toes. He needs to remember that there are irritants in his life that aren’t going anywhere.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Han laughed and started the car. “Very true. Now, how are you really doing?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Great, honestly. I mean, I’m sure at some point I’m going to be overwhelmed and oversaturated, but I’ve decided that right now I just need to kind of go with the flow and let this river of insanity take me wherever it’s heading.” He blew out a breath. “So, what do you <\/em>do when you’re down here in Mexico? I can’t believe I haven’t asked you that yet. I know you’re not on the Council.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“No, and honestly that wouldn’t take much work every single day even if I was. For most of the Council, it’s just keeping on top of things and being there when needed.” Han shrugged as they followed Belle’s car back onto the road. “I really just do whatever needs to be done. I help around the ranch since that’s a neverending operation. Sometimes I’ll work at one of the stores we have in Salina Cruz when they need someone to cover due to illness or vacation or whatever. Sometimes I volunteer at the hospital or the local schools to help out where I can. And sometimes I’ll just go to one of the mechanic shops we have and work on the cars there.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Since people know us and know we won’t rip them off, we get a lot of business in those places. The workers there are held to very high standards, and it’s honestly done a lot to keep other garages more honest. I mean, there are still some people offering sub-par work for much cheaper and they do get business, but we do our best to help accommodate those who are in poor financial situations. We’ve had to help more than a few who spent a lot at those cheaper shops, only to find their car broke down again a week later because the problem wasn’t fixed right, or they made more problems fixing the one.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, that sucks, but I guess that’s human nature,” Brian said.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, a lot of people suck, but we can’t do much about that. We keep the area as safe as possible from violent crime and drugs, but we can’t do anything about people being assholes or people going to the assholes for work, even if they know they’re going to get suckered.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I really don’t understand people sometimes,” Brian said as he rummaged through his bag and picked a snack. “How are you doing with everything? I mean, I know that you might not want to talk to me about anything, all things considered, but I just want to make sure…” He shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m so out of my depth with all of this.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Han snagged a chip out of the bag Brian offered and munched on it. “I’m actually okay. I can’t lie and say I’m not a little sad that things changed so much, considering Dom and I have been in each other’s pockets for nearly sixty years, but it’s not changing all that much in the grand scheme of things, and we always knew the score. And honestly, I’m really happy for him. Finding our Mates is always the ultimate goal. Yeah, it can go bad or seem impossible, but those instances are rare. Usually, like this, it’s a good thing.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Han grinned at him. “Really, don’t worry about me. I’m fine, and I’m not putting on a brave face for any kind of tragic mourning I’m doing or anything. Out of everyone, I’m probably one of the most practical members of Border. I promise I’m not going to fall apart on anyone.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian blew out a breath. “Okay, then. I’ll take you at your word, but if you act like an idiot, I reserve the right to literally kick you in your ass.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Han laughed. “Deal.”<\/span><\/p>\n

~*~<\/span><\/p>\n

It was fairly early on their final day of travel, around ten a.m. when they pulled off the Costera and onto a well-tended but clearly private road.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Where are we?” Brian asked as he looked away from the water once they started pulling away from where he could easily see it.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We’re on the outskirts of the Clan’s territory. Like I said, it’s big, and taking the Costera to Salina Cruz itself is counter-productive since we’d have to double back to get home. This is the back road that leads to the house.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“So we’re really close,” Brian said, his nerves getting a little jumpy. Why, he wasn’t sure, but he figured while it might be a little anxiety, it was also excitement and maybe a little bit of just wanting to get out of the damn car. They’d kept the days pretty short and they’d taken a lot of frequent stops on their scenic route to the Clan’s property, but they’d still been in the car for fucking days and Brian was just over it.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, about ten minutes,” Dom said, pointing off to the left where a small tower could be seen. “Airstrip is over there. Out that direction is where the race track and the big garage are. It’s also where we store the cars that we’ve collected but don’t drive often. Those of us who collect vintage cars, anyway. And as you can see, most of what’s out in this direction are fields. Looks like they’ve planted wheat and beans this growing season. Up closer to the house we have orchards of avocado and mango trees, as well as some citrus trees. We also have a significant apiary for both honey and beeswax production as well as pollination of the trees and crops. The gardens also have a significant amount of bee-friendly flowering plants.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I can’t wait to explore everything. I never really got to have any of these kinds of experiences as a kid, since we were mostly urban. Didn’t know anyone who had a farm or ranch or anything, and we didn’t really go on those kinds of field trips while in school.” Brian grinned. “You might have to put a cowbell on me so you can find me in case I get lost out there.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom laughed. “Luckily the terrain around the inhabited part of the property is pretty flat. Which means if you head out to the more hilly areas, you should be able to see the house from the higher elevation. But if you want a cowbell, I’m sure we can get you one.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Good to know.” Brian just soaked in everything as they continued to drive, until the houses came into view as they passed through the last of the crops that surrounded the road they were on. “Wow. I knew it had to be pretty big, but it’s honestly way bigger than expected. And the top of the houses are all very flat.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Yeah, it’s one of the types of houses you can find in Mexico. The roof has a whole patio set up that you can go up and relax, and have a wider view of the area. All of the houses have them, and they’re all railed so that any kids who get up there won’t just go flying off.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian did note the ornate railing that went around it. “Good to know. Kids get up to all kinds of things when you turn your back on them. They get into a lot of trouble even if they really don’t mean to.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“They do. But honestly, adults are sometimes a lot worse. Daniel’s actually fallen over the railing and to the ground below when he was acting like an idiot. It’s a good thing he’s a Vampire because he broke several bones when he hit the ground.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I don’t doubt it. That’s not a short height to fall from.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“It’s why we rarely ever allow kids up there, and they have to be with parents who are keeping an eye on them. But sometimes they’ll sneak up if you’re not careful.” Dom drove around the side of the house until they were pulling onto the circular driveway. “Home sweet home.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Good, because my ass is precariously close to becoming permanently numb,” Brian said as he got out of the car immediately and stretched. “I’m not getting in a car for any distance anytime soon.”<\/span><\/p>\n

A laugh sounded from the porch and Brian looked over to see two men standing there. One was blond and had a kind, open face. He definitely had one of those faces that a grandmother would love to pinch as they cooed at him. The other man was dark-haired and had more striking, sharper features, but his expression was just as kind as the other man’s.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Brian, I would like you to meet our Clan Leaders, Josiah Scurlock and Jos\u00e9 Chavez. Josie, Joe, this is my Mate, Brian O’Conner.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian laughed silently as the other two men gave Dom a flat glare. “It’s nice to meet you both, though I think I’ll refrain from the apparently unwanted nicknames.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“They love it,” Han said flippantly as he walked up with Vince.<\/span><\/p>\n

“I will hunt both of you for sport,” Jos\u00e9 said, looking between Han and Dom before looking at Brian. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m glad you decided to join us down here. You can call me Jos\u00e9, and this one’s just Josiah. We don’t really stand on ceremony around here. You’re more than likely going to be told off for calling anyone anything other than their first names or the nicknames they prefer.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Brian stepped back as Belle and Suki came up and Belle introduced her. Brian didn’t pay much attention to them as they talked, simply soaking up what was all around him.<\/span><\/p>\n

“There y’all are,” a woman’s voice said from the doorway, preceding a short Black woman who was giving most of them a dead stare as she looked around. “It’s about time you got here.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“We took the scenic route so that you would have more time to prepare,” Dom told her as he went up to her and kissed her cheek.<\/span><\/p>\n

The woman Brian presumed to be Missouri Moseley huffed and shook her head. “Introduce me to your man, Dom. I already like him better than you.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Brian grinned at Dom as he heaved a great sigh and motioned for him to come forward. “This is Brian. Brian, as you probably guessed, this is Missouri.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” Brian said, offering his hand.<\/span><\/p>\n

“The pleasure is all mine, baby,” Missouri replied. “You’re a brave, young man, throwing your hat in with this group of cackling hyenas. I despair of them more and more every day.” She glanced over to Suki, who was jogging up the stairs, apparently intent on introducing herself. “And who is this ray of sunshine?”<\/span><\/p>\n

“I’m Suki,” Suki replied, holding out her hand. “I’m Belle’s Mate.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Well, you’re just adorable. Now, I know you two have to be hungry. This group often forgets what it’s like to be human and that you can’t live off air alone. Come with me. I’ve got a whole spread waiting for you two.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“We took care of them just fine,” Dom called out, rolling his eyes when Missouri just gave him her best ‘bitch, please’ expression, before escorting the two grinning humans into the house.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Vince, get your butt in here!” Missouri called out from just inside the door. “You probably need to feed too!”<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom rolled his eyes again while Jos\u00e9 and Josiah laughed at him. “I know how to take care of humans, thank you.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Josiah grinned. “You know she’s continually surprised that most of us can walk and talk at the same time.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Not like she’s wrong,” Jos\u00e9 said. “Some of us in this Clan have given her reason to think we can’t <\/em>talk and walk at the same time.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Dom shook his head. “I better get in there. There’s no telling what she’s going to tell Brian about all of us.”<\/span><\/p>\n

“Oh, like that’s going to stop her,” Josiah said, laughing again as all of them headed toward the main doors. “Welcome home, Dom.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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