"Where is my wife?" asked James, he was the soldier of his land often going on missions for his king mainly because he was one of the best swordsmen the kingdom had to offer, trained to a high standard. Through his skill he had earned a high position in the kingdoms society and had even been able to marry his childhood friend in Kate. They lived happily near the palace in the capital city of their land. Although he knew Kate wished to have a quiet life he also knew she wanted to settle down and have a family. "Where's Kate?" again asked James looking to his close friend in Chris, they had grown up together, keeping to their pact and always being their when the other needed it, it was how they had always been and intended to stay.

"She's probably at home, you know she expecting your child right? She told you before we left. By rights she will either given birth by now or is in the late stages" responded Chris reminding his best friend his wife was expecting their child when he had left to go on the mission along with several others. He could also remember when Chris told him how excited he was to have a family with the woman he loved. He could even remember James telling him he didn't mind if he had a son or a daughter, both would be loved although he knew the vast difference in what they would become in the future. If he had a son then he would follow in the footsteps of his father and become a nobleman but if he had a daughter she would be a high lady of court and married off when the time was right. To the man that was right for her of course. "Have you thought of names?" asked Chris not recalling James mention any names when they were on their latest mission, although it had taken longer due to the run in both had with a mysterious creature in the shadows.

"Yeah, Akex for a boy and Paige for a girl. Kate always wanted to name a daughter Paige if she ever had one" replied James unsure of how his wife was going to take to his new status. He had stayed away for a few months longer due to not being able to control the raging thirst he felt, he didn't want to hurt his beloved wife or his child so had stayed away until he had learnt to control his thirst and understand what he and Chris had become. Until they had accepted they were now Vampires. The monsters of the night, although he knew like Chris did they could protect their loved ones and the kingdom better now due to being near enough immortal.

Upon arriving to the city gates, they could see the flickering torches that light up the stone city, the iron gates as normal locked to give the residents peace of mind that no one was going to strike in the dead of the night. The gates men soon opened the gate with a small tired smile upon seeing the pair standing there, knowing they had returned from their mission. When the duo looked around the felt peace with the quietness, not a sound out of the ordinary, a few rowdy residents who hung around the bars as well as a few children and new born babies crying could be heard but other than that not a sound they wouldn't have expect to hear. At the end of the street the two men parted way, one carrying on further down the street where as the other turned off to the right heading towards the palace. He knew Kate would be happy to see him again after months apart.

"Kate" called James upon entering the little stone house both of them had called home, he soon heard her whispering voice, opting to follow it as she hadn't made herself known to him other than speaking in a light voice like she was trying not to wake someone or disturb something. He soon entered the room she was in, seeing her standing next to a makeshift crib lying inside he could see a months old child, wrapped in warm clothing and blankets. He knew from the colouring of the blankets the baby was a girl, to which a smile come to his lips, now officially being a knight of the kingdom, a husband and a proud father of a little girl who he knew was going to be his princess like her mother was his queen. "What's her name?" asked James upon managing to form words since laying eyes on the small child in the crib

"Paige" whispered Kate, soon leaving the room noticing there was something different about her husband. She had only whispered where she was but he had some how heard her. Just as she could see the slight change in his eye colour upon seeing his daughter for the first time. "What's wrong with you? You seem different" she asked knowing whatever it was could be a potential threat to their daughter and herself. She once again seen his eye colour change upon asking. It scared the dark haired woman to the point she took a few steps back every time James took a few steps closer to her, until she was backed up against a wall. Kate flinched upon her husband holding a hand out to torch her.

"Kate, its just me" responded James seeing the fear in her eyes at seeing what he had become. He could see his attempts to fool her hadn't worked and she now fear for her life and that of their daughter. Especially since she could see he was no longer the man that had left the village all those months before. "Me and Chris, we were attacked in the forest, by a creature. She looked human but she was faster than anything either of us had seen before. Her eyes glowed blue but she wasn't able to go out in the sunlight. She said we were going to be important and turned us into what she is rather than kill us like she did with the other men in our group" explained James opting to be truthful with his wife and hope she understood he wouldn't harm her or their little princess who was still soundly asleep in her little room. He soon stepped away from her falling to the floor as it dawned on him what he had become. As it dawned on him the stories of the monsters in the night were true.

"Promise me you wont hurt our daughter" spoke Kate still with her back to the wall but with tears in her eyes especially when she realised their daughter wouldn't have a normal life but one where she would be judged by what her parents had done. She knew her daughter would be treated differently now as James no doubt had already figured. She soon watched her husband nod to what she had said, knowing deep down he would never do anything to put her in danger or to hurt her, he loved her and would do all in his power to make sure she was happy. She could remember how he had reacted to finding out she was expecting their first child. "Turn me" added Kate, knowing there was only one way to make sure their daughter had everything she needed. She could also see the confusion in the eyes of her husband. "You know as well as I do the towns people can be cruel to those they see as outcasts. They will consider our daughter as one. So turn me now and then her when she is old enough. We will find a new place to raise her, we will be a family somewhere else where she is loved for who she is rather than outcast for it" finished Kate revealing she would do anything to keep her family together and give her daughter the best start.

"Okay. We will take Chris with us since he too is like this, just minus the wife and daughter" added James knowing if he was going to leave then it was going to be best to take his best friend and fellow knight with him. He knew Chris would help to look after his daughter, just as he knew as she grew she would begin to ask questions and wonder about different things. "There's a castle in the mountains a few hundred miles from here, a few villages near there so she will live happily" added James remembering the mountains he and Chris had passed by on the way home, as well as the villages they had stopped at before continuing on with their journey.

~10 Years Later~

"Have you found any trace of her?" asked Chris to some of the guards of the castle, ever since moving into the castle in the mountains they had become like royalty, the people in the surrounding villages knowing they were vampires or some of them were but calling James their king much like Kate had become their queen, even the now ten year old Paige had become the princess although she was one of the few who could walk around in the sunlight and not be burnt by it as both her parents were. She had asked about it many times but only got vague answers in response. The guard in which Chris had asked soon shook his head no, that in turned caused him to sigh, he knew James was out there looking for his wife and queen, trying to find what had caused her to suddenly disappear the way she had.

"Is my mummy back yet?" came the quiet voice of Paige, her black hair done up in braids the midnight blue ribbon being woven through it, the dress to match the colour of the ribbon hung from her slim frame. James brother in Mason following behind the ten year old. Chris could see the sad look she was giving to both grown men in which she knew she could trust. She knew both of them knew where her father had gone just as both of them knew she knew something was wrong when it come to her mother. "Where's my dad?" added Paige just wanting one of her parents to be there with her instead of her wondering where they were or if they were okay. She knew they couldn't walk in the sunlight like much of those who lived in the castle couldn't.

"You're daddy is out looking for your mum Paige. He will be home once he has found her. You know he can't leave his little princess for too long. He loves you too much" responded Chris, holding his arms out to her, knowing she would willingly accept his hug. He knew most of the guards around the castle had come to adore the ten year old princess, mainly because she was so kind and she was literally the only child to live in the castle. The others she called friends come from the near by villages and often had to come during the nights or travel for days at a time to visit the princess in the shadows. "He'll be home soon, everyone knows he wont leave his princess for long, he'll always come back to you" added Chris, knowing James would come home to his daughter, he knew the man too well, his princess was one of the more important people to him.

"Come on Princess" spoke Mason, holding his hand out for the ten year old to take. He knew his niece was precious to his brother, after all she was the only child he would ever have, becoming a vampire had rendered him unable to have any more children. A smile come to his lips as she took hold of his hand and allowed him to lead her back to her play room in one of the towers. James had thought of everything when it come to the needs of his daughter and the things she would need while growing up, he had someone to teach her all the important lessons that he and Kate couldn't. Chris could only smile and wave at the ten year old when she looked back at him, she knew something was wrong, she was smart for her age. Just minutes later James returned to the stone castle, making sure his young daughter didn't see him in his current state.

"Where's Kate?" asked Chris, making sure neither Paige or Mason were around, he knew the little princess would only ask where her mother was and if her father was okay considering the state he was in, blood on his hands the shocked almost in some sort of trance. In his hands was an urn of some sort a cap on the top to make sure the contents couldn't get out. James could only look down at the urn in his hands, remembering the beauty his wife processed that his daughter had also inherited just as she had her mother's kindness. He could remember everything about the woman he had married, the love of his life. Although he knew there was a high chance he would forget one day due to him being a vampire who could live for centuries.

"They killed her, tore her heart out. For some sort of ritual" whispered James not daring to speak any louder, he knew the castle walls had a habit of echoing and could make once voice sound closer than it was. "A Sharman said she could come back if I release her ashes, she will return in the place her ashes land" added the man who had become a king in the eyes of the people in the surrounding villages. The tears in his eyes only grew when he caught sight of the picture he had made of his wife and daughter. "Where's Paige?" asked James knowing it would be better to tell her now that he had failed to bring her mother home as he had promised he would do. Instead he had come back with her ashes and in grieving for the loss they had both suffered, he only hoped she would forgive him for his failure to reunite mother and child again and make their family whole once more.

"She's up in her tower, with Mason" responded Chris watching as James nodded and walked over to the stairs that lead to the tower in which Chris had been referring to. Using his speed to make it to the top in seconds, hearing her laughter as she played with the toys. He knew the words he was going to tell her would destroy her happiness and her whole outlook on life. He also knew he would have to step up and be the father she needed as well as the protective parent he promised he would be.

"Hey there Princess" spoke James upon entering the room having cleaned himself off so not to scare her, he smiled over to his older brother in thanks, while also accepting the hug from his daughter who as always was delighted to see him. "Paige I have something important to tell you, but its not good" added James making sure to inform his daughter the news he was going to tell he wasn't going to be good as she was probably expecting it to be. "You're mummy isn't going to be coming home Paige, some bad people took her away" continued James hugging her tightly and wiping the tears from her eyes, he quickly swept her into his arms so he could carry her to the cliff edge where he planned to release the ashes of his beloved Kate. "She'll be back someday Paige, and our family we will whole again" finished James a small smile on his lips as he held Paige's hand and released the ashes with his free one. Picking her up so she could watch as they blew in the east winds.