The Wanderer's Lullaby

by KNeu21

(6)Sequel to 'TGoChange'-Avery Alexis Paige has spent her entire four years of life in the dark. Blindly following. When her father suddenly leaves without her, it's up to her to find out why. Two strange, feuding covens offer the answers she needs, but what she learns begins to test the bond she's built with her father to the limit. NOW COMPLETE!

1. Chapter 1

-ImPORTANT NOTE- I am just going to be cautious, and mention right now that this story is rated 'M' for MATURE. Meaning if you're not 'M' enough to read an 'M' rated story, you probably shouldn't be reading this. But I'm not your mother, so I can't say anything.
-AnOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE- This refers heavily to my 'The Gift Of' series storyline. I highly suggest reading 'The Gift' stories first before beginning this one. If you've already taken that step, then you're good. If you're brand new, this may be very confusing to you.
-DiSCLAIMER- Nothing pertaining to the Twilight Saga is mine. Only the characters you recognize as mine are mine.
Good enough. Here we go.

Chapter One

The rain doused the streets in heavy sheets, leaving nothing out in the open dry. The evening hour only adding to the depressing sight with its dull illumination, and the streetlights kicking on. It made me sick. I'd never been in a place where it rained so damn much before.

Though I usually preferred large cities, the smell of this one irritated me.

"I just want to know." I said, keeping my voice muted, "It's not like I'm asking anything hard."

He was tired of my pressing, "Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

"And didn't I ask you a fucking question?" I asked in return, "You don't scare me, dad."

I stood, leaned against the corner of one of the buildings that created the alley. Decent sized, and brick. My father, despite being a naturally loud person, spoke only loud enough for me to hear him from somewhere behind me. Waiting.

"Don't blow it." He told me, "Nobody's going to come near you if they see you talking to yourself." He did have a point there. Humans, paranoid by nature, tended to avoid those that acted differently than them. So I shut up, and I waited.

Sweeping my long, wavy brown hair over my shoulder with a quick jerk of my head, my attention was taken by a pair of humans headed up this way. My dark blue eyes already tracking the bigger one of the two males, and neither of them had spotted me yet. Perfect.

"Incoming." I grinned.

"Nice." My father commented, finding their scent in the breeze that made it to him, "Go for it, Avery."

I took a breath, steeling my emotions and my muscles. Now wasn't the time to lose it. We hadn't hunted in over two weeks, and tension was getting high between us. I wasn't about to let these two get away, but I'd punch him later for that.

The rain-soaked, drowned-rat look I had only added to my sudden facade of panic. I took their attention instantly, sobbing loudly.

"Oh, please." I begged in the sweetest, most fearful tone I could manage, "Can either of you help me? I-It's my dad. He's hurt. Right down here." I gestured, still panic stricken, down the alley I just stepped out of.

Of course, they agreed. They always agreed. Who wouldn't agree? I quickly turned, urging them on as enthusiastically as any panicked, beautiful little girl would.

I'd gotten this down to a tee.

I led them deep down the darkening alley, neither of them getting suspicious. Until it was too late. My father never left any room for discovery. Never played with his hunt, and now was no exception. I'd learned from him.

The second I heard him choose one, I spun and pounced on the other. With me ripping into his neck in just the right place, he was dead before the scream could even leave his mouth.

I never felt bad for the humans, despite the way I was half human. I was raised with a 'fuck them all' mentality, and I didn't see any reason to go against that now. They had what I needed. Simple as that.

Half human, half vampire. The look, the warmth of a human, but I was raised far from human. My entire four years alive, I was raised on human blood, and taught how to lure them where I wanted them for our hunting needs. Of course, he now and then appreciated a good, normal hunt, but most of the time, it was easier and less messy when I brought them in for us.

I always felt a sense of contentment after a hunt. Not because I was finally satisfied after so long, but because I got to kill something. I was always in a better mood after a hunt, with the nearly overwhelming feeling of accomplishment, though it was no real challenge to hunt a human.

"I wanted the big one." I grumbled once we left the scene behind, "You always do that. Even when I was little." We both stood now across the city. Atop a rather tall, but very dark building. These types of places were his preference.

"Quit your bitching." He replied sourly.

"Why are we here, dad?" I sighed in return, "I mean, really. Of all the places you could have picked, here is where you wanted to go?"

"I have my reasons, okay?" He snapped, and I rolled my eyes, looking out over the city.

Night had fallen by then, and I could clearly hear that the night crowd had just come out of hiding. Despite the rain that continued to fall. The sounds of a city were never ones to bother me. It meant despite the two people we just killed, life continued on. The people below us just kept moving. I'd always found that fascinating, almost calming. It gave me a sense of time passing, things moving forward.

My father was the type to really prefer silence. He was quiet, reserved. There wasn't much else to know about him. He had a temper, though. Boy did he, but so did I. He hated conversation, and I was the type to just love pissing him off.

"So about what I was asking before.." I muttered, and he glanced over at me, "Tell me about my mother."

"We've been over this a million fucking times." He grumbled, shaking his head.

"Well, how about a million and one?"

"I don't know anything other than what I've told you."

"Oh, right." I snapped, "Like I'm supposed to believe that you found some pretty human lady, fucked her and knocked her up, and I gnawed my way out of her stomach when I was born."

"I watched it happen." He snapped in return, "I'm not some fucking liar, okay? I saw what was happening, and I felt bad for her, so I killed her myself."

I scoffed, "You don't feel bad for anyone."

"I did for her." He replied, "A little demon like you biting her way out from the inside would probably be a really horrible way to die. Even for my standards. If she did survive, I highly doubt she'd ever be the same again, so when I figured out what was happening, one well placed kick to the head did the trick."

"I didn't know what I was doing." I defended myself, "Why can't I remember that, then?"

It was true. Despite how hard I tried, I couldn't remember my mother. I couldn't remember what she looked like, but I could remember her voice. It was soft, and calming, but I couldn't remember actually being born. I could only recall my dad scooping me up after I was born, and of course, hearing her voice from the inside.

"Maybe you were too young."

"I remember everything else." I countered, "I've been with you my entire life, from the second I was born. And that's another thing. Why bother keeping me if I was just some little demon?"

"You wouldn't have lasted a single day out there on your own." My father snapped, stepping closer to me, "Without me, the humans would have put you down so fast."

I rolled my eyes, "I could have survived on my own if I wanted to. I just chose to stay with you." I knew he was right, but I argued with him anyway. I didn't like to admit I was weak. Even as a brand new infant.

"Right." He snorted, "That'd be hilarious."

"Shut up." I muttered sharply.

"Look. Just get some sleep, would you? I want to get going early tomorrow."

"You never answered why we were here." I reminded him, turning away. I sighed, and paused, "Oh, by the way.."

I punched him as hard as I could in the upper arm. He growled in surprised pain, slapping me in return. I stayed on my feet, but my head turned with the force of it. I looked to him again, angrily clearing my hair from my face and shoving him back, "I owed you for earlier, asshole."

"For what?" He demanded.

"You know I hate that name."

"It's your damn name." He replied, "What else am I supposed to call you?"

"You know the answer to that." I snapped, "You're not as stupid as you act."

He moved to slap me again, but I dropped just in time. Popping back up, only to spin-kick him over the edge of the roof. I turned away, listening to the silent sound of him landing, and climbing back up the side of the building.

It was always interesting to be able to hear something silent. When there was no audible sound of one of our kind doing something, I felt the sound as a vibration in the air instead of actually hearing it.

One of the many perks of being half vampire, was the heightened senses. Of course, I didn't have as heightened of senses as my father or the others of his kind, and I wasn't nearly as fast, but I could hear, see, and smell a lot more than any human could.

It used to bother me being a pretty even mix of both human and vampire, but it didn't bother me so much anymore.

It would have bothered me even less if I'd been gifted like my father was. I was gifted in my own way, but I very rarely used it. It was only as a last resort, and I'd probably used it maybe twice in my entire life.

I found the little shelter he'd put together for me out of tarps. To keep the rain from getting to me while I slept. It consisted of two tarps, slanted and secured to three pipes sticking from the roof. Three sleeping bags stacked under the tarps.

Sleeping on a hard surface didn't really bother me, but it always had given me comfort to not get rained on while I slept. He knew that I hated getting rained on. I always had.

Despite being an asshole, my father provided for me.

"Just sleep." My dad told me firmly, but quietly as he made it back up. I knew he'd stay around. He always stayed around. I sighed, crawling into the little shelter.

"Goodnight, dad." I muttered, settling onto the three sleeping bags. They puffed up, almost cradled me. I hated that that brought me comfort, but I loved that it did.

We argued relentlessly. We fought like cats and dogs, cursing each other out. Sometimes hitting, beating on each other and I'd bitten him once, but we were a pair. He said we fought so much because I was just like him, but I didn't know how true that was. He provided for me, and he protected me when I needed it. I was still young.

Physically, I was roughly twelve, despite being born only four years before. I was strong, and I was tough. I didn't put up with any shit, but I dished plenty of it. I was raised to be that way, but I was nowhere as strong or as tough as he was. I was half human, half fragile.

I hated my human half, but I was who I was, and I had my dad to look up to. I admired him, and what he'd obviously been through to be the way he was. He never spoke of his past, and I essentially knew nothing about it, but when he got a certain look in his eyes, I knew he was thinking about whatever it was that his past held.

My full name was Avery Alexis. Paige as a last name, for my mother. My father thought I should represent her somehow, considering she put up with all my shit for roughly about a month, dying a little more every day until I was born. He raised me from there.

I preferred to go by the shortened version of my middle name. Alex. It sounded better to me somehow. I'd punch anyone who called me Avery. Not that we ever got close enough to anyone else for them to even know that name existed. My father only called me that to piss me off.

We lived the life of nomads, but that hadn't always been the case for him. So he told me. Travelling, never staying in one place longer than a few days. We moved around a lot, but we'd never been here before. Never this area. He'd always avoided it.

I woke the following morning much like I always woke up. To a light nudge by my father's boot to shake me awake. If I refused to wake up after that light nudge, I'd get a real kick, so I learned quick to get up the second I felt that.

"Hey." He told me, "Dawn's coming. Time to get moving."

We always found a hiding spot before dawn. Safety reasons, so this was normal.

I sat up immediately, rubbing my eyes briefly as I climbed to my feet. By the time I stopped rubbing my eyes, the little shelter had been dismantled and folded just right to carry. I wasn't sure how he did it, but he always managed to fold everything perfectly every time. As I got older, of course, he needed more materials. He did go through a lot to make sure I at least slept comfortably.

I followed him down the side of the building, quickly moving off. Dodging people, and cars. Down alleys, up the sides of buildings to the next alley below. Too quickly for any humans to see us. I had no idea where he was taking me, but I never asked too many questions. It was just easier to fight with him while we were stopped.

"When we get there, you keep your mouth shut." He told me, "Understand?"

"No." I replied sarcastically.

"Goddammit, Alex. This is serious." He growled, "Just do it."

"Where are we going, anyway?"

"We're going to see some old friends of mine." He replied, "And I don't want to just leave you somewhere to wait for me."

"Aw," I grinned, "Protective of me, are you?"

"No, I just don't want to die having to save your dumb ass." He grumbled, "Just keep quiet, would you?"

"Fine." I sighed, sliding to a stop behind him in the front yard of rather large house. Right smack-dab in the middle of the city. I looked up at it, waiting just behind him as it always was. It worried me a little to realize how many were inside this house. I picked up a solid fifteen individual scents. Five or ten more faded ones, which told me there were more, but they currently weren't there. I gave a glance around in the pale blue right before the dawn.

"Dad.." I muttered nearly silently.

"Shut up." He told me, and I didn't speak up again. For once, doing as he said.

The front door ahead of us opened, another vampire standing there. He was tall, but not quite as tall as my dad. Longer dark brown hair, swept back. Fascination in his eyes as he casually leaned against the door frame.

"Well, holy shit." He chuckled, "Look who it is. Long time, no see, man."

"Tell me about it." My dad chuckled in return, "It alright if we come in?"

"Hell yeah." He replied, nodding, "We told you no hard feelings when you left years ago. None at all."

"I can't tell you how relieved I am." He started forward and I followed close behind him. Knowing the procedure. Not only was this safer for me, to stick this close to his back, but it was safer for him as well. Instinct had me glancing back behind me. To see the way back was clear.

Up the narrow porch steps, across the porch. I was getting nervous. My dad dropped the sleeping bag and tarps he carried with him on the porch, and I dropped the two sleeping bags I carried myself beside those.

We stepped inside, and I immediately had to look up and around. This place definitely needed some repairs. The coven that used this as a hide-out weren't taking very good care of it. It was a perfect location, however. Right in the middle of the city, made hunting a breeze, but the disrepair of the place even made me cringe. Which was bad, considering it wasn't a huge habit of us to spend time indoors.

I looked around at all those approaching, greeting my father enthusiastically. His name repeated several times as they all laughed. Until they noticed me.

"Who's this?" The one who'd first greeted us outside asked, his eyes landing on me.

"Darren," My dad spoke up, "This is Alex. My daughter."

He seemed surprised, "Your daughter? Like.. Biological?"

My dad nodded, "Biological."

"She's half vampire." He pointed out again, "Like the-"

"How the fuck did you pull it off?" Someone else asked, interrupting the one called Darren.

"Very fucking carefully." My dad replied, shaking his head, "The trick is, not tearing the bitch apart when you try."

"No shit." Darren chuckled, "That's a little counter-productive. How many did you go through?"

"Total?" He asked, "Ten. Number ten survived it, but not one of them were unwilling. Let's put it that way. Sluts, every one of them."

"Hey." I frowned. I didn't like him referring to my mother as a slut.

"So.." Darren sighed, "What brings you back here?"

"I need your help with something." Dad replied, but he looked around. Darren seemed confused, but stepped forward, stepping off to the side with him.

They talked quietly, and I could almost hear what my dad was telling him, but my attention was taken by one of the younger coven members. He looked roughly fourteen, maybe fifteen. His light brown hair bordered blonde, but his smirk only added to that innocent look.

"Hey." He muttered, stepping forward, "How old are you? You're cute." He poked my shoulder, and I glared, stepping back. I didn't like him already.

"Go fuck yourself." I grumbled.

"Isn't she friendly?" One of this boy's obvious friends chuckled. He was slightly younger, but his hair was darker blonde. They didn't exactly seem like they were trying to make fun of me. They actually did seem friendly, but I wasn't about to be fooled.

"You fuck off too." I told him, eliciting more laughter from the both of them. The first boy went to poke me again, but I slapped his hand away audibly.

"Hey." I looked back over at my dad's voice, "Watch yourself, Conner." I glared at this boy called Conner, realizing he was the reason I couldn't eavesdrop. He raised his hands as if in surrender, and laughed as he stepped back into place. My dad came back to my side.

That seemed to suit my dad as I moved closer to his side, "Can I trust you all to leave Alex alone until I get back?" I looked to him, surprised. Get back? From where?

"You want us to babysit?" Conner chuckled, and that got a laugh out of all of them. I didn't like this.

"I don't need you to babysit her." He growled, shutting them up, "Just don't harass her while she's here. Got that?"

"Dad.." I muttered, unsure, but he smacked me lightly.

"No problem, daddy." Conner mocked, getting another laugh out of them.

"I mean it, Conner." Dad grumbled, "I'm talking to you and Hayden. If one hair on her head is out of place when I get back, you'll both be in pieces." Conner's laughter faded a bit, and I noticed that Hayden must have been Conner's younger friend, as he looked down.

"Yeah, yeah." Conner chuckled, "Don't even worry about it."

It was clear that my dad knew this coven, but how? We avoided other covens. That was how it always was. Why was he bringing me here? To leave me here, of all things? Was he an old member of theirs? They acted like he was. Could this be his old coven? I'd been curious about them for awhile.

"Good." Dad muttered, "I'll be back within a few weeks at most."

Weeks? I watched as he turned. Intending to leave me here. I wasn't staying here.

"Dad." I called, jogging after him. I made it out the front door with him before grabbing his arm, "What the fuck, dad?"

"Stay here." He told me, shaking his arm loose. He hated it when I demanded him like this, but I couldn't help it. I was admittedly scared. He never left me, much less in a place surrounded by strangers.

"You're changing the rules." I argued, "And I don't like it."

"I don't give a shit what you like." He replied, "Just do what I say."

"The rules!" I argued again, "We always stay together. No matter what."

"That's your rule." He countered, "Your rule is to always find me if you're lost. My rule is whatever the fuck I say it is."

"That's not fair." I stomped my foot a little, "You can't just-"

"I can." He barked at me, "You stay here, or so help me-"

"Dad!" I barked in reply.

"Jesus, just fucking drop it!" I flinched a little at his shout, "Do what I say!"

"You can't talk to me like that!" I shouted right back at him, "I'm not staying here! You son-of-a-"

I cut off at the rough backhand he gave me. I hit the wood of the porch, stunned for a moment. He'd hit me before, but normally, I just hit him back. It had never been like this before. He'd never used this much effort before, or really hurt me. This hurt. Quite a bit. It hurt enough to daze me for a moment, which was brand new.

"Goddammit!" He was pissed, turning away as I looked up at him, confused. My hand came up, covering my cheek lightly. As shocked as I was, emotion tried to come through. Instead, however, I covered it with anger. Pushing myself back to my feet.

"I'm not staying here." I told him.

"You're staying here."

I gave him one good defiant look, fully intending to let fly every single curse word I knew, before he pointed at me. Stopping my words in their tracks. Silently telling me to stay put, and he was gone.

I wasn't stupid. I knew if he didn't slow up, I'd never catch up to him.

Standing alone on the front porch of this place reminded me forcefully that I was standing here, with a houseful of a coven I didn't know. I hated strangers. The not knowing was a major factor in that. I didn't know what they were capable of, and I wasn't willing to stick around to find out.

He wanted to change the rules, and head out on his own? Fine. I could do the same.

He wanted to make up his own stupid rules? Fine. I could do the same.

While I had a chance, without giving the coven in the house behind me the chance to force me to stay, I decided to go. I wasn't sticking around, waiting to be babysat by a bunch of strangers. I would follow him. I'd track his scent as far as I could.

"Alex?" Darren's voice behind me finally got me moving. I darted from the porch, leaving the house behind as fast as I could.

I followed south at first, but just to throw anyone off who might be looking for me, I took a turn. Heading west now. I didn't hear anyone following me, but I knew that could change in an instant. The further west I went, the cloudier and rainier it got. Not that I worried about any humans seeing me.

I picked up his scent again, surprisingly. I didn't have to go south again.

Fuck the city of Seattle, and all it stood for. Fuck Seattle, and everything that had gone wrong there. Right below me, the ground had been ripped from under my feet. I didn't know what to do without him.

Was this about the conversation last night? Did he misunderstand, and decide to teach me just how much I still needed him? His scent had already begun to fade, which surprised me, but given the steady amounts of rain out this way, I wasn't completely shocked.

I was met with a tiny town. It was highly unlike him to choose small towns, due to the lack of hunting opportunities. He and I both liked places with an abundance of people, and my dad knew this.

He'd probably go back to Seattle soon, just to make sure I'd listened to him. Searching in the rain, however, was taking its toll on my nerves. So I decided to sit, and wait for the rain to let up. However long that took. So if he went back to Seattle in that time, he'd find out I wasn't there anymore.

Fuck him. I hoped he worried.

On the outskirts of this tiny town, was an old abandoned building that at one point, was probably a barn. It was dusty inside, and the roof had several worn holes in it through which the breeze was hauntingly audible, but it was mostly dry.

Just in case this building wasn't as abandoned as I thought it might be, I chose to hide up in one of the lofts. Off to the right was a second level, probably where hay was stored, given the residual hay on the wooden deck. I made my way up there, and found the driest spot in the building off in the corner.

I sat down, and I thought. For hours, just sitting there and thinking.

Why would my father hit me like that? He'd never done that before. Not ever. That's what bugged me the most about it. He yelled all the time, sure. He slapped me here and there, but it was nothing, not anything like that.

He always raised me to not put up with bullshit. Well, in my eyes, that was bullshit, and I wouldn't put up with it.

I whimpered silently, touching the side of my face as it throbbed in pain. It still hurt, even after hours of it being able to heal. Would that be a regular thing? Or had I just pushed him too far? He was very obviously stressed out about something, so that could have very easily been the case.

As night began to fall and the rain picked up against the tin roof, I stayed there. Hidden away, where I prepared to spend the night. Finally dry. This would be the first night I'd ever spent away from him. The first night he wasn't around to protect me while I slept.

As much as I hated him, and as pissed off as I was at him, he was all I had.

I decided as I started to fall asleep, that I'd go back the next morning. Just to give him some time to cool off. I had no doubts that he was already back there at that house. He'd probably kick my ass when I got back to him, but it was worth it if I could stay with him.

I'd warn him. I'd tell him that the next time he hit me like that, I wouldn't come back. I'd tell him not to ever do that to me again. I'd give him another chance, because he was my father.

I'd tell him not to leave me like that again.

I jumped, startled awake at the feeling of something nudging me. Lightly, like dad did. For a second, I got my hopes up, hoping it was him, but when I looked around, I only found a stupid cat. I growled and shoved it over the ledge.

Underneath the loft, were stacked, empty wooden boxes. Maybe three or four feet from the ledge, the cat landed on the top box, and hopped down from there onto the floor. Scampering away. Irritated, by the sounds it made.

I sighed, laying back down. Shoving away the need to cry.

It had finally stopped raining, but with the approaching dawn, came the sound of thunder off in the distance, so I knew the rain wasn't done for good.

It was close enough to the next day, so I darted to my feet and jumped from the ledge myself. I was immediately in a run, back toward Seattle. Back toward the one place I knew to look for him. The house.

I got to the house in probably record time, nervously stopping on the porch. Did I just go inside? Did I knock? I didn't smell his scent, and I fought the disappointment as much as I could.

The door opened as I stood there deliberating, and I jumped back. I landed on the top porch step, looking up at Darren standing there. Three more behind him, probably curious. If it came to it, I couldn't fight them. I was still small, but it wouldn't stop me from trying if I had to.

"You're back." Darren chuckled, "Come inside."

"Where's my dad?" I asked defensively. Despite my firm tone, my nervousness showed. I didn't trust him. Not alone.

"I don't know." He replied, "He hasn't been back here." That was a surprise. I was so sure he'd be back by now. Why wasn't he back? He said weeks, but that was at most.

"Well.." I muttered, "Did he say where he was going?"

"If he had, I'd know where he was, wouldn't I?"

"Don't get fucking sarcastic with me, okay?" I snapped, and Darren blinked in surprise, the ones behind him chuckling, "I know he talked to you."

"Easy, killer." Darren chuckled as well, "Calm yourself. You're among friends."

"I don't fucking know you." I growled, my distrust obvious in my sneer as I looked him over, "Don't pretend we're friends."

He and the others found that even more amusing, "You're his little girl, alright."

"What did he say to you?" I demanded, stepping up a step. I was more confident at the way he didn't seem angry at me for coming back.

"All he told me was not to try to stand in your way." He replied with a smirk, "That you've got a stubborn, rough streak in you, and it'd be like butting heads with a brick wall. Figuratively, of course." I had to smile a little.

"He said that?" I asked, flattered. I was proud of that part of me, and it also made me proud that my dad felt the need to warn somebody about me. I didn't want him to think I was getting soft, though, so I crossed my arms and continued, "Well, he wasn't lying. If he comes back, tell him I was here. Tell him I'm looking for him."

"Stay here." Darren urged, "Come on."

"Just tell him."

"Alex, there are other covens in the area that would love to find out who you are, and what you mean to your father." Darren warned, "You're safer here. That's why he wanted you to stay here."

"I can take care of myself." I sniffed, rolling my eyes.

"You are a stubborn girl." He sighed, "Come inside. You'll be fine here, and this way, he'll know where to find you when he returns." I gave him a look, and he sighed again, "At least let me come with you."

"I can find him myself." I snapped, "I don't need your help."

"He wouldn't have put you here if he didn't have a good reason." He argued.

I rounded without replying, taking off back the way I'd come.

I circled the city, looking for his scent. All day I wandered, but I couldn't find it anywhere. Up one alley, down another. Crossing streets, passing buildings until I wound up back up on the rooftop we'd been at the other night. I couldn't help feeling worried.

As much as I hoped he was worried about me, I couldn't deny that I was worried about him. Where was he? This definitely wasn't like him. He never just dropped me somewhere. He never just ran off on his own. We were always together. He was always there to watch out for my stupid ass when I couldn't, and I was always there to watch out for him when he needed it, even if he never did.

There was never even any sort of plan of what I was supposed to do if there ever came a time when I couldn't find him, because it never had to be a worry for me. He was literally the only person I had.

I considered going back to the house he tried to place me at, but I immediately decided against it. I didn't know them. I was naturally cautious against others I didn't know. I was taught to be that way, so it really shouldn't have surprised him that I refused to stay there without him. That was his fault.

Though he did predict my actions enough to tell Darren not to try to stand in my way.

I waited on that rooftop until night had securely fallen. Then, with a heavy sigh, I started back for the barn. It was the safest place I found, and I was starting to get tired. I needed to sleep if I was going to keep searching the next day.

I'd search the area around the town his scent had led me to.

I settled back into the same spot I'd found in the barn the day before, sighing again as I did so. Curling onto my side, my arm folded under my head, I closed my eyes and I let myself fall asleep. Cursing myself for being so stubborn. So he'd hit me. So what?

I was woken up by the cat again the following morning.

Returning to the house around dawn, receiving the same answer from Darren, and my own sense of smell telling me that he wasn't there. Day three without him, and I was starting to get desperate.

I worked the day away, searching some more east and some more south, and by the time I got back to the barn, I was wiped out. Convinced that that town was where he was headed. That tiny town that was so uncharacteristic of him to spend any amount of time in.

I half wondered what would happen to someone like me if I never slept.

I'd start up after some sleep at the scent I picked up there. After that, if I still hadn't found him, I didn't know what I'd do. Day four wasn't proving any more successful than day three had been. Until I found his very faded scent again that afternoon, after only four hours of restless sleep.

My sense of smell wasn't as developed as my dad's, and it confused me when I realized that I had no idea whether he was heading south from the west, or west from the south. Into town, or out of town. I could be going the complete opposite direction. I cursed myself for taking too long.

Standing in the middle of the sidewalk, looking around myself at all the houses on this street.

Should I just give up? Since when had I ever given up? I'd never had to track somebody before, so this was all new to me. Why would my father's scent lead me to this old abandoned house in the middle of some tiny town? It really didn't look like anyone lived here, and hadn't lived here for quite some time.

I tried looking again. Searching anywhere for his scent, but to my intense surprise, I found another one instead. Three streets over, on main street. It definitely wasn't my dad, it wasn't Darren, or anybody else I knew, but it definitely was a vampire.

I tracked it, following it east until I reached the parking lot of a hospital. On the sign was the name of the hospital, and the phone number. I frowned up at it.

Confused, I stood outside for a moment, trying to figure out why a vampire would ever even consider finding themselves anywhere near a hospital. Given the scents inside the building, the hospital was still very much active, so the vampire inside should be doing all they could to stay away from it.

I was half tempted to go inside, just to see this for myself. Maybe they were inside, slaughtering every living human inside, and could use some help. I took one step closer to the building on the other side of the neat parking lot, but hesitated. I wasn't so sure I wanted whoever this was to find me. Anyone that brave probably wouldn't appreciate company.

Shaking my head, I continued on my way.

Still puzzled about the vampire inside the hospital, I nearly jumped, reacting to finding yet another, different scent. This one intrigued me even more, so I followed it across the street, heading south.

This scent was fresher, so it made tracking it very easy.

It wasn't long before I found out where this second vampire was going. Again, it completely surprised me to find the source of this scent was currently in a school building. It was a small school. The pathetic building couldn't be holding more than maybe a hundred students, but it was active as well.

"What?" I whispered to myself, looking around the vacant street. Was this some sort of trick? Some odd, cruel joke being played on me by my dad? Why would his scent lead me here of all places, only to find two others I'd never met before?

What the fuck was going on? At least I found the source. That was a step in the right direction, and it was distracting me from the failure I was at tracking my dad.

The scent was clearly vampire, but whoever these two were weren't acting like vampires. Vampires avoided humans, until they needed to feed. They detested them. They didn't mingle. The two species didn't mix like this. It was wrong.

And that was another thing. How did they keep humans from reacting to them? Just the sight of a vampire was usually enough to make a human piss themselves. If they even had a chance to see them before they became lunch.

I'd just decided to rest outside the front gate of said school, when an irritating bell noise announced the humans' freedom from school. I winced, growling a little at the sound, until the students inside began to file out. Toward me, and the front gate.

Nobody seemed to find me out of place, too preoccupied with getting the hell away from school.

Curiously searching for the scent I trailed here, I stood still. Being downwind of it, I looked over before she even noticed I was standing here. It was a female, and she looked so out of place among the rest of the students here as she rounded the main building. Looking over a sheet of paper in her hands, the strap of her backpack precariously perched on one shoulder.

She suddenly looked up when the wind changed direction, finding me instantly. I tensed, locking gazes with her.

Her eyes were a strange golden color. Nothing at all like the crimson I'd gotten so used to seeing on our kind. Her long, dark slightly reddish brown hair pulled over her other shoulder as she stopped walking, and the breeze that had alerted her to my presence finished ruffling her hair a bit.

Those golden eyes were so wrong. I didn't know what they meant, but they unnerved me.

Was she some kind of different breed of vampire? Could there be different breeds? I was a different breed, so maybe she was too? What if those golden eyes meant trouble? What if she was worse than any other vampire I'd met before?

She wasn't that much bigger than me physically. Taller, for sure, but not by much.

Nervously, I gave a glance around. By the time I looked over again, she'd started walking once more. Toward me now. I immediately turned, walking away.

"Wait." She called, but I didn't stop, "Hey, wait a minute."

She followed me up the sidewalk, and I couldn't just run. I'd cornered myself behind a herd of kids. I shoved most out of the way, eliciting squeals and yelps of protest from them as I continued on. Managing to free my path before she could reach me.

"Wait." She continued following me, though, "You don't have to be afraid."

That stopped me right in my tracks.

"I'm not afraid." I snapped, immediately rounding to face her before I could take another step. She seemed taken aback by my sudden forcefulness. The other retreating students found it odd, but didn't dare stop to gawk, "Not of someone like you."

"Easy." She laughed a little, slowly approaching me. I stood my ground as she got closer. She inspected me quickly, and I returned the favor.

"What the hell are you looking at?" I muttered defensively, despite the way I looked her over as well. She certainly seemed normal, but those eyes...

"Nothing." She replied gently, "What's your name?"

"I'm not looking for friends, okay?" I snapped, "I found your scent and I followed it here. I was curious."

"Okay." She replied, nodding a little. She continued to stand there, and so did I. It was silent for a moment, before she spoke again, "So..? Your name?"

"I gotta go." I grumbled.

"That's an odd name." She followed as I turned, "My name's Leandra."

"Good to know." I muttered, "Now stop following me."

"You stalked me, remember?" She replied, "Now I'm the curious one."

"My mistake." I told her with finality in my tone. I paused again, staring her down. She didn't seem the slightest bit intimidated by me, which told me I should probably move on before she figured out that I was intimidated by her.

"Leandra." We both looked back the way we'd just come. A male approached, "Who's your friend?"

His black hair was tidy, slightly swept back but still somehow unruly. A thick strand or two falling into the same golden eyes as Leandra. I tensed in response to that observation. There was more than one of them?

He had a decent build, but it was obvious that he was turned while he was still young. Fifteen, maybe sixteen years old. Definitely stronger than me, though.

I took the opportunity to continue on. Turning, I made my way up the sidewalk.

"Okay, so I'll see you tomorrow?" Leandra called after me.

"Don't count on it." I muttered, glancing back at the very odd pair. Thankfully, neither of them followed me.

I was tired. So worn out, and right then, the only place I had to go was back to the barn. I wanted to make the trip back to Seattle to check in with Darren, but I couldn't. Not with as little sleep as I'd gotten, and not with the paranoia of the strange, golden eyed vampires I'd met that day.

Leandra. She didn't seem to be a threat, but those could be the worst of them all.

Needless to say, I didn't get very restful sleep. Those golden eyes were only trouble. I was positive. Not only were she and the one I'd smelled inside the hospital breaking every rule when it came to vampires and humans, but Leandra seemed like she didn't even mind doing it.

I gave up after only an hour of rest, before I got back up, and headed for Seattle. I was hoping to get some sort of information from Darren. Maybe he had an idea of what they were. I stopped on the lawn, hesitant yet again.

"Darren." I called, taking a few steps closer, and I watched as the front door opened, "Has my dad been back here?"

"I'm afraid not." He replied, and this time, I sighed and ascended the porch this time. He willingly let me in, holding the door open for me. Somehow, I felt safer here. As if knowing they wouldn't hunt me down here.

"Where the fuck could he be?" I asked, turning to look at him.

"Hey, there she is." Conner's voice had me glance back, but I otherwise ignored him.

"He never told me exactly where he was going before he ran off." Darren replied, crossing his arms with a sigh, "You must be pretty important to him, though, if he wanted to leave you here."

"I found an old scent west of here, but it faded before I could find him." I admitted, leaning against the armrest of the couch.

"West, you say?" Darren asked, and I nodded, "Stay away from there."

"Why?" I frowned.

"It's too dangerous." He replied, "You could get into a lot of trouble out that way."

"I can take care of myself, thanks." I muttered, not appreciating his lack of faith in me, "If that's the last place I picked up his scent, I want to search further."

"No you don't." Darren argued, "There's another coven out that way. They were gone for awhile, but they came back a few weeks ago."

"The ones with the golden eyes?" I asked, standing upright.

"You've seen them?" Darren asked, surprised. He had heard of them.

"I found and followed a scent, yeah."

"Did they see you?" He practically demanded. I narrowed my eyes at his tone. Despite trying to press for information, I didn't like the way he seemed to blame me for their seeing me.

"Yeah," I snapped, "They did. One of them, at least. Wait.. Two."

He sighed, mumbling to himself, "What is your father doing? I thought this was behind us."

"What?" I asked, and he shook his head.

"Just stay away from them." He told me, "It's better this way."

"The best way to get me to do something, is to tell me not to do it." I muttered, "I thought you understood this by now."

"Alex, they're dangerous." He snapped, "I mean it."

"I didn't see any danger there." I replied sharply, "Are you afraid of them?" I scoffed, turning for the door.

"Alex," He followed me, "Really. Stop." He'd better not grab me, I thought to myself.

I made it outside just as his hand closed on my arm.

I crouched down, breaking his hold on me and I turned. Grabbing hold of both his wrists in return, I jumped over him, turning around as I did so, bringing his arms back around him, crossed over his stomach in a sort of hold, and growled.

"Don't ever grab me."

With that, I jumped up and landed a kick right square in the center of his back, kicking him away from me. Down the porch steps into the yard below. Mercifully releasing his arms at the same time, so I didn't rip them off. He seemed to be a friend of my dad's, and I didn't want to hurt him yet.

Only seconds had passed, but he looked at me, obviously shocked. I knew if he hadn't been too surprised to move, he could have easily gotten out of that hold, but thankfully, my size took him off guard. I was small. I was cute, and seemingly harmless.

Nobody ever expected someone like me to get the better of them, but that was exactly why I needed to always be prepared. To never hesitate in taking opportunities to defend myself when they presented themselves.

I headed back inside for a second, gathering the sleeping bags my father had left there, and made my way back outside. I straightened my shirt the best I could with both arms full of the three rolled up bags, huffing as I headed down the steps, giving him a look as I strode passed him. He shook his head, his gaze following me.

I decided since there hadn't been anybody to bother me here in the barn, I could fix it up a little.

I swept out the corner of the loft, clearing away the dust and hay. Crawling around, making sure every little bit of it was gone, before rolling out the three large sleeping bags. Stacking them up, just like they always were. Once they were right where I wanted them to be, I laid down on them. I'd known that they still had my father's scent on them. That's why I wanted them with me. Before Darren's scent could fuck that up.

I'd been raised to block most emotions from overtaking me, but I had to admit to myself. I was scared, and I missed my dad. I missed him, and wanted more than anything for him to get back. From wherever it was he had gone off to.

Missing him was like a sort of homesickness that I couldn't shake. I'd never had a home before, so he was as close to having one as I ever got. He was my protection, so in a way, he was my shelter. My home.

In the silence of the barn, I let out a whimper. Knowing nobody was around to hear me.

I got more sleep that night. I both hated that fact, due to safety reasons, and was overwhelmingly grateful for it. I must have been adjusting to the barn, or perhaps the sleeping bags did their job in comforting me enough to sleep.

I didn't wake up until mid-morning, surprisingly, and with a deep sigh, I rolled up the sleeping bags. Storing them away in one of the empty wooden boxes. Just in case that stupid cat decided to come back, I didn't want it getting any ideas.

I headed into the tiny town, wondering where to start my search. He'd been here just a few days ago, but which way had he gone? I was getting frustrated. I passed the school, passed the hospital without a glance. I wanted to get at least one good search in before I goofed off.

I should have avoided it, but after several hours of just running around in circles, I found myself outside the school yet again. Darren had said they were a threat, but I had to see for myself. I wanted another look at her, and her strange golden eyes.

I wasn't originally going to go back. I wasn't. I wanted to refuse, but she was the only other immortal I could find, and currently, I was out on my own. It was something that kept me from worrying too much, and about the third 'start over' at the abandoned house in the middle of town, I made the decision to find her and the school again.

Why was she going to school with all these humans?

I waited for her, outside the front gates like the day before. She found me, just like the day before, but she didn't have to follow me this time. I let her approach. Her small smirk told me she expected me to be there.

"Why are you here?" I asked before she even got to me, "Why go to school?"

"It's fun." She replied, "You should try it."

"It hurts." I frowned, "You're only torturing yourself. How is torturing yourself fun?"

"What happened to your cheek?" She asked, and I hesitated.

"What do you mean?" I asked in return. Actually confused. She sighed, and held up one finger. Signifying I should wait. I waited, watching as she pulled her pack to her front. She reached in and pulled out a little folded mirror. Handing it to me.

I opened it, and inspected my face. I met my own dark blue eyes first, before moving to the injured cheek in question. Sure enough, a hefty healing bruise sat there. I winced, looking it over closer. Over the spot dad had backhanded me. My fingers gently stretched the skin, sighing.

I'd known that with my human half, I could bruise. Because of the blood that ran in my veins, I could bruise and I could bleed. Under the solid layer of my skin, was a damageable portion of me. It took a lot more effort to damage me than it would a human, but nonetheless, I was far less indestructible than my dad.

"Dammit." I sighed, "My dad hit me." I didn't find a problem in that statement, but she clearly found one, given the way her expression changed.

"Your dad?" She asked, obviously really interested in that.

"Yeah." I replied, handing the mirror back to her, "The other day."

"He's your real father?"

"As opposed to..?" I prompted.

"As opposed to someone who just took you in."

"Yeah." I answered, "My biological father." She nodded, understanding.

I realized then that it confused me how she wasn't confused by that. That was probably why I came back at all. I was always under the impression that someone like me was pretty rare. That it was very hard to make someone like me, as the control needed was difficult to pull off, but she acted like I was normal.

"Why did he hit you?" She asked, a deep frown in place.

"Because I pissed him off." I replied as if it were obvious.

I looked over as I caught a scent, watching the same male as the day before approaching. The same jet black hair, though his expression seemed a bit more nervous now. Not like he didn't trust me, but like he didn't want to scare me away. Hesitant.

"It's okay." She told me immediately, "That's just Mikah. He won't bother you."

"I've gotta go." I told her, and she sighed as I turned. Walking away again. Without another word, just walking away.

What was I thinking, anyway?

I'd already let too much slip to this potentially dangerous stranger. How stupid was I? No doubt she had a coven, given the scents on her.

I didn't sleep at all that night. Waiting, listening for the moment I'd have to run. I could take on one, maybe two or three at a time. Not an entire coven. It was difficult to pinpoint specific scents on an individual like that, so I had no idea how many she had to her coven.

Normally, covens never got larger than five, sometimes six members. That's why it surprised me to find that coven in Seattle, and this one had to be more than that. What was it about this God forsaken rained-out hellhole that changed all the rules?

I would confront her. I would confront her about it.

I honestly did try to sleep, but thinking about all the answers I didn't get, it kept my mind running in circles. Over and over, I went over everything I told her. What would what I told her tell her about me?

I darted up, sometime in the middle of the night, and headed back into town. After all the practically sleepless nights, I felt more worn down than I had in a long time. If ever.

I picked up her scent, and trailed it along the highway. This could be one of the stupidest things I'd ever done in my life. Purposefully attempting to find a stranger, potentially surrounded by many members of her coven? Was I insane? Would I even know if I was insane?

Why was I doing this? Because I had to know. Because I was desperate.

It was too big of a coincidence that my father was headed here, but when I went to look for him, I found Leandra instead.

Had they hurt him? Killed him? Is that what they did to vampires that passed through here? Did they gain his trust like Leandra was obviously trying to do to me? Lured him away, only to destroy him? I had to know.

I crept as silently as I could through the trees, stopping momentarily when I fully realized how many there really were. I counted eight strong individual scents. Two more a few hours old. Many other scents I had never smelled before, and it unnerved me. Deeply. These scents didn't belong to anything I'd ever smelled before. They weren't vampire, or human. Something else.

I couldn't chicken out, though. Despite the way I didn't smell my father's scent anywhere around, new or old, I had to make sure. I had to be positive. I had no idea what I would do if he actually was here. I'd been trained pretty well, but I couldn't take on that many by myself. I'd do my best, though.

I crouched just inside the last few trees around a rather large house. This place was nothing like the house in Seattle. This place was very well taken care of.

"Holy shit." I whispered to myself. I slowly moved closer, as silently as I could creeping through the foliage until I was almost out of the trees, but still mostly hidden. I had to see better.

I could see them inside, but they didn't seem like the type to capture anyone. They seemed relaxed. Completely opposite of the coven in Seattle. It was like their defenses weren't up at all.

Could I possibly be making mountains out of mole-hills? My human paranoia, telling me to hate anything that was different? They weren't out there causing trouble. They were just reading. Watching TV. Their scents were the same as any other vampire, maybe a bit different.

I was trying so hard to understand.

I tensed, spinning at the sound of growling behind me, but it wasn't a vampire. I picked up the difference immediately. The sound was more animal, and it sounded very threatening. The most intimidating thing about it, however, was the fact that there was more than one animal growling at me.

The second I heard heavy footsteps coming closer, I reacted with a gasp of nervousness. Yanking myself up the tree I crouched beside, and I hoped beyond anything that they couldn't reach me up here.

As it turned out, it was a wolf. Four wolves to be exact, and they couldn't reach me where I was, but the intimidating factor was that they were huge. Easily twice, three times the size of a normal wolf, and normal wolves didn't smell like that.

That's what the unknown scent was. The scent of them bothered me. It wasn't particularly unpleasant, but the way it burned made me want to get away from it. Repelling me.

"You fuckers reek." I hissed down at them, "Shoo. Bad dog. Go away." I was even tempted to throw a stick, but I doubted that would have worked. All four pairs of eyes below me were trained on me, probably counting my every racing breath. I was still trying to be quiet as not to be detected by those inside the house, but that was a useless endeavor anyway.

The wolves' growling had obviously alerted everyone inside, and I knew I was in trouble now as they came outside. Stupidly, I'd trespassed. This was their territory. Not mine, and I was stuck up here, as I knew no matter where I went, their damn guard dogs would follow. Below me, the wolves circled the tree, every tooth bared.

"Well, look who it is." Leandra obviously recognized me, and she grinned up at me. She didn't seem mad, and the others with her seemed more concerned than angry.

"Call them off, would you?" I called to her, "I wasn't going to do anything." Despite my attempts to hide it, my tone told them clearly how scared I was. As did my crouching posture. I was holding onto the tree branch for dear life.

"Aw, she's so cute." The biggest, most built one of her coven chuckled.

"Cute enough to kick your ass, fucker." I snapped at him, covering what amount of fear I could.

"Bring it, shrimp." He laughed in return.

"I'll tell you what." Leandra stepped forward, passed the male and female in the front of their group. Those two were the leaders. Given the stances, and the grouping behind them, I could understand that immediately.

"I'll call them off, if you tell me your name." Leandra offered, taking my attention off the challenge the big one extended. Two of the wolves looked to her, before returning their gaze up to me.

"What the hell does my name have to do with anything?"

"It tells me who you are." She replied, "And it's the first step to finding out what you're doing here."

"Aw.." I grumbled, "Come on.."

"You don't have to be scared." She laughed a little.

"I'm not scared." I growled down at her.

"Says the little girl in the tree." The big one pointed out. This one was a male, and his tone was sarcastic. I glared his way, only slightly intimidated by his build.

"I'm not." I barked at him, "I'm smart. Just because I'm up here doesn't mean I'm scared. I just don't want to die."

"What makes you so sure they'd kill you?" Leandra asked, crossing her arms.

"I don't know you." I replied sharply, "And I have no fucking clue what those damned things are." I looked back down at the wolves pacing, seeming eager to catch me.

"Just tell me your name." She insisted, "We'll start there."

"And if I don't?" I was seconds from running for it.

"I can guarantee you can't outrun them." She seemed to know what I was planning, "None of us will chase you, but I can't promise that they won't."

"What are they?" I asked instead.

"They're wolves." She replied.

"Those are not wolves." I argued, shaking my head.

By now, they'd calmed down some, and oddly enough, I'd started to feel a little more cooperative myself. Maybe their edginess had been making me edgy. My tension was beginning to ease.

I inspected them from my perch in the tree, carefully holding on as I leaned forward.

"Just come down." Leandra offered, retaking my attention, "They're not going to bother you, and neither will we." Nervously, I glanced to the wolves again, before immediately returning my gaze to her.

"Make them move away first." I finally said, "I'm not about to jump down into those teeth." She immediately nodded to the reddish brown one.

It moved back first, several steps, but that distance could have been closed within less than a second. The three others followed, growling in what I detected as uncertainty. That was as good as they were willing to do, obviously. With them here, this coven was thoroughly protected unless someone had quite a few others with them. I was by myself. I understood how badly overpowered I was.

I eyed Leandra's coven closely, trying to determine the best way to keep from getting killed. I was intimidated, but there wasn't much I could do about that. I'd trespassed, but from what Leandra told me, they wouldn't retaliate. Odd, but slightly comforting.

I took a breath, and took a step from the branch. I landed from the tree, but stayed beside it. I was watched, but true to their word, nobody moved for me. Maybe by cooperating, they'd spare my life? Cooperating usually wasn't anywhere in my nature.

"Hi." Leandra smiled a little at me.

"I'm still not telling you my name." I muttered, and she laughed.

"Fair enough." She replied, shrugging a bit, "Can you at least tell me what brought you here?"

"Why?"

"Well, this is sort of our home." She answered.

"I was curious." I lied, "And bored."

She gave me a skeptical smile, shaking her head. How did she know?

"The real reason." She insisted.

"Why are your eyes that color?" I asked, avoiding answering her. Though that was partially what brought me here, so it wasn't complete avoidance.

She knew by now what I was doing. They all did, given all of their quiet laughs. I didn't appreciate being laughed at, but I didn't say anything. By making her answer my questions instead of giving in and answering hers, I was establishing a small sort of verbal dominance. Keeping myself in control of the situation. It made me feel better.

"I've never seen them like that." I admitted, "Only red."

"It's a direct reflection of our diet." She answered. I waited for her to continue, so she did, "We hunt animals, instead of humans. That's what changes our eye color." I frowned in confusion. That was surprising, but it did explain the reason behind their color.

"Why?" I asked, "Aren't humans what we're supposed to hunt?"

"Personal preference." She replied, "We can live in one place that way."

"Darren and his coven can stay in one place." I countered, and she looked up. Her smile fading a little at a time, but I could see her tension, "Really. They live in Seattle, and they still hunt humans."

"You know Darren?" She inquired quietly.

I didn't miss the way the wolves tensed, a couple of them lowering a bit as they growled. The entire coven's reaction told me that Darren wasn't a friend of theirs, and his reaction earlier told me they weren't friends of his. Had I gotten in the middle of some kind of feud?

Maybe I could intimidate them in return without even trying.

"Yeah." I replied, "I do."

This just got a whole lot more serious, given the way she looked to the male leader. The female leader beside him glanced up at him as well, before she looked to me again.

"He warned me about you." I decided to give them more information, as it brought me closer to confronting her about my father, "He told me to stay away from you. Now I see why." I looked pointedly to the wolves.

"Trust me." Leandra told me, "We're not a threat to you. We're the least of your worries if you've run into Darren."

"He hasn't been a threat to me." I crossed my arms.

"Just you wait." She muttered, "I'd stay away from him if I were you."

"He says the same thing about you." I replied, "But I wanted to see for myself. I don't know if you're telling the truth or not. You could be lying your ass off, and I'd never know until it was too late."

"Nobody here has lied to you." I looked to the male leader as he spoke up, "We're only a threat if you are. None of us are looking for trouble, I assure you."

"Good." I countered, though his assurances did ease me, "Because neither am I."

"Then why are you here?" Leandra asked me again, her tone more direct now. I hesitated only a moment longer. I figured I needed to just get to the point.

"This town.." I muttered, "This place was the last place I found my father's scent."

"And you think we had something to do with his disappearance." She understood, given her tone. I tightened my crossed arms, my gaze accusing as I met hers.

"I had to come and see for myself." I told her.

"Why are you trying to find him?" She asked, "Wasn't he the one that put that there?" She gestured to the nearly faded bruise on my face.

"He's all I got." I replied firmly, "So if you've done something to him-"

"None of us have done anything to him." She told me, "Nomads pass through here all the time. Our scent attracts them, but usually, they don't linger to look."

Oh.

She continued, "As far as I know, we've never met your father, and don't intend to if Darren is a close friend. We try to avoid conflicts."

"Why?" I asked again, frowning a bit again, "Your numbers are big enough. You can probably win every conflict you face."

"Again," The male leader spoke up, "Personal preference. We prefer to live in peace. Not tension."

"And Darren prevents that." I murmured, understanding, "Didn't you know he was so close?"

"We had an idea." He replied, "But he's not bothered us, and we've not bothered them."

"Isn't territory an issue for covens that stay in one place?" I asked, truly curious, "I've never come across many covens as big as you have, or as big as he has. I thought territory extended to all the major cities in an area? Hunting grounds."

"That would be an issue, if we hunted humans." He answered, "But considering we refrain from doing so, it doesn't seem to be an issue. Darren can have Seattle. We very rarely go there."

That was true, I had to admit. There was no way they could exist so close to each other without at least running into each other, unless this coven actually chose to feed on animals instead of humans like they claimed.

"But why animals?" I had to ask, still confused.

"Hold on." Leandra spoke up, "Here's the deal. You can ask as many questions as you want, and we'll answer them honestly." I waited, "But you have to return the favor."

"It depends on what you ask." I replied, "Depending on what you ask, you may get a truthful answer, you may not."

"All I'm looking for is an answer at all." She allowed.

I was feeling a lot more cooperative than before, surprisingly. Normally, I'd have told her to go straight to hell, then turned around and left, regretting it later but instead, I just nodded.

"We choose to feed on animals, instead of humans, because it allows us to live in one place." The male leader finally answered, but I'd heard that before, "And it bothers me, all of us to take human life."

I blinked in surprise. That was certainly an answer I never expected. A vampire that hated to take human life. That was wrong. I was half human, and took human life all the time.

"What bothers you about it?" I asked, curious, "I hunt humans, and I've never run into a problem. You say it's a personal preference?"

"It always has been." He gave a nod, "I'm a very compassionate person, I'm afraid. I'd rather save a life, than take it."

"That's why you were at the hospital that day." I understood now, but decided to explain, "I found your scent first, but hers next." I glanced to Leandra, "Do you work there? To help the humans?"

He nodded again, "I deeply enjoy my profession."

I was finally getting the answers that would ease me enough to sleep that night.

Slowly, I crouched, bracing my back against the tree behind me. Just to get more comfortable. I wasn't defensive anymore, despite the way I was still watched closely. How eased I was seemed to ease everyone else, however, and a few managed to migrate a little away from the tight group they were in before.

This coven intrigued me. Quite a bit.

All I'd ever known was destruction and killing. That was all I'd been taught up until this point, but there was a whole other side to things that I was beginning to see.

"You're the complete opposite of my dad." I admitted to him, laughing a little, "He'll kill a human just to kill them. Not for hunting, not because they saw him, but just because he can."

"To each their own." He replied calmly, "I can't tell someone what is morally wrong or right. That isn't my place to do. The best I can do is explain my opinion."

"Does it bother you that I hunt humans?" I asked, interested as I smiled a little.

"It isn't my preference, but it is yours." He murmured, "Along the same lines, it isn't my right to be bothered by your preferences."

"Are all of you the same way?" I asked, looking around. The color of their eyes answered for me.

"It's not an easy lifestyle." Leandra answered for them, "But it's completely worth it." I nodded a little, still bothered by it, but I wouldn't argue with their life choices. If that was how they wanted to live, in constant, torturous pain, who was I to tell them they couldn't?

Leandra spoke up again, "Can I ask a few things now?"

"If you have to." I replied, bracing myself. I didn't like the conversation turned to me, but I did make a deal. Though I didn't specifically remember agreeing to said deal. They helped ease me, so I figured I could do the same for them. It was only fair, after all.

"Well, if you help me understand, I can probably help you find your dad." She told me, and I blinked in surprise yet again. Wow.

"You'd do that?" I asked quietly, amazed.

"If that's what you really want." She replied, "I'll do my best."

"He's all I got." I repeated. My tone a lot easier than before.

"Then first things first." She murmured, "Introductions."

A/N: This was probably one of the hardest first chapters I've ever put together. I lost sleep over this damn thing. I swear, this is the best I could get it. Not for lack of trying.
I hope this was worthy of reading. I don't have many closing chapter remarks as of yet, but those will come soon enough. :)
Chapter Two (hopefully) shouldn't be too far off. Now that I have this chapter just how I want it, I can probably work faster.
Until Two, my friends. :D