"Those who plot the destruction of others often perish in the attempt." ~Thomas Moore.

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To most people, winter makes everything appear to be stark and barren, but not to me. I took a deep breath of the cold air around me. "I love winter." My horse, aptly named Black diamond because of her color, snorted in agreement. I sat there listening to the sounds around me. The world was beginning to wake up. I opened my eyes to look over the glistening snow covered hills of my adopted father's estate. I turned Diamond back toward the house. It always reminded me of a Currier and Ives card.

My adopted father, Nicolas Parr, was six feet four inches tall with broad shoulders and curly dark chocolate brown hair that came to his shoulders. His pale skin was cold, but I had been around him for so long, that it did not bother me. Nicolas adopted me when I was ten years old. He was a close friend of my dad, Andrew Masen. They both worked at Children's Hospital at Dartmouth. He helped my dad raise me after my mom, Charity, died shortly after having me.

A few days after my tenth birthday, my dad died in a car accident. Everything was bequeathed to me in the form of a trust fund that I would have access to when I turned eighteen. Nicolas was my legal guardian in accordance with my dad's will.

Our house was a restored Tudor manor. It was definitely too big for just the two of us. A large formal English garden made up the backyard with stables fifty yards from the house. The grounds men had the grounds decorated for Christmas. I smiled at the upcoming party that Nicolas held every year for his extended family. I was also excited because I was turning sixteen.

Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine and my horse became extremely edgy. This was not the first time I felt this way. Oh, god, it is Dominic. I spurred my horse, taking off for the house. I managed to get my cell phone out of my pocket.

"Nicolas!"

"Alexia, what's wrong?" his warm baritone voice said, tense with concern.

I saw a flicker out of the corner of my eye. "It's Dominic! I'm almost to the garden." Nicolas came flying out to the garden, easily seeing my pursuer.

However, no matter how fast a human is, a vampire will always bet you. I jumped the tall hedges. Diamond slipped on the slick cobblestones. I fell, hitting the ground hard. After a few seconds, I scramble to my feet. I did not see Nicolas anywhere. I started for the house, but found myself thrown across the garden.

Before I could get up, I felt a weight descend onto my back. A rich tenor whisper told me who it was. It was Dominic.

Dominic was tall and lean with crimson eyes that watched my every move, nothing like the golden eyes that Nicolas had. His hair was a light brown and neatly cut.

I gasped for air as he pushed me further into the ground. He bent over me, running his nose along my ear. "My lady Masen, why do you fight me?" his voice lowered as he tried to calm me.

"Nicolas's going to kill you!" I cried.

He laughed and took a deep breath. "Your scent is delicious," he said as he sank his teeth into my shoulder, cutting through the suede and cotton of my riding coat and shirt, down to the bone.

I screamed as the pain ripped through me. Immediately, the pressure of his body and teeth were gone. I drew in a deep breath. I heard Dominic howl in pain. Rolling over onto my bruised back, Nicolas appearing out of nowhere at my side.

I cried out in pain as the burning began to spread down my arm, making me feel like I was lying on a bon fire. Nicolas quickly picked me up and carried me into the house. He laid me on my bed then left, quickly reappearing by the bed with three bags of blood. I knew this was bad as another wave of fire rolled over me.

"Make it stop, please!" I sobbed as the tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to claw at my burning shoulder.

Nicolas got the coat off and pulled the collar of my shirt back. "I should have gone with you," he gasped at the sight of bite. "Alexia, I have to suck the venom out. The bite is down to you collar bone."

I could only nod as Nicolas took a gentle hold of my wrists in one hand while he held my shoulder still with the other. He settled his mouth over the bite, being careful to wrap his lips around his teeth. The last thing he wanted to do was make it worse by deepening the bite or introducing more venom into my system.

After a minute, the burning lessened then completely subsided. "Dizzy …" I muttered. I felt a pair of cool lips press against my forehead.

"I know, poppet. Dominic took enough blood to weaken you for the change. I'm surprised that he stopped," he said as he pushed the IV into the crook of my elbow. "Unfortunately, because I had to draw out the venom, you've lost about a third of your blood supply."

I weakly looked up at the bag that Nicolas was squeezing, in order to push the blood into the IV faster. "It wasn't you're fault, Nicolas," I whispered as I reached for his pale hand. "I should have waited like you asked me to."

He hung the bag up, sighed and looked down at me. "Yes, you should have. You know you can not go out alone," he admonished quietly. "But I have feeling that he was waiting for an opportunity." he smoothed my hair away. "Try and sleep. I'll check on you every twenty minutes."

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At some point, I groggily opened my eyes to see Nicolas replace the empty bag with a full one. He looked down at me; a worried smile graced his lips.

"What time is it?" I asked sleepily.

"It's three in the morning," he replied, placing a cool hand on my shoulder.

I shivered. "Hot …"

"I know. You have a slight fever. It's your body's reaction to the bite wound," he explained. "Alexia, I'm going to set you up, so I can sit behind you."

I gritted my teeth as he sat me up. He settled himself behind me then carefully pulled me back against his chest. After a few minutes, the fever in my right shoulder and back began to lessen. Gradually, I fell back to sleep. I vaguely remembered Nicolas helping me eat, but not much else.

Slowly, sounds and smells began to register in my mind. I tried to stretch, but the pain in my shoulders and upper back reminded me why I could not. I blinked several times before the room became clear. I saw a tray sitting on the side table, no bags hung from the IV stand and I heard steps coming to my door.

Nicolas slowly opened the door and came into the room. I turned my head to see the early morning light coming through the large windows. I furrowed my eyebrows, completely confused. I noticed too, that my hand was free of the IV. I was also wearing different clothes.

He sat down on the bed. His hand came up and cradled my face. The coolness felt nice. "How are you feeling, poppet?"

I smiled at his nickname, something he brought with him from his human life. "Like shit."

"A lady should never use such language, Alexia," Nicolas admonished gently as he wiggled the end of my nose with his finger. "However, I think it's warranted in this situation," he smiled.

"Um … what day is it?"

"You've been in and out of consciousness for three days hours. Its December seventh," he replied. He pulled the covers down so he could look at my shoulder. "You had nightmares for the first twenty-four hours then you finally slept soundly."

"I don't remember them," An emotion that I could not name colored his handsome features.

He pulled me into his arms, cradling me as he did when I was little. "Poppet, it is too dangerous for you to be here. Dominic knows us too well."

I nodded as I hugged him tightly. "Where am I going?"

Nicolas helped me stand up. I swayed slightly so he put his arm around my waist. We slowly walked down the hall to the stairs. Occasionally, a snap or cracking sound came from my back as it lined back up. We got to the stairs when a wave of nausea and pain came over me.

My grip tightened on Nicolas's arm. "Nicolas …"

He picked me up. "I've got you." Beginning careful not to press my right shoulder against his chest, he carried me to his study. Entering the room, he set me down on the chaise by his desk.

He then moved to the bookcase and pulled out a small book of photographs. Handing it to me, Nicolas sat down next to me. He opened it to a page with a picture of Carlisle's family at a party. "Do you remember Carlisle and Esme?"

"I remember. When did you meet Carlisle?"

"We met when I was one hundred and twenty years old. He was only a few decades old," he turned the page that held a picture of Carlisle and Esme. "I called Carlisle and told him what's been going on. He said they would care for you while I tracked Dominic."

I turned the page back and looked at another picture, noticing something very odd. I pointed to a young man with bronze hair that looked no older than I did. "I look like him. Who is his, Nicolas?"

Nicolas took the book back to the bookcase and brought a leather-bound book back. "That is Edward, Carlisle's eldest son," he set the book on his lap and opened it up. He pointed to my name on a family tree. I followed his finger as it rose up the tree and stopped on a branch that held five names. "And he, Alexia, is your uncle."

"My uncle, how is he my uncle?" I commented stunned.

"Carlisle was just as shocked when I told him. I started researching your family when I found out that you father's last name was Masen," He turned the page. At the top of the page a name was written, Thomas William Masen. "Did you notice that there were no branches coming from Edward, his sister or younger brother?"

I turned the page back. "Why is that?"

Nicolas went back to the page we had been on. "Edward's family lived in Chicago when the Spanish Influenza broke out and everyone but Thomas got sick. His parents, sister and younger brother all passed. Carlisle was lonely and thinking that Edward had no family left changed him."

"Why didn't Thomas get sick?" I questioned, wondering how this one family member survived.

"Well, he was over in Europe fighting in World War I. He went missing for two months. His company finally found him and he made his way back to the states."

I shook my head. "It must have been sad for him to come back and find his family gone," I looked at Nicolas, searching his eyes. "Edward doesn't know any of this, does he?"

"Unfortunately, no, he doesn't," he said sadly. "I'm sure that he knows now. This is not something that Carlisle would keep from him," He pulled my hair back to look at my shoulder. I sighed at the coolness of his hand on my wound. "It will cool off in a few more days. From now on, the scar will be slightly cooler than the rest of your skin."

"It's stiff." I commented as I tried to roll my shoulder, but it reprimanded me with pain.

I noticed that my carryon, messenger bag and violin case were sitting by his desk. "Nicolas, did you pack my stuff already?"

He knelt down in front of me, taking my face in his hands. "As soon as I was off the phone with Carlisle, I did. We will leave early tomorrow morning. You need one more day before traveling," he explained. "You will be going to school while you are with them. I will not have you neglecting your education."

He saw the tears that welled up in my eyes. "Ah, poppet, please don't cry," he said kissing my forehead. "I love you as much as I did my own children when I was human. However this is necessary."

Why did Dominic pick me? I am nothing special. "I guess my birthday will be put on hold this year."

Nicolas laughed heartily. "Oh, I would not be too worried about that. I will promise you that it will be one of the most memorable birthdays you will ever have." His countenance grew sad. "Do you think you cane eat?"

My stomach growled just then. "Yeah, I think I can."

Nicolas carried me to the kitchen and fixed me some soup. After finishing one bowl and a partial, he carried me back upstairs and put me back to bed.

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The morning came too soon. I felt a cool hand on my check and opened my eyes. Nicolas was sitting in a chair by my bed. "Poppet, it's six o'clock. Our flight leaves at nine, so you need to get up and get ready."

I slowly sat up and was relieved that no dizziness accompanied the movement. Nicolas helped me stand up. "I think I got it."

He nodded. "Be careful not to get your stitches wet."

As I got my bath, I could not help but wonder how my new uncle was going to take this. What will happen if he does not want me there? Will he even care what happens to me? God, Alexia, listen to yourself. He will care about you. Yes, he may be a little stunned, but you are making it sound like he is going to hate you. I sighed and got out of the tub.

I painfully got dressed. I picked out my vintage boot cut jeans, a black ruched tee shirt with cap sleeves. Opening my closet, pulled out my black suede winter coat, cashmere gloves and scarf then closed the door.

A knock on my door pulled my mind back to the present. Nicolas had his coat on. He carefully looked at me.

"Alexia, are you alright? You're very pale," he asked concerned.

"Yeah, it's just from getting dressed." I replied as I looked around my room that had been mine for that last five years. "I'm going to miss this place."

He helped me carefully put my coat on, leaving the right side draped over my shoulder. "I know you will." Nicolas said as he put his arm around my shoulders. "You've had so much pain in your life, poppet." He kissed the top of my head as we made our way downstairs.

I walked into the great room while Nicolas finished a few phone calls. I ran my fingers over the herald and coat of arms that declared Nicolas's station in his human life, Nicolas Parr the Earl of Essex. No one who drove by would ever think that a member of nobility lived here. He approached me quietly as I wiped the tears from my cheeks.

Nicolas gently touched my shoulder. "My lady Masen, it's time for us to go."

The Mercedes was running when we walked outside. Nicolas opened my door and helped me get comfortable. The sun broke threw the clouds, sending diamond reflections off his face across the hood of the car. It never ceased to amaze me how beautiful Nicolas's kind was. However, I always remembered why, to draw their prey in. Fun, how Dominic makes me want to run. Maybe that is because I know what his diet is or maybe because I know he wants me and it is not reciprocated.

I watched the house, which had been my home for that last five years; grow smaller as we drove away. I hoped that one day; I would be able to come back. It seems that every time when Nicolas's kind and humans mix, Fate never plays by the rules. Little did I know, I would never come back and Carlisle and his family would be the only family that I would have left.