Three knocks on the door. When Josephine answered, she hadn't suspected to see two people, though she had her suspicions about where her son had been.

"Hi Mother. This is Martha, a friend of mine. I was wondering if she could stay for a while?" Jeremiah asked, hopeful.

Josephine was happy to see that he was making friends at last.

"Of course, as long as it's alright with Martha's parents?"

"My father won't mind. He is away with business at the moment."

It was settled. They spent the first couple of hours becoming acquainted. The aura of secrecy in the air was removed when Josephine found out that Martha herself was a Vampire.

"My father thought it would be best if I was tutored from home. He reckoned that the less time I spend around humans, the better it would be on my thirst for… well, blood."

Using blood substitute had become a common process for those that wished to blend in. For obvious reasons, it help to keep the death toll at bay.

"That was very brave of you helping Jeremiah." His mother thanked her.

"Bullies don't scare me. If anything, they should be scared of us. Not that I want it to be that way."

Jeremiah wished that he could put the students at his school down a peg or two, but that would reveal his identity. The two of them spent some time in the grounds. Jeremiah showed all the places that he would relax and think. She was mesmerised by the colours around her. The plant life was vibrant, acting like a cloak to cover the places true nature. At the practice range, Martha took a look at the target that Jeremiah often used. Fifteen arrows still hung from it, all bullseyes.

"It must have been so hard to find out who you are. I've grown up knowing about our kind. I can't imagine what it must be like to be a Dhampir." She said.

"A what?" He asked.

"A Dhampir. I've read stories about how people created the idea that Human and Vampire blood could be mixed. That's the word they gave hybrids. I didn't think they really existed."

Jeremiah stared at his target.

"Apparently, they don't. I'm the only one."

All of a sudden, Martha was standing beside him. He didn't know if she had used her superior speed or if he simply hadn't been paying attention.

"Show me what you can do." She nodded her head towards the target.

"You want me to show you archery?"

She smiled and nodded. After how he had felt before, he didn't think it was such a good idea to practice in front of someone. Yet something drew him to his bow. He aligned himself up properly, put on his quiver and nocked his first arrow. It wasn't like before. The world became silent once again, but this time he was overcome with such clarity that it was impossible for him to feel any anger. It was just him, the target, and the curious girl called Martha. He smiled and released. He hit the second empty target on the range with a perfect bullseye. Martha clapped.

"Wow. You make it look so easy."

He was surprised how impressed she was.

"Would you like to try?" he had no idea why he was asking, it just came out.

"Me? Ok!"

Everything he did now, everything he said felt like he was on autopilot, but Martha didn't refuse. He handed her his bow and a single arrow.

"Hold it just under the fletching here and keep your arm straight as you aim." He instructed.

He steadied her arm for her. He caught the scent of her perfume as he stepped back. Martha stared at the target, focusing her senses. She let go, achieving an accurate shot. Jeremiah was impressed.

"Great. You're a natural." He complemented her.

"Not as good as you though."

"Oh, I've had the practice. You should have seen me when I started. You can still see the dent in the statue over there."

She giggled.

"I couldn't draw like you though. You're amazing at that."

She raised her eyebrows.

"You think so?" She asked.

"Absolutely. It's like you said. You draw what you see, not just with your eyes but with your heart. Anything I'd draw would just be grim."

She put down the bow and took his hand in hers.

"I don't believe that." She whispered. "I've not known you for long Jeremiah, but you are still the nicest person I've ever met."

No one, say his parents, had ever shown him such understanding. At school, most people shied away from him, as if they could feel that something was wrong with him. This girl however was in her element amongst his kind.

"I bet your parents are proud of you. It can't be easy being a hybrid after all." She said.

"They say that, but I think they're scared deep down. Scared of who I will turn out to be."

He was such a troubled soul, Martha was determined to change that.

"That's in your hands. Make them proud."

Everything she said was just what he wanted to hear.

"Your father must be proud of you. A pure Vampire with a good heart." He said.

She looked at the ground.

"I don't see him often. Sometimes he doesn't acknowledge I'm even there. After Mother died, it's as if I've merely been a hindrance."

Whilst they talked, they didn't notice two men approaching the grounds.

"It's out of the question Adrien. I'll help him to control his power but that is as far as it goes." Dmitri argued with him.

"Then you can explain that to Vincent. He wants everyone ready when they come of age."

"For what!?" Dmitri shouted.

Adrien gave him an angry grin.

"You've been away from you homeland for a long time now. It's not the place you left anymore. Something monumental is about to happen. Something that will mean we won't have to hide any longer."

Dmitri knew whatever it was, he didn't want himself or his family to be a part of it.

"It's do or die Dmitri. War is coming. The entire globe will feel it and when it does, there will be no hiding. Everyone will have to do their part."

Dmitri saw his son and his guest in the distance. He wasn't drawn to Martha's presence at first, he was too concerned for his son.

"I want nothing to do with this. Vincent promised us that when we came here we'd be escaping all of that."

"Time's change. Plans come to fruition. There is only one way for Monsters to survive. The cornered dog must kill its captors. All of them."

In that moment, Dmitri felt like that dog.

"You're mad. Vincent is mad if he thinks that will ever happen."

Adrien wagged his finger.

"Sixteen years. The plan has been in the making since before you arrived. We have the means to wipe them out. All we need now, is the ultimate commander."

Dmitri snarled at him.

"Does Vincent really think himself that high? I will kill every single one of our kind who steps within breathing distance of my family."

Adrien looked threatened for a brief moment.

"Then you better be ready, my friend. War's coming. You better choose the right side. Get your son ready. We will expect him to be a great fighter by the end of the week."

Dmitri turned away, leaving Adrien to watch him approach his son. He tried to pretend that nothing was wrong, but his temper made it difficult. It was then that he noticed Martha for the first time.

"Jeremiah, my boy. Who is this?" He asked in a curious tone.

"Oh, this is Martha. A friend of mine." He answered, embarrassed.

"It's a pleasure to meet you mister Constantin." She greeted him.

"And you Martha. You didn't tell me you had a friend."

Jeremiah didn't respond. Martha found the whole moment amusing to no end.

"Well, I have some more business to take care of. Make sure you treat our guest well like a proper gentleman, son."

Jeremiah could have sworn he winked at him before turning back towards Adrien. Adrien himself was staring at Martha. She looked back with an ashamed face.

"We will finish this conversation another time, but you know where I stand on this. I won't interfere in Vincent's affairs as long as he leaves my family alone."

Adrien smirked.

"Teach the boy Dmitri, if you don't want anything to happen to him. Besides, maybe my own family can be a good influence on him. Martha, don't stay here too late."

She begrudgingly answered.

"Yes father."

Both Jeremiah and Dmitri were at a loss for words. Adrien left with a quick smile. They had both known he had a daughter, but this was too much of a coincidence. Dmitri looked at her, not knowing whether to leave them alone or throw her out.

"You never said-"Jeremiah started.

"Neither would you if he was your father. I love him, but I know what he is like."

It seemed that the apple had fallen very far from the tree, fortunately.

"Martha, if Adrien is your father, then your Mother must have been a saint." Dmitri decided to head back to the mansion after all.

"Please don't think badly of me. I try and stay out of his way when I can."

"I could never think badly of you. You're nothing like him. No one has ever helped me when I've been beaten, nor even spent time with me since I was little."

She was flattered.

"Maybe we are more alike than we know." She said.

"Maybe. Where does this leave us? If you had the choice… would you be a Vampire or a Human?" he asked her.

"It might surprise you… but I'd choose a Vampire."

He was bewildered.

"But why?" He puzzled.

"Simple. So I could show the world the good heart a Vampire can have."

At that point, Jeremiah had the strange feeling that he needed Martha, not just through choice, but to survive. She had answers that he craved for. Being a hybrid in a world where both sides were at conflict, it made him feel like he was lost in the void. A soul trapped between worlds. Martha was his bridge.