I couldn't get Louis off my mind. It brought back memories…memories I didn't want to remember. I stared at my mentor as the moment we met played in my head.

I was born in Vampire Mountain, but was forced into hiding by my mother. She had told me that if I didn't hide, they'd find me and they might kill me for what I was. In all honesty, we weren't sure ourselves. I was kept hidden for five years.

I was discovered when I had snuck into the dining hall for some soup because I was hungry and mother hadn't come back yet. I didn't know who the man that found me was at the time, but I came to know him as Gavner Purl. I was brought before the princes later that night.

Gavner had pulled me by the arm to the steps in front of the thrones of the Vampire Princes. Inside, I was panicking, but on the outside, I was cool and collected. The room quickly filled. My mother and my cousin were sitting in the front row. For their sakes, I showed no fear. Then, the questioning began.

"Hello, young one. You're a very pretty girl, are you lost?" one of them asked. I looked at him for long time. This was Paris, no doubt. I remained silent. He asked me again, a little irritated. I still didn't answer. Then one of them got angry and pounced on me. He squeezed my neck. "You insolent little child! You will answer us!" he snarled. I glared at him as my face turned blue from lack of air. This was Mika, the hot tempered one. I smirked at him and made a face. He yelled and threw me across the room, letting my crash against the wall.

Silence.

I heard Paris's voice. "Mika! That was unnecessary!" he chided. Mika didn't like that. "She's a brat! I don't care how old or fragile she is, she will learn respect!" he growled. Paris sighed. "She can't do that if she is dead, now can she?" he said. Silence. My eyes snapped open and I started laughing. They stared at me incredulously. "Well, it's a good thing I'm not dead then, isn't it?" I asked.

I glared at Mika. "Next time you touch me, you will regret it." I growled. He was too shocked to say anything. I noticed that Paris had a glass of water next to him and smiled. I looked at him. "Prince Paris, would you mind if I used your water?" I asked him. He nodded just as Mika said, "Of course she's polite now, bratty little slut." I ignored him. I froze the water into chair in front of Paris's throne and sat.

Silence.

Paris began. "So, what is your name?" he asked kindly. I smiled, but said nothing. Mika's eye twitched. I stared at Paris. "I will answer no other questions until I receive a bowl of bat broth." I said. everyone laughed at me. Paris chuckled. "Okay, little one. Will someone please get this charming little lady a bowl of broth?" my cousin nodded and ran off to get some.

He was back in less than ten minutes. As soon as I touched the bowl, the questions began again. "So, what is your name?" I sipped the broth and smiled. "Vanessa." I replied. He smiled and nodded. "And how old are you, Vanessa?" he asked. I yawned. "I'm five, sir." I answered. He looked surprised. "Five?" he repeated. I nodded. He smiled wearily.

"Are you lost, Vanessa? Did you run away?" he asked. I snorted. "Lost? Run away? Heck no. I live here, and for a five year old whose hiding from you people, running away is pretty hard." I replied, eating more bat broth. His eyes widened. "You live here?" he asked. I nodded. He stared for a long time.

"And you are a bender, I presume?" he asked. I shrugged. "I don't know, I was thinking more of a witch, but I think that fits." I replied. He sighed. "We've had a young witch hiding in the mountain, all this time?" he murmured. I frowned. "I thought you said I was a bender." I stated. He looked at the wall and then back at me. "Yes, but a bender is human and a human wouldn't be able to survive that, but a witch could." He said. I smiled wickedly. "Whoever said I was human?"

I heard a few gasps behind me. Paris was confused. "Surely you can't be…" he trailed off. "A vampire?" I completed for him. He nodded. I smiled. "Well, I am. My name is Vanessa, a full blooded vampire from birth." I said. I heard many gasps behind me. Mika jumped to his feet.

"She's an abomination! Paris, she must be destroyed." He hissed. I glared. "Mika, she is five years old, she is probably just playing pretend." He said. I stood, walked over to Paris, and held my arm out to him. "Test my blood if you don't believe me." I said. He hesitated and then nodded. He made a small scratch in my arm and sucked a little of my blood out. He swished it in his mouth and then spit it out. I licked my arm and let him watch it heal. I sat back down.

He stood up and looked at all the vampires behind me. "This girl…Vanessa…she is one of us." He said solemnly. People started gasping and shouting. Mika yanked my arm, pulling me up. Using my other hand, I punched him so hard in the face that he flew a couple feet away from me. He was shocked. "I said, don't touch me." I snarled. That caused more shouting. H looked at Paris.

"She is too young and does not know our ways. Paris, she is an abomination and must be destroyed." He shouted. Everyone went silent then. Paris sighed. "All in favor?" most of the vampires raised their hands. I shut my eyes and let the tears slide down my cheeks in silence. I heard shuffling and then a voice. "Paris, what if someone was willing to teach her the ways of the vampires and take her on as an assistant?" my eyes snapped open.

I saw a tall, pale man with red hair and a long scar that went from the corner of his mouth and along his jaw line. He wore a white shirt, black pants, and a blood red cape. He looked brave and heroic. He also looked sort of familiar; I just couldn't place it…at the time. Paris jumped at the chance.

"Hm…possibly. I presume you're speaking of yourself, Larten?" he asked. Larten nodded. Paris looked at Mika, who was glaring. "Do whatever you want, Paris." He sighed. Paris smiled and turned back to the vampires. "All in favor?" he asked again. Everyone's hands went up…except Mika's. Paris smiled.

"She's all yours Larten." Larten nodded and turned to me. "Come." he ordered. I frowned, but complied. I soon got tired and held onto his cape so I wouldn't get lost. He looked at me for a while then picked me up. I yawned and fell asleep in his arms.

"Vanessa! Get up! We're here!" I blinked a few times and looked up. Darren was looking at me. "We're at the train station, come on." I noticed that my stuff was gone. "Crepsley took it." he said. I nodded and yawned. He smiled and gave me his bag. I was confused but pulled it on. He turned around. "Hop on." He ordered. I nodded and jumped on his back.

Darren put me down once we had met up with Darren and Evra. I yawned and fell on my butt. Larten sighed. "Vanessa, get up. We must find a hotel before morning." He said. I nodded and held out a hand. Evra pulled me up and winked. I rolled my eyes.

Mr. Crepsley gave me my bag. I yawned. "Man, I'm so tired." I murmured. He smiled. "I do not see how, you were asleep the whole ride up here." He replied. I looked at him. "Really?" I asked. He nodded. I yawned. We had reached a crossing zone that was across the hotel and it said we couldn't go yet. I leaned against Mr. Crepsley and sighed. He looked at me. "Vanessa is something upsetting you?" he asked quietly. I shrugged.

"I had that dream again…the one about when we first met." I murmured. He took my hand and rubbed the back of it with his thumb. "It is okay, Vanessa. You are fine now, they will not hurt you." He murmured. I nodded. "Who won't?" Darren and Evra asked at the same time.

I was about to tell them off for eavesdropping but then the crossing pole turned green telling us to go so we all hurriedly crossed the street. I looked at Darren and Evra as Larten checked in. "Guys, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't eavesdrop on my conversations with Mr. Crepsley." I said. They just shrugged. I sighed. "Come along, you three." Crepsley said. I nodded and we all followed.

When we got to the room, Crepsley and I claimed the large bedroom for ourselves. Darren decided to crack some jokes about it. Not the right decision. The temperature rose and I punched him so hard he slammed into the wall. I heard shouts in the room next and someone jumping for a phone I froze. Of course, Darren and Evra didn't hear the phone part.

I couldn't move. Then there was a knock on our door. "Is everything alright in there?" a voice asked. I did the first thing that came to my mind. I undid my pants zipper, made my hair look wild, and unbuttoned my shirt some, and then I did the same with Darren. I answered the door.

"Can I help you?" I asked in a breathless tone. The guy looked about 18. His cheeks turned pink as he looked me up and down. He looked at his feet. "Um, we got a call from the next room over about a loud bang." He said. Darren had picked up the plan and came behind me. "Oh, sorry about that, we were just hitting it off." He said bluntly. The guy's face turned red. "Oh, sorry for the disturbance." He said, then he quickly walked away.

I closed the door and laughed. Darren laughed too. Daren grinned. "We should do this more often, if you catch my drift." He said. I snorted. "Not even in your dreams, Darren." I said. I yawned then and walked into the bedroom and yanked off my clothes and slipped into my pajamas while Larten was in the shower. As I climbed onto the bed, Crepsley came out of the shower in a pair of jet black pajama pants, drying his hair with a towel.

I smiled. "It's almost morning, Larten." I said sleepily, digging my head into my pillow. He laughed and got into bed. "That it is." I yawned. "Night." I said quietly. He yawned. "Goodnight Vanessa." He said. Then I drifted to sleep.