Ian shrieked as Pierre slashed at her leg in a panicked frenzy to get away from Law, who now had a baseball bat in his hand, stalking after the feline with a sadistic leer in his eyes. Sumiko followed, concerned for the animal, while Freyr watched from his chair.

"Don't hurt him!" Ian pleaded, and she grabbed Law's arm, trying to snatch the bat away. The cat ran into the kitchen and out the back door, which Law slammed shut. Madeline stood watching at the stove, a cup of coffee in her hands. She shook her head at her son, and simply sighed.

"Chérie, don't antagonize the cat, please. You're upsetting your sister."

Law glared at Pierre, who sat in the flower beds outside the window, cleaning himself. Law wanted nothing more than to run out there and punt the mangy bastard into the ocean, weakness to the sea be damned. But he relented and walked off.

Vyce stood at the doorway, and Sumiko came up next to him, smiling. She looked at Ian, who was going outside with paint and a canvas, her sundress fluttering.

"She's your lifemate, isn't she." Vyce nodded.

"She won't understand." He said softly, and Sumiko notcied the slightly pained look in his eyes. Vyce had been the loner of his family, despite having nearly twenty-plus siblings, most of whom who happily mated and had families of their own. But Vyce had yet to make a connection with someone, and now that he had, he was terrified.

"Ona jest moja, a ja jestem w miłości." The words came from his mouth before he could stop them. I love her, and it scares me. Sumiko nodded. She totally understood.

Vyce sighed and watched as Ian made herself comfortable outside, surrounded by sunflowers. She had her paints spread out, and was preparing to create something on the large canvas. Turning away from his female, Vyce looked at Sumiko, and he made up his mind. He had to tell her what had happened with her father. She'd probably beat the hell out of him for it, but she had to know, especially considering that Law was being threatened.

"We need to talk." His gaze was hard, and Sumiko stopped smiling.

"Just show me." Vyce nodded and opened his mind to hers, pushing the memories of the other day into her head, so she could see what she didn't remember.

"Daddy?"

The look of absolute horror on Sumiko's face mirrored their own as Freyr babbled incohenrently and Vyce just stared blankly. The figure laughed, a deep, warped laugh that chilled vyce to his very core. Sumiko whimpered, and Law pulled her back, blocking her view, while Freyr likewise guarded her.

"Silly girl, I bet you're so happy that the human is dead, aren't you?" he laughed again. "He was weak, I've been feeding from him for nearly three months, without him even knowing, which is why he was so easy to kill."

"Why? Why did you do this? I thought you were dead!" Sumiko cried.

The man met her gaze, and suddenly, he appearance shifted. He shrank, and his skin blackened, falling off in clumps until glistening bone was poking through the rotted flesh. The eyes were next, sinking back into the skull as his mouth filled with sharp black teeth.

Freyr positively sqealed at that point. "D-Demetrius?!"

The dark mage cackled. "Tis I, warrior. But you needn't worry, I am not here to harm anyone yet. I have much to do before I can," he looked at Law, and Sumiko noticed. "Hunt."

Demetrius smiled evilly, revealing rotted teeth. "The human male who have marked as your mate is not all he appears to be. He isn't completely human, and the secret bloodline he carries will one day father the child who can take me out, which I can not allow. Because of that, the human must die. But not yet, oh no, not until I have finished my plans."

He gave a deep bow to the group, and smirked. "I belive it is best you all forget this little encounter, shall we?"

"What about my father? Where is he?!"

Sumiko had stopped crying, her sorrow replaced by anger. Freyr was also annoyed, and Vyce was listening eagerly.

Demetrius turned to the girl, his shrivled features roaming over hers. "Oh, your father is very much alive, your Majesty, though his usefullness is fading fast. If I were you, I would go home, and gather your warriors, because a war is about to start. The likes of which the world has never seen." With that, the man was gone, dematerializing away to God knew where.

Sumiko was in total shock. Her father was alive, and the Dark Mage was holding him captive? And why the flying fuck did he want to kill Law? Law was human, he had no supernatural bloodline, at least that she knew of. But she couldn't risk it.

The descision made her want to curl up and die. She'd left him once, for only two years, but if she had to do it again, she'd have to earase his memories of everything. Carpathians, magic, and her.

"What am I going to do?" she whispered.

For once, Vyce had no answer.