Inheritance

Chapter 6

Melanie bit her lower lip at the scrutiny she noticed her grandfather take in her. Outwardly he showed no reaction but curiosity but deep down within herself she knew that he was hiding much of his emotions. Curiouser and curiouser.

She was brought out of her inner musings as LaCroix asked her, "Does anyone else know of these abilities?"

She sighed. "No, the only person that ever knew of my special abilities was my mother," she looked to both relatives, "and you two."

Rubbing the back of her neck she grimaced. "It's hell on my social life. I can become quite sensitive to others and its… sometimes disturbing and can be harmful if I don't keep my shields up."

"How so?" this time it was Nick who asked.

Eyes showing a far away look of remembrance, she slowly told them, "When I said that sometimes I can affect other peoples emotions it sometimes happens when I don't mean it to. Once, when I had found out that my boyfriend cheated on me and was angry at all men in general I went out to try and drown my sorrow and anger in dancing and drinking. Well, let me just say that not long into my second drink a full out bar fight started up for pretty much no reason. By the time I realized that it was me that was influencing the violence the police had arrived to arrest and bring some order to the crowd." Melanie bit her lip, looking sheepishly at her father, "That was the last time I ever went out drinking. I tend to avoid alcoholic beverages totally."

LeCroix was totally intrigued. "You affected the whole bar?"

She sighed. "Yeah. I've spent a lot of my life avoiding people. I almost had a breakdown when I was only twelve but that was before I had a hold on how to control my shielding." Closing her eyes at the painful memory she was grateful when her father's hand grasped hers and squeezed.

Taking in her pained expression, LaCroix asked in a soothing and gentle voice. "What happened?"

Melanie swallowed hard. It was not something that she liked remembering. Opening her eyes she looked into LaCroix's eyes for a long moment before telling him. "One moment I was oblivious to the others in the room and then suddenly…" her voice deadened when she continued, "I felt everything all at once. It was a tidal wave of other people's emotions crushing into me. Despair, anger, jealousy, happiness, sorrow, lust, revulsion… I was told that I fell to the floor screaming and in hysterics. They called an ambulance and had to sedate me."

She shivered at the memory and was grateful for the arms that came around her and held her. That was one of the worst days of her life. It was like they had invaded and violated the privacy of her mind without her consent.

After a long moment of silence she softly asked, "Why? Why am I different? Why is it that my father looks the same as a picture my mother had from over 20 years ago? How can you be my grandfather when you look only in your mid 30's? I deserve to know the truth. What was it that my mother was so afraid of? Why would she keep your existence a secret? I have spent most of my life wondering where I fit in, where I belonged. I've always felt out of place, like some outcast. I can never be myself when around others for fear of being found out as some freak."

"Shh, you are not a freak," Nick whispered in her ear. Pain filled his being at the knowledge that she had to endure so much with only her mother for support. If he had been there wouldn't he have been able to help her through this, guide her in some way. She had to basically train herself how to cope with her abilities. His eyes locked with his Sire's. Through their link he could sense his Sire's tinge of sympathy but it was quickly hidden.

He had to admire his grandchild. Not many would have gone though such an experience without losing their sanity. Lucian LaCroix came to a decision then. Taking her hand in his, he was slightly taken back as he felt a connection made between them, it was faint but he had noticed. Intriguing. "What I am about to reveal to you is something that is not safe to know but I feel that you have a right to this knowledge. Your conception has come as a surprise to us. We are not supposed to be able to have offspring in the human sense. I, as well as your father, are vampires."

Melanie arched her brow and was about to ask for the punch line when she froze. Her supposed grandfather's eyes flashed with golden flecks of light and he smiled showing his rather impressive fangs. Later she would have looked back on this moment and note that she handled this quite well.

Her eyes widened slightly as her back went stiff, her other hand tightening around one of her father's forearms. Nick had noticed the strength in her grip; if he were human he would be in considerable pain. Her heart leaped up into her throat the spiraled down into the pit of her stomach. A flash of her dream from that morning came to mind but she quickly pushed it back, afraid to analyze it.

Clearing her throat she finally found her voice, and to her own credit it did not shake or tremble. "Not just fantasy then. I take it that you guys don't live off of blood bags and live peacefully among human kind?"

LaCroix smirked at her question. He admired her strength of will and could sense her unease but there was no fear. She was taking this news rather well. "No we do not."

"Is this why mother left?" She was a bit shaken at his admittance to being a killer. There was a part of her that was appalled by the knowledge but another that knew that it was in their nature for survival that should be respected. Was this somewhere ingrained into her biological makeup? She wondered at why she was not as afraid as she should be. It was as if a part of her had known of there existence and he was just reassuring her of the fact.

"Ah," LeCroix drawled. "That is part of her reasoning behind her departure. I think that your father will be more suitable in explaining that detail. There are rules that all of our kind must abide by. One being, that we are to not reveal our existence to mortals. Those that find out about our existence have few choices, they either are persuaded to forget, come across, or are killed."

At this revelation she felt a slight tinge of fear. With voice slightly shaky she asked, "What does that mean for me now that you've revealed what you are?"

LaCroix brought her hand up to his lips and pressed them against her warm skin. "You, my dear, are family and I always protect my family." At the look of possessiveness and power within her grandfather's eyes she felt a chill run down her spine.

Her father's breath tickled her ear, "Now you know the truth."

Melanie pulled her hand away from LeCroix's. "Yeah. I…" she took in a death breath of air trying to take all of this in. "I need some time alone to absorb all of this." At this, her father's arms loosened their hold and she stood on slightly shaken knees.

"Are you all right?" Nick asked with concern.

She laughed at his question. "Oh yeah." She cleared her throat then, "Sorry. This is just a lot to take in. I mean, just three days ago I thought my father no longer existed. Not only am I still grieving for the loss of my mother, I find out that she had lied to me and kept me from you. Oh and don't forget the fact that my father is a vampire. I'm still waiting for this to sink in and for me to freak out. Oh, I'm just peachy."

At this she rubbed her temples and took in another deep breath. Shaking her head she smiled weakly to her father. "I just need to sleep on this. I've just relived some bad memories of my past and found out about this."

Leaning down, she kissed his cheek. "Whatever you are, you are my father. Though we're practically strangers I feel a connection to you," she then looked to LaCroix, "and you. I hope to spend more time getting acquainted with my new family but for now I think I will go to bed. Goodnight." With that said, Melanie calmly left the room and walked up the stairs to her room.

Both LeCroix and Nick watched her departure in silence. When he knew that she was in her room he turned to face his Childe. "Impressive."

"I would have to agree." Nick was a bit shell-shocked. There was no loathing or disgust as to what he is. She had practically just told him that she accepted him for what he is.