"The war had all but ground to a halt in the blink of an eye… Lukacs, the most odious and savage leader ever to rule the lycan clan had finally been killed. The lycan hordes scattered to the wind in a single evening of flame and vengeance."
A flash of lightning revealed a pair of leather-clad figures perched atop a building. One was male, the other female, and both were vampires, Death Dealers.
"Victory, it seemed, was in our grasp… the very birthright of the vampires. Nearly half a century had passed since that night. Yet the age-old blood feud proved resistant to follow Lukacs to the grave."
Another flash of lightning gave us a better view of the vampires.
The male, Kale, stood on the edge of the roof, watching the street beneath them. His wet, brown hair stuck to his forehead and hung limp around his face from the rain. His hazel eyes were fixed on the street below and held a slight amusement to them.
Beside him, the female, Alyth, sat on the edge of the roof with her legs dangling over the side. She had long, wavy, sandy blonde hair pulled up into a high ponytail. Her sky blue eyes sparkled in amusement as she watched her mate and the street below them.
"Though lycans were fewer in number, the war itself had become more dangerous… for the moon no longer held her sway. Older, more powerful lycans were now able to shift at will.
"The weapons had evolved, but our orders stayed the same: track them down, and kill them off, one by one."
Alyth met Kale's gaze as they both spotted their targets, and she smirked. She stood up and took out her guns, ready to shoot down the wolves.
Kale nodded once to her and began firing at the trio of lycans, Alyth joining him.
They struck all three lycans once before the beasts returned fire. The pair of Dealers continued to shoot at them until every lycan lay dead on the ground.
"A most successful operation… Perhaps too successful."
Alyth and Kale stepped off the roof and landed lightly on their feet in the alley ten yards below. They strode up to the dead lycans, and Kale bent down to examine them.
"For those like me, a Death Dealer, this signaled the end of an age. Like the weapons of the previous millennia, we too would become outmoded… Pity, because I lived for it."
Three vampires sat around a table in an ornate meeting room. All three were male and high up in vampire society.
The youngest of the three was a scrawny vampire from Mexico named Eduardo. His black hair was greasy and slicked back, and his dark brown eyes quietly took in everything. He was dressed in a dark-colored zoot suit that gave the impression of class.
Felix, the vampire seated across from him, was about a century older than Eduardo. He was the head Death Dealer and was wearing the black leather suit that marked them. His short hair was black and gelled up into spikes. His green eyes shone in amusement that he hid well.
The last vampire was one of the three American Elders. His name was Christopher, and he was almost six hundred years old. His long, hazelnut-colored hair was pulled back in a low ponytail with a black tie. His naturally blue eyes were, at the moment, the feral ice blue that marked a vampire. "Eduardo, when will the Council arrive for the ceremony?" he asked, fixing his cold eyes on the Mexican.
"The Council is scheduled to arrive here in just three days time, my Lord," Eduardo answered, looking down at the palm pilot he held in his hand to make sure. "Yes, my Lord will be able to rest again in three days."
"Excellent," Christopher replied, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.
Felix watched the Elder out of the corner of his eye before looking over at the doors as he heard someone approaching.
Christopher stood up as the doors opened and smiled at the young vampiress that entered the meeting room.
She was relatively tall and slender, the tight sundress she was wearing accenting her curves and pale skin well. She had wavy, shoulder-length flame-red hair and soft china-blue eyes. She walked straight up to Christopher and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Hi, Daddy," she greeted, smiling at him.
"Hello, Liane," Christopher replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "What brings you here, my child?"
"I just came to tell you that I'm going to go out for a little while," she answered, trying to sound sweet and innocent.
"Not tonight, little one," Christopher told her, letting her go and taking a seat.
"But Daddy…" Liane protested, putting her hands on her hips. "Why not?"
"Because it's getting early, and there are no more Dealers left, except Felix, to accompany you," he said, keeping his eyes averted.
"Daddy, I don't need a bodyguard," she argued, glaring at him. "I'm three hundred years old for crying out loud."
"You're not going out tonight," he continued, getting angry.
"But-"
Christopher slammed his hands down on the table and stood up abruptly. "That's final!" he snapped, cutting her off. He met her eyes and watched her leave before sitting down again.
Felix and Eduardo looked at each other and shrugged slightly, turning back to Christopher.
"Hey, Dave," a young American lycan called, knocking lightly on the door.
"What is it, Jacob?" came David's slightly irritated, muffled reply.
"Lu wants to see you," Jacob answered.
"Okay. I'll be down in a minute," David sighed, listening until Jacob left. He settled back down behind Simone and draped his arm across her waist. He nuzzled her neck and snuggled closer to her.
Simone smiled slightly, knowing he wasn't ready to leave yet, and cuddled up to him.
"I'll be back soon," David whispered into her ear, kissing her neck gently. He released her waist and slipped out of bed. He grabbed a shirt, threw it on, and moved to button it up. He stopped when Simone's perpetually cold hands took hold of the bottom button, and he watched as she quickly buttoned up his shirt.
Her hands hovered undecidedly above the top button a moment before she dropped them to her sides and turned to leave.
David caught her hand in his and squeezed it gently. He led her out of the room and down the hall to the meeting room. He opened the door and walked in with Simone right behind him. "Lucas," he greeted, smiling at the lycan in the back of the room.
Lucas, the alpha male, turned around to face the pair and smiled warmly at them. He'd had a hunch that the male hybrid would bring Simone with him. He had short, curly brown hair and gentle, caramel-colored eyes, and his face was smooth with no hair. He was wearing a pair of worn, old blue jeans and a faded Beatles t-shirt. "Hello, David," he replied, gesturing to the chairs beside him.
David and Simone sat down beside each other on the left side of the table.
Lucas shook his head wistfully at them and took his seat at the head of the table.
Next Night…
David sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands while Simone dressed.
"Where's my coat?" Simone wondered, looking around for it. "David, have you seen my coat?" She turned to him with her hands on her hips, dropping them to her sides when she saw him. "David… Are you all right?" She walked over to him and sat down on the bed beside him, touching his shoulder gently. "What's wrong?"
"Why did you volunteer to go to the vampire mansion?" David demanded, looking up at her sharply. "Why couldn't you have let someone else go?"
"David, I'm the only one that is capable of going to the mansion without being killed on sight," Simone answered, looking away from him.
"Why couldn't you have let me go?" David asked, hanging his head again.
"Because you don't have enough vampire blood in you to mask the lycan," Simone replied, placing her hand over his. "Besides, you act too much like a lycan to pass for a vampire."
David let a cynical chuckle escape and looked over at Simone, a slight smile on his face. He leaned over to kiss her and looked up sharply as he heard the floor creak.
Simone smiled and got up. She walked over to the open doorway, blocking David's view, and came back a moment later with a little girl settled on her hip. She sat back down on the bed and moved the girl to her lap.
The little girl rubbed her ocean blue eyes sleepily and yawned, leaning against Simone's shoulder.
"Did you have a good sleep, Lily?" Simone asked, smiling down at her.
Lily nodded and returned Simone's smile.
"Morning, Lily," David greeted, meeting the five-year-old's eyes.
"Good morning, Daddy," Lily replied, smiling at David. Her sweet little voice was light and carried the same soft English accent that Simone's did. She held his gaze for a moment before turning away and burying her face in Simone's neck.
Simone kissed her forehead lightly and stroked her soft, black hair affectionately.
"Hey, Lily," David called, seeing a flash of impatience in Simone's eyes. "Let's leave Mommy alone, so she can finish getting ready." He picked up the girl and settled her in his lap, smiling slightly at her whimper as she was removed from her mother's arms.
Simone flashed David a grateful smile before resuming the search for her coat.
Christopher stormed through the mansion and stopped in the training area. He walked over to the firing range where Alyth was practicing and waited for her to straighten out of her bow before beginning. "Have you seen Liane?" he asked, angrily.
Alyth's surprised look turned thoughtful momentarily before she shook her head. "I haven't seen her since dusk fell," she told him, truthfully. "Has she gone missing again?"
"It would certainly appear that way, wouldn't it?" Christopher snapped. "I can't seem to find her anywhere. Do you have any idea where she could be?"
"No," Alyth replied, shaking her head. "I wouldn't know. She doesn't tell me anything anymore."
"Thank you for your help anyway," Christopher said, flatly. He nodded once to her and left the room.
Simone and David stood in the main hall waiting for Lucas and Jacob.
Simone balanced Lily on her hip and held her small bag on her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder as she heard someone enter the room. She turned around to face Lucas and bowed her head in respect, seeing David do the same beside her.
"Are you ready to go, Simone?" Lucas asked when they looked up.
"I am," Simone agreed, setting Lily on her feet. She smiled at her and rested her hands on her thin shoulders.
"Are you leaving, Mommy?" Lily asked, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Yes," Simone answered, smiling sadly at her daughter. "But I'll come visit you as soon as I can. Okay?"
Lily sniffled and nodded, smiling at Simone.
Simone hugged Lily tightly and kissed her cheek. "You be good for Daddy while I'm gone," she ordered, releasing the little girl.
"I will," Lily replied, smiling weakly.
Simone tenderly brushed the soft, black hair out of her face and kissed her forehead, standing up. She smiled at David, gave him a quick kiss, and walked over to Lucas, her eyes widening when she finally noticed the young vampiress latched onto his arm.
"Liane will take you back to the mansion and help you get in," Lucas explained, seeing her look at the vampire beside him. "She's the daughter of the Elder, Christopher."
"Oh," Simone said, looking back at Liane. She stared at her wide-eyed for a moment before snapping out of her daze. "I'm sorry. I'm Simone." She held out her hand and smiled at the redhead.
Liane shook her hand politely and returned the smile. "I'm Liane," she told her. "It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Simone replied, looking up as Jacob entered.
"The Death Dealers are heading back to the mansion now, sir," Jacob explained, looking at Lucas.
"Good," Lucas stated, smiling at Liane. He pulled her to him and kissed her gently. He pulled away a moment later and nodded to Simone. "You two better get going before the sun starts to rise."
Liane nodded in agreement and turned to Simone. "Let's go," she urged, cheerfully.
Simone nodded and quickly fell into stride beside her. "Bye, everyone," she called, waving to the people behind her.
"Bye, Mommy," Lily whimpered, waving slowly with one hand.
Liane parked her jaguar in the garage outside the mansion and got out.
Simone climbed out after her and stared wide-eyed at the mansion. She looked over at Liane sharply as the redhead spoke up.
"I know it's nothing compared to what you're used to back at Hus av Dod, but it's home," Liane explained, smiling at Simone. "Come on." She nodded to Simone and went inside, waiting for the other "vampiress" to join her.
Simone took a deep breath and followed Liane into the mansion.
They stopped in the main hall, and Liane turned to Simone, smiling brightly. "This is the mai-"
"Liane!" Alyth interrupted, rushing down the stairs. She stopped in front of them and fixed Liane with a cool glare. "I've been looking for you everywhere. Your father is furious."
"Yes, I know," Liane agreed, smiling at Alyth. "Don't worry about me though, Alyth. I know what I'm doing."
"Oh, you do, do you?" Christopher asked, appearing at the top of the stairs.
The three females looked up at him sharply and watched as he descended the stairs to stop in front of them.
Simone sensed the power coming from him and deduced that he was the reigning American Elder. She dropped to one knee as she'd seen the vampires do in Hus av Dod, and she saw Alyth bow slightly above her.
Christopher watched her show her respect with curiosity, momentarily forgetting his daughter. He'd never seen a vampire drop to one knee for him before. "Liane, who is this?" he asked, watching Simone stand.
"This is Simone," Liane answered, smiling at Simone. "She saved me from lycans tonight, Daddy."
"She did?" Christopher wondered, slightly surprised. He found it strangely hard to believe that such a slender, frail-looking young vampire had saved his daughter from lycans.
"Yes, Daddy," Liane agreed. "She was a Death Dealer back in Budapest."
"You're from Budapest?!" Christopher exclaimed, shocked.
"I am," Simone replied, nodding slightly to him. She lowered her head to hide the flash of navy blue that had flickered across her eyes. "I left after the hybrid was created. My… mate was worried about my safety, so we came here."
"And where is your mate now?" Christopher wondered, suddenly suspicious. He could have sworn he'd caught a whiff of lycan on her a moment ago.
"He's dead," Simone answered, keeping her gaze on her feet. "We were attacked by lycans on our way home a few months ago. They just… leapt out of the woods into the middle of the road. He… tried to swerve out of the way… but the rain on the road threw the car… He pushed me out of the side door… but he… he didn't make it… The explosion killed all of the lycans that had been in the road…" She let a tear fall from her eye and lifted her hand to wipe her eyes dry.
"I apologize for making you tell that story," Christopher said, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. He met her tear-streaked eyes when she looked up at him, and he smiled slightly at her. "I, too, know what it's like to lose a mate."
Simone smiled weakly at him and blinked the rest of her tears away. "I've been trying to find this place ever since he died," she explained. "Tonight, I saw Liane getting cornered by lycans, and I shot them down."
"She asked me if I knew where this house was, and I was so relieved to be alive that I brought her back here without question," Liane added, smiling at Christopher. "You're not angry, are you?"
"No, my daughter," Christopher answered, returning her smile. "We could use as many Death Dealers as we can get." He turned back to Simone before continuing. "You don't mind being a Death Dealer here, do you?"
"No, of course not," Simone replied, sounding excited. "I'd love nothing more."
"Good," Christopher said, turning to the lounging vampires behind him. "Jessica, will you show Simone to her rooms?"
A young vampiress with shoulder-length blonde hair stepped forward, and she looked at Simone, curiosity shining in her green eyes. "Of course, my Lord," she agreed, bowing to Christopher. "Follow me, miss." She headed toward the stairs and turned to see if Simone was following her.
"I'll be up later to get you for dinner," Liane said, smiling at Simone.
"Okay," Simone replied, returning the smile. She turned away from Liane and hurried over to where Jessica stood on the stairs. She smiled at the young vampire and followed her up the stairs to her new rooms.
David, Lucas, and Jacob sat in a truck just outside the gates of the vampire mansion. They had followed Liane and Simone just to make sure everything went as planned. They'd seen the pair go into the house and were simple waiting for the fighting to break out.
"Do you think she made it in?" David asked, looking over at Lucas.
"She probably did," Lucas answered, smiling at the male hybrid. "Liane has quite a bit of power over her father. She'll get her in just fine."
David nodded slightly and looked away again.
"Don't worry, my friend," Lucas said, laying a reassuring hand on David's shoulder. "She's strong and very clever. She'll be fine."
"Yeah," David agreed, nodding once and smiling slightly at Lucas.
"Let's get out of here," Lucas suggested, turning to Jacob.
Jacob nodded and drove away.
Next Night…
Mael strode into the throne room with a dark-haired vampiress right behind him. They both dropped to one knee in respect and stood up to face the Elders a moment later.
"You sent for me, my Lady?" Mael asked, looking up at Amelia.
"Yes," Amelia agreed, standing up from her throne. "Mael, I would like to know if you have any new information on the hybrids."
"I have none, my Lady," Mael answered, hanging his head in shame. "I apologize."
"It's quite all right, Mael," Amelia replied, walking up to the pair. Her blue-gray eyes were sad, and her voice was flat and emotionless. "I want you to check every Coven and den in the continent. Do whatever it takes to find them."
"Yes, my Lady," Mael agreed, nodding to her.
"You're dismissed," Amelia told him, watching him leave before turning to the vampiress. She smiled gently at the girl and reached out to hug her. She pulled away a moment later, holding the girl by her elbows, and fixed her eyes on the younger vampire's. "Sacha."
"Mother," Sacha replied, smiling warmly at Amelia. She glanced over her mother's shoulder and smiled at Erik and Sonia before turning her attention back on Amelia. "I just came to tell you that Mael is going to take me on my first reconnaissance mission tonight. Isn't that great?!"
"That's wonderful, Sacha," Amelia agreed, forcing herself to smile at her daughter. "You'll be careful, won't you?"
"I'll be as careful as I can possibly be," Sacha answered, smiling reassuringly at her mother. "I promise. You don't have to worry about me, Mother."
"I know," Amelia said. "You're strong, and you were trained well. You'll do just fine tonight."
Sacha smiled brightly at Amelia and hugged her again. She looked over her mother's shoulder again at Erik and Sonia and smiled. "Rudolf is still asleep," she told them. "I checked on him before I came down here."
"Thank you, Sacha," Sonia replied, smiling at the younger vampire. She knew that Sacha adored Rudolf, and she treated him like a little brother even though he was only her cousin. In truth, her five-year-old son had grown on everyone in the mansion.
"I'll see you later tonight then, Sonia," Sacha said, turning to leave the room.
"Yeah," Sonia agreed, smiling at the girl she treated as a sister. "Your mother would kill me if I didn't go tonight and look after you." She grinned at the glare Amelia shot her, and Erik chuckled lightly beside her.
Sacha smiled brightly at the joke and hurried out of the throne room to get ready for her first reconnaissance mission.
Simone sat on the roof of the mansion with her legs dangling over the edge and watched the guards patrol the grounds below her. She didn't even look up as she heard Liane come out onto the roof and sit down beside her.
"Simone, I don't mean to pry, but I can't help asking," Liane spoke up, fixing her pale blue eyes on the ground.
"What did you want to know?" Simone asked, glancing over at the red-haired vampiress.
"Well, who was that man at the lycan den that you were with?" Liane wondered, peering up at Simone cautiously. She could sense the power coming from the other "vampiress," and she had no desire to provoke her.
"That was David," Simone answered, simply.
"Oh," Liane replied.
Silence fell between them.
Simone broke it with a sigh. "He's my mate, just like Lucas is yours," she explained, smiling as the redhead flushed in embarrassment.
"If he's your mate, then what was that story you told my father? Why would you lie to him?"
"David's… not like you and me… Your father would have killed me on the spot if he knew that my mate was alive and not entirely a vampire."
"David's the hybrid everyone's been looking for!"
"Shhh…"
"Sorry. That just came as a bit of a surprise to me… So, he really is the hybrid everyone's looking for?"
"Yes… He is. But you can't tell anyone."
"I won't."
"You promise?"
"I promise." Liane looked around quickly and motioned for Simone to come closer. "I've got a secret for you too."
Simone listened closely as she whispered her secret into her ear, and her eyes widened in shock at what she'd said.
A flash of lightning revealed a pair of leather-clad figures perched atop a building. One was male, the other female, and both were vampires, Death Dealers.
"Victory, it seemed, was in our grasp… the very birthright of the vampires. Nearly half a century had passed since that night. Yet the age-old blood feud proved resistant to follow Lukacs to the grave."
Another flash of lightning gave us a better view of the vampires.
The male, Kale, stood on the edge of the roof, watching the street beneath them. His wet, brown hair stuck to his forehead and hung limp around his face from the rain. His hazel eyes were fixed on the street below and held a slight amusement to them.
Beside him, the female, Alyth, sat on the edge of the roof with her legs dangling over the side. She had long, wavy, sandy blonde hair pulled up into a high ponytail. Her sky blue eyes sparkled in amusement as she watched her mate and the street below them.
"Though lycans were fewer in number, the war itself had become more dangerous… for the moon no longer held her sway. Older, more powerful lycans were now able to shift at will.
"The weapons had evolved, but our orders stayed the same: track them down, and kill them off, one by one."
Alyth met Kale's gaze as they both spotted their targets, and she smirked. She stood up and took out her guns, ready to shoot down the wolves.
Kale nodded once to her and began firing at the trio of lycans, Alyth joining him.
They struck all three lycans once before the beasts returned fire. The pair of Dealers continued to shoot at them until every lycan lay dead on the ground.
"A most successful operation… Perhaps too successful."
Alyth and Kale stepped off the roof and landed lightly on their feet in the alley ten yards below. They strode up to the dead lycans, and Kale bent down to examine them.
"For those like me, a Death Dealer, this signaled the end of an age. Like the weapons of the previous millennia, we too would become outmoded… Pity, because I lived for it."
Three vampires sat around a table in an ornate meeting room. All three were male and high up in vampire society.
The youngest of the three was a scrawny vampire from Mexico named Eduardo. His black hair was greasy and slicked back, and his dark brown eyes quietly took in everything. He was dressed in a dark-colored zoot suit that gave the impression of class.
Felix, the vampire seated across from him, was about a century older than Eduardo. He was the head Death Dealer and was wearing the black leather suit that marked them. His short hair was black and gelled up into spikes. His green eyes shone in amusement that he hid well.
The last vampire was one of the three American Elders. His name was Christopher, and he was almost six hundred years old. His long, hazelnut-colored hair was pulled back in a low ponytail with a black tie. His naturally blue eyes were, at the moment, the feral ice blue that marked a vampire. "Eduardo, when will the Council arrive for the ceremony?" he asked, fixing his cold eyes on the Mexican.
"The Council is scheduled to arrive here in just three days time, my Lord," Eduardo answered, looking down at the palm pilot he held in his hand to make sure. "Yes, my Lord will be able to rest again in three days."
"Excellent," Christopher replied, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.
Felix watched the Elder out of the corner of his eye before looking over at the doors as he heard someone approaching.
Christopher stood up as the doors opened and smiled at the young vampiress that entered the meeting room.
She was relatively tall and slender, the tight sundress she was wearing accenting her curves and pale skin well. She had wavy, shoulder-length flame-red hair and soft china-blue eyes. She walked straight up to Christopher and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Hi, Daddy," she greeted, smiling at him.
"Hello, Liane," Christopher replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "What brings you here, my child?"
"I just came to tell you that I'm going to go out for a little while," she answered, trying to sound sweet and innocent.
"Not tonight, little one," Christopher told her, letting her go and taking a seat.
"But Daddy…" Liane protested, putting her hands on her hips. "Why not?"
"Because it's getting early, and there are no more Dealers left, except Felix, to accompany you," he said, keeping his eyes averted.
"Daddy, I don't need a bodyguard," she argued, glaring at him. "I'm three hundred years old for crying out loud."
"You're not going out tonight," he continued, getting angry.
"But-"
Christopher slammed his hands down on the table and stood up abruptly. "That's final!" he snapped, cutting her off. He met her eyes and watched her leave before sitting down again.
Felix and Eduardo looked at each other and shrugged slightly, turning back to Christopher.
"Hey, Dave," a young American lycan called, knocking lightly on the door.
"What is it, Jacob?" came David's slightly irritated, muffled reply.
"Lu wants to see you," Jacob answered.
"Okay. I'll be down in a minute," David sighed, listening until Jacob left. He settled back down behind Simone and draped his arm across her waist. He nuzzled her neck and snuggled closer to her.
Simone smiled slightly, knowing he wasn't ready to leave yet, and cuddled up to him.
"I'll be back soon," David whispered into her ear, kissing her neck gently. He released her waist and slipped out of bed. He grabbed a shirt, threw it on, and moved to button it up. He stopped when Simone's perpetually cold hands took hold of the bottom button, and he watched as she quickly buttoned up his shirt.
Her hands hovered undecidedly above the top button a moment before she dropped them to her sides and turned to leave.
David caught her hand in his and squeezed it gently. He led her out of the room and down the hall to the meeting room. He opened the door and walked in with Simone right behind him. "Lucas," he greeted, smiling at the lycan in the back of the room.
Lucas, the alpha male, turned around to face the pair and smiled warmly at them. He'd had a hunch that the male hybrid would bring Simone with him. He had short, curly brown hair and gentle, caramel-colored eyes, and his face was smooth with no hair. He was wearing a pair of worn, old blue jeans and a faded Beatles t-shirt. "Hello, David," he replied, gesturing to the chairs beside him.
David and Simone sat down beside each other on the left side of the table.
Lucas shook his head wistfully at them and took his seat at the head of the table.
Next Night…
David sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands while Simone dressed.
"Where's my coat?" Simone wondered, looking around for it. "David, have you seen my coat?" She turned to him with her hands on her hips, dropping them to her sides when she saw him. "David… Are you all right?" She walked over to him and sat down on the bed beside him, touching his shoulder gently. "What's wrong?"
"Why did you volunteer to go to the vampire mansion?" David demanded, looking up at her sharply. "Why couldn't you have let someone else go?"
"David, I'm the only one that is capable of going to the mansion without being killed on sight," Simone answered, looking away from him.
"Why couldn't you have let me go?" David asked, hanging his head again.
"Because you don't have enough vampire blood in you to mask the lycan," Simone replied, placing her hand over his. "Besides, you act too much like a lycan to pass for a vampire."
David let a cynical chuckle escape and looked over at Simone, a slight smile on his face. He leaned over to kiss her and looked up sharply as he heard the floor creak.
Simone smiled and got up. She walked over to the open doorway, blocking David's view, and came back a moment later with a little girl settled on her hip. She sat back down on the bed and moved the girl to her lap.
The little girl rubbed her ocean blue eyes sleepily and yawned, leaning against Simone's shoulder.
"Did you have a good sleep, Lily?" Simone asked, smiling down at her.
Lily nodded and returned Simone's smile.
"Morning, Lily," David greeted, meeting the five-year-old's eyes.
"Good morning, Daddy," Lily replied, smiling at David. Her sweet little voice was light and carried the same soft English accent that Simone's did. She held his gaze for a moment before turning away and burying her face in Simone's neck.
Simone kissed her forehead lightly and stroked her soft, black hair affectionately.
"Hey, Lily," David called, seeing a flash of impatience in Simone's eyes. "Let's leave Mommy alone, so she can finish getting ready." He picked up the girl and settled her in his lap, smiling slightly at her whimper as she was removed from her mother's arms.
Simone flashed David a grateful smile before resuming the search for her coat.
Christopher stormed through the mansion and stopped in the training area. He walked over to the firing range where Alyth was practicing and waited for her to straighten out of her bow before beginning. "Have you seen Liane?" he asked, angrily.
Alyth's surprised look turned thoughtful momentarily before she shook her head. "I haven't seen her since dusk fell," she told him, truthfully. "Has she gone missing again?"
"It would certainly appear that way, wouldn't it?" Christopher snapped. "I can't seem to find her anywhere. Do you have any idea where she could be?"
"No," Alyth replied, shaking her head. "I wouldn't know. She doesn't tell me anything anymore."
"Thank you for your help anyway," Christopher said, flatly. He nodded once to her and left the room.
Simone and David stood in the main hall waiting for Lucas and Jacob.
Simone balanced Lily on her hip and held her small bag on her shoulder. She looked over her shoulder as she heard someone enter the room. She turned around to face Lucas and bowed her head in respect, seeing David do the same beside her.
"Are you ready to go, Simone?" Lucas asked when they looked up.
"I am," Simone agreed, setting Lily on her feet. She smiled at her and rested her hands on her thin shoulders.
"Are you leaving, Mommy?" Lily asked, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Yes," Simone answered, smiling sadly at her daughter. "But I'll come visit you as soon as I can. Okay?"
Lily sniffled and nodded, smiling at Simone.
Simone hugged Lily tightly and kissed her cheek. "You be good for Daddy while I'm gone," she ordered, releasing the little girl.
"I will," Lily replied, smiling weakly.
Simone tenderly brushed the soft, black hair out of her face and kissed her forehead, standing up. She smiled at David, gave him a quick kiss, and walked over to Lucas, her eyes widening when she finally noticed the young vampiress latched onto his arm.
"Liane will take you back to the mansion and help you get in," Lucas explained, seeing her look at the vampire beside him. "She's the daughter of the Elder, Christopher."
"Oh," Simone said, looking back at Liane. She stared at her wide-eyed for a moment before snapping out of her daze. "I'm sorry. I'm Simone." She held out her hand and smiled at the redhead.
Liane shook her hand politely and returned the smile. "I'm Liane," she told her. "It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Simone replied, looking up as Jacob entered.
"The Death Dealers are heading back to the mansion now, sir," Jacob explained, looking at Lucas.
"Good," Lucas stated, smiling at Liane. He pulled her to him and kissed her gently. He pulled away a moment later and nodded to Simone. "You two better get going before the sun starts to rise."
Liane nodded in agreement and turned to Simone. "Let's go," she urged, cheerfully.
Simone nodded and quickly fell into stride beside her. "Bye, everyone," she called, waving to the people behind her.
"Bye, Mommy," Lily whimpered, waving slowly with one hand.
Liane parked her jaguar in the garage outside the mansion and got out.
Simone climbed out after her and stared wide-eyed at the mansion. She looked over at Liane sharply as the redhead spoke up.
"I know it's nothing compared to what you're used to back at Hus av Dod, but it's home," Liane explained, smiling at Simone. "Come on." She nodded to Simone and went inside, waiting for the other "vampiress" to join her.
Simone took a deep breath and followed Liane into the mansion.
They stopped in the main hall, and Liane turned to Simone, smiling brightly. "This is the mai-"
"Liane!" Alyth interrupted, rushing down the stairs. She stopped in front of them and fixed Liane with a cool glare. "I've been looking for you everywhere. Your father is furious."
"Yes, I know," Liane agreed, smiling at Alyth. "Don't worry about me though, Alyth. I know what I'm doing."
"Oh, you do, do you?" Christopher asked, appearing at the top of the stairs.
The three females looked up at him sharply and watched as he descended the stairs to stop in front of them.
Simone sensed the power coming from him and deduced that he was the reigning American Elder. She dropped to one knee as she'd seen the vampires do in Hus av Dod, and she saw Alyth bow slightly above her.
Christopher watched her show her respect with curiosity, momentarily forgetting his daughter. He'd never seen a vampire drop to one knee for him before. "Liane, who is this?" he asked, watching Simone stand.
"This is Simone," Liane answered, smiling at Simone. "She saved me from lycans tonight, Daddy."
"She did?" Christopher wondered, slightly surprised. He found it strangely hard to believe that such a slender, frail-looking young vampire had saved his daughter from lycans.
"Yes, Daddy," Liane agreed. "She was a Death Dealer back in Budapest."
"You're from Budapest?!" Christopher exclaimed, shocked.
"I am," Simone replied, nodding slightly to him. She lowered her head to hide the flash of navy blue that had flickered across her eyes. "I left after the hybrid was created. My… mate was worried about my safety, so we came here."
"And where is your mate now?" Christopher wondered, suddenly suspicious. He could have sworn he'd caught a whiff of lycan on her a moment ago.
"He's dead," Simone answered, keeping her gaze on her feet. "We were attacked by lycans on our way home a few months ago. They just… leapt out of the woods into the middle of the road. He… tried to swerve out of the way… but the rain on the road threw the car… He pushed me out of the side door… but he… he didn't make it… The explosion killed all of the lycans that had been in the road…" She let a tear fall from her eye and lifted her hand to wipe her eyes dry.
"I apologize for making you tell that story," Christopher said, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. He met her tear-streaked eyes when she looked up at him, and he smiled slightly at her. "I, too, know what it's like to lose a mate."
Simone smiled weakly at him and blinked the rest of her tears away. "I've been trying to find this place ever since he died," she explained. "Tonight, I saw Liane getting cornered by lycans, and I shot them down."
"She asked me if I knew where this house was, and I was so relieved to be alive that I brought her back here without question," Liane added, smiling at Christopher. "You're not angry, are you?"
"No, my daughter," Christopher answered, returning her smile. "We could use as many Death Dealers as we can get." He turned back to Simone before continuing. "You don't mind being a Death Dealer here, do you?"
"No, of course not," Simone replied, sounding excited. "I'd love nothing more."
"Good," Christopher said, turning to the lounging vampires behind him. "Jessica, will you show Simone to her rooms?"
A young vampiress with shoulder-length blonde hair stepped forward, and she looked at Simone, curiosity shining in her green eyes. "Of course, my Lord," she agreed, bowing to Christopher. "Follow me, miss." She headed toward the stairs and turned to see if Simone was following her.
"I'll be up later to get you for dinner," Liane said, smiling at Simone.
"Okay," Simone replied, returning the smile. She turned away from Liane and hurried over to where Jessica stood on the stairs. She smiled at the young vampire and followed her up the stairs to her new rooms.
David, Lucas, and Jacob sat in a truck just outside the gates of the vampire mansion. They had followed Liane and Simone just to make sure everything went as planned. They'd seen the pair go into the house and were simple waiting for the fighting to break out.
"Do you think she made it in?" David asked, looking over at Lucas.
"She probably did," Lucas answered, smiling at the male hybrid. "Liane has quite a bit of power over her father. She'll get her in just fine."
David nodded slightly and looked away again.
"Don't worry, my friend," Lucas said, laying a reassuring hand on David's shoulder. "She's strong and very clever. She'll be fine."
"Yeah," David agreed, nodding once and smiling slightly at Lucas.
"Let's get out of here," Lucas suggested, turning to Jacob.
Jacob nodded and drove away.
Next Night…
Mael strode into the throne room with a dark-haired vampiress right behind him. They both dropped to one knee in respect and stood up to face the Elders a moment later.
"You sent for me, my Lady?" Mael asked, looking up at Amelia.
"Yes," Amelia agreed, standing up from her throne. "Mael, I would like to know if you have any new information on the hybrids."
"I have none, my Lady," Mael answered, hanging his head in shame. "I apologize."
"It's quite all right, Mael," Amelia replied, walking up to the pair. Her blue-gray eyes were sad, and her voice was flat and emotionless. "I want you to check every Coven and den in the continent. Do whatever it takes to find them."
"Yes, my Lady," Mael agreed, nodding to her.
"You're dismissed," Amelia told him, watching him leave before turning to the vampiress. She smiled gently at the girl and reached out to hug her. She pulled away a moment later, holding the girl by her elbows, and fixed her eyes on the younger vampire's. "Sacha."
"Mother," Sacha replied, smiling warmly at Amelia. She glanced over her mother's shoulder and smiled at Erik and Sonia before turning her attention back on Amelia. "I just came to tell you that Mael is going to take me on my first reconnaissance mission tonight. Isn't that great?!"
"That's wonderful, Sacha," Amelia agreed, forcing herself to smile at her daughter. "You'll be careful, won't you?"
"I'll be as careful as I can possibly be," Sacha answered, smiling reassuringly at her mother. "I promise. You don't have to worry about me, Mother."
"I know," Amelia said. "You're strong, and you were trained well. You'll do just fine tonight."
Sacha smiled brightly at Amelia and hugged her again. She looked over her mother's shoulder again at Erik and Sonia and smiled. "Rudolf is still asleep," she told them. "I checked on him before I came down here."
"Thank you, Sacha," Sonia replied, smiling at the younger vampire. She knew that Sacha adored Rudolf, and she treated him like a little brother even though he was only her cousin. In truth, her five-year-old son had grown on everyone in the mansion.
"I'll see you later tonight then, Sonia," Sacha said, turning to leave the room.
"Yeah," Sonia agreed, smiling at the girl she treated as a sister. "Your mother would kill me if I didn't go tonight and look after you." She grinned at the glare Amelia shot her, and Erik chuckled lightly beside her.
Sacha smiled brightly at the joke and hurried out of the throne room to get ready for her first reconnaissance mission.
Simone sat on the roof of the mansion with her legs dangling over the edge and watched the guards patrol the grounds below her. She didn't even look up as she heard Liane come out onto the roof and sit down beside her.
"Simone, I don't mean to pry, but I can't help asking," Liane spoke up, fixing her pale blue eyes on the ground.
"What did you want to know?" Simone asked, glancing over at the red-haired vampiress.
"Well, who was that man at the lycan den that you were with?" Liane wondered, peering up at Simone cautiously. She could sense the power coming from the other "vampiress," and she had no desire to provoke her.
"That was David," Simone answered, simply.
"Oh," Liane replied.
Silence fell between them.
Simone broke it with a sigh. "He's my mate, just like Lucas is yours," she explained, smiling as the redhead flushed in embarrassment.
"If he's your mate, then what was that story you told my father? Why would you lie to him?"
"David's… not like you and me… Your father would have killed me on the spot if he knew that my mate was alive and not entirely a vampire."
"David's the hybrid everyone's been looking for!"
"Shhh…"
"Sorry. That just came as a bit of a surprise to me… So, he really is the hybrid everyone's looking for?"
"Yes… He is. But you can't tell anyone."
"I won't."
"You promise?"
"I promise." Liane looked around quickly and motioned for Simone to come closer. "I've got a secret for you too."
Simone listened closely as she whispered her secret into her ear, and her eyes widened in shock at what she'd said.