Here's the bonus chapter, I hope you all love it! It it set ten years in the future and is in Neveah's POV.

Ages:

Rose: 29

Dimitri: 36

Nevaeh: 15

Noah: 10

My mother's bone-chilling screams woke me up from my sleep and alerted my senses. I stirred in my bed and rubbed my eyes as I sat up. I listened carefully when her screams stopped which was followed by harsh breathing and the sound of my dad whispering something to her. My hearing wasn't strong enough to pick up on what he said, but it calmed her down instantly.

I sagged in relief and grabbed my teddy bear to hold it in my arms. This was the first toy Mom and Dad had gotten for me when I was only four years old. It wasn't as soft as it was all those years ago and it was a little worn out since I slept with it every day, but it was still my favourite. Mom had a toy too and although I didn't understand why she had it before, I did now. There were a lot of things I never understood as a kid, but through learning and research, I understood everything now.

Mom's nightmares had diminished over the years, but they still happened once in a while. She never talked about it with anyone other than Dad. I knew she didn't want to worry me, but I had a good idea of what she dreamed about. And it broke my heart.

I wished I could take all her pain away. As a spirit user, I could only heal the body, but I couldn't heal the mind. Mom was the strongest person I knew. She had saved my life countless times and I didn't doubt that she would do it again. She was an amazing mother and provided me with whatever I needed. No matter what was going on in her head, she always put on a brave face for my sake and Noah's as well. But there were things I still noticed other than the nightmares. She jumped every time a door closed too hard or if someone startled her by accident. If there was a power outage and the lights suddenly went out, she'd scream and her anxiety would take over.

Whenever I heard her screams, I wanted to hug her and tell her it was okay. I wanted her to tell her how proud I was that she had gotten through something so horrible and traumatizing. I wanted to find every person who had ever tormented her and kill them. Even when people in school talked about her in any way demeaning, I stood up for her. Nobody was allowed to talk about my mother that way.

And then there was Dad. He had saved my life too. He was my rock. Or, as I liked to call him when I was little, my superhero. I could understand why Mom was so obsessed with his hugs. There was something indescribable and magical about it. The way he wrapped his arms around us made us feel safe.

I had snuck downstairs a few times when they went down to cuddle on the couch. Dimitri could feel her pain and the severity of her nightmares which helped him know exactly how to help her. I saw the way he comforted her. He whispered in her ear, telling her how much he loved her. He reassured her that she wasn't in that horrible place anymore. When I saw her in that vulnerable state, wrapped up in blankets and curled into a ball, she almost looked like a baby. My heart ached for her every time.

An entire hour had gone by and I figured I wasn't going to sleep anytime soon, so I got out of bed and creeped out of my room. Mom and Dad weren't in their room, so they must have gone downstairs to watch TV. It helped Mom get her mind off of things.

"Nev?"

I spun around and saw Noah in the hallway, scratching the side of his head. Mom and I always joked about how he was a literal replica of Dimitri. They looked so alike. Most of it was in the eyes, skin tone and hair which were the most dominant features. He also had Dad's insanely tall genetics. He was almost my height even though he was only ten.

"What are you doing? You should be in bed," I scolded, dragging him back to his room.

"I heard Mom screaming," he said worriedly. "Is she okay?"

I smiled sadly and tugged him back to his bed. I swore under my breath when my foot stepped on something hard and looked down to find a clutter of action figures on the ground.

"One day, I'll be walking around with crutches if you don't pick up your toys," I muttered, gathering them into my hands and tossing them in his toy box.

"Is Mom okay?" Noah repeated insistently, ignoring my comment. I paused and looked up at his concerned expression.

"She's fine," I told him. Mom didn't want him to worry and neither did I. She surely didn't want him to be up at this hour, so I tucked him back into bed and pulled the covers up to his chest. "She probably just saw a spider or something. Go back to sleep, Noah."

"Do I have to?" he whined. I narrowed my eyes at the young boy and sighed.

"I'm going out later tonight. Stay in bed, and I'll bring something back for you. Deal?"

Noah smiled and held his pinky out. "Deal."

I linked our pinkies and leaned down, kissing the side of his head. "Goodnight, Buddy."

"Goodnight," he replied. I left his room and closed his door quietly before tip-toeing down the stairs. Mom's cries had calmed to soft sniffles and I could now hear her talking to Dad. When I reached the first floor, I peeked into the family room and saw him holding her with a smile on his face. Whatever he said made her giggle and I smiled, relieved that she was feeling better.

Dad lifted his eyes and caught me watching them. He whispered to her again before standing up and leaving the family room, meeting me in the hallway.

"Hey," he whispered. "Why are you up? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to make sure Mom was okay."

Dad looked at me with a hopeful look on his face and wrapped an arm around me, guiding me towards the family room. "She's feeling better. Want to talk to her?"

I nodded and stepped inside the dim room, watching Mom's reaction carefully. She tensed up when I approached her, but I held my hands out in a calming gesture and she relaxed when she saw me. "Oh...hey. Did I wake you? I'm so sorry, Nev. I didn't mean to."

"Mom, it's okay." I sat down beside her before she could become too alarmed. She was so vulnerable right now.

"Can I hug you?" I asked her. She nodded and leaned into my side.

"I wish I could heal your mind," I whispered. Mom shook her head and pulled back to face me.

"What you do for me is more than enough. Even if you could, I wouldn't let you use that kind of magic. It's dangerous for you."

"I know." Aunt Lissa and Adrian had taught me all about spirit throughout the years and I saw how it affected them. They told me to never overuse it and I understood why, but I occasionally practiced in secret. It was difficult for me to focus on the other elements in school as an undeclared student.

"So, you're going out with Nick and your friends later?" Mom asked, changing the subject to stir her mind away.

"Actually, just Nick." I couldn't lie to her or Dad. They were so protective that they had guardians secretly watching me every time I went out without Uncle Eddie guarding me. Unfortunately, Mom didn't trust me being out without added protection. She was paranoid something bad would happen to me the way it happened to her.

"Is there something going on between you and that boy?" Dad asked me, sitting next to Mom on the other side.

"He's been my friend since kindergarten. We're just hanging out."

"Hanging out where?" he pressed.

I shrugged and played with a loose curl in Mom's hair. "The movies."

"The movies?!" she exclaimed. "Honey, that's where everyone's first date happens. He clearly sees you as more than a friend if he wants to see a movie alone with you."

"Guys, it's no big deal. Plus, he said he wants to be my guardian when he graduates next year. This could be good practice for him."

"You already have a guardian," Dad reminded me.

"Yeah, but it wouldn't hurt to have another."

"Is this about having more protection or dating a boy you like?"

I huffed and rolled my eyes. "Dad, we're just going to see a movie."

"Hey, I'm just saying. I'm not trying to restrict you from going out, but I want to make sure this boy treats you right."

"Yeah, yeah." Just last year, Dad had given me a lecture on dating the "right guy". He was pretty protective when it came to boys and he had told me that if anyone dared to hurt me or take advantage, he'd have their heads.

"I know we haven't trained in a while, but you remember how to punch, right?" he asked. He and mom had taught me self-defence since I was little, but most of my training was done with him. He even taught me how to kill strigoi even though my trainers at the academy hadn't. Our world was different now. Moroi were required to learn basic defence and how to use magic as a weapon against strigoi. We weren't allowed to handle stakes or use them until our last two years in high school, but having Rose and Dimitri as my parents gave me an extra advantage.

"I remember exactly how to punch. But, you know, I haven't had to use it much. The boys at school are terrified of you."

Dad chuckled and continued to run his fingers through Mom's hair. "Let me give you another piece of advice. If a guy is so scared of me that it pushes them away, it means they're up to no good."

"Your dad's right," Mom agreed, grabbing his hand and intertwining their fingers. "They probably never had good intentions in the first place. Otherwise, they'd have nothing to be afraid of."

I pursed my lips and thought about what they said. "Okay, true, but can you blame them for being a little intimidated? He's built like the hulk..."

Mom chuckled and took her eyes off the screen. "Now that is something I can't deny. Look at these things." She leaned further into his cuddling embrace and grabbed his arm, squeezing his muscles with her fingers. "Still hard as rock, Comrade."

Dad smiled and looked down at her, cupping her cheek. "You're not too bad yourself, Roza."

They were getting a little personal here and I decided to quietly excuse myself to give them some more time to themselves. Their bond was so strong now that it sometimes caused them to be affectionate out of nowhere—even if Noah and I were in the room. It kept strengthening over the years and with a little bit of research, I discovered something called "bonding" which they did occasionally. They were like magnets—always together. I didn't know anyone else that had a love that strong.

About an hour later, Mom was finally sleeping again. I walked back into the family room and sat down without waking her up. Dad was stroking her body, but his attention was on me again.

"I know what she went through," I whispered.

"Nevaeh..."

"I'm not little anymore. I know what a brothel is and I know she was in one against her will."

Dad sighed and looked up at me. "You understand what happened to your birth mother, then?"

"Yes." The thought was disturbing, but I knew. I was the result of rape, but I tried not to think of that. My life could have been very ugly if they hadn't found me. "When I was little, I thought that stuff was normal. When I saw those girls being forced to do that...I didn't know it was wrong. Not until I grew up. Those scars on Mom's arms—I also know what those are. She cut herself."

Dad nodded and looked back down at his wife, sighing sadly. "Yes. I'll never forget the day I saw her on the bathroom floor all those years ago. She hasn't done it since, but she's had urges."

"Were you mad when you found out?" I asked cautiously. I had urges too from the side effects of spirit, but I had never actually hurt myself in that way. If Mom ever saw marks like that on me, it would break her heart and I couldn't do that to her.

"Of course not. I was worried. It was a really bad time in her life. She was so scared of asking for help and all I could think when I saw her in that state was how much pain she was in. Not physically, but emotionally. I was scared for her."

"Is that why you keep an eye on her?"

"Partially, but I also just love watching her. Go ahead, call me a creep. If you knew the kind of connection we have, you'd understand."

"I don't think looking at your wife makes you a creep," I laughed. "Plus, we can barely spend time alone without her turning her head to peek at you whenever you're with Noah."

Dad smiled again and kissed Mom's head, letting his lips linger there for a few seconds. Most people didn't like seeing their parents being affectionate with each other, but it didn't bother me.

"She was my baby then," he said, "and she's still my baby now. She always will be."

Mom didn't wake up, but I could see a light smile on her lips when he squeezed her. I looked down at my fingers and considered my next words. "Sometimes, I think about it too."

"About what?"

"Hurting myself," I admitted, looking away. "I think it's a spirit thing. I try not to use it too often, but I still feel the side effects to some extent. It makes me feel unstable at times."

Dad was quiet and I still couldn't look at him until he said my name. I swallowed and met his eyes which didn't look angry. He looked concerned. "Have you cut yourself before? Or done something else?"

"No. I just feel like it sometimes."

"You know you can talk to us about anything, right?"

"You guys are already dealing with enough."

"It doesn't matter. You're our daughter. We're here for you and if you ever get the urge to do something like that, call one of us first. You can also talk to Lissa or Adrian. Can you promise me that?"

I nodded and tucked my hair behind my ear. "I promise."

"Okay. Remember, we love you," he reminded me, and I smiled happily.

"I'm going to get some more sleep. Are you going upstairs?" I asked, getting off the couch.

Dad leaned his head back, tightening his arms around Mom. "I think I'm good here."

"If you guys are comfy, then okay," I chuckled. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, Nev."

"Mom!" I called, barging into her room as she folded the laundry on her bed. She jumped, covering her mouth to muffle her scream and I immediately apologized. "I'm so sorry. I'm in a rush right now."

Mom laughed and waved me off. "It's fine, Nev. What's up?"

I held up two tubes of lip gloss in front of her. "Which colour?"

"Hmm..." She switched her gaze between the two near-identical colours and nodded towards the left. "That one. It suits you more."

"Do you think Nick will like it?"

"Honey," she said, placing her hands around my face, "what matters is that you like it. You don't need a load of makeup to look pretty."

"Actually, I do. You see this pimple on my nose?"

"Oh, please. That thing is barely visible."

"Really? Because Noah said I look like Rudolf."

Mom stopped what she was doing and burst into a laughing fit. "Rudolf! That's a good one!"

"Mom!" She had never lost her sense of humour. Noah definitely got that from her.

I headed back to the washroom in the hallway and finished off the rest of my makeup. I fixed the waves in my hair, making sure it looked cute before walking into my room and changing into a pink summer dress with spaghetti straps. I wasn't sure how my parents would feel since it was quite short on the legs, but this was my first date and I wanted to look good.

My room door opened slightly and Noah walked in, jumping on the bed. "So, who's this boy?"

"He's just a friend," I answered, putting on a pair of earrings.

"Does he like you? Ooh! Is he your boyfriend?"

"You are so annoying."

Noah laughed mischievously and ran to my side, giving me an obnoxious hug. "But you love me."

I groaned and tried to ignore him, but he remained persistent and shook me in his arms. "Come on, you love me."

"I tolerate you," I teased. I did love Noah and was beyond protective of him, but he was no less of an annoying little brother.

The doorbell rang and as usual, Dad answered it quickly. There was a brief moment of silence before I heard Nick's greeting. He was fairly smooth, but I could detect the nervousness in his voice. "Guardian Belikov, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Nick."

"Yes, I remember you from when you were six or seven years old. You've grown up. So, you're taking my daughter out tonight?"

I blushed excitedly and bolted downstairs, quickly fixing my hair on the way. Nick gasped when he saw me but tried to keep his cool in front of my dad. He wore a black button-up shirt with a pair of dark jeans, and his dark brown hair looked slightly wavy. He was always confident in the things he did, but right now, he looked nervous.

"Nevaeh! Wow, you look...r-really nice," he gasped out. Focussing his attention back on Dimitri, he smiled and answered his earlier question. "Yes, Sir, I am. I was actually hoping to guard her after I graduate."

Dad crossed his arms and nodded his head, squinting his eyes at Nick. Mom came downstairs followed by Noah who couldn't keep his curiosity aside.

"Mom, this is Nick," I said. "I'm sure you remember him from when he was a kid."

"That's right! Do you remember me?" she asked, shaking his hand.

"I sure do. You guys look like you haven't aged a day."

My parents' age was difficult to explain to my friends. The only person who knew about their secret was Nick given our close friendship, but nobody else knew. I usually had to lie and tell people they had good genes. Mom didn't look a day over twenty and Dad still looked like he was in his mid to late twenties. I sometimes wondered if we could keep living here without it being too noticeable.

"Nevaeh, do you mind coming into the kitchen for a second? I just need to give you something before you go," Dad said, cocking his head towards the kitchen. I nodded and let Mom engage in a conversation with Nick while Dad grabbed my purse and set it on the counter. He unzipped it and reached into his pocket, pulling out a silver stake.

"Dad, I really don't think that's—"

"Take it. We have more in the house and it'll make us feel better. Just don't tell anyone."

"Fine," I sighed, slipping the stake inside. "Anything else?"

He eyed my bag with a guilty look in his eyes. "I also put pepper spray in your purse."

"Dad!"

"What? I'm just trying to protect you," he said, following me to the front.

"We should go," Nick said. "Our movie starts soon."

"Have her home early," Dad told him. "And keep her safe."

"You can trust me, Guardian Belikov."

"Remember to answer your phone," Mom said, sounding a little more anxious.

"I will. I'm going to go wait in the car," I said, turning away to hide my excited smile. Before Nick left, I overheard Dad whispering something to him.

"I mean it. If she comes back with a single scratch on her body, don't count on seeing her again."

"You have my word," Nick promised. "I won't let anything happen."

"Good," Dad said. He finally let him go and I laughed when I saw the look of relief on Nick's face.

"I can see how Dimitri got his reputation," he observed, getting into the driver's seat. I hopped in beside him and buckled my seatbelt.

"I'm sorry about that. He's really protective."

Nick started up the car and pulled out of the driveway, checking his surroundings. "What can I say? He's your dad."

I sighed for the fifth time tonight as my phone started buzzing in my purse once again. Mom and Dad were texting me all night. I knew they were just looking after me since I wasn't with Eddie, but they didn't trust Nick just yet.

"Do you think your parents would mind if we grabbed dinner before I take you home?" he asked, gesturing towards one of the restaurants. I was hesitant since I was supposed to be home soon, but I wanted to spend some more time with him while our vacation lasted. I didn't get to see him as often at the academy nowadays since he was two years older than me.

"It won't hurt. And I am a little hungry."

"Then you'll love this. After you." Nick put his hand out and I felt my cheeks heat up. It was so hard for me to control my blushing when he treated me like this.

We sat down at a booth, and half an hour later, we were digging into our food. "You know, I'm really glad it's just you and me tonight," Nick said, breaking the tension.

"Me too," I admitted. "It's nice not having to listen to my friends go on and on about how they think my dad's hot."

"You think that's bad? Try listening to the conversation in the boy's locker room about your—"

"Nope. Definitely don't need to hear that. What goes on the boy's locker room stays there." I shoved my fork back into my food and finished whatever I could before we split the bill to pay.

"Mind if I use the washroom before we leave?" Nick asked, slipping out of his seat.

"Oh, go ahead. I'll wait," I said, gently rubbing my hands together.

"Okay. Don't go anywhere."

I nodded and smiled, watching him as he walked towards the back of the restaurant where the washrooms were. My phone buzzed again and I looked down, seeing my mom's name on the screen. The restaurant was a little loud, so I left the booth and stepped outside to answer. "Hi, Mom."

"Hey. Where are you?" Mom asked. She sounded tired on the other end.

"I forgot to tell you, but we decided to grab dinner before Nick took me home."

"I was wondering why your movie was taking so long," she laughed. "Is everything okay? Are you having a good time?"

"Oh, totally. It's just weird, being on a date with my best friend. I'm used to being talkative and rowdy with him. Now...there's tension."

"Tension?"

"You know, the kind that gives you butterflies. I feel like I haven't completely been myself."

"I think you just have a crush. Maybe the whole idea of a date is what's making you queasy."

"Probably," I agreed. I heard Noah yell something in the background followed by Mom's laugh.

"Noah's asking you to bring something home for him."

"I got him an action figure from one of those claw machines at the movie theatre."

"Oh, good. Look, it's still dark out and we're getting a little worried here. You should head back."

"I'll be home soon. Just go to sleep," I told her, although any chance of her sleeping before I got home was unlikely.

"Okay...I love you," she said. She always sounded more nervous and sentimental whenever I wasn't home. She would never get over being taken away and the fear of me being taken too.

"I love you too," I responded, ending the call. I slipped my phone back into my purse and leaned against the building, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath of fresh air to clear my head.

"Cute dress."

I opened my eyes and looked around, my mind on high alert. To my left was a moroi man I didn't recognize. Like me, he had blonde hair and blue eyes, but he looked like he was in his mid to late forties. He was also leaning against the wall and had his hands in his pockets.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you there," he said gruffly, glancing at my body from head to toe. I shifted uncomfortably and crossed my arms.

"What's a young girl like you doing all by yourself?"

"I'm just getting fresh air."

"You're not afraid?" he asked, stepping closer. "Outside, alone at night, all...pretty and dolled up."

"Um..."

"You just look like someone I knew a long time ago. The resemblance is uncanny."

"Girlfriend?" I asked, wondering why the hell I was even answering him.

"No," he answered. "It was a one-time thing, but hard to forget. She really looks like you."

"Where is she now?"

"Oh, well she's dead of course. Stabbed right in the chest," he stated matter-of-factly. His blue eyes settled on mine, staring keenly and I felt a chill run through my body. "It's a cruel world, Sweetheart. One second, you could be out on a date at a nice restaurant, and the next, your life could be over."

Was he taunting me? There was something very unsettling about this man's words and the way he was looking at me. I had a strange feeling in my gut that I couldn't quite understand and I suddenly wanted to leave.

"I have to go," I said hastily, turning away from him.

"Nice chatting with you, Nevaeh."

I froze, feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "Excuse me?"

I faced him again, but he was already walking away. "Hey, wait! How do you know my name?" I demanded. The man didn't look back or answer my question. Instead, he let out a sinister chuckle as he continued to walk down the street.

Nick's frantic voice called my name and he grabbed my arm, blocking my view of the man. "What the hell were you thinking? Damn it, Nev, I thought something happened to you."

"Sorry, I just needed some air," I lied, feeling guilt settle in my stomach.

"Who were you talking to?" he asked worriedly.

I looked behind Nick again. The man had stopped walking and was now watching me again from a distance. The fact that he knew my name still had me on edge. "Some guy just thought I was someone else. Can we go?"

"Nevaeh—"

"Please. I want to go home."

Nick's brows knitted together as he regarded me with worry, but he nodded his head and put his hand on my back. "Okay. We'll go."

Nick had asked me a few times if I was okay, but he finally dropped it when I told him I was fine. He held my hand at the gear stick on the way home until he pulled up to the driveway and I turned to face him.

"Thanks for tonight. I had a really good time with you," I whispered, leaning closer. Nick took my chin in his fingers and I felt my heart beat faster as he leaned in. He was staring at my lips, but to my surprise, he went for a soft kiss on the cheek instead.

"I don't want to rush anything for you," he said. I smiled at him and his sweet consideration. We still hadn't had our first kiss yet.

"Can I call you tomorrow?" he asked as I stepped out of the car. I nodded and waved at him as I walked up to my front door. Before I could even pull my house keys out, the door flew open to reveal Mom and Dad.

"Relax. I'm still in one piece," I joked, although I was secretly relieved to be home. Noah ran down the stairs and looked up at me with an excited smile.

"Did you guys kiss?"

"Noah!" I rebuked, blushing in embarrassment. I sighed and reached into my purse, retrieving the box with the action figure inside. I handed it to Noah and his eyes widened. "I got this for you."

"This guy is limited edition! Thank you!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around me before running up to his room in excitement.

"I'm glad you're home," Mom said, pulling me in for a hug. She held me tighter than usual and I squeezed her back to give her some reassurance.

"So, how'd it go with Nick?" Dad asked me casually, walking into the kitchen and handing me a bag of blood for my daily feed.

"It was strange to go on my first date with him, but he was really sweet."

"I see." Dimitri placed his hands on the counter and bit his lip. "So, he's a good guy?"

"Yes."

"And he treats you well?"

I caught Mom trying to hide her laughter behind us. She knew he'd question me like this.

"Dad," I said, putting my hands on his arms, "you have nothing to worry about."

I was still thinking about the man who had spoken to me at the restaurant. The way he had been looking at me gave me chills alone, but the words he said creeped me out. I wanted to believe I was just overthinking it, but he knew my name. I still thought that was strange. I considered telling them about it but decided not to as I didn't want to worry them.

"Is there something else on your mind?" Mom asked. I put on a smile and shook my head.

"Nope. Nothing. I'm just getting really tired, so I'm going to go to bed."

Mom and Dad exchanged a look between each other with a hint of suspicion in their eyes. They could always tell when I was lying.

"Goodnight!" I squeaked, running upstairs before they could ask me anything else. Noah was at the top of the stairs and it looked like he had been eavesdropping on our conversation. He looked up and raised a brow at me the same way Dad always did. He crossed his arms, shaking his head in disapproval.

"You are such a bad liar."

What did you think of it? I'll admit, the part outside the restaurant gave me a lot of inspiration for a third story.

Please, please leave a review if you can. I really appreciate it! Thank you all so much for reading :)