"Please dad? I promise I'll be home by midnight."

Roman Godfrey averted his gaze up towards the evening sky. He knew that if he looked into his daughter's pleading blue eyes he would not be able to refuse her request. Try as he might, he had never been good at saying no to Nadia.

"I don't—" he began hesitantly before the teen cut him off in mid-sentence.

"Uncle Peter? You know I'll be fine, right? Can I go?"

An amused smirk flittered across Peter's face and he threw up his arms in submission. "Don't look at me," he said, quickly trying his best to appear serious as he turned towards her. "This is between you and your dad."

Nadia scowled as she looked back and forth between the two men, clearly frustrated that neither was immediately willing to grant her the permission she desired.

Roman couldn't blame her. Usually, he would have let her go hang out with her friends without much hesitation. She was a good kid, and she probably would be fine and arrive home before her curfew like she always did. But something about today felt different.

Perhaps it was because of the conversation that he and Peter had had last night—he could not help but be concerned about Peter's mention of her growing uperism and he had been watching her like a hawk all day to see if anything seemed out of the ordinary.

As planned, they'd spent several hours at the arcade that afternoon and he had done his best to put on a happy face, but he had been unable to ignore his worries. Every time Nadia frowned or looked distracted, he had wondered if she was feeling the hunger.

He'd wondered if she knew that something wasn't right.

It had, however, come as a comfort to see Peter and Nadia laughing and having a great time—and Roman had managed to momentarily slip out of overprotective father mode for a few moments here and there. Jokes, candy, and cheap plastic prizes couldn't alter his dreary reality, but he had been all too happy to let them help temporarily lift the darkness.

But that didn't change his sudden desire to have her as close as possible. Today, more than ever, he felt an overwhelming need to keep her safe and he didn't like the idea of letting her out of his sight.

"I made reservations at Le Dobbre," he pointed out in an attempt to divert her attention. It was her favourite restaurant in town and the three were now heading down the sidewalk in that direction. "Are you sure you want to pass that up?

Nadia seemed to hesitate and for a second Roman thought he had won her over.

Unfortunately for him Nadia, like most teenagers, was not inclined to choose family time over hanging out with friends—even if gourmet French cuisine was involved.

At least she had the decency to look guilty as she began her rebuttal.

"I know," Nadia said, finally managing to catch her father's eyes. "I had a great day and I was looking forward to dinner, but Jenny managed to get two extra tickets to see Kyle's band play at the REX and I really, really, want to see the show. It's the last night that they're in town before they go off on tour and—"

"Okay, fine."

Roman relented with a sigh as he ran his fingers through his dark blonde hair. He could tell from her tone that Nadia did feel genuinely bad for missing out on dinner, and that she really wanted to see the band with her friends. Even though it went against every protective instinct that he had, she had bested him once again with her subtle pout and big sad eyes.

"Thanks, daddy!" Nadia exclaimed, instantly lighting up. Suddenly full of energy and excitement, she gave both he and Peter a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling out her phone and rapidly texting her friends. "I'll be home on time, I promise."

As the girl looked away, Peter shot Roman a look that clearly said 'You're a total sucker' and the taller man scowled in return. He knew he wouldn't be winning a father of the year award any time soon. It truly was miraculous that Nadia had not grown into an intolerably spoiled brat. There was no doubt that she often got what she wanted and knew how to press his buttons—but, thankfully, she used her powers sparingly and had inherited her fair share of Letha's compassion.

Roman knew he was extremely lucky.

"I've gotta go and meet Jen at her place- she says she has an awesome dress for me to borrow." She paused, shooting the two men a wide smile. "I'm sure you'll find a way to enjoy dinner without me. You deserve a proper date night anyway."

Nadia gave a dramatic wink, just in case they didn't catch her drift, and Peter laughed heartily.

"Run along, kiddo." He urged. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

The girl snorted, having heard about Peter's many adventures and knowing full well that he had gotten himself into all sorts of trouble over the years.

"Don't worry, I know better than that." She replied before giving a small wave. "Love you guys, see you soon!"

Despite himself, Roman could not suppress a smile as he watched his daughter excitedly take off down the street, her hair almost glowing in the fading sunlight. He couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach, or the sad realization that his little girl was growing up, but it was nice to see Nadia go off for a nice, normal, evening with friends. She deserved to have those experiences—especially if he could not protect her from the truth forever.

Maybe one day, she would know.

And maybe one day, heaven forbid, she would share his terrible burden.

But for now, at least, she was a blissfully normal girl who was unaware of the darkness that surrounded her.

Roman knew that was a precious luxury.

"She'll be fine, don't worry."

Peter's voice snapped him away from his thoughts and he turned to face his companion. He was glad to have the other man at his side, especially now. Peter had always been a bit more logical where Nadia was concerned, and Roman needed him to keep him from spinning off into a paranoid tizzy.

"Yeah, I know." Roman replied, not fully believing his own words. "I don't want to coddle her or keep her from her friends, but after what we talked about yesterday, it's harder than ever not to worry. What if something happens to her? I mean, if she were to accidently hurt herself, she could—"

"Don't think about that." Peter said, snaking his arm around Roman's back and turning him back towards the restaurant. "She's just a teenager who wants to spend some time with her friends. It's not a big deal."

"But she's not just a teenager. She—"

"Neither of us knows what the future will bring," Peter cut him off again, his blue eye's locking with Roman's. "But I refuse to stand here and watch you worry about theoretical worst-case scenarios all night. Nadia is right—we deserve a proper date night, and we have an exclusive reservation at the best restaurant in town. You can go home and be a pussy if you want, but I, for one, am going to go stuff myself with merlot and duck confit until my pants burst at the seams."

Roman chuckled, his nerves beginning to abate. "Classy, as always, Rumancek."

The shorter man shrugged. "We can't all be 'sophisticated' bores with sticks up our asses, Godfrey."

His tone was playful, and he managed to scoot out of the way before Roman was able to give him a good-natured swat.

"I thought you liked having things up your ass." The upir retorted, shooting his companion a suggestive look.

"You've got me there," Peter laughed before slowing his pace to let Roman catch up. "I think I like where this evening is heading."

Unable to suppress a smile, and thankful for the welcomed distraction, Roman intertwined his fingers with Peter's as they made their way towards the restaurant.

Perhaps a nice, normal, night was just what he needed after all.

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Nadia Godfrey's ears were still buzzing ten minutes after she left the REX, Hemlock Grove's most popular small concert venue.

Truth be told, the band had been a bit too loud and jarring for her taste (she had never really been a hard rock fan) but it had been a fun night, and well worth it to see Kyle Williamson strut around on stage. Sure, he could be cocky at times—and his band's recent success had done little to help in that regard— but, despite his flaws, Nadia had been unable to shake the crush she had had on him for years.

Even though he was two years older than her, they had been childhood friends and had always gotten on well. School had driven them apart somewhat, but they had often hung around with each other during the summers and Nadia liked to think that she got to see a side of him that many others didn't. When they were relaxing in her backyard or going for a walk in the nearby woods, he wasn't "Kyle the super-hot mega-talented aspiring rock star" that the girls at school whispered about—he was just the sweet guy from down the road who had a secret passion for comic books and all things supernatural.

Frankly, she had always liked that (slightly nerdy) side of him better. When he talked about Superman or werewolves with a spark of child-like enthusiasm, it was endearing and much more attractive than the persona he often put on in public.

But unfortunately, from Nadia's perspective, they'd always had more a big brother-little sister relationship and she doubted that that would ever change. While he had been happy to see her tonight, she had only been greeted with a friendly wave and a quick chat about the venue. Nothing out of the ordinary and certainly nothing that suggested she was more than a casual friend.

Nevertheless, she'd had a good time. And it had been a welcomed distraction from some of things that had been bothering her recently.

In the lively atmosphere of the club, she had barely thought about her weird hunger pangs or about her moment of weakness in her car yesterday. She had simply danced and cheered with friends and classmates, all of her worries momentarily forgotten.

Now that she had left, however, the lingering buzz in her ears was the only remaining distraction. Her stomach rumbled uncomfortably, and she could not stop her mind from drifting to events earlier in the day.

Although she had had a good time at the arcade with her family, she could not help but notice that her dad had been more down than usual that day. That was particularly odd, considering Peter's return and his jovial mood last night during dinner. At first she had wondered if he and Uncle Peter had been fighting, but the more she observed the more she felt as if his concern was directed towards her.

She had caught him starring at her with a troubled look in his eyes several times that afternoon—every time she noticed, he had quickly looked away or put on a smile. But she had not been able to shake the feeling that something was wrong.

It had felt as if he was examining her.

Looking for something…

And Nadia had no idea what that could be.

All she knew was that it was slightly unnerving and she wondered, briefly, if she should confront him about it when she got home. If there was something wrong with her, she deserved to know.

But she was also well aware that her father had never been one to open up.

Whenever he had seemed troubled, or let his composure slip for a moment or two, he had always told her that everything was fine.

'Don't worry about it, princess.' He would say with a smile that never reached his eyes.

Nadia doubted that routine would change anytime soon. But, perhaps, now that she was nearing adulthood there was a chance that he would be a little less protective.

But she didn't dare to get her hopes up…

"Hey!"

The sound of someone's voice abruptly snapped the girl away from her thoughts. For a second, she assumed it was someone she knew but, as she stopped and turned around, she found herself face to face with two unfamiliar men.

She hadn't seen them as she had crossed the street. They must have come around the corner when she wasn't looking, unnoticed by her ringing ears.

Knowing that it was too late to pretend she didn't notice them, Nadia took a few cautious steps back and attempted to smile politely.

Maybe they had mistaken her for someone else and would quickly be on their way.

"Sorry if I almost ran into you. I'm just in a hurry to get home."

She hoped that they couldn't sense the trepidation in her voice. They were both quite a bit older and bigger than her and, if their leering looks and unstable posture were any indication, she was willing to bet that they'd had a few too many drinks.

"No need to hurry off, sweetie." The shorter of the two began, his speech slightly slurred. "We just thought you might want to join us for a drink at the Jamestown. Pretty thing like you shouldn't be alone on a Saturday night."

Nadia took another step back, her heart now beating rapidly in her chest. There was no one else around, and she knew that she needed to get the hell out of there as soon as possible. She got a bad feeling off of these guys, and she certainly had no interest in joining them at the bar. Nothing good could possibly come of this situation and she suddenly wished that she had taken Jen up on her offer of a ride home.

The show had ended will before her curfew and she had stupidly decided that she would enjoy a peaceful walk on a warm fall evening.

Her dad would have a heart attack if he ever found out.

"Sorry, no thanks, I've gotta go." Nadia said tersely, hoping that they would get the hint without being provoked to harass her any further.

Unfortunately, she was not so lucky.

As she turned away, she felt a beefy hand grasp her arm roughly and she let out a yelp of surprise. She still didn't want to convey her fear or cause the situation to escalate, but there was no denying that she was beyond worried.

Before she could protest or pull away, the other drunk's eyes widened in recognition.

"Holy shit, Sam." He began, leaning in until she could smell the whisky on his breath. "It's the Godfrey bitch."

Her assailant tightened his grip, eyes narrowing as he examined her with his glazed eyes. Unable to contain herself any longer, Nadia attempted to yank her arm away, no longer caring if they saw her panic.

She had every damn right to panic now.

"Shit, you're right." The one called Sam replied. "She looks just like that creepy fucker." He paused, ignoring her struggle and leaning even closer. "I bet your daddy would pay a pretty penny to get you back, huh? Fucking rich fag."

It was no secret that her father was a controversial figure in town, and many disliked both his lifestyle and his family name. But no matter how many insults she heard over the years, they still filled her with a ball of rage.

People had no idea what they were talking about, and disgusting low-lives like this had no right to talk her family that way.

He was ten times the man they would ever be.

"Let me go." Nadia shouted in response, her eyes welling with panicked tears. She hated feeling so weak and helpless, but instinct was taking over. All she knew was that she needed to get the hell away from these jerks and she writhed with all her might.

But he was holding her with two arms now, and his friend had circled behind her to make escape even more unlikely.

"Let go of me, you bastards!" She shouted again, trying, and failing, to kick the one who was holding her.

"I hear he takes it up the ass from that psycho gypsy that murdered all those girls." The taller man commented, a smirk on his wrinkled face. "And people say Godfrey is the one who tore out Bill Kenman's throat. Don't think many people round here would mind a bit of revenge."

Nadia felt him grab her purse from her shoulder and he back away slightly as he stuck his greedy hands inside, no doubt hoping to find a wad of Godfrey cash.

With one of her attackers distracted, she attempted another kick, this time making contact with Sam's shin and causing him to loosen his grip.

Unfortunately, it wasn't quite enough.

"Fuckin' bitch." He spat, yanking her towards him, his face now inches from hers, his foul breath heavy on her neck. "You'll pay for that one."

Heart pounding with fear, Nadia looked up at him—her blue eyes meeting his grey.

"Don't touch me!" She shouted, knowing that her protests would probably be in vain. Unless someone came by to help, she was in a pretty bad predicament. "Get away from me!"

Much to her shock, the man suddenly let go of her arms and took a step back.

"What the hell…" she heard him mutter as his hands fell to his sides. He looked just as surprised as she did that he had pulled away.

His companion, who was still holding her purse, looked up in confusion. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I…I can't…I can't move." Sam stuttered. "I can't grab her. My arms aren't working."

Whipping around, Nadia turned to face the other assailant, "Back away, don't touch me." She demanded again, hoping beyond hope that her words would have some influence.

He dropped the purse and took a step towards the road.

"What the hell?" He whispered, his brow furrowing. "What did you do? Why is your nose bleeding?"

Still shocked, Nadia reached up towards her face. She was surprised to find that the man had been correct—there was a stream of warm blood flowing down her face, and she did her best to frantically wipe it away.

She was confused and terrified…and she realized suddenly that a searing pain had begun to spread through her head.

She had never felt anything quite like it and, although she knew that she needed to run away from the area of her attack, it was all she could do to steady herself against the nearest wall.

Passing out would have made things even worse…

It hurt so fucking bad.

As she attempted to regain her composure she could hear the sound of both men shouting incoherently but, thankfully, neither seemed able to move towards her. None of it made any sense, and she certainly did not feel safe. It was probably only a matter of time before they came at her again.

She needed to get the hell away.

She needed to get home.

With a shaky breath, Nadia pushed herself away from the wall and stumbled clumsily backwards towards the street. Before she could fall, however, she felt a pair of gentle arms around her, keeping her upright.

Her first thought, in the circumstances, was to panic. But when she looked up, she could see that it was not one of the men who had come up behind her. Instead it was a tall, elegant dark haired woman who was smiling down at her sympathetically.

"Nadia, darling." The woman whispered, gently turning her around and drawing her into a warm embrace. "Everything will be okay. I won't let anyone hurt my granddaughter…"

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A/N Sorry for the delay- I had a busy couple of weeks. I hope that was enjoyable. Things will start moving now that Nadia and Olivia have met.

Let me know what you think and if you want more!