Chapter 16

Chikaru placed a couple cups of tea for everyone then all her friends quickly sat down, -"hey hey Eve-chan, can you tell us about your daughter?"- Nagisa quickly cried out happily.

-"Yeah I want to hear about her too!"- Yaya followed up as did everyone else.

"Well, where to begin love," She leaned back, "It was about maybe a hundred or two hundred years ago." She began to tell her tale about her beloved daughter and the girls all listened happily to her story.

Centuries ago

Marinel was walking back to her home, or rather a spare home she had all to herself for days when she just didn't want to spend in the mansion. Her elders warned her of the dangers of living alone due to other clans wanting to harm Half-Bloods like her, but she was convinced it was rare due to that she was probably the last one and no one else knew of her existence.

Today was one of those days however, she didn't want to be in her mansion as her clan were being way louder than usual and wanted some peace and quiet, though little did she know that would not be the case.

She began to stretch, "Oh finally, I can get some rest… I wonder what I'll do today." She chuckled as her home was coming into view.

However as she began to get closer and closer, something began to feel off and as she did she could hear something, something different, it didn't sound like an animal… so what was it?

"What?" Marinel perked her head up, she began to follow the sound and the closer she got the more she knew what was making it, "What's this now?" She knelt down and moved the shrubs away, finally spotting the source of the wails, "A baby?"

She looked around then back at the baby, "Hello little one, did you get lost?" She stood up and shouted; maybe if her parents were nearby then they would come back… right?

After a while of waiting, no one came back and she looked at the baby once more who seemed to calm down at the sight of seeing Marinel.

She contemplated for the longest while, she sighed and began to walk away, and as she did so the baby began to cry again as it watched the person leave and Marinel did not want anything to do with a child.

But she didn't even take ten steps away till she stopped, "Alright alright." She said to no one then walked back to the baby who stopped crying the moment it saw Marinel again, "C'mere little one." She picked her up, and the more she thought about it the more she came to the conclusion that she was abandoned here, why else would a baby just be tossed aside in a maze like forest.

"Oh sure, just pick up a baby. What the hell are you thinking Marinel, as if it isn't enough trouble living on your own but yeah go ahead love, go take this baby and regret every single decision you've done." Marinel spoke to herself .

"Well then little one, if you're going to live with me then you're going to need a name." Marinel began to rock the baby in her arms while she walked to her home, "Hmm how does... Lydia sound love?" She giggled when the baby giggled along with her.

-"You were just going to leave her there?!"- Nagisa shouted, she couldn't believe what she just heard and everyone else wanted to ask the same thing.

"Ay, it shames me to admit but I was… I had no interest in raising a child, or the troubles that come with it."

-"Evelyn-chan, that's so cold…"- Chikaru followed up.

"I know…" Her gaze lowered then took a sip of tea.

-"What made you change your mind?"- Shizuma asked.

"I don't really know love, but I just couldn't leave her there so I took her." Marinel then smiled, "And I'm glad I did."

-"What happened next?!"- Shion asked, unable to hide her excitement.

"Well… that's when it started getting complicated." She chuckled and leaned against the chair.

They made it to her home, she walked to her kitchen area and sat her baby on a chair.

"Alright Lydia first off lets see if we have any type of food for you." Marinel began to rummage through her cabinets and finding nothing, then again she was a vampire so she didn't need food or water, "Well… crap." She reached into her pockets and had plenty of money for food, "Um I'll be right back love!"

Marinel disappeared in the blink of an eye leaving the baby confused and after only five minutes of being alone the young vampire came back with a bag full of food and jugs of water and milk.

"I'm back love!" She set everything down on the table and her baby looked on as she began to prepare a couple of things.

"Um okay… what the hell do I do?" She looked at the food she brought and the jugs, "Okay… no solids right? DAMN!" She left once again, it didn't take that long either as she came back with a book about taking care of a baby, and began to read through the section about preparing food for a baby.

"Aaah okay." She grabbed her bowl and a few apples then began to squish them and adding other ingredients to them.

An hour later and with a messed up kitchen, her small meal of apple sauce was ready and the baby actually had been waiting patiently for her, "I think I got it love!" She cheered, her clothes were covered in fluids from her ingredients.

She picked up the baby, sat down and with a spoon she began to feed her, "Here ya go love." The baby ate the sauce and just from how fast she was eating, Marinel could see how hungry she was.

After her meal, Marinel walked over to her bed and set her down to sleep, she was out in an instant. Marinel sighed and sat down, grabbed the book and began to fully study it.

-"So it was that easy huh?"- Momomi asked.

"Easy?" She laughed, "No, far from it. She was a handful."

-"Kawaaiii!"- Yaya cried out, -"It's so cute to think of you as a mom!"-

-"So I wasn't the only one thinking that huh."- Momomi smirked.

"Oh come on sugar, lets not do that now." She giggled as Nagisa brought out a tray of snacks and Chikaru made more tea for the group.

-"Let's hear more!"-

However behind all the laughter and talking, another figure began to approach the group but leaned against the wall as she listened in to their conversation.

Night had fallen, her candles being the only source of light in the room as she continued to read her book, however, that's when a knock came at the door.

Marinel looked at the door and cautiously walked to it then, "Who is it?"

"Claudette."

There was no mistaking that voice as she swung the door open, "Claudette… What are you doing here?" It was strange, they never talked once but here she was in front of her and yet, she didn't feel threatened at all but at the same time unworthy of being in Claudette's presence.

She walked inside, "Nice to see you all comfortable here."

"Is something wrong?" Marinel asked.

"Not at all, just was checking to see if my eyes were deceiving me." She turned to Marinel.

"About?"

As if on cue, the baby began to cry, "That." Claudette followed up as she followed Marinel to the other room and watched as she picked up the baby, "So you did find a baby."

"How did you even know that?"

"One of our messengers saw you." Claudette said, "So I had to see it for myself, and he only told me."

"The clan can't know."

Claudette nodded, "Oh trust me, I won't say a word. I'm mostly interested to see how this turns out. I'll keep them off your back while you stay here."

"Thank you." Marinel got a bottle of milk ready and began to feed her baby while Claudette watched amusingly.

"Can I just say how strange it is to see this," Marinel didn't respond, "I mean no offense," No response, "So what's her name?"

"Lydia."

"Lydia Reeve." Claudette smiled.

"I'll get that straightened out later."

"So you really do intend to raise her?"

Marinel only nodded.

With that, Claudette nodded in return and turned back to the door, "Well I shall see you later, take care." She closed the door behind her and left Marinel to her business.

Once she left, a foul smell began to fill the room and Marinel began to sniff around till she finally found where it was coming from, "Eeeew!" she held the baby at arm's length, "You need to be changed!"

She didn't even know where to begin but after cleaning her she began to change her diaper, after numerous attempts she finally got it right, "There we go."

She looked at the baby, who giggled at her and reached up and grabbed her hair then began to pull it, "Ow ow ow!" She gently grabbed the baby's hands and moved them away. After which, Lydia drifted back to sleep and Marinel kept her cradled in her arms, "I'm going to have to buy you a crib little one." She smiled, and then held the baby closer to her.

-"Wow, so this Claudette is like a hotshot vampire huh?"- Shizuma asked.

"She's far older than me, probably even as close to our clan leader." Marinel said, "As for hotshot… well she has a right to be called that."

-"Really? What did she do?"-

"There's things you're better off not knowing love." Though just remembering the stories about Claudette was enough to send shivers down the young vampire's spine.

-"So you've never actually talked to her?"-

Marinel shook her head, "We've never talked, sure I've seen her and we would exchange greetings or information but never talked."

Though they didn't even want to question what this Claudette has even done, and after a brief silence Shizuma finally spoke up, -"Hey Eve do you have any stories of your little girl when she was growing up?"-

"I have plenty."

Though before she could began to tell it, they all turned around seeing Tamao walking into the room and took Marinel in an embrace, one she lovingly returned and the two were holding each other for what felt like an eternity.

"I take it that I'm forgiven."

-"Don't push your luck."- Tamao said, -"We still need to talk."-

"Fair enough sugar."

-"She's forgiven you."- Nagisa said happily knowing that hearing the story it must have softened Tamao up a little.

-"Nagisa…"- Tamao looked back at her with a smile and the girls all giggled, she then sat on Marinel's lap and wrapped her arms around her, -"So what else happened?"-

"Well let's see."

Marinel patiently waited outside the school and after looking at the central village clock it was almost time for Lydia to come out. Though she still had to endure numerous stares from the people, she was the only one dressed in black, her clothes covering every inch of her and even wearing gloves then her black veiled hat to protect her from the sun. However it was something she had gotten used to over the years from wandering around, and being a Day-Walker was a blessing unlike her other vampire brethren who had never seen the sun since they became vampires.

The doors burst open and many kids came running out, laughing and talking loudly as they ran to their parents and saying good bye to their friends.

"Mommy!" Lydia took off into a run as soon as she saw her mother.

"Ello love!" She knelt down and her daughter leapt into her arms and embraced her, had it not been for how much clothes were covering Marinel the people would've seen that her daughter shared no characteristics to her mother, Her hair was blonde, her eyes were an amber color, her skin did not match up to Marinel's pale skin tone, "How was school?"

"It was good." She took her mother's hand and the two began their walk back home, "I hate it when teachers call me to answer questions."

Marinel giggled, "Don't know the answer?"

"No, I know the answers to the questions I just get nervous."

"Well, don't even look at them or the teacher. Just pretend you are in an empty room rehearsing." Marinel said, "Or picture them naked."

"Eeeew gross!"

The two laughed.

Unfortunately, the walk back home was usually a long one as they lived secluded in Marinel's forest home but Lydia had convinced her mother to at least have a wagon take them to the edge of it and they could walk back. Though Marinel would've loved to just use her inhuman speed and get back home but she didn't want to draw too much attention and mostly to her daughter who would be afraid of her.

However, she would plan to tell her at some point what her mother was and maybe… even the truth about where she came from.

"Mom can we buy some of the cakes from the bakery for later!" she said excitedly while she pulled on Marinel's arm and pointed at the shop.

"Of course we can, It's been a while aaaand," Marinel smiled at her, "You deserve it today, my little girl is turning twelve!"

"You remembered!" Lydia jumped up and held onto her mother.

"Of course I did, did you think that act in the morning was real." She kissed her cheek, "Let's go." Marinel walked on over to the bakery to pick out a cake for her daughter, "Are you going to invite your friends to the house?"

"I don't like the kids in my class." Lydia quickly answered.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I don't like them. I just want to spend my birthday with my mommy."

"Your wish is my command princess."

The two entered the shop so Lydia could pick out her cake for tonight.

"That night we just celebrated her birthday waaay past her bedtime," Marinel giggled, "The following day she had a tough time staying awake in class."

-"Come on Evelyn-chan, you should know better as a mother."- Chikaru pretended to be mad before her smile came on her face once more.

"Oh come on love, it was my first time being a mom."

Tamao smiled as she listened to Marinel, however that's when she saw it… tears were gathering in her eyes.

-"Eve?"-

Marinel looked at her, knowing what she was looking she quickly wiped the tears away, "I'm sorry love." She said with a faint chuckle.

-"No don't be sorry."-

"I just miss her is all."

-"You have nothing to feel sorry about."- Tamao placed her hand on Marinel's cheek.

"It's not fair sometimes," She said, "That she's gone and I'm still here." the girls sat closer to her to try and comfort her, "There's days when I wished I wasn't what I am… and its funny, I have never once thought about something like that in my life, not until Lydia showed up in my life. I just never thought I'd get so attached."

-"Don't say that Eve-chan."- Nagisa held her hand.

Marinel then gave a small smile, "Don't worry love, I'm not going anywhere."

-"Hey Eve, did your daughter ever marry someone? Or got her dream job?"- Yaya asked.

Marinel leaned back as she recounted later parts of Lydia's life.

"Mother I'm home!" She closed the door behind her.

"Lydia!" Marinel ran into the room, "There you are love!" She took her daughter in an embrace, "Oh, you've gotten taller!"

"That's what happens when I'm away for a year." She giggled.

"I'm so glad to have you back! Did you do it?"

Lydia nodded, "I've gotten accepted, it took them a while but looks like I'll finally be studying overseas!"

"I'm so proud of you!" She then led her to the table, "Come sit down, I made your favorite."

"Did you burn it and buy it again or did you actually make it?" Lydia gave her mother a smirk.

"Don't you sass me Lydia," She placed her hands on her hips, "And I made it this time sugar."

Lydia laughed seeing her mother flustered over it and watched as she placed the food on the table, "Oh wow, it actually looks good."

"Lydia."

Lydia snapped her gaze to her with a chuckle, "What? I actually mean it, it looks really good!" She wasted no time digging in and ate the delicious food.

"So Lydia, anyone interesting in your li—"

"Let me stop you right there mother," she looked at her, "I have no interest in having a romance with anyone right now, my dream is more important."

"Well okay, that settles that." Marinel stood up and began to make the dessert with a smile, "Cause I don't know if I'd be able to handle seeing you with someone else and leave me."

"I'd never do that," She then looked at her, those words reminding her of a conversation long ago, "Thank you for telling me… that I was abandoned."

"You deserved to know the truth love… I'm sorry I couldn't have been your birth mother. I… I actually would've loved to have been the one to give birth to you." Though she knew due to her vampire nature, such a thing was impossible for her.

"Don't be, no matter what anyone thinks or says… you are my mother." She then gave a kiss on Marinel's cheek.

Now that she thought about it, maybe now would be a good time to tell Lydia the much deeper secret to her since she was old enough now, maybe she can handle it.

"Hey love."

"Yes mother?" She looked at her from her seat.

"There is something else I want you to know…"

"What?"

"I'm not… exactly human… and I know this sounds crazy trust me sugar."

Lydia raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"I'm a… vampire…" She turned away, there was a long silence that followed till…

"I knew it!" She bolted up from her chair nearly knocking it over.

Those words startled Marinel from the silence and she turned to look at her, "What?"

"I knew you were different, not exactly a vampire but I knew there was something different about you mother!"

"You knew?"

"That explains what I saw when I was younger…" Lydia walked up to Marinel, "I remember seeing you step outside and in a blink of an eye just vanish, then moments later I see you come back just the same! I saw it multiple times! I knew I wasn't imagining things!"

"I'm sorry… I hope you're not afraid of me…"

"Afraid of you?! Mother," Lydia gave her the most heartwarming smile, "I was never afraid of you, I love you no matter what, but why did you not tell me sooner?"

"For that exact reason, I wasn't so sure how you would react."

"Well I'm sure I would've handled it well back then." Marinel let out a sign of relief hearing those words now, it was silly to think that her daughter would be afraid of her.

Marinel glanced at her clock then smiled, "Which reminds me," Just on cue, there was a knock on her door.

"Who is that?" Lydia stood up and was about to answer the door till Marinel beat her too it.

"Allow me love." The door opened up and two men stepped inside.

"Greetings Miss." They hauled around canvases, brushes and paints and some strange device.

"What is this?" Lydia asked as she saw the men set up.

"Well, I wanted a portrait of you."

"Mother, don't you think it's a bit much."Lydia giggled as Marinel led her to a seat and sat her down.

"No of course not, I want to always look at my little girl no matter where I am. Now sit still."

The men got to work, one did a decent sized portrait while the other went to work on a pendent sized picture with a special device that didn't require paint or brushes.

Marinel sat across from her with a smile on her face and talked with her daughter to pass the time.

Tamao reached into her pocket and pulled out the pendent that Marinel had showed her, the very same pendent that held a picture of Lydia. She could see how well she had taken care of it over the years, and she could also understand just by hearing Marinel's stories how much she cared for Lydia and why this pendent was so important.

"Of course… I never wanted her to leave me and I begged her to allow me to turn her like me but she refused each time."

-"Why didn't you just turn her without her knowing?"- Momomi asked.

Marinel quickly shook her head, "No, I would never betray her trust like that."

The young vampire walked into the room, her daughter sat by the fireplace and was now a very old woman. She knew that her time was coming and nothing could ever prepare her for it, she was well aware of that.

She walked on over and knelt down at her side and held her hand.

"Oh, you startled me mother." Her voice was so weak, it pained Marinel just hearing her.

"I didn't mean too love." 'love' as grim as it was, Lydia knew that would be the last time she would hear that term from her mother and it pained her thinking as such.

There was a long silence between the two but enjoyed each other's company none the less.

"It wont be long now…" Lydia spoke, "I'll soon be gone from this world."

"Please don't say that."

She only chuckled, "But it's true, I'm old now Mother but look at you," She giggled, "Nothing has changed since I first saw you when I was just a little girl."

"Lydia, you don't have to leave me." She gripped her hand more firmly, "Please you don't have to leave me, I can… I can turn you like me, I'm sure Claudette would help you!" Tears were beginning to fall from Marinel's eyes.

"Turn me into a vampire?"

"Yes, with Claudette's help you would regain your youth and you'd stay with me forever, just please don't leave me!"

"I can't mother, I lived a good life with you. I've seen so much, done so much… the thought of living forever, I don't think I can handle it like you can."

"Lydia!"

"Don't be afraid mother, you'll be fine. I'm sure of it." Lydia inhaled deeply, "I'm sorry I can't stay with you but just living one lifetime is already too much, living for many more centuries would be too much."

"Lydia… please…"

"I'll have no more of that mother," She only laughed softly, "But I will ask for one thing."

"Anything."

"Can you stay here with me."

Marinel snuggled up closer to her and watching the fire together for a few hours and finally… she felt Lydia's head rest on her shoulder, "you know something mother, I don't regret a single thing in my life and I loved every moment I spent with you. Thank you, for everything you did for me, and for always being there for me..." Before Marinel even got to answer she felt Lydia's hand go limp.

She already knew, her daughter had passed away and it was the most painful thing in the world, it was like someone tore her heart out and stomped it the ground and kept stomping it till there was nothing left. Tears kept falling from her eyes as she put her hand back on her lap and stood up.

She walked to her door and when she opened up, she saw Claudette waiting for her and the older vampire already knew what happened.

There were no words from either of them, Claudette knew that this time would come and wondered how it would affect someone like her and by Marinel's pained expression, it was all the answer she needed.

Claudette embraced her and Marinel began to cry, her heart couldn't hold so much pain anymore and hoped she would get better in time.

The room was silent, save for Tamao, Nagisa and Chikaru who were crying and everyone else was sympathetic to Marinel.

"But that's my story, a slightly shortened version but my story none the less."

-"I'm glad you told us Evelyn-chan."- Chikaru was the first to walk up and embrace her, -"I'm sorry about Lydia, but she loved every moment she spent with you."-

"Thank you."

One by one, her friends walked up to embrace Marinel, hoping to provide some comfort for her after such a story.

-"We should get some rest."- Shizuma suggest as they knew nothing could be done right now to brighten Marinel's spirit and spending some time with Tamao would surely help her, -"We go back to school in a week."-

-"Aaah, Did you really have to say that!"- Yaya left the room with a groan just as Nagisa did the same which gave Marinel a small form of amusement seeing their annoyed faces.

Marinel followed Tamao to her room and watched her go inside, "I guess I'll see ya tomorrow love." She was about to walk away when she felt Tamao's hand grasp hers.

-"Stay with me."- She then gently pulled her inside the room.

The two walked inside and headed on over to the bed to sit down, there were no other words needed to be said and Tamao gently lowered Marinel onto the bed and held her.

Tamao could still see tears trailing down Marinel's face and raised herself up to look into her eyes, -"Hey, it'll be okay."-

Then, she lowered her head and pressed her lips on hers, kissing her lovingly which was everything Marinel needed right now.