Disclaimer: The characters belong to Charlaine Harris, i'm just playing around.

Thanks to: ErinCullen, glad2bwell and DT for reviewing. You guys rock!

Ch.4

Be curious, not fearsome.

previously:

The man in the shiny old car was deciding whether to talk to mamma or not. I ran his license plate number and he gave me the same name when he introduced himself, so the car was not stolen. He asked about Alcide, and some guy named Quinn, then he asked me about Dad. Then i got a feeling that he knew exactly where and how Dad was. We were both too shocked to talk to each other when Mom arrived. She was surprised to see him, and faced him with a distant attitude, until he started cuddling her and then she kissed him. I had to interrupt then. I started asking questions, but she told me the answers Delia needed to hear too. I went on my way upstairs to get her and when we came back he told her too. Dad is dead. She was taking it a bit better than I and started crying as Mamma explained a bit of her past with Bill. But, it being this close to the full moon and presenting Delia with such an emotional blow, made her changing start. And we were all in the room with he... "Judith, take Bill and go to my room, I'll be there shortly. Close the door" she said. She let go of Delia as she wriggled on the floor. Bill was watching curiously, I took his hand and pulled him up the stairs behind me. I wondered how much more mamma had never told us about.

-ñ-

I close the door behind us in the room and throw myself on the bed. Finally, I am having a moment to consider everything that has just happened. I have another sister. Does she look like me? Dad is dead. Would there be a funeral? Why was he back in Lousiana?

I notice Bill is listening to what was going on downstairs.

"Relax, she can handle. Sit" I tell him. He sits on the edge of the bed, worry still sketched around his face. I take a deep breath. A few minutes ago I was ready to kill him because he came with such bad news and such baggage. But right now, he looks broken.

"How come you were with my mom but you look younger than her?" I ask.

"We vampires do not age. I am a hundred and ninety six years old, even though I look thirty." He tells me. I nod and curl up on the bed. I take a deep breath in, and then the tears and the sadness just come to the surface and I start weeping in my mom's bed with a vampire besides me.

I try to cry silently and hope he will just let me be.

No such luck, he is soon caressing my hair and then patting my shoulders, then comforting me in the only way he knows how. I try to pry away at first, but he is offering comfort and I need it. I had no idea how long it would take mom to get my sister to the basement by herself and then come back up.

"I can't believe he is dead" I whisper, more like choke out, but he does not reply, realizing I left no room for an answer. He continues passing a soft and cold hand through my hair and back. Dad is really dead, and this… this fucking blast from the past came to tell us. Why not Crystal, or even Alcide? Oh, wait, he died too. Even Jonas could have done it! But no, my cousin is probably too busy getting a baby for his pack and bedding some of his aunts and cousins. Mamma told us why she did not approve of my uncle Jason marrying into Hotshot. Endogamy, I researched, that is what it is called. It sounds disgusting and too elitist.

I consider who else mamma has hid from us. She hinted that this Sophie-Anne person is dead. But, how does a vampire die? Aren't they supposed to live forever? Is that not the appeal of being a vampire?

What killed Dad? I have always thought that he is (not any more…) so strong, and I never thought that in his traveling he deals with (used to deal with…) such kinds of trouble. Mamma never said as much, and his thoughts were hard to read for me because he is (was, he was not is…) a shifter and thought more in emotions that in sentences. So did Delia, to a lesser degree. But I guess it is all pointless now, the whole not being able to hear dad fluently. I will never hear him again, not even his voice. I try to cover another sob, but it came anyways.

After a few more minutes ignoring Bill's (my godfather's?) hand in my hair and having a few select memories of Dad played in my head, I consider that I will soon drift off to sleep.

The door squeaks as Mamma came in, I get up and brush away tears from my cheeks. She looks tired. I start to stand to her help, but Bill beats me to it.

"It's rough for her," she explains to him. "On nights like these, when it is not yet the full moon, she gets fired up and cannot control herself, sometimes she changes completely, others not, sometimes just before the full moon, others just after. I wish I could be better about it like Sam is." She explains to him. Then she stops mid step.

"Oh, Sam" she gasps and starts crying again. I cannot help myself to listen to her while we are both in such a weak state. I never grew to love you as you loved me and now you are gone. Is that what she thinks of Dad? That she never loved him?

"Mamma…" I interrupt tentatively, I know this is not the best moment, but I need answers.

"Yes, honey?"

"You still have not told me who Sophie-Anne is. And I want to know why you and Dad kept everything about your lives secret from us! What's this about another sister? And apparently you have a long history with vampires too? I thought you said that we should have peaceful coexistence with them? Not live like them? You lied to us!" I am getting too heated up. I cannot stand Bill watching me break down and still feeling like he had to offer comfort to both of us. Also, mamma was not behaving adequately about Dad's death, considering her thoughts were mostly in her past with this guy that strolled in today instead of how not having Dad would impact her and us.

"I cannot believe either of you! Mamma! How can you be thinking about him…" I point, I do not care, I am enraged and this is not the time. "and stringing him when you just learned about Dad dying? And you" I turn my head viciously to attack him, but he did not do much more than give me a confused face and hide his fangs. "I am so sorry you had to bring us these news, but I would appreciate it if you kept your hands to yourself, mister! And I also think that you have no place worrying about what you don't understand"

But I do understand, I understand better than you, Judith. There are some things you don't know, but I do not blame you for not knowing them. He only thought it, but it is enough to spill the glass.

I grit my teeth and pull my hair. I am done listening to either of them. I do not care for shields right now. All I want is to be have some quiet time and be able to digest all the information that has been given to me tonight.

"I'm going to bed, see you in the morning, mamma." I spit, then I turn to my 'godfather' "Hopefully I won't see you tomorrow night" I snap, then I smile sourly at both of them and walk across the room, storming to mine, not bothering to close either door.

"Stringing me?" Bill questions

"Sex" she clarifies, all though the whisper is too low for me, she thinks about it and we are both broadcasting unevenly tonight.

"She has your temper" Bill pointed out to her.

"I CAN STILL HEAR YOU!" I scream loud and clear for them. Mamma came out of her room and into mine.

"Honey, rest, you'll need it, because tomorrow I will tell both of you everything. And yes, Bill will be here tomorrow still. He will stay with us until we know what to do now" she tells me. Brushing my hair with her hands. I ignore her hand and pretend to be crying and sleeping. She let out a small sigh before getting up and leaving, closing my door and then hers in the process. I try not to think about the fact that the man with the shiny old car was still in the room with her. To hell with that, I guess she is a widow anyways.

I place a feeble shield strong enough to block Bill and Mamma talking and thinking in the next room. I reminisce about Dad and cry for him for as long as I can stay up.

Wow! Thank you so much for reading and please review.

Initially, up to here had been the first chapter, but i decided to break it up in three. When the second chapter is ready, i'll break it up likewise too. unless you'd rather have larger chapters at a time?