Chapter 24

The morning air was bracing, as I looked out at the bay. The moon was fading in the distance and soon we would be leaving for my families home. It was eerie thinking I would have to explain to them in some far stretch that we were family. A knock comes on my door and Jerry opens it, Nick steps in with his expensively tailored suit and asks as he checks his Rolex, 'We will leave in ten minutes correct?'

I nod. Jerry yawns and asks, 'Why are we leaving so early?'

'We only have about thirty minutes time before the sun will directly hit us.'

Jerry nods slowly, gathering his wits and says as if a lightbulb finally went off, 'Oh, so that'd why you wanted me to go so early in the morning. To find out if they are awake early.'

'Exactly, if you want, you can go on ahead and get some more sleep. Nick and I will be going this morning to meet my family.'

Jerry nods, gives a salute and disappears to his own room. Nick comes over and growls, 'Thank God he's gone. How can you stand him?'

'He keeps me on my toes.'

'Like me,' Nick asks right next to my ear. My heart skips a beat with him so close.

I scoot around him and back into the room. His pheremones were soft, not a heavy blanket, and his power was almost non-existent. In the falling light of the moon I'm almost reminded once again of the intrigue I had for him when I was human, seeing the other worldly side of him and I ask softly, 'Do you have a mate, Nick?'

'Excuse me?'

Blinking away my own surprise at asking that, I say quickly, arranging my own button down shirt, and jacket, 'Nevermind, I had no clue why I asked that.'

'Its fine and no I don't.'

This shocked me as I turn my eyes to him. He was just a silhouette in the night sky on the balcony and I was curious as to why not. Most Purebloods, especially Royals were married off almost as soon as they were born, either to others in their clan or to other royal Clans to help relations. But I don't as I nod and say, 'Let's leave now before the dawn breaks.'

He was a Dracul Pureblood, terrifying in his own right, more so than JR and more so than any other known vampire. So I shouldn't be flirting with death.

Sitting in the car once again, I stare at the house ahead of us and Nick asks, 'What is your family members name?'

'Byron Clayton, married to Myrissa Barton, two children, Tobias, Toby for short, and Cathleen, or Kit. They recently bought this property when Byron's law firm had a windfall from a big lawsuit.'

Nick nods, look at the house, seeing the lights and movement and says, 'Seems Byron And his wife are up. Should we go now?'

'N-not yet,' I whisper horsely.

He looks over at me with narrowed eyes and asks, 'Don't tell me your hungry?'

Shaking my head, I find myself gripping the steering wheel tightly again. Memories flooding my mind, the agonized scream, the smell of blood coming from everywhere around me. Nick's smoky voice breaks the silence and horrid memories, 'Blood?'

Blinking, I jerk my eyes to him. His were narrowed and I smell it too. Quickly I pull my hands from the wheel and see that my nails have bite into my skin. The wounds were already mending as I quickly say, 'My apologize.'

Licking at the blood, I feel him take my other hand and do the same. Shivering I try to pull away, but his grip was firm as he asks, his mouth very close to my wrist, 'I glimpsed your memory a moment ago. Was that when you turned?'

Quickly I shake my head, look towards the house, sigh and turn back to his passive face, 'No, it was about three weeks after I turned. I was still at home and didn't understand what was happening to me. My father had sent in all the best physicians of the time. But none of them could find the cause for my illness. I could tolerate food, couldn't drink any water. It felt as if I were going mad...until that night.'

'What happened?'

'You as a Pureblood will never understand what it's like to take your first life. You are born knowing nothing else but the instinct to kill and eat humans as if their cattle. But Bitten know a much different path. We were once the cattle and now find ourselves the predator. Many, myself included find the process painful. While many who are bitten remain with the one who bite them. I didn't have that. I had no knowledge of what was happening. But I knew it was something I couldn't control, and in the end, I couldn't resist the urge to feed.'

My mind goes back. My fever was the highest it had ever been, panting, searing pain as the last vestige of my human cells were eaten away. I remembered the day like a crystalline glass, sharp, and unforgettable. My father entered the room with my maid Bailey, my fever long gone. Sitting there, looking at them, my hunger roaring through my system. Looking at Nick, I wonder if he's ever felt such an urge so strong that nothing can stop you. Finally I say hoarsely, 'I killed my father.'

Nick just stared at me, not saying a word, allowing it to sink in. I stare at him a moment and suddenly feel the hatred for this Dracul Pureblood swell inside me. Knowing it was his fault that lead to such a tragic end. Tears leaked from my eyes, leaving burning trails of anguish down my face as I say softly, 'And I have regretted that day since I became a vampire. I have lived with unimaginable guilt knowing I killed my father, literally feed from him.'

The sharp memory of his screams, my maid screams, the sound of ripping flesh, and broken bones were forever seared into my mind. Nick looks towards the house and says, 'Most Bitten are known to feed from their family and having an innate need to stalk them.'

My face burned with shame as I growl out, 'You know nothing of what it is like. My father was all I had and was a vestige of my humanity. I have regretted and continued to atone for my mistake since that time. Insuring that my family line continued, helping them anonymously as they needed it. After that day, I vowed unless it was absolutely necessary I would not take another humans life.'

Nick looks over at me with a rised brow and says slowly, 'It seems not all of your humanity has been lost after all, Nina Simmons.'

This shook me, and I stare wide eyes at him. My tears drying as he let's my hand go and says as he opens the car door, 'We must hurry.'

Quickly I compose myself, realizing my pheremones were thick in the car. I hadn't noticed their appearance, my emotions had been too high. The smell of shame and hatred mingling with anger lay heavy in the small space. He must have been effected by them, as he quickly extracted himself from the vehicle and shut the door. I watch as he hitches his jacket collar higher and notice the twitch in his jaw. Blinking, I'm curious to know what is going on inside that Pureblood phantoms mind. But instead I remove the key and get out of the silver vehicle. I could still feel the hatred I had for him, but also still felt that unearthly pull from so many, many years ago.

Taking a deep breath of the bracing air. I walk down the drive towards the wood planked house and my father's doppelganger. Talking about my last experience with my father just made my insides turn to rot, knowing I would see a seeming ghost of my father. Nick asks as we come up to the porch, pulling my mind from my guilt, 'Who will I be to you?'

I ring the bell and murmur, 'I will let you decide.'

The sound of heavy footfalls told me it was a man and I didn't have to guess who as the door opens. The man in front of me was a spitting image of my father, right down to the suspicious frown as he asks, 'Can I help you?'

Now I had to put on my English charm as I say, 'Hello, my name is Nina Simmons, are you Byron Clayton?'

'Yes,' he says suspicion growing on his face.

Quickly I say softly, a warm smile on my face, 'I'm so sorry to bother you so early in the morning. I wanted to come later in the day, but seeing as I have other business in Rhode Island I thought I might catch you at home now. This is...'

I look at Nick's calm face and he says in a surprisingly English accent, 'Nicholas Simmons, Nina's husband.'

To say I was shocked was an understatement, feeling myself freeze from the inside and scream in fear. However I don't let it show as I turn back to Byron without flinching at Nick's words and continue, 'I understand your confusion, but the reason I am here is, you see, I am a distant cousin of yours and I wanted to have an opportunity to meet you while I was in the area.'

Byron looks shocked as I hear from behind him, 'Byron, who is it?'

He steps aside so his wife can see me and I'm struck with how pretty she is as he explains, 'It seems I have a distant cousin from Britain who stopped by.'

I could tell by his words that he didn't believe me and I quickly say, 'I understand how difficult this may be for you to understand, but I did send a letter before hand saying I would come.'

Myrissa's face brightened and she says, 'Oh yes, remember Byron that letter I showed you.'

Byron scratches his head and nods saying, 'I'm so sorry I completely forgot. It did say you wanted to stop by. I completely forgot. Please come in Mrs. Simmons right?'

'Yes, thank you.'