After the two vampires discarded the dead vampaneze and freed the man, all of them found their way out of the sewers.

They quickly departed the area.

Larten didn't say much as he and Nyx traveled across the rooftops. He had heard the echoes of her encounter with Murlough. At least hearing that god awful screech. The wounds the vampaneze had before he killed him.

Not to mention she currently has traces of Murlough's blood around her mouth.

He wasn't denying that it was a success. One less killer on these streets, he was satisfied. But he knows he has to have a word with Nyx.

Larten led the child across town, leading her to a familiar setting, the abandoned building district. Stopping on a rooftop near what looked like remains of a textile factory.

"Why are we here?" Nyx asked him. "Evra's that a-way." She points in the right direction.

"We will be with him shortly," Larten said, turning to look at her. "However, you and I need to talk about what happened in the sewers."

Nyx frowned. "Did I do something wrong?" She asked softly. Having a worried look, her body automatically tensing up.

Larten kneels to be at her eye level. "It is about that thing you turn into."

Nyx's eyes widened but didn't speak.

"All this time, I had come to believe that you had not turned once since it first appeared. No other deaths but that one man and from what I had heard and seen, you had turned more often. Is this true?"

Her face softened and her shoulders sagged, turning to look away from him. "Yes sir…" She admitted.

Larten grunted.

"But no one ever got hurt." Nyx said, looking up at him this time. "I-I made sure no one's around."

"Why would you even change knowingly how dangerous it is?"

"Because if I don't try and learn how to control it, something will happen that will cause it to come out. Someone will die if it can't be controlled." Nyx said. "I learned a long time ago, if you adapt, you won't survive…"

She walked over to the edge of the building and sat down, her legs dangling. Shoulders sagged as she stared off in the distance.

"Nyx, you could have said something. This is something you cannot keep to yourself." He got up and approached her. "Whatever that creature is inside you is highly dangerous and a potential threat. You should have come to me for it."

"I know how others think of me back at the Cirque. Looks that they give me and even you on occasion." She looked up at him with a sad expression, wiping her mouth with her arm. "I didn't want to scare anyone or be locked up like the Wolfman."

Larten gazed at her. He had not known she knew what others thought of her. What her other form could do and how it would have attacked them. The thought of her potentially having a temper tantrum and a worker gets torn to shred was a common thought sadly.

It had never occurred to him until she said that Nyx had been trying to control it or was even aware she knew.

"Nyx, I am only going to say this once, you cannot hide anything from me when it comes to your…abilities. You are not a normal vampire. No one else within the clan has the ability. As a half vampire you are not meant to flit as of yet and no one can change but you."

She was afraid of that.

Nyx turns away from him, hugging herself "I'm sorry."

Larten sighed, sitting on the edge next to her.

"I wish I knew what I was, but I don't. I don't know what I am and it scares me…" she whimpered. "I didn't want to scare anyone…"

"It cannot be helped. What you are is unknown. I am in the dark just as you, you were right to learn how to use it. In the world we live in, it would only be a matter of time before an event triggers you." Larten looks down at her. "How do you learn to use it?"

Nyx sniffled. "I would go off on my own when I am able to. The woods and countryside, a place where people aren't around and it's only animals. I would hunt them using it."

Larten listens to her as she explains.

"When I was in the Grove, Silas would regularly not feed me so I had to figure out how to hunt to eat. Rats, rabbits, boar, just anything that came in. I was hunting before that thing in me awakened."

"Awakened?"

"It has always been inside me, but asleep. I was being honest when you asked me when I first turned last year. Turning completely. None of what was happening to me now happened when I was trapped. It began after I finally ran away.

"I learned early on that I had to accept my fate… I've accepted the fact I was forcibly turned into a vampire, I have to drink blood in order to live…but when it awakened ... .and it's something even I don't know… it scares me to death but if I can't control it, people will die…."

"No person has died since then?"

"I-I make sure. However I have noticed if I feel threatened it will try and come out."

"Was that what I heard in those tunnels?"

In the softest of voices, her answer, "No. I turned to scare him, I wasn't frightened… But when I tasted his blood… I liked it."

Larten's eyes widened. "But vampires cannot drink vampaneze blood nor can they. It has no nutrition and it can be toxic."

Her body trembled. "I liked it. It tasted like I ate a ton of sugar and was hyper. When I was chasing Murlough, I was chasing as if I was hunting game animals. I enjoyed it ... .just like He did when he hunted me."

Larten narrowed his eyes on her. "Hunted you?" He repeated. Her sire? Trying to understand her meaning.

Nyx nodded, her solemn expression lingered. "I've tried escaping for years. I tried running away and he would hunt me down. It was fun for him because he knew I couldn't escape…I couldn't escape…The Grove wouldn't let me."

"Nyx, I do not understand. What is the Grove?" Larten asked, trying to make sense. Why would it won't let her escape her sire?

Nyx waited a moment to respond to him. Trying to find words to say before speaking, turning her head to look out in the distance.

"The Grove was where I was born. I lived in a large dense forest with my mama. She said the Grove would protect us…..it only kept me from leaving."

Larten listened to her words before it came to him. "Was your mother a witch?"

Nyx whimpered and nodded. "She was. I don't remember much from before but I knew she was a witch. But we never bothered anyone….she lied." Tears began to form. "The Grove didn't protect us, it kept me trapped. Silas didn't need to tie me up because he knew I couldn't escape. No matter what I did, I couldn't leave.

"When I would make an attempt, he would hunt me down. Made it a game to him. He would always catch me…and he hurts me…and he'll hurt me again if he ever catches me again."

Larten grunted, fists clenched as he heard her. This child had no chance . All these years, she couldn't escape because of a spell. But a question remains.

"How were you able to escape? If this spell prevented you from never faltering till recently?" he asked.

"I don't know. I was trying to out run Silas when I suddenly stepped out of the barrier. I don't know what caused the spell to finally break but I'm glad it did…." she sniffled, rubbing her nose with her sleeve. "I'm…I'm sorry I can't tell you anything else."

He shook his head. "No..no my dear, it is a start. It is more than what I could have guessed, and it is enough for now."

"So, you aren't mad at me?" the child asked, looking up at him.

"I am slightly irritated that you kept your progress but anger? No. A friend had once said, 'You cannot argue with success' no matter how you complete a task." Larten assured her. "You are wise to take the initiative upon yourself and on the creature. It is living inside you, out and free, you show you know how to control it or at least manage it."

Larten then smiled softly. "Do you know who else is also free? You are. Whatever force that kept you there, you are finally out of the Grove. You escaped."

Nyx was quiet for a moment, looking down at her hands. Staring at her ten scars. Letting his words sink in.

"Do you believe me when I say Silas is here?" She asked.

He stared at her softly, sighing. "Are you positive you have seen him in the city?"

"I have. Silas stood right across the street from Evra and I. He broke into the old hotel room while we were sleeping. I don't want him to get me again…" Nyx began trembling, balling her hands into fists and lowered them on her lap.

Larten could see the terror in her eyes thinking of her Sire. This child could easily be one of the most frightening beings with her feral form but just like how she was the first time she stumbled upon the circus, she was scared.

For a long time, this child had no chance, and could have easily died due to forces beyond her control. The way she said it pretty much confirms most of his suspicions of what that monster had done to her.

"I do believe you Nyx."

Before Nyx could say something, she began hearing something. "Huh?" She looks up, continuing to hear some rustling noise.

Larten listened as well.

Suddenly, out of one of the broken windows, a cloud of bats bursts out. Nyx let out a frightened shout and threw herself on Larten, grabbing his arm and clung onto him as the bats flew out of the building.

Larten was taken by surprise by her action, realizing what was happening and couldn't help but chuckle.

"W-what was that?" Nyx squeaked, looking up at him, still clinging onto him.

"What was what?" He chuckled before one of the bats broke away from it's brethren and flew over to them, landing five feet from Nyx.

"EEEK!" Nyx squealed, scrambling across his lap and hid behind him, only making him laugh more. Larten had to hold onto the edge so he wouldn't slip off!

"That! What is that?!" she cried out, pointing at the small creature.

Larten twists to look down at her with a surprised look. "That, my dear, is a bat. You have never seen a bat before?"

"N-no." Nyx whimpered. "Is it dangerous?"

"No, no, they are fairly harmless to us. There are myths of us revolving around these creatures. Surely you heard of vampires before you were turned?"

"I haven't actually. I only know what we are because I was told."

Again, he was amazed. The child, even after thirty years of being a half vampire, was not told much of anything about the clan. And what was told wasn't much at all.

The bat raised its head up, tilting it to the side. It took off in the air again and got closer to Nyx.

The child gasped, backing away from Larten as it was flying over to her. "W-why is it following me?" she asked, seeing it flying over her head.

"I do not know, maybe it just likes you." Larten said as he watched. It wasn't odd for vampires to interact with their flightful kin. Nor were vampires eating them, but it was strange for a bat to act like this.

Nyx hugged herself as the bat lingered above her. It was squeaking softly as if trying to get her attention. She looks at the creature, seeing its beady eyes, large ears, a twelve inch wingspan of its leathery wings.

She tilts her head to the side as she watches the bat, straightening up. "Hey, it…it's actually kinda cute."

Nyx held a hand out and to her surprise, the bat dropped down and landed on her arm, its wings and long fingers wrapped around her arm.

"Well I be." Larten chuckled, seeing Nyx interacting with the bat.

"Oh, hi there." Nyx giggled, lifting her arm up. "It's hugging me."

Larten snickered as he watched her raising her other hand and began petting it.

The bat squeaked, leaning its head against her hand, to her touch, as she scratched behind the ears, going along its back.

"You're not so bad, are you?" Nyx said.

Larten reached out of curiosity and was able to pet it. "Hmm, must have been someone's pet or otherwise it would not be this friendly."

"Can I keep it?" Nyx asked him as she pets the bat. As she stroked its fur, something quite interesting happened right before them. As she pets the small creature, a spark of red flickered on her fingertips.

Nyx and Larten stopped.

"Did you just see that?" Nyx asked him with a loud gasp, looking at her free hand. She wiggled her fingers and there was nothing. Was she seeing things again?

"Aye, I did." Larten nodded.

He saw those sparks. What was it?

Larten stood up from the ledge and stepped away from it, getting close to Nyx and kneeling to her again. "Keep petting it."

"What?"

He nodded. "You heard me. We do not know what is happening, this could be something new…"

Nyx whimpered softly, hopefully what this was wasn't going to hurt the bat or him.

Larten sighed, seeing her hesitation. He raised a hand and placed it on her shoulder gently. "It is alright. I am right here if something goes wrong. You have my word."

Nyx gulped, feeling her cheeks flushed as she stared at the red cladded vampire.

He already had made it clear that he wanted to be involved in her development. She trusts him, and after tonight, she does completely.

She looked down at the bat who was just looking at her as if it wanted to say, More pets, please. Nyx sighed before she resumed petting it.

As she stroked the fur, her fingertips began to produce that same red spark. Each time her fingers went past the length of its body, it began to change. From a murky dark brown, bits of white began taking place.

Before his eyes, Larten sees the color of the bat being drained, the color of its eyes went from black to red. The same color and intensity of red as Nyx's eye. The bat was as pristine as the color of Nyx's.

"Whoa…" Nyx gasped and stopped petting once the bat was completely white.

The now white bat finally let go of her arm and went to fly again, there was a red mist tailing behind it as it flew.

"Incredible." Larten whispered as he watched the bat flew around them.

Nyx followed its movements as well, couldn't believe that she just changed a bat.

As the bat flew, the red mist consumed it and it just disappeared.

"Hey! Where did it go?" Nyx gasped.

Her hands began sparking again, realizing it, she raised her hands up to see. The mist began seeping out of her palms. The mist swirled and the white bat appeared.

Larten had heard the expression of picking his jaw up off the floor in his past, no doubt he had moments of such… this was one of those moments that left him completely speechless.

Nyx had an infectious smile as she raised the bat up, it nuzzled its face with hers.

"I think I just answered my own question of if I can keep it." Nyx said, now not going to let her new pet go.

"It…uh…it sure does look like it…" Larten trailed off. Staring at this little girl looking as white as a ghost, feeling a lump in his throat as he just saw this new development.

He stared at her completely dumbfounded. It…it appeared that he just witnessed Nyx actually enchant that bat…Actually doing magic!