Vail listened to Sylvia’s report in thoughtful silence. He wasn’t the least bit surprised that the Wynters were taking advantage of their recent victory. In the two centuries that he’d lived on the Earth, he’d seen them make grabs for power like this multiple times. This was just the most successful the rival clan had ever been in putting together an army to move forward with their plans to overthrow the human race. He frowned concernedly. If they didn’t fight back soon to stop the Wynters, his former fiancée’s prediction about the bloodshed that would follow was going to come true. The other vampires were about to incite a war that was bigger than they could imagine, the aftershocks of which had the potential to reverberate for generations.

Mulling over the news quietly, he was torn from his thoughts when Victoria suddenly asked about the Order. He blinked and glanced at the others as well. Not used to being on the same side as the Saints, he hadn’t thought much of them since the battle at the Crest manor. In the time that had passed, he’d been caught up in everything that had happened to his family and to Victoria. Evacuating the rest of the Hygraces to safety and waiting for her to wake up had consumed all his thoughts. To him, though, it seemed like there wasn’t much hope that Ray or Gerald had survived. Most likely, they had been casualties of the fighting, either slain or drained of their blood by the Wynters.

So, when she declared that she was going to go back to London to search for them, Vail tensed. She had just awoken as a vampire that same day, so the thought of sending her back into the city that the most violent clan in England had just occupied was worrisome to him. Especially when it sounded like she wanted to go back without him. “I appreciate your bravely, Victoria, but I think it would be best to wait for now,” he said tentatively, turning to meet her gaze. “Or at least send someone else until you’ve recovered further. You still haven’t adjusted to not being a human anymore, so it will be dangerous for you to venture off before you’ve settled more comfortably into your new life… including both your strengths and your weaknesses.”

Victoria understood where Vail was coming from. But she was also headstrong and he wasn’t her husband to make decisions for her, even if they came from a good place and with love. She barely knew the Moncouriers to send them in her stead, even if they were kind of family, she couldn’t trust Francois because of what he put her mother through, though they had since reconciled due to the situation. She did not expect Vail to like or agree with her idea so when she met his gaze, there was only disappointment in her eyes. Not with Vail but her own weaknesses standing in the way of her doing what she wanted.

“I understand that Vail, but they risked their lives to get us out of there alive.” Although ironically, she was dead at the time. “I cannot simply wait around and do nothing.” She was clearly upset and emotional about the situation by the way her eyes welled up with tears.

“I’ll go alone.” James stepped forward and offered to go for her. “Vail is right, you’re too fragile right now. You need to adjust to your new senses and get any bloodlust under control.” He pointed out. “I only just fund you, sister. I do not wish to lose you already.”

Victoria winced at James. “And I don’t want you to face the Wynters by yourself. Look at what one of them did to the Hygraces.” She gestured to Peter’s devastated form. “And you do not know London like we do.”

“Perhaps Lady Macey could be my guide then?” He suggested and turned to Sylvie. “She seems to be getting around undetected.” He made a valid point and Victoria hesitated. She looked over to Vail for his opinion, since Sylvie was his friend and (ex-fiancé technically) and he was pretty much the head of the Hygrace clan right now with Peter out of commission and Katherine too focused on him. He could not speak for the Moncouriers or Crests but his decisions could override everyone else’s purely because he was the strongest vampire in the room.

Vail had tried to be diplomatic for the sake of avoiding a conflict in front of his relatives, but it seemed like Victoria was either unaware of how difficult her adjustment could be or genuinely didn’t care about the dangers of it. He studied her determined face quietly. Even though she was no longer human, it seemed like it was going to take time for her to lose her mortal mindset. Humans often rushed into situations without thinking through every detail, acutely aware of their race against the time and anxious to make use of every second they had. They were a fast-paced species because of their short lifespans. They didn’t have the luxury of waiting and planning and moving forward with a level head like his kind did.

Meanwhile, vampires were often much more patient and pragmatic. It was the reason why the Wynters had managed to levy themselves into a position of power so quickly. They had been biding their time for generations, waiting until the opportune moment to strike. The birth of Victoria, whose blood was like the nectar of the gods to their people, was the opportunity they had been seeking for over a century. Now, that advantage had been stolen away from them, but the rival clan was still years ahead of them in terms of strategizing. If Victoria rushed into England blindly, with little to no control over herself as a fledgling, she was going to get herself killed.

Fortunately, her half-brother proposed an alternative solution that both kept her safe and satisfied her desire to not waste any time. He relaxed and shot the other man a grateful look, appreciative that the burden of convincing Victoria to remain in Scotland had been lifted from his shoulders.

“The Wynters have no idea that I’m in communication with the Hygraces, so they don’t pay close attention to my movements,” Sylvia explained the reason why she was able to travel freely. “My family has yet to submit to them, but my father hasn’t spoken out either. Remaining neutral has worked to our benefit for the time being. Until the Wynters demand out loyalty, they leave us alone. However,” she smiled at the halfbreed. “I do know London like the back of my hand and would be happy to guide you if you. I’ll be leaving this place in the morning, and you’re welcome to come with me to look for those two humans.”

Victoria would feel better if James went with Sylvia who knew the town and that the Wynters did not suspect her movements yet. She seemed satiated with that answer and relented with a nod at both Sylvie and her brother. “Very well. Maybe that is the best chance we have.” Thinking back to the moment she and Vail met Ray in the alleyway whom thought she was in need of rescuing from Vail when she had lured him out on purpose and the three injured each other. They had come a long way since then and Ray had helped her escape Gerald’s mad plans and the diabolical Spencer. If it weren’t for him, she and Vail wouldn’t have even seen each other. He helped the couple to be as close as they were now. As if he were cupid. She felt as though she owed Ray and felt obliged to help him if he were in trouble.

“Then it’s settled. We ride out at first light. Perhaps we can obtain more intel on the Wynters’ movements.” James concurred with a charming smile to ease Victoria’s anxiety. The Lady Crest conceded to her brother’s plan. James shot a wink at Vail as Victoria looked away. It was his job to protect his little sister. He knew Vail was grateful for his assistance in keeping her from harms way. He saw the way Vail was so worried over her lifeless body, pining for her to wake up. Despite all the odds, Victoria came back to him. Their love must have been strong to allow such a miracle.

“Then there is little else we can do but to celebrate the return of our chere Victoria and dine together as a united clan. Let us enjoy each other’s company before we bid my son and Lady Macey a temporary farewell. Diana’s sister has prepared a feast that would even satisfy a vampire.” Francois suggested as Victoria eyed him over. Was he trying to play the doting stepfather now?

“I trust everyone is well enough fed to compose themselves around Victoria’s mortal family?” Francois took a patriarchal role on behalf of the Crests. “Lady and Lord Hygrace you are welcome to join us if you feel up to it.” He extended the invitation to Vail’s parents, though he doubted they would join them and pretend to play happy families with the Moncourier-Crest clan, where one of their offspring was a half breed and the other one was a turned mortal. Whether they liked it or not Vail chose Victoria and wanted to be with her. If he was serious about it then one day she would be his wife and they would have to accept it.

Francois led the way back to Victoria’s aunts manor house. James offered his arm to Sylvie to escort her to dinner.

Vail nodded, “Please be sure to tell us if you come across anything at all.” He was mildly concerned about James’ and Sylvia’s safety while they ran espionage for the Hygraces and the Moncouriers, but it was inarguably the best solution for everyone involved. His old friend knew the area well and could travel about without raising suspicion, and James was youthful and eager to help her. The two of them would make a capable pair both to find Ray and Gerald—assuming the humans were still alive—and to learn a little more about what the Wynters were doing in London. Any information that they could gain at all would be helpful to everyone in their efforts to stop the rival clan from starting a war that could quite possibly ruin relations between humans and vampires for a millennia.

Francois’s suggestion of joining Diana’s family for dinner appealed to Vail even more strongly. He turned to the leader of the Moncourier clan with an idle nod when the elder vampire queried about whether the rest of them had fed recently enough to keep their composure around their human hosts. It had been a week since he’d last drank any blood, but he was still getting by on the enormous dose he’d had when he’d drained Victoria. He had a mild craving for the excess iron in her blood specifically, something that no longer existed now that she’d been turned, but he wasn’t yet hungry for the flow in a regular mortal. He felt sure that he could last at least a few more days before he really felt the urge to go hunting.

The rest of the Hygraces were in good condition as well. Katherine had been making sure that all of her nieces and nephews satisfied their bloodlust regularly out of courtesy for the people that were risking their own lives by harboring them. The Crests were the Hygrace clan’s only hope for refuge until they could return to England, so it would have been problematic if any of the vampires attacked even a servant on the estate. Out of all of them, Peter was the only one who was too unstable to even be near a human. Surviving on the blood of captured rabbits and other small woodland creatures that were brought to him regularly, it was likely that he would snap at the faintest whiff of mortal blood.

So, when Francois extended his invitation to the married leaders, Katherine smiled politely and shook her head, “Thank you, but I will stay here with Peter.”

Since they were remaining behind, Vail bade his parents farewell and took Victoria by the hand again as they went with the rest of the group back to the manor to eat. “Are you feeling hungry at all?” he asked her curiously, watching as Sylvia smiled brightly at James when he offered her his arm. Even though they ate regular food too, hunger pangs were, to vampires, a sign that they needed to feed on blood, and he wasn’t sure how long it would take before the Crest heiress would need to hunt for the first time. If she was developing an appetite, it would be best for them to keep some distance from her human relatives at dinner.

Victoria noticed that Kathryn was nice to even Francois, a total stranger, because he was a vampire. The only one she wasn’t nice or welcoming to was Victoria herself. Even though she was now a vampire, she still wasn’t welcome to the Hygrace clan. She was done trying to win them round. They were not her family and not her problem. She didn’t bother to say goodbye or even bow on her departure. If they were not to treat her with respect, she would show them none. Vail was the only Hygrace she cared about.

As James and Sylvie walked on ahead, Victoria took a slower walk due to her body’s weakness. As Vail asked her a question, it brought her out of her thoughts. “I do feel hungry…but for human food.” She was used to human food, so her stomach was craving that right now. Her body was drained of energy and needed the nutrients it was used to. There was no craving for blood yet. She wondered how James coped with bloodlust being only half a vampire.

As the couple entered the manor house, Victoria could smell chicken and her stomach rumbled and her mouth salivated. But as she entered the dining room with Vail, a new smell entered her nostrils. Blood. The dining table was set out with a banquet fit for a king but the wine glasses at the table were filled with blood.

Francois kept guard over Diana and her sister at the other end of the table. They loved Victoria but they were wary of her new vampiric state. She wanted to go over to them both and hug them. Instead she smiled and greeted her aunt with a smile. “It is good to see you Aunty.” She said to the red headed woman who was one year older than Diana. She reciprocated her affections to her niece.

“Please sit.” Francois indicated to a chair at the opposite end of the table. “Should you have a craving of blood, we have made your first feed easier for you.” He explained to Victoria as she took a seat and tentatively looked at the wine glass full of blood.

“Whose blood is this?” She asked as the smell was highly metallic, not as high in iron as hers used to be, but she could smell it.

“Mine.” Diana revealed. “I donated some blood in case you needed some upon waking.”

“Try it.” Francois suggested. Victoria took the glass and sniffed it. She felt sick. She still had her blood phobia and she started to tremble holding the blood in her hand. Still, she tentatively touched the glass to her ruby lips and took a gentle sip. She gagged and set the glass down and shook her head at it and pulled a face. “I can’t.”

As they left his family behind, Vail glanced once back over his shoulder at his parents, who had already turned away from them to take solace in each other’s company. He knew they were still upset with him and with Victoria over their decision to be together, but he’d been hoping that they would at least set their disappointment aside while there were more pressing issues to take care of. Peter and Katherine were unwavering traditionalists. They believed in doing things a certain way and balked at the thought of allowing anyone or anything to disrupt their way of life.

For a long time, their beliefs had rubbed off on him too, but since he’d met and gotten to know Victoria, he’d realized that his family had some glaring flaws. They were inflexible. Centuries of falling into strict routine had made them blind to the possibility that there was more than one right way to do things. Their stubbornness had cost them dearly when Mikael had attacked, and now it was potentially going to cost them the affection of their future daughter in law. He exhaled softly as he turned away from them again. Disliking the tension between his parents and the woman he loved, he hoped they would come around eventually, but it was difficult to tell what would happen this early on.

“Well, it sounds like we’ll have plenty of that,” Vail mused when Victoria told him that she was hungry. It was interesting to him that she still craved solid food even though she had woken up as a vampire. Occasionally, he had a taste for something other than blood, but he would never equate it to genuine hunger. When he dined on the food and drink that sustained mortals, it was always by choice, since he didn’t need enough of the nutrients in it to consider it essential to his diet. Human meals just gave him a bit of a short-term energy boost.

Approaching the manor, he inhaled the strong aroma of blood and realized that their human hosts had prepared more than just a classic dinner for them to feast on that evening. He walked by Victoria’s side the rest of the way to the dining room and surveyed the banquet from the doorway. After eating nothing for the past week, the food and blood that had been set out for them all would be an exceptional meal to fill his empty stomach, and his mouth watered at just the thought of it. Even though he didn’t need human food to survive, he still appreciated the way the mortals cooked and seasoned it.

He joined Victoria on the far end of the table while the rest of the vampires who had been invited filled in the center. A few of his cousins eyes their own wine glasses hungrily, barely restraining themselves from downing the blood inside before everyone was seated. They had all fed recently, but they were still slaves to their nature. The pungent scent of blood in the air and the generous portions that had been provided to each of them was a test to the wills of the clan members with less self-control.

Vail’s only task was to make sure that none of his relatives attacked the humans in the room, and since his cousins were merely slavering over their drinks, he fixed his attention on Victoria, who seemed to have the opposite reaction to the glass in front of her. “If you still have an appetite for the food you ate when you were human, it may be too soon,” he suggested, resting a hand supportively on her leg. “We still don’t know exactly what your transformation is going to look like, so there’s no need to force it if you aren’t ready. The blood is just there for you as an option. Enjoy your dinner, and don’t feel obligated to finish your drink if you have no taste for it yet.”

Victoria appreciated Vail comforting her with her lack of blood appetite. He knew she struggled with the substance beforehand. Perhaps her psyche was preventing her vampiric needs from taking over. As he said, it could be too soon. “Did you manage to recover that tome we used? Perhaps there is more information contained within?”

“A tome?” James asked curiously and Victoria explained to him what they had found, and he appeared quite interested. “Fascinating. I’m an avid scholar like my father. Not as…experimental as he is and how I came into existence as a half breed, but still thirsty for all fonts of knowledge this world has to offer.” It seemed James was rather candid about his experimental existence. Diana may have been tricked into conceiving a vampire’s child, but she was still glad James was born. That motherly love ran very deep.

“Perhaps the Saints know of more than they let on?” Francois suggested using them as a source of knowledge. “Perhaps when you find them, we can enquire.” He asked James and his son replied with a nod. Maybe they were being optimistic for Victoria’s sake, Vail was more realistic and doubted the Saints were even alive.

After Victoria devoured her chicken and vegetables like a starved homeless person, she still felt….unsatisfied. She did not feel full. And then suddenly the waft of blood from her glass became more appetising. She took up the glass and had no trouble drinking the blood nectar from within it. She let out a big sigh and smiled at everyone. James pointed to the corner of his mouth to indicate she had remaining blood left around her lips. She felt rather embarrassed and dabbed her mouth with her napkin sheepishly. Francois looked proud at her in that moment. “Well…would you look at that.” He mused as James agreed with his father. Diana was rather relieved, despite her reservations about her newly vampiric daughter. “Well done, Darling.” She reiterated the encouragement she knew she had to give to a naturally worrisome Victoria.

She hoped that Vail was also proud of her for taking that first big step in overcoming the blood phobia. “Well I certainly enjoyed my dinner. Thank you mother, auntie for providing us with much needed nourishment.”

“Shall we retire to the lounge for the rest of the evening?” Diana suggested as the servants began to tidy away the leftovers. The men agreed as it was custom after dinner to leave the table and join conversation and drinks with their guests in entertaining. Victoria could take this opportunity to speak with Sylvia alone about the questions she had about being a female vampire. She felt like she could trust her and talk to her, she didn’t view Victoria as a threat to her former fiancé. And Vail had expressly explained he had no romantic feelings for Lady Macey so Victoria did not feel threatened by Sylvie. She really needed a female friend right now.

“Lady Sylvie. I hoped you might wish to join me on the terrace for a cup of tea?” She asked as she rose from her chair with even more grace and air about her. She had renewed energy and her aura became more of a presence within the room. She held a certain regal posture. “For girl talk.” She added and flashed a teasing grin at Vail to make sure he knew it was just her and Sylvia. He would probably be curious to know if they would talk about him further.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t stay long enough in my family’s manor to look for it,” Vail shook his head at Victoria’s question. Thoughts of the tome had crossed his mind since then, and a part of him regretted not taking the time to pick it up before he left England. However, in the moment, it just hadn’t been a priority. He’d stumbled upon the wreckage of Mikael’s attack and had been concerned about his family’s wellbeing above everything else. Since then, he hadn’t had any opportunities to return for the book either. He’d been busy trying to mold his family clan into some kind of order and waiting for Victoria to wake up from her transformative slumber.

If possible, he still would have liked to go back to find it, but the trip didn’t seem feasible. Now that Lady Crest had awoken, someone would need to teach her how to adapt to her life as a vampire, and he felt like that role belonged to him as both the one who had turned her and the one who would—hopefully soon—marry her. Additionally, his clan was nowhere near ready to get by without him. For their sakes too, he needed to remain in Scotland for at least a while longer.

The dinner they enjoyed was delicious, and Vail savored the taste of the food and the blood that had been provided for the nonhuman guests. Once he’d cleared his plate, he sat back in his seat and glanced at Victoria, who still hadn’t touched her own glass. It seemed like she still hadn’t warmed to the thought of drinking the blood of the people she’d once belonged to. He was just about to offer her a word of encouragement, hoping that she would try it at least one more time now that her appetite for a mortal meal had been whetted. However, before he could even say a word, he blinked in surprise as she picked up the glass on her own and drank the whole thing.

“Not so bad, is it?” he mused lightly, leaning over to brush a kiss against her cheek. He was incredibly pleased to see her take such an important step in overcoming her aversion to blood. If she’d fought against her new instinct to feed on it, she could have become a danger to herself and to the humans around her, so it was better that she voluntarily drank from the glass that her mother had offered her that night. He also hoped that now that she’d tasted it, she would be less opposed to learning to hunt and feed like the rest of their kind did after dark.

At the end of dinner, Vail rose from his seat to join the rest in the lounge for conversation and drinks, pleasantly full on the rich food Diana had so generously provided them. After spending the last week in a constant state of worry for Victoria, it was nice to return to something a little more normal. He waited for her to get up from the table as well, only to quirk a brow when she chose to invite Sylvia onto the terrace instead.

“Oh? Of course,” Sylvia grinned, flashing her pearly fangs. Walking around the table, she slipped her arm through Lady Crest’s and shot her ex-fiancé a wink. “Sorry, Vail. Looks like she’s mine tonight.”

He rolled his eyes. “Just for the evening… I’d like her back after that.”

“We’ll see,” Sylvie teased, giving her new friend’s arm a tug to lead her away.

“Good luck with her, Victoria,” Vail said flatly, though a smile still pulled at his lip. “I’ll find you later.” He’d been hoping to have her to himself soon, since he’d spent the last week wondering if she would even survive her transformation, but he supposed he could stand to share her a little longer. For now, he headed off to the lounge with the other men, idly curious about what Lady Crest had called Sylvia aside to discuss.

Victoria was happy that Vail was proud of her and smiled when he leaned over to plant a kiss on her cheek. She shook her head at his question of it being so bad. “Not anymore. Perhaps my tastebuds are adapting to it.” She mused in reply. Maybe the fact it was in a glass and resembled more like a wine than blood helped her mental state of mind and eased her anxiety over her phobia. She wasn’t ready to start even thinking about…hunting humans. She just couldn’t bring herself to hurt an innocent person.

Lady Crest was relieved to have Sylvie accept her invitation for a girly chat. She smiled at her warmly as she linked her arm through hers. Sylvie was a friendly woman. Albeit 300 years her senior, still looked around Victoria’s age. She turned to see Vail’s reaction toward Sylvia’s remark that she had his girlfriend for the evening. If Victoria could blush, she would at the moment Vail said he wanted her back later. Was he being a tad possessive over her? She liked the thought of belonging to someone, to him.

“Don’t worry, I will always come back to you, Vail.” Victoria chimed sweetly at him as he said he would find her later. She blew a kiss his way as Sylvia tugged her from the dining hall and into the hallway. Diana smiled and shook her head as she began clearing the table with her sister. “Vail does give you a hard time, doesn’t he?” Victoria asked Sylvie as they walked down the hallway. “Did you annoy him somehow?”

As Vail joined the men in the lounge area, Francois took a large cigar from a box and placed it in his mouth. “Care for a cigar, Master Hygrace?” He offered the fellow vampire as James took a seat and crossed his legs and leaned back in the lounger. “You must be relieved that Victoria woke up.” James did not take a cigar as it didn’t appeal to him. “Although it is a shame about that tome. Perhaps when Lady Macey and I return I could scout your home and if its’ clear of Wynter scum, I can look for it.” He suggested as a help to them both.

Victoria and Syliva meanwhile, ventured out to the back garden veranda. A fireplace in the centre of the terrace lit up the benches. One of the servants came out with a pot of hot tea for the ladies to enjoy and keep warmer in the colder Scottish air. “So I wanted to speak with you about my new…life.” Victoria didn’t know how else to describe it. “Vail can teach me how to live as a vampire and guide me but I need to know how a female vampire works. From a fellow female vampire. Such as….how do we breed?” She asked a little coyly. She knew how a human body worked. A monthly cycle. But she knew nothing about vampire anatomy. “And I need to know these things…for the future. Especially if I am to get married and expected to have children.” Which was the social convention these days. She wasn’t even sure the Hygraces would want her to bare their grandchildren.

“Not particularly,” Sylvia chuckled melodically at Victoria’s question as they walked away together. “We’re just very close friends. I’ve known Vail for decades, so I think he’s simply more comfortable around me than he is with most other people… I’m sure you’ve noticed by now, but he’s rather taciturn. Being both the next heir of the Hygrace clan and the son of Peter puts him in a difficult position because he’s expected to uphold certain expectations of the clan and her allies, but his father restricts his freedom to do so.” She sighed. “I’ve watched them for a long time. Peter is a controlling man, and his constant criticisms have made his son feel like he needs to bend to his will to earn everyone else’s respect. That’s why he’s so quiet. He makes his own voice smaller because it seems insignificant, and he prefers to avoid causing a conflict by smothering his own thoughts and opinions.”

As they stepped outside, Sylvia smiled at the sight of the quaint garden and fireplace. “Anyway, Vail teases me because we’ve built up that rapport. He knows he doesn’t have to pretend to be polished around me, so sometimes we squabble like siblings. I enjoy it. He has a sharp wit, and I do wish he wouldn’t hide it from everyone else.” She took her seat on a bench in the veranda and casted Victoria an amused expression. “It is interesting, though… how much he’s started speaking out recently. I wonder who I can thank for that positive change, hm?”

Drawing her shawl a little further around her shoulders for warmth, she fixed her crystalline eyes on the fireplace while she considered Lady Crest’s further questions. They were somewhat broad, and while she was talkative by nature, she still preferred to answer as concisely as she could. “Thinking about babies already, are we?” she teased first as she turned back to the other woman. A good-natured smile played on her lips, and she crossed her legs elegantly. “In simple terms, we ‘breed’ the same way humans do. I’m sure you already know what that means, so I’ll spare you the details… If you really want to know more, I’m sure Vail would be more than happy to give you a more thorough lesson.” Alongside the sultry joke, she shot Victoria a wink and giggled lightly.

“The biggest difference between vampires and humans in that realm is that we have more control over how and when we have children. Instead of becoming fertile once a month, we’re only able to get pregnant once a year,” she continued obligingly. “The trickiest part is figuring out when you’re inside your window for the first time, but you’ll know it when both blood and sex are more appealing to you. For example, mine is at the beginning of every summer. For about fifteen to twenty days, I’ll feed twice as often as I normally do, and I’ll notice how handsome my prey is as I bleed him dry.” She ran her tongue across her fangs delightfully at the thought. “Male vampires can tell when we’re fertile too because our scent changes. I don’t quite know how, since I don’t notice it myself, but I’ve been told by my brothers that it’s sweeter.

“Many of us avoid intimacy during that two to three week period because we prefer the fun without the brood, but if you decide you want to start a family, it’s incredibly easy to get pregnant. We don’t have the same difficulties that humans do as long as we aren’t starved of blood. Our bodies are more perfectly regulated, and since we’re fertile for weeks instead of days at a time, you’re practically guaranteed to be with child if you try intentionally. All you need to do is decide when you’re ready.” She sipped at her hot tea and smiled again at Victoria. “I enjoy these candid talks… What else would you like to know?”

--

In the lounge, Vail took the offered cigar and seated himself beside James. He’d always been intrigued by the various inventions of humans, so he’d smoked before. The smell and taste of cigars was pleasing, so he cut off the cap and placed the cigar on his tongue as Francois had. “Of course,” he said through his teeth, toasting the foot over a tinderbox. Relieved felt like an understatement. He was glad that she had woken up again, but he was even more elated that she was a vampire now. Gone were the worries about losing her to disease or old age. As long as neither of them became victims of slayers or the Wynters, they were finally able to be together for the entirety of their immortal lives. It was the best outcome he could have hoped for.

Reclining comfortably, he nodded when James brought up the tome. “It would be a help if you found it,” he agreed. “As long as no one else has moved it, the book should still be in my bedroom on the second floor of the manor. I read through part of it, but there were quite a few pages left that may be useful to Victoria.” Pausing, he puffed on the cigar and then went on as the smoke left his lips, “Speaking of your visit to London, though, how do you intend to approach the Order if you find them? Not all of them are as willing to engage with us as Ray and Gerald were, and now that the Wynters have taken over, they may be even more hostile toward our kind.”

Victoria chuckled at Sylvia’s comment on how she was sure she had noticed that Vail was rather reserved. Well he was, until it came to her and the sweet nectar within her veins that he could not resist. He was actually quite bold to pursue the Lady Crest’s blood so eagerly at first and it was he who asked the Lady to dance Not to mention, he actively seduced her in his own bed against his father’s approval. Risking his very own inheritance and heir status by doing so. She smirked as Sylvia teased her about changing Vail for the better. “Yes he was quite taciturn…until he met me. I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing though. It caused him to be at such great odds with his parents…” She sighed, reliving the disapproval.

“I just wanted their blessing to be with their son. Instead I was just the cause of their tension.” Her eyes flickered sadly in the firelight as Sylvia continued to answer her questions. She shook her head with a giggle as she was asked if she was thinking about babies already. It was far too soon for that kind of thing in a new relationship and definitely frowned upon out of wedlock. She blushed, however, when Sylvia said Vail could give her a more thorough lesson on how to breed. “You’re so naughty, Sylvie!” Victoria burst out in laughter as the other woman giggled. She liked that about her though. She was the first female she could be herself around and talk so freely with. Other human women had been so judgemental about Victoria and she felt like she had to force a smile in their company, with Sylvia it was a genuine smile.

She listened to Sylvia’s knowledge of the female vampire’s body. It sounded easy enough to work out. Victoria was at the disadvantage of being turned and not born a vampire so adjusting to this new form would be tricky. Although she shuddered at the thought of bleeding a human dry and feeding on any person in general made her feel queasy and faint. “So, I would smell different to Vail? Would that not make him want to be more intimate with me, in that case? Human females become more desirable to men as their breasts become larger as to appeal to the opposite sex as the body subconsciously reacts to their fertile state. I’m not sure how much the female vampire’s bodies change visually but scent is a powerful aphrodisiac.” Also, females craved sex more, obviously, so abstaining from it for three weeks in that heightened state could be difficult for the lovers, who had shared a bed more than once even before being wed. A really big taboo in this society.

At least when Victoria wanted to have children, the process would be easy enough without the human complications. Many women bled to death during childbirth unfortunately. But now she was a vampire, she was in even less a hurry to procreate, although she was sure her mother would want to see a grandchild before she died….so maybe there wasn’t much time really left.

---

“Then I shall endeavour to find this tome for you and my sister.” James replied to Vail as he nodded taking in the instructions of its location. At his question of approaching the Saints, James grinned. “I am half human and as such, I have more human like features. I can also resist blood a lot more than a normal vampire so any accidents by humans will not cause me to bloodlust. Do not worry yourself over my safety. The Saints will know that the Moncourier Clan came to assist them in the days leading up to the battle with the Wynters. Word travels fast in London.” He winked at the worried vampire heir.

Francois glanced to the door. “My, my I wonder what the girls could possibly be talking about?”

“Perhaps they are planning…a wedding?” James teased at Vail with a grin.

“I believe it was long overdue, myself,” Sylvia sipped at her tea. “It’s a pity that Peter and Katherine are the parents whose blessing you seek. I would never say so to Vail out of respect for his bond with them, but his parents are horribly difficult people to get along with, especially his father. His mother is a rigid traditionalist just like Peter is, but at least she’s able to admit in private when her husband is wrong. If only she were brave enough to disagree with him to his face, she might help him realize that he’s made tradition into his god.”

She shook her head exasperatedly, “Peter believes he rules with fear, but it is fear that rules him. For all his physical prowess as a Hygrace, he stymies himself through his unwillingness to listen to new ideas to even humor the thought that his methods aren’t the best. My family has had relations with the Hygrace clan for centuries, so I’ve learned how to behave when he’s around… but that’s as a born vampire. I can only imagine how much time and effort it will take to win him over as a woman who was human until last week.” And that was if Peter was willing to accept the Crest heiress at all. Though she kept it to herself, Sylvia was unconvinced that Victoria would ever be looked at kindly by Vail’s father. She knew now that the other woman was the reason why Peter had tried to arrange her marriage with Vail in the first place. The drastic measures the Hygrace leader had taken to keep the couple apart spoke volumes about how little he thought of Lady Crest.

Still, the situation didn’t affect her directly, and she was far from an empath, so she brushed off the thought as they moved on to a more lighthearted subject. “It would, but from what I understand, the impulse is easier for our kind to ignore,” she answered thoughtfully. “We’re aware of it, but it isn’t consuming… If Vail hasn’t told you yet, our drives to reproduce are far lower than the average human’s because we live much longer and have more time on this earth to plan out when we wish to have children. Many of us remain unattached to a partner for centuries before settling down.”

Pausing, she took another pull from her tea and fixed her blue eyes on the firepit with an idle smile on her lips. “When I’ve faced my annual fertility window, there have been very few times in which I’ve needed to remove myself from a handsome man’s presence to keep myself from jumping him like an animal. It usually isn’t difficult to curb the desire, but if you really find sex tempting during those weeks, I’m sure you and Vail can come up with some creative outlets.” Another knowing wink chased the statement. “In any case, it’s nothing for you to worry about. You’re a clever girl, and I’m sure you’ll figure it out when the time comes.”

--

Vail nodded slowly when James answered his question. Because Victoria’s half-brother was a member of a powerful vampire clan, he hadn’t thought much about his human ancestry. He supposed it did make sense that James would be the best equipped to approach the Saints. Although he wasn’t sure how the slayer organization would react to a man who carried the blood of the creatures they had dedicated their lives to killing, they would probably have reservations about attacking him when he was half human too.

“That is a blessing,” he said amusedly. Compared to others of their kind, he’d honed his bloodlust until he was able to keep his composure around injured humans, but only if the injury was minor. As a pureblooded vampire, there was only so much he could do to suppress his own nature after all. “Well, I wish you the best of luck on your trip. If there is anything to be found among the Saints, it seems like you’re our best hope of uncovering it.” Assuming Ray and Gerald were actually alive, that was. He still wasn’t optimistic that the two men would be found unless they were corpses.

At Francois’s comment, Vail shot him a sideways glance and then turned back to James. It was interesting to hear more people volunteer support for him and Victoria, even if it was in a teasing manner. “Perhaps,” he mused. “I wonder whose wedding they’re planning though… I noticed Lady Sylvia took an interest in you.” He appreciated their acceptance of his relationship with Victoria, but he was still reluctant to speak much about his plans with her, so he changed the subject. Until he had more time to speak with his parents and try to warm them up to the idea of his desire to be with the new vampire forever, he preferred to keep his personal life to himself.

Lady Crest was surprised at Lady Macey’s silver tongue with regards to the Lord and Lady Hygrace. Sylvie gave Victoria more insider details that made her understand the dynamics of their clan a lot more. Was Lady Katherine really that much of a meek woman that she never challenged her husband at all? Were that how wives are supposed to act? She saw an opportunity to chip away at Katherine, the weaker of the couple, to get her on her side and help persuade Peter that Victoria was the right woman for their son. Or at least accept Vail’s decision of choosing her. If he didn’t then he risked losing his son altogether.

Victoria sighed as Sylvia explained her disadvantage even as a vampire fledgling. Peter would never be happy because she wasn’t a born vampire. She couldn’t keep fighting Peter’s mindset forever. Eventually it would drain her of all energy. Although Sylvie did not offer any words of comfort, she told her straight and didn’t dance around the subject. Which Victoria was grateful for. She thought about her words about a vampire’s sexual drive being much lower, although she didn’t see how easily Victoria could seduce Lord Vail Hygrace. However, that was when she had the sweetest most irresistible blood.

At the thought of planning children, Victoria looked down sadly. If Peter wouldn’t accept her, then what chance was there for him to accept any of her future children with Vail? “Perhaps…Vail and I having any children is not a good idea…” She stated and finished her tea, then set her cup down delicately. “I do like these little talks with you Sylvie. Your words are refreshing and direct. However, I think I will retire for the evening. It’s been…a trying day.” She stood up with the added grace of being a vampire. “Do stay up as long as you wish. I am sure my brother would keep you company. I noticed you took a little bit of a shine to him.” She smirked playfully before bowing on her departure and venturing indoors.

She came across the men chatting away, to say her goodnights. “Gentleman.” She curtseyed politely as she addressed them all. “I am retiring for the eve. I bid you all a goodnight.” She glanced at her brother and his father, who nodded and repeated their goodnights. She then turned her gaze toward Vail himself, her new deep purple pools glinting in the candlelight. “Vail, do you wish to join me or shall you be staying here?” She asked gently as she wasn’t expecting or demanding him to go to bed with her but rather asked what he wanted to do.

When Victoria rescinded her idea of having children, Sylvia frowned. “It is up to you whether you decide to start a family or not, but please don’t base your decision on Peter’s approval,” she appealed to her, reaching to place her hand over the Crest heiress’s and giving it a sincere squeeze. “He doesn’t deserve the authority to control how or when you have children. That is up to you and Vail, and if he disagrees with you, he will cause his own suffering.” She leaned forward to seek the other woman’s gaze and offered her a reassuring smile. “You should know that he does want grandchildren. Vail isn’t his only son by choice. He’s infertile because of an… unfortunate injury he received from a fight with a skilled Saint not long after Katherine got pregnant. He’d planned to sire a large family just like his brother did, and I’m sure he still hopes that dream will come true through his son and other future heirs. Perhaps he’ll one day learn to lay his prejudice aside when he sees that Vail has already chosen his bride.”

Releasing Victoria’s hand, Sylvia leaned back in her seat and grinned amusedly at Lady Crest’s offer to stay up as long as she wished. “I will likely be up until dawn, since I am a vampire,” she giggled. “I wouldn’t mind one bit if your brother decides to keep me company though. He’s quite a handsome man, and I just love the way those Frenchmen speak. I could listen to him whisper sweet nothings all night long.” Rising to her feet, she curtseyed to the other woman respectfully. Although she had originally found Victoria to be an entertaining novelty as the only human-turned-vampire she had ever met, the Crest heiress had quickly grown on her as a friend.

“Have a good night, my lady,” she bade her farewell. “I do hope we see each other again before I depart tomorrow.”

--

In the lounge, Vail and the other men had lapsed into comfortably casual conversation. He participated more readily, exchanging anecdotes about everything from past run-ins with the Order to different play styles of chess. It was the first evening in quite a long time in which he wasn’t plagued with worries about the Saints, the Wynters or Victoria’s health. The relaxing atmosphere was almost foreign to him, but it was a needed lull, and he found himself enjoying the company and the cigars until Lady Crest appeared in the doorway.

“I spent the last week watching over your dead body. Of course I’ll be joining you,” he told her with a half-smile, putting out what was left of his cigar and standing up from his chair. After he said a curt goodbye to James and Francois, he accompanied Victoria to her room. “Did you have a nice chat with Sylvia?” he asked her as they walked through the hall together. Tenderly, he rested a hand on the small of her back, greedy to touch her again now that she had breath in her lungs. After James’s earlier joke, he was even more curious to know what the two women had been talking about on the terrace.

True, it was up to Victoria when she wanted children with Vail. Could she even have a normal vampire child if she wasn’t a pure-bred vampire? Would they have complications? That tome would surely help if James could retrieve it for them. She was glad for Sylvia’s wise counsel. She would come to rely upon her support in the coming days as she adjusted to her new life. She blushed at the Lady as she declared Vail had chosen his bride. It would be nice to think about a future with him as her husband in an official capacity, she doubted that his father would give his blessing though.

Lady Crest was happy to see that Vail wished to join her in retiring for the evening. “Goodnight children. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Francois winked at Victoria and Vail. James chuckled at his father’s brazenness. Victoria didn’t know him all that well to know what he would not do. But considering he did manipulative things to her mother, she was rest assured Vail was not even remotely the same as he. “And if you can’t be good. Be careful.” James added and winked at them also.

Victoria narrowed her eyes slightly at their teasing before taking her leave of the lounge. She walked with Vail and smiled at him. Although she sniffed the air as he now smelled of cigar smoke and she wasn’t used to such a strong smell. Though it reminded her of her late grandfather. “I did have a lovely chat. She’s very wise and comforting. Why, were you worried she’d tell me ALL your secrets?” She smirked playfully and could tell Vail was fishing for information. Information he wasn’t going to get just yet. She was eager to get to her room and out of her tight dress and lay on a soft bed for the evening.

As soon as the bedroom door was shut, she attempted to remove her garments. “Could you help me out of my dress please?” She turned her corseted back to Vail, she could not reach the top straps to untie them and loosen the dress open.

Vail was learning quickly that the Moncourier clan was much more brazen than most of the vampires he’d gotten to know in his lifetime. Comparatively, only Sylvia was as loose with her tongue around people she didn’t know well, and even she was careful not to offend. His own family was usually quieter and less involved in each other’s personal lives. It was a change that he wasn’t sure how he felt about yet, since he wasn’t used to other people knowing about and commenting on his relationships, but at least it was better than the scorn he’d received from his parents. If giving up a little privacy meant they would have some support from the French clan, then he could put up with the occasional cheeky comments from Francois and James.

As he left the lounge and walked to the bedroom with Victoria, he quirked a brow at her remark about Sylvia. “‘Wise’ isn’t a word I would have expected to hear you use to describe her. Now I’m very curious to know what it was that she said to you during your talk.” Despite his frequent jokes at his old friend’s expense, he knew that Sylvia could be a gifted advisor. She’d counseled him on more than one occasion, even when she’d learned that he’d fallen for someone that his father didn’t approve of. The Macey heiress with bold and level-headed, but he didn’t know what Victoria would have asked her about that required her advice. Apparently she wasn’t going to tell him either, because she was quick to chase her first comment with a question that changed the subject.

“No, but I am a little worried that she told you more than she should have,” he returned her smile, enchanted as always by the way her lips pulled upward and brightened her face. It was good to see her so expressive after a week of lifelessness.

Following her into the bedroom, he closed the door behind him and began unfastening the top buttons of his shirt. In a week of veritable isolation, he’d reverted back to his nocturnal rhythm and was usually wide awake at night, but he cared more about making up for lost time with Victoria than he did about keeping himself entertained with activities until dawn. Even if she spent the entire night sleeping, he planned to stay by her side, dozing or perhaps reading a book by candlelight so she wouldn’t be alone.

“Of course,” he said when she asked for his help untying her corset. Abandoning his partial work of unbuttoning his shirt, he stepped over to her and loosened the straps at her shoulder blades. As the dress came away from her body, his hazel eyes slid over her ivory skin. If it was possible, she seemed even more flawless than she had been when she was a human, and he couldn’t help but trail his fingers over her smooth hips. During their time together, he’d grown addicted to more than just the taste of her blood. Although they were not yet married, he was also hooked on the sight of her bare body and the sweetness of her pheromones.

“I must say I agree with your mother,” he said softly, taking a step closer to hover by her ear while he wrapped his arms around her midriff. “Becoming a vampire suits you, Victoria.”

Victoria chuckled at Vail’s quip about Sylvia not being considered wise. “Don’t be so paranoid. Nothing bad was said about you.” She explained as he helped her out of her dress. She didn’t feel as cold from the colder air as the fabric came away from her skin. “I was just curious about the female vampire breeding cycle and what to expect. After all, I wouldn’t want to have any surprises in the future. Well…not until I’m married at least…” She mused playfully. Then thoughts about a wedding crossed her mind. How his father would not give them his blessing to wed. That was even if Vail wanted to, he had many other things to think about.

Even though they were unmarried, they had shared a lover’s embrace for a while now and had sinned with the matters of the flesh. She didn’t really let that affect her faith. She knew it felt right and it was because she loved him so she felt like they didn’t have to justify being wed in order to make love. “We also spoke abo-…” she was cut off the moment his fingers traced her curves. Her body still reacted the same way as when he had first touched her.

She exhaled deeply and enjoyed his voice near her ear and arms around her waist. His voice always sent tingles down her spine. His hands no longer felt as icy cold now that her body was the same temperature as his. She leaned her bare back into his torso and her head against his shoulder, sinking further into his embrace. She found him irresistible still. “You really think so?” She smiled warmly as he complimented her new vampiric form. “How do you feel now you can no longer drink my blood?” She enquired curiously and nuzzled the top of her head underneath his chin.

“I see,” Vail mused contemplatively when Victoria finally confessed what she and Sylvia had been talking about. It was a valid thing to be concerned about, and even he had no idea what a breeding cycle would be like for a human-turned-vampire. He knew enough about females of his own born kind to consider himself at least decently educated, but he didn’t want to assume that his lover would operate the same way when he had no evidence to back it up. The tome he’d left in London would be a valuable asset to them if James was able to find it and bring it north. With any luck, it would contain some of the answers they were looking for within its many pages.

At the mention of marriage, he planted a kiss on her cheek. “That shouldn’t be a hang up for much longer,” he murmured in her ear. Despite his parents’ lack of approval, he knew what he wanted, and he wasn’t going to allow them to be the reason he didn’t propose to the Crest heiress. He was still planning to speak with them in one last effort to change their minds, since he did desire their support, but ultimately, it was his decision to choose who he would marry. Plus, he already had her family’s consent. Her mother had made it clear that she just wanted her daughter to be happy, and even her estranged relatives were obviously in favor of their union. They weren’t on an island of their own without anyone on their side, so he felt confident in his intention to ask her to be his wife as soon as the timing felt right.

Addicted to the way she responded to his machinations, a smile formed on Vail’s lips when Victoria leaned into his chest. “It’s a relief,” he answered her question honestly, idly exploring her bare body by touch while he spoke. “I enjoyed drinking your blood, but I enjoy you more for your company. Now that I’m not distracted by the urge to bite you, I can focus on all the aspects I like the most…” With the sultry remark, he swept an arm behind her knees to pick her up and carry her over to the bed. There was a part of him that knew he was going to miss the effects of her blood when he came down from the high of draining her completely one week ago, but until the withdrawal hit, he was glad that he could be with her without the nagging desire to sink his fangs into her neck. For now, he only cared about celebrating the fact that she’d come back to him from death.

Laying her down, he hovered over her and pressed his lips to hers, eager to take advantage of the fact that they were finally alone. He’d been waiting for most of the evening to have her to himself, and he wasted no time unfastening the rest of the buttons on his shirt and tossing the garment onto the floor.

Victoria swooned in Vail’s arms as he kissed and caressed her body. Even though she was now a vampire herself, this man still had the power of seduction over her. She smiled as he kissed her cheek and reassured her that she wouldn’t have to wait too long for the subject of marriage to crop up more seriously. It gave her hope for their future. Maybe he could still get through to his parents? If they could only see how happier she made their son.

But now was not the time to worry about such issues, not when they were finally alone together after Victoria had come back from the dead. Leaving her mortal life behind. She had a long life with Vail to look forward to. She was glad he was honest about her blood no longer being a distraction. She was concerned, in part, that Vail only wanted her for her blood. However, with that worry set aside, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. She loved the way he explored her body as if he had really missed her.

His sultry remark only emboldened her to tease him back. “Oh? And what aspects of me do you like the most, Vail?” She mused playfully as he picked her up and carried her bridal style to the bed. A four-poster bed with purple drapery surrounding it. As he hovered over her and planted his lips upon hers, her hand swept to the back of his head and ruffled through his blonde hair. She kissed him back passionately as he unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside. Finally, skin to skin again and eager to show each other love.

As they broke the kiss for air, she smirked up at him. “You do know it is frowned upon to have sex before marriage?” She teased and pulled his head back down so he could meet her lips once more. She didn't care much for tradition right now though, she had missed him whilst she slept and revelled in the fact it was a miracle that she was even here. And she intended to enjoy her new found life with the man she loved.