Chapter 2 The letter

°Royal mile, Edinburgh 1925°

"The Lycanthropes have yet again, sent another message." One of the guards said to father. I was fortunate to be in his presence. Father was barely seen except he wanted to be.

He had summoned me and I knew the discussion was going to be about my weakness to draw blood.

A frown creased on father's face as he took the letter from his hand. He tore open the envelope and perused the letter. He tore the letter into tiny bits of pieces and looked away from the guard.

"Set up a defense and a barrier to prevent the Lycans from getting into this town." He ordered with fire in his eyes.

"Yes, my lord." The guard said and left.

"But father, why don't you just give in to their demands?" I asked him with quivering lips.

He turned sharp eyes in my direction. I knew interfering in politics was a big turnoff for my father, but I could not help it.

"A vampire never bows down to anyone." He said.

"Would you rather allow the subjects that you have sworn to protect, to die than bow down to a threat that can be easily curbed?" I dared again to speak.

"That's the word Ashlyn,' curbed'. It can simply be curbed. I do not need to bow down to some lowlife lycanthropes." He replied in a determined and proud voice. But, he did not know what was coming. Neither did any of us.

"But, father," I began to say, but he cut me short with a look of fury in his eyes. He was quick to anger.

"Enough," he bellowed. "This was not why you were summoned before me. The political affairs of the land are strictly none of your business." He said to me and I lowered my head.

"Yes, father." I mouthed apologetically.

He waved it aside. "Your brother tells me that you have yet again failed another task given to you, is that true?" He asked authoritatively, peering into my eyes despite knowing what the same answer would be. Did his sitting in the throne chambers every day affect his memory?

He was beginning to get irritated by my inability to feed on humans and I've been suspicious of it since his lack of patience towards me grew immensely.

I sighed. "Believe me, it is not my fault, father. I tried," I started saying, but he cut in again.

"You're not trying enough!" He said, raising his voice and I felt my heart break.

"But, father," I tried to defend myself.

"No buts, Ashlyn, no buts. Ambrosias do not give excuses." He said and I nodded.

Just then, mother appeared through the doorway. She was either here to do one thing. Cool things down or set them ablaze.

"Do not yell at the poor child." She said in that rich voice of hers. I stared at her with a look of surprise on my face. What's with the sudden change today? I wondered.

"She needs an iron fist. I have been too lenient with her on this issue. I breed fierce vampires with the fire to draw blood in their veins. I breed omega deities not weak vessels like this one." He said very harshly without any consideration that I was right before him and hearing it all. I tried to hold my tears in check, but I was failing.

"Khalid stop. You'll make her cry." She said noticing my trembling lips. I could not tell if she felt compassion for me or if she was making a mockery out of my weak state. This was my mother. Someone I should be close to. Someone I should trust, but I did not. I trusted no one in the family, except Darius my oldest brother.

"What have I always said about vampires?" He asked me.

"Vampires," my lips quivered. "Vampires are not afraid to kill," I said and he nodded.

"Excellent. I want you to sit, meditate on those words and let them sink into that head of yours." He said and I nodded and felt a streak of tear betray me and slip down my cheek.

"And wipe that tear off your face. It makes you look more pathetic." He said looking away from me.

"Yes, father," I replied with a slight curtsey and left his presence. I quickly dabbed off the tear that slipped from my eyes with my index finger and many others threatened to surface as I walked out of the house.

Why was I the only one in my family who could not feed on humans? The question has always haunted me and yet, I could get no answer. Sometimes, I wondered if I was truly my mother's daughter or if I was adopted. But, my striking facial resemblance with my mother proved I was a part of the family. But then, why?

Why wasn't it Joshua, Otis, or even Darius that was this way? Why me? I kept asking myself and as usual, I got no response to my many questions.

•

In a very rare situation, father joined us for dinner which surprised me and I hoped and prayed I would not be the subject of discussion. Before us was platters of venison, roast lamb, and haggis. Also, a bottle of whiskey, vodka, and a jug of blood to balance it all up. These were the perks of being a hybrid. We could eat what we want, but sometimes the vampire side of us is more dominant than the werewolf side and we'd end up throwing up whatever we put in our mouth aside from blood.

I saw Joshua walking towards us with bloodstained lips and a shirt. He had gone out for the day and was just returning. He was a ruthless vampire. His victims never survive his onslaught. Sometimes, he gets reprimanded by his father, but I knew beneath his cautions he was very proud of him. Josh was the exact replica of him. The deity he bred.

"Hey, family," He said casually, pulling a chair to sit.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Joshua? Always put on a clean shirt before coming to the table." She scolded him.

He smirked and shrugged her off. "What's the need? I'm still going to get it stained again." He said and he was right. He was still going to get all messy again. That was how he was.

"He's right, Lucienne. Cut the young man some slack." Father intervened. Darius walked down the stairs in his usual gentleman style. He was the noble stag of the family and always had my back. He was reserved, yet deadly.

Then Otis walked behind him too. The baby vampire of the house. He's just as reckless as Josh, but with a slight twist. He was a total womanizer and only two years younger than I was.

Only father was a thousand years old vampires in the house and probably the oldest in town.

"Why are we gathered so early?" Darius asked in that luscious voice of his. I admired him a lot. Sometimes, I wished he was not my brother. I wished we did not share a sibling relationship, but something steamier. But then, that was all we were. Just a brother and a sister and looking at it from this angle, maybe I was blessed to have him this way. A brother. A brother protecting his little sister.

Mother's clearing of her throat jolted me out of my reverie.

"Your father and I have come up with something." She began to say.

"On how to stop the impending war?" I interrupted, looking bright eyed at both of them.

Father and Josh furrowed their brows and shot daggered glares at me.

"Father will never bow down to the Lycans. We are vampires and we do not pay sublimation to anyone." Joshua said. Did I forget to add he took over father's egocentric attitude too?

"That's not why we have gathered, Ashlyn. We're here for your sake." Mother said and I paused in my moment of reaching out for a glass of vodka. I had a feeling I was about to hear bad news.