Chapter 2.6

There's a vampire in my closet! Oriana thought as she paced in her room, A vampire that, until today, was trying to kill me! Leaning back against her door, she tried to suppress a sob.

Moments later, her knees buckled and she slid down against the door, bursting into tears. My life was fine until my psycho-goddess-grandmother showed up. Now Katib's gone, my parents are still lost in each other, and I have three half-vampire toddlers.

Upon hearing the wails of one of her toddlers, Oriana tried to pull it together as she dragged herself up the stairs. Sitting down with Blake and Eden, she tried to be strong for her girls. They looked at her with awe and unconditional love, why couldn't she give it in return? Before their birthday, the three had been her pride and joy; she had to pull herself together.

After she had laid the girls down to nap, she quickly threw on some old clothes and went out for a jog, enjoying the sunlight. At least I'll always be safe in the sun, she mused. Slowing down from exhaustion, she realized she was near the park that she and Katib had frequented during her pregnancy. Taking a seat on the swings, it was so easy to imagine him beside her. If only she could explain what had happened, but his heart had broken instantly and he had fled back to Egypt.

Realizing it was getting dark, she hailed a cab ride home, hoping to get to her children before that monster woke up. Walking in the front door, she almost tripped over her mother teaching Awen how to talk. "Mom, geez, you had to pick this spot of all places to sit down?" she joked.

"Well I wanted to talk to you before you ran off to do anything else. I just decided to be productive while I was waiting," she said as her eyebrows rose, searching for a reaction, "We have, let's say an issue, for lack of a better term, to discuss. Follow me."

"I can explain everything mom," Oriana said as if she was getting into trouble as a little girl again.

"There's no need," Ary chuckled, "Did you really think you had to hide a vampire from me?"

"You know? You don't care?!" she replied, a bit flabbergasted.

"Our family," Ary paused, her brow creasing as she chose her words, "has quite a history with vampires as I've been told. It's something I'd ask your grandmother about, as I don't know any more than that."

"It's not an issue, Mom," Oriana tried to protest further, "As soon as he wakes up, he's leaving. I don't want my children around a monster."

"He's their father, isn't he," Ary spoke, her voice full of concern. Oriana just nodded in return, afraid to test her voice, for fear she's break down all over again. "Go talk to your Grandmother. I'll watch your children," Ary said, shooing Ori out the door.

Oriana had never been particularly close with either of her grandmothers, but even so Estrella had sounded excited to see her. Meeting her outside, the two Amarels greeted one another before heading inside.

Not sure how to bring up the topic of vampires, Oriana awkwardly looked around the room.

"It's," Estrella paused, searching for her words, "strangely comforting to have visitors. I've been quite a recluse since Abbey left this world. All the hell I went through to save her life back in Egypt just to have her taken from me again."

"Grandma, there's nothing you could have done," Oriana said, trying to comfort her.

"No, but that cursed witch could have saved her. It's not like she could knock me up at this age. Bah!" she cursed, "Now what did you come here to discuss, child?"

"I want to know our family's history," Oriana said before clarifying, "You know, with vampires."

"And why would you want to know anything about that? Nevermind, I'll tell you nonetheless. It all started with my great-grandmother Savannah Sperie," she started.

"Sperie? As in Lukas Sperie? The crime boss of the west?" Oriana said as the wheels in her head started turning.

"Yes, Lukas was my grandfather--"

"But how? He's still in charge of the mafia over there, my department has been trying to take him out of power for years,"

"That old bastard is still alive?" Estrella said, gasping in surprise, "I haven't talked to any of them since I was younger than you, my dear. That should be impossible," she muttered, shuffling over to the phone. Dialing a number she hadn't thought about in decades, she acquired a tone she had heard her grandfather use during his business calls, "Hammond Island, two doors down, coastal side, ASAP," she said before hanging up before the person on the receiving end could respond.

"You're calling a mafia boss here, to this house," Oriana tried to process her grandmother's logic.

"Yes, he's my--"

"I know he's your grandfather, but you realize that we have sources tracking his movements. They'll figure out soon enough that he's visiting my grandmother. My boss is not going to like that."

In response, the old lady just smiled awkwardly, now aware of the predicament she had placed her granddaughter in.

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Notes: Kind of realized I never killed Lukas since I didn't think I'd ever be able to see him die... it just seemed right to bring him up while Estrella was explaining her family's history. I'M SO EXCITED!