within the human race to have parent figures. If we lived on our own, we would have caused too much attention. We've been with them for two decades now."
Clearing my throat, I licked my lips and asked , "If you don't mind my asking, um, what happened, to Kimberly?"
"We didn't suck her dry, if that's what you think." Jeremiah glared.
Isaac's fist pounded down onto the table. His eyes shot daggers to his brother.
Rolling my eyes, I shrugged. "It could have been possible from you, J Man, but not Isaac or Jezanna." I scowled back. He stood abruptly, causing his chair to crash to the floor. I rose quickly to be ready for anything.
He leaned over the table towards me. "Watch what you say, girl."
"Jeremiah," Isaac snarled in warning.
"Calm the frig down and I won't be forced to pull your chain. What is your problem, dude? I haven't come here to piss on your territory. Why so grouchy towards me?"
"Jeremiah, sit down," Gregory demanded. It took him a few beats before he obliged his father.
Gregory sighed. "I'm sorry, Leila. Jeremiah is still a little upset the other men were able to trick them and hold them captive. As well as you coming along to save them."
"Yeah?" I scoffed. "How can a mere girl be able to do that? Don't fret, macho man. From this day forward, I'll leave all the saving to you."
"Anyway," Gregory intervened, "Jeremiah will calm down, because it will never happen again. We've sent for more of our people."
Gregory looked away from his son and down at the table blankly. It was obvious that memories of his past had taken over.
He shook his head slightly and looked back up to me. "Kimberly, my dear wife, passed away only a few years ago of cancer. We tried to adapt after losing her, but some other matters were occurring, so we found it better if we just moved on."
"Gregory, I think we should tell Leila the truth from the start," Isaac calmly said. He turned his gaze to me. "Our mother did indeed have cancer, although that wasn't how she passed. She was murdered, and before one of us became the next victim, we left the city. We travelled a while before coming here."
My eyes widened. That was only two years ago. Why would anyone want to murder their adoptive mum who was also a human?
"Why are they after you?" I stopped eating and pushed the plate away. The nausea rose again and I was afraid if I took another bite, I'd spew all over the table.
I thought Isaac would have been the one to answer, but it was Jezanna. "We were born in Russia a very long time ago. However, our parents were from the United States. Everything was wonderful in our home in Russia, until we were told of a seer who foretold a prophecy to the vampire King, Gerald Holms. He was the one we all looked up to, who ruled our kind, and he's also the oldest master vampire known.
"He was such a nice man." She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Until, twenty-one years ago, when he was told by the seer there will come one who will be chosen to lead all vampires. One who will have our people's love and devotion, and who will be followed by other species as well." She sighed. "That person would be the one born with the birthmark of a dagger." She scoffed. "It sounds very corny, I know. As if it comes from an old movie." Shaking her head, she continued with, "God, I wish it had been the case. Once finding this out, Gerald changed. He showed his true self, what he was like behind closed doors. We'd heard stories, but no one believed them. We did, after we witnessed it ourselves."
The memory brought tears to her eyes. I was about to tell her we could talk about it another time, or not at all, when she took a deep breath and went on, "We were invited to come to his palace for a celebration. At the time, we were unaware of what he'd been told, so we went. We were very excited. Once arriving, a guard told our parents Gerald wished to speak with them privately. They went while we walked into the grand ballroom, and talked and laughed with others. We didn't know
Clearing my throat, I licked my lips and asked , "If you don't mind my asking, um, what happened, to Kimberly?"
"We didn't suck her dry, if that's what you think." Jeremiah glared.
Isaac's fist pounded down onto the table. His eyes shot daggers to his brother.
Rolling my eyes, I shrugged. "It could have been possible from you, J Man, but not Isaac or Jezanna." I scowled back. He stood abruptly, causing his chair to crash to the floor. I rose quickly to be ready for anything.
He leaned over the table towards me. "Watch what you say, girl."
"Jeremiah," Isaac snarled in warning.
"Calm the frig down and I won't be forced to pull your chain. What is your problem, dude? I haven't come here to piss on your territory. Why so grouchy towards me?"
"Jeremiah, sit down," Gregory demanded. It took him a few beats before he obliged his father.
Gregory sighed. "I'm sorry, Leila. Jeremiah is still a little upset the other men were able to trick them and hold them captive. As well as you coming along to save them."
"Yeah?" I scoffed. "How can a mere girl be able to do that? Don't fret, macho man. From this day forward, I'll leave all the saving to you."
"Anyway," Gregory intervened, "Jeremiah will calm down, because it will never happen again. We've sent for more of our people."
Gregory looked away from his son and down at the table blankly. It was obvious that memories of his past had taken over.
He shook his head slightly and looked back up to me. "Kimberly, my dear wife, passed away only a few years ago of cancer. We tried to adapt after losing her, but some other matters were occurring, so we found it better if we just moved on."
"Gregory, I think we should tell Leila the truth from the start," Isaac calmly said. He turned his gaze to me. "Our mother did indeed have cancer, although that wasn't how she passed. She was murdered, and before one of us became the next victim, we left the city. We travelled a while before coming here."
My eyes widened. That was only two years ago. Why would anyone want to murder their adoptive mum who was also a human?
"Why are they after you?" I stopped eating and pushed the plate away. The nausea rose again and I was afraid if I took another bite, I'd spew all over the table.
I thought Isaac would have been the one to answer, but it was Jezanna. "We were born in Russia a very long time ago. However, our parents were from the United States. Everything was wonderful in our home in Russia, until we were told of a seer who foretold a prophecy to the vampire King, Gerald Holms. He was the one we all looked up to, who ruled our kind, and he's also the oldest master vampire known.
"He was such a nice man." She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Until, twenty-one years ago, when he was told by the seer there will come one who will be chosen to lead all vampires. One who will have our people's love and devotion, and who will be followed by other species as well." She sighed. "That person would be the one born with the birthmark of a dagger." She scoffed. "It sounds very corny, I know. As if it comes from an old movie." Shaking her head, she continued with, "God, I wish it had been the case. Once finding this out, Gerald changed. He showed his true self, what he was like behind closed doors. We'd heard stories, but no one believed them. We did, after we witnessed it ourselves."
The memory brought tears to her eyes. I was about to tell her we could talk about it another time, or not at all, when she took a deep breath and went on, "We were invited to come to his palace for a celebration. At the time, we were unaware of what he'd been told, so we went. We were very excited. Once arriving, a guard told our parents Gerald wished to speak with them privately. They went while we walked into the grand ballroom, and talked and laughed with others. We didn't know
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