Chapter 5 | Half-Blood

Adam Ambrose

Blade left to bring our guest to her room. I’m grateful to be away from her rather confusing presence. She resisted my powers… how is that possible? Luther sits across from me and turns to me with a wicked grin as he says, “The new girl is hot.”

I shush him and rub my temples from the ongoing headache I’ve had since she stepped through those doors. Luther grumbles in response, he doesn’t like being shushed but knows better than to push me right now. The truth is, he’s not wrong, the girl is attractive, but I can’t focus on that right now.

My mind is swirling because no one has ever been able to resist my power of compelling. Literally, the only people who can resist it is my immediate family, even other vampires feel forced to tell me what I want to know.

But not her. She’s only a half-blood. How can she resist me like that?

Our family comes from one of the original, pure vampire lines and we have managed to keep those lines pure. Because of this, we’re stronger than almost every other vampire.  There’s no reason that she shouldn’t have succumbed to my compelling.

Blade walks in the room and my eyes flicker up to meet him and Luther tells him, “Don’t even think about speaking to him. He’s in a shitty mood.”

I scowl at Luther and he shrugs in response as if he’s silently saying, ‘don’t be upset just because I speak the truth.’ I roll my eyes before meeting Blade’s gaze and I ask, “Who is she? How is she capable of this?”

Blade drops a manilla envelope on the desk as he states the facts about our new guest, “Her name is Raya Wright, she grew up with a human mother and today is her 18^th birthday. From what I’ve gathered, her biological father, Arthur Locke, sensed her presence because of her powers emerging and he came in and stole her away. Shortly after taking her, he offered her to us to pay off his debts.”

A small part of me feels bad for the girl and what’s she’s been through in such a short amount of time. I don’t let those feelings show on my face, I continue my neutral look not wanting these little emotions to make me seem weak. Luther concludes, “So, she’s not Raya Wright… she’s really Raya Locke?”

Blade nods in confirmation and I run a hand over my face and say, “I didn’t realize Arthur Locke ever had any children.”

Both of my brothers grumble their agreement. From what Blade said, it sounds like not even Arthur knew that Raya existed until today. I lean back in my chair pondering this fact. The truth of the matter is, Arthur is one of the last pure lines of vampires. He had been powerful, but he seemed unable to conceive to continue his line. His enemies targeted him and he got desperate enough for protection that he came to our family for assistance.

That’s why Arthur is in our debt. We helped protect him. That’s why he lives in a cabin that only we know about. His life is ticking away because if he doesn’t pay his debt then we will kill him. If he tries to run then he’ll die one way or another and if anyone else figures out where he’s located at then he’s as good as dead.

The only thing I can’t figure out is why Arthur Locke would tarnish his line by procreating with a human. Anyone else would think that Raya’s life is worth nothing, the only reason I don’t feel this way is because I saw how she was able to resist me compelling her and that means… she’s something special.

Luther asks, “So, is she good enough to cover his debt?”

That’s the big question and I don’t know the answer, yet.

I breathe out running a hand through my hair even though now I’ll look disheveled. I command, “No one will mess with our new guest for the rest of the night.” I glare at Luther, making sure that he knows that he has to follow the rules too.

He flicks his tongue over one of his fangs and then he makes a tsk sound and grumbles, “Too bad.”

I roll my eyes, and he stands as he says, “I need to go hunt before the night is over. Especially since I’m not allowed to taste her,” He pauses and gives a cocky smirk before he adds, “Yet.”

Once Luther leaves the room Blade takes a seat across from me and says, “Give it to me straight, what’s going on in your head?”

I huff as I lean back in my chair and say, “Honestly, I think she might be useful to us. I think she might even be powerful.” I pause before adding, “Don’t get tangled up with her. Dad will have our heads if we tarnish our line.”

Blade nods and tells me, “You don’t have to worry about me, Adam. You need to tell that to Luther. It’s painfully obvious that he plans to fuck her.”

My nose scrunches up in distaste, I don’t like his vulgar words even if it is true that we know that Luther will go for her. Blade stands up and says, “I’ll see if there’s anything else I can discover with her.”

I murmur, “Thank you.”

He walks out of the office and I groan as the door shuts behind him. I need to speak to our father over this new addition and I’m not sure how well that will go over.

Our father, Julian Ambrose, is very… old school. He worked hard in keeping our blood line pure to guarantee the best and most powerful vampires. He thinks that’s the way everyone should do. He’s not going to be happy about a half-blood staying here. Especially because I think she has potential.

I think he’ll find it threatening that someone else can be so powerful.