Chapter 1: Welcome To The Dark World

Today marks exactly one year since my father’s mysterious disappearance.

My estranged mother has suddenly decided to take me in after months of struggling on my own. The town car Vivian sent comes to a stop in front of a mansion. For a house owned by an ancient vampire, it’s brighter than I expected.

White flowers frame the entrance and neatly trimmed hedges line a long circular driveway. It looks nothing like the home of a monster.

It definitely suits Vivian’s vibe. Not that I know much about her. I only remember fragments and most of it not good.

The driver gets out and opens my door before I can consider crawling under the seat to hide my worn out jeans. I slowly get out as he moves to grab my suitcase. My only possession. Yes, my life fit into a very small suitcase.

The doors to the house open and my mother, Vivian stands there with a smile I don’t remember much of from childhood. I remember her as sad and whiny, which began making sense right round the time I was twelve. She was gone by then. She was never happy with my father, with me. I try to get it out of my head because that’s not why I am here. I anxiously walk up the stairs, praying that she doesn’t try to hug me.

She does.

“Layla,” she opens her arms and wraps me in a tight hug. Like that will erase the last eleven years or wipe the tears from the day I watched her walk out of my life.

“Vivian.“ I keep my voice low. Even though I really want to scream at her.

“How was the drive?” She walks me into the house like this is just a normal Tuesday and her daughter just came back from college.

The inside is nothing like the creepy vampire lairs I expected either. There are fresh flowers on the tables, family photos on a console by the wall. I can even smell something baking somewhere in the house. Then I look up and spot the chandelier made of red crystals. I was beginning to think vampires completely gave up the aesthetic.

“Rosa!” Vivian calls out and turns to me. “I hope you will like it here.”

I fake a smile just as an older woman walks in followed by running little feet. She seems to be in her forties or perhaps early fifties, with dark hair tied up in a ponytail. She looks red-blooded so I just assume she is human. You’ll never find a werewolf inside a vampire’s house unless they are dead. The children trailing behind her look about six. A boy and a girl, both with dark hair and awfully identical features.

“This is Rosa,” Vivian introduces the older lady. “She takes care of the house and the kids. These are Lucien’s twins, Asher and Lila.”

Lila hides shyly behind Rosa. “Hi.” She puts her thumb into her mouth.

“Hello.” Asher is a ball of energy. He stands right in front of Rosa with a serious face. “Did you bring blood candies?”

Why would I bring blood candies to strangers?

“No.” I whisper.

“I don’t like you then.” He folds his arms.

“She doesn’t care.” Rosa rolls her eyes and walks around him to grab my suitcase. “Welcome, Layla. I’ll take you to your room.”

“We’ll have lunch once you are settled. Lucien will be home soon.” Vivian waves at me as I walk up the stairs.

If she thinks two minutes of niceties are going to erase eleven years of abandonment, she was dead wrong. If my father’s disappearance didn’t point in her direction, I wouldn’t even be breathing her air.

It takes me five minutes to unpack my suitcase. I don’t have much of anything. The only thing I own that I care about is the framed picture of my father and I at my high school graduation.

He is smiling up at me after telling everyone who would listen how proud of me he is. It’s my last good memory of him. I put the frame on the nightstand, facing it to the bed. I refuse to cry inside these walls.

I’m about to take a nap when I hear noise from downstairs. The children sound thrilled about something. I consider ignoring it and just getting some shut eye before I have to walk down those stairs and pretend as though I want to build a relationship with Vivian the blood bank.

“Layla!” Her voice has me opening my eyes in annoyance. If she can just give me an opportunity later, I will tear out her…

No, no, Layla. Think positive thoughts.

I sigh and get out of the giant bed. I put on the old sneakers I arrived in and walk out the door. I’m about to walk down the hall when I see him.

He is ridiculously tall and kind of scary. His shoulders are broad but the rest of him is lean. His skin is so pale that no one would ever mistake him for being human or even a werewolf. The clean shaven chin looks good on him. I didn’t want to think of him as hot but he is nothing less. He looks nothing like the boys at school. His hair is messy and he looks tired.

I never knew vampires could look tired. Especially ones with a bloodmate.

“Layla.” His voice is rough.

I swallow and try to find some words but nothing comes. I just stand there gawking at him.

“Layla,” Vivian’s voice breaks into my thoughts as she appears beside him. She frowns when I don’t reply. “Are you alright?”

I blink and finally find my voice. I don’t take my eyes off him as I say, “Yes.”

Lucien smiles, revealing a single dimple on his left cheek. “I hope you had a good trip.”

For someone I thought would look like a raisin, he looks very young. I don’t know why I thought a three century old vampire would look like an old corpse. Maybe because I’ve never met an ancient vampire before. There are articles about him and his business ventures all over the internet but zero photos.

“Yes,” I awkwardly clear my throat.

The last thing I expected when I came here was to be attracted to my mother’s vampire. And my father’s possible kidnapper. Or worse, his murderer.

“Darling,” Vivian touches Lucien’s arm. “Why don’t you go shower while we set the table.”

She sounds like a domestic wife. Which I highly doubt, judging from those nails.

“I trust you will like it here.” Lucien nods at me before disappearing in the opposite direction.

The table is filled with all kinds of food. Mostly things I’ve only seen in restaurants I’ve worked in but never had the luxury of dining at.

Surprisingly, the steak is fully cooked and there is no sight of blood.

The kids are eating vegetables. Goddamn vegetables like normal human kids.

Vivian clears her throat. “They grew up on human foods. Their mother is human.”

I instantly stop staring and focus on my own plate. The last thing I want is a lesson in half breeds.

“Tell me, Layla,” Lucien starts. His voice still as calm as earlier. “What have you been doing this past year?”

“Just getting by.” I shrug.

“What does that involve?” He puts his folk down gently.

I can feel him watching me. It takes all of my power to meet his eyes.

“Mostly waitressing,” I say. “I had to drop out of college when the bills got tight.”

“I apologize.” He looks at Vivian for a second before turning back to me. “We only recently learned of your existence.”

Well that sounds fitting to Vivian’s character. She certainly wouldn’t want a long left daughter ruining her chance of marrying into money.

“Not surprising,” I whisper under my breath.

“What was that?” Lucien asks.

I know he heard me. Vampires have great hearing.

“She said it is not surprising.” Asher mutters.

“Shhh.” Rosa gives him a hard look.

I chuckle.

Vivian just continues eating like the conversation is not even going on around her. But it’s obvious from her tight jaw that she’s not exactly thrilled.

“I had an assistant internship opened for you at my company,” Lucien reaches for the wine bottle and pours himself a glass.

“Once you finish the training under my executive assistant, you will be placed under one of the executives.” He adds.

I notice how he didn’t even bother asking me if I want it. It’s already decided. And the way he said it says it’s not up for discussion. I am either doing that or getting the hell out of dodge.

I consider the latter.