Pure Happiness

63

"And what is that?"

"You're not going to let me go, are you?"

"Probably not."

Beth sighed as the vampire motioned her into the gates of his compound and decided the safest best was to go along with it. So she made her way inside, and the vampire led her past the courtyard and into a living room.

She placed herself on the couch, and he did the same in a seat across from her, "So why are you here? You say you're not a witch, you're obviously not a vampire, don't smell like wolf to me, and I also don't smell vervain on you. I could be wrong, but something tells me I'm not."

"Why do all this? You don't know me, so why not just kill me?"

"Consider me sentimental. An old friend of mine just died, and believe it or not, I don't like killing innocent people. So are you? Innocent?"

"I don't know anything about your friend if that's what you're implying. Look, I'm here because my father's dead."

Marcel's eyes grew wide with realization before he breathed out, "Your Ben's kid."

"What? How do you know that?"

"He was my friend. A vampire of mine brought him last night. He was killed. We don't know by what. His heart seems to have stopped. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he died of natural causes. That's what the coroner report will say."

"But you do know better. There was nothing wrong with his heart. But he didn't know anything. Why would anyone hurt him?" She questioned as she stood from her seat and hid the tears pooling in her eyes.

"Beth, it is Beth, right?" The vampire asked. His voice was now much softer in an attempt to console the daughter of his old friend. Beth turned back to look at him and nodded, unable to speak as the tears threatened to spill out. "It wasn't always like that. Your families on both sides were here a long time before you were born."

"Are you saying my dad knew about vampires?"

"And werewolves and witches and everything in between."

"No. No, that's not possible," she shook her head in disbelief. "He would have told me. He would have said something or worn vervain or something!"

"Beth, this city has been in a civil war for ages. The vampires, the werewolves, and the witches. Your parents knew what you were since you were born, and they knew you could be used as a weapon, so they asked me to compel them to forget everything. They thought you would be safer that way. I never got to compel your mom before she died, but your dad, I did, and he moved you guys away."

"Did you just say before my mom died?" She asked with furrowed brows.

Marcel looked at her confused, unsure of what version of the story she had been told.

"My mom, Lucille?" She questioned.

"Beth, your mom's name was Helen."

"No, my mom is Lucille."

"I'm sorry, I don't know what they told you, but Helen, your mom, died before your dad got out of town with you."