We sat in silence for a few seconds, but the questions plagued my mind.
"Because of the shapeshifter in us?"
"Correct."
"Can we change form?" Brad asked.
"I would assume yes, but I don't know how it is done as I have not seen a shapeshifter in many years. The last time was several hundred years ago, and it was at a distance. He was in human form, and within the blink of an eye, there was a cat in his place. Then he took off. Shapeshifters are notoriously secretive, more than witches. You may find that the ability will come naturally. You may find that education is your only answer. If that is the case, then I don't know how you will learn. Perhaps there are books. You may be lucky enough to find another who will be willing to teach you."
Brad and I exchanged looks, thoroughly confused.
"I don't understand how a species can have only one gender."
"That is a question that is still being asked to this day. The vampires don't know the answer. Many suspect that there is a female version of their race, but they are elusive or hidden in a country or some other random idea that they pull out of the air."
Mardyl flicked his hand dismissively, looking like he lacked the ability to care about the subject. I did. I wanted to know why there were no female vampires.
Brad stood with his mug in hand, taking Mardyl's when he offered it.
"Another?"
"Please."
"You want something, Evie?"
"Juice, thanks."
With a nod, Brad wandered off. He looked like I felt. Confused. Full of questions but not knowing where to begin.
"You said that vampires are after us because we're Corbin, and we can create females. Why is this so important as opposed to another race, like humans or witches?"
"Well, there are many that believe they are diluting the line of the vampires by creating children with turned humans. They won't go near a witch, even if they could find one. With a female vampire, they can create a line that is closer to the original source. Also, the more females they can create, the greater numbers the vampires can attain. Your mother told me a story once, hoping that I'd be able to understand her need to hide. It came from her mother, who as a child could not understand why she was taken from her home and her father. Your great-grandmother told your grandmother that there was a bad man that found out that she existed and what she was. He demanded that she was betrothed to him, and your great-grandfather would not allow it."
I sent the child and my wife away for safety reasons, and I have not seen them since.
The words saddened me at the time.
Niko's morose face still haunted me. I wish he was here.
"How come my mother never told me these stories?" Brad asked as he held out Mardyl's mug.
"I suppose she thought that you would not carry the gene and that it only affected the firstborn children. Those who are in the paranormal world understand that this is not the case. Your grandmother could not be blamed for this. She had only been a part of the vampire world for as long as your mother had been alive. Your sister told me the tales from your grandmother and how your grandfather kept them hidden."
Still, it was odd that she didn't warn Brad as well. He could have visited my mother, completely unaware of the world that was watching.
"Why did Andross kill our family?"
"Because that is what Drakkus wants. He is angry because Niko refused to hand his daughter over and decided that if he couldn't have a female to breed with, then no one would. He wants to punish every single Corbin in existence for Niko's decision. It is a war between two men that has resulted in many deaths. One sees the rejection as the right thing to do. The other is a petulant child who can't handle rejection. Such is life."
Setting the mug aside, Mardyl gave me a warm smile.
"I will leave you to discuss all the revelations and what you want for the future. I have to get supplies. This town is quite odd, don't you agree? The entire place shuts down at dusk. Almost as if they know what lurks in the darkness."
He chuckled.
"I will see you both at dusk."
Brad closed the door, turning with a gasp when he found me behind him.
"Something on your mind, Evie?"
"Niko's grave has been disturbed. Did you bury him?"
"No, you said that you wanted him to remain in the cave. What do you mean disturbed?"
"Footprints. Marco checked inside the cave. It's empty."
"Drag marks?"
I frowned, shaking my head.
"No, I don't recall seeing drag marks. Just the footprints."
"And I take it that they're not yours."
"No, too big. The cave was pretty low. Could you stand up inside it?"
Brad shook his head as he began to fill the sink with hot soapy water. With the flick of a towel in my direction, I was on drying duty.
Leaning against the counter, I groaned and rolled my head around to try and relieve the tension.
"Are the vampires still outside?"
"The guards are. I believe that your followers have left to feed. Eddios suggested that a proper meeting is held. Given the issues, he said that sooner rather than later and brief would be ideal."
"And what am I going to say to these people? Hey, I'm your leader, a kid that you've never met before and only got this role because of a distant relation who is now dead because I freed him from behind the wall where he was trapped."
Pulling the plug, Brad took the kitchen towel from my hands while glowering at me.
"Do not blame yourself for Niko's death. If he thought that it was ideal, he would have left."
Well, that was not entirely true. He had ample opportunity to leave, and he didn't. The question is, how far would Drakkus go to end the last of the Corbin line? My mother and I lived in a city on the other side of the country, so clearly distance was not an issue. That meant that no matter how far Niko ran, he would never escape. Staying and fighting was the only option.
"Do you know what I don't get? Why this town is so important to Drakkus. Why can't he go to another town, one that's leaderless?"
"I think you might find that this is about Niko refusing to hand his daughter over."
"Drakkus is a pervert."
"Unlikely. He would have waited. Or maybe he might have let her remain in this house until she was old enough. Now, we need to discuss your father before he returns."
There was so much to be said. So many thoughts swirling through my mind. Yet I knew that none of it mattered. He was an answer to my problems, and I knew that I needed him. If I was going to win the war against Drakkus, it would be done with my father at my side.
"I don't know what to say about that. He has proof, and I'm certain that he's my father, but where does the trust begin and end? I need to be assured that he will stand beside me and not stab me in the back. Am I going to get that from him?"
Brad shrugged. That was not the answer that I was looking for. As the only trustworthy adult in my life, I looked to him for answers and guidance.
"Trust has to be earned. There is no easy answer to this, Evie. Just a long and hard path as the two of you get to know each other. Do you remember what it was like when you first came to live with me?"
"It was hell."
He nodded. A soft smile on his face reminded me of my mother.
"It sure was. We didn't know each other, we had issues, and we were both in a bad place, yet we stand here today as a family. It was not an easy ride, we still have our problems, but we trust each other, right?"
"Yeah."
Brad was right, as always. The problem was that I didn't have time to develop trust in my father. I needed him to be on my side right now.
"I don't know what's going to come about with this guy, I just know what we're facing, and I'm sure you've already thought about it."
"He's our only answer."
"No, we probably have several choices, but he's the best one at the moment."
Brad and I were not alone. I was used to the boy now, he blended into the background, and I have found that I have forgotten that he's in the same room as me on a few occasions now.
"Did you want to add your opinion to this?"
"You would not like my opinion."
"Try us," Brad muttered.
"Alright. As I said to Evelyn previously, he is not trustworthy. No witch is. Vampires aren't much better, but I believe you managed to find one or two that alter that particular perception. The jury is still out on that one. I find it difficult to assess vampires as, like witches, I know they are not to be trusted. At surface level, it would appear that you have a few, but I wouldn't rely on it. As for the witch, there may be a chance that you can trust your father. However, I believe that he is not what you want in your life. I'm sure that you desire a stable father figure in your life but I'd suggest that you stick with the one you've got. He's proved his worth to you already, and the other lacks the time to do the same. That would be of course, if he was actually interested in your well-being."
Lifting from the counter, I frowned as I looked down at the Nephilim.
"I can't trust him?" I hissed. "I lack time, and you're telling me that I can't trust the man that claims to be my father or the vampires that say they're on my side. Your kind is coming for me, and the vampires want me dead."
"Not all, in both respects."
The Nephilim glowered at Brad. His lips twitched with a hard line.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean that you've had ample opportunity to end Evie's life, and you haven't. You can say that it's not your job until the cows come home. It means nothing, really. If your kind were smart, they would have sent one to do the job and be done with it. What is this rubbish? Send one to remain with the target while waiting for the others. Seems like a waste, and it makes me think that you're the liar here."
The Nephilim growled.
"You are wrong, but it is of no consequence to me. In the near future, you will be dead and nothing more than a fleeting memory to me. I will not mourn your passing."
Brad smirked.
"That may be so, but I've seen how you interact with Evie. I think you will miss her."
There was no response. The Nephilim quietly faded out of the room, leaving Brad with a smug smile on his face and me rather confused.
"So, I take it that he will miss me?"
"Evie, he might look like a teenager, but I promise you that the soul inside that body is old. The way that he speaks, it is not like you or me. If it weren't true, he'd refute it and carry on with his jibes and annoying behavior."
"Well, that's great. Another creature that wants to get into my pants. Why can't they just go away?"
Brad rolled his eyes.
"You are not seeing this the way that you should. Instead of focusing on the obvious, think about the situation and your own problems."
"He's going to start flirting with me?"
"Goodness, Evelyn." he scoffed. "No, he's another potential ally. You may not like it, but using this to your advantage could be necessary."
"The boy is not going to come to my rescue. Don't you want to nurture my inner girl warrior?" I teased.
"No," he grumped. "I want you alive, and if that means that a dashing knight comes riding in on his steed, then so be it."
"Aww, it's so sweet that you care."
Brad ignored me, preferring to continue cleaning the kitchen. As for his suggestion, it was a curious one.