Finally "home"

[Dane]

Dane smiled, looking dead into Szandor's eyes as he forced his hand deeper into the lycan's chest. He pushed; breaking through bone, guts and organs until finally reaching the heart. He turned his head to face Alena; ducked casually as Szandor made one last fruitless attempt to hack him into bits off. "I'm sorry Alena," His eyes glowing red as he yanked his arm out of the lycan's chest and held out the beasts heart towards his enemy. "but he forced my hand." He said tauntingly, making no effort to hide the smirk on his face. If it was not already evident it became clear his 'sweet' words were only an attempt to disarm Alena. This was suppose to be her fate, he was to hold Alena's heart in his hand and feel its final beat. Instead her loyal servant sacrificed himself in her place. He found it to be a shame, but her day of reckoning would come another day.

Dane did not chase Alena, no, he simply watched as the Queen of Werewolves fled from him. It was beyond an honor to be feared by the most powerful creature on the planet. He felt elated, the closest to giddy that someone such as himself could feel ; if he were still alive he would feel the hair on his neck rising and butterflies in his stomach. In truth he could not recall the last time he felt this way in death or life. All his patience and planning was finally paying off. He watched as Lucia rejected her mother. A true and earnest smile nearly appeared on his lips. This was more than he could have ever hope for. Perhaps Alena surviving this day was truly a blessing. He remained composed though, as always. True elation would come another day, the battle was his, but the war was not over.

He approached Lucia and placed his hand on her shoulder, his expression stoic. Around them the mansion continued to shake, chunks of the floors above falling around them. He would have to tread carefully. Lucia's had just watched her caretaker die while in the process of losing her home. "I'm sorry you had to see that." He said somberly. "It's the exact reason why your father wanted you to have no part in this war. You're too close to both sides. " The vampire sighed glancing upwards. The mansion would fall onto them if they did not leave soon. "We can make it end, but first we must save ourselves." He turned away, casually walking out of the collapsing building towards the middle of the road. Again he turned and watched his home fall to bits as he waited for Lucia. Tonight he had lost his home, many of his loyal subjects and he had lost his prisoner. On the other hand Alena had lost her most powerful and trustworthy servant and her daughter. There appeared to be no victor, but in reality he reveled in the night.

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

Watching as Dane thrust his hand deeper into the Werewolf's chest, Lucia stared with a morbid fascination. She'd grown up believing her guardians were invulnerable; that they could, and inevitably would, survive the end of the world. Raven, Alena and even Szandor were the strongest beings she knew; none could surpass their strength and speed, their power and cunning. Except... Victor. Victor had managed to kill her father, and in all honesty, if Szandor hadn't lured the 12 year old Lucia away, Victor probably would have killed her that night as well. In retrospect, the death of Raven should have opened the girl's eyes to the reality that those who made and looked after her could easily be destroyed and taken away. Yet, Lucia stubbornly held on to the belief that she would never lose her mother or Szandor. She realized now how silly that thought had been.

Szandor had been strong in a way quite unlike her father. While Raven was openly charismatic, a cunning strategist, and ruthless leader; Szandor spoke only words he meant and therefore could be quite blunt. Her mother's lover had been an excellent tactician, but due to his strength, did not have to utilize much of those skills. Though Szandor was clearly the Beta of the Pack, his initiative and focus on the well being of the Pack was what made him a great leader. Szandor had been there for Lucia during many important events in her life, and now he was gone. The Hybrid looked on as the giant Werewolf shifted back down to his Human form and quickly began to deteriorate. Perhaps it had been a lucky shot, but no- Lucia had some idea just how fast Dane could be, and if Dane hadn't struck, it would have been him decomposing on the floor.

Lucia grimaced slightly at her mother's insult, but remained resolved, watching as Alena Wulf, the Queen of all Werewolves, fled from Dane and the collapsing Vampire mansion. Whatever heart the Hybrid had seemed to fall away within her as the place she'd called Home fell down around her.

Under any other circumstances, Lucia would have beamed at Dane's touch, but the events of the night were starting to catch up to the girl, weighing on her shoulders heavily. She took his word sincerely, looking around as cracks in the wall split and spread out like spiderwebs, the foundation slowly crumbling around them. It was safe to say that Dane and Lucia were likely the only ones remaining in the mansion able to freely walk out. He was right: they needed to save themselves right now. There was nothing she could do, no artifact or keepsake of her father's she could save other than the items she wore this moment. Lucia watched as Dane left her side, inferring she should follow him; left the mansion that was falling down around them.

She made no move to follow the Vampire King immediately, instead paused, lifting her chin to the ceiling, out-stretching her arms, like testing the waters. Testing Fate to see what would happen. This moment she felt surreal, she felt invulnerable, stronger than anything else in this world and more alive than she had ever felt before. Behind her, a large chunk of the staircase collapsed, falling deep into the dungeon below. As the rest of the building began to fall faster and faster, Lucia walked steadily out to the road where Dane was waiting. Looking up into his eyes as he watched the mansion go down, Lucia followed his fascinated gaze. She stood beside the Vampire in the chilly night, barefoot, in a baggy t-shirt and leggings. A morose feeling overcame the girl as she watched her father's remaining legacy fall to pieces, and she wanted nothing more than to lean into Dane's side, wrap her arms around his waist and let him comfort her. Something told her that this would not be acceptable, however, so Lucia settled for standing close beside him, holding the slight wound in her stomach.

The night was only half-way through, there were still hours left, but the girl began to worry. Dane might be able to withstand some of the sun's violent rays, but Lucia was as yet unable to go out during the day. "What will we do? Where will we go?" The tone in her voice sounded calm, if not a little bored, but she looked away from the building as the last of it fell and settled, watching Dane carefully.

[Dane]

Dane was pleased to see Lucia join him, rather than shun him in favor of her now dead caretaker. He would have understood, she had lost a friend and her childhood home; all of which he could easily be blamed for. Instead of choosing her own flesh and blood she chose him.Another victory in a night of many. It meant he would not have to kill her. She was an instrumental part of his grand scheme, her death would have required improvisation to say the least. As she spoke, Dane turned to look at her. Lifting his head he sniffled the air. He could smell her wound, her blood; it was potent, a reminder that he had lost much of his own, and would require feeding by the end of the night. "You're hurt." He said, for now ignoring her query. Without another word he knelt in front of her, pushing her hand away from her wound as to inspect it. "Silver has a tendency to linger. Through out the night we must assure it heals correctly." He tore off what remained of the sleeve of his shirt and tied it around her waist, the makeshift bandage was more symbolic than anything. For creatures such as themselves wounds either worsened or healed on their own. "I apologize for not taking the hunter into account. His presence was unexpected." He said while standing. "I'll send a team to see that he is taken care of. He must pay for harming the future Queen."

"There is still much time left in the night, and I don't if you remember we own all of this island. There is still much to be done though. In your rule you find there is rarely time to spare." He bore a grin as he spoke. "First I must feed, and then contact Ahmad to see if his operation was a success, and if that's the case we must immediately travel to Oslo, for one final confrontation with your mother." The vampire king had taken quite a beating in his battle with Alena. Though he stood tall, his body felt sore and stiff, vaguely reminding him of what it felt to be human, weak. He could only imagine he looked much worse than he felt. "If you require... sustenance you may join in the hunt. It would be an honor on my behalf. "

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

Lucia was taken aback as Dane knelt to examine her wound. If her heart pumped blood at all, it would have been beating extraordinarily fast as he looked at the damage to her gut. The care Dane seemed to take as his eyes passed over the injury did wonders to lighten her mood if even by the slightest bit. As he mentioned the effects of silver, Lucia tried to recall when she'd ever felt a pain like this before... and couldn't come up with anything. This was her first time being attacked with a silver weapon. She'd naively tried to handle some of her father's silver weapons as a child and paid the consequences; but this was her first time taking damage against silver in a fight. This hadn't been much of a fight, either; she hadn't done much to fight back, at least...

Her fists clenched at her sides as she thought about her encounter with the Hunter; but her brain completely shut off as Dane tied his shirt sleeve around her slender waist to bandage the stab wound. His proximity, the intimacy of his actions and his reiteration that he intended her to succeed him brightened the girl a little more. She stood a little taller and a weak smile graced her lips for a moment.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she did remember that all of the United Kingdom belonged to the Vampires, but the association seemed a little blurry to her. Here the Vampires ruled, there the Werewolves roamed; but what about Hybrids? What about her? Dane had said 'we own all of this island'. That meant her, too. She had, after all, clearly thrown her lot in with the Vampires, as she proved tonight by shunning her mother and doing nothing for Szandor.

Though Dane did, in fact, look like he'd been through Hell, there was something charming about his smile. Lucia swooned inwardly at his confidence, charisma and chivalry. She'd always like Dane the most out of all her father's subordinates, and it was clear, even tonight, why that was. The girl didn't see it as Dane trying to kill her mother, so much as she believed Dane was simply defending himself, and in a way, Lucia, herself. In her mind, Dane seemed to her father's black knight, the champion of her rights and adulthood; Hell, even the legacy of her lineage.

The thought of going to Oslo and returning to Scandinavia did not thrill the girl, but she barely heard that part. Far too concerning was the fact that the night had taken much from her. She needed to sate some of her blood-lust, needed to appease some of the violent tendencies that she felt inherently compelled by on a nightly basis. Half Vampire, half Werewolf, all predator, it seemed. Living with her mother, she'd been unable to act on much of her violent impulses, surprisingly. Lucia could feel her fangs growing at the thought of such injustices, and she looked into the darkness around them, her eyes glowing blood red. "I had better feed. Though I assure you, the honor would be mine, Dane." Lucia wiped the blood off her hands onto her leggings, ready to follow the Vampire King's lead.

As they walked into the night, Lucia confided to the man: "You fought valiantly tonight."

[Dane]

It was comforting to Dane, to know Lucia was no longer a random variable in the grand scheme of things. The night proved that she was loyal to him, in fact it seemed, as his proximity towards her rendered the girl speechless, he had earned more than that. It was not by mistake. The hybrid was a foolish girl, easy to manipulate. He a thousand year old vampire. Lucia was not the first girl or woman he had manipulated in his time. "Do not fret." He noted her clenched fist at the mention of the hunter. "We've all underestimated humans at some point, even I." Dane said calmly, those were perhaps the most honest words he had ever spoken to her. Looking up to her he maintained eye contact as he spoke. "When I was a young bat I found myself at the mercy of an order of Templar. My arrogance had gotten the best of me." She had begun to smile, though weakly it was still a marked improvement especially considering the circumstances. "As I'm sure you can relate." He added teasingly. Though he did not know the events that led to her wound, but if she were anything like her parents she did not take the human seriously. "Consider this your second lesson. Never underestimate your enemy, especially humans, even more so that human." He of course referred to Xhel. "Your father and he clashed many times in the past. Anybody who can survive a fight with your father deserves our respect as an enemy. You are your own person, but if you ever come across him again, kill him immediately." He would say no more on the matter unless she wished him to. 

"The feeling is mutual then." Dane said, still smiling. She required feeding just as much as he if not more so, or did she simply lack self control? When his eyes flashed red it signified he was on the verge of a frenzy. Did the same apply to the hybrid? The vampire still knew little of Lucia's nature. It was quite curious, if he could he would take advantage and try to learn more of her. She was the first hybrid he had ever come upon. To him they were always a myth, as an urban legend himself, he always tried to consider it a possibility. There were times he had attempted to create a hybrid of his own. It always proved fuitile, as his blood only made them spasm and die. 


"Perhaps, would you say the same though if you were there to see your mother flail me about like a rag doll?" He said lightheartedly. No matter how close he was near to death, he found comfort in knowing it was Alena who had fled from him. 



A gust of wind rustled his dark hair as he looked into the streets below. He stood at the edge of the roof waiting patiently for a poor soul or two to return home from a late night of drinking and debauchery. It would have been easy to venture deep into the city, which still bustled with life late into the night, but he for one preferred avoiding crowds. Though he owned the city; its politicians and police force there could still be complications. "Lucia." The vampire turned his head momentarily as the sound of a cab turning on their street could be heard. "Forgive me if I offend, but have you met others of your... race or are you as unique as I believe you to be?" 

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

Listening quietly to Dane, Lucia's mood slowly improved as the Vampire King tried to cheer her up. She felt like he was telling her something confidential and was honored to be privy to such information. Thinking about it, she didn't know terribly much about Dane, and hearing him talk about himself, trying to relate with her, felt... really nice.

As much as Lucia didn't want to believe it had been her arrogance that resulted in the Human getting the better of her, she hadn't given him much thought or respect. She did remember him from his stay in her father's cell, that should have been her first clue as to the skill of this Human. What seemed strange, well, stranger, was that her mother had recruited this same Hunter to help. Taking Dane's words to heart, Lucia committed her second lesson to memory.

"You're being modest," Lucia insisted, not quite picturing Dane being tossed around so easily. True, though she knew her mother to be quite strong, the girl held the Vampire King with the highest respect.



Following Dane, Lucia stayed close as he led them to a neighborhood outside the heart of the city. Scaling the building was an easy task, and the girl crouched at the edge of the roof, looking out at the street. She could hear the life bustling still further out in the city, but did not questions Dane for bringing them to the outskirts. Lucia heard the cab approaching from blocks away, and wondered whether its path would lead to them. The cool air smelled crisp, and the Hybrid waiting as patiently as she could muster, sniffing quietly for blood. She wanted the warm, coppery scent to fill her nostrils, because she knew that once it was close enough to smell, it would soon be close enough to taste. While her eyes were naturally red, thanks to her father, she was told they did change fiercely when hungry. As the cab turned the corner on their block, Lucia had to remember her father's words, encouraging her to breathe and wait for the right moment. Were it up to her, the girl would have leaped from the building, down to the street where she could wait for the car to approach. Walking calmly toward the vehicle, Lucia would grab its bumper as it sped toward her, sending the cab tumbling into the air and across the street, so she could prey upon the battered humans inside.

Dane's voice breaking into the night brought her, once again, back to reality and she abandoned such childish desires, reminding herself that she was a Lady. Had Lucia not been drained of blood and thirty, Dane's question would have made the girl blush. Instead she looked as pale, if not worse, than usual. It was enough he spoke her name, but the question and compliment came across so earnestly, that Lucia took a quick moment to seriously think about her answer.

"Once... I am told," Lucia responded thoughtfully. The true answer would require some explanation, but Dane had asked, so the Hybrid took his interest as genuine and continued. "I was quite young when I came to stay with my father, as you may recall. There is a picture, however, of me before... when I was still with Mum and was very young." Adjusting her posture, Lucia looked over at Dane briefly, before returning her gaze to the taxicab. "In this picture, I am being held by my big brother."

"My mother has many children, and many more she considers 'Pups'. I only consider someone my sibling if they were born from both my mother and father." Flicking her long, auburn braid over her shoulder, Lucia explained, "This was a brother. A child of Raven and Alena. At least 500 years old. I don't remember meeting him, though, and I don't know where he is now..." The answer did not seem to satisfy the girl, and there was so much more she could say. So she continued. "Mum has said that there are more. More Hybrids in the world, but also more offspring of Raven and herself. There's a reason why I'm the youngest, though." A coy smile lifted one corner of her mouth as she finished, "I am told my birth nearly killed Mum."

[Dane]

More hybrids, he would have rolled his eye at the thought if he were not standing in front of one. Each of them was another random variable, each potentially detrimental to his scheme. Especially the older brother she spoke of. Five hundred years was before his special arrangement with Alena. The vampire always suspected the two had many children, but never one of that age. It was of great concern. If there existed anything worth fearing certainly it was the unknown. The last thing he needed was this sibling of hers showing up on their door step after dealing with mommy. Lucia had strength beyond her age, at least for a vampire or werewolf. A half millennial old version of herself was more than cause for concern. He would hunt these creatures down to extinction. Lucia showed a weakness to silver, maybe even more so than Lycans.

"And you have never sought out one of your siblings?" He eyed her. She was pale and soon, like him would need to feed. "I imagine life among the lycans was lonely, to live among creatures who could never truly understand what it means to hunger." The vampire continued to stare into the street. He wished to ask more, learn more of the potential threats, but feared it would arouse suspicion. They were to spend much time together. Surely, she would slow leak Dane all the information he needed. "Apologies, if I come off as intrusive. So many of our kind can be, withholding, and I do not wish for us to be strangers. You're no longer the little girl that I once knew." He said with a toothy grin towards her. The cab slowly pulled up to the building across the street from them. "I've been told I come off as mysterious. It's never my intention. If there's anything you ever wish to know of me do not hesitate to ask."

The cab came to a halt in front of them. The door popped open as out stepped two beautiful women, both in dresses, both covered in jewelry. It seemed early for women of their standards to be returning home, perhaps their night had not gone as planned, or perhaps they were returning together. Their story did not matter as it would soon come to an end. "I brought you here because there's less of a need to be subtle. We've both had long nights." He paused and turned to her. Once again smirking, though now his eyes flash red. "Here we can be ourselves without consequence." The vampire took a step closer the ledge. The cab was once again on its way, while the women took the steps up towards their home. Without hesitation he leaped.

Dane soared across the street, landing with a light thud behind his two victims. He casually grabbed by the arm and hurled her over his shoulder into the street; the woman's screaming alerting her friend of Dane's presence. She turned, screaming at the sight of Dane's red eyes and protruding fangs. He muffled her mouth with his hand, holding her in place, watching as tears streamed down her face. He sometimes enjoyed watching the fear strike in his victims eye's before feeding.

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

The answer to Dane's follow-up question embarrassed the girl and she struggled to find a way to explain that would justify her actions, or lack-there-of. "I..." The night had truly taken it out of her, here she was, stumbling over her words; something that Lucia, in her arrogance and self-assuredness, had rarely done before. "No, I have not." For a moment, the Hybrid considered leaving it at that, but this was Dane she was talking to. Surely he deserved a little elaboration. Yet anything she thought to say sounded like childish excuses. True, though she was only 17, she could have left of her own volition to create her own life after her father's murder. She was a Hybrid for Hell's sake. Instead, she'd stayed with her mother; the whole time resenting her for taking her from her father's side. What had she done with her life?

For the time being, Lucia left her answer at that, listening to Dane as he spoke. Werewolves didn't understand her thirst, true; but they did experience a hunger, it seemed. While it didn't take away from her loneliness that last six years, Lycans did seem to yearn for the moon, and hunger for something. As a whole, the race seemed to be filled with inherently violent beings, set on taking by force whatever it was they felt belonged to them. Vampires, however, seemed to go about things much more elegantly, she felt.

Lucia caught the wide grin Dane gave her and smiled in return, happy to know he didn't see her as a child. She tried to act mature, but often felt infinitely childish around beings such as Dane who counted many centuries of experience.

She watched as the Vampire King jumped from the building toward his prey. Not wanting to be left behind, Lucia dove off the roof, sailing head-first toward the street. Landing in a somersault, the Hybrid was on her feet and running toward the woman Dane tossed aside, catching the affluently-dressed damsel in mid-air. The Hybrid had every intention of being civil with her victim, but the moment the woman opened her mouth to scream again, Lucia sent her palm into the Human's throat, throwing her into a coughing fit. There were few things more annoying than the sound of a child crying, but one of those things were the shrill sound of a woman shrieking, and Lucia would not suffer to hear it if it could be avoided.

The Human grabbed at her throat, staggering away from Lucia unsuccessfully. Eyes glowing red, the Hybrid advanced calmly. In her distress, the Human stepped back wrong, falling onto her arse. This worked out just fine for Lucia. Taking one of the Human's arms, Lucia sunk her fangs into the artery near the Human's armpit, draining the her dry patiently. Her fingers coiled tightly around the woman's wrist and neck, bracing her when she finally lost consciousness, and she drank deep. It was obvious the woman had been drinking alcohol; Lucia could taste it in her blood, and her lips started to tingle. Her blood was sweet and nourishing, but nothing could compare to the energy and life in the blood of a Werewolf, or to the exquisite taste of a Vampire's blood, yet it would have to suffice.

As soon as the blood trickled down her throat, the wound in her gut began to feel better, and the Hybrid's mood improved further. Now, energy flowed through Lucia and she felt better able to process the events that she'd witnessed tonight. The Human's life faded quickly and the girl let her victim slump completely to the ground as she stood, wiping blood from her lips with the back of her left hand. The ferocity in her eyes settled and became a less violent red.

Waiting while Dane drained his Human-shaped bloodbag, Lucia stretched, "Please excuse my earlier silence. You see, I was quite content simply living... here, with my father and the Vampires at the mansion. When I was taken from here; when Raven was murdered: I didn't take it well. Life with the Lycans was incredibly lonely. I should have ventured out to find my siblings. Hell, I should have come back here sooner." Lucia looked up to the night time sky as she spoke, the fresh blood coursing through her body. She laughed softly, slightly embarrassed by what she was about to say, but she felt comfortable around Dane. "I should have sought out my family, but I was too concerned with impressing the family already had: my mother. Although that endeavor proved to be futile." An ironic smile flitted across her face, and she watched as Dane finished the woman, hoping what she said wouldn't change his opinion of her for the worse. She wanted to show him how much she'd grown, how strong she'd become and what she'd learned in her absence from the Vampire Headquarters.

[Dane]

The woman fought to free herself. She kicked and scratched at her attacker, even attempting to the bite the hand that kept her muffled. Her efforts were fruitless, her nails failed to break the vampire's skin and her blows went unnoticed. Her attacker seemingly payed little attention to her, he instead casually watched over his shoulder as his partner handled her prey. The woman's eyes followed her attackers. With the vampire she witnessed her friends fate. Her protest faltered as it eventually became clear what awaited her. While she once shook to break free, now she stood frozen in terror. Her eyes wide as tears streamed from them. Turning his head back to his meal Dane smiled. He slipped his hand away from the woman's mouth, she no longer screamed but now sobbed rather softly. The vampire caressed the woman's cheek softly. "Don't cry my dear. Your life did not amount to nothing." His hand to the back of her head. " You die serving a greater purpose." He said, grabbing the woman by her hair and yanking it back; further exposing her throat to him as he lunged his teeth into her jugular vein.

Blood squirted from the bite while the woman let out one final yelp. Dane pinned the woman with his body against the wall, as to hold her in place when her body fell limp. From a distance it may have appeared to be an intimate gesture, but it was far from that. Dane wrapped his arm around the woman's waist, holding her closely as he turned to face Lucia; continuing to feed as his partner finished her meal and began to speak. His eyes lit up as the warm liquid finally began to effect him. The pain he felt faded as his wounds quickly healed. The woman's heart beat quickened; he could feel it against his chest as it desperately tried to supply her body with blood. It for a moment felt like his own, along with the ecstasy that accompanied draining one's life force provided him the illusion of life, at least how it remembered it. The satisfaction never lasted as it was always quickly followed by his victim's heart beat fading. Once he craved the feeling more than anything else. Feeding on a single human would not have sated his thirst, it would have taken at least a half dozen. Now even that brought him little thrill. The only true excitement in his life came when facing the likes of Viktor and Alena, creatures just as powerful as he and in some cases more so.

Dane let go of his victim's waist, letting her crumpled onto the ground by her feet while he smirked at Lucia. "The people of this city are little more than cattle." Truth be told he expected the hybrid to feed more like her hairier brethren. He expected her to not only feed on the victims blood, but also its flesh. " After losing your father I imagined it difficult to leave your mother. Though a part of me did always expect to find you at my doorstep one night." He said while dragging the woman's corpse across the street by the hair. "We've all at some point tried too hard to please our parents. Fortunately, for most of us they are neither immortal or godly entities." He dumped the woman's body in a metal trash can, and begun to do the same for Lucia's victim. "Your parents existed for millenniums. To live up to their names will take many life times." He said, forcibly shoving the woman's body into the trash can with her friend. Wiping his hands against his pants, he approached Lucia. " Rejecting your mother must have been difficult. I believed you would, but was not entirely certain. I was impressed." Dane ran a hand through his hair. "You proved to her, to both of us... what I already believed; you're a woman now, not a girl." He sighed. "You need to know, she'll hate you for it."

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

Watching the Vampire King feast upon the woman, Lucia smiled, licking her lips of the last traces of blood. As the woman's frail body began to loosen and collapse, Dane's seemed to become more rigid, and then relax as his strength returned. Looking on as the Vampire she looked up to seemed to have the same reaction to blood made the girl feel a sense of unity with Dane, making her more confident in her choices that evening.

Lucia made no move to help Dane conceal the bodies, but followed him with her eyes as he crossed the street, stuffing the two women into a garbage can. She'd heard a joke like that somewhere before, she thought... Something like: 'what's worse than finding 12 babies in one garbage can? Finding one baby in 12 garbage cans.' Remembering the joke kept the bright smile on her face. The Vampire's words consoled her more than she wanted to admit; that he said she'd impressed him was the highest compliment she'd received in a long time, and the faintest bit of color rose in her cheeks now that she'd fed.

"You need to know, she'll hate you for it."

"I know." Keeping her eyes up, locked on Dane's, the Hybrid's expression turned once again neutral. She suspected her mother already hated her for living when Raven had died. The girl tried not to let this affect her, especially now when she'd chosen her side. Alena couldn't protect Lucia anymore, if that's what she'd really wanted in the first place. She hadn't been able to protect Szandor, or Pablo for that matter. The only thing her mother seemed concerned with protecting was her own hide.

Dane, on the other hand, had come for her, extended his hand and hospitality, promised her the Vampire throne. He'd treated her like a true adult this whole time, even though the last he'd seen of Lucia, she'd been 11 years old. This Vampire had shown more respect and care for the Hybrid's thoughts and wishes in a few days than her mother had the last 6 years. No, it was clear where her loyalty should lie.

This reminded her of what Dane had said as they left the remains of the Vampire mansion, that they would be going to Oslo to face her mother one last time. She did not want to go back to Scandinavia, and wondered at first why in Hell Oslo would be where this last showdown would occur, but the connection hit her quickly. Dane had picked Oslo just to be close to the Werewolf Den. Clever. "The Vampire from last night, Ahmad? Do you trust him?" Surely, Dane trusted him a little to have given him a seemingly important task. Lucia was really asking if she should put any trust in Ahmad; she honestly couldn't remember if she'd met the Vampire before, though he smelled like he'd been around for awhile.

Wiping her leggings of any dirt, Lucia stood up straight, waiting for Dane to once again take the lead. Though the entire island belonged to Vampires, the Hybrid was unsure where exactly they would stay or what Dane had up his sleeve for the rest of the night. There were still a few hours yet left to the night, and now that the girl had fed she had energy that needed expending. Were it up to her, she'd break down one of the doors of the nearby houses, kill whomever dwelled inside and stay there for the day. Part of her did yearn for more blood, although she didn't yet feel comfortable enough to feed as she pleased around Dane yet. The instinct to hide who she was had been engrained deep within her, and though she suspected Dane meant her no harm, it was hard to just throw those feelings aside.