iv

Part One: The Living Dead

96 Years Prior (1924)

Markos opened his eyes slowly and immediately regretted waking up, he felt like he had strep throat and his veins felt like sandpaper. He winced at the sunlight that peaked through the boarded windows.

He didn't know where he was or how he got there, he couldn't remember much. He knew his name and where he lived. He remembered he was in the hospital but he couldn't recall how long ago that was.

Realizing now that he may have been kidnapped, he looked to see that he was chained to the wall. He immediately panicked at the sight of a full skeleton on the other side of the room also chained. He looking around for a way out but was very disappointed.

"Trust me, there is no escape in your position." Avery says through the square-shaped opening on the steel door. Startling Markos in the process.

"Where am I?" he asked as Avery opened the door and shut it behind him, "And, why am I so thirsty?" he swallowed dryly bringing his hand to his throat.

"You need blood." Avery stated bluntly and Markos' ears perked up at the word as if it were instinct. The word made his mouth water and he couldn't understand why.

"What happened to me? If I need a blood transfusion then why am I not in the hospital?" Avery chuckled at his questions.

"You died. Flatlined after going into a coma after your third epileptic seizure. My girlfriend found it in her heart to save you for whatever reason, she can very... sympathetic. It's gonna catch up to her one day. She was your nurse." Avery says rolling his eyes.

"How did she save me? Why am I chained up in your basement?" Markos grew angry and Avery found it amusing.

"You're a vampire, Markos. You're not human anymore." he laid it all out and Markos was sure the man a crazy at this point.

"Avery?" They both turned their heads towards the door to see the beautiful Ryan open up the door and step in. Markos immediately knew her face, it flooded back to him like a vision.

"What's going on?" Ryan says looking towards Avery and then to Markos who saw a hint of guilt in her eyes. "We were just having a conversation, I heard him wake up." Avery's mood suddenly changed at the sight of Ryan. He walked over placing a kiss on her temple.

"Can you please find him someone to eat, baby?" She asked him sweetly and he nodded in agreement but not before whispering something into her ear while he massaged her hips, she locked eyes with Markos and he looked away quickly.

She kissed him on the lips after he finished and then he left. Markos stared down at the floor refusing to look at Ryan again, he couldn't believe someone who seemed so sweet was his kidnapper.

"I hope he wasn't to mean to you." Her soft voice said walking over to him. She frowned at the fact that he was angry with her, she could sense it.

"Markos, do you have any family?" her words were cautious and she was careful not to frighten him.

"I have a wife and she'll come looking for me." He said bitterly and Ryan shook her head in disappointment.

"Don't lie to me. No one showed up at the hospital for you, and you told me that there was one that I could call for you." She said making him realize that he told her a lot about himself in the two weeks he'd been at the hospital. He'd even taken a liking to her and it hurt him that she was totally different.

"No." It is all he said, he felt weak and defeated. He finally looked her in the eyes and saw that they were no longer the soft honey color that he adored but instead a vibrant red. He was confused and was finding every reason to believe that vampires weren't real.

"When can I go home?" Markos pleaded with his eyes and it saddened her to see him so upset with her when all she wanted being for him to live.

"I promise you, you can leave once we show how to live. Or you can stay if you want, we would really enjoy your company. I would enjoy your company." Her words were genuine but his feeling of resentment was heightened.

"I won't stay." he spat bitterly and she nodded accepting how he felt about her now.

"I just want you to know that I turned you because I cared. I know you deserved more than what you were dealt with in that human life, and I know what it feels like to have nobody. My maker even left me on my own, left me to die. I won't leave you unless you want me to." She gave him a small smile and Markos kept his facade.

-

Present

Part Two: Deadly Gathering

"Is it really necessary that I put away my skulls?" Jack asks extremely annoyed at the fact that they were having dinner with humans except he wouldn't be the one eating.

"I don't think a human skull display is something that they'd like." Edward says as if were obvious. He was currently setting up the very large dining table that was never used.

"I agree with Jack, I don't see why we have to change our look and our own home for these humans who are unapologetically themselves." Anais says and Jed sighs at their unusual rebellious act.

"We aren't yet normalized, flaunting that we could easily kill them isn't good hospitality. Plus I really like her sister, so just please behave." Jed pleaded and Jack rolled his eyes.

"C'mon guys be nice, they are our first guests. Let me remind you all that they are not food." Ryan says looking towards Jack, Avery, and Bonnie. She placed a kiss on Avery's lips interrupting him putting the glasses on the table as she asked.

Markos only blinked at the couple chopping the vegetables and quiet, as usual, he was never a talker. Though under all of his silence and his stoic expression was jealousy. He was in love with Ryan and had been since before his turning but he believed it would never happen.

"Arry you've been awfully quiet." Dominique pestered her brother who was only minding his business as he was finishing his portion of the meal.

"Maybe you should follow." Arry says not even bothering to glance at her so she left it alone seeing he wasn't in the mood.

"Is Isaiah not participating? That's not fair." Jack complained and as if on cue Isaiah walks in buttoning up his shirt and scowling at Jack.

"I wouldn't miss this company for the world." Isaiah stated making Jack roll his eyes, he'd always been irritable.

All at the same time, their heads snapped towards the door, and not soon after there was a ring of the doorbell. Jedediah used his speed to answer the door revealing their 4 guests.

Tarah was the first to enter by greeting Jed with a hug and whispering something unknown to the others into his ear, and finally retracting with an innocent smile to everyone.

"Please come in." Jed says clearing his throat and it was noticeable that his mind was elsewhere just like that. Then came Marci who came dressed to impress, wearing a black dress that hugged all her curves after 4 hours of trying on outfits suitable for dinner with vampires.

Wes guided Jazz inside and closed the door behind both of them.

"Hi! Welcome to our home." Ryan was the first to greet them with her perky attitude and it had already lightened up the mood.

"This is Wes, Jazlyn, and Marceline. And for those who haven't met her yet, Tarah." Jed introduced everyone who was unknown to his family and they exchanged their 'nice to meet yous' and names while Jazz stayed quiet and watched how friendly everyone was being.

Arry couldn't help but notice her being uncomfortable and effortlessly sexy in her dark green dress. He decided to speak with her.

"You look absolutely stunning." He catches her by surprise sneaking up behind her and offering a glass of wine to which she accepted.

"Thank you, You don't look so bad yourself." She offered him a small smile and he returned it, Jazz was starting to realize he was completely flawless. She then became nervous under his alluring stare while looking at the others converse.

"They all seem tolerable, why didn't you want us to come?" She asks meeting eyes with him and he breathes profusely looking to his family.

"You seem like a woman who could have an amazing life. You're young, beautiful, and independent. Adding us into the mix could be your downfall and plus you don't know them as I do. I've seen them all at their worst and even living for 1,000 years a vampire could lose it. So you could say I'm looking out for you and your lovely sister."

She was surprised by his answer, someone who had no trust in his species. It made her feel as if she could trust him since he was willing to just out his whole family and himself to her.

"Do you think he's good for Tarah?" Her curiosity got the best of her as she stared at the two of them smiling and laughing, he seemed genuine.

"Jedediah is probably the most trustworthy person here besides myself. He's even pro-life in a different way, refuses to hunt. I don't think he's drank from a human since the 1700s. The most human of us all." Arry answered honestly and it was a wave of relief off her shoulders.

"And You? You drink from humans often?" Her words spilled out faster than her brain could stop her.

"I'm sorry you don't have to answer that." She says shaking her head immediately feeling bad for asking.

"It's quite alright, and to answer your question no. Not often, only if it's offered." He says staring into her caramel eyes still holding a small smirk. "So people actually volunteer to let you feed on them?" Her eyes flittered to his lips when his tongue poked out to moisten them.

"I can make it very enjoyable Jazlyn." His words and the look he gave her made her shift and the atmosphere suddenly felt warm.

"Alright the foods finished, let's eat." Edward says and everyone makes their way to the dining room.

Isaiah had made it his business to get a seat next to Marci while her brother sat on the opposite side of her and on his opposite was Bonnie. Next to her was Jack and on the end was Dominique who was immediately invested in a conversation with her sister who was in the first seat on the other side of the table next to her.

Arry pulled a seat out for Jazz who gave him a polite thank you and sat between Edward and Arry. Avery nudged Arry and wiggled his eyebrows and Ryan smacked the back of his head as she sat down next to him, this made Markos smirk for a millisecond next to Ryan. And of course, Tarah was holding hands over the table with Jedediah who was on the other end.

"I would first like to make a toast to our guests, thank you for joining us and breaking the ice of humanity and vampirism. To us." Jed says and everyone repeats and clinks their glasses together except Jack who rolled his eyes and downed his wine.

"So Jazmin what are your intentions with my brothers." The room grew quiet and you could suddenly cut the tension with a knife as Anais asks boldly earning a growl from Arry.

"Ana, don't be rude." Dominique says to her sister and Edward gives her a disapproving look. A smirk danced on Jack's face at the unknown beef Ana had with Jazz.

"What I'm sure everyone has noticed the eyes they've been giving each other since they walked in and the fact that they might've met before those two." Ana says bitterly referring to Tarah and Jed.

Jazlyn was surprised and wide-eyed at the accusation, she was just beginning to become comfortable, and then her bubble was popped. Arry placed a comforting hand on her knee as she was about to speak that no one noticed and gave Ana a hard look.

"You look a bit tired Ana maybe you should go upstairs and get some rest." She frowned twisting her face in anger.

"No! I'm not tired and it was a fair questio-" She stopped herself at the raise of his eyebrows, she immediately and drastically pushed out her chair getting up but keeping the mean look she was giving Jazz.

"If you even look at him wrong I'll-", "Anais!" This time Isaiah was the one to raise his voice and she snapped her mouth shut before speeding off to her room, Marci's heart was racing not expecting that.

Jack clapped at the show obviously amused and not thinking he would get a kick out of the night. "Jolly good show." His strong English accent said and Jazz suddenly wanted to leave. She was embarrassed and felt threatened. She had almost forgotten about Arry's hand on her knee until she felt a squeeze.

"We are deeply apologetic for her behavior, Jazlyn. She's always been a brat and talkative but we would never allow her to hurt you in any form or fashion. It's against our rules." Arry says a Ryan nods in agreement.

"She's always been protective of Arry, don't worry she'd threatened me plenty over him." Bonnie says with a small smile and winking at Arry.

Jazlyn couldn't shake the fact that she was embarrassed and actually angry, never had she ever been disrespected like that before. She wasn't one to accept it.

After 5 minutes everything was calm and everyone was sharing things they have done and they love. Between one of the conversations, Jazz looked towards Tarah who gave her sympathetic eyes although she was also upset.

"You seem tense." Arry's lips were close to her ear as he whispered not wanting to draw attention away from everyone's conversation. "Well, your sister basically threatened to hurt me for talking to you. Like little old me could harm you." Jazz says with a tiny smirk playing on the end of her plump lips.

"Well, you do have quite dangerous looks." There was something about the bass in his voice and the way his minted breath hit her neck that made her squeeze her thick thighs together and she decided to take a sip of water to gather her thoughts.

"So sorry for her behavior." Isaiah mustered the courage to speak to Marci after he yelled and scared her a bit. "It's fine, what are sisters for? Can't say I'm not the same for this piece of work." She says towards her brother making him roll his eyes.

"Yeah, she isn't used to having company, especially not other beautiful women." He says and Marci smirked at his words. She would be a fool if she didn't notice how fine he was. Muscles, the hair, and his mesmerizing ocean eyes not to mention the accent all made her wanna let him have his way with her.

"You flirting with me?" She asks him with a sly smirk and hooded eyes.

"I'd be stupid not to." He said

The rest of the dinner had gone very well and wasn't completely ruined by the early commotion. They were all leaving out the door and saying farewells except Arry who walked out after them and grabbing Jazz's hand to catch her attention.

"I feel it's appropriate for me to make up for tonight. You have my word, she won't bother you again and I hope she didn't scare you away." He says and Jazz felt he was the proper gentleman.

"It's fine honestly, and I'm not afraid. You all seem to have human in you, I don't see any out of the ordinary problems." She says and Arry nodded letting go of her and watching her walk away.

-

The next morning Jazz brushed her teeth and went to make herself breakfast only to see a bouquet of the most beautiful bouquet of a flower she couldn't decipher.

She figured that they were for Tarah until a card with her name on it in the prettiest handwriting was leaning on the vase.

She flipped it open with a small smile knowing immediately who they were from. 'Beautiful flowers for an extraordinary woman. -Arry'.

She closed the card with a light blush taking over her cheeks, she then smelled the flowers before beginning her breakfast.