"Vampire, what are you doing here?" Ivan asked Kristoff, his voice full of disdain.

Kristoff straightened his stance and sauntered towards them. "I've heard some disturbing news that you held a certain little sister of mine captive." He looked past Ivan's shoulder. "Is she the one?"

Ivan merely shrugged.

Kristoff strode towards the female behind Ivan. "Hey, there little sister. Rumors have it that I'm your big brother," he heard Kristoff say.

Ivan whirled around in time to see the female's stunned expression.

"Uh—hi?" the female answered looking unsure of what to say.

Kristoff walked around the female and stood behind her. He placed his hands over her shoulders and leaned forward near her ear. "You shouldn't go with that elf, sis. Ivan has a thing for young virgins—he devours them whole," Kristoff said, his eyes directed at Ivan, a smirk on his face.

Ivan felt his jaw ticked. He hated that vampire Kristoff. "As far as I recall, Kristoff, it was you who almost killed a young maiden when you were plowing her."

Kristoff let out a humorless laugh. "She was asking for it."

Ivan saw Kristoff's hands sliding their way from the female's shoulders to her bare arms making him clench his fist in ire. "Step away from the female Kristoff. And she's your sister for goodness's sake!"

Kristoff dropped his hands and stood beside the female, still facing Ivan. "My dear, old immortal enemy, since when did you become the defender of the vampires?" He gave Ivan a smug look. "Ah. I know—since you were informed about your betrothal. Welcome to the family, brother-in-law."

"I will never marry her!" Ivan said between gritted teeth.

"Well, you can't do anything about it anymore. Granddad Valentin signed the betrothal papers with your elf grandpa. It's legally and magically binding. So, you have no choice but to marry my newfound sister."

"WHAT THE FVCK DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Ivan heard the female exclaim.

Kristoff merely chuckled. "Ah. That word—music to my ears. I'm beginning to like you, sis."

Ana was stunned to see a strikingly handsome male leaning against a tree. He was dressed all in black—black fitting trousers, loose black button-down long-sleeved shirt, and black boots. His hair was jet black like hers; tousled and slightly long, reaching his nape. He had a devilish aura about him—it was eerie and yet mesmerizing. He looked to be around the same age as the elf, maybe around in their late twenties or early thirties.

He sauntered towards them, and when the moonlight touched his pale and handsome face, Ana was surprised to see that they looked strangely alike. If she was born a male, she would look like him.

Ana sensed the animosity between Ivan and the newcomer.

"Vampire, what are you doing here?" she heard Ivan say.

Ah. So, the newcomer was a vampire. The newcomer was nowhere near not the Edward Cullen type of vampire. And Ana was sure he wouldn't sparkle during daylight either. He was tall and lean-built. He wasn't as big and muscular as that brooding elf, but he looked strong enough—and brave enough—to taunt the elf and defend himself against the elf prince when needed. His movements were lithe but calculating, like a panther observing for the perfect moment to strike his prey.

His lips tilted to one side and introduced himself as her brother. Brother? Since when did she have a brother?

"Uh—hi?" all she could manage to say. Well, what else would she say?

She felt him stand behind her and heard him saying something about elves and virgins being devoured whole. Ana saw Ivan's angry face. She heard Ivan retorting about the vampire plowing on someone—she was pretty much sure they were not talking about farming. Great. They were talking about kinky sex in front of her. Disgusting creatures.

Ana felt the vampire's cold hands brushing against her shoulders and she felt... awkward. As if a brother or male cousin was touching her making her want to slap his hands off her. Could it really be possible? That this vampire was his brother? She felt that strange pull towards the vampire—something akin to an emotion one would feel to someone very close, like to a family for example.

She observed Ivan's feelings of animosity towards the vampire escalate when he ordered for the vampire to step away from her. She would never admit it, but she felt thankful he had said that. It was an awkward feeling when the vampire was touching her.

The vampire taunted Ivan again making the elf declare he would never marry her—whoever 'Her' was. Oh, Ana was so sure that the HER they were talking about would never marry that irritating elf. Ana knew she wouldn't. Who would want to marry that stuck-up snob elf anyway?

Then, something that was said alarmed her very much. "...marry my newfound sister..." Ana snapped her head to the vampire talking and demanded, "WHAT THE FVCK DID YOU JUST SAY?!" causing the vampire to look amused and declare, "...I'm beginning to like you, sis."

Ana abruptly turned her gaze towards Ivan, eyed him murderously, and pointed a finger at him. "You have some serious explaining to do elf!"

***

Ana found herself a moment later inside a great big hall. Everything inside was weirdly made of gold and silver and was strangely very sun bright. As if they had a built-in sun to illuminate the entire hall. Two massive thrones were situated on a dais before her where a couple was seated—the elf queen and king perhaps? The elf prince, Ivan, was standing next to the throne.

Another couple, dressed in black and red was standing a few feet away from the dais. The tall male was imposing and wore a very hard look on his face as if everything that had happened within the throne room irritated the hell out of him. He was wearing a black coat with gold trimmings, a black vest, and a red shirt tucked in his fitted black trousers and black boots. The female beside him was very lovely and was looking at Ana longingly. She had pale skin, her hair was black like Ana's, and was coifed in a French twist. She wore a long black dress mixed with red on the bodice; her long gloves were the color red. Her lips were tinted red, adding a very dramatic look to her pale face. They were the vampire king and queen.

The last occupant of the room, the vampire she met earlier, was leaning on one of the pillars looking thoroughly amused.

"I have nothing to explain, Lianthor!" the imposing man said, addressing the elven king. "I didn't know that she was alive. When my wife birthed her, the baby was stillborn, and I ordered the nursemaid to bury the infant."

"I do not care about that Viktor. I just want to know if you acknowledge her as a Valentin," King Lianthor said.

The female beside the one named Viktor spoke. "Yes. I acknowledge her as one of us—as our daughter. I can feel it. I know she is my daughter," she said, her voice quivering with emotions.

Ana let her gaze fall on the woman who spoke. She was her mother? For real? She did feel that strange pull the minute she saw the woman, the same pull she felt awhile with the male vampire who she later learned was called Kristoff, prince of the vampires.

If everything happening was for real, then she had a family. She was not an orphan after all. But then, that would make her a... vampire. For real.

"Then we must finalize the arrangements for the marriage," the elf king declared.

"This is outrageous!" it was Ivan who spoke, his voice full of revulsion. "I cannot accept HER as my wife!"

"And I don't want to marry you either!" Ana exclaimed. The nerve of that—that egotistical bigot! Really, that freaking elf spoke as if Ana was the lowest of all beings as if she could never be good enough for him. Who did he think he was? "I wouldn't want to have you either, you freak! Even if you have the most awesome abs ever! Furthermore, I already have a fiancé and his name is Chris Evans and he is crazy over me."

She heard Kristoff chuckling. "You could have come up with something better sis."

"See what I mean? How can I have someone like her for a wife?" Ivan said, pointing his hand in her direction. "Do you really want me to parade her as my wife? She's a disgrace to the elven kingdom! She has no breeding; she is not a refined royalty. Do you want to have a vampire for a future queen in the elven court?"

She heard the three vampires hissed in response to Ivan's outburst.

"And what made you think you're good enough for me?" Ana said, raising a brow. "I don't date elves." And just for more effect she leaned forward and gave Ivan a smug look. "You're not man enough for me."

This made Ivan's face turn red with fury.

Kristoff, who decided to join her side, chuckled, and said, "I really do like you now sister."

"I'll return the feelings if you'll kick his ass," Ana said, jerking her chin in Ivan's direction.

"My pleasure," Kristoff answered and was about to step towards the dais when the female vampire spoke.

"That's enough Kristoff." She then faced the elven royalties and with her head held high, she eyed the elves haughtily. "We will honor the betrothal contract if it will also be a way for our two kingdoms to seize the war. But I will not tolerate any insufferable insult from that—that boy towards my daughter." She then directed her piercing gaze to Ivan. "As for you, elf, if you so ever harm or belittle my daughter in front of us ever again I will not hesitate to lurk in the shadows at night while you are sound asleep and slit your throat with my bare claws. I can be your nightmare—your executioner."

Ana was astounded to see the color of Ivan's face drained. Her mother must be a very powerful vampire to make Ivan look like that. But he soon recovered and looked as if he was gritting his teeth with equal anger and wanted to throw an equally macabre threat to her mother but couldn't because her mother, despite being in a different faction, still outrank him.

So, this was what it felt like to have a mother defend her. She felt very happy to have someone she could call her mother, even if the said mother was a vampire.

Ana couldn't help but throw a smug look at Ivan. "You heard that, Prince Ivan? My mother, the Queen, issued a decree for you to never piss me off."

Ivan looked even more furious than before. He suddenly strode away from the throne, went down the dais and towards her. In a flash, he was dragging Ana away from the hall by the arm. "Let go of me freak!" she shouted when he gripped her right arm so tight, she thought her shoulder would pop right out of its socket. And she was still nursing an almost healing arrow wound on her shoulder!

Kristoff immediately went after them but halted when Ivan spoke. "Let me speak to her. Alone." Ivan then shot the vampire queen a look that seemed to be asking her permission to speak with her daughter. The vampire queen gave a regal nod, and Kristoff stepped back.

Ivan, still gripping her on the arm, looked down on her face. "You and I need to have a long talk."

Ana shot him a killing look. "Fine. Let go of my arm and lead the way."

Ivan dropped her arm, walked past the archway, and went outside the dimly lit corridor with a fuming Ana behind him.