George smiled when Isabella entered the family room. Her hair was pulled back into a long ponytail. She wore black shorts and a black halter top which just covered the essentials.

Tony was perturbed at her outfit, but he'd said nothing.

George and Ray tried to control the drool they felt rising in their throats.

Tony watched her sit next to the ogling boys and left the room.

He entered the kitchen, where Jake and Raven were arguing over a jigsaw puzzle sprawled across the kitchen table. Tony raised an eyebrow at them.

"We're trying to do brother-sister things together that we missed out on," Raven explained, "It turns out that we missed out on sibling rivalry." She elbowed Jake in the side as she put a piece into the forming picture.

"I didn't miss it and don't want it," Jake told her, pushing her back.

Tony shook his head perplexed at their behavior.

"So, how's Isabella? Is she over her jet lag?" Jake asked him, looking up.

"For now," Tony answered, grabbing the business section of the newspaper off the table, and sat down hoping to read it.

"Where is she?"

"In the family room, probably drowning in a pool of George and Ray's drool right about now," Tony answered, opening his paper.

"She is really pretty," Raven said with a smile.

"Did you see what she's wearing?!" Tony demanded, snapping his paper in the direction of the family room.

Jake leaned his chair back and peered into the family room. He leaned his chair back further as he continued to check out the nice view and then his chair fell over backwards, landing him flat on the floor.

"See what I mean?" Tony grumbled, gesturing to Jake.

"Better not let Emily catch you doing that," Raven laughed as Jake got off the floor quickly and set the chair back into place. "Hey! I have an outfit like that, why don't you guys act like that over me?" Raven complained.

"You're my sister," Jake said grimacing.

"And I only get that excited over blood. Wanna give me some?" Tony asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Are you dying?" she asked sarcastically.

"Do I have to be dying for you to give me blood?"

"As I recall, that's why I gave you some in the first place," Raven said nonchalantly, putting another puzzle piece in.

"That was two years ago. A man has needs."

"Vampire," Jake corrected.

"I'm both," Tony reminded him.

"We'll talk when you're dying," Raven answered, putting another piece in the puzzle.

"I couldn't talk when I was dying, that's why you gave me some. And as I recall, I can't recall the experience."

"That's a good thing. You wouldn't want to remember it," Raven informed him, while looking to find a place to fit another piece she picked up.

"Was it so unpleasant having to give me blood?" Tony asked her offended.

Raven shrugged. "No, not so bad."

"Not so bad?! Maybe I didn't do it right the first time then," he said with a mischievous smile and inched in towards her.

"Don't you dare!" Raven laughed and avoided the hunting walk he was doing around her.

"You hurt my sister and I will have to seriously hurt you!" Jake growled, placing an arm out in front of Tony before he caught up with Raven.

"I believe it," Tony pushed Jake's arm away and stormed out of the kitchen.

"Why'd you have to go and say a thing like that for?!" Raven scowled at Jake. "He's just kidding around!"

"Are you sure?"

"What's with you?! You find out you're my brother a few days ago and now you think you know everything?!" Raven demanded.

"The fact is, he is a vampire, Raven. And the fact is, that he scared you to death a couple of months ago. Was he kidding around then? Or were those tears of joy that I saw afterwards," Jake demanded.

"Jake, he's our friend. He has shown over and over again his loyalty to us."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot, he saved us when we were babies from the demon's fire that killed our parents. Oh, yeah, then sixteen years later he saved Emily and Brian from the exactly the same thing. You still think that's a coincidence?!"

"I don't know. But I do know that Tony's our friend and would never intentionally hurt us."

"I hope you're right," Jake said, putting another piece into the puzzle.

*******************************

Tony drank down another large glass of blood. He should have never had played that game with Raven. He had felt his fangs pulling down in his mouth, wanting more than anything to break through Raven's sweet smooth skin.

He would never allow himself to do so without her permission, but the temptation was so difficult to bear. Tony drank down more blood in memory of it, trying to concentrate on other things.

What to do about Isabella? Was she his blood? He couldn't be certain. Especially now that she revealed she was a vampire. Just how old was she? He wondered.

If she was older than what he calculated then she could not be a relative of his. But she wanted to keep it secret for now. That worried him. Why would she want to keep it secret if her timeline was legitimate? But on the other hand, what would be her motive to not be legitimate?

Oh, he was wealthy alright. But there were plenty of other people wealthier than he. And it wasn't as if he went around flaunting his money. Not many people knew the real owner of the two vineyards in Italy and certainly no one knew of his wealth in the United States. Unless they found the other identities he had used over the years to purchase properties and investments.

As technology developed, it got harder and harder for him to keep up with fake ids that looked real. But he managed to arrange the paperwork, or had someone who was able to assist him to do so, in order to be legally the age he looked.

Tony had to keep adjusting his identification paperwork every few years as he never looked more than twenty five. He had been his own son, grandson, even great grandson and so-on to carry on the charade. He'd even changed up his age every so often so he could go to school.

Tony loved to learn so he'd gone to high school and college many times in many locations. That's how he had met Raven and Emily, when he'd pretended to be eighteen yet held back class wise a couple years, so he could do a few years of high school.

Although, he would not take back the experience of meeting them, he would never do high school over again. He couldn't deal with all the drama again.

College was different. Here, people of all ages studied. And that's what he loved to do. He loved to soak up knowledge. He always wanted to better himself and knowledge is power, as the saying goes.

Tony was currently taking business classes at the University in order to be sure he was running the vineyards the best that he could.

His methods, he knew, were working successfully over the past several hundred years and he had upgraded things as new technologies and advancements in agriculture had developed. But the business side of things, he thought, probably could use some improvements as well.

His mind raced in thought and he didn't hear Raven come in until she spoke.

"Are you alright?" Raven asked, studying his face.

Tony looked up. "Uh, yeah, I'm fine, Rave. Come on in," Tony answered, setting his cup in the sink in the stone counter next to the refrigerator.

"I don't think I've ever been back here before," Raven said, studying the room.

She felt as if she'd been transported back in time. The wine cellar looked like one in an old Italian movie. There were hundreds if not thousands of bottles of wine hung up on their sides in wooden shelves.

"Welcome to my wine cellar," Tony said with pride.

She looked down the rows of wine. "I didn't realize it was so big down here."

"Yeah. This runs underneath the library, pass the pool, and even further out. There's a passage down to the beach too." He gestured towards the back of the room.

"Wow," Raven said impressed, looking around. "Jake, shouldn't have said that to you," Raven said, turning to walk back towards him.

"Don't feel sorry for me, Rave. I know what I am," Tony said softly, washing his cup out in the sink. He watched the blood run down the drain.

"I don't feel sorry for you, Tony. I feel sorry for what he said to you," Raven said, tugging on his arm to turn him around.

"He doesn't trust me," Tony answered, turning to her. "and certainly not with you."

"Give him time. Have a little patience with him," Raven put her arms around his waist.

Tony wrapped his hands around her small waist, his eyes flashing with mischief. "I have an amazing skill at patience."

Raven laughed.

"I'm serious!" He complained.

"When have you ever been patient?"

"I've been patient the past three years," Tony said, stroking back her long black hair from the sides of her face.

"For what?" Raven demanded. Tony kissed her on the mouth gently. "Oh," Raven answered as he pulled away. "Um," She cleared her throat.

He smiled. "I lost my patience," he told her moving in for another kiss.

"Tony." She pulled away from him.

"I know, I know, just friends," he said, folding his arms across his chest.

She smiled. "You know I care about you."

"But not as more than friends."

"Maybe a bit more. I can't deny I'm attracted to you, Tony. But... something's not there between us. Not yet anyway."

"Love?"

"I love you, Tony. But not like that. Not how it should be."

"How do you know what it should be?"

Raven touched his cheek. "How you felt about Eliana."

Tony closed his eyes. He held his breath and then breathed it out deep. "I know what you mean. I do have feelings for you, Rave. I love you. Maybe not like that but..."

"Maybe in time it could be. But I don't think it should be now. You're not ready for anything between us and I'm not sure I am either," Raven said, putting her hand lightly on his chest.

"I have nothing but time," Tony answered, hugging her.

"Now, what was that about you wanting some blood?" Raven pulled her hair back to expose her bare neck.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she answered, tilting her head to the side so he could drink.