Alaric shook his head while reading what she handed him. He understood why she was feeling the way she was, but this was something he was unaware about, and the only other person who he thought would have known, would be his father. "I'm sorry Layla, I didn't know this, this is all news to me."

He set the paperwork down, and took a deep breath. He didn't know what else to say, and felt bad after seeing the look on her face. She had a look on her face like someone who just lost their best friend. "I wonder what else they hid from me?" she asked, choked up while wiping tears away from her eyes "This just shows that I don't even know who I am... or shall I say what I am."

Alaric pulled a chair over to him, and sat down "Layla, I'm sure they kept it a secret for a reason, and loved you as if you were their own... in fact, I know they loved you. I saw it with my own eyes... and to tell you the truth, I was around more than you realize."

She looked at him not surprised, she had a feeling he was always near, and could feel him everywhere she was. With him telling her this, only confirmed all her suspicions, and knew she wasn't going crazy. "I thought so." she said quietly, she looked at the papers and pointed "Finding this, only gives me more questions about who I am..." She picked up the paperwork, looked it over again and looked at Alaric as she set the papers back down "You know, the other day I found some old albums hidden in my parents' closet, and glanced through them. I have no idea whose they are, or who they are. According to these papers, I wasn't born where I thought I was... it was here. So, now I'm curious, I wonder if I'm related to them in some way."

"Is this your way of asking me to look at them, and to see if I know who any of them are?"

A small smile formed on her face, she was now more determined than ever to know who she was, and had a strong feeling he would be able to help her. She stood up, walked around the desk and sat down on his lap, straddling him "Could you? I'm not even sure if they're related to me, but being they're old pictures, and since you've been around a long time, I was thinking maybe you might know who they are?"

"Where are they?"

"On the table in the dining room." She got off his lap and helped him up. As she was walking out of the room, Alaric twirled her around, and cupped the sides of her face. "I want you to know I'll do whatever I can to help you, you mean a lot to me, and I hate seeing you feeling the way you do right now."

"I know, I just would like to know more about who I really am, and why these fucking treachers are after me."

"If I could tell you, I would... but unfortunately, I can't. He pulled her in for a kiss, and smiled as he pulled away "I do like you..." he winked.

"You mean, you love me." she smiled.

Not knowing what to say, he smiled and kissed her forehead "Let's go look at those albums."

Alaric sat at the table, and pulled an album to him, as he opened the first one, she stood behind him looking at the each of the pictures, watching to see if he knew anyone. "They're definitely old pictures." he said as he flipped through.

"Do you recognize any of them?"

He shook his head "No, I don't remember seeing any of these people."

"Maybe they're nothing, I was just hoping since apparently I'm adopted, that maybe these albums belong to me." She was beginning to lose hope, and started feeling down.

He grabbed another album and began looking through it, then stopped half way through. He placed his finger over a picture and began tapping his finger "I do recognize her, I believe her name was Phoebe Kemp." he looked up at her and sighed "She was a popular witch around here, she was able to see the future, the past, and was everyone's go to person when they wanted their loved ones to come back to life... until she was captured, hung, and burned."

"By who?" she asked with widened eyes. "Sounds like everyone liked her."

"They did, except for the treachers... when they first moved into Crowburg, they thought they could rule and control this town. For years they battled with the witches, and vampires... the vampires finally won, and thought they had captured them all, but it wasn't until later that we found out some of the treachers took off, and went into hiding... that was, until you moved into town, now they're back, and they're back in packs."

"I still don't understand why they're after me, and now I'm wondering why my parents moved here?"

"You'll figure it out, I know it." He continued looking through the albums, pointing out each one he recognized while explaining who they were. "If you really want to know them all, you'll have to ask my parents. Some of these people could be before my time."

She grabbed the album with Phoebe's picture in it, turned to the page and took out the picture. She was intrigued by her, and felt they were somehow related "Do you think I could be related to her?"

"It's very well possible, you have the same capabilities as she had."

"She was beautiful." she said with a smile, as she stared at the picture. She looked over at Alaric and tilted her head "So, am I a witch?"

"You?" he asked slowly shrugging his shoulders "I don't know for sure, but according to Adrian, you're a mixed breed." he chuckled.

She found a little humor in his comment, and giggled "I guess I could be considered that, especially since you turned me into a vampire."

He knew she was more than just a witch, and now vampire, and knew if the treachers ever found out she was now a vampire, it wouldn't be good. He pushed the albums away and pulled her in front of him. He picked her up, set her on the table and stood up "There's something that I have been wanting to do to you, and the more I think about it, the more curious I am to know what it feels like." he said softly as he spread her legs, and stood between them to kiss her.

"Are you finally going to tell me that you love me?"

"No... I have something else in mind." he whispered as he devoured her lips.

She was liking where he was going with what he was doing, and kissed him back harder. She began to read his mind while kissing him, and smiled as she pulled away. "I know you want to tell me that you love me, and that you want to know what it's like to make love to me... to be honest with you, I like how rough you are. It brings me thrill, excitement, and has me wanting more."

He tilted his head to the side and grinned while speaking lowly "I'm willing to experiment something new, and would like to take you into a new world of paradise... I couldn't think of anyone better to experiment the electrification with."

She grinned and pulled him tightly against her "I suppose I could use a break from this craziness, it's giving me a headache anyway."

He lifted her up, carried her to her room, and set her down on the bed. As he undressed, he kept telling himself to not get carried away and to be as gentle as he could with her.

Knowing what he was thinking she giggled and pulled him down on top of her "Maybe you should quit thinking about things while around me, I always know what's on your mind."

He smiled, and placed soft kisses on her face while speaking quietly to her "Maybe you should quit trying to listen in on what I'm thinking."

"Now that I know I can do that, it's hard not to." she laughed softly.

He covered her mouth with his, and thrusted his tongue into her mouth, sending her insides into a frenzy by the way he was kissing her. The kiss was different, it felt more meaningful and, passionate.

His one hand traveled up the side of her body and over to her breast, massaging it and pulling away from her lips to wrap his mouth around her hardened nipple. Flicking and sucking on her nipple, making it harder, then moving to the other breast to repeat what he had done to the other.

She couldn't believe how gentle he was, and was enjoying every bit of it, the way he was doing it was different, he was showing how into her he truly was, and showing how he loved her in his own way, without even saying it.

He pulled away from her breast, looked down to her pussy, then up to her lips. He had to calm himself down as he felt he was about to get carried away, and crashed his lips against hers.

His hand moved down her body and covered her pussy, he could feel the warmth on the palm of his hand and groaned. Sliding a finger between her lower lips, he groaned again after his finger slid into her warm wetness.

He pulled away from her lips and looked her in the eyes, staring at her with a smile. "I..." he started saying, then stopped. He lowered his body, and looked up at her as he slid his tongue up and down her sweet spot, causing her to buck her hips up high and moan.

"Alaric!" she moaned.

She grabbed a hold of his hair, and pulled as he continued taking her to paradise then released her hands from his hair, and grabbed a hold of the sheets.

She wrapped her legs around him, squeezed and lifted her hips when the orgasm he was giving her was becoming intense. So intense she screamed and began ripping the sheets from pulling so hard.

He grinned, and moved up to her neck, biting into her neck as he thrusted his cock into her. His thrusts were slow, and deep, and loved how she responded to him whenever he hit her g-spot.

He released his bite, leaving her feeling highly intoxicated, relaxed, and with a smile. She wanted a taste of him, and tightly wrapped her hands on his shoulders, lifted her head and bit into his neck. Moaning at the taste of his blood as it hit her tongue.

She pulled away from his neck, and pressed her lips against his, kissing him as if she were never going to see him again. He was nearing his release and wanted to make sure she was satisfied he leaned into her ear and spoke in a way that had goosebumps forming all over her body, and her stomach dancing like crazy.

"I could make love to you like this, any day, every day, and even all day."

"I wouldn't complain." she whispered, while panting.

She was feeling another orgasm coming, and placed her hands on his butt cheeks, squeezing them as he thrusted into her, then screamed in excitement as she released, a groan escaped his mouth when he felt her warm insides become warmer and more wet around him.

He couldn't hold it in any longer, and grunted a few grunts before he thrusted himself deeply into her and stopping to release his fluids into her. He cupped her cheeks and pressed his lips hard onto hers, kissing her desperately and demanding, fighting with himself on what his true feelings were.

He rolled over to his back, and stared at the ceiling. He knew she was waiting to hear how he really felt for her, but he didn't want to say it just to say it, or say it and not actually mean it. To him love was a strong word, and always felt people said that word just to say it without even meaning it. He thought some said it, just to say it thinking that's what someone else wanted to hear.

Not him, he knew if he said it, he was going to mean it. Love is powerful, and he wanted it to be at the right time, and place before he said it. Not to mention, he's never felt in love before and wanted to be sure that it was love he felt for her.

"I love you so much, please let that sink in... I'm not saying it just to say it, and I'm not saying it thinking that's what you want to hear. I'm saying it because that's how I feel, and I have felt that way for years, even though you showed up only in my dreams, but I knew better. I knew you were following and watching me the entire time..."

He rolled to his side and leaned forward to kiss her "Give me time, I know you love me, and I do care a lot about you, I just can't say it... not right now."

"That's fine." she says, nonchalantly while shrugging her shoulders. "I still know the truth."

Alaric stayed at Layla's for a few days, helping her search for more answers. She knew there was more, she could feel it, she just didn't know what it was.

"I have to leave soon, are you going to be alright?"

"Where are you going?" she asked sadly.

"My parents... if you'd like, I can bring the albums with me, and ask if they know anyone."

"If you're doing that, then I would like to be with, and to ask them myself. I'd also like to talk to your dad about me, and to see if he can give me more information about myself."

"I can't guarantee you that he will tell you anything that you want to hear, otherwise he would have done so the night of the masquerade ball."

"I'm going to beg him that he tell me."

He laughed "A fore warning... he doesn't take to well to beggars."

"I'll just bat my eyes at him, maybe even seduce him."

Alaric coughed in surprise, choking on his own saliva, and looked at her in shock, he couldn't believe what she just sad, and ran his hand through his hair "What?"

"Ha! Got you!!" she giggled. "I just wanted to see your reaction, and I got it."

He pulled her to him, brushed her hair away from her face, and smiled. He closed his eyes, and was about to tell her how he felt about her, until he heard a knock at the front door.

He sighed, but felt relieved that they were interrupted. He walked over to the door, opened it, and shook his head in disgust "Trevor, what are you doing here? Can't you just leave her the fuck alone?"

He looked from side to side as he tried looking over his shoulder to see Layla "Where is she?"

"She's busy at the moment, you can deal with me." Alaric grinned. His grin faded when he saw the look in Trevor's eyes and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, lifted him up, and pressed him up against the wall. They began exchanging words with each other, and stopped when Layla walked over to them, standing there watching the two argue.

She crossed her arms, and looked at them with furrowed eyebrows "You two know each other, don't you?"

Hope the chapter was alright, I have a busy few days ahead of me, and have been trying to write the last couple chapters fast, just to get you all a chapter out on time (your daily fix 😁😁)🤞🤞🤞🤞❤❤❤