Bhal continued, “The problem is all of her senses and needs are stronger than any vampire’s before her. In her first year or so as an ascended vampire she struggled with her craving for blood, her needs to hunt and kill.”

Amelia started to get a bad feeling. “What happened, Bhal?”

Bhal sighed and looked off into the distance. “She struggled with her cravings, she shook, felt ill, a bit like a drug addict desperately needing their next fix.”

Amelia closed her eyes. Just like in Monte Carlo. Was she struggling that much then? Byron had run from her, and returned full of fire and passion.

“What’s wrong, Amelia?”

“She behaved like that in Monte Carlo.”

“That’s because vampire emotions are more intense than humans’, and when they are in love, even more so. They crave the blood of their lover.”

“My blood?” Amelia squeaked.

Bhal nodded. “That’s why—”

“Byron ran from me, and came back with fire in her veins,” she finished for her.

“The Principe tried to protect you, even though it made you suspicious, and caused her problems. Your safety was everything to her.”

Amelia’s mind was whirling with questions and answers and she couldn’t quite fit them together yet. “What happened, in the past?”

“She was a young, green, powerful vampire caught in the lust for blood, and with no experience of how to control it. I tracked her down and found her in a cottage, covered in blood, crying and shaking in the corner of the room, with two bodies around her.”

“Oh my God.” She was shocked. The thought of Byron hurting anyone just didn’t compute.

“She was distraught and had broken the Debrek clan’s cardinal rules.”

Amelia could see how that would tear Byron apart. Rather than anger, all she felt was compassion and empathy for the pain Byron lived with. “She’s lived with this guilt?”

“Aye, luckily I managed to save the people before they passed on, and got Byron out of there.”

“You saved them? Really?” Amelia was astonished. “What, can you bring the dead back to life?”

Bhal shook her head. “No, no one can do that. They weren’t dead, and I helped them recover.”

There was obviously more to Bhal and whatever powers she had than met the eye. Then a thought struck Amelia. “Wait, that’s why she’s so controlled, isn’t it? Byron is frightened of losing iron control over her needs and hunger.”

“You’ve got it in one. Byron thinks there is this monster inside her that she has to control at all costs. She fears being just like Victorija.”

“Victorija would have never shed a tear over those people, would she,” Amelia noted.

“Not at all. I’ve tried to teach Byron that there is no monster, but she won’t listen.”

“What happened after?”