Amelia’s mind was beginning to crack under the pressure of everything that was apparently her destiny. Not only did she have a family heritage she knew nothing about, she was now, to all intents and purposes, immortal. “And the prophecy was that a witch would come along to replace Lucia one day?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Hilda said. “Lucia told me that when she touched the hairbrush Byron brought to her, her ancestors told her you were the one. The one to release her from this earthly bond, and to breathe new blood into the Debreks and their sacred covenant with the witches.”

“So I have magic in my blood, except I’m from a human family. Or so I thought. So they were lying to me?” Amelia said angrily.

An uneasy silence fell over the room, and Byron quickly put her glass down, before saying, “Would you excuse us?”

Once the rest of the group had left, Byron walked over and touched Amelia on the shoulder. “Mia cara—”

Amelia stood up quickly, and began to unbutton her blouse. “You need to feed. I can feel it.”

Byron took hold of her hands. “Amelia, stop. You’re upset. I can see that.”

“I’m upset?” Amelia said angrily, making air quotes. “I’m apparently not completely human, so my family history is a lie, and I’m now an immortal who gives life to each new generation of Debrek vampires…Forgive me if I’m a little upset.”

Byron tried to pull Amelia into her arms but she struggled out and stormed over to the window. Amelia’s confusion and uncertainty were ramping up her anger and there was only one person to take it out on.

“You know, a month ago, I was heartbroken, but I was a normal woman, a tailor with a career, something I made for myself.” She turned around and looked at Byron with fury. “Then I find out I’m bonded by blood and Mrs. Debrek, without so much as a proposal, and now a bloody uber mother to the Debrek clan of vampires without asking. The life I built for myself is over, and now I don’t even know if my family is really what they’ve told me. I’ve been lied to and press-ganged into being some sort of a chosen one by a bloody witch…vampire…whatever prophecy.”

As soon as she finished talking and saw the look of hurt on Byron’s face, she regretted her rant. Byron’s walls slammed down before her eyes.