Victoria could see she was chipping away at Peter’s cool exterior. Now she knew where Vail got his initial cold and quite serious personality from. She was reminded that this amazing and powerful vampire had fallen for a human like her. She was still in disbelief. As lucky as she felt to have his affections, she knew it could be short lived if Peter forced the marriage to this Sylvia woman. Not that Victoria wouldn’t fight for Vail, now she had a taste of his love, she wanted nothing and nobody else. But what could she do to a vampire? She didn’t have any formal training from The Saints in how to handle such a creature.   

The moment Vail jumped to her defence against his own father, her heart swelled with affection for him. She was sure Peter would have noticed the rise in her pheromones at the same time. But wasn’t he happy that his son had found someone he cared about and whom cared about him, rather than his status or wealth? She may not have been a vampire or ‘worthy’ of his son but she seemed to make him at peace with himself when he was around her. They had only spent the one night together and it wasn’t a full night but of that time she spent in his arms, she felt at ease with him, safe and warm like no-one had made her feel since her father died. 

She wasn’t looking for a replacement for Alexander Crest but she did sorely want a husband that had similar qualities. Someone full of honour and a sense of duty to her as their wife. Vail was beginning to resemble those qualities now by defending her honour and having a sense of duty in protecting her from the Wynters.  He spoke sense to his father, he was able to reason with him somewhat. Yet as powerful as Vail was, he was still under his thumb. Peter must have had some influence over him despite how rebellious a son he was. But one day, Vail would be the clan leader and would need to command the other members of his family just as Peter did.

As Peter started to think over Vail’s words, Victoria felt a slight twinge of hope. Although he didn’t like what Vail had said, the threat of the Wynters appeared very real to him. She didn’t know what the score was between the two families, but it had seemed they had dealt with each other before. They had already done one over on the Hygraces in the past. At least he said he would think about it, it was a glimmer of a chance for her. However, he still wasn’t happy with Vail as his scorn was still present in his voice. Peter had warned him to stay away from Lady Crest. Vail didn’t seem too content with this instruction as he reluctantly agreed. 

She sighed as Peter left the room. He still wanted her to be ready to leave once she was able. She stared down into her tea cup. The warm liquid had been reduced to a mere drop left in the bottom of the cup. She wasn’t shivering as much now and the warm tea had hydrated her blood to re-energise her for the time being. She felt hungry and tired as usual. Her body craved nutrients. She looked slowly up at Vail to where he sat. “The Wynters…they attacked your family before?” She enquired sympathetically. “You said they might run you into the ground [i]‘this time’[/i]. What did they do last time?” She was curious. If she wanted any chance to succeed in fighting them, she needed to know everything they were capable of and what they had done.