Victoria felt soothed by Vail’s hand holding. With him by her side, she felt stronger and she could take on any illness and anything. The way he traced his thumb over the back of her hand made her feel loved and cared for. She felt a warm tingly sensation in her chest. She smiled hearing that his own perception of humans had changed from prey to potential mates. You’d never hear of a wolf taking a sheep as a mate in the natural world. But humans and vampires were a similar species. She was sure there had been cases of attraction between both sides many times in the past.

She regarded his eyes as they studied her face. “You are more open minded than your father and that will make you a good clan leader one day. “ She smiled and brought a weak free hand up to caress his cheek softly. The sounds of Peter’s footsteps outside caught her attention and she looked toward the door. She could tell he wasn’t happy before he even opened his mouth to scowl at his son. She sighed softly but then Vail jumped to his own defence.  

Vail had indeed made up his mind. He refused to let his father push him around anymore. She felt worth more than a million diamonds as the vampire heir thought she was fighting for. Even against his own father. She couldn’t imagine going against her own father’s orders since she was so loyal and devoted to him when he was alive. She had hoped for a father in law she could feel that way about. But Peter obviously wasn’t approving of her. At the mere mention he could send her away, she flinched slightly. Would he really be so cruel to do that to her in this fragile state?

As Vail defended her and used logic against Peter, she sighed with relief. She could see Peter had been stumped by his own son by threatening The Order’s motives against him. Or reminding him of their mission in pursuing Victoria for her blood to offer the Wynter clan to satiate them. Then Peter countered him with his own question, something Victoria had already thought about and warned Vail about herself. If they continued down this path, it would not end happily ever after like in the fairy tales. She saw the hesitance behind Vail’s eyes and his body language. 

Victoria had never even thought it possible she could be turned into a vampire, otherwise she would have suggested it as a fall-back plan. She thought vampires were born that way, not turned. She’d never heard of a human being changed before, their prey was always bled dry. The way Peter addressed her, made her heart beat faster with fear. She was scared of what he was saying, that she could be the death of him. The fact he thought of her as some harlet was tolerable but to think of her as taking advantage of Vail by using her blood as bait to keep him hooked on her? That was the last draw she would take from the Lord.

“Listen here Lord Hygrace. I know you don’t like me. I don’t much care for you either right now. Please understand that I care very [i]deeply[/i] about your son…I struck a bargain with him at first, that much is true. But it was for mutual benefit in helping me rid us all of the likes of Spencer. I broke our business deal off so that he wouldn’t get hurt in this mess my family are in with the Wynters. Through no fault of our own – I might add. I cannot help that I was born with this condition that drives your species mad like cats for catnip. But I [i]tried[/i] to warn Vail away. And yet he [i]still[/i] stuck by me…not for my blood either…” She looked slowly up at Vail and smiled warmly. “But because he said he wanted to be with me.” She turned her gaze back to Peter after squeezing Vail’s hand. “I know I am only human, and I am not as strong as you all. But as long as there is breath in me, I won’t let anyone or anything hurt Vail. Even if…the best thing for him….is to stay away….I’d do it…but I can’t bear to hurt him emotionally either.” She confessed. She daren’t say she loved Vail to his father of all people, she wanted to tell him first, alone. “But I cannot control him anymore than you can. Even with my blood. He’s stubborn.” She gave Vail a small cheeky grin as she jested.