My dearest Maria
I write to you now so that you can carry on my legacy. There are, I’m sure, there are many things that you are wondering about yourself right now, and I will answer them the best that I can. As you are reading this, this must mean that I have either gone or am dead. I hope not the latter. Yes Maria all you mother has told you is true. But I want you to know that I love you, with all my heart, and nothing less then death or the duty to keep you safe would keep me away from you. But for you to truly understand I think you must know how I became what I am. It was the year 1428, then I was a black smith known as Colin Brannery, it was late and out of the night he emerged. His name was Loomyair Dracul.I had seen him only a few times around the town but I had heard the whispers from the town folk as he walked by cloaked in darkness, “upir lichy” they would say when they thought he couldn’t hear, but he could, he heard their whispers and he walked on. But as I said I was on my way home, after a long strenuous day of work and there he appeared as if from nowhere. His skin was white and looked shrunken and I could see the network of his veins under the eerie light of the moon. And then he took my blood and in return I drank his. My death was painful and I writhed in agony but then my body was overwhelmed with what could only be described as a calm serenity and I felt the pure power pumping through my veins. And through my centuries of life I learned more and more about myself. At first I reveled in my new- found power and I killed with out thought, as all of my kind did. Call it a type of precautionary, for how could you live like a monster if you couldn’t think like one? I lived like this for as long as I can remember, centuries filled with death. And then I met her, your mother. From the first moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the one, the one I would pledge my endless life too. She was special in a way I couldn't explain, and later I found out she was a witch. Kindred, a person with a secret, one that she knew not all could understand. After we were married we had you, my lovely sunshine. I have in the next pages all the powers that you will receive from my side of the gene pool. Your mother I am sure…no your Aunt Helen I’m sure will tell you about your Wiccan ways. That woman has always been extremely nosey and I’m sure she’ll tell you everything before your mother even has the chance. I’m sure that all this information will be quite overwhelming but I know you can handle it, and I hope that someday you’ll have someone special that you can share you secret with.

Maria flipped through the pages, a few were journal type entries from her father, and then pages describing her powers, Maria closed the book. She would read through it later, practice her powers, maybe even call to Max to make sure that nothing went wrong…. which she was sure with her luck something would. Slowly she took the first thin velvet box and opened it. Inside there was a necklace with a large necklace with a diamond shaped citrine crystal, it matched the ring. The second box was larger. Opening she let out a large gasp. Inside was a diamond tiara, and inside the next box a matching necklace.

“He liked to call them the family treasures, but really they were things that he picked up on his…. uh…travels. They’re real I can tell you that…diamonds and platinum, your father always was on for the finer things in life. But I think a princess gave them to him to umm…well bring her to the dark side. I can’t imagine why. The other necklace though I know he got those especially for you. They’re citrine crystals for physical activity. To strengthen you in battle, but you WON’T have to fight anyone EVER if I can help it.” Maria turned around to see her mother leaning against the doorway. She seemed to be waiting for some sign, Maria gave her a small smile and she entered and crouched next to Maria. “This,“ her mother picked up the soft velvet cape with a silk lining, “this, was your father’s favorite. I don’t know why, I always thought he looked ridiculous in it, but what can I say? He wouldn’t get rid of it.” Her mother shrugged her shoulders. And next she picked up a chestnut box, and opened it. “These are pictures of your father, from all around, and this here is the first picture we took of you right after you were born, and the first picture we all took together.” Carefully she put the box down, and then picked up an old looking book, it’s cover old and wrinkled. “This was your father’s favorite book, I remember he used to read it to you before you went to sleep…had you out like a light.” She chuckled and ran her fingers of the red shiny letters – Ruby Twilight…

“Mom?”

“Hmm?” Amy turned to look at her daughter.

“Why did he really leave?”

“Well, one day you were playing in really tall tree, I thought it was dangerous, but your father said you’d be fine, so when you fell, I was too surprised to do anything, and your father used his powers to catch you. But we didn’t know that someone had been watching, a person who was part of the FBI unit. They had been doing an investigation on your father and when they saw what happened, all hell broke lose. So he left, he left to keep us safe, he couldn’t draw any attention to you, he wouldn’t let them make the connection, so we started fighting…just for show obviously, and we told everyone that he left because you weren’t his. It was hard, but it was the only way. They knew what he was, and they couldn’t know what you were, we wanted you to have a normal life. He loved you too much to hurt you…”

“HAH! F-U-N-N-Y! Because I’ve been hearing that a lot lately!” Maria quickly got up quickly and sat down on her bed, and ran her hands through her hair. “Mom…I just really need some time to think right now…could you just…. give me some space?”

“Sure honey.” Amy nodded her head, and silently walked out of Maria’s room, the door closing behind her with a soft click. Maria sat quietly for a few minutes and then suddenly got up and walked to her closet and slid the door open. She grabbed a pair of pants and a matching jean jacket and threw it on her bed, finally she grabbed her favorite red tank top and a pair of shoes. She quickly undressed and changed and hastily applied some lip-gloss and grabbed her keys from desk and slipped out her window. As she revved up her bike, she was sure that her mother knew she was sneaking out, but she would be gone before her mother could stop her.

As she cruised the streets, she had no idea where she was going…usually she would have gone to Alex, he could always cheer her up, or Liz to examine and dissect everything, and tell her how things would get better, but nope…she was on her own now. Unless…No…. she couldn’t…. could she? And then before she knew it she was driving down his street, and slowed to a stop in front of his house. Soundlessly she walked around the house to his window and tapped on it lightly. She heard a small scuffling and then the window slid open.

“Mich…Ma…Maria?” Max rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing correctly. “Uhh…what are you doing here?”

“Well I was just…you know what? Never mind…this was a big mistake.” And then she was gone and around the corner before he could say anything. Max slipped on a pair of pants, and a black shirt and grabbed his brown leather jacket, all as quickly as possible and hopped out his window, hopping to catch up with her. He reached her just in time to see her getting on her bike.

“Maria!” He shouted in a whisper. She whipped around, and arched an eyebrow on seeing him.

“If you came all this way freaking way in the freezing cold middle of the night, it couldn’t be that stupid. Is something wrong?”

“More like everything…” Maria muttered under her breath, too quiet for anyone human to hear…but then again Max wasn’t human.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement.

“Nothing…. I’m peachy keen…”

“Jelly bean…yeah, yeah, I get the picture, now when are you going to tell me what’s really going on?”

“What are you talking about? I’m great! I’m spit on your neck, kick you in the shins fantastic!” Maria began raising her voice, but then quieted as Max gave her a weird look. “I just needed some space, everything was caving in on me, and then I was getting the claustraphobicy affect, and I hate that, it just sucks, almost as much as your mother not telling you that you’re a weird freaking hybrid, you dad leaving you because he loved you too much, having your heart trampled numerous times, and then your FINALLY boyfriend, leaving you because he loved you too much!!!” Maria ranted, as once again she raised her voice.

“Maria…. take deep breaths…babbling is not going to make you feel better. Why don’t we just…I don’t know, what do you want to do?”

“Wake up and find out this is some really weird drug induced dream?”

“Alright…what ELSE do you want to do?

“Ice cream. Ice cream always cheers me up.”

“Ice cream? It’s kind of late for…”

“It’s only 9:00. I can’t believe you go to sleep that early…. AND it’s not the middle of the night like you so eloquently stated before. Anyways, I’m sure we can find SOMEONE who’s open…”

“HEY! I resent that I was tired. Let’s go in the jeep though, I don’t trust your driving.”

“What have you been talking to Michael or something?” Max just grinned and then walked over to his jeep and opened the door for Maria and she hopped in. Then he got in and out the keys in the ignition. He backed out of the driveway and they drove down the street.

“Well it’s nice to know chivalry isn’t totally dead.” Maria stated with a bit of annoyance in her voice. Then she softened, “but thanks for the sentiment.”

“Nothing to thank me for. So I think that the Corvette Diner might be open. They have ice cream there, and if you’re lucky they might just throw some Bazooka Bubble gum at you!” Max said trying to keep a straight face.

“Whoop dee doo! I’m so excited!” Maria retorted, her voice thick with sarcasm.

“What’s it with girls and ice cream anyways?”

“What do you mean?”

“You guys are always eating it!”

“Please! Most girls wouldn’t go near ice cream without thinking about the pounds they’d gain. I“ Maria put emphasis on the I ”on the other hand could care less. Gaining weight is the least on my problems. It’s my favorite thing to eat…you know kind of like sweet and spicy…but not…but I mean that, you guys can’t live without it, you know?”

“Not really but that’s alright. So…umm it must be tough learning about your dad, huh?”

“Yeah…but I mean I was really angry you know? But with everything it’s like I’ve kind of become like numb to everything. I still have to tell myself that this is happening. But when someone else mentions it, I don’t know I just go off. It’s weird, it’s almost like I don’t have control over myself sometimes…. But lets forget this, I need ice cream.” Maria said just as they pulled up in front of the diner.

* * * * * *

Amy DeLuca sighed as she heard her daughter drive away. She knew she should stop her, but there really wasn’t anything she could do to help her. But to tell you the truth she was a LITTLE relieved that she was leaving. It was starting in a few hours, and though it was a slim chance, it might just happen. Her great grandmother had once told her about it. And though it rarely happened, you never know. Normally they would just be “around,” …but sometimes…just sometimes they would break through the barrier…it was rare because conditions were never right, it figured though…. She knew she had to be extra careful and watch for any more signs. It had been a complete fluke when she had seen the impression in the first place and of course it had quickly vanished so she could be sure. But she was sure she wouldn’t let it happen. She only knew of a few accounts where it happened…but she knew all those who had been taken were special…NO! She wouldn’t let it happen. Not to her Maria. Reaching over Amy switched off the light and lay back in her bed. The only thing she could do now was wait to see if it happened.

* * * * * *