Chapter 7

"You already know how I feel, of course.

I'm here... which, roughly translated,

means I would rather die than stay

away from you."

"I dream about being with you foreve."

"About three things I was absolutely positive.

First, he was a vampire.

Second, there was a part of him -

and I didn't know how potent that part might be -

that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably

in love with him."

"I'll always want you.

Forever."

"You...made...me...faint."

- Bella Swan -

As they are walking into a dark alley, Serafino holds her granddaughter's hands as if, he will loose her. Behind them were Lazarus and Cassius, her friends, Drake and his friends. All are quite, the only noises that can be heard are their footsteps.

"Where are we going, Paps?" Katherine asked curiously. Serafino didn't answered her but gave her a smile. Katherine looked back to her friends, Amber gave a reassuring smile, Dawn gave her a thumbs-up, Thana and Amdis gave her peace signs in their hands making Katherine smile. At the end of the alley, Katherine saw Vladamir. "What's up, Vlad?" Katherine said. "Hello, Princess." Vladamir said making Katherine rolled her eyes. He opened the door and Katherine's eyes went wide. "We have this arena inside the house?" Katherine asked in surprise making her friends giggled but when Serafino cleared his throat, they became serious again. "Woah, this is... why are there so many people in here?" Katherine asked curiously, looking around the whole place. Serafino pulled her at the center of the arena. She saw how everyone bowed their heads as they are approaching the center of the place. She tightened her grip onto her grandfather's hands. "Everything will be over soon, Princess." Serafino said and she nodded. When she looked back, she saw that her friends were left behind. She furrowed her forehead but they gave her a look saying, "You can do it".

Because she was looking at her friends, she wasn't able to see that Serafino stopped walking so she bumped into his back. "Sorry, Paps." She said making him sighed. "Everyone, thank you for coming here with such a short notice." Serafino said with his serious tone. "Wow, Paps, your speaking like my OR head." Katherine said making Serafino looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Sorry." Katherine said with a peace sign on her hand. "I, Serafino Garcia, the Elder of the four clans, Banpiroa, Raeb, Mzukwa, and Fanpaya, present to you, your Princess and our future Queen, my granddaughter, Katherine Garcia!" Serafino said and all of them bowed including her grandfather. "Wait! What!? Paps!?" Katherine asked with a confused face. After bowing, they all clapped.

"Paps!!!" Katherine said and all of them looked at her. Even herself was surprised with her own voice. "Sorry." Katherine said but she was again confused seeing her grandfather smiled at her. "That's the way you should lead your people. Using just your voice should put them in their right places." Serafino said. "Oh, come on, Paps. What is really happening here? Please, enlighten me." Katherine said with pleading eyes. "I will, now, let's go." Serafino said and pulled her going outside. Again, she saw how everyone bowed to her, including her friends.

"In a meeting." Amber answered. "Can you please tell me what's happening here?" Katherine said. "I'm not in the right place to tell you that. Just wait for Paps. He'll definitely call you to be part of that meeting." Amber said. "Just always remember that we're always be at your side and everything will be okay." Amber said and Katherine nodded. Just a few minutes later, Vladamir knocked and told them that Serafino asked for their presence.

"Don't tell me that inside is another arena." Katherine said making Amber giggled and Vladamir smiled. Amber opened the door and again, everyone inside bowed making Katherine rolled her eyes again. Katherine felt relieve seeing that the place is just a room. Vladamir pulled a chair for her beside Serafino. Amber sat beside Dawn. Katherine looked around and she saw some unfamiliar faces sitting around a wide table.

"Katherine..." Serafino said but before he continue, she was cut off by his granddaughter standing up. "Okay, everyone here, including you, Paps, will you please stop bowing and even calling me Princess! My name is Katherine and you can call me Kath just the way my friends called me! Those bowing and Princess things send goosebumps all over me! So please, stop doing those, okay?" All of them were mesmerized by her golden eyes but Katherine didn't notice it and her voice was a little too loud. She's really irritated of those bowing and the name from the morning up to this time. "Sorry." She said then sat again.

"I think she's ready." Serafino said making the rest laughed but Katherine sighed and felt embarrassed because of her sudden outburst. "Kath?" Someone said her name. "I'm Orpheus and this is Silas, we're from the Mzukwa clan." Orpheus said and Katherine nodded. "I'm Raul and this is Rodolfo, we're from the Fanpaya clan." Raul said making Katherine nodded again, repeating their names on her head. "I'm Lazarus and this is Cassius from the Raeb clan." Lazarus said then smiled when he saw Katherine raising her brow towards Cassius because he bowed but he knew that his assistant is only teasing the girl. "And Drake as you knew, he's my son and your..." Lazarus wasn't able to finish his sentence because Drake cleared his throat that to his father is a warning not to continue his words. "And?" Katherine asked. "Your trainor." Drake said. "Really? As I remebered, you can't even hit me yesterday." Katherine said making her friends and his friends smiled. "I was just, you know, avoiding to hurt you real bad." Drake said. "Oh, should I thank you for that?" Katherine said. "Maybe we can continue later and if you fail to bring me down then Vlad will be my trainor together with my friends." Katherine said. "I had hit you once yesterday." Drake said. "Once." Katherine said. "Then, fine. I will show you what I can do." Drake said making Katherine raised her brow. Serafino and Lazarus looked at each with smiles on their faces.

"I will certainly watch the "to be continued" later." Athan said talking to Alaric. "Count me in." Alaric said.

"Enough with the introduction. You can leave now." Serafino said and everyone stood up from their seats. "Katherine, stay here." Serafino said making Katherine furrowed her forehead.

"My sweet princess." Serafino said making Katherine looked at his grandfather with narrowed eyes. Serafino laughed. "I love you and always remember I will be with you." Serafino said embracing his granddaughter. "Is there something your not telling me? The Princess thing? Queen? Raeb, Fanpaya, and what's the other one?" Katherine asked. "Mzukwa." Serafino said. "Yeah, that one, it's hard to pronounce." Katherine said making Serafino laughed. "Your Uncle Orpheus will get angry if he will know that you forgot his clan." Serafino said. "It's our little secret, Paps." Katherine said with a grin on her beautiful face. "So?" Katherine said and Serafino sighed.

"We are not normal. We are beyond normal. We belong to the supernatural beings, Katherine." Serafino said making Katherine laughed. "What are you talking, Paps? You, me, not normal?" Katherine asked still, laughing. "You're a vampire, Katherine." Serafino said making Katherine laughed hard even more. "Oh, my stomach aches. You're really a good joker, Paps." Katherine said but Serafino was still wearing a serious face. Serafino stood up from his seat, he faced her granddaughter. Katherine's eyes and mouth went widely opened. She saw her grandfather's fangs protruding from his gums. His eyes became red in color. "Paps?" Katherine said standing and walking towards him. "Yes?" Serafino answered. "You're a vampire?" Katherine asked and Serafino rolled his eyes. "That's what I'm telling you but you didn't believe me so this is it." Serafino said. "A vampire, huh!" Katherine said then, without a warning, pulled her grandfather's fangs. "Ouch, ouch! What are you doing, Katherine!?" Serafino said pushing his granddaughter away. "I'm just checking if they are real." Katherine said. "Listen to me carefully. I'm a vampire, you're a vampire, everyone is a vampire. On your 21st birthday, that's next week, you will fully transform into a pure vampire that everyone will fear and will respect." Serafino said. "I don't know, Paps. I want to believe you but I'm really confused right now. All my life I am a normal girl but now you're telling me I' a vampire?" Katherine said.

Before Serafino could answer Katherine, the door opened and Drake entered. "So, this man is a vampire too? Amber, Dawn, Thana, and Amdis? Even Vladamir and the rest?" Katherine asked and when Serafino nodded, she laughed again. "This is too much, this is really too..." Katherine wasn't able to finish her words because she fainted again but before she could hit the floor, Drake immediately dashed towards her.

"Thank you, son." Serafino said and Drake smiled. "Why don't you want to tell her that you are mates?" Serafino asked. "She's new to this and adding more stress to her will not help. I waited for long and I'm willing to wait more for her." Drake said looking at Katherine. "Soon mate, very soon." Drake said to himself.