I couldn’t help but stare at the detail that was put into her door. I knew Alex was the highest and most important woman in the Second Realm, but still!
I gripped the wound dragon knocker and hit it twice, then stepped back and allowed space between me and the door. A moment later, I witnessed Alexandra’s figure be revealed by the opened door.
“Please, come in Raven. I’m glad you came by.” I bowed casually and entered. “Make yourself at home. There’s some little things in the fridge and some blood in the pitcher on the table. Take what you’d like and have a seat.” I nodded and went straight to a black cushioned chair and sat down. Alex poured herself a glass of the ruby liquid and settled on the couch next to my chair. “You are probably wondering why I asked you to come here, child.”
I nodded. “I am, Alex. I cannot imagine why someone as high as you would allow a criminal like me to be alone with you, let alone just be in the same room.”
“Please, Raven, stop being so formal. There is an important reason as to why you are here. Do you remember your parents very well? The ones you left after your suicide?”
I nodded. “It was only three years ago. They were nothing like me, almost like complete strangers. We hated each other.”
“Have you ever wondered if you’re not really their child?” Alex asked, cryptically hinting at something I’d wondered for a long time.
“Yes, I’ve always thought that they weren’t. We looked nothing alike! Are you trying to tell me that they really weren’t my parents? Do you know who is?”
She looked me over. “Raven, go stand in front of that mirror by the hallway and tell me the basic characteristics of yourself that you see.”
I bobbed my head and strode over the mirror. “Deep blue eyes, dark lips, lightly curved nose, long perfectly black hair,” I paused and looked at the rest of my body, “B-sized breasts, nice hourglass figure, long fingernails, average leg-to-torso proportion… you want me to keep going?”
“No, you’re fine. Now, look at me and tell me what characteristics you see.”
“Umm… Dark green eyes, dark lips, slightly curved nose, pure black hair, moderate breasts, a perfect hourglass shape, average…” I gasped, the pieces fitting together perfectly, “by Nyx…. You mean?”
“Yes, Raven. I am your mother. You are my only child, but you are not the High Sire’s daughter. Your father died before you were born; he had eyes like a raging sea. His name was Joseph Hetei Sera.”
“You mean to tell me that my father was the heir of the now-dead Sera house of nobles?” Alex nodded. “So that means…. I’m a noble? And the last heir of the Sera house? I knew I had the last name of Sera and everything but I was raised a human!”
“High Sire Kain Sera was the first vampire. You, and I, are his last descendants. Your father carried the name Sera only by our marriage. Then, when he was assassinated by James Narvel, we erased my lineage from all the books and made Joseph seem like the one who carried the Sera blood and therefore get the Narvels off our trail. Just in case, you were born in the Third Realm, and therefore your vampiric essence was made dormant. Then Jake found you, but when you did not return with him, I feared for your life. Luckily, word of your rogue siring reached me, and I knew I needed to protect you. I sent Arrakis to you, but I did not expect the two of you to fall in love,” she chuckled, “I will admit, though, that I fully approve. He’s a good man; he’ll treat you well. But all these things have finally brought you home.” She suddenly looked at the wall with a blanket of sorrow and fear over her. “Though I fear that we are both in grave danger. I believe that Pancar, James’s son, has discovered my cover-up.”
