Lanie


    Brightsky really was a technical marvel


    As | made my way toward my grandfather’s quarterecht dimmed behind me and brightened to light my ath, directing me at every


    turn. | was a little sturording so clearly tracked. How did the lights know here | was supposed to be going, anyway?


    m


    that elevator that definitely had me a little


    It was better than getting lost, and better still than riisin rvous. | climbed a set of winding stairs, the railing carved own at tooked


    like one immense tree. Like the evator doors, figures and scenes looked like they told a stop wand took a few minutes to see if i


    could icionerit.


    “It''s the history of our kind.” Mchi said this from the top of the airs, just around the curve. | could only e his shoes. “I''ll be


    happy to lead you through it..after we ta


    climbed the final few steps to find myself in an open, bright hati/avas boasting’s wrong with this... Betis it?”


    Mchiughed. “The windows. Fake sunlight. Our kind loves the light


    in!


    usedly, the light does not love


    the same way. So my quarters designed to mimica sun drenched it talten vatonce had the essure of owning, tong, tong ago. |


    never got to enjoy it the way | can thisis


    Every time | think | can’t be surprised again, something else shows up to knock onomw.butt” anneetakly, suddenly


    embarrassed to curse in front of thy Ancient rtivese


    Nindy/stop being capable of surprise is the day | give myself to the stake. Mththasaid


    wan suure what that meant, but it didn’t sound good.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Het cosmathcough a few airy, open rooms, and into a dimmer, cooler space furnished with cos./pouretme a ss of what


    smelled like lemonade i didn’t want it but took it anyway.


    He


    006, Grenne 101th edge of a couch with my grandfather in the chair across from me. When sele toos the other cab presu his


    fingerups to each side of my head on my temples, | closed my mev pinst wooden vermingle, not quite an electro zap but more


    like a hum


    “What: ate you doing?


    Upty that fivedon West that way for a couple more minutes: Finally he sot both.


    h


    That wasn’t youpting Wat war


    was trying 10


    rcentages, Some tesis


    de


    mmpire so i was trying to ridicem.


    yourpra unde hybrid doesnt work in neat little mathematical


    recessive Seda dard you wore having trouble learning to be


    you ready is


    “I''m afraid it''ll take more than adminutes to discern that.” Mchi leaned back in his chair and ossed one leg over the other


    Hestteorded his fingers and pressed the tips against his pursed tips asha


    died me.


    “You said already is.” | studied him right oock Exm?


    “Your Luna strengthes from mopediaan your Moon Goddess. Your vampire blood is also enhanced by moon. Could


    you have guessed that?


    “We don’t share the same rtionship voltmerrs


    mertas you wolves, but we are creatures of the night, all the me. The parts of you that are vampire a meshing with your wolf


    traits, which isn’t always the case with


    brids.


    “Sometimes, different traits fight against eiche o rgancel each other out. That''s why many, many rids are never even born but


    perish in the venth. Butmoose who do survive are very special.”


    Restlessly, | got off the couch to pace. | saw frame coat of my mother on one wall and studied it for aw moments. Another


    surprise set me back stap.


    “You have photos of me and


    V Sister?”


    “Of course | do. Just because | wasn’t able to be inventives ovenrimaant hididn’t wish to be part of them.”


    My mother sent you these?”


    Mchi hesitated, looking a little ufortable It was aarexpression Lever expected to see on him. tell you that | acquired


    them through other means, will you think maastikker?”


    “Sure: A night stalker,” | quipped, hoping it didn’t offend him Didoveannos have good senses of humor? | had


    idea other than my interactions with Braden, and he did.


    Speaking of..if Mchi was here and safe, where was Braden??


    That would have to wait.


    To my rebet, Mcht snorted softughter. “You have your mother’s watt As stidos your bove


    arshiming little star”


    putine ss down without taking a single sip. “Since that’s what you rolled trek


    11 weet down to it? I’ve spent too much time worrying and running. If we are reallyysanner. Th


    emerything | need to know”


    fret what you need to know is that your daughter not what you believe hersie