I touch Vlad and we freeze everyone but my mates.
“What the hell!” Vincent yells.
Vlad shrugs, “Eva and I can stop time. That's how we froze that dark mage. We can control it, it wasn't an accident like you all thought.”
Eric grins, “Well that could come in handy!”
Sam points to the others, “What about them?”
I go and touch my sister, Artemis, and Marcus.
“Why are they frozen?” Elena asks.
Vlad responds, “Eva and me.”
Marcus bellows, “What is that guy's problem?”
I shrug, “We are about to find out.”
First I unfreeze Rick. “This is new,” he says.
“Vlad and I.”
Rick gasps, “I didn't see that coming!”
Vincent shakes his head, “Neither did any of us.”
I address Rick, “Why does he hate vampires? I just thought it was because of me.”
Rick shakes his head, “I don't think it is. I thought so too at first.”
“Well, he's not leaving until I'm satisfied!”
Rick pats my shoulder, “I trust you.”
I put up a barrier so Brandon can't leave the room. I know he can't harm my mates so I give a bit of my blood to my sister, Artemis and Marcus.
Artemis's eyes widened at the sudden rush, “Wow it's like a drug!”
I sigh, “It'll wear off a bit.”
Vlad tries to help, “You get used to it.”
Marcus asks, “Why didn't you give the others any?”
“They're eternal now.”
“So my sister really is your fated mate?” Elena asks.
Vlad nods, “Yes.”
Elena smiles, “Don't look sad. I'm happy for you both!”
Rick looks at me, “So they were…”
I nod, “Married, yes.”
Rick sighs, “Oh I'm sorry.”
Elena smiles, “Don't be it ended decades ago.”
I unfreeze Brandon, “We need to talk!”
Brandon looks around in shock, “What did you do to them?”
“I froze them so we can have a private conversation,” I responded coolly.
I magic some chairs, “Sit, please!”
I sit across from Brandon with my mates beside and behind me. I cross my legs, “Now please explain to me which supernaturals you hate and why? I want the whole truth too.”
Brandon spats, “Why should I tell a witch when you can just cast a spell?”
I smile as I tap my fingers on my knee, “Oh, I'm far more than a witch. I don't need spells.”
He looks at Sam, “How can you socialize with them?”
Sam grins wolfishly, “Shall I Snow White?”
I nod, “Yes my beastly beau.” He turns into his wolf form. I kneel down and hug him and kiss between his ears.
Rick exclaims, “His eyes!”
I hum, “Yeah, beautiful.”
Rick shakes his head, “Yes, but that's not what I was commenting about. There's a fire in them like yours but his are blue.”
“Why he's my mate!” I say proudly. Sam shifts back and I continue, “He's the Alpha of the Fall pack and Kent pack. When I shifted in your office before, I didn't use magic. I fully shifted.” I laugh as I continue, “Technically I am the Alpha as I beat him.”
Sam teases, “Just rub it in and see what that gets you later!”
I giggle, “And I didn't even cheat!”
Brandon exclaims, “You're a werewolf!”
“Lycanthrope actually as he can control the shift,” I explain.
Confused, Brandon asks, “There's a difference?”
“Yes. Sam doesn't have to shift he chooses when to. Werewolves are at the mercy of the lunar cycle,” I reveal.
“This is amazing!” Rick beams.
I turn my focus to Brandon, “You don't want to kill Sam.”
Brandon gasps, “How do you know?”
“I can sense emotions and read minds. I just prefer good open communication,” I sigh.
Vlad asks Brandon, “Now why do you hate vampires?”
Brandon yells, “I'm not talking to you leech!”
I see sparks, “Vlad don't!”
“Since when do vampires use fire?” Brandon recoils in disbelief.
“He's always been that way. He was forged in fire,” I explain.
Brandon sneers, “He drains people for his amusement!”
I sigh, “He still does, but I will limit it. He wasn't Vlad the Impaler for nothing or you can call him Dracula if you prefer.”
Brandon scoffs, “Pure legend!”
I roll my eyes, “Obviously not! Yes, he's done horrible things but most of us in this room have. None of the vampires with me drink innocents dry though.”
Vincent smirks, “Hell I don't need blood!”
Brandon blinks rapidly, “All vampires do!”
I smile, “The older they get, the less they need. Plus…” I kiss Vincent, “Loving me has perks.”
“Like never needing blood,” Vincent smiles.
I ask Brandon, “So you may hate vampires but as you can see not all are bad. What happened to you?”
Brandon sighs as he hangs his head, “They killed my family when I was young. Hunters took me in.”
Vlad spats, “Fucking Hunters!”
“Vlad, I'm sure not all of them are bad,” I say.
“Stuff it, Snow White!” Vlad commands.
“Care to make me?” My eyes flare and Vincent chuckles.
Vlad gasps, “You wouldn't!”
“Try me!”
Vlad waves his hand at me, “Don't even try.”
I conjure bats which causes Vlad to panic, “No!!! No!!” he screams as he tries to fend them off.
“Don't even fry them!” I threaten.
Vlad sighs in defeat, “Fine, I'm sorry. For fucksake make them go away!”
I wave my hand and they disappear, “Just an illusion, why so jumpy?”
Vlad glares, “You're an ass!”
I laugh, “Takes one to know one, love.”
Vincent chuckles as Vlad snaps at him, “You brought her, brother!”
Vincent grins, “Like I could stop her even if I wanted to.” Vincent kisses me, “I love this woman and if I could die, I'd die for her.”
Brandon scoffs, “Vampires aren't capable of love.”
I touch his shoulder, “Yet those in this room are.”
“Brandon, vampires have mates just like other creatures on this planet. The only difference is it may take us centuries to find that mate, but once we do it's till death.”
Brandon retorts, “But you have arranged marriages and countless concubines!”
Vlad sighs, “We don't always marry our mates either, but we still care for them. Vampires can usually reject a mate.”
Elena adds, “I wasn't his mate but he loved me enough to save my life by turning me.”
“Eva, you're not going to be one of them, are you?” Brandon asks.
I shrug, “I'm me. I'm whatever I choose to be. I don't need to be a vampire. Brandon, do you remember Victor?”
Brandon snarls, “You know that I do. He was the slimeball you lived with briefly who was an abusive cheat.”
I sigh, “Well he was a vampire.”
Brandon replies, “I suspected but you wouldn't listen.”
He did try to warn me, but I had thought it was because he was jealous, not that he was raised by Hunters.
“I know. Him and some of his buddies are dead now,” I tell him.
Brandon grins, “Good saves me from doing it!”
I feel the need to explain, “They were doing the turnings and killings that I wrote about.”
He looks at Vincent and Eric, “I'm guessing you both did that.”
They smile and shake their heads no.
“No, I did,” I reveal.
Brandon gasps, “You're not a killer!”
I sigh, “But I am. They were threatening the Falls and killing all of those poor people. I had to do something.”
Brandon touches my face, “Eva, I never wanted this for you.”
“But yet this is my eternity. I can't change what I am just as I can't change who I'm bound to,” I explained. I need him to see reason and accept this.
Concerned, Brandon asks, “So you have no control over who you love?”
I sigh, “It's complicated. You can love someone and not be bound to them and vice versa, but eventually, no matter if you fight it you develop a love for who you're bound to.”
“So you love them?” he inquires.
I smile, “I do now. It was touch and go at first.”
Sam chuckles and I tease him, “Oh, chill mountain man!”
Brandon looks between Sam and me, “You loved Sam first.”
I shake my head, “Not exactly, it was just different easier. I actually told Vincent that I loved him first.”
Vincent kisses my cheek, “We just fought it because we are a lot alike.”
Almost offended, Brandon asks, “What can you have in common with her?”
I smile because Vincent is trying to find common ground. I'm proud of him too.
“Ever hear of The Rolling Stones, Beatles, Louis Armstrong?” he asks Brandon.
Brandon snorts, “Who hasn't!”
Vincent grins, “I wrote and composed many hits for them amongst other artists over the last 800 years.”
I kiss Vincent's cheek as he continues, “I also collected Eva's articles before I ever met her too. She's amazing and I'd never harm her!”
“So Brandon can we have a truce?” I ask.
Brandon looks into my eyes, “You're sure you're okay?”
I beam, “Let me show you!” I touched his temple and showed him all of the happy memories I have with my guys minus the naked parts.
Brandon looks amazed, “I guess you all do care about her!”
Marcus puts his hand on my shoulder, “We do.”
Artemis adds, “She's like a daughter to me now.”
Elena smiles, “She's my sister!”
Brandon nods, “Okay! But that doesn't mean that I still won't look out for you, Eva.”
I shake my head, “Those here will never harm or betray me. I will be fine!”
Vlad adds, “Because we can't harm her.”
“Or each other,” Eric says.
I need to learn more about Brandon. His being linked to Hunters could prove useful, but I am hesitant to let him too close.