Chapter Ten

William strolled into his home, head bowed. He looked up to his mother, tears in his eyes.

She let out a deep sigh, crossing the foyer in half the time it would have normally taken her, in her hast to engulf her youngest son in her warm, loving arms.

“Oh, William! Do not worry; I am sure that she loves you! You’ll see, these few months when we will be away are a good thing! She will come around, I know it.” His head was resting on her shoulder, as his body convulsed in her arms.

“Please, William, do stop! You know how I hate to see my boys so distraught; and you, my youngest!” she was near tears now; he didn’t often indulge in the more painful emotions.

“But, Mother,” he croaked out, raising his head to look directly into her eyes, “she said yes.”

“What? But—oh, you!” she laughed, a big smile replacing the perplexed look on her face. “You are just as big of a scoundrel as your brother!”

He scowled at that. “I do hope that you don’t mean what you say, Mother,” he ground out. “I hate being compared to that. . . that. . . thing!”

“Oh, William! What will I do with you boys?” she sighed.

“You need not worry for me, Mother.” He sighed, “Spare your energy for Randy, if you must.”

“Oh, there is so much to do! You must invite her to tea tomorrow! I need to know more of my future daughter-in-law. We simply must postpone our trip, now is the time that you must be around. And—”

“No, Mother,” he shook his head emphatically, “we will still travel to Brighton. You must be well, especially now. Besides, we were just engaged this evening, we have an entire year to plan the ceremony. And her parents are to be visiting in a few days; she hasn’t seen them in quite a few years. I don’t want to be a distraction; she needs to see them, and they her. I want her to know them, truly know them.”

“But, William— they must know you as well! You are to marry their only child, they will want to know who will be caring for their daughter. Such a sweet girl, you truly could not have picked anyone better suited to you. Such a wonderful match!”

“Yes, we do love one another dearly, and now it is time for all young mothers to be in bed!”
“William, I am not so young! My youngest is one and twenty, hardly young at all!”

“Well, all the same, it is time for you to retire. Can you go up the stairs?” he asked with concern as it dawned on him just how much she was leaning against him.

“I am not sure, but I will tr—”

“No, you shall not. I will not have you exerting yourself, Mother, if it can be helped!” and he carried his laughing mother to her room before departing to his own.

He still couldn’t believe what had happened that night. ‘She said YES!’

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

London, a few days later. . .

The raven-haired beauty stared out at the full moon from the balcony of the posh hotel room. Her daughter was so close! She was somewhere in this bustling city, full of the sounds of hooves against cobblestone streets, the curses of the cabbies, and the pounding of heartbeats as they all moved about. One of those heartbeats was her daughter’s, her own flesh and blood. Her demon cried out with impatience, wanting to see its child as the mother in her sobbed for release, to see that beautiful smile as she welcomed her with open arms.

She had been such a beautiful child, so full of life. Would she recognize her? Would she recognize her mother and father? There was only one way to find out.

She sighed, waiting for Angelus to return from the bathroom. They needed to hunt, and then find her daughter. She was nervous as well, but. . .

Did he truly have to spend so much time fixing his hair?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * *

The young girl smiled at her best friend. It was her sixteenth birthday, and as always. . . the Travers family had forgotten. She wondered why they allowed her stay with them, in the first place.

Oh, that’s right! Now she remembered.

They thought she was a Potential Slayer.

The irony of it all never failed to amuse her.

The daughter of two notorious vampires protected by the foulest of all beings— Watchers.

Idiots.

AN: Hey guys, I know this is really short; even for me! But I just wanted to get this out there, and it seemed like a good place to stop. I’ll try to post again today; it just seemed like a good place to end. So, leave a review! Or, you can wait for the other chapter. . . it should be out by 5, today. Thanks for sticking with me!