I sat in a recliner, looking across at Cliff, Brooke, and Steve. They kept looking back and forth at each other with varying expressions. It was as if they were talking to each other with their minds.

"Will someone say something?" I asked, doing my best to keep my voice even.

"Do you have any particular questions?" asked Cliff.

"My birth parents," I said, clenching my fists. "It must be quite a story since my parents refuse to admit that I was adopted."

"You're right," Brooke agreed. "When you were three, you were taken from your birth family and given to your current parents by someone who was saving your life. Your mom's and dad's minds were controlled to believe that you were their natural child. After that, they moved here to get a fresh start where no one knew you were a new addition to the family."

I stared at her. "Their minds were controlled to believe that I was their daughter?"

"Maybe this isn't the best place to start," Cliff said.

"I agree," Steve said. "Without knowing what we are nothing else will make sense."

"What are you?" I asked.

Cliff took a deep breath. "First, you need an open mind."

"After everything I've seen, I'd say that should be easy enough."

"You're in the beginning stages of a transition."

"Into what?"

"You're transforming into a beautiful and powerful vampire."

"A what?" I exclaimed. "Are you kidding? You want me to believe that I'm turning into a vampire—a vampire? Vampires aren't real. Have you lost your mind?"

"You said you would keep an open mind," Steve said. He furrowed his eyebrows, and I thought his eyes turned red for a moment.

"Is there a hidden camera somewhere?" I looked around the room.

"I know this is difficult for you to grasp," Cliff said. "You've been raised to believe that our kind is mythical, and most of what you have learned about us is false."

"Seriously, where's the camera?"

"There's no camera," Brooke said. "Deep down you know the truth."

I narrowed my eyes. "I'm going home."

Steve stood up, fists clenched. "Do you have a better explanation? Why you cause light bulbs to explode or why crows follow you? Why your parents are so insistent about the flood when you know it's a lie? Or how you can read minds? If you have a better explanation, I would love to hear it." He blocked me so I couldn't leave.

"I don't have an explanation." I stared him down. "That's why I came here. And you give me vampires. Vampires!"

"It's the truth," Cliff said, looking directly at me with kind eyes.

"Okay then," I said, "if I'm a vampire, how did I begin this transition? I would remember being bitten."

"You weren't bit." Steve rolled his eyes. "You were born into a vampire family."

"If I was born a vampire, why haven't I been biting people my whole life?" I demanded. "Move aside, so I can leave."

Steve laughed bitterly. "You weren't born a vampire."

"You were born into a vampire family, but you're only now becoming one," Brooke said, looking disappointed.

"I'm not a monster."

"None of us are," Brooke said. "Our families are about preserving good in the world. That was actually why vampires were originally created."

"As you know from modern mythology," Cliff said. "There are a lot of vampires who want nothing to do with keeping goodness in the world. Those are the same ones who want our families out of power. They want to destroy not only our families, but mankind too."

"They give our kind a bad reputation amongst the mortals," Steve said. "The same ones who ordered your death."

My blood ran cold. "My death? Is that what the crows are all about? Why would anyone want me dead?"

Brooke looked at me. "You had a watcher, who is like a nanny and a bodyguard rolled into one. A group of vampires called the Morettis ordered her to kill you. They threatened her family, but she loved you and your parents too much to kill you. She was scared for her family, so she snuck you out and gave you to your human parents. That way it would look like she had killed you, without actually harming you."

"Do they still want me dead?" I whispered.

"Yes, they do—assuming they've figured out that you're alive. Your parents are the vampire King and Queen," Cliff told me. "You're going to be the most powerful vampire in the world."

"The most powerful vampire in the world?" I shook my head.

"You were born with a special mark that was prophesied about three thousand years ago. The mark means you're the Sonnast, the most powerful vampire since the Fyrsturae."

"So where's this special mark? Why haven't I seen it?"

"It's a silvery blue, swirly-shaped star on your neck. There are images of it in the scrolls from three thousand years ago," Steve said.

"There's no star shaped mark on my neck. Now I know you're lying."

"Your parents had it hidden with a spell when you were a baby," Cliff said. "They were afraid someone would hurt you. It was like a neon sign announcing that you're the Sonnast."

I stared at Cliff. "It's hidden? That's convenient."

"The Morettis are determined to take over the throne, and they see you as the only thing standing in their way. Never mind the fact that they aren't even descendants of the Fyrsturae."

"What is the Fyrsturae?" I was unsure if I even wanted to know.

Cliff said, "They're the group of original vampires. They were born three thousand years ago, and only their descendants can be on the throne. In fact, only the descendants of the first vampire, Alrekur Vidarsson, have ever been on the throne. You're his direct descendant with both of your parents from his line. I'm a descent of the second vampire, Halldor Falkursson. My family is royalty also. My parents are second in command, after your parents."

My head hurt. "You're telling me that I'm not just a vampire, but vampire royalty, and some long-awaited Sonnast."

"It's a lot to take in," Brooke said. "You'll make history when Cliff becomes the first King from Halldor's line. His mother is beside herself with excitement."

"Do my parents care? Why haven't they tried to get me after I was taken away?"

Cliff held my hand. "For three years, everyone thought that you were dead. The entire kingdom mourned. Your birth gave everyone hope. When you were thought to be dead, it led to a sort of species-wide depression. After those three years, your watcher confessed everything."

"She thought that she was doing something noble," Steve said. "But when your parents found out what happened, they were furious. Your father wanted to kill her on the spot, but your mother was so grateful you were still alive that she wanted to spare your watcher."

"They threw her into the dungeon and argued about it for weeks," Cliff said. "She told them everything, including where you were and who had you. She's in the dungeon to this day."

"Your parents have been on a mission to find the vampires that ordered your death," Brooke said. "Your parents knew that you were at least safe with your human family. They wanted the Morettis to keep believing that you were dead, so that's why you remained in Delphic Cove."

"They gave up having you with them to keep you safe," Cliff said.

"After your parents found out that you were still alive, they sent our family to keep an eye on you," Steve said. "That's why we lived so close to you all of those years, and why you and Brooke were so close."

"Then why did you move across town a couple of years ago?" I asked. "You've been completely out of my life."

"I started my transformation," Brooke said. "I couldn't hide it from you and you were actually starting to remember some things. It was dangerous for us to be so close, so we moved here. One of my talents is that I have visions, and I always get visions about you, so it worked out that we were still able to keep a close eye on your safety."

"Is that why you showed up at the lake the day after all of those light bulbs had exploded?"

"Yes," she said. "I knew your transformation started and that we needed to get involved. Do you believe us?"

"I don't know what to think," I admitted.

"So you're not going to drive a stake into our hearts?" Steve laughed.

"No. Does that really work?"

"Unfortunately, that's one of the stories mortals have correct," Cliff said. "Although not just any kind of wood will work with us royalty."

"That's one of the only things humans have correct," Brooke said. "We don't sleep in coffins, and garlic does nothing to us."

"She should know that already," Steve said. "She's seen the food that I eat—it's all garlic."

"What about sunlight?" I asked.

"Being royalty, we have had a blessing placed on us at birth that protects us from the sun," Steve said. "But common vampires can't be in the sun. I've seen it kill many of them."

"Common vampires?"

"Non-royalty," Brooke said. "Humans turned after being bitten."

"I need to go home and let this all sink in."

"I'm sure you do," Brooke said. "We've barely scratched the surface."

When I got home, I was exhausted. Did they really expect me to believe that I was turning into a vampire? Strange things were obviously happening, but I couldn't be turning into a vampire. It wasn't possible. It was too ridiculous.

I knew they said most of what I "knew" about vampires was false, but I couldn't get the images from movies out of my mind. I wasn't a monster, and I didn't want to become one. I didn't want to be driven by a desire for blood. I didn't want to kill anyone. I wanted to help people. I wanted to put away the monsters.

Tears poured down my face, and I didn't bother to wipe them away. I didn't ask for this. I was just trying to live my life and stay out of everyone's way. I just wanted to get my grades and get into a good school.

Would I even be able to pursue my dreams as a vampire? Could I still go to college or would I be tempted to kill everyone in sight?

The tears were now pooling next to my ears on the pillow. I rolled over and screamed into it. I could feel the rage surfacing again, and I didn't want to deal with any more broken lights. I got up and washed my face before going downstairs.

"Where are you going?" my mom asked. "You just got back and it's getting late. You have school tomorrow. You're not going anywhere."

"I know I have school tomorrow," I snapped. I looked directly into her eyes. "I need to get some air before I do my homework."

She looked dazed. "Go get some air so that you'll be refreshed for doing your homework."

I was in no mood to question why she didn't put up a fight. I grabbed my keys and went outside. I got in my car, which felt like such a clunker after driving Cliff's smooth foreign car. Maybe if I became a vampire, I could get something like that. At least that would be a perk to becoming a parasitic creature of the night.

By the time I got to the lake, it was already dark, but I could see surprisingly well. I hoped that the lake could calm my nerves. I went quickly to the lake and walked along the path around it. Crickets chirped and frogs croaked in the distance. The noises calmed my nerves.

The waves lightly splashed around, making soft noises. I closed my eyes, taking in the sounds. My shoulders relaxed, and I let out a sigh.

Would I still appreciate this as a vampire, or would I be so obsessed with blood that I wouldn't care anymore? Tears came again. I thought I could hear them splash on the ground, but I shook my head to get back to reality.

I opened my eyes and jumped when I saw someone standing next to me. I hadn't heard anyone approach.

"I'm sorry to startle you," Cliff said. "Brooke had a vision of you leaving the house upset. I thought you might come here." He wiped the tears from my face and pulled hair off my cheeks that had stuck from the tears. He took my hand and led me to a bench. We sat, and he put an arm around me, pulling me close. I watched ducks go up and down in the waves.

"I know it's a lot to take in," he said. "I'm sorry that we couldn't tell you in a way that would've been less upsetting. It's always hard to get news that you're not expecting."

"Not expecting and not wanting. I didn't ask for any of this." My voice began to crack as tears stung at my eyes again.

He wiped my tears again and took my hand. A calm spread through me at his touch. "When you get to the castle and meet the royalty, you'll likely be overwhelmed with all of the goodness. It's not like being around the mortals. A lot of us feel that way after spending time with the humans. The castle is a wonderful place to get refreshed."

As we stared at each other, I was more drawn to him than before. I felt like I was being wrapped in a blanket of trust and security.

"You would do anything for me," I said.

He brushed his hands through my hair. "I really would, my darling princess."

His eyes were so full of love that I felt overwhelmed. My heart sped up as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. I assumed he was taking in my scent.

"Does my blood smell good to you?"

He smiled. "It's intoxicating. It makes me want to love and protect you. I have no desire to drink of it. You're in no danger."

"How can that be? I thought that vampires had to have blood."

"We do but it's not like you think. We royals are trained to handle our desires appropriately. Let's talk about this later, I want to enjoy the moment with you."

I leaned into him, and he tightened his arm around me. If this was what being a vampire was going to be like, I might be able to get used to it.

My dreams took me to the castle again. I was wearing another dress that had the pattern from my homecoming dress. I was in my bedroom with the same lady, my watcher, who had taken me from my vampire family.

She was fixing my hair. "We're going to an important ceremony, so you must use your best manners. This is most important to your parents."

"I'm always good," I told her.

She smiled. "Yes, most of the time, Marguerite. But today is extra special, so be extra good today."

"What will you give me to be extra good?" I asked, giggling.

"You want me to bribe you again? You know me too well, darling. You've got me wrapped around your finger. I'll sneak you some extra dessert. Does that sound good?"

I jumped up and down. "I'll be extra, extra good."

"Glad to hear it," she said, and took my hand in hers. "Let's get going."

We walked through the enormous castle, passing countless doors and hallways. It seemed that there were people—vampires?—everywhere.

We arrived at a huge room that appeared to be for ceremonies. The four adult vampires from my other dream were in the front. There were chairs set up in the rest of the room, most of which were occupied.

Mattie, my watcher, whispered for me to join my mother. I walked over to one of those beautiful people at the front of the room. Young Clifford was there, and my mother instructed me to stand by him.

I stood by him, looked up to him and smiled as big as I could. I adored him, and in my young eyes he was perfect.

He smiled back at me, and I could tell that he adored me too.

An unfamiliar adult called everyone's attention. "As you all know, today is a very special day for our kingdom. Today is the blessing ceremony that will seal the arrangement of marriage between Clifford Montgomery and Marguerite Westerfield."

I looked up at Clifford, and we exchanged a mutually excited look. All was perfect and right in the world.

"Clifford and Marguerite, step forward," the man said, and we complied. "Your future marriage is about to be sealed. The entire kingdom is thrilled that you two already love each other dearly. This only goes to show how true the prophecy is. Once this blessing has been placed, only the unfortunate incidence of one of your deaths will break the blessing."

He raised his hands above his head, and then slowly moved them down to his chest and we kneeled down. He pulled a jar out of his cloak, speaking in a foreign language, and then sprinkled the contents of the jar onto our heads.

"Clifford Montgomery and Marguerite Westerfield, you are now engaged to be married once you have both completed your transformations. You will rule our great kingdom with wisdom and love. It is your gift to be able to bring peace to our kingdom after many centuries of grief."

Everyone in the room clapped and we stood up. Our parents came up to us, placing a simple crown on each of our heads.

"You two are truly blessed, and you shall be a blessing to our entire kingdom."

Clifford hugged me and then whispered in my ear, "I have a present for you. I wanted to give you something special because this is such a special day." He pulled a necklace from his shirt pocket and when I saw it, I was so surprised that I woke up.

I sat up, my heart racing. The necklace from my dream was one that I actually had in my jewelry box. I jumped out of bed and dug through it until I found the necklace that I'd always thought was costume jewelry.

I walked to my window where the sun was shining and looked at the necklace closely. Could the jewels be real? If they were from a prince in a real castle, they had to be.

I grabbed another necklace that was made of real gold and had a real sapphire in it. I compared the two necklaces and saw that the gold and the sapphire of the two necklaces were a match. Not only were the gold and sapphires real but so were the other gems.

There was a half an hour before I needed to get ready for school, so I got my jewelry cleaner and cleaned up the necklace. It sparkled like I never imagined.

I showered quickly, put on the clothes that Natalie had picked out for me to impress Cliff, and then I put on my necklace. It was a bit much for a day at school, but I didn't care. It was a gift from my vampire prince fiancé.

Suddenly, I understood why looking into Cliff's eyes had felt like I was finally home. I had adored and loved him with all of my heart as a child, and we'd been blessed with an unbreakable bond.

I put on my makeup the way that Natalie had showed me. It wasn't perfect, but it still looked good. Besides, I was sure that everyone would be looking at the necklace anyway. I had no idea that it could look so good since I'd thought that it was costume jewelry and had never cleaned it, thinking that I'd ruin it.

When I got downstairs, my parents both gave me a double take.

"You look beautiful, honey," Dad said. "Brooke must have really inspired you when she dressed you up for the prom."

"Homecoming, Dad," I said, trying not to laugh. Dads.

"I love what you've done with that old necklace," said my mom. "Is that Natalie's dress? I need to take you shopping so that you can get your own clothes."

"You want to take me shopping?"

"I'd love to," she said, "now that I know you'll appreciate nice clothes."

I sighed. "Of course."

At school, I was late to several classes because people kept stopping me to talk.

My grades were going to take a hit if I wasn't careful. I'd have to decide how much of a setback I'd allow, or if it even mattered. It wasn't like I need a Harvard degree to be a vampire princess.

I'd need to start learning a whole new set of skills and knowledge.

After school, I decided to go to my CSI club before going to meet Cliff at Brooke's house. For now, I would keep up with all of my goals: perfect GPA, CSI club, and so on. After I had more information about my future royal life, I'd decide what, if anything, I would change.

As I was leaving, Hailey appeared out of nowhere and asked me how I liked my car.

"I love my car. It's extra shiny today," I said, smiling.

She frowned. "Whatever. How's Cliff? Did he love dancing with me?"

"He's doing fabulously. We had such a great date last night too. And you know what? He didn't even mention you."

"You still better watch your back," she said. "Your car was nothing."

"I can't wait," I said.

Hailey gave me a smug look. I watched her walk away from me down the hall. When she was about thirty feet away, I ran right up to her in less than a blink of an eye.

"What?" she exclaimed in shock and horror. "How did you…?"

I grabbed her shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes. "You might want to think twice before threatening me."

Her eyes became as big as volleyballs. "I—I…uh…I…."

"Got it?" I asked.

She nodded her head.

"Okay. I'm glad that we've reached an understanding."

My heart was pounding as I walked away, I had only thought about confronting her and without warning, I'd moved about thirty feet in a split second.

What was next?