With Christmas quickly approaching, Nat and her friends found themselves busily preparing for the holiday. School was slowing down, teachers coasting towards a long winter holiday while everyone else searched for gifts. Nat had already finished her shopping, however one final tradition remained for the teenage dhamphir. This was how Nat found herself tagging along with her father on a Sunday afternoon.
Throughout her life, Nat had accompanied her father as they searched for a gift for Marisa. Nat always looked forward to the day, it was a tradition, the two trying to find the perfect gift. It also was a bonding experience for the two, Liam MacGregor treating his daughter to lunch as the pair talked. "Oh my god dad seriously," Nat exclaimed in embarrassment.
"What," Liam smirked. "I'm just saying that when Rei sleeps over you need to keep the door open. Especially if you two are dating."
"Ew gross dad," Nat exclaimed. "I'm not gonna talk about my relationship with you!"
"Yeah cause how would I know I was never a teenager," Liam smirked. Nat blushed in embarrassment, part of her understanding why her father would ask while the other found it mortifying to even consider her father knew anything about relationships. "You're having way too much fun with this," she sulked.
"Guilty," Liam chuckled. Taking a breath he now gave his only daughter a warm smile as they parked the car. "Okay tell you what," he said. "No more relationship talk. In fact I'll take you out for hot chocolate, I just have to swing in here real quick. Deal?"
"Deal," Nat replied. Liam smiled, the pair exiting the car as they now walked towards the local blood bank. As they did, Nat glanced over the town square.
People were busying themselves, moving in and out of shops as they finished their holiday shopping. A light snow had fallen recently, blanketing the town in a thin layer. Nat smiled, admiring the scene, as embarrassing as her father could be sometimes she loved these trips. It was a Christmas tradition, the two of them shopping for her mother while catching up. As the pair now approached the front desk they could see a woman smiling as the pair approached. "Merry Christmas are you here to donate?"
"Yes," Liam replied. "And I also need to pickup a delivery." The woman gave Liam an odd look until he showed off his wedding ring. Nat glanced down at her father's ring, noting the small symbol etched into the gold band. The symbol was a vampiric mark, signaling he was connected to the vampires. Only people familiar with the mark would understand. Obviously the full time employees of a blood bank would understand the reference, Nat watching as the woman gave Liam a nod. "Right this way," she said.
Nat and her father now followed the woman into a back room. As they entered, Nat could see other people milling about. These people didn't look like her father though. Some of them looked rather shabby, their clothes old and worn. Others appeared nervous, as if they didn't want to be seen. Nat immediately picked up on this as she looked to her father. "How come everyone seems so nervous?"
"Well," he started. "Alot of these people are familiars. They work for vampires, they're not married to them. Familiars aren't exactly looked upon to fondly. Most are people who have been down on their luck or power hungry people hoping to impress their master."
"And what about you dad?"
"Me," he smiled. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I have a loving wife, a beautiful kid, and a happy life. For me, this is like picking up my wife's medication from a pharmacy." Nat nodded, sort of understanding what her father was saying. As they approached, Nat could see a man wave to them as he reached under the front desk. "Liam good to see you."
"Good to see you too Frank. How's everything?"
"Eh hectic," Frank said. "You know how the holidays are. How's Marisa?"
"Busy as always," Liam chuckled. "You know how she gets when she's working." Frank chuckled, the two exchanging small talk. Nat could see that obviously her father frequented the establishment, the staff seemingly on a first name basis with him. "So is this Natalia," Frank asked, to which Liam nodded. "Wow nice to meet you. Your dad talks about you alot, I've only seen the pictures he has in his wallet." Nat blushed, offering a meek thank you in return.
"Okay Frank I don't want to embarass her anymore than I already have," Liam laughed as he picked up his wives blood supply. "Tell eveyone I said hi. I'll see you next year." As the two men now waved goodbye, Nat followed her father out a backdoor. "Dad who was that?"
"Oh that's Frank," Liam replied. "One of the things about being with a vampire is you get to know alot about the people that work in blood banks. You see everyone here is kind of in on a secret that they can't tell anyone else about. I found it out years ago that it helps to talk with people about it."
"A secret?"
"Well yeah," Liam continued. "I mean everyone in that room knows about vampires and can't say anything to anyone even their own families sometimes. It helps to be able to talk with someone else just to say, hey I know about it too. You'd be amazed how much it breaks the ice."
"I hadn't really thought about it," Nat shrugged. "So whats up with Frank?"
"Well he's a former familiar," he said. "His former master was slain years ago. Even so he enjoys his work, helps keep the peace between vampires and humans. We got to know eachother when we moved into town. In fact, he actually has a pair of kids that go to your school."
Nats eyes went wide, their were other kids who knew about vampires. As she was about to ask who, she screamed as a man lurched out of the shadows, knocking Liam MacGregor to the ground.
"Knew it would only be a matter of time before I ran into one of you vampire simps."
Nat raced to her fathers side, noting that he was bleeding and dazed from the blow. "Now why don't ya tell me about your master simp?"
"Leave him alone," Nat snarled, the dhamphir now baring her teeth, her muscles increasing in size as she angrily glared at the large man in front of her. It didn't take her long to realize who had attacked. It was Ezekiel Kane.
Kane smirked as he studied the skinny teenage girl in front of him. "I'll be damn," he chuckled. "You ain't just a simp. You actually fucked a vampire and gave birth to this little half breed monstrosity." Nat screamed, lunging at Kane.
Kane dodged, delivering a vicious punch that knocked all the air out of Nat before grabbing her by the throat. "Feisty little shit ain't ya," he growled. Nats eyes bulged as Kane now withdrew a pistol. "One less monster to worry about."
NOOOOOOOO
Nat and Kane's eyes went wide as Liam MacGregor lunged at the massive hunter. Liam was a good foot shorter and weighed at least a hundred pounds less than the massively muscled man. Still, he now found himself attacking the man in order to save his daughter.
Kane now released Nat, the teen falling to the ground as she gasped for breath. Looking up she now found herself fearfully watching as her father struggled to take Kanes gun. "Nattie run," he screamed. Nat was frozen in fear unable to move as a single shot not rangout.
Liam stopped struggling, Kane watching as the smaller man slumped to the ground. Liam was still alive, the bullet having struck the man in the gut. An anguished cry now escaped the teens lips, tears streaming down her cheeks as she rushed to his side.
DADDY!! DADDY!
Kane frowned, watching as the dhamphir teenager now knelt before her father. Liam was alive for now but Kane was going to make sure that didn't last long. "Two birds from the price of one," he grinned as he now aimed his pistol at Nat and her father.
"Hey what are you doing!"
Kane paused, watching as a group of people now exited the blood bank. Cursing under his breath, the psychotic hunter realized that the police were probably already on there way. If the cops caught him, he would be the target for assassination. Kanes work was too important to let that happen. Sprinting into the shadows, Kane glanced backwards at the dhamphir teenager. He would get his chance to take out that monster in due time.