Chapter 2 The beginning of Nia's troubles

My bottom lip trembled over what the Moon Goddess, Selene was saying. My heart hurt at her words as I stood in the field gazing up at the clouds overhead. My entire life was a farce. I couldn't believe the severity of what she was telling me.

"I messed up, Nia. Neither of your dads is your bio father. Your bio mother betrayed me by pretending to be a surrogate for your father, Xavier. You are still a hybrid of both a Lycan and a vampire. I'm assuming that your bio mother must have needed you to disappear. My study to find a perfect combination of vampire and wolf was the ideal opportunity for her to pass you off as one of the other children I'd created for Xavier and Ashton. You don't have any of Xavier's DNA within you, Nia," she repeated softly. I wiped my fingers across my damp eyes and looked up at the sun, searching for some sort of warmth for my sudden cold spirit. I didn't know my real bio father or mother.

I had always felt something was off due to my having blue eyes and ebony hair. The rest of my siblings were blonde and with yellow eyes.

"Can I have the woman's name that carried me?" I questioned the Goddess. She pinched her lips together and told me that since the peace treaty was signed vampires came and went freely from their realm to ours and she only knew that she had recently passed. I rolled my eyes knowing that it was bullshit, she knew more.

"Are you telling both my mated fathers?" I asked bluntly and she huffed out a yeah. I frowned and turned away from the woman to continue my chores.

"Your birth mother did ask to be called Maria Petrova but that could have been an Alias," Selene yelled out and I nodded feeling my gut twisting. Heading to a boulder I jumped up on it and wrapped my arms around my bent legs and rested my chin on my knees. Feeling like a complete outcast I didn't hear my name being called as I wallowed in my self-pity. I acknowledged my brother's presence when he lightly flicked the side of my temple. I side-eyed Galen with a scowl.

"I found another portal to another realm hidden in the outcrop of stones in the woods near Noah's. Do you want to go explore it like we did the numerous other ones we discovered when we were children?" He asked with a hopeful gaze. I slid down from the rock I was perched on and shrugged.

"Sure, I need something to clear my thoughts," I mumbled sourly and Galen asked me what was wrong. I told him that I wasn't Xavier's child or Ashton's for that matter and he chuckled. I punched him in the arm, growling, "not funny."

"Ouch, sis…it's not that big of a shock. I mean Inaria and I are blonde-haired with yellow eyes, like Xavier and you're black-haired with stunning blue eyes…no resemblance whatsoever," he growled firmly, rubbing where I'd hit him. I nodded and grinned at him because he was correct.

"Are you going to try and discover your real bio family?" He asked curiously and I shook my head.

"My mother didn't want me and has died so I don't see the point," I said sourly and he nodded and told me he was still my brother no matter what.

"Also you're my best friend," I added and he smiled knowing that he was my only friend.

"Hope there are no trolls in this portal, or you'll piss your pants again," my brother teased and I swept his feet out from underneath him, making him fall to his ass.

"I was a twelve-year-old child, Galen, I'm nineteen now and not so easily frightened. Plus I know how to fight and take down cocky smartasses," I winked as I strolled past him. Galen got up quickly and brushed his butt off.

"Hold up sis, you are heading in the wrong direction," he growled firmly and yanked me to his side, and pointed off in the distance.

"Remember where the human realm is? This new one is near there but a few yards further off to the right, hiding in plain sight," he explained, waving his hand in the general direction.

"Well, I certainly hope it is not another portal to those smelly humans," I grunted firmly as I strode onward.

"Their blood is delicious though," Galen said softly and I nodded with a chuckle. I glanced over at the portal for the human world and stepped around it carefully as Galen growled to keep moving forward. I did and was curious about where this new distorted area would take us. I stood in front of it. It was considerably stranger and darker looking than the others we had discovered as young children. Galen came to my side looking excited.

"You ready?" He asked curiously and I nodded as I stepped forward and into the distorted portal. When I opened my eyes a dark forest with gnarled trees came into view. Bats were flying overhead in the darkness. The smell of blood was wafting in the misty night air causing my stomach to growl.

"Quiet that, geesh Nia, didn't you get enough for  breakfast?" Galen scolded as his head turned taking in our odd surroundings. Both our eyes were glowing and Galen complimented my amazing eye color. I thanked him as he started to follow a worn dirt path in the foliage.

"There's a village up ahead, I can hear people speaking a foreign language," he turned to tell me. Shrugging I followed him down into a well-lit older style village with homes and buildings made in the traditional Romanian style. My eyes widened as my heart fluttered. My flesh tingled as if it was getting an electric shock. I pulled on my brother's sleeve in a panic.

"This is the vampire's realm. I'd bet my life on it," I told him sternly and he chuckled. 

"We are a half vampire, sis. We are only visiting," he replied nonchalantly and my eyes narrowed at him. 

"We don't even know the language, stupid," I growled bitterly and he ignored me as he grabbed my hand and pulled me down the main street.

"Does anyone here speak English?" Galen shouted and I shrank back in embarrassment. A few hands went up into the air and Galen waved over a well-groomed gentleman who had his eyes glued on me. The scent of rich cashmere and musk filled my nostrils and I watched the man with dark steel blue eyes and thick dark hair come closer to us.

"What do you and your beautiful wife need, sir?" He asked curiously. Galen shook his head laughing and said, "This is my sister Nia Grayson and I am Galen Grayson. We are visiting hybrid Lycans from that realm and are curious if this is the vampire's realm." The gentleman's eyes narrowed at him then landed on me.

"Yes, this is the vampire realm. I am Lucian Sokolov or better known as the Falcon. This village consists of what you would refer to as rogues. They are without leadership and follow no one's rule here," he growled low. I swallowed nervously and Galen grunted.

"Very well sir, sorry to have intruded. We will leave here immediately. Thank you for taking your time explaining that to us," Galen replied kindly and started to turn. Lucian's hand fell onto his shoulder turning him back around. 

"Don't be rude, come and have a drink with me. Over at the outdoor café. You and your sister will be my guest, I insist," he said staunchly. 

"We need to return, sir. We left our work and snuck into the portal," I mumbled softly and he exhaled deeply and sighed.

"Alright then, but I insist that you return when you can visit longer. I'm certain that you and I would have much to discuss, miss Nia," he said firmly to me and I grinned slightly at him trying to compel me. Lucian looked startled for a moment then smiled transforming his face into a remarkably handsome man. My heartbeat started racing in my chest. Galen gave our curt farewell and pulled me with himself. We both headed back to the portal taking the same dirt pathway. I glanced back several times to see Lucian gazing up at us rubbing his chin in deep thought. I chuckled and Galen asked me what was funny.

"That guy tried to compel me," I laughed and he frowned. 

"He couldn't?" He questioned sourly and I shook my head. 

"Let's hurry and get back. I don't like it here," he growled roughly and I told him he was the scared one now. I was a bit miffed when he glared at me and told me to haul my ass.

"The vampire didn't compel you either," I mumbled and Galen grunted, "because he didn't try.