I took a deep breath as I made a holographic screen appear to look like a video call. Ambrose sat on the hotel bed behind me with his legs crossed, so I was sitting on his lap again.

He was well-fed and relaxed, just lazily playing with my tail. It was comforting, so I was less nervous than before about talking to my daddy. I used magic to call him with the "video call" I made, so his surprise filtered into my head.

Daddy answered it and his face appeared onscreen. "What's going on, baby?"

I clenched my fists and steeled my nerves. "Well, the vampire thingy went well. I'm the temporary king of vampires and the sword called The Wolf's Requiem has chosen me as its master."

Daddy was stunned into silence with his eyes wide. Then he began to laugh. "I am not surprised at all, my baby boy. You are one of a kind." he said through his laughter.

I blushed and smiled. "Thank you, Daddy."

He smiled at me, then his expression turned solemn. "There's something you need to tell me, isn't there? You blocked our link entirely so I could not sense your emotions and I would not hear your thoughts."

I inhaled deeply and bit my bottom lip for a moment. "Daddy, I'm not your son."

Daddy's warm honey-gold eyes grew cold and then blank. He stood up from his desk and left the view of the screen. Tears pushed at my eyes, but I managed to stay calm when Ambrose wrapped his hands around my waist and firmly squeezed it. I heard a furious roar and a crash through the call, and I would bet anything that our family would be rushing onto the scene very soon.

Daddy returned to the desk and slammed his fists down as he returned to his seat. "Then who is your true father?"

"A black dragon-wolf hybrid of the Arcane Clan. Mother had a one-night stand with him and got pregnant before she married you. Mother is also a werewolf, by the way, so she could see my wolf attributes. She thought you left because you found out she cheated on you, and the reason she tried to kill me in the womb was because she was afraid you'd find out. And she thought you did when you left, so she took it out on me."

Daddy pressed his forehead to his fists and a furious growl rumbled in his chest. His wings and horns appeared and his nails grew longer.

"Fucking bitch," he snarled. "I should have killed her when I had the chance!"

"Um, Daddy?" I started, and his attention refocused on me. "I still love you, Daddy."

Daddy began to calm down with a pleased smile on his face. "Of course, baby. I still love you, too. This makes me a bit more relieved, though."

"Because it's not actual incest between a father and a son?" I asked with a smile.

He chuckled. "Yes, exactly."

I nodded. "I understand. So, um, Daddy, I will be meeting my real father tomorrow for brunch with Rose."

Daddy sighed and leaned back in his seat, his wings and horns gone from his human form. "All right. Let me know how it goes, baby. I look forward to your return."

"I do too, Daddy. I love you, and please tell our family I love them, too."

Daddy's warm honey-gold eyes sparkled with happiness. "I love you too, baby. And I will. Have fun with Ambrose."

I giggled with a happy grin. "I will!"

The call ended and the screen disappeared. I turned around and laid down on top of Ambrose, feeling the slow, relaxed thumps of his heart. He was already asleep, but his arms curled around me and he turned on his side. I snuggled in for a nice, long slumber for the night.

We had a good day today, and Daddy still loves me. I'm really happy.

__________________________

I felt the ping while I was pulling the knee-high socks over my knees. My ears perked and Ambrose was alert from that action.

"What is it?"

"Baron has ripped the card. You're ready, right? Let me just pull on my shoes."

Ambrose watched me pull on my sneakers and tie the laces. "Are you positive about the clothing choices to meet your father in?"

I blushed as I straightened, rubbing the back of my neck. "Do I look bad, Rose? Are you mad that I'm wearing a skort?"

He shook his head. "You look absolutely fetching, little wolf. I am merely concerned that you might be hurt by something he says."

I cocked my head. "C'mon, Rose, I'm not that sensitive. There's nothing he could say that would hurt my feelings compared to my mother's words. I'm prepared for anything!" I exclaimed, lightly hitting my chest with my fist.

Ambrose took my fist and gently kissed my knuckles. "I know." he murmured, and I hugged his neck.

"Thanks, Rose. I love you so much." I beamed, my tail whirling behind me.

My vampire chuckled heartily and kissed my head as he picked me up. "Shall we go?"

"Yup!" I exclaimed.

Just as I did so, I teleported us to Baron's location. My great-grandfather jumped when we appeared in front of him.

"Sorry," I giggled, then reached out for his hand. "Good morning, Grandpa Baron."

"Good morning to you too, Anwyll. You look lovely today..." he trailed off when he noticed my violet pleated skort with black buttons. "Are you a girl?"

I blushed and grinned. "Nope! I just look cute in boys' and girls' clothing."

Baron coughed as his cheeks reddened. "Y-yes, you do. Greetings, Ambrose."

My vampire dipped his head, but he pressed his lips against my temple. I grinned and squirmed to give him a tight squeeze. Ambrose hugged me tighter and I relaxed into him.

Baron coughed and my ears perked. I looked back at my grandfather. "Is he waiting?"

"Yes, he's in the private room. Are you nervous?"

My tail flicked. "Just a bit." I said with a small giggle.

Ambrose nuzzled my right wolf ear, kissing it and tickling me at the same time. I giggled and slapped his lips with my wolf ears, so I felt calmer now. I thanked Ambrose with a kiss on the cheek.

"Anwyll, Ambrose, please follow." stated Baron, then began to lead us to one of the private rooms in the restaurant.

I glanced down at my button-down shirt that was black with a pretty violet on the pocket and two tiny violet buttons on the collar flaps. The shirt also had short cuffed sleeves with one button pining it in place on both sides. My skort had violet suspenders as well. My knee-high socks were black with a violet strip at the top and my shoes were matching as well.

I liked dressing to appeal to others, not just myself. Since my grandfather said my real father was a black dragon, I wore clothes with black and accented with violet for my eyes.

Baron brought my attention away from my outfit as he knocked on the dark cherry wood door.

"Sir Arcane, they have arrived."

Was my father of a high position? For both dragons and wolves?

"Let them in," rumbled the deepest octave I had ever heard that was still audible. "Then please leave. I will call for you if you are needed, Baron."

"Y-yes, sir!" exclaimed Baron, then he looked at me and wished me good luck.

He hurried off, so Ambrose opened the door. I was hit by an almost oppressive aura that was far more dangerous and powerful than I had ever felt. Ambrose stiffened and his irises turned crimson.

"Danger," hissed Daviel, regressing into a severe primal stage. "Will not enter."

I gently pecked his lips and hugged him. "Okay, Daviel. I love you."

Daviel looked a bit sick to his stomach and he apologized, then set me down in the room and hurried off. I made sure to keep his barrier impenetrable while we were apart. I stepped even further inside the room and gently closed the door, then faced the shadows where my father sat in silence.

"Um, I'm Anwyll. What's your name?" I asked softly, and I heard the creak of the booth underneath my father as he went to get up.

I gauged that he was probably around Uncle Andros' height, maybe a couple inches taller. I didn't feel intimidated by any means, though, as he approached me. My father stopped about a foot away and stared down at me while I stared up.

"Anwyll," he murmured.

My tail tip wiggled, so he said it again. I grinned and my tail wagged this time. His hand came down and he rubbed my head, petting between, around, and even on my ears. I followed his touching with my head, wolfishly purring with a pleased expression.

"You are quite short."

I pouted and looked up at him. "I am fun-sized and easy to carry!"

My father was a bit taken aback at my response. "That vampire was carrying you."

"Yes, all my lovers who can carry me really enjoy it. Want to try?" I asked, and there was absolute silence. The tension began to grow, but I wasn't about to take back my offer.

A growl suddenly made the air tremble. "Lovers? As in more than one?"

Oh, so that's what made my father quiet. I grinned and pointed at my cheeks. "I'm very lovable and I have a lot of love to give."

My father was even more quiet after that. His aura had darkened further and he seemed to be furious.

"Your great-grandfather spoke of what you told him about your mother. Is it all true?"

"Yes, sir." I responded firmly, then grabbed my tail and hugged it. "You can check my memories if you are still doubtful of my words."

The darkness seemed to seep from my father and it licked my shoes, so I wondered if it was his overflowing magic. I crouched down and gently offered my hand to it, even though I felt a bit silly. Much to my surprise, the darkness crept over my hand and it felt warm—comforting, really. I giggled and my tail wagged, then the darkness shot up my arm. I was startled as it wrapped around my shoulders like a scarf.

"What are you doing!" came a shockingly loud shout.

I jerked and looked at my father with wide eyes. "Making friends?"

I still hadn't seen my father's face because of the dim lighting, so it seemed more ominous as he towered over me this time.

"You could have gotten hurt. Do not touch it next time." he said, and the darkness retreated.

"But how could it hurt me when it cannot?" I asked, and he paused.

"What do you mean?"

"I have a double-barrier of sorts around my body. Nothing can harm me—physical attacks are reflected and returned, magic has no affect for injury or mental manipulation, and so on." I explained.

My father whirled around and a blade came down towards me. I didn't flinch as it slammed down six inches above my head and bounced off.

"So it is true," he commented. "Did I frighten you?"

"Nope. Besides, I have a sword, too." I grinned, my tail wiggling.

Once again, my father was quite startled. We stood there in silence. I looked around, then walked over to the tall window off to the side. I peered through the heavy blackout drapes, looking out the window. I realized we were on the third floor, so I could see over the building across the street from me. My ears flicked and my nose tickled, so I sneezed and my tail puffed out. I pouted a bit.

Large hands wrapped around my midsection and then I was suddenly lifted. I turned my head just as my father awkwardly tucked my form into his left side.

From the bit of light coming in past the drapes, I noticed a long scar across my father's face, and his right eye was milky white. His skin was naturally bronze and he had short black hair that was longer on top. His left eye was violet with silver flecks, just like mine. My ears perked and my tail wiggled.

"You're so handsome, Papa!"

He stiffened and I wondered if I said something he didn't like. My father closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then opened them again.

"Thank you, Anwyll."

"You are very welcome." I beamed, my tail whacking him.

My father squeezed my form with his left arm. He was quiet again, silently contemplating something.

"What's your name?" I asked again, and he glanced at me.

"Erasmus Arcane, Anwyll, but the wolves call me Fenrir."

"Ooh, okay." I smiled. "Nice to meet you, Papa."

My father blinked, then looked away. He stood there with me in his arms, just keeping us in awkward silence. I blushed when my stomach growled. My father's violet eye looked at me and I hid my face in embarrassment. An unexpected noise came a moment later and I peeked through my fingers to see my father holding back his laughter.

I dropped my hands to his chest and shoulder with a happy smile, feeling much less embarrassed. "Papa, are you happy to have met me?"

He paused. "Why would I not be happy?"

"Because I'm...unexpected?"

"Unexpected, yes, but not unwanted." he explained quietly, petting my head.

My heart pounded—so full of happiness from being accepted. I hugged him tightly and felt him tense, but he relaxed after a few seconds. My stomach rumbled again and my father took me to the table. He set my butt down on the booth's bench, then sat next to me. I scooted to the edge so I could be closer to the table and look at the menu.

"Papa, may I see your other form later?"

He patted my head. "Yes, but only if I can see yours."

My tail thumped on the seat and I leaned into his side with a happy smile on my face. "Yes, Papa."