Ambrose squeezed my hand. "Are you nervous?"

My tail flicked at our ankles. "A bit, yeah. But my butt is deliciously sore and completely distracting me from a lot of nervousness I would have had otherwise."

He blushed a bit and looked away. "I apologize."

I pouted and elbowed him. "I didn't want you to say sorry. That's when you should say 'you're welcome' and give me a kiss."

Ambrose coughed. "I can give you that kiss, little wolf."

I grinned and reached up towards him. "Yes, please!"

He chuckled and curled down, kissing my cheeks. "You are welcome, my cute Anwyll."

I beamed, my tail whipping back and forth. "I love you, Rose."

"I love you too, Anwyll."

The doorbell's ringtone finally ended and the door unlocked. Ambrose slowly straightened as the door swung open.

"My, what a hottie!"

Ambrose frowned as a young woman's voice came through the doorway. "Pardon me, but what was that?" he asked.

"She thinks you're really attractive." I explained, and Ambrose clenched his jaw. I giggled. "Do you not like it when people other than me note your attractiveness?"

Ambrose silently exhaled and hugged my shoulders. "Mm," he murmured.

I chuckled and hugged his waist, but then a dark-haired woman popped into my line of sight. She beamed at me.

"You must be Era's son! Aww, so cute!"

I blinked at her. "And you're my father's sister, so my aunt."

She nodded. "I'm Elsie. And oh, Aunt Elsie has such a nice ring!"

Ambrose hugged me tighter when Aunt Elsie reached for me. "Do not touch."

My aunt whined and stomped her feet. "Let me squeeze him! Let me kiss his cute cheeks!"

"Elsie, that is enough!" shouted an older woman. "Do you want to scare my grandson into never wanting to return?"

Elsie backed off and crossed her arms, sniffling to herself as an older woman shuffled forward. This must be my grandmother. Her hair was gray, but it hadn't lost its luster. She had a few wrinkles, but she didn't look older than a young fifty despite being much, much older than my father (who was a little under three thousand years old).

As her eyes met mine, I was surprised to see lavender-colored irises. Her smile broadened.

"My, you have violet eyes just like my boy." she murmured gently, her eyes filling with tears. "I heard bits of pieces of what happened to you, child. May I have a hug?"

Ambrose squeezed my shoulders, then gently pushed my lower back. I glanced up at him, then reached for my grandmother. She curled her arms around me and they tightened as I returned her embrace. My grandmother started crying a bit and I felt a smidge of awkwardness, but I appreciated the familial warmth.

"Aw, Mom got to hug him first!" whined Aunt Elsie.

My grandmother slowly backed away from me, then swiftly snagged her daughter's ear.

Aunt Elsie yelped, "Mom—ouch!"

"He is my grandson. I have a right to my son's child before you." she snapped, and my aunt pouted.

"Fine! But it's my turn now."

I held up my arms again. "C'mere, Aunt Elsie."

My aunt's blue-lavender eyes sparkled. "Eek, you're such a cutie!" she squealed, hurrying over to me and sweeping my small form into her arms.

My tail wiggled as she hugged me. I hugged her neck and her happy noises ceased. She just held me quietly, gently bouncing me. I heard footsteps with long strides as my grandmother's gentle inhale could be heard.

"Look at that, hon. Elsie is calm for once."

I guess that's unusual. I peered at Ambrose, but he was just on alert for the surrounding forested area of the Arcane Clan's property.

My aunt sighed softly. "You're so calming."

"Mm, so people have said." I chuckled, then sensed my father approach.

His chest appeared in my line of sight and I felt his hands wrap around my and waist. My aunt then let me be taken into my father's arms.

"Papa," I said softly, draping my arms over his shoulders. "Did you miss me?"

Papa tucked me into his left side and cupped my face. "Of course, my dear son. How could I not miss you?"

I pressed my lips to his left cheek. "I missed you too, Papa."

He allowed himself a trace of a smile, which warmed me to the core. I hugged him a bit tighter, my tail flicking happily. I rubbed my head on his shoulder with a wolfish purr in my chest.

"Greetings, Ambrose." stated Papa, holding out his hand to my vampire.

Ambrose turned and shook his hand. "Thank you for including me in your invitation, Sir Arcane."

"Just call me Erasmus. You are one of my boy's beloveds." said my papa, and for some reason there was pride in his voice.

"Thank you, Erasmus." Ambrose smiled pleasantly, and then my aunt was back to her what I assumed was her overexcited, super energetic, bouncy self.

My grandmother gasped. "My, what in the world is wrong with me? Come in, come in! It's too cold for you to stand out here."

We were all hustled inside, then I finally noticed the man hovering around my grandmother. Our eyes met and I felt like I was transported to another dimension. He chuckled when I blinked, then came over to me. He stood behind my father and placed his huge hand on mine.

"What a small child," he said gently, rubbing my head and ears.

I liked the way he scratched behind my wolf ears. He was very gentle despite his huge hand and thick fingers. His eyes were a very light brown with green tones. They were pretty. He also had a short beard; it was dark brown like the long hair he'd braided, which rested over his shoulder.

"Grandpa?" I asked, tilting my head.

His smile widened. "Indeed, I am Erasmus' father and your grandfather."

I grinned. "What's your name, Grandpa?"

He lowered his hand and gently pushed my hair back. His eyes widened and his lips parted. "What in the world is that?"

Papa stiffened and had me lean back. Ambrose silently approached when Papa looked at my forehead. I hadn't really paid attention to what was on it, but I guessed that it was some kind of marking.

"The mark of the current vampire king."

Grandpa looked up at Ambrose. "A hybrid of wolf and dragon received the marking to be the king of vampires?"

Ambrose smiled and glanced at me. "It was only because Anwyll is who he is. The previous king managed to see something in him that everyone around him sees with a bit of time."

I blushed. "And then I crushed her under my talons."

Grandpa's eyebrows shot up. "It truly is astonishing what can come out of the small mouth of the cute child in your arms, Erasmus."

Papa chuckled and he silently agreed alongside Ambrose. I pouted and rested my chin on my papa's shoulder, then slowly exhaled. His scent made me feel very safe and calm. It was like that with Daddy too, but this was very different. Now I was feeling sleepier than usual, too. All my tension was draining away while in my papa's arms.

"My name is Enki, Anwyll. It's a pleasure to meet you." stated my grandfather.

I smiled. "Nice to meet you too, Grandpa Enki."

__________________________

"You're too skinny!" exclaimed Grandma Aura. "Here, eat more!"

I was starting to get stuffed, so I politely declined. "It's taking me awhile to start eating more, Grandma. I was eating next to nothing before several months ago or so—not by choice." I muttered the last part, so Ambrose kissed my head.

"It's all right, sweetie." said my grandma, her tone soft and gentle.

Aunt Elsie nodded. "Mom feeds enough for a whole clan of normal dragons to be stuffed."

I tilted my head. "Normal dragons?"

Grandpa leaned forward. "Did my son not tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Papa coughed next to me. "Our family was the start of the Arcane Clan, as I am sure you are aware, but our family is also made up of hybrids."

My jaw dropped and Ambrose squeezed my left thigh when I glanced at him with wide eyes. I returned my gaze to my papa. "Really? Then Grandma is part wolf and something else and Grandpa is part dragon with another race?"

"You are correct." Papa nodded with a hint of a smile on his lips.

Grandpa chuckled. "I am half-giant, half-dragon."

"Fitting," I remarked. "You're well over seven feet tall."

Grandma giggled. "Yes, he certainly exceeds the usual height for even dragon. And he has a buff bulk just like a giant."

My grandfather shyly smiled and stroked the backs of his fingers along his wife's cheek. "I was amazed you even wanted me as a clumsy brute. I accidentally smashed through the wall of your hut when I leaned on it."

It was interesting to listen to them talk, but Papa and Aunt Elise were looking bored. I leaned into Ambrose for a moment and held his hand, then my tail wagged when I got a kiss on the head. His stomach was full too, apparently.

"What is Grandma and Aunt Elsie a mix of?" I asked, and my aunt jumped at the chance to answer first by slamming her hands onto the table and breaking it. My eyebrows shot up and she apologized profusely to her parents, fixing the table with a bit of magic.

"Anyway," she began. "I am like Dad; half giant, half dragon. Even though I don't really have his impressive height and bulk, I do possess great strength in my human form. My dragon form looks extra muscly and I'm super strong, too."

"That's amazing." I commented, then looked at Grandma.

She smiled warmly. "I am half wolf, half faerie."

"Really?" I asked, my eyes sparkling. "One of my lovers is an Emerged faerie!"

It was quiet after I exclaimed that and I glanced nervously at my papa's face. Had I said something wrong?

Papa squeezed my hand. "They are merely shocked, my dear son."

"Huh," I mumbled. "Okay, so they're not mad at me?"

Aunt Elsie shook herself out of her stupor. "No!" she shouted, then calmed down a bit when she noticed my surprise from the loud sound. "No, we're not mad. How old are you again?"

"Eighteen."

My grandparents and my aunt sighed aloud. It seemed that they had mentally placed their own idea of my age on my short, youthful self and forgot my real age. I chuckled and squeezed Ambrose's hand. He curled down and pecked my lips, ignoring the gasps. Papa was just a bit annoyed, but he wasn't pulling me away from Ambrose or anything like that.

"Ambrose, what exactly is your relationship with Anwyll?" asked Grandma, her hard stare somewhat electrifying. She had some magic power too, apparently. From her faerie side, no doubt.

Ambrose smiled gently and cupped the back of my head as I looked up at him. He met my gaze, then faced my grandmother. "He is my lover, my savior, and an irreplaceable person in my life. I would gladly risk my life to save his own, not out of guilt for my past actions but rather because I love him so dearly and deeply that I could not bear to let him depart from this world. And, although I say all that, Anwyll aided me in this journey to end my headhunt and he has not needed my services. His adoptive father was correct. Anwyll is much stronger than anyone—not just because of his magic, but because of his mind, his emotions, his heart, and his surprisingly effective features for landing a double kill in adorableness."

I blushed and his my face in my arms. "Geez, where did you pick up that kind of language, Rose?"

Ambrose chuckled. "Zaire and Waltz, I believe, had some conversation while you were with Matteo."

"Aw, man!" I playfully whined, but giggled when I got pulled into my vampire's arms. "I love you, too."

Ambrose hugged me tightly, kissing my forehead and petting my wolf ears. It felt really nice and relaxing, so I forgot about why Ambrose said all that aloud.

"Well," said Grandma, instantly startling me enough to flinch almost violently. "Oh no, Anwyll, did I startle you? I am so sorry, child."

I nuzzled Ambrose's collarbones and inhaled his scent to calm my raging heartbeat. His chest vibrated with a deep rumble, so I knew he was happy.

"It's okay, Grandma." I mumbled, scooting higher to rest my head on Ambrose's shoulder. "But I really love Ambrose. He's a wonderful vampire; still willing to take a chance on love despite so many betrayals. Ambrose fought like a machine for his kingdom—there was no separation of emotions. He was just living like a doll—like a marionette—doing as his master told him because he believed he had no rights as a slave. But now? He has more than just his rights. He has me!" I said jokingly with a soft giggle, but Ambrose agreed and made me blush from his honesty.

"Well, I can see that." rumbled Grandpa. "It's clear that you both care greatly for each other."

We nodded, then Papa moved Ambrose's chair next to his own with the use of magic. Ambrose was startled, but he said nothing when my father grasped my hand and held it. It seemed that Papa was getting anxious about my eventual depart from him, so I could understand that he wanted to spend some more time with me.

And, after lunch, that is exactly what we did. We all played outside together in our hybrid forms. Ambrose stayed back most of the time to avoid getting stepped on by the huge paws and talons.

Grandma was a light brown wolf with fur tipped the color of moss-green. She also had shimmery green, pink, and yellow butterfly wings on her wolf form. They were really pretty.

Grandpa was an enormous dragon that dwarfed Uncle Andros' lich form. He was truly a giant, but he was a dragon of the earth. He couldn't fly, perhaps because of his giant half. He looked a lot like a slate gray Komodo dragon, but his face was sharper and he had spiny ridges down his back and on his tail.

Aunt Elise was a large, muscly dragon as she'd described. She was also like her father, except she was cloud-white and raven-black in color. She reminded me of an appaloosa coloration or something to that effect.

And then there was my father and me. We were nearly identical other than our heights, the colors of our fur and scales, and Papa's blind right eye.

It was sad when Ambrose and I had to leave, but it was quick. We said goodbye, and neither my aunt nor my papa wanted to let go of me, but I promised I'd see them again soon.

Ambrose swept me into his arms and in a flash we were back home in the common room. We were greeted with excited voices of "welcome home" to the both of us. Ambrose was pleasantly surprised and gently kissed my cheek.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too, Rose." I beamed, my tail whirling like a silvery-heather tornado attached to my body while Ambrose laughed joyously.