The Mercedes Maybach S600 Pullman GUARD, rapidly drove towards the New pearl city. The luxurious long car whizzed through the wide street, turning heads and capturing amazement from random passers-by.

The car was customized to sport a spacious and lavish interior, and the temperature was maintained at a comfortable level. Damon and Kate were seated facing each other, with a small table between them. The two sat in silence – Damon just sat there calmly with his eyes closed, practicing the breathing techniques mentioned in the cultivation method, while Kate stared out the window, with her chin cradled in the palm of her hands.

A ray of sunlight fell on the glassy console inside the car, reflecting onto Kate’s cute little face and giving her an almost jade like complexion.

After a long period of silence, Kate blinked at her brother, pouted slightly, then stared innocently at Damon with her dark black eyes. “Big brother, I can see that you’re sad to leave that world. I’m sorry to have caused you trouble. But you must know that our family would have been worried about us.”

Damon recalled talking to his grandpa on the phone, telling him, he was okay and that he would return home soon. The reply had been short and emotionless, oh.

So, No. Damon didn’t think their grandparents were worried about them. In fact, Damon was surprised his grandfather even remembered his voice without Damon introducing himself first.

Damon remained silent, but he opened his eyes. He looked at her, noting her bright eyes as well as her aura of childlike innocence, then chuckled. “I don’t see any sincerity in this apology. If you are sincere, then help me keep our adventure a little secret.”

Kate fiddled with her thumbs and recited, “We were kidnapped for ransom. But Sky Kindle and her guards noticed and rescued us. Ugghh! that sounds so lame. Have you perhaps considered how popular we would be if we tell the truth?”

Damon smiled, “Popular? No. framed as a bunch of crazy siblings? Yes. *sighs* Maybe let me do the talking and you do the nodding?”

“But you have to at least mention how you fought against those kidnappers! You were sooo cool! I’m sure they’ll call you a hero! Otherwise, I’ll hold my breath.” Kate then proceeded to pinch her nose even though Damon could see her breathing through her slightly open mouth.

‘Fought? More like one sided beatdown. I still haven’t exacted my revenge on them.’

Damon reassured, “I’ll mention that only when they ask. Now, can you please breathe like a human being and not gulp air like a fish?” he pinched her cheeks lightly.

The car stopped just before the driveway of their 2-story house. Standing in front of the main door was an average height man dressed in elegant colored suit and a tanned face. A stranger, yet he looked angry as soon as he spotted them.

Tony turned to him; his jaw clenched. “You little jerk!” he thundered. “Where have you been hiding?”

He walked down the driveway. In his right hand he held Grandad’s smartphone.

“You think we’re a joke, playing us for suckers, eh? Do you know how worried your grandparents are? And your aunt?”

When Tony raised his hand to strike Damon. Damon stood still and didn’t flinch. Even the bulky and muscular, chauffeur stopped unloading bags and stared at the stranger with hostility. Miss Sky Kindle had given clear instructions not to let anything happen to the siblings. At the last moment, the man changed his mind and simply grabbed him by the arm.

“What have you been doing all these days? We've been looking for you everywhere!”

“I--we were kidnapped. I mentioned this to my grandfather, didn’t I?” answered Damon.

Tony cut him by shouting at him, “As long as your parents are missing, you are your family’s responsibility! You must obey us!”

Damon held his tongue, as he hissed between breath, “You aren't my family. Who are you?”

A murderous gleam flickered in Tony’s eyes. “We'll see about that!” he shouted. Then he proceeded to drag Damon by hand into the house, a shocked Kate trailing behind.

Surprisingly, this aggressive thug turned into a protective yet strict ‘mother’ once they were presented to the family, bringing the naughty child that was caught red handed back to be ‘punished’ in front of everyone. “He’s here, Mrs. Smith, and he’s still unrepentant. He claims that he was ‘kidnapped’ and that someone miraculously ‘rescued’ him from thugs.”

Grandma rushed over to Kate and covered her with kisses. “Kate! My darling! I was so frightened, so frightened! Tell me what happened? Are you both okay?”

She then proceeded to check Kate carefully for visible wounds or scratches. She only released Kate when she confirmed her progeny was physically unharmed and healthy.

‘Would she knock her socks off, if she found out Kate’s a vampire?’

A short, slightly hunched over old man came to stand in front of Damon. He observed, “You seem better off and healthy than the last time I saw you.”

Damon bowed a little and said, “You are here, grandfather. Mrs. Sky Kindle was gracious enough to take care of us after the traumatic incident. She became our good friend and we lived comfortably with her.”

Damon never expected the slap until it struck him across his cheek. His cheeks were red and a stinging pain thrummed across his head.

‘Damn! that hurts.’

Tony, of course happily offered sarcastically, “If you want my opinion, I don’t think Damon wanted to be around to get his report card. This kidnapping was just a ruse to escape and play ‘House’ with his girlfriend.”

Damon’s lips twitched, ‘Great, just when I had forgotten about it. I know I haven’t done well in my class, but give me a break, It’s not every time your parents run off and dump a huge burden on your shoulder.’

His grandfather’s expression remained the same, his eyes stony, Damon thought maybe this was how people identified the Smiths, a group of emotionless adults, relied on by a bunch of unloved children, who were well on their way to family heredity.

“I wouldn’t have said anything if you left alone. But taking a 10 yr. old child with you? You disappoint me, Damon.”

‘Disappointment…Really? Why can’t I see it old man? Why don’t you strain those lungs off their regular routine and sigh a little?’

Tony offered, “I know the headmaster of the Redcomb boarding school on a personal level. One word and I can send Damon packing next month. It would do Kate a lot of good staying away from bad influence.”

Damon took a deep breath to stop his anger from erupting.

‘I didn’t sleep much last night. Thinking about excuses and coming up with waterproof plans to convince everyone on the ‘Truth’ about their disappearance. Everything to make sure no one separates Kate from him especially now that she’s a vampire. But… now a stranger has the ability to decide my fate?’

Efforts failed, as Damon raised his head to stare at Tony, his lungs took deep breaths as the atmosphere suddenly changed, little specks of silver sprang on his golden honey brown eyes. A steel voice gripped the hall.

“One more word of separation, and I don’t care, even if you were my long-lost uncle, I’ll throw you out the door and cripple your legs for good measure.”

Everyone stood silently, too stunned to react. Damon, in their view was a quite but stubborn kid who nodded to everything they said, but still did things his way. He had never raised his voice at his elders before, certainly never threatened anyone before.

“The Gall!”, shouted his Aunt Eva, little sister of his father. “Not only did you kidnap a little kid away from the safety of her home. But you raise your voice after just 1 month of fooling around outside like a delinquent?”

Every family had their anomaly, the ‘ugly duckling’ so to speak. In the Smith family, Aunt Eva, was the only one who ever expressed her emotions. Problem was she expressed them too much.

Damon didn’t really like his Aunt Eva. When her husband ran away, she would always visit Damon’s house, whining and complaining to Damon’s father about how hard it was to raise a girl child alone and often criticized him for not understanding her situation.

To Damon though, she was full of judgement, nothing he did could ever satisfy her. He was the weed growing on her backyard, a regular trimming would straighten him out.

Now that Aunt Eva had entered the scene, Damon made his way to his room, before things could go south.

“I ate on my way here an’ am tired. I have to attend school tomorrow morning, so I’m off to sleep. Goodnight.”

As he passed, Tony grabbed his wrist and noted how pale and thin his arm looked. “A madcap, our Damon, eh?” he remarked. “How weak…..I heard some extasy drugs kill your hunger and makes your skin glow?”

Damon jerked his arm away and stayed silent. He would have loved to slam his fist in Tony’s face. To show him how ‘weak’ he was.

Tony kept his gaze on Damon, who could see something hostile in his eyes. This guy wasn't a pretentious jerk; he was a dangerous jerk.

“You aren’t doing drugs, are you, Damon?” he asked quietly. “Because that would explain a lot.”

“Why the sudden interest? You’re not into little boys, are you? Although with that sweaty palm and half balding head, I wouldn’t be surprised if you offered me some candy.”

As he left, the silence dominated the room. He had barely gotten to his bedroom upstairs when he heard Eva burst out: “Dad, how could you let him speak that way? And you don't say anything? He must be a terrible influence on Kate and my daughter!”

Damon slammed the door to shut out the rest.