Avalon drove back to the main gates of our property, and I sighed in relief. He hit the button on the car's rearview mirror, causing the gates to open. He passed through slowly, hitting the button again, and the gates closed behind us, guarded by the thick hedges that bordered the fence. He continued down the driveway, turning on the brightest setting of the headlights.

"Dad," he said softly when we came around the corner to the house, where two black cars waited in the gravel cul-de-sac.

I peeked around Mum's shoulders to see two men standing on the front stairs, two others waiting beside the fountain. All four were wearing black from head to toe.

"Stay in the car," Father answered. When the vehicle came to a halt, he opened the door slowly, stepping down into the gravel. He held up one hand in a show of peace, the gun still in his other hand.

"Lord Mezdor," one greeted, coming down the stairs. He held out a hand, his fingers covered with black leather gloves. "We apologize for letting ourselves in, but we didn't want to risk being seen by the main gate." His accent wasn't Kiwi or even Australian, making me frown.

"Been a long time since Shadows decided to pay me a visit. What do you want?" Father asked, keeping his distance despite the offer of a handshake.

"We heard there may be Worshippers here in the area. We're under orders to collect your family and move you to a safer location," the man replied, his expression grim.

"Commanders don't send Shadows," Dad said, keeping his body between the car and the intruders. "And the only one I know who might wouldn't send you without a proper head's up. Bartholomeu is too much of a tight-lace to make that kind of mistake."

"No, sir. Grand Elder Seren Winslow commands these Shadows. Vivit Draco. Vivat Nocte."

I heard Mum sigh in relief.

"Vivit Draco," Dad replied, nodding his head. He turned to glance at us over his shoulder, nodding for us to join him.

Avalon killed the engine and got out, coming around to block off our side of the car before Mum climbed out.

"Come on, Eris," she said, her tone softer than it had been minutes before.

I slowly crawled across the seat and got out, my feet hitting gravel. I stared at the four men in all-black clothing. The man who had been speaking to Father looked at me, his head bowing deeply.

"We suggest you pack your belongings immediately. We'll leave before sunrise. Our plane is in Wellington International," the man added after he stood back up.

"And go where?" Dad questioned. "We just came from Wellington. They'll be patrolling the streets to find our trail."

"Portland, sir," the man replied. He had dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. His jaw was tight, as if he always kept it clenched shut. "In the United States. Our presence is off-the-grid to many of our enemies."

"Grand Elder Thorne's coven?" Avalon asked, sudden intrigue in his voice.

"No, sir. Lord Thorne Winslow doesn't command the American West Coast. Commander Lady Elizabeth Anne Bartholomeu does," the brunette-haired man replied. "She sends her regards and has opened her home to the Dark Child and her family."

"Who?" I asked, unable to stop the question from rolling out of my mouth.

"Eris, go inside," Mum pressured, pushing me ahead of her and towards the front door as she followed. I looked over my shoulder as Avalon and Dad fell into line behind us, the four men moving aside for us.

I looked over my shoulder again once the front door was open, seeing the brunette man and his blonde companion joining us in the foyer. Before I could get pushed to the stairs, I turned around to face my family. "What's going on?" I asked, unable to quell the panic in my voice. "Where are we going?"

I watched as they looked at one another, exchanging glances I didn't understand.

"Who were those people?" I added, still watching them as I planted myself firmly on the marble tile. "And who are they?" I continued.

"I told you it was a mistake to keep this a secret for so long," Avalon said at last, his blue eyes on Father. "It was bound to sneak up and bite us on the ass at some point."

"Not now," both Mum and Father replied in the same tone simultaneously.

"What was a mistake?" I pressed. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me."

Mum sighed heavily, wiping her face with one hand. She shook her head, looking away. "I just thought—I thought we wouldn't ever reach this point."

"I told you we should have taught her years ago," my brother continued, exasperatedly.

"Not now, Avalon," they said again in unison, this time with more emphasized frustration.

The few seconds of silence that followed were a deafening eternity.

"What should you have told me?" I asked at last, my voice harsher than I meant it to be.

Mother glanced at my brother and father one more time before she turned to look at me. "I'm sorry, Eris."

"Mum, what?" I whispered, unable to keep up my angry façade. My eyes flashed from her to my father when he looked at the ground. I waited for him to meet my gaze before I asked again. "What should you have told me?"

"Those men in town were our enemies, Eris," he began, nodding his head back towards the open door. "They've been searching for you and your brother before you were born."

My bottom lip quivered as I tried to remember how to speak. I glanced at Avalon to see if he was serious, hoping my brother would begin to smile as a cruel joke. When Avalon's jaw clenched shut and he looked away, I knew it wasn't a prank. I looked at our parents again. "Why?"

"Because they're looking for the Dark Child in our prophecies," Dad replied. "And they think it's one of you."

"Who is the Dark Child? I've never even heard of it before."

"You are," Avalon said slowly, his eyes still on the floor. "You and I are the only ones who could be. They've been looking for me my whole life, too."

"What does that even mean?" I asked exasperatedly. "What would they want us for?"

"Lord Logan, we don't have time. We need to evacuate the island," the American urged from behind my parents. "Moon Worshipper leadership is seeking out the last of the Dracula bloodline. Every minute we lose, the closer they get."

Father sighed heavily and looked back to me. "Eris, Avalon, go upstairs and get your things. We'll discuss it later."

"But—," I tried to protest before Mum had me by my biceps and steered me towards the stairs. I tripped up the first two before looking back to see the men remain in the foyer while Avalon followed Mum up the steps. Even after I managed to stagger down the hallway towards our bedrooms, I finally stopped again outside my door. "Mum, I don't understand," I begged. "Why would anyone want us?"

"Because you're the one who will save our whole race," she said at last, placing one hand on my face as her eyes met mine. "It isn't safe out there. Bad vampires have been fighting to take over the world for a long time. And now we need to go, to keep you safe."

I didn't fight as hard when she ushered me into my room. I made a hurried rush to my bed before pushing off of it to get to my closet. I pulled out the only suitcase I owned. It had never been used. I'd never left New Zealand, much less gone far from home for more than a few hours at a time. I dropped it onto the foot of my bed, finicking with the zippers.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" I asked the open door that led to my walk-in closet. I knew Avalon would be able to hear me from the other side in his own bedroom.

"Because Mum and Dad thought we were protecting you. Sometimes I wish I didn't even know."

I shook my head and rushed to pull clothes from my dresser. "What do they want from us?"

"They think one of us is going to lead our coven, and that would put the bad guys out of power."

"What does that even mean?" I snapped, shoving a second load of clothes into my bag, including the dress my mother had brought me the last time she'd been away on business, the dark green lace standing out amongst the white and black clothing. "We're some kind of royalty?"

"Sort of," he answered. "At least, that's the way the other Shadows always made it sound."

"What the bloody hell are Shadows?"

The question left my mouth as I moved to my desk to grab my two favorite books and my journal. I dropped the stack into the luggage before making a dash to my jewelry box. I pulled out my pearls from my parents on my eighteenth birthday, the emerald earrings from my sixteenth birthday, and then my favorite silver necklace. I slipped them into my purse that was still slung across my body. I returned back to my closet and began to make quick work of my remaining clothes.

"They're our leaders. Only a small fraction of our coven is. Mum has been working with them for centuries. Hurry up."

"How can you expect me to hurry? I was just told we're part of some secret society!" I hissed in reply as I grabbed one of my favorite trench coats down from the hanger. I tossed it onto the foot of my bed with my things.

"Avalon, Eris, let's go!" Father's voice said from down the hall, his tone urgent.

Avalon suddenly appeared outside of my door, holding a duffle bag over his shoulder, a knapsack in his other hand. "I'm sorry no one told you. But it was for your own safety. I promise, we'll tell you everything. I will tell you everything. Okay?" He outstretched his hand after switching the knapsack's strap to his opposite fist.

I nodded and pulled my bag shut to zip it. I rushed to the door and followed him out into the hallway in the same moment both Mum and Dad came out of different rooms. I paused, looking back down the hall. "Wait. What about Dinah?"

"She'll be okay, Eris. But we have to go so they don't know we're here," Avalon answered me, pulling my hand again. "We'll come back for her."

"Lord Logan, Lady Ranelle, we must go now."

The sound of the man's voice again met us at the top of the stairs.

"No, I'm not leaving without her," I demanded, backpedalling two steps to pull free from Avalon's grip. I let go of my suitcase and felt it settle on the floor.

"Eris, we don't have time!" Avalon shouted after me as I rushed back down the hall. "Eris!"

I pressed past my bedroom door and to the spiral staircase that was tucked around the corner, just at the end of the hallway. I tore up the metal steps to the attic, hoping she would be waiting in my favorite hide-away. The attic was a room of rustic beams and old wooden floors, the walls cluttered with bookshelves and art. Golden stars hung from the ceiling on clear string, the rafters painted like the night sky in a mural. My eyes adjusted to the dimmer light from the dormer windows, causing the outline of the green couch to glow emerald.

"Dinah," I whispered, hoping she would come when I called. "Dinah, here, kitty."

"Eris, come on!" Avalon's voice echoed from the other end of the house below.

"Dinah," I begged, making a sound with my lips after. A soft meow followed in response, and I sighed in relief. "Here, Dinah," I said again, moving towards the sound. I lowered myself down on one knee just in time as the yellow tabby came out from under the couch, her fur golden in the faint light. Her tail rose up in greeting as she came forward, and I immediately pulled her up into my arms.

Careful not to trip, I carried her back down the spiral staircase to the hallway again. I came to the top of the main stairs just as Avalon rushed up them, his duffle still on his shoulder.

"Eris, we have to go now," he demanded. "Come on."

I nodded, tears beginning to run down my cheeks. I held my cat tighter to my chest. Suddenly I was terrified by the notion that I had no idea what was reality and fiction any longer.

"Here, give her to me," Avalon added, sounding less stringent. He quickly unzipped the top of his bag, holding it wide with one hand. He reached forward and scooped my pet out of my arms before I could stop him. "Alright, Cat, you better not scratch me or shed on my clothes," he warned her teasingly as he sat her down in the sack. I watched as he zipped it closed just enough only her small yellow head appeared.

Avalon reached back forward and grabbed my hand. "Come on, we need to get out of here."

I followed my brother down the steps, looking back over my shoulder again as we reached the foyer. Dad took my bag from me in the same moment I looked at our house, the only place I had ever known as home.

And now I was suddenly saying goodbye to an old life and running head-first into a strange, new world...