Dante

I learned one thing with Ana. Never tell her pertinent information about yourself, or she never leaves it alone. Thanks to me and my big mouth, I had to endure an examination from Christian.

Christian poked and probed me. Well, he tried to poke me, but my skin bent his needle. Christian made me run, jump, punch Riley, and any other physical activity he decided for me. Then he checked my biological DNA, which I call my love juices. Yeah, you heard right.

I sat on a file cabinet and flipped through a magazine while Christian grabbed a book and flipped through it. "Doc, you need to update your magazine subscription. This magazine is so 1990s."

"I don't see actual patients since I'm a research scientist." Christian flipped pages in his book. "Tempus witches can turn a human into a vampire or supernatural creature while maintaining reproductive qualities of the human."

"How do you kill a Tempus creature?" Erik asked.

"Hey! You're not finding a way to off me!" I jumped off the filing cabinet and got into the dog's face. "No one is killing me."

"Try me, bloodsucker."

"No one is waging war in my office. Now sit," Christian ordered us.

I mocked Christian and strolled back to my perch.

"Only a tribrid can destroy Tempus, a Tempus witch, or a Tempus creature since they carry a venom deadly to one," Christian said.

"Well, Silas is the only tribrid, and he likes me, so I'm safe," I smirked.

Erik glared at me.

"How powerful is Silas?" Ana asked.

"Powerful enough to defeat Tempus," Christian said.

"This conversation is great, and all, but I prefer not to die. If we could prevent that, it would be great," I said.

Everyone stared at me. I lived over a hundred years as a vamp and have gotten used to it. Plus, dying sucks.

*******
After Christian's intrusive exam, I took Silas outside and showed him nature. He picked up a leaf and played with it.

"Why are you so worried?"

I glanced at Ana. "Who says that I'm worried?"

"Erik can't kill you, but you still worry. Why?"

"Do you understand how agonizing it is when someone turns you? The pain is excruciating and unbearable as venom freezes everything and stops your heart."

"If a tribrid can kill you, then why wear a protection ring?" Ana pointed at my ring.

"Because the sun burns like a mofo, and I still can't die. Trust me. I tried."

"What?"

"After a Tempus witch turned me, I tried everything to cause my death. Sunlight, garlic, sacred artifacts, and pissed off a werewolf. Nothing worked, and I still suffered."

"A werewolf's bite doesn't kill you?"

"Nope, but it leaves me with one heck of a rash. That's how we differ from normal vampires."

"I will never understand the supernatural world." Ana shook her head.

"Let me help. Hop on." I pointed to my back.

"Excuse me?"

"Get on, so we can end your confusion." I rolled my eyes.

"What about Silas?"

"Eh, we'll bring him along with us. He needs the adventure to liven up his dull existence."

Ana hopped on my back and wrapped her arms around my neck. It's a good thing that I can't breathe with her death grip. I held Silas in my arms and broke the speed barrier. Within minutes, we arrived at a house in the woods. Ana climbed off my back and took Silas from me.

I knocked, the door opened, then slammed shut. "Oh, come on!"

"Go away, Dante!" A voice trembled behind the door.

"Not until you give me information."

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because the last time you visited me, I had fang marks on my body! Do you have any idea how much that sucked? I had to lie to people until I healed!"

"Cassius, you create a mountain out of a molehill!"

The door flung opened as Cassius stood in the doorway. "I do not!"

"Yes, you do. I gave you love bites."

"You drank my blood!"

"I didn't drain you." I shrugged.

"Because I smacked your head, you liar. Hang out with me, Cassius. It'll be fun. I promise not to suck your blood. Bullshit!"

I looked at the sky and groaned.

"Um, is there a problem between you two?" Ana asked us.

I looked at Ana. "Cassius and I had a small fling."

"Small? Are you kidding me? It wasn't small! It was two years!" Cassius held up two fingers. "Two years, Dante!"

"I thought you had a wife," Ana said to me.

"Yes, when I was human. But it changed when I got turned."

"Huh?"

I turned to Ana. "I bat for both teams." I winked.

Ana's mouth dropped open.

I turned to Cassius. "She needs help. Since you're a witch, you can help her." I smiled.

"I hate you," Cassius grumbled and stepped aside.

People thought Tempus witches were temperamental. They haven't met Cassius.

Cassius closed the door and led us to a room with a big ass crystal ball on a stand. Show off.

"What is this?" Ana looked around the room.

"It's my spell room. I keep all my magical items and potions here. It helps to focus on my craft."

"Dante said you could help me understand Tempus Vampires."

Cassius sighed. "Unfortunately."

"You can't penetrate their skin. They have super everything and can reproduce."

"Because Tempus created Tempus witches, so he could control their magic. It was good in theory, but Tempus didn't bank on his witches becoming temperamental."

"How did he create a Tempus witch?"

"Tempus slaughtered a black witch coven with one escaping. The black witch had cast a spell turning Tempus into the monster we know today. But there was a slight problem."

"What problem?"

"Black witches dabble in dark magic, which can harm people. Tempus wanted revenge against the witch and found a witch to help him create the Tempus witches, and the witch drew dark magic from Tempus, giving us the temperamental cusses."

"You seem annoyed."

"I couldn't openly practice my magic without alerting Tempus. Do you have any idea how frustrating that is?"

"Could you focus on the current events and not the past?" I asked Cassius.

Cassius rolled his eyes.

"Ana wants to learn about Tempus vampires."

"Why don't you tell her since you are one?"

"Because you met several Tempus Vampires, including Cain," I smirked.

Cassius glowered at me.

"Who's Cain?" Ana asked.

"Oh, Cain is a vampire who likes to mate and create the perfect weapon against all supernatural creatures. He has yet to accomplish his plan because the women bore girls."

"What does Cain have against girls?"

"He finds them weak."

"Women are not weak." Ana put her palm up.

"Well, Cain wants to rule the supernatural world, but he can't," Cassius said.

"I'll regret my question. Why not?" Ana asked Cassius.

"Because the Alpha controls the supernatural world."

"Say what?"

Cassius pointed at Silas. "Your alpha created an heir, making him powerful."

"Erik is seventeen."

"It doesn't matter. The alpha became powerful when you gave birth to your son."

"Great."

I lifted Silas into my arms, and he held out his arm and a doll floated to him. Silas cuddled the doll.

"Interesting," Cassius said.

"What?"

"The child likes Dante."

"You make it sound like a bad thing. I'll have you know people like me."

"Erik wants to rip your head off," Ana said.

"Your dog's opinion means little to me," I said.

"It doesn't matter," Cassius said.

"Why?" Ana asked.

"If the boy likes someone, he protects the person." Cassius shrugged.

"I will never understand this world."

"Welcome to the supernatural world where anything can happen," I said.

Ana rolled her eyes. We cut our visit short with Cassius, and I would return later. His blood was driving me nuts.

*****
I gave Ana a lift back to the house, dropped her and Silas off, then returned to Cassius's place. I tapped on the door, and Cassius opened it. Before he could uninvite me inside, I pinned him to the wall.

"Oh, come on!"

My lips curled into a smile as I sunk my fangs into his neck and sipped enough to arouse him. Things got a little crazy in Cassius's house as we broke the bed.

We laid in bed as Cassius placed gauze on his neck. "Why must you show up here and have your way with me?"

"Because it's fun, and your blood is enticing." I cleaned my mouth.

Cassius sat up. "I didn't tell your friend some pertinent information about Cain and her son."

I sat up.

"Cain produced a male heir, but the child disappeared."

"Okay, now I have to hunt Cain's offspring. So, what's the problem?"

"Tempus vampires draw Silas to them."

"What are you saying?"

"Silas will imprint on a Tempus vampire."

"Wait. What?"

"When his wolf mates, he sinks his teeth into his mate to establish the bond. His bite will kill his mate."

"What do you mean by killing his mate?"

"A tribrid's bite is deadly to all supernatural creatures, including hybrids."

I jumped out of bed. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"And have the Luna kill me? No thanks. I enjoy my solitude."

"Cassius!"

Cassius shrugged. Why me? Now I have to keep Silas from destroying the supernatural world. It might work in my favor to keep my ass safe. But then again, it might blow up in my face. Eh, I'll take my chances.