Drystan hated that he had to subdue his woman. He hated that he had to bite her pressure point to calm her down. Her body fell limp in his arms as he held her tight against his body. He pressed his lips against her forehead and kept whispering the same words over and over in her mind. 

Forgive me. Forgive me, my love. 

"What did you do to my daughter?" Ba Coford sneered at him. He started to take a step toward both of them when Dante stepped between them. "You made her into what you are. You made her into a monster!"

"You don't know what your daughter has been through," Dante spoke to Ba Coford slowly. "You don't understand that what happened needed to be done. Drystan is her mate. He is her protector. He decided to turn her. If he didn't, your daughter would be dead."

"What?"

"Alathic's venom was too much for her," Drystan grounded out. He didn't take his eyes off Melora's sleeping face. "Her body was denying the change."

"Why?" Ba Coford sneered again. 

Now Drystan looked up at him. His eyes narrowed at him. "Her body knows who her mate is. Alathic was not her mate. Only her mate could truly change her. You knew that you could find another way for your people to survive, but you decided to sell your daughter." He could feel his anger about to overflow. He closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths to help himself relax. 

Ba Coford sighed as he shook his head. "Your story is very noble, Drystan. Forgive me if I don't particularly believe what you're saying. I didn't sell my daughter. I had to give her away to help my people. To help her people." Ba Coford sat back down and looked at his daughter in Drystan's arms. "I'll be honest with you, Drystan. I wish I could bless this union, but I can't. Not when my people are in trouble." His eyes moved back up to Drystan's. "She cannot be your mate, Drystan. It's not possible. She was human. Your kind cannot have human mates."

"That's not always true," Carwel piped up for the first time. He moved off of his seat and stood next to Ba Coford. His eyes looked down at him, bored, annoyed. "Our kind can have human mates. Eventually, they will become turned and become one of us. It is the only way that we can be one, together, forever." He turned his head over to Drystan, his eyes softening. "Melora didn't have the choice in becoming one of us. Alathic took that choice from her."

"Alathic wasn't the one who changed her," Ba Coford interrupted. "Drystan did."

Drystan heard Draco groan behind him. "You're not listening." Draco moved closer to Ba Coford. "Alathic bit your daughter. He injected his venom into your daughter knowing that she wasn't his mate. Your daughter was going to die if Drystan didn't do something."

"At first we thought that if he just took out the venom, she would wake up," Dante continued. "But she didn't. Drystan had to finish the job and turn her completely." He looked over at Melora and smiled. "We're glad to have another sister."

Carwel nodded his agreement. "Your daughter has many protectors now." He turned his attention back over to Ba Coford. "If you try to take her from us, it won't be good for you. If you try to take her back to Alathic, it won't be good. You don't know what a mated vampire is capable of." 

Ba Coford glared at all of them but finally nodded. "Fine." He sat up straight as he continued to glare at them. Drystan had seen this look many times before back in his land when he wanted the clan meetings to go his way. Drystan bit his tongue to refrain from saying anything he would later regret. "I have one request."

"What would that be?" Carwel grumbled. 

"I want to stay with my daughter. Just so I know that she is safe and well," Ba Coford's eyes locked onto Drystan's. His eyes held a challenge in them that Drystan didn't want to engage with. All he wanted was to get his mate back to their home. Put her underneath the blankets and make sure that she was safe. 

Carwel looked over at Drystan carefully. "What do you think, Drystan?"

"I will need another bed in my house," Drystan answered slowly. 

Carwel studied him for a moment before he nodded. "Alright." He gave a quick nod to Dante and Draco before looking back at Ba Coford. "You will stay with Drystan and Melora. I do need to remind you that you are a guest in his house. If I hear anything that I do not like, I will use force to kick you out of this compound. You are a guest here. Do you understand?"

Ba Coford blinked as he looked up at Carwel. "I understand," he said forcefully. 

Carwel nodded sharply. "Good. Follow Drystan. He'll take you to his home."

Drystan didn't wait for any permission before he turned around and walked out of the room. He waited impatiently for Ba Coford to follow him out. Once he did, Drystan led the way back to his house. He looked down at Melora's face and sighed. 

I'm sorry, my love, he whispered into her mind. He knew she could hear him, she just couldn't answer him right now. He was able to feel her consciousness brush up against his. That was the only answer that he needed to know she was listening to him. Your father is staying with us until he is confident that you are safe and well. Another brush against his conscience gave him her answer. He smiled as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

"When will my daughter wake up?" Ba Coford asked him as they stood in front of Drystan's house. 

Drystan opened the door with his elbow and walked in, immediately walking over to the bed and placing Melora down. He covered her with the blanket. Once he knew that she was comfortable, he turned back to Ba Coford. "It won't be long until she wakes." He sat down next to Melora and ran his fingers through her hair. "She's safe now, Ba Coford," Drystan stated quietly. 

Ba Coford sank into one of the chairs by the bed and looked at Melora. His eyes softened as he looked at her. "I wanted to love her mother," his voice was barely above a whisper. 

Drystan's head snapped up, and his eyebrows furrowed. He started to open his mouth, but Ba Coford held up his hand. 

"Please, just let me say what I want to say," Ba Coford begged. "What I said about how we don't get to marry because of love is true. When I married her mother, I wasn't in love with her. I did it so my family's clan could have more land and her family's clan would have protection. We performed our duty and she gave me my only joy. My daughter." He took a deep breath. "We marry for duty, Drystan, not love." He looked up and locked eyes with Drystan. "She has a duty that she has to uphold."

Drystan shook his head. "She's not leaving," he growled. He started to say something else when he felt Melora's hand rest on his arm. He looked down and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, my love," he whispered. 

Melora just smiled up at him. "I know, Drystan." She held her hand out for him. "Help me up, please."

Drystan quickly did what she asked and leaned her up against the headboard. He waited patiently for her to say anything to him, but she looked over to her father. 

"I'm not leaving, father," she told him firmly. "I'm not wanting to be married to another man. I want Drystan."

Ba Coford shook his head. "I know you do, daughter, but-"

"No, father," Melora interrupted him. "You will not be able to convince me to leave this compound or Drystan's side. I'm safe, father. I feel safe. When I was with Alathic, I wasn't safe. The entire time I was in extreme fear." Melora gripped Drystan's hand tightly. "If you are staying to convince me to leave, you're not going to succeed. You can leave."

Ba Coford stared at his daughter as if he didn't know her. In a way that was true. He didn't know or understand the change that his daughter has been through since she left home. Drystan was proud of the woman that she has become. He wouldn't change her for the world. 

Ba Coford finally nodded. "Alright. I won't try to convince you to leave. I just want to know that you are safe and healthy." He sighed. "I don't agree with your decision, but you were right. I can find a different way to help our people."

Melora's consciousness touched Drystan's. We could help him.

How?

When I am healthy, we go back home. She looked over at him. We can figure out how to help if we were there. 

Drystan smiled at her. He reached forward and brushed his fingers over her jaw. If that is what you want, princess. We will do that. But only if you are healthy. 

Melora smiled at him. Both of their heads snapped over to the door as a lazy-sounding knock came from the door. Drystan got up from the bed and rushed over to the door. He opened it up revealing the brothers. 

"We were able to find a medium cot," Dante explained. 

Drystan moved to the side and allowed them to come in and set up the cot. Drystan watched as Melora swung her legs off of the bed and walked over to the brothers, wanting to help them. Draco gave Drystan a wary look before smiling at Melora. 

"You need to rest, Melora," Draco told her gently. 

Melora shrugged. "I feel fine." Her hands went to her stomach. "I am hungry."

Dante straightened and placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "We shall take our leave then." Dante looked over at Ba Coford. "You may not want to watch her feed if you believe we are monsters." He then pushed Draco toward the door and closed it behind them. 

Drystan started to move toward Melora, wanting to fulfill her need when he remembered her father was still in the room. He wished he had gotten a bigger house, but he hadn't been thinking that his mate's father would ever be staying with them. 

Melora gripped Drystan's hand and pulled him over to the bed. "Father," she looked over at Ba Coford. "You need to leave. At least for a little bit. I have to feed and you will not like what you see." She gently pushed Drystan down on the bed. 

Drystan couldn't help but start to get turned on by this side of his woman. This demanding side of her. He loved it. 

Ba Coford's nose scrunched as he stood up. "Fine." He looked over at Drystan, a disappointed  look on his face. "I won't be gone long. Maybe I can find something for me to eat." He quickly walked over to the door and walked out, finally leaving them alone.