Epilogue  ∣  Legacy

-Mavis

I was sitting on one of the low hanging tree branches in the backyard of the mansion. My daddy was a few yards away from me, kneeling down in front of my mommy's headstone. The sun was high in the sky, rays shining down and through the leaves of the rustling trees. It was my fifth birthday, but that also meant it had been five years since daddy lost mommy as well and it was always hardest around this time for him.

One of my hands pressed against the tree trunk while the other rested beside me on the branch, holding a pink carnation. I picked at the rough bark beneath my fingertips, my long black hair pulled back into a low ponytail by a red ribbon. My daddy was one of two vampires that I knew of that could walk in the sunshine including my grandma.

The pink sweater I wore was nice in the warm breeze, the wind picking up wisps of my stray hairs on the tops of my shoulders. Everyone says I look like my mommy, my daddy having a hard time looking at me some days.

"Mavis?" My daddy called for me and I scooted down off the tree branch, my shoes hitting the soft patches of grass beneath of them. I walked toward my daddy, coming to stop only when I was beside him, his eyes still lingering on the headstone.

"Yes, daddy?" I asked, noticing the tear that escaped his eye before he quickly brushed it away.

He asked gently, "Is there something you wanted to give your mother?"

Holding the stem of the flower in my hand, I leaned down and placed it in front of the stone, wondering what she must have been like. Every year this was our tradition, the memory of her living on through me.

"I love you, mommy," I whispered quietly while rising to my feet, "I hope you are safe wherever you are."

"She's in a better place," my daddy stands to his feet as well. He turns to his side and glances down, his eyes meeting with mine as I look back up at him. I reached up, my small hand taking hold of his and giving it a tight squeeze. A smile formed on his lips and he squeezed my hand back in reassurance. His gaze lifted from mine and landed on the mansion where he said, "Let's go celebrate your birthday."

My eyes widened and I asked, "Is everyone coming daddy?"

He shook his head and replied, "You'll have to wait and see."

"What did you get me?" I tried to keep up with his large strides as we walked away from mommy's grave. As we headed back to the mansion across the grass, I glanced back over my shoulder, my eyes lingering on mommy's headstone and wondering if she liked the flower I picked out for her this year.

"You really want to ruin your surprise?" My daddy arched a brow and chuckled when I stuck my tongue out at him as my head turned back around.

He held my hand as we came through the doors to the backyard, skipping on the marble floor as I replied, "As long as you didn't get me another frilly dress I'll be happy."

"Hey!" He pulled back on my arm and I swiveled around. I gazed up at him while he had an amused look on his face, "I thought you liked those dresses."

I shook my head and said, "Nuh-uh, they're too girly," just as my grandma and Arlynn walked by I pointed out, "I want those clothes."

My daddy shook his head and sighed, "You're too young baby girl. You don't need to grow up so fast."

I let out a sigh and replied, "Oh fine," I huffed while my daddy let go of my hand and turned me around to the large staircase.

"Go wash up and come down," he nudged me in the direction of the first stair and I glanced back at him. I took one step up the staircase, my hand on the railing when my grandpa and great-grandpa walked into the entryway.

"Happy birthday little one," my great-grandpa smiled while I tried to contain my excitement for whatever it was we were going to do today for my birthday.

I waved and said, "Thank you," I then asked, "did daddy get me dresses again?"

Both of them broke out into laughter as my daddy rubbed his forehead before pointing up the staircase and said, "Go wash up now Mavis."

I shrugged my shoulders and rolled my eyes before turning around and taking the stairs quickly. When I reached the second floor, I walked toward my bedroom, stopping when I came face to face with the wooden door.

A thought struck me and a mischievous grin made its way onto my lips. Letting go of the handle to my room, I turned around and skipped to my daddy's bedroom door. I reached up and took the handle into my hand before pushing the door open. I whispered to myself while shutting the door behind me, "Maybe daddy hasn't wrapped my gift yet."

I began to search the room, going into the closet. In the closet, I searched around and dug through boxes, clothes mostly littering the space until I came across a brass key on a chain. I held it between my fingers and brought it back into the bedroom, tossing the key onto the bed and then headed back out and into the bathroom. I searched all over and let out an exasperated sigh before flopping on my back onto the bed covers. Just as I was about to give up, closing my eyelids in the process, they snapped back open wide.

Scooting off the bed and falling forward onto my belly, I lifted the covers. Peering under the bed, I could see there were old dust balls that no one had bothered to clean, but when I saw a small box at the head of the bed next to the wall, my eyes widened.

That must be my present!

I wormed my way under the bed, crawling to the box. Once I reached it, I fiddled with the lock and furrowed my brows. A sigh left my lips, only to be replaced with relief when I put two and two together, taking the box under my arm as I crawled out from under the bed. Bringing the box onto the bed, I crawled onto it while reaching for the brass key.

I sure hope this is it!

The key slid into the lock and it clicked open!

Lifting the lid back, a small black scarf was in the center of the box. I tilted my head to the side, reaching for the scarf and finding it weighed more than a scarf should. Unfolding the fabric, my mouth opened in awe when I found what it had been hiding. A black stone with something I couldn't understand was carved into its flawless beauty.

The moment my hand touched the stone, it went from cold to warm in a matter of seconds. It was a nice flicker of warmth and I smiled at the way it seeded deeply into my skin, my senses alive. The only light that had been on in the room flickered out.

I glanced around and at the door before asking, "Daddy?"

There was no response and when I brought my gaze back to the stone, I felt someone watching me. I lifted my chin from the stone and stared directly at the end of the bed. A tall man loomed before me, his dark hair almost covering his gray eyes as he stared at me in silence. I said nothing, continuing to stare back at him until I asked, "Do you know my daddy?"

The man furrowed his brows at my question, his eyes landing on the stone in my hands before his gaze met back with mine. He took one step toward me before I heard someone coming down the hallway. It was my daddy asking, "Mavis? Aren't you ready yet?"

I inhaled sharply and the man before me also appeared to hold some apprehension. When I glanced back, I gasped with surprise at the way his eyes changed color. One was an electric blue while the other held a bloody red tint to it like the vampires.

"Mavis?" My daddy called again, my heart skipping a beat when I tried to find my voice.

"I'm in here daddy," I answered back, turning back to see that the man had gone. When I realized the stone was still in my hand, I quickly wrapped it away in the scarf and locked the box back up. Placing it under the bed, the key in my hand behind my back, my daddy opened the door to find me staring around the room.

"Mavis," he sighed and shook his head, "What are you doing here?"

I thought about it for a moment and said, "I met a new friend."

"You did?" My daddy asked, knowing how much I liked to play pretend. The man that was here wasn't pretending though, but I knew daddy would think I was just making it up like normal.

"Uh-huh, he was right here," I pointed to the spot he had been standing in.

My daddy chuckled, stopping only when he was in front of me. A smile made its way onto his lips before he knelt down in front of me. His hazel blue eyes met with mine before he pulled me into a hug and whispered, "Let's go celebrate your birthday."

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To Seduce a Mortal by K. A. Young and Laisha C. Gardner

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