Full Blood

    Marko had led him unwittingly to the fox's corpse whose eyes were beginning to fog over with the first advances of death. Daniel pitied the dying animal whose mouth had frozen open in a cry of pain, but Marko's presence was taking away all of his compassion. Drained him of it ounce by ounce. Marko picked the creature up by the scruff of its neck and it dangled like a useless piece of meat in a butcher's window. Its glorious tail hung thick and full between twitching legs. Daniel marvelled at the myriad of colours in the pelt, orange and red with flecks of gold, its black tail as if dipped in ink. Delicate white cheeks painted his petite face.

    Blood dripped from the bullet wound. Marko held the injury before Daniel's eyes. Blood dribbled down the coarse hairs, changed the colours of the pelt, running free and warm like rich ruby claret. Marko's canines slithered from their shields. His face creased into heavy bunches around his eyebrows. His cheeks emptied of any plumpness. Marko revealed his inner beast.

    "Taste it," Marko demanded in demonic tones.

    "No," Daniel replied, but could not avert his eyes from the droplets of blood.

    "You have been a slave to humans for too long. It's time to rediscover your destiny. Become one of the family. Say yes to your true fate."

    * * * *

    For a long time, Daniel glared at the fox. Pity glowed in his eyes at first, but his countenance darkened. Katarina noticed dark shadows cover his brow which deepened in circles under his eyes. She had never witnessed his vampire side until this moment when a grotesque mask covered his beautiful features. Wrinkles furrowed his skin. His paleness tinged with grey. Animalistic teeth erupted past the lips she loved to kiss.

    Katarina floated away. Hid behind a tree. Turned her face and wept. She wanted to disappear. Yet she knew, if she deserted him, he would be lost forever.

    Daniel prowled closer to the fox. He sniffed around the body as saliva drooled in a string from his lips. Shaking, he lengthened a finger and reached for the seeping wound.

    Bad dreams are plaguing them all and its not just the dhampir who cannot sleep. Catching them unawares, the Otovic's past returns to haunt them. Vladimir, the vampire father who Daniel has never met, wants him back to join the family. Wants a brother for his full blood brother, Marko, the baby his mother gave to gypsies and never spoke about again. Marko brings with him a vila, a water sprite with amazing and deadly powers which belie her frail beauty. He has plucked her feathers and she must do his bidding. That is, unless someone can break their bond and return what is rightfully hers. Money and power surround Vladimir and Marko. Friends are soon purchased including the headmaster of Thomas High where Marko joins the upper school to charm his brother Daniel into a deadly circle of trust. Marko fits in and seems to be the perfect student. Intelligent, hard working, generous. Everyone is unaware of the deadly secret he is hiding, that he would rather drain them all of their blood than spend another minute polluted by their company. Helena falls for his supernatural charms and spends a fortune on a designer dress to impress him at his party. However, Marko has infected his brother and he begins to change. His moods blacken. His temper soars. His patience shatters. Little does Daniel know that he will soon need Katarina's help to save his soul as she struggles with his estranged family for power over his soul.