Dhampir Love by Shirlee Lewis

are very powerful and protective as the brood.  Carmina belongs to Thorment who oversees the meeting with Thorment.   Ophelia belongs to Mortum and takes care of the refills when flasks are getting low.  For those who didn’t use flasks, she led them to a tent where their thirst would be fulfilled.   Jayde belongs to Stefan, also a dwarf.  Gwin belongs to Zorak and very beautiful. The newest member is Freda.  Leviathan didn’t show an interest in her, but I am pretty sure she belonged to him.”
         Tony’s eyebrows came together in the middle when he mentioned Freda.  He glanced at me to see how I would react, but I waited for him to tell me more.
         “Why are there so many in command of this clan?”
         “Thorment said it has been that way for thousands of years and each one has their duties to fulfill when an occurrence happens.  The brood meets to decide the fate of the one who disobeyed the laws set forth by the clan.”
         “Did he tell you the laws of the clan?”
         “Yes!”
         I waited for patiently Tony to continue.
         “Vampires are not known in the normal world.  Everything about vampires is very discreet and secret.  Dhampir’s obey the one who made them until they die.  If a dhampir disobeys, then they are to face Thorment and his brood.  This one law must be obeyed by dhampirs or our fathers pay the ultimate price if we disobey.
         “So, Victor tells you to do something, you have to abide?”
         “Yes.”
         “And if you don’t?” 
         This was starting to worry me.  I couldn’t see Tony doing anything to disagree with Victor.  They were both so close and talked about everything.  Victor was standoffish with me, but then again I was human and he once said ‘I smelled good to him and there was nothing he would do to harm me’.
         “The father of the dhampir is responsible for them no matter their age.  Jason, for instance, has no father so my father is responsible for him.  He hired him to care for my mother in his absence.  If Jason disobeys a request from my father and Thorment hears about it, then my father is required to answer to Thorment and his brood, if my father cannot take care of the situation himself.  My fat her will pay the ultimate price.  Death,” Tony’s brows furrowed.
       “Why?  You would think the dhampir has to answer to Thorment.”
       “Do you remember what we did with William and Charlotte?”
        I nodded.
        “Same thing happens to our fathers.  We are required by vampire law to obey our fathers regardless.”
         “So, the devastating mess….?”
         “A dhampir was ordered to protect his mother while his father went away on business.  This dhampir is in love with a human from a nearby town.  Against his orders he visited this human which caused his mother to be unprotected.  The town people set fire to the house with her in it.”
         I had already heard the story from Jennifer, but with Tony telling me ; it sent chills up my spine.  “What happened to the dhampir?”
         “He encountered the same fate as would his father.  His father agreed to the fate of his child, so therefore his child is no longer on the face of this earth.  He was spared because he agreed to the fate of his child with one exception.  He cannot father another dhampir.” 
         Goose bumps appeared on my arms and I shivered from the story.  There was no way Victor would ever face a fate like that.  Tony was the most kind, sincere and obedient son I knew of.  “The father must be young.”
         “Oh, he is and very much single.”
         Tony and I lay quiet for a few minutes before I asked, “People still hunt vampires?”
         “Only in Europe they do.  The belief is vampires exist and should not roam the earth.  Believe it or not, Jess, but the towns’ people hold meetings when they suspect a vampire is