Hey guys!

Here is the next chapter! Life is still stressful but being able to write again is helping! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me during my long absence! Hoping to keep posting on this story as well as maybe dabbling in a few new fandoms!

I hope you enjoy this chapter and as always, let me know what you think!

Much love!

~DDM~

"I do!" I said quickly.

"Then why cry?" He asked.

"I…I didn't care for those people, except one. She was my foster mother," I explained, looking down at the table. "She took me in when everyone else wanted to cast me out. She provided for me, cared for me, when I had nothing left. When I woke and went downstairs, the window by her chair was broken and after seeing the fate of the rest of the town, I can only assume she is dead. I needed a moment to grieve for her."

It was silent for a moment, then I felt cool fingers beneath my chin, lifting my face. I looked into his intense eyes, surprised to see sympathy in them.

"There is nothing wrong with grieving the loss of a loved one, I have done so myself many times." His voice was low and deep with a handful of gravel tossed in. I nodded and he let go of my face. "Do you need more time, or do you wish to eat?" He sat back in his seat.

I looked at the tables covered in delicious looking food and felt my stomach give a hungry rumble. I heard my host chuckle before he reached for a platter with some kind of fowl on it.

"Have you ever had roast duck?"

I shook my head.

"It's delicious." He began to serve me, naming each new dish as he brought it forward and putting some of everything on my plate. I was stunned by the amount of food on my plate by the time he was finished, worried that I wouldn't be able to finish it all.

He laughed and I looked up from my plate, eyes still wide.

"I may have over done it," he grinned at me. "You don't have to finish it all, we have plenty of time for you to try new things while we travel."

I smiled, relieved that I would t have to stuff myself until I was ill. I started with the duck and happily sampled a little of everything. We didn't speak while we ate, just enjoying a comfortable silence.

"Where are we going?" I asked when I could eat no more.

"To the Mora Hive."

"A Hive?"

He nodded.

"I thought all Hives were empty now." I said confused.

"No, that's just what the church tells people. Vampires have been gathering their strength, their numbers growing for quite some time now."

"Why are we going there?"

"I want you to meet the Queen."

I stared at him open mouthed.

"A real Queen?" I asked, unable to hold back my excitement. "I have read about them! Is it true she is twice the size of a regular vampire?"

"She is," he nodded. "You seem excited. Not worried I am bringing you home for dinner?" He asked playfully.

"I am not afraid to die," I shrugged. "Besides, I can think of worse ways to die."

"She will like you." He said simply.

"How do you know?"

"She likes strength. Plus the others seem to like you, I want to see if she can tell us why."

"How long will it take to get there?" I asked, curious.

He stood from the table and made is way to the door on the opposite side form where I had entered. I stood and followed him. We entered another brightly lit room, there was a sitting area and a large map taking up one wall. I followed over to the map and watched as he traced a black line that swirled all over the map.

"This is where I found you." He pointed to one dot with 'Clearey' written above it.

"That's my town." I said, touching the dark mark. I looked over the rest of the map. "Why do these towns have marks through them?" I slid my finger across the map to the other dark marks with slashes through them.

"They are the towns we have stopped at." He said simply. I saw that the slashed towns all seemed to have several towns between them.

"So you never hit towns that are right next to each other." I said. "Is that to make it harder for the towns to talk to each other, so less people notice they are gone?"

"Yes, the farther apart the towns are, the harder it is for them to communicate. By the time the other towns hear about their destruction, they become nothing more the hear say and rumor. Few people travel outside their own towns so no one really goes to check."

"Thank you for the dress." I said suddenly, remembering that I forgot to thank him while we ate dinner.

"You are very welcome." He moved to sit in one of the chairs by a small round table.

"Where would we stop next?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, the others won't need to feed for several days."

"What about you?" I asked. He gave me another wicked grin.

"I can go longer without feeding because I can still get some of my nourishment through food."

"Can we stop before they need to feed?" I asked. "Maybe somewhere around here?" I pointed to an area on the map.

"Looking to run already?" He asked.

"Hardly!" I laughed. " I just need a few things."

"Like what?" It was his turn to be curious. I sat down in the seat across from him.

"I definitely need a hair brush," I pulled on the ends of my long dark hair. "And more clothes, soap, and shoes besides my boots. To name a few."

"Planning to stay then?" He smirked.

"Of course! How many people can say they are going to meet a real Queen?"

"Is that the only reason you want to stay?" He asked, one fang peaking out as he smirked at me. I flushed and stood up to go look at the map again. I heard his stand from his chair as I read the names of the towns.

"How about this one?" I asked, pointing to a random dot along the track.

"To far." His breath disturbed my hair and told me how close he was behind me. I felt my heart rate increase.

"Here?" I pointed to another town, closer to mine.

"That would work." He whispered against my hair, breathing in my scent again.

I felt two large hands settle on my hips and I let myself be pulled back into a strong chest.

"I can hear your heart." He said into my hair.

I felt myself flush even more, confused about my bodies reaction to the strange creature behind me. I had never been interested by any of the men in my town, not that many were interested in the 'Devil Child'. A few had flirted with me just to see others reactions but nothing had ever made me feel like i do now. Maybe it was because he was so different, completely different, than anyone i had ever met. I was pulled from my mind's wondering when I felt cool lips touch the side of my neck. When had he moved my hair?

I closed my eyes and absorbed the sensations he was causing. When I felt the sting of sharp fangs scratch against my skin, drawing blood, I gasped and jerked away. I spun around and pressed myself against the map, staring wide eyes at the man I had just been so comfortable with. My gaze was drawn to his mouth, a smudge of red on his bottom lip. I brought my hand up to my neck and felt moisture, bringing it back i saw red on my fingers. The comfortable bubble i had been in popped and I realized I was in a dangerous situation.

Just because I wasn't afraid to die, doesn't mean I was ready to.

I finally pulled my gaze from my bloodied fingers back to Black Hat's face and saw him watching me carefully.

"I apologize."he said lowly. "I hadn't meant…"

"Is that why I am here?" I asked, cutting him off. "So you can have my blood?"