9 Old feud (part 1)

Chloe and I got dressed and joined her family for lunch.

During lunch, I continued practicing my table manners, while Mr. Drake and Chloe told me about the main factions in the vampire society of America. After a while, I stopped practicing and focused on digesting the information, in particular the confusing and convoluted relationships between the major Guilds, Covenants and Clans.

"Our Drachonius Clan consists of three families: Drachonius, Craseonus and Dermatius. We belong in the Bloodwing Covenant, part of the Medyachiros Guild," Mr. Drake said as he swirled a tall glass containing an amber-colored wine.

"Of course, that's only on the surface. The Craseonus and Dermatius each harbors their own agenda. Although we took them under our wings and sheltered them for a better part of a century, they had grown restless and ambitious. They can't wait to leave this clan and pledge their services to a master that is more… aggressive."

Off my confused look, he continued.

"I have long grown tired of the society's bloodlust, betrayal and treachery. For the past forty years I have distanced my clan from most of the major and minor conflicts. Now I want nothing more than to keep my family safe and see my children grow up."

I looked at his youthful visage and found it hard to imagine he had been head of the clan for more than 40 years. Then again, they age slower than human, so I should probably be less surprised.

"However, like most of my kind, I was once hot-blooded and eager to prove myself. In my past conquests for power and dominance, I made a significant number of enemies," his grey eyes staring at nothing, he continued, a tinge of regret in his voice "Nothing I say or do now could make up for what I did back then."

Looking around him, he said: "They can't get to me, of course, not when I'm protected by our society's law. But it doesn't mean they can't hurt me."

"Chloe," I said under my breath, and he nodded.