Sharing Her Secret

Magdalene opened the door to her dormitory slowly. She opened it just wide enough to slip into the room so that the light from the hall didn't cast onto Rose as she slept. Magdalene closed the door behind her and glanced down at her phone. It was after 2 AM now. She released a low sigh as she tossed her phone up onto the loft bed. She pulled her robe off and hung it on the back of the door.

She tried to clear her head as she approached the bed. If she had any hope of getting sleep that night, she needed to relax, shut down and think of nothing, especially Demetrius and his sudden appearance in her life.

He made her angry. How could he just show up out of the blue after nearly a year? He had left her at Palazzo il Bicchiere without so much as a good bye. He ended their relationship with no justifiable reason. He said it was because vampires couldn't love, but Magdalene was sure that it had more to do with what would happen if her father found out they were together.

The light flashed on catching Magdalene off guard. She was brought back to reality as she was blinded. Her eyes turned away from the light and she shuttered into the shadows.

"We need to talk."

It was Rose. She was sitting on the futon under her loft bed. Magdalene frowned deeply as she stood up straight and rolled her shoulders back.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's not that," Rose said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I saw you downstairs with that vampire."

Magdalene's cheeks flushed and her heart stopped for a moment. If Rose had noticed her from up in the dormitory, who else had seen her with Demetrius?

"Alright," Magdalene said slowly as she brushed her hair out of her face. "What would you like to talk about?"

"Why did you let him get that close to you?"

"I know him."

"Know him?" Rose questioned. "You two looked like you were about to do it there on the park bench."

"Demetrius has always been very seductive," Magdalene smirked.

"How do you know him?"

Magdalene heaved a heavy sigh. How was she going to play this? She bit her bottom lip, looked at the ground and put her hands on her hips. Her secret was going to get out eventually. She didn't want to lie to Rose who was the closest thing she had to a friend. But, she also didn't know how Rose would react. She was a steadfast witch born into a clan that specialized in hunting vampires. It was completely possible that Rose would not be accepting of Magdalene as a half breed.

Magdalene looked at Rose with a very serious stare.

"Rose," she said slowly as the skinny blond crossed her arms over her chest. "I have a lot of secrets and I'm willing to share them with you, but before I do…well, I just need to know that you'll at least hear me out and not freak out."

Rose nodded her head. "You wouldn't be the first witch to fall for a vampire," she replied. "If you're worried about me judging you for that, you don't need to. I know things aren't so black and white."

Magdalene sighed with relief. "I am all the shades of gray. I'm a half breed. My mother was a witch and my father was a vampire. Demetrius, the vampire I was with downstairs, he was a vampire in my father's house. He assisted my father with his business."

Rose seemed to be processing the information. She didn't say anything right away, leaving an awkward silence between the two of them. Magdalene sighed again and looked at the ground as she grew more nervous about how Rose would respond.

"You can't control who your parents are," she finally whispered. "I know that first hand. Technically, I am also a half breed—half witch and half human."

Magdalene smiled as she looked up at Rose. "Being half human doesn't seem like quite a burden."

Rose laughed lightly. "Perhaps not, but to some of the pure witches it is."

Magdalene nodded and moved to sit next to her friend. She was relieved that Rose was accepting of her and that someone else knew her secret.

"Rose, you can't tell anyone. I'm trying very hard to stay under the radar…"

"Why?" she asked puzzled. "What is so bad about people knowing what you are?"

Magdalene looked straight out in front of her for a moment. She had yet to tell anyone other than Roman what she had done. To say it out loud made it harder to cope with; murdering her father was not something she was proud of.

"I killed my father," she said slowly.

"You killed your father?" Rose repeated in shock.

Magdalene frowned deeply as she glanced at Rose who was looking at her in disbelief.

"Yes," she nodded. "It was my life or his."

"Oh, I'm not judging your actions. I know he abused you and obviously, he's a vampire. I'm supposed to kill them too. I'm just impressed. I've been training my entire life and I've yet to kill one. I'm sure it was not an easy task."

"Like I said, it was his life or mine," she replied. "I thought he really was going to kill me that time. There were so many times when I was younger that I wished he did kill me….just so it would all stop…but I realized I didn't want to die."

Rose nodded and took Magdalene's hand, giving it a firm squeeze. "You have rights to his clan?"

"Yes, which is why it's important that me being here is a secret. Demetrius knows the truth, but when other clan members figure out what I've done—or my father's family—well, I'm sure they'll come after me."

"He was a powerful vampire then if you're worried about the clan or your own family coming after you," Rose whispered. She glanced at Magdalene with curious eyes. "Does the council know you're here?"

"Not yet," Magdalene said. "I just spoke to Roman Morrison. He took me in after I escaped my father. He's going to take me to them this weekend."

"Roman Morrison?"

Magdalene nodded her head but said nothing.

"He's a high ranking member on the council," Rose said softly. "I've seen him in passing at my mother's house."

"He never told me he was on the council," Magdalene said. "Perhaps that is why he felt it was okay not to inform them immediately…"

"So, what did Demetrius want?"

"He said he wanted to know what he should do about my father's business. Did I want him to keep running it for me."

"He answers to you now?" Rose asked with a skeptical tone.

Magdalene smiled and shrugged. "I suppose. Demetrius has always been very attentive to me…even before we were together."

Rose perked up with a smile. "You love him?"

"No," Magdalene said too quickly. "Maybe a long time ago…but he left me in my father's home when he knew I was being abused. I can't forgive him for that…"

"It looked like you were going to forgive him downstairs."

Magdalene laughed and shook her head. "No, as much as I miss Demetrius, I could never forgive him. I'm happy I've told you the truth. It's hard keeping secrets, especially from someone you're with everyday."

Rose squeezed Magdalene's hand again with a bright smile. "We're friends, Magdalene. You can tell me anything. So, as a half breed do you need blood?"

"Yes," Magdalene said. "I stop at the clinic each night while I'm out for a run. Nathan gives me an infusion."

Rose lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "I just thought you had a crush on him."

Magdalene laughed and shook her head. "That's what he's been telling people."

"What did you tell Demetrius?"

"To keep the clan and business running like normal."

"I bet you the council is going to have you keep playing the part of vampire clan leader. They'll use you as much as they can to gain information into the vampire world. What clan was your father the leader of?"

Magdalene didn't say anything right away. Rose stood up from her spot on the futon with wide eyes as she put the pieces together. "Your last name is Markus. You are Marius Markus' daughter!"

Magdalene cringed.

"The Markus clan is a branch clan of the Donovic clan," Rose continued. "You're like vampiric royalty!"

"Let's keep that to ourselves," Magdalene said quickly. "I'm trying to escape that life. I don't want any part of it. I would much rather Demetrius take over the clan and business and leave me alone so I can leave it all behind me."

Rose looked surprised and sat back down next to Magdalene. "Your father's business is in the slave trade. He owns the most slaves in the Midwest—probably the country—and now it's all passed on to you. The council will want you to dismantle the trade from the inside out!"

"I know," Magdalene nodded. "I'm hoping that simply neglecting it will allow it to crumble."

Rose shook her head. "No, someone else will pick it up."

Magdalene frowned. "I know," she whispered. "Demetrius has already released the slaves and fledging from my father's household. It will all start to fall apart quickly now. Roman said I have to be very careful."

"That's why he's taking you to see the council on Friday. "They'll collectively decide how to proceed."

This made Magdalene frown more deeply. She didn't want to proceed in any manner. She simply wanted to study, live her life as a college student, and be free of the vampire world. Perhaps coming to Harper's was not such a good idea as she had originally thought…and perhaps this was Roman's intent all along. He and the Midwest Witches Council would use Magdalene to shatter her father's empire like the glass palace it was.