Ashleigh was his daughter."
"Why would they think she's Anthony child? It doesn't
make sense."
"It didn't to me, either." Caleb shrugged his
shoulders. "But they did try to attack me and take Ashleigh. I swear, Dad,
Ben would've killed me if I hadn't gotten the hell out of there."
"This is a question for the Council of Elders, but as
you know, Master Vessling is the head of the Council,
so we must tread lightly, especially if the subject of his illegitimate
daughter is brought up." Lucas's voice was low. "It could be possible
though. There was a—"
"No, it can't." Caleb glanced at Ashleigh, their
eyes meeting. "Vampires can't have girls."
"I agree, it's rare, but still…it can happen."
"You think it could?"
"What's her mother's name?"
"Marion Harper."
"Ah…" Lucas chuckled. "Interesting."
"What's interesting?" Now stopped at a light,
Caleb drummed nervously on the steering wheel.
"Marion used to be his personal assistant. She was a
just a half breed before she met Ben, so it could be possible. If Marion's her
mother, I'm surprised Ashleigh didn't know that. Marion's been a practicing
vampire since her teen years."
"Well, some half breeds are pretty secretive about
their dirty habits, and they don't crave blood like we Elders do. Maybe she
didn't tell Ash's father about it and practiced in secret. It could be
possible."
"Let me check on this further, and I’ll get back to
you."
"So, what do we do?" Caleb gazed cautiously over
at Ashleigh then back at the road.
"Nothing for now. Take Ashleigh with you when you leave
town. Don't leave her alone until we figure this out."
"Sounds good. I'll talk to you soon then." Caleb
hung up.
"So, what now?" Ashleigh wore a sour expression as
she fidgeted nervously with her fingers.
"Dad's gonna figure it out
for us." He lightly tapped her leg as he smiled. "How bout you go on tour with me so I can keep you safe?"
"Okay.”
Chapter Four
Lucas now found himself sitting in Anthony Vessling's office. His office was a great distance from
Kingston. The Vessling's lived outside the country in
a large estate near the ocean. Anthony owned Vessling Enterprises, a successful investment firm with ties all over the world.
Ashleigh was on tour with Caleb, which gave his father
plenty of time to investigate the Harpers' claim. Lucas hadn't spoken to any of
the other members yet, and because he hadn't heard anything, he believed Ben
hadn't either.
Lucas glanced around the office. His fingers held tightly to
an envelope. His gaze settled on a picture of Anthony and Sandra Vessling . Anthony's baby blue eyes were the exact shade of
Ashleigh's.
"Lucas." Anthony's voice was upbeat as he strolled
into the room. He slowly reached backward and shut the door. "What brings
you here?"
"I need to speak to you, Anthony." Lucas' eyes
followed him as he went over to his desk.
"Of course." Sweeping the tails of his sport coat
behind him, Anthony sat. He sent a friendly smile to Lucas, his fangs covered
up by a false set of teeth. "What is it you wish to speak of? Caleb's
suspension?"
"Caleb's fiancé."
"Miss Brown, the romance author." Anthony chuckled
as he moved some papers over to the side of his desk. "Aiden has been told
to stay away from her, but he does own her publishing company, so we cannot
guarantee they will not meet on any business endeavors. You—"
"The Harpers are trying to kidnap her."
"What?" Anthony chuckled. "Now Ben is after
her, as well?"
"They attacked my son, and they claim she's your
daughter."
"What?" Anthony's gaze narrowed on Lucas, and the
friendly tone in his voice disappeared. "How dare they say such a thing? I
buried my child… my son ."
"Are you sure?" Lucas pulled out a few photographs
from the envelope, tossing them onto Anthony's desk.
"I'm…" He picked up a picture of Ashleigh and
Caleb, studying his own smile staring back at him. "Sure. I…" Anthony
started going through the photographs quickly as his graying brow kissed
"Why would they think she's Anthony child? It doesn't
make sense."
"It didn't to me, either." Caleb shrugged his
shoulders. "But they did try to attack me and take Ashleigh. I swear, Dad,
Ben would've killed me if I hadn't gotten the hell out of there."
"This is a question for the Council of Elders, but as
you know, Master Vessling is the head of the Council,
so we must tread lightly, especially if the subject of his illegitimate
daughter is brought up." Lucas's voice was low. "It could be possible
though. There was a—"
"No, it can't." Caleb glanced at Ashleigh, their
eyes meeting. "Vampires can't have girls."
"I agree, it's rare, but still…it can happen."
"You think it could?"
"What's her mother's name?"
"Marion Harper."
"Ah…" Lucas chuckled. "Interesting."
"What's interesting?" Now stopped at a light,
Caleb drummed nervously on the steering wheel.
"Marion used to be his personal assistant. She was a
just a half breed before she met Ben, so it could be possible. If Marion's her
mother, I'm surprised Ashleigh didn't know that. Marion's been a practicing
vampire since her teen years."
"Well, some half breeds are pretty secretive about
their dirty habits, and they don't crave blood like we Elders do. Maybe she
didn't tell Ash's father about it and practiced in secret. It could be
possible."
"Let me check on this further, and I’ll get back to
you."
"So, what do we do?" Caleb gazed cautiously over
at Ashleigh then back at the road.
"Nothing for now. Take Ashleigh with you when you leave
town. Don't leave her alone until we figure this out."
"Sounds good. I'll talk to you soon then." Caleb
hung up.
"So, what now?" Ashleigh wore a sour expression as
she fidgeted nervously with her fingers.
"Dad's gonna figure it out
for us." He lightly tapped her leg as he smiled. "How bout you go on tour with me so I can keep you safe?"
"Okay.”
Chapter Four
Lucas now found himself sitting in Anthony Vessling's office. His office was a great distance from
Kingston. The Vessling's lived outside the country in
a large estate near the ocean. Anthony owned Vessling Enterprises, a successful investment firm with ties all over the world.
Ashleigh was on tour with Caleb, which gave his father
plenty of time to investigate the Harpers' claim. Lucas hadn't spoken to any of
the other members yet, and because he hadn't heard anything, he believed Ben
hadn't either.
Lucas glanced around the office. His fingers held tightly to
an envelope. His gaze settled on a picture of Anthony and Sandra Vessling . Anthony's baby blue eyes were the exact shade of
Ashleigh's.
"Lucas." Anthony's voice was upbeat as he strolled
into the room. He slowly reached backward and shut the door. "What brings
you here?"
"I need to speak to you, Anthony." Lucas' eyes
followed him as he went over to his desk.
"Of course." Sweeping the tails of his sport coat
behind him, Anthony sat. He sent a friendly smile to Lucas, his fangs covered
up by a false set of teeth. "What is it you wish to speak of? Caleb's
suspension?"
"Caleb's fiancé."
"Miss Brown, the romance author." Anthony chuckled
as he moved some papers over to the side of his desk. "Aiden has been told
to stay away from her, but he does own her publishing company, so we cannot
guarantee they will not meet on any business endeavors. You—"
"The Harpers are trying to kidnap her."
"What?" Anthony chuckled. "Now Ben is after
her, as well?"
"They attacked my son, and they claim she's your
daughter."
"What?" Anthony's gaze narrowed on Lucas, and the
friendly tone in his voice disappeared. "How dare they say such a thing? I
buried my child… my son ."
"Are you sure?" Lucas pulled out a few photographs
from the envelope, tossing them onto Anthony's desk.
"I'm…" He picked up a picture of Ashleigh and
Caleb, studying his own smile staring back at him. "Sure. I…" Anthony
started going through the photographs quickly as his graying brow kissed
Similar Books
