The Vampire Hunter's Daughter: Complete Collection(10)

With my mouth full of apple, I shook my head. After I swallowed, I said, “I just figure, with Christmas coming up, I’m going to need some cash to buy presents for you guys. Also, it would be nice to be able to get some of the things I need instead of asking you.”

“Chloe, you have money.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your mother left everything to you. There was a life insurance policy worth more than enough to see you through most of your life, as long as you don’t waste it. Of course, it’s in a trust. It’s in your name, and I’m the trustee, but there’s a board made up of community leaders. They approve all transactions and watch out for your best interests. We can submit a request to the board to withdraw a small portion into a checking account and get you a debit card.”

He folded his paper. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think about you needing money of your own. I did not intend to isolate you after everything you’ve been through.”

I shrugged again, pretending that using my mother’s death money to buy Christmas gifts didn’t bother me. Talk about crappy. “It’s okay. I’m just glad I won’t have to ask you for money for personal items and such.”

He gave a mock shudder and then cracked a grin. “Yes, that’s probably for the best.”

I decided to just come right out and ask him about the family tree. So, I sat down in the chair opposite of him and fiddled with my apple.

"Luke… Drew said something to me today about a family tree.” Luke’s eyebrows rose in curiosity, but I kept talking before he could say anything. “He said it took generations to finish it, but that you have it and it shows my family back to the beginning."

He folded his paper and set it on the table. “Of course, I have it. Would you like to see it?” He pushed his chair back and stood. “It will certainly help you understand where you come from, Chloe."

I nodded my head slowly, not certain I wanted to know everything but at the same time, curious.

"I’ll go get it,” he told me, and I watched him leave the room.

When he returned, he cleared off the table and unrolled a gigantic piece of super-thick paper. We both bent over the paper to examine the names. The family tree wasn’t an actual picture of a tree, as I had sort of expected it to be. It was really just lines connecting with each other with spaces for names. Toward the bottom was my mom and beside her was Trevor’s name, and then stemming from their names was my name. At the top of the tree it said: Andronikos and Sostrate.

“Do we know who the warrior woman descended from?” I looked up and caught Luke’s eye. “I mean…the god that was her parent?”

Luke looked thoughtful, like maybe he shouldn’t say anything. “No one can be certain, but it is said that Artemis was her mother.”

“Artemis, goddess of the hunt. That makes sense.”

He nodded. “It does.”

“Except she was supposed to be a virgin goddess,” I pointed out.

“Not all tales are actually the way it happened, Chloe.” He pointed at the names of the warriors children. “Do you see here where the children of the warriors have paired with many people, conceiving children.”

I nodded and he trailed his finger down the tree a bit farther.

“Well, look here.” He pointed to two names who had conceived a child together.

I couldn’t believe it.

“Brother and sister?” It came out like a question, but it was more like a surprised statement.

“Yes. It wasn’t uncommon in ancient times for brothers and sisters to be together. Most royal lines have done this to keep their blood pure. I’m assuming that's what happened here, with cousins.” He paused to assess my reaction, then pointed to another set of names down the line, “And here.”

“Eeeewwww! Our family is incestuous. Gross!”

“Indeed, it is gross, but the result is the same. It kept the blood of vampire hunters powerful.”

Confused, I shook my head. “Drew said something about that earlier, about power and me possibly being a powerful woman. Now you’re talking about power. What are you guys talking about?”

Luke rolled up the large family tree. “Chloe, think about it. Angels, demi-gods and for you, the power of vampire blood: How could you not be a powerful woman?”

“But I’m not even strong or anything. I don’t have anything that could be even close to a special power.”

“Not yet, you don’t. Most hunters acquire their gifts when they’re about sixteen. Not sure about vampires though. You might want to do some research on vampire children.”

I had already planned on researching vampires, mostly to know their strengths and weaknesses. “So, I’m probably going to end up getting some kind of superpower.”

Luke laughed. “Well, I don’t know about superpower. Most hunters have something they are just exceedingly good at, so we call them gifts.”

I nodded vigorously. “Like how I’m really good at shooting!”

“Exactly, but some hunters do come into a little more than just gifts. A rare few do have what could be a ‘superpower,’ as you called it.”

As interesting as it all was, I wasn’t sure having to deal with some abnormal and untrained power was something I really wanted. Really, my whole life had been turned upside down, and I had enough problems as it was.