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“Come with us. Eight Vam’pirs together would force even Ramedes to think twice,” I suggested impulsively.

“Ah, Jacques. Somehow, it doesn’t surprise me you are in the middle of this. No, I have commitments here, and I am not ready to leave yet. I can give you money and food, but I remain here.Take my home in Athens, my prayers and be lucky,” Ricardus said as Pal led the children into the room.

Pal stared at Ricardus and then nodded. It was obvious Pal had overheard everything. Picking up Kit, Pal turned and left the house, with Mera following. Nathan and I were the last to leave, and Ricardus pulled us back.

“Jacques, you are all in grave danger. This could lead to your deaths. Are you prepared for that?” Ricardus asked.

“Pal and Mera are family, and there is nothing we wouldn’t do for them. Any of us would stand alongside another, Ricardus, is that not true?” I answered.

Ricardus shook his head and turned to Nathan.

“And where one fool goes, the other follows, I suppose?”

Nathan grinned, and that was all Ricardus needed as an answer.

“Wait, I have something that might help,” Ricardus said, leaving.

Inka called to me silently, and I answered her to go ahead and that we would catch up.

Ricardus returned, holding an item in his hands. Looking down at it, he handed it over, and I nearly dropped it.

Even Nathan stared in shock.

“Jacques, you may have this; I no longer require it. That may aid you in your adventures,” Ricardus said before leaving us alone.

Nathan and I stared at each other, and then gingerly, I wrapped my hand around the item. It was a gold amulet and a chain. I hung it around my neck and left with Nathan. Within minutes, we had caught the others up, and we fled again.

???

We made Athens without incident, and the children’s eyes widened in surprise.

The country shared similarities with Egypt, yet also had distinct differences. Like Egypt, Greece was educated, growing and rich. Kit and Rahmon took pleasure in everything new that they saw. We found Ricardus’s home and settled down into life.

Nathan left us a few weeks after arriving, and Li’zel was gone the next night. Strangely enough for Ami, she stayed for a year before leaving.

Lord knows why Ami stayed, because all she did was bait me. Then again, knowing Ami, that is why she remained. Ami wasn’t really interested in the children at first, deeming them a nuisance that she had to suffer.

However, Rahmon slowly worked his way into what Ami had left of a heart. Ami became very fond of Rahmon, so much so that Mera warned her about changing him. Ami tried to stare Mera down and then backed down herself. She departed the next night; however, I believe Ami genuinely cared for Rahmon.

Rahmon was heartbroken when Ami departed, and overnight, he changed. One minute, he was a laughing, carefree boy, and the next, he was sullen, rude, and angry.

Pal tried to talk to him but to no avail. Rahmon blamed Mera for making Ami leave. Honestly, it seemed a fleeting infatuation, and we expected him to move on.

Rahmon didn’t; instead, he grew worse. He began to answer Pal back and disappear for long periods, and I worried along with the rest of them.

Three years passed, and the children turned fifteen. They were beautiful creatures. Kit was alluring and most certainly in control of her body. Boys dropped at her feet, and yet Kit always held herself aloft.

Oh, Kit was a vision indeed. Her hair hung past her waist, a waist that my hands could have cupped easily. Kit’s chocolate-coloured eyes spat sparks at offenders, and her mouth would set in a straight line. For a moment, Kit took me back to when Inka was her age, and I sighed.

Kit was off-limits, although many actually tried to court her. I once caught Kit throwing a boy over a shoulder just as I had shown her, and I laughed as he backed away.

The boy Kit threw glanced upward, then ran. Everyone knew that Kit’s family was not to be messed with.

I laughed even harder as Kit faced me and put her hands on her hips.

As I gazed at Kit, I thought I spotted Rahmon for a mere second, and then he was gone as I glanced back at her.

“Something funny, Uncle Jaq?” Kit asked, her voice a husky timbre.