Matthew Torrent walked into the sparse apartment room. It was just that, a room and not much else. No mark of him was left about the place, no pictures or decor. He hadn’t had a home since the day he was forced to leave his wife, Elena, and his little girl, Bethany.

He could hear all the usual nighttime noises, and the people below. It wasn’t fair. Why couldn’t he be free to live the life he wanted? He had hoped that he would have the chance to live a human life forever.

Elena had known all about him, and had chosen him anyway. She had never expected him to stay, but he had. How young and cocky he had been, thinking that he could evade his powers, and his people forever.

It was his daughter’s sixteenth birthday, and he couldn’t celebrate that with her. He reminded himself that if he cared enough he wouldn’t allow himself the luxury of loving her like he wanted to. It was almost time if there was ever going to be a time. If she had enough
of his blood she would find her way to him. If not, then it was too dangerous, and always would be.