The door to her bedroom was slightly open. She wasn't sure what was happening but she could hear someone singing. A Soft voice reaching her ears maybe even her heart. A melody that could have been stuck in her head, but she wouldn't mind it at all. For an odd reason images came rushing into her mind. Atalia with her dark curly hair, dark skin glowing under the moonlight.

Winter stood up from her bed, she knew she wasn't supposed to wander around in a castle filled with vampires. But she just wanted to catch a glimpse, from the little girl that brightens her day. She tiptoed towards the room where Lazarus had placed a piano not long ago. There she was in all her glory. Winter wasn't sure if it was okay for her to assume this, since she didn't now anything about vampires. However she had a feeling the kids weren't like all the vampires. It seemed that they had more than just super speed and strength.

Atalia sang her little heart out, even when it was supposed to be late at night. Even when everyone was supposed to sleep. Even when no one would hear her, she sang while playing the piano. Making sure the hit every note. Winter stood in the doorway listening closely. She smiled at the kid and approached her.

"You have a beautiful voice."

Atalia turned around and looked suprised. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you up."

"It nothing-" Winter wanted to finish her sentence however she could hear weird noises coming from behind her.

She ran towards Atalia and hid her in her arms. Not knowing who it was or if they were indeed in danger. Atalia hissed and had her fangs on display, her usually dark eyes were glowing and standing out. The lights in the room were flickering on and off and it reminded Winter of the time back in the library.

Winter wasn't sure what was happening because her eyes couldn't keep up. However Rohan suddenly was standing in front of her, holding her and Atalia behind him. His blue eyes were glowing brightly and his fangs were also on display. Despise the fact that she was surrounded by vampires, she felt so safe.

"I thought Lazarus told you not to wander around alone." Rohan commented and she felt exposed.

"Well I couldn't help myself." Winter answered back.

A man with fangs came into view, it looked like one of those people Lazarus held hostage was freed. His eyes were only on her. It looked like he was starving. Winter didn't mind giving her blood to him, after all since she was here. Not even once have she seen anyone feeding them. She walked towards the man, however Rohan grabbed her waist.

"His not just starving Miss. Atalia bring her back to her room." Rohan commanded. The little girl that usually didn't like obeying him, for once listened to him and grabbed Winter's hand.

Atalia ran pass the man in the doorway, while Winter followed her. The last glimpse she had of Rohan was the way he stuck his hand in the man's chest. Back in her room Atalia sat on her bed. Looking around her room expecting to see something.

"What are your friends like?" She asked out of no where and Winter found herself turning back to her sad self.

"They aren't perfect but I guess at the end of the day we are all humans right?" The question was more directed to herself than to the little girl.

"Why don't you go back? You aren't stuck here." Atalia said while sitting on her bed.

"What do you mean?" Winter asked confused.

"The king is planning on letting you go eventually." Atalia shared with Winter, however she wasn't concerned about how the little girl knew. She was concerned about what happened with her. What will happen with her if she indeed left.

"If Lazarus let me go, will you come with me?" She asked the little girl. Winter was unsure herself. Looking after kids wasn't in her budget, in fact she didn't why she even asked. Yet she won't be able to leave them all behind.

"I think we are better of here. Before Lazarus came, this place used to be a place where you wouldn't want to be. Our parents would lock us up too. Because we weren't like the others, I think it scared them." Atalia explained. Winter didn't understand why your own parents would lock you up. Just because you are different.

"Lazarus isn't so bad, we all noticed that. He is just troubled." Atalia spoke but it grew quiet again. The commotion in the hallway made her uneasy. The brown door opened itself exposing Lazarus in the doorway holding a angry Rohan.

"First of all didn't I tell you not to wander around in the castle?" Lazarus asked annoyed. "Second aren't you supposed to be in bed?" His eyes were fixated on Atalia, and she looked away embarrassed. "And third since when do you go around killing people?" Lazarus asked Rohan with raised eyebrows.

"So i should have left him go after Winter?" Rohan asked just annoyed as Lazarus.

"Why are you acting like you weren't able to just hold him back? Seriously you kids give me headaches." He said annoyed, and let go of Rohan.

"Go to you room please, you too Atalia." Lazarus commented before walking away with his hand on his forhead.

Winter had stayed in her room until the sun was rising up. She again tip toed out of her bed but before she walked down the stairs, she knocked on Lazarus door and openend it slowly. The man was already up looking out of the window staring at the sky that was about to turn into a orange colour.

"I was planning on watching the sun rise." Winter whispered not wanting to wake the kids up with great hearing.

Lazarus stayed quiet for a while and turned around to watch the human girl. "Why?" Was the only word that slip past his lips.

"I don't know, I just like to watch the sun rise. Are you coming?" Winter asked since she didn't want to go downstairs in her own.

The vampire didn't say anything more and just followed the human girl downstairs. When they arrived in his garden, she sat down and looked up at the sky. Winter was extremely quiet. It was pretty obvious to him that she wanted to say something. He wondered if she was capable of not asking questions. He wondered why she always had to say something. Lazarus was aware how the human nature where curious creatures, however even he knew that sometimes it was better not knowing the truth. Sometimes lies end up being better than the truth, and it seemed as if the human girl did not understand. Or at least she wasn't trying to.

"What is on your mind?" Lazarus find himself asking first.

"Are you planning on letting the kids free?" Winter asked, she could feel her heartbeat increasing.

"You want me to? I'm not planning on letting them free. I understand that In your eyes I look like a monster, I mean I did take their parents away from them. However since I arrived in this castle, I already found the kids locked up. I'm actually planning on taking care of them." Lazarus said out loud, while breathing in oxygen. Feeling his human side he thought he lost a while ago come back to the surface.

"Wait what?" Winter asked taken back. She did not expect him to say this at all.

"I don't like seeing kids as orphans. If they want to leave I'll let them, but they will always be welcome here." The vampire shared with Winter, making sure not to say too much.

"When will you let me go?" Winter knew that asking too much questions will make him not want to answer. However this question has been on her mind the last days.

"You are safer here Winter."

"Didnt you kidnap me for other reasons?" She asked confused. "Why can't you let me go?"

"The world is a messed up place. Humans forced to co exist with other beings. Beings that do not care about humans, beings that enjoy to harm others. I'm sure you have met one once. When I'm telling you that in the darkness lurks beings that you do not want to meet, I am being serious beloved." Lazarus tried to explain but he knew the girl did not like the idea of being locked up and he understood. Yet he was doing this for her.

"I know and I will be careful, I can take care of myself." She tried to reassure him however Lazarus let out a deep sigh.

"What if I said that people are looking for you?"

"Me? What would someone possibly want from me?" Winter asked utterly confused.

"It's not about what they want, it's about who you are." Lazarus knew it wasn't a good idea to tell the human girl. It wasn't a good time to tell her about his friend that he would have given his life for.

"What do you mean?" Winter glanced at Lazarus, her eyes glued on the vampire. Her gaze never leaving him not even a second.

"This is not the time to tell you the truth you have been wanting to hear." Lazarus said outloud, avoiding eye contact with the girl right next to him.

"You can't just leave it like that. You already started talking, tell me Lazarus what do you mean by that?" Winter desperately stared at the vampire. Hoping he would tell her his secrets yet he stayed silent.

"This is not the time." Was all he said again however Winter didn't like his answer.

"Please Lazarus, I- I know I said things I shouldn't have said. I did not have the right to judge you, however I just can't stay quiet about things that aren't okay." Her eyes locked with the vampire, not looking away any minute. Lazarus was tempted, tempted to open his mouth and say what was supposed to stay a secret. However the longer he looked into her eyes, the more he stared at her face. It made him realise she looked so much like his friend.

"I used to have a little sister. I'm sure you have seen her picture on my desk in the office." Winter nodded at his words. "She got sick, I remember my mother finding a necklace that was supposed to help my little sister, however she was getting worse. Back than we were vampires, however we didn't have the strength that vampires today posses. She died at the age of 8, and after her death my parents followed shortly. And after that my older brother passed away too. I was the only one left at the age of 12." Lazarus spoke up with no emotions. His face free from any expression. However Winter could tell, he was hurt.

"A lot of time passed by. I found a way to get stronger and I took it. Afterwards I met a man named Eras, he was human. The man just like you already knew about supernatural beings lurking in the darkness. Eras and me were good friends, in fact I didn't do anything without his approval. This man had a family of his own, however an unknown being had killed his parents and all he had wanted was revenge. Yet he got stuck here, in this castle. While he was trying to bring justice to his parents, vampires caught him and tortured him. Every.single.day. I had to see how the friend I was willing to give my life for was suffering. I planned on helping him, in fact I did everything in my power to save him. However the day I invaded this place, I found him dead." Lazarus spoke with anger on the tip of his tongue. Sadness swimming in his eyes.

Winter could hear the pain, in fact she could feel it. Having to see you friend dead was something unbearable, and it wasn't just a friend. It was his best friend he was willing to give his life for. She looked at the man with sadness in her own eyes.

"I haven't cried since my sister died. However I cried for him. Hundred years later and I finally found myself crying over a human. You see the being that took the man's parents are still out there. I'm telling you winter I have no idea what it is since Eras never told me. However all I know is that the being is dangerous. I can not let you out of my sight. I can not lose family again." Lazarus shared without making eye contact.

"What does this have to do with me?" Winter asked completely confused.

Lazarus looked into her eyes, hoping that this piece of information won't bring her down. "That man was your father beloved."

Winter was silent. Her head that was most of the time filled with a lot of thoughts, wasn't a safe space for her anymore. In fact her mind has never been a safe space for her. Everything he had was for her father who is dead now. A man she had believed to had abandoned her. Turns out he was killed by a group of vampires while searching for the ones that killed his parents.

"How come you never told me before?" Winter asked just for him to look up at the sky.

"I thought that not talking about an issue would make the issue fade away. But as you can see I'm clearly wrong."

She wasn't sure what she was feeling. She wasn't mad or felt as if her life just took an other turn. No it was still the same, the only difference was the fact that she received new information about her father. Winter suddenly grew angry the more she thought about it. Her father just wanted justice for his parents, she can't blame him. She would have done the same for her mother.

Something inside of her grew and the anger she felt earlier turned into something she wasn't expecting. Winter wanted her father to rest. To find peace but the job he wanted to complete wasn't done. Winter figured she should do it for him. After all her father didn't want to abandon her and her family. Winter figured it was the least she could do.