Dryac looked back when Illumay did, and when he saw Maya he ahd a strange feeling, pride, but why would he feel proud of a vampire he didn't even know, this was ridiculous, he turned back to his father before talking, I'll paint some runes on the floor in here, all you need do is tap them and you shall be teleported to my position, easier than flying or walking all the way, consider it a gift. Dryac then laughed before taking a chicken leg and placing it on his plate.

Ryac looked around the table, not completely sure what to go for first, You sure know how to lay on a spread uncle Bando.

Bando nodded at Nemasis, glad of her gentle touch and he relaxed slightly.

"Ah, of course... I'm just a bit on edge, I suppose. I haven't had any rest yet as you know. This is the first time anyone has erfused my food in a good several thousand years after all! I suppose I can forgive Raze. The rest of you though, have absolutley no excuse! If you don't start eating immediantlly, I shall be deeply hurt!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Atticus hung in the shadows and listened intently to the conversation that took place a few feet from him. He had once again arrived unnoticed and now stood beside the kitchen door, puzzling over the voices and smells that *censored*ailed his ears. The aroma of hundreds of dishes were making it hard to concentrate and he had to think to keep himself from drooling hungrily. Atticus hadn't eateen for a day now, and the close proximity of food was killing him! Still, he was hired to investigate, not eat. If only he could get Maya's attention, let her know he was there without giving away his position... he had to find out which vooice was Nemasis, if any of these were.

Both Nemesis and Illumay had begun eating as Maya simply sat there. She knew Atticus was there without needing to look. A vampires ears and nose were incredibly sensitive afterall. It took her a moment to realize that Atticus needed to know which voice belonged to Nemesis. Oh of course... How could she forget.

Sighing, she did the only thing she could do in order to inform Atticus of what he needed to know.

"Nemesis... Tell me, are you all related?" It was a weird question, but one that had foundation. Afterall, everyone else here was clearly related, and Mayanna did wish to know whether this Old Blood was too.

Nemesis took a moment to answer. "Not by blood."

Maya nodded, her eyes glancing towards the place where Atticus sat. She then stood and bowed slightly. "I'm sorry... I don't feel particularly well... Enjoy your meal"

She turned and walked, straight past Raze and out into the courtyards. She couldn't handle it. She had no family this morning, and keeping it quiet was getting just a little tiresome. Using her ability, she built the air pressure around herself, lifting her off the ground and into the air. She'd return later... For now, she needed her freedom.

Bando luaghed softly but his voice carried a hint of dissapointment.

"When I said I hadn't been refused in a few thousand years," He explained. "I forgot to mention Maya... she can be a tad moody and rather unpredicteable. You'll have to excuse her. Sghe always seems to have some tryinbg issue on her mind."

That said, he too began to enjoy his own feast, offering this and that to the others and suggesting various dishes to everyone, including, on occasion when he consider the dish appropriate, to the recently forgiven Raze.

"You can at least sit with us, freind, and try a few things!" He would say before directing Illumay's attention to a plate of sweet pastries or Ryac's hungry gaze to a platter stacked high with some succulant and unusual meat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Atticus almost sighed in relief as Maya skillfully steered the conversation to the mysterious Nemasis. So! The soft spoken yet firm woman's  voice he had been hearing all day was that of his quarry! He was a little put off by Maya's abrupt diparture and would have liked to follow her and press a few other matters, but his job was currently here...

"Find out who Nemasis is," Maya had said, and so he would. No matter how long it took.

Exhausted, Atticus sunk quietly to the stone floor and cross his leg. It was going to be a long wait...

Illumay was in her element. Being completely drowned in a number of sweet things. Well, she was still a child at heart, but she couldn't help feeling a tad downtrodden with Nemesis' aura.
The Old Blood seemed really distracted, and it took only a moment for Illumay to see for definate that she was.

Nemesis stood and bowed slightly to Bando. "This was delicious... But I feel I need some fresh air... I'll return shortly." The black clad woman then strolled out of the front door, following the steps of Maya.

Illumay blinked, her face taking on a serious ex
pression, serious enough to be unnerving for someone who looked so young.

Nemesis had had enough. She knew who Maya was, there was little doubt. They we're too similar, just too alike. And Maya's attitude mimicked Niele's. Without her knowing, Raze had followed, coming to stand beside the Old Blood.

"Your not being your usual self... What is it?"

Nemesis sighed. "That girl..." She inhaled slowly. "Is my neice... My sisters daughter. She was supposed to have perished along with Niele... Clearly not... The tattoo I spotted on her neck proves it."

Raze blinked. "But then... Dryac... Bando?"

Nemesis nodded. "Come on" The vampire then turned on her heel and walked back into the castle, her mind swimming with the certainty she had.

Atticus stepped carefully out of the way to let Nemasis and her companion back into the castle. They walked past him and he quickly followed them back into the winding corridors. No one escaped Atticus if he was after them. No sooner had Maya charged him with a task, was it done. After a time he stopped following the duo and turned back, heading out doors again. After two years of working with Maya, he knew exactly what she did and where she went. He was prepared to present another report and heading out in the direction where she usually went.

~~~~~~~~~

A puzzled look crossed Bando's faced and he looked about at his remaining guests. His gaze lingered longest on Illumay's and as he sorted out her thoughtful ex
pression. Something deeper must be going on... and it was ruining his dinner!

"Well, well," Bando luaghed. "One would almost think my guests didn't like my cooking!"

Nemesis returned and resat herself next to Illumay, who at the Old Bloods re-appearance had started eating again without the slightest trace of worry on her features.

Nemesis smiled at Bando. "I apologise for that." The Old Blood allowed her eyes to wander over Illumay, simply observing the childish manner while her mind continued to process what she'd realized. She was, for the first time in a long time, unsure about what she should do.

Illumay, being who she was, had noticed the change in Nema's aura, but didn't comment or let on that she knew.

~~~

Maya was sat over the other end of the courtyard, far from the front doors overlooking the lake that lay by the castle. Everything had happened so fast, it was downright unbelievable. She sighed quietly, placing her head on a hand. Problematic.

Atticus crept up to Maya and stood silently waiting for her to take notice of him. He knew better than to interupt his clients, even if he had something important to say as it was an invasion of their privacy and a breach of ettiquette. He stood still taking in the sounds of the air and the waves and smelling the vast water before him that he couldn't see and waited.

Dryac only realised the troubles Nemesis was having once she had stood from the table and left, he was also slightly miffed at the 'Not by Blood' comment earlier, he doubted that there was any nastiness in it, but he would talk to her about that later, ocne the dinner had been done with.

Dryac and Ryac ate their fill and then Dryac raised a blood gourd and Ryac raised a wine gl*censored*, "To my father, a brilliant cook." "To my uncle."  The two then drank deeply, then Dryac picked Illumay up and sat her on his shoulders as he morphed into his lycan form, "Ready for that run Ill?"

Illumay giggled and clasped both arms around Dryacs neck. "Of course"

Despite the Problems and issues Nemesis was currently dealing with silently, she couldn't help but smile at Illumay and her way of being. So carefree. She took a sip from one of the vials of blood and sighed.

~~~

Shifting, the youngest of the Old Bloods turned to face Atticus, standing not far behind. She nodded slightly.

"You found something already?" She smiled slightly. "You really are good you know."

Standing, Maya brushed herself off and looked at Atticus. "Well?"

Dryac burst into a heavy bound, running through the double doors and into the courtyard, tilting forward slightly to make sure that Illumay didn't fly off, "Hold on tight Ill!" Dryac then continued to do laps around the courtyard, his never ending source of energy coming in useful yet again.

Ryac was still sat at the table with his uncle Bando, "Where does he find his energy Bando? Is it like some un-tapped vampire resevoir that he has found the key to? I mean I could never do half of the stuff he does."

Bando finnally laughed whole heartedly and relaxed.

"Thankyou, my boys! Thankyou!"

~~~~~~~

Atticus politley nodded at Maya before beginning.

"Thankyou and, yes, I discovered something," He droned in his unintentionally bored voice. "Though it may come to you as some shock... As you know, you are the dughter of Niele... Bando is your grandfather, of course."

He puased for a moment and took a deep breath.

"The female known as 'Nemasis' is apparently your Aunt; your mother is her sister and she thought that you died along with your mother..."

Mayanna blinked, her eyes roaming to look over at the great castle just as she spotted Dryac and Illumay bound through the doors. Well... That explained it. All those funny looks... So Nemesis did know about her..  She knew, she was her aunt...

Maya dropped her eyes, ignoring the excited yells from the Young Blood Dryac was currently entertaining. Her family. They all seemed to exist here... In this one place.

She looked back at Atticus. "Thankyou." She said, as her eyes once again returned to watching Illumay and Dryac, the great wolf running with no restraint.

Atticus nodded again and slunk back into the shadows.

"Will there be anything else...?" He called softly, inviseable in the dark except for his strange milky eyes that eerily reflected the dim flickering of the torch light.

~~~~

"If your all finished, we may as well step outside for a breath of air before retiring to the lounge for that serious talk of Raze's. You, too, Raze. The night air may relax you a bit. And don't worry about the rest of the food- it will be taken care of." Bando said, waving them to the nearest exit leading to the rear court.

Maya watched Dryac's approach, her face showing no emotion whatsoever. She glanced at Atticus and sighed "No" she said, just loud enough for Atticus to hear. This was all they needed.

Crossing her arms, Maya pursed her lips and awaited Dryacs questions or comments. Great... Just great...

Illumay blinked as Dryac left. Well, that was unexpected. She waited only a moment before running back into the castle.

~(Sorry... I feel dead today... xD)~

((Dryac definatley has a Type A personality... XD))

Atticus was hardly intimidated by Dryac, but that was mostly becuase he couldn't see the demonic twist apparent in this feirce man as everyone else could. Words were not something that bothered him; he had been threatened by better armed people than the man before him seemed to be. If he had a knife or a gun he would have heard the click of the weapon cocking or a blade flipping out or the slither of metal drawn against cloth as it was unsheathed. He would have at least caught a metalic glimmer on the person's blurred form to suggest that he and Maya were in physical danger. Still, there was something unsettling about this fellow... a strange odor or maybe just the fearful promonitions of a near- blind man.

Instead of backing up in horror as any human would, Atticus mearly cocked his head to one side and turned his blank staring eyes towards Dryac.

"Your words are unimpressive. If you wish to speak to the lady, then you may do so in my presence. I will allow her no harm by anyone." He said simply.