In the kitchen, Adam pulled out his first aid kit, dusty from years of not being used, from the shelf. Throwing several of the bottles and tubes containing expired medicine, he took a tube of lotion and bandages to treat Belle's sunburns.

Most of the sunburns had healed up due to her enhanced healing factor, but he dressed the more damaged regions.

The eggs were quite delicious and as he swallowed another mouthful he asked

"Belle?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you a few questions now that we are living together?"

Belle set aside her cutleries and replied "Yes of course, it's your household"
Adam chuckled in his mind that his simple apartment could be considered a household

"Is there anything apart from the usual garlic, sunlight and silver you are allergic to?"

"No, not all"
"How often do you take your blood meal"
"Twice a day"

"Is there anything specific you'd like for your room?"

Belle blushed with embrassement as she twiddled her thumbs together

"I, Um, would like, a teddy bear"

"A teddy bear?" Adam said, surprised that such a big girl would want one

"Yes please, it'll make my sleep oh so much more comfortable and I always saw the Gardner's daughter having one"

Adam wiped his mouth and set aside his plate, "Well sure along with that you'll need some clothes to fit in since you don't have much along with some other needfuls"

"So, let's have a day out, and I can show you where me and your mom loved to hang out"

"Are you sure you want me to come after all what happened, I don't want to be a burden on you"

Adam laughed and smiled back at her

"You're my best friend's daughter, and in a legal sense mine, so you will never be a burden too me"

He placed his hands one her shoulders and said "Now chin up, We're going to have fun"

Belle slowly brightened up as she put her plates in the dishwasher and headed her room.

"Make sure to wear something that can protect you from the sun" Adam called out as he dialed his phone

"Good morning, Adam" the voice said from the phone

"Good morning boss" Adam replied

"For the last time Adam, we're friends from collage"

Adam sighed

"Alright, alright Avery"

"I didn't see you in the lab today, are you sick?"

Adam put his plate and turned on the dishwasher

"That's why I'm calling, one of my best friends left me their kid and I think it's best for me to take her out to see the city and settle in before I go back for work"

"Would this best friend's name start with a L and end with a R?" Avery mocked

"Yes..."

"Fine alright then I understand, today and tomorrow then, we still got that meeting with Hemalogics to handle by the end of the month"

"Yes, yes Thanks so much"

"No problem my man, see you soon"

He woke up the next morning much better rested to the smell of crisping bacon. He opened his now busted door and walked over to the kitchen. Adam was met with the sight of bacon strips and scrambled eggs on white plate. As he sat down, he noticed a small square piece of paper no doubt taken from one of his memo pads. In it was written in small, elegant words, "Sorry for what happened yesterday, hope you enjoy the meal" along with a small smiley face.

"Oh dear, perhaps she was distraught with what happened, and she's ran away" Adam panicked as he jumped off the chair. He ran into each room calling out her name until he approached the basement.

"Belle? are you here?" Adam called out to the darkness as he went down the creaking stairs,

Two glowing yellow eyes stared back at him

"Oh, thank goodness you're here, I was so worried...."

In the darkness he heard her scuffling away.

"No!!, stay away Adam, I don't want to hurt you" she said

Adam moved the switch board and flicked on the lights

In the dim light he could see the little vampire girl curled up in the corner. He held out his hands wide open

"Hey, it's okay, see there isn't a single scratch on me"

He slowly came and sat down near her

"It was my mistake; I should have remembered that vampires need to have a blood meal before they can rest"

"No, it was mine!!" Belle said as she turned to him "How could you have remembered that we need the blood meal, you were so tired your black circles had black circles"

"Not all humans are that forgetful, Belle, not all" he said as he chuckled

"What are you even doing here" he remarked as he looked at her

"I went outside after waking up, I thought it was a dream but then I saw the blood on the floor and knew I nearly killed you"

"I ran outside but the sun disagreed with me, so I hid here, like all killers should" she said as she began to sob

Adam pulled the girl into his arms and held her close "You've hurt no one, and you were kind enough to make amends even though it was not your fault"

"My dad... is gone..." She said as she Sobbed "My mother isn't likely to come back, and William my only friend might not even return to share another story"

Adam looked at the tear-filled eyes of the girl and could not help but feel sorry that such a kindhearted girl should go through so much.

"Both Lavender and William are some of the strongest vampires I've ever seen, I'm sure they will come back" Adam said as he released her "

"And till then, I will always be there for you no matter what"

He then pulled her up to her feet

"Come on then, let's see how great of a cook you are"

Roger that

Do you want me to continue?

I've got a draft ready for it

Or I can end it here

By the time he was done cleaning up, the combined tiredness of his morning job and the poor sleep he had last night made him collapse onto his bed, the soft pillows beckoning him to a good night's rest. This did not last long, as from his closed eyes he felt as though he was being watched. He opened it to see Belle atop him, yellow eyes glowing wildly in the moonlight and her fangs bared.
At this moment he realized that he that he had forgotten, the blood meal for the night. Time slowed as he had seen this look once before, on Lavender's face the day she forgot to eat her blood meal after a lavish party. Instinctively, Adam managed to push Belle off him, making her land on the floor with a loud thud as he maneuvered to the door, locking it as she pounced off the floor at him.
He heard the door creak and buckle as the little vampiress tried to break it down to reach her quarry, him. He quickly grabbed the sliver case and pulled out one of the many blood bags and opened it just as the heard his room door burst open.
Belle stared at him intently, her yellow eyes more prominent in the dark of the house. He simply gestured at her with blood bag and as she snarled held it to her.
She greedily grabbed the bag and drank the contents with large gulp's, finally falling down with a look of pure euphoria before she fainted, her mouth covered in blood and with a toothy smile. Adam knelt down and with a clean white handkerchief, wiped her mouth. "Sorry Belle, I should have been more careful" he said as he carried her to her bed, tucking her in and after taking a look of the small picture of lavender on her nightstand, he went to bed yet again, the adrenaline from the event wearing off and leaving him even more tired.

Adam looked at the girl, who was now seated on probably the most cleanest spot on the sofa, as he prepared a simple meal of fish and chips, along with his special sauce, which he left the garlic out of for obvious reasons.

Her eyes were a bright yellow looking intently at him and her long dark hair was neatly parted and combed, adorned only with a simple white bow. the dress was like what one would wear to a dinner party, lace with regions of smooth silky cloths. She sat very lady like, and along with her tanned skin, made her an almost splitting image of her mother, If her mother looked as if she were 16 years old that is.

He set down the dish in front of the little girl and placed the fork and knife on a cloth on the coffee table as he then sat oposite her as he motioned her to dig in. Prim and proper as she were, she gently took the plate and cutlery, eating slowly but with vigour.

"I'm sure your hungry after your long journey" Adam mused as he continued to muse at the girl.
"What about you Adam?, are you not hungry?" she replied in a chirpy voice with eloquence.
"Oh I ate a while back, so it is quite okay"
She continued to eat in silence as they simply waited.
"So what is your name?" Adam said as he broke the silence
"Belle"
"That's a elegant name.."
"Thank you Adam, my mother named me after her favorite actor"
Adam raised her eyebrows "Belle Devenue, the swinger of West Bretast". Belle put down her fork and knife to look at him again, "So you did know my mother"
"Of course" Adam said as he looked to side to a small framed picture of him and Lavender on a camping trip, "Simply happier times" he mused. "We were best friends and lived together here for a while"
Belle having finished the meal set it on the table.
"Silly me, you must be tired" Adam said as he cleaned the table "Why don't you turn in for the night and we'll talk a little more tomorrow?"
She rose up and nodded at him, "See you tomorrow then".

"Sir, I do understand that but kindly read this message from my mistress, I am certain you'll understand afterwards" the old butler replied, adjusting the tie of his suit as he did.

Adam picked the letter from the butler's cold hands and took a look at him supposed daughter, who was dressed up in a fine lace dress and looked up at his with her wide yellow eyes.

Sighing he opened the letter and read the contents.

​

Dear Adam

How have the past few months treated you? I hope all is well. As I am writing this letter now, I realize that my time has nearly come to pass. Soon I will face the Willburn coven alone, as was decided by the rest of the high Lords. It is unlikely that I will survive, so I've sent my dearest daughter to you.

I understand how confusing it must be to have a daughter from a person you had known for only a few months, but her father was a cheating bastard who left me off and went along with a younger lady, someone I wouldn't trust a dime with. Apart from them, nearly all others I know would just treat her coldly or use her as a trump card for their own benefit.

I've seen you take care of your own sister and several kids kindly and properly without even a fuss. So please consider it a request from a old friend if you will, take my daughter as your own. She would learn a lot more of the world and I know you will take care of her well. You were also written in as her godfather in my will, so in any case my daughter is yours and there should be plenty enough in the bank to take care of her

Thanks for the great time

Lavender Helsborugh

"Are you sure you want to trust me with your charge?" Adam asked

"I've been observing you for the past few weeks" the butler replied "I do agree with the mistresses assumption, you would be quite well in taking care of a young vampire"

Adam looked back at his apartment, looking a bit shabby and desolate after his roommate left.

"Fine" he replied "Lavender was a good friend and helped me out when I was all alone, her daughter is mine as far as the rest of them are concerned"

The butler then handed him a silver briefcase that was cold to his touch, "This should last for a few weeks until you can find your own source" the butler told, "I shall contact the local hematosommelier to contact and deliver you a weekly shipment"

He then knelt down to the little girl and said to her "Little Miss, this good gentleman is your father and will take care of you from this point onward, I will hopefully come back to see you in a few day's time"

"What about my mother?" she asked "Will she come and see me too?"

A single tear fell down the old man's face

"I'm sure she will miss"

He wiped the tear off his face

"But till then be a good child to your father will you"

The girl nodded as she then locked hands with Adam's.

Her warm hand startled Adam, who looked at the butler who entered the old Bentley he arrived in

"Will I be seeing you again William?" Adam asked

The old butler smiled remorsefully as he started the car

"A butler's service is lifelong, even if it is to pass on" he replied

"Tell Lavender I wished her luck"

The old butler nodded as he sped out of the lane.