I'm not surprised when I receive an invitation from Jackson to come over for Thanksgiving. I have no doubt he is really trying to build this father-son bull relationship. I didn't plan on going but I have to. The reason is that my jealous boyfriend feels like he has something to prove and has challenged Jackson to a Combat Sanglat---latin for a fight to the death.

There is no way that I'm able to get to JB because he left to spend Thanksgiving in the Imperial palace without saying a ing word to me so I have no choice but to knock on Jackson's door.

“I'm shocked you came.”

Mark opens the door. I know it's Mark and not Roman because of the smile. Mark's excitement to see me is non-mistakable. There was a time when I wanted more than to see this y man standing behind a door smiling at me. Right now wasn't that time.

“You're going to be here for dinner?”

Mark laughs, “I spend a lot of time with Jackson.”

He says it nonchalantly but I just roll my eyes and walk in the condo. The condo is broad and beautiful. The view of Eden's skyline is in the distance. Huge houses with ancient architecture makeup the skyline but there is also a modern feel on the streets. It feels like Rome with so much culture and history and everything can be seen out of Jackson's views.

Mark looks y. I have to admit it. He's saying he's surprised to see me but he smells all good. He has this black blazer on and a fresh gold chain. He has a fresh shave which is definitely more distinct from when I last saw his brother who was wolfing it up a little bit.

“You and Jackson close huh?” I ask.

Mark smiles, “I always looked at him as sort of like a mentor. A lot of people do though.”

“Like a father?” I ask.

Mark looks awkward. A part of me wants him to. I can't help but to feel resentment at the fact that my father has become so close to the twins and yet his real son was alive the entire time.

Just when he is about to say something Jackson pokes his torso outside of one of the bedrooms. He drips water on the wood floors and I have to remind myself he is my father because his body looks ing amazing dripping wet like that. I shake off the stupid thought and watch as Jackson does his best to put on a smile. It's the most unnatural thing for him.

“You're here,”Jackson says, “How about you help Mark set up the table? I'll be out in a minute...”

He is acting like everything is great. He's acting like he's not going to face JB is a bloody ing battle. He expects me to smile back at him but I don't. I just roll my eyes and follow Mark into the kitchen where he is handing me plates.

“If I didn't know better,” Mark whispers, “I'd think your father was trying to let us get back together or something.”

“Really cause I'm thinking he's the biggest block in the world.”

“Well maybe he see's what's best for you.”

“And that's you?”

He doesn't hesitate, “Of course.” And he pulls me in close, in case I missed how passionate he felt about this.

Looking up at tall Mark is making my heart race. I'm uncomfortable but I'm pretty sure he likes the fact that I'm uncomfortable. This looks bad. I could imagine if JB walked in the room with Mark grabbing on the smalls of my back, inches away from my face. I can smell his cologne and feel his breath against the small hairs on my cupid's bow.

I pull away quickly and change the subject.

“Is Roman coming?”

“No. He's taking Mino out to dinner. He said Mino wanted to see more of Eden. Why do you want him here? You need a cushion between us?” he asks.

Yes. God yes. Anything. I need an entire sofa between us.

“Don't flatter yourself man,” I respond, “I have a boyfriend.”

“So why is your heart beating so fast?” Mark asks me.

I don't answer his question. I just turn and take the plates away. I don't owe Mark an explanation anymore. Now that I realize him and Roman trade places in class it makes me feel good. I don't feel awkward every time Roman walks into the class. However I still have that weird feeling with Mark. And I hate it.

By the time Jackson comes out we set up all the food and everything. There is a freshly killed turkey barely cooked still dripping with blood. The rest is normal food. I assume when I first turned into a vampire that food would lose it's taste or something. That's not the case. All my senses are better now. That includes taste but it just isn't a necessary anymore. I never really feel hunger in the way that I did before. Hunger is now more like an excess desire...like . It's nice and I enjoy it, but I don't need food to survive.

“So how is everyone?” Mark breaks the silence.

I know he's doing it because it's silent. It's awkward. I'm still beyond mad at Jackson. I don't want to be here. I'm surrounded by two of the men who have caused me all the real issues that I had mentally.

I don't answer.

Jackson shrugs his shoulders, “Works just been work you know. Blood shortage. Rogues are trying to sabotage the blood donation operation we have outside of Eden. I guess they are trying to starve us out.”

Mark shakes his head, “Damn. So what are you guys going to do?”

“Increase security. Hoping that the new Class O graduates soon and can help us out.”

Jackson looks across the table at me. I hate being here. It makes me kind of sick to see Mark asking Jackson about his day like they are some happy family. I feel out of place here. I want to get up and leave but I refuse to leave without talking to Jackson about what's going on. I swallow my pride at that moment and glare over the bloody turkey.

“Well we are working on that,” Mark smiles, “Roman told me everyone was doing better. Even Jr.”

He looks at me.

“What's that supposed to mean?” I ask him.

He stops chewing, “I didn't mean anything about it. Just meant I heard you were getting better.”

“Roman lied to you. I still ,” I respond.

Jackson doesn't hesitate to jump in, “You'll improve. It's in your blood.”

I roll my eyes, “Whatever.”

“You have something you want say or are you just going to sit across the table and mean mug?” Jackson asks me.

I drop my fork. Really? He had the nerve to sit here and scold me as though he raised me or something.

“Aren't you a middle aged man or something? Mean Mug? Really though?”

I'm raising my voice. I can tell Mark is uncomfortable but I don't give a . Jackson is looking dead at me. He's not backing down. I don't expect him to. Jackson isn't really the type to back down from anything.

“I'm the same age as you,” Jackson responds, “We're forever going to be this age. It's weird for me having a son that is my age. It's weird as . But you still have to respect me. I'm your father. And I'm here for you---no matter how you feel about it. I always look out for your best interest.”

“How about starting with not fighting my boyfriend to the death?” I ask, “That's a really big interest of mine not having a dead boyfriend.”

Silence.

Jackson is thinking how to approach this. I can tell. He knew I was coming here to discuss this. He should have been better prepared.

I'm not surprised when Mark jumps to his defense, “That's not fair. The prince challenged Jackson. Jackson had to accept.”

That was news to me that he accepted. It pisses me off even more.

I shake my head, “I'm not talking to you Mark. I'm talking to my father.”

“I'm glad you are calling me that,” Jackson replied.

“More like donor. Don't try to change the subject. You want to build a relationship with me and you think you'll do that by accepting to kill my boyfriend. Let's be for real. We all know you're the better fighter,” I say.

It's not a secret even for someone new to Eden. Jackson had a reputation. I'd heard it. Plus he was the Captain of the King's Guard.

“You should tell your boyfriend that,” Mark barks back.

“You should mind your in' business...” I reply.

I'm not backing down and neither is Mark. This isn't coming from anywhere. He's been waiting for a reason to tell me about JB and I can see him just on the seat of his ing chair ready to go in.

“You are my business. I don't give a . Everyone knows Jackson is the best fighter in Eden. In Eden everyone also knows that JB is a spoiled prince who no one trusts to lead Eden. Don't you remember? You can't even hit the prince without being charged with treason. Otherwise I would have knocked his out a long time ago. Maybe I should have fought him in a Combat Sanglant so I'd have an excuse to show you what a real man is.”

His words are spewing with malice. His point about no one being able to hit JB didn't mean that JB was weak. JB didn't make the laws. JB actually went out of his way to protect me and lie for me when I was about to be charged for assaulting him.

There is no love loss there and if Mark thinks for a minute I'm going to let him bash JB like that he has another thing coming. JB was there when his was hiding out following Jackson's orders.

“Mark---Jr is right. This is between me and my son,” Jackson corrects him.

“Fine.”

Mark gets up from the table as dramatically as I think he can. I watch as he storms off into a bedroom and slams the door so hard I think it'll fall off its hinges . I'm kind of glad that he's gone to be honest with you. I didn't want to be ganged up on. Then I look at Jackson and realize this is just him playing that protective father bull that makes me sick to my stomach.

“I'm sorry about that,” Jackson says about Mark and then puts his hands on the table, “I'm sorry about this situation with JB. But the challenge was sent out. It has to happen. It's a matter of pride.”

“You're the King's Guard. Everyone knows your reputation. pride. I'm asking you---I'm begging you not to do this.”

“You don't get it. A Combat Sanglant is the most ancient challenge for vampires. It dates back to when Vampires were in the Roman empire. JB feels like he has something to prove. And honestly---maybe he does.”

“What could he have to prove? He's just a jealous boyfriend...he thinks we're ing.”

“It's not just that,” Jackson responds, “He's a joke. I'll just put that out there. Ecbert is a fierce strong king. JB---not so much.”

“JB is strong...”

“That's not what I'm talking about. Strength is one thing. Character is another. He's too...sweet...”

I can almost laugh about this. JB is a nice person. He's always been a nice person since I met him. The fact that in the vampire world that is something bad blows my ing mind.

“King Ecbert seemed nice too.”

“Behind closed door. JB is nice to everyone. The King knows his heir's weakness. Why do you think he hasn't stepped down. Vampires are immortal but that doesn't mean they want to be active forever. Some vampires go into long sleeps...sometimes for decades and sometimes for centuries. Ecbert would like to go into a sleep but he can't because of his heir. People have no confidence in JB He's nice but sometimes nice isn't a good thing especially when you are a Vampire prince. People aren't scared of nice.”

“Exactly. He is immature. HE doesn't know better. YOU do. Just be the bigger man,” I tell Jackson foregetting at that moment that he isn't as young as I am.

“I can't just say no. Period. It's something I don't expect you to understand. Vampire culture...”

“ vampire culture!” I scream at the top of my lungs, “I love him.”

I admit it. The words just roll off my tongue. The door is open again. Mark is standing there. He's come out just to let me know that he heard what I said. I look at Mark. There is a look of pain in his face. I don't think he realized how intense I felt for JB. I don't think I noticed how intense I felt for JB.

Jackson sighs a little bit, “Listen. I won't kill him. I promise. But we do have to fight.”

“It's a fight to the death.”

“It doesn't have to be. The king has the power to stop it if one of the combatants beg for mercy. I'll beat the prince up a little bit. Throw him around. Make him beg for mercy. Thumbs up means that the king will give him mercy. Thumbs down---well, we don't have to worry about that. The king won't give a thumbs down to his heir.”

I just can't think of it. I can't stand the thought of JB getting beat so bad that he is begging for his life. Ok---they might not kill him but the embarrassment was another story. JB wouldn't be able to recover from that kind of embarrassment.

“I can't---I have to tell him?”

“Tell him what exactly?” Jackson asks.

“That you are my father,” I explain, “That he can't fight you because you're my father. If he knew that he might not want to.”

“You can't tell him that,” Jackson responds.

“I will.”

I start to walk to the door. I don't make it far. Jackson speeds across the floor to stop me. He's there in no time blocking me from leaving. He's grabbing on my wrist with a strength that kind of scares the out of me. If this is what JB has to go up against I don't imagine the fight lasting too long at all.

“If you tell JB that I am your father, people might figure out some things we don't want them to know,” Jackson explains.

“Like what?”

Jackson and his secrets. He's looking across the room at Mark. Mark doesn't need to be told. Mark walks back into the bedroom. He must be used to Jackson and his secrets already. I can't with it anymore though. My heart is racing at the thought of it. Jackson always has something to hide.

“Like