MY SUGAR MUMMY IS A BEAUTIFUL VAMPIRE

Blake stepped out of the cozy cabin, his mind still whirling from the tumultuous events of the past few days. Rose slumbered peacefully inside, exhausted from her ordeal but finally safe in his arms once more. He had lain her down gently, pressing a reverent kiss to her brow before slipping away to clear his head.

The night air was crisp and clean, filled with the gentle sounds of nocturnal creatures going about their business. Blake breathed deeply, savoring the tranquility and letting it soothe his troubled thoughts. It was a stark contrast to the chaos and violence that had dominated his existence recently.

Just as he was beginning to truly relax, a distant sound caught Blake's attention - the unmistakable rumble of an approaching engine. His senses immediately snapped to full alert, body tensing as he strained to pinpoint the source of the disturbance.

With a burst of superhuman speed, Blake raced through the forest, easily scaling a towering tree to gain a better vantage point. His keen eyes scanned the dark, winding road below until they locked onto a nondescript vehicle heading directly towards the cabin.

Alarm bells went off in Blake's mind - he had no idea who could be approaching at this hour, but he wasn't about to take any chances with Rose and their daughter's safety. With fluid grace, he leapt from the tree, landing in a crouch on the forest floor before taking off at a sprint.

Blake easily kept pace with the car, darting through the dense underbrush alongside the road. As the vehicle began to slow, clearly nearing its destination, he gathered himself and leapt - landing with catlike agility atop the roof.

The car screeched to an abrupt halt, its occupants clearly startled by the sudden impact. Blake tensed, ready for a fight as he heard the doors opening, his eyes already bleeding red...only to deflate in relief as two familiar figures emerged.

"Nana? Gunther?" he asked incredulously, hopping down from his perch. "Where the hell have you two been?"

Gunther flashed a roguish grin, seemingly unfazed by Blake's dramatic entrance. "Just picking up our girl Nana from the safehouse. Figured it was time to bring the whole gang back together, you know?"

How many safe houses did they even have altogether?! Blake wondered.

Blake let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, nodding slowly. His gaze slid to Nana, only to find her regarding him with a wary, almost haunted expression. The events at the safehouse - the brutal lengths he had gone to for information - hung heavy and unspoken between them.

He could see the look in her eyes, one he was certainly familiar with especially back at the safe house, this was fear.

Shame coiled in Blake's gut as he averted his eyes, unable to meet Nana's gaze directly. He knew apologies would never be enough to erase what he had done, the lines he had crossed. The best he could hope for was to atone through his actions moving forward.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Blake stepped aside and gestured towards the cabin. "Right, well...sorry for the abrupt stop. Didn't mean to scatter the road like that."

Gunther laughed heartily, clapping him on the shoulder as he passed. "No worries, brother. We're made of sterner stuff than that."

Nana followed silently, gaze downcast and shoulders hunched as if trying to make herself as small as possible in Blake's presence. The sight made his heart ache, but he knew pushing her now would only make things worse.

By the time Gunther and Nana pulled up to the cabin, Blake was already waiting - perks of vampire speed. Randal burst from the cabin with a joyful whoop, Reggie following at a more sedate pace but with a broad grin nonetheless.

"Nana! Damn is it good to see you, girl!" Randal swept her up in an unusual and exuberant hug, spinning her around until she let out a breathless laugh. It was rare to see him showcase this sort of emotions and Nana herself knew that.

Blake watched the reunion with a small smile, warmth kindling in his chest at seeing his makeshift family whole once more. He stepped forward and gestured towards the cabin door.

"Please Nana, come inside. Rose will be thrilled to see you."

Nana froze momentarily, gaze flicking to Blake with trepidation before she gave a jerky nod. She hurried past him, careful to maintain distance, and disappeared into the warmly lit interior with Randal behind her.

Reggie stayed behind, witnessing the awkwardness between the two who seemed to have been best of friends. With what he knew, Nana was Blake's only friend on the island they rescued them both from. Seeing them now like this, he knew something must have transpired between the two.

Blake let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. He started slightly when Reggie appeared at his side, expression oddly contrite.

"Hey Blake, I just wanted to apologize for knocking you out cold back there," Reggie began, looking uncharacteristically subdued. "During the rescue mission, I mean. It wasn't personal, I swear. I was just trying to make sure we got the little one out safe, you know?"

Blake blinked in confusion for a moment before realization dawned. He shook his head, holding up a hand to forestall further apologies.

"No, Reggie...you did the right thing. I was too volatile, too much of a liability in that state. And you did get the little one out safe," He said with a smile that was reciprocated by Reggie.

Blake then swallowed hard, gaze turning distant. "I umh… I appreciate what you did back there actually. For not telling the others what you saw me doing to Damien."

Shame burned through Blake as he recalled the savagery with which he had brutalized Damien. He had let his fury take control, devolving into little more than a rabid beast. It was a side of himself he despised...and never wanted the others to witness.

Reggie frowned slightly, looking perplexed. "What I saw you...Blake, what are you talking about?"

Blake clapped him on the shoulder, mustering a weak smile. "Don't worry about it. I'm just grateful to have you watching my back, even from myself sometimes."

With that cryptic statement, Blake turned and headed inside - leaving a thoroughly confused Reggie muttering under his breath.

'What is he talking about?' The knight thought.

******************

Later that night, the unlikely family gathered around the large, rustic table for a much-needed meal. The atmosphere was a strange mix of relieved exhaustion and tentative optimism for the future.

Gunther sat shirtless, a swath of bandages wrapped around his torso where he had taken a nasty cut during the rescue. It seemed he hadn't quite healed completely. However, he seemed utterly unbothered by the injury, taking hearty swigs from a beer bottle and laughing boisterously at Randal's colorful retelling of the mission.

Randal himself was draped across a creaking rocking chair, eyes closed in contentment as he gesticulated wildly to punctuate his tale. Nana and Reggie sat close together, heads bent in private conversation broken by the occasional shared chuckle.

And in the heart of it all was Blake, cradling his precious daughter in his arms with Rose nestled against his side. Dr. Martina flitted about the table, making sure everyone's plates and glasses remained full. The sight of her still caused a pang in Blake's heart as he recalled her selfless actions. Good people did exist after all, perhaps in very few numbers.

Initially, Blake had been hesitant to partake in the meal - his appetite these days craved a very different sustenance. But seeing his vampire brethren happily digging in spurred him to tentatively sample the hearty stew. To his pleased surprise, he found he could still savor the rich flavors even if it didn't fully sate his hunger.

A comfortable lull fell over the group as they ate, broken only by the occasional clink of cutlery and contented sighs. Reggie was the first to broach the tranquil silence, looking around at them all with an arched brow.

"So...what's next for our merry band of misfits?" There was a teasing lilt to his voice, but beneath it lay a genuine question.

Blake shared a long, meaningful look with Rose before answering. A slow smile spread across his face as he took in the sight of his family - battered and bruised, but unbroken.

"Honestly? I have no idea," he admitted with a soft chuckle. "But whatever the future holds, we'll face it together. Always."

Rose leaned up to press a tender kiss to his jaw, eyes shining with love and shared strength. "Damn right we will," she murmured for his ears alone.

As if in agreement, their daughter let out a gurgling coo, tiny hand curling around Blake's finger. He felt his heart swell near to bursting with pure, absolute adoration and devotion. In that moment, the shadows of the past seemed to recede - not vanquished entirely, but held at bay by the sheer power of the bonds between them all.

Laughter and conversation once more flowed through the cabin - affectionate ribbing, shared stories, the occasional bittersweet reminiscence. More than one toast was raised to sacrifices made and battles hard-won.

As the night wore on and his loved ones began to drift off in contented exhaustion, Blake found himself standing at the cabin's small window. He gazed out into the darkness - that endless, familiar abyss that held untold dangers in its depths.

But for the first time in longer than he could remember, Blake also felt a flicker of something else kindling bright within its blackness:

Hope. For the future, for their little family...for a life finally free of the crushing weight of the past.

And come what may, they would greet it together - forever bound by the unbreakable ties of blood, loyalty and love.

******

Somewhere else on a deserted plane, a dark swirling portal opened and out came three figures. Two females and a large, tall male with grey hair falling down his back.

"You are right after all, Shelly. I can sense the energies of multiple of my ungrateful descendants just beyond this poorly orchestrated cloak," Duncan Salvador said with a pause as a thought flashed right past him.

"I'm sure the elders would be thrilled to welcome you, lord Salvador back home," Elena said, bowing her head. The other female, Tessa who was now a vampire also bowed her head.

Duncan took a minute, basking in his unshared glory. Then regarding Elena, he said…

"As much as I'd like to pay them a visit and remind them their god still lives. I have more pressing needs. Take me, Shelly, to this place you say you claim there is an abundance of blood that I may feast on to regain my strength lost to time in the coffin,"

With that said, he opened the black swirling portal again and they stepped through it, vanishing from sight.