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these years. I was driving by the car dealership one day when I saw an older man who looked familiar somehow climbing into his car as he left the dealership. Intrigued, I applied to work there to try to find out more information. I wanted to piece together why that man was familiar.”
    “ That’s how you ended up delivering my car!” Claire exclaimed.
    Nikoli nodded. “When I was hired at the dealership I began to investigate a bit. I found his name, and date of birth, which matched Andras to the day. I knew I had to find him, to see if this man could really be Tamas. It would explain why he looked familiar to me, even after all these years have passed. I delivered your car and even asked to use the restroom inside as a ploy to enter your home.”
    Claire was visibly surprised.
    “ Vampires cannot enter a home without permission,” Nikoli explained apologetically. “If Thomas Raymond was really Tamas Szabo, the Keeper, I needed to be able to enter his residence without the delay of obtaining permission. What if the Myrmidons found him? They too have been on the hunt for the Fang and its Keeper all these years.”
    “ I discovered your Grandfather did not reside with you when I checked the purchase paperwork against the delivery paperwork. I was anxious to approach Tamas myself and planned to do so the next day. When I pulled up to his residence there were police cars in the driveway along with an ambulance. I kept watch in the local paper online to see Thomas Raymond’s obituary, who was really the Tamas Szabo I have been searching for all these years.” Nikoli stopped there, waiting for Claire’s response.
    “ Tamas Szabo was my grandfather?” Claire asked.
    “ Yes, Claire, he was. He had changed his name to Thomas Raymond when he arrived in the US, though he never legally changed it. There is no record of a Tamas Szabo immigrating to the US, but I have found records of Thomas Raymond arriving in the US from Romania in 1956. They are one and the same. I know he had the Fang of Stavros, and I know he gave it to you. I know because you resisted my persuasion, and only a human in possession of the Fang can do so.”
    “ He never gave me the Fang, I swear.” Claire was so confused.
    “Nikoli,” Joyce cut in, “John had mentioned to me before his passing that you suspected Tamas may have altered the form of the Fang. Why do you suspect that?”
    Nikoli grinned fondly, rememberin g his former Keeper’s brother. “Tamas was always tinkering, never able to resist altering things from their original form.”
    “ That sure sounds like Gramps.” Claire sniffled, cursing the tears that welled up again. “He could never just let things be.” A lone tear slid down her face and Nikoli released her hand long enough to reach up to wipe it away. The mere light touch of Nikoli’s hand on her cheek sent Claire’s blood pounding with desire, her heart racing. He grasped her hand again and she returned his grip in kind.
    Joyce caught the tender m oment between them, chuckling. “See Claire? A few hours ago you were ready to gouge his eyes out, anything to break away from him, and now you’re warming up to him so quickly. It’s in your bloodlines, girl, you’re a Keeper through and through and even your flesh and bones know it. It’s in your blood, Keepers take to their Guardian, vampires or not. Reminds me of my John.” She sighed wistfully.
    Claire gaped at Joyce. “ John? Your husband? He was really a vampire?”
    “Yes to both, ” Joyce replied, standing up to collect a framed photograph from one of the kitchen shelves filled with knick knacks and family pictures. She handed it to Claire.
    “ We met when I was 17 and I was smitten instantly. He was too, that’s why I couldn’t understand why he pulled away from me so. I knew in my heart he loved me too but he kept trying to break it off.” Joyce sighed fondly, remembering happier times. “He finally broke down and showed me the truth about what he was,