When Talia became pregnant Victor blamed Tessa for allowing it. As if she'd have been able to stop her sister, the girl was of age. That was the main reason she'd not gone to see her father for three years. Talia had announced her pregnancy just before they'd left the castle for the ski trip. Victor lost his human glamour in his anger and he'd morphed into his very scary true self. Screaming at his oldest daughter Tessa had screamed right back. Everyone else in the castle had fled in terror, even Talia. For over an hour they'd screamed at each other. Tessa let all her resentment out and told her father just how much she hated his world and him. Before she'd left he demanded she give up playing at being human. He informed her that she was going to be the mistress of Other World after his death. Why he wanted to doom her like that was beyond her comprehension. She hated his world, why would he decide she should rule it?

Dragging her mind away from how much she didn't want to see Victor she looked out into the darkness of the street again. Streetlight hit the glittering falling snowflakes as they fell. She tried to focus only on the pretty and delicate sight, but soon her rebellious brain brought up the other subject she tried not to dwell on. At twenty-nine, Tessa despaired of finding Mr. Right. What kind of man would want a half demon wife? Only the kind she didn't want – Other World men; or, more accurately, monsters! What her mother ever saw in her father, Tessa would never know or understand.

Tessa worked as a secretary for a chiropractic office.