Faline

"Did the Vampires that came in with the group leave before the Mistress came in?"

The Shifter female that's still hovering close thinks about it for a moment, then nods. Sighing, I hop down.

"What about the wolf Shifter that was backing down before he was shoved aside?"

"He stayed down for awhile and watched what was going on, but got up and also left before the Mistress had come in."

Of course. Anyone that could corroborate and point out the Vamps, have gone.

"Did she talk to any of you about what happened?"

Only one to nod is Kerry, and by the way she's acting, I'm not going to get anything from her so I just drop it. Ripping the list from the fridge of items needed, I write down cameras and circle it. Giving it to Maii, I tell him to take it to her, he nods and takes off again.

I look around for inspiration on what to do next but find nothing. From fridge to fridge, cupboard to cupboard. Finally go to the freezer and pick out random meats to get put into the fridge to thaw for hours later. Even the pantries offer no help.

Thinking about things that family members like, ideas start popping in easily. Getting out ground hamburger, sausage, and venison and blending them together, it's portioned off into going for sloppy Joes, and for part of a chili that will be getting cooked in the big pot.

Rotating people around, I have Salem and Lex work on cooking and setting up the chili. Scarlett and Ty get bird duty, stocking the rotating ovens and making their own rubs for them. Marie and Joey get cleaning duty then veggie chopping.

Getting multiple tall pots set up to boil sweet potatoes, rice, and broccoli, I have to keep an eye on the small trees, don't want them super soggy. Kerry is on her dessert kick again making a chocolate lasagna. Sloppy Joe meat gets started with a creamy sharp cheddar sauce nearby while the 'dirty' rice gets mixed with a separate batch of beef hamburger, a spicy red gravy, and stuffed into peppers. Never made them like this before, so hopefully they're fine.

Broccoli is taken out before it gets too limp, chopped up just a few times, then cheese gets poured over them. Put some inside the peppers too, everything's better with cheese.

Sweet potatoes get mashed by Maii who finally returns and slightly sweetened with some honey and brown sugar. This all takes a few blissful hours that nothing goes bad during. After all the food is out and chili is steaming for a couple more hours, I tell everyone to take a break.

Take a break to eat, intake more fluids, and enjoy some chocolate mess that the serval Shifter made. Sitting on the side wall counter near them, I start out another list. Got a lot of the older meat used before getting freezer damaged too bad, but there's still some left.

While making the list I go over what still needs to be used. Most of what's left is stuff I have no idea what to do with. Like organs. Hearts, kidneys, pig hooves, cow tongues. The hell am I supposed to do with those?

"Hey, guys? Do you eat while in your animal forms?"

All I get is silence, so I look up. They're all just staring at me. Smiling, I laugh. Guess that was a stupid question. After hours of being with several other people and not talking much, let alone smiling or laughing, it feels good to finally do so.

Doing so also seems to break away some of the tension that had risen. Not to toot my own horn here, but seems I'm the life of the kitchen most of the time. Then again, I have no idea what goes on when I'm not here.

"Alright, so what do we do with some of this? I have no idea how to cook it or what to do with it period. Could try pawning it off on the healer, I've heard that some of it can be ground up and put into heal-y stuffs."

My nose wrinkles as I picture dried and ground up tongue. Gross.

"Could always use them to toss at a couple of peeps who've been annoying me lately. Do you think Anthony would find offense if I shoved one of the pig hooves..."

I have to stop talking and start giggling since the Vampire that walks in has a raised brow. Nicolaus crosses his arms and leans just inside the doorway.

"Never know, might mellow him out some."

Lex snorts before putting his head down fast. I try to hide it, but I burst out laughing. The Lynx Shifter is probably right. I keep the moody Vamp's attention off the cat by pointing at him, then next to me.

Both his brows rise. Yeah, never did this before, but it takes his attention off of poor Lex who looks like he's going to pass out from blood loss to his face. Nicolaus's brown and red hair is pulled back, no shirt, typical button-up jeans, and barefoot.

Come to think of it, shoes do seem to be kind of rare around here. Left inside the front door perhaps? Either way, he walks over, making a wide berth around the animals. Interesting.

"He wouldn't mind that much would he? I'm sure with his kinks, he may even find it enjoyable."

My grin just won't quit as I pick at the Vamp's dog. Haven't seen him today, so he's licking someone else's boots I bet. Orange eyes glitter at me, trying to be angry but unable to manage it.

Instead of standing next to me where I pointed, he has to wedge himself between my legs that are dangling over the countertop. Scowling, I flick his nose. With me on the raised perch, I'm still shorter than he, but only by a couple of inches.

Capturing my fingers in his mouth, he bites down while watching my face.

"You know, if you're that hungry, we have plenty of things that I was just talking about that you can chew on."

He lets go of my fingers and leans in for a kiss. I lean back and bash my head into the higher cupboards. Wincing, I'm trapped, so I start becoming snarky.

"Ow. Why is it whenever you're around me I end up hurting in one way or another?"

"Just lucky, I guess."

Soft voice trickles over me while he breathes in front of my mouth, eyes going from mine to my lips. Hands move up my thighs, not like they can do much though with my apron doing a wonderful job at holding down the skirt and covering my chest.

"You're already making a pest of yourself. You're bugging me. Go pester your sister, she would love to have you up her ass... Probably literally."

His lips touch on mine while he squeezes my legs. Not really hard, but hard. A wet tongue slips out to play over my bottom lip. Putting my hands over his, I squeeze back.

"Don't want her. I want you, in your body, now."

A thrill goes through me as I almost choke, the opening just what he needed to drive his tongue deep. My hands go to his hair, gripping handfuls and pulling him away before I drown in his kiss. A low moan sounds from his throat as I do so.

Worse than a female with hair pulling being a turn on. Large hands make their way to my rear end, pulling me closer to the edge where I get pressed into his body. Have to bite my own tongue to keep the moan welling in me to stay silent.

"You need a blow-up doll. Don't forget the lube, might get chaffed."

"Well aren't you considerate."

I nod over and over as he sounds slightly annoyed, but amused as well.

"I'm very considerate. Usually. You, however, can be a poster child for male enhancement commercials. You'd make millions. It's a wonder you ever have any blood in your brain."

He chuckles as he leans into my neck. Leaning back and forgetting what happened last time, it happens again; head bashing against hardwood.

Whimpering, my hands go to his shoulders and push. Shaking shoulders. Looking closely, he's laughing. Laughing!

"You're horrible. You did that on purpose knowing I'd lean back. This place is just full of Vampires who think they're funny."

Hands go to his cheeks as I raise his face, looking into his eyes. The old scar is pale and almost completely hidden. Seems all the blood in his system has gone elsewhere. Go figure.

"Nicolaus? What happened to those Vamps that were in here earlier? The real ones who started the trouble?"

With closed eyes, his face nuzzles into my left hand, so my right touches over his scar. Tracing it lightly as I wait for his response. Getting irritable when there doesn't appear to be one coming.

I pull away. Why do I ever bother asking anything? I might get one thing answered out of ten questions. Slit eyes open drowsily before settling on my face.

"They claim they had no part in what happened."

"Do you believe them?"

Eyes hardening, he pulls away.

"No. But with the laws here, I can do nothing."

I growl and push at him.

"That's bullshit! These Goddamn laws seem to protect everyone else but me. So help me if they show their faces in here again..."

Fingers touch over my mouth. Gold eyes flash as I look at him in anger. His own are still hard as he stares me down till I look away, his fingers finally moving.

I look back up at him with sad eyes as something starts to get put together in my head. From what Lady had said earlier and then recent events. Lashes fall as they close, voice soft as I whisper to him.

"Someone wants me dead. Most of these fights, if not all, have been planned intentionally. But why?"

His hands go to my cheeks this time as he leans his forehead against mine. Whispering just as softly back to me.

"I don't know, love. I've tried keeping up with the whispers going around, but there are so many and only a tenth are reliable. I have a feeling Madaline knows something, but she won't tell me unless I sleep with her. Please don't make me do that."

Widening my eyes, I look at him as I pull back. He's pleading with me to not make him sleep with her? Each new thing I learn just makes me more and more confused.

"Unlike you Nicolaus, I don't make people do something they don't want to."

He actually winces. The action brings me hope that he can get better, but I squash it down. I go in and give him a soft kiss, his hands falling from my face.

"Don't go to her then, go to someone else if need be. If you really do claim me as yours, then protect me from those who mean me harm."

I whisper into his lips then pull back just enough to look into his eyes. Ownership burns bright, but also his need and want of me. Smoothing my thumbs over his eyebrows, I kiss him again.

Indulging for a minute before pulling away, I send him off with him actually listening to me this time. He didn't want to, but he does, making it look abrupt like he's done before.

After he leaves, I sit there and look at the table across from me, mind whirling from one thing to another. My palm goes over my temple as if I have a headache. Can Vampires get headaches? This one seems to be able to.