Kierra

"Everything okay?"

My sister sounds nervous as she tugs at my ears. What is it with people and my ears? They that big or something? I nose at her till she backs up and allows me into the kitchen.

"Mhmm."

I don't get into detail, since I wouldn't know how to explain it.

"What about your friend? He alright? Care to introduce him?"

She nods as I move out into the open area between the kitchen and living room, Asher comes up and heads to his spot on the couch, Bastion sitting there gets the wolf in his lap. Ava is curled up at the other end, looking towards the basement door.

"She's still sleeping Ava, didn't get up when the rest of us moved."

Rolling her brown eyes, I get a nod and smile. By the sounds of it, Xavier is just getting out of the shower, and Orion's leaning against the front door. Faline's friend is sitting on the floor by the kitchen table.

Not as small as I thought he'd be, as he's taller than her by a couple inches. Pretty thin though, as if he hadn't been eating well. Turning to Bastion, I whisper a question to him.

Smiling, he nods and shimmies out from under the black wolf, making his way into the kitchen and pulling out fixings for sandwiches. Tentatively, he invites my sister to join him. She beams at him, her whole face warming and making my heart clench.

She helps him, while doing so, she points to a chair where the new boy takes a seat with a small smile. Seems like they've done that before. Looking out over everyone, she makes introductions.

"Okay..."

Just as she starts, Xavier comes out in nothing but a towel, rubbing at his hair with another. Gee, this is familiar. Ava just about chokes on her drink and Faline gapes at him with a mouth that drops open.

Oh, good Lord. The hormones in this place are getting out of hand.

"Xavier, why don't you have clothes on? I know I house trained you better than that."

I get a grin from inside the towel as I project to everyone. He's still favoring an arm, the angry welts on his abdomen the only thing left from all the slashes he had. Shoulder still looks kind of raw, but other than that he's good.

"Not my fault, I have no more clean pants. Was either the towel or birthday suit, and you don't like when I walk around in the nude."

Wouldn't say that, the opposite would be more correct, which is exactly why he's not allowed to. Looking from my sister to Ava again, I sigh. I look over him again as if seeing him for the first time. If I recall, last time I had to hide in the freezer.

Long and lean with clear cut muscles, touchable tanned skin which is now covered in water droplets, making things so much worse, and long black hair that frames a strong face with flirtatious amber eyes that love causing mischief among the female population. Long limbs that are corded and toned without being bulky and the tattoo on his shoulder that flexes on his skin when he moves, revealing his time served.

Steamy indeed, but he also knows it and plays for his audience which loses me. Looking at him as if bored, a sneeze coming from me just has him giving me a crooked grin.

"Ava, Faline, please don't gawk at the horn dog. Going to take weeks to retrain him now since you guys just fell hard to his supposed charms."

Xavier puts a hand to his chest and pouts, towel used on his head hanging over his shoulders. Plopping down in the swivel chair at the desk, he raises a leg to cross over the other before I cough at him. Caught onto his flashing real quick, so he just smirks at me, putting his leg back down.

"You're no fun."

"I'm plenty of fun, just don't want a houseful of disappointed females."

He chokes and starts laughing, Orion joining in. Faline is making herself very busy with the food while Bastion looks on with a knowing grin. Ava is unashamed in her onlooking, as always.

Makes me wonder if it's a Shifter thing or something. Rolling my eyes at her, I look to the young man sitting at the table. Nudging my sister with a poke to her head, she looks startled but catches on.

"Uh, yeah. Guys, this is Maii. As you've seen he's real skittish and he doesn't speak. Not sure why Lady had him come with me, but I'm glad she did. He's too gentle to be at that place."

Right now, he's in a pair of sweats of hers with a t-shirt. Looks a little funny since the pants are a bit too short, but I went through the same thing with Bastion. We'll get something for him.

Walking up to him slowly so I don't scare him any more than I have already, he watches me closely. When I step closer, he jumps out of the chair and drops to his knees with his head down. Stopping instantly, I look up to Faline in confusion.

She looks sad as she comes around and goes down to her knees next to him, whispering to him softly. I look over at the lion that knows more than I do. He shrugs, but explains, watching me closely for a response.

"At the bordello, the slaves are to kneel like that until they are given instruction. It's a sign of their submission."

Blinking at him, I lower my rump as I look back to the boy. Faline looks a little lost as she looks at me.

"I had gotten him to stop doing this with me, but it took some time. Since he's unsure about things here, he's going to stay skittish and more than likely revert to his animal form a lot."

Being a Shifter and having that problem, he must still be very young. I look over to Ava, who nods and comes over to crouch on the other side of him. She offers him a kind smile, touching his shoulder lightly.

At the touch, he does relax a little bit. Long ears swivel towards the basement door as a ball of fur comes running up. Little thing always seems to be running somewhere.

She comes over to me, meowing till I nose at her. Her big paws paw at my muzzle as she stands upright before I nudge her to the kneeling boy. Whispering in her head that he needs coaxing to come out of his shell, that we need her help just like she did for Bastion.

Headbutting my shoulder, she walks over and plops in front of him. Lifting her tail high and dancing it back and forth to a tune within her head, his cast down eyes lift shyly as he watches it. A small smile touches his mouth as she starts up her kitten singing, I smile as well, recalling that in human form, Lily loves to sing. Guess it only natural she does as well while in fur.

From behind me, I hear Orion talk softly with Bastion as the boy gives him food. Asking about what we're doing, sounding curious. Imp explains what should be pretty obvious I would think. Swinging my head around, I look at the lion, almost in anger, projecting out my words to everyone.

"No one is a slave in my home, no matter where they came from. While here I hope he can find some peace, be able to relax, and not be afraid of everything."

Dark head cocks to the side as black eyes study me, then my sister. Turning back to Maii, I whisper softly just to him. Keeping my voice calm and cajoling.

"Little coyote, you have nothing to fear from me or any within this house. You are safe here. I know that will take action more than words for you to believe. Can't say nothing scary will happen, as I'm sure it will get pretty weird around here at times. My sister and I are new to your world, maybe we can all help each other get through it and learn things together."

I project calm and warmth as I talk to him. Bastion, who catches on to what I'm doing, comes up to my side and buries his hands in my fur. Turning my head to him, I lick his cheek.

It may look like we're putting on a show, but we're really not. Knowing it will take time, I back away from him, but leave with the feeling of a smile to him. Blue eyes rise to me, but I don't react.

When they drop again, I go back to where I had been originally. Catching Orion looking to Asher, probably talking, I leave them to it while my ears catch the sound of my phone going off.

Was going to ignore it, but it might be mom. Faline finds it on the counter and pales when she sees who it is. Well...more pale.

"What? Who is it?"

When she winces and accepts it, I'm still lost till she says 'Hi, mom'. Oh yeah, can I call it or what? This ought to be interesting, but it's good she answers it so mom knows she's alive and I haven't buried her somewhere. Remembering what I told her before, I hurriedly tell my sister that mom's been told that her youngest has been at a friend's house.

After she nods, I motion her to go to my room away from everyone. Not to hide anything, just to keep from getting any hard questions to which we have no answers for yet. My room so Tigger can get used to her new scent.

"Don't eat my cat."

She snorts and sticks her tongue out at me before leaving the room. I look over to Asher.

"Swear I need to get a sign to put on the door saying not to eat my cat."

Ocean eyes fill with amusement as he shakes his head. Ava lifts up Lily and comes over, letting me know that now that everything has settled down, she needs to get home. Feeling guilty that I pulled her away from her livelihood, I thank her again for coming.

Smiling, she bends down and presses her forehead to mine. I have to look some kind of messed up, covered in dried blood. Asher may have cleaned up some of it from my face, but still. Probably reek too.

She doesn't mind though. Before pulling away, Lily gets a headbutt into my chin. Girl has a hard head no matter what form she's in. With a last look to the maned wolf, my best friend turns back and winks at me. I roll my eyes. Laughing as she heads out, I shake my head.

Looking over my home, I wonder just how I went from having a relatively quiet life to this, let alone a houseful of males. Yellow eyes direct back onto Orion.

"Last cat standing. Scared yet?"

He scoffs good-naturedly.

"I actually have to get going too. Now that I know where I can find you both, I need to finish gathering the information I told your sister I'd get. Just as with the wolf prophecy surrounding you, the Vampires have one that is similar. Your sister looks to be the one from it, which is why she was in so much danger there."

Nodding, I thank him once more for the help he provided, then direct thoughts specifically at him as I ask about the boy, Maii. I get another shrug. He only knew his name for the longest time, only learning more about him as he watched the coyote with Faline.

Puffing out a breath, I nod. Letting me know he'll get my jeep back to me, Xavier hands over the keys for it. The giant lion leaves, which then leaves the usual crew plus one, or two.

Asking Bastion if he can watch over things for me, much to the amusement of both black wolf and maned, I head for the shower. Was going to stay wolf so I can heal more, but I feel gross. A warm thought worms its way into my head from Asher, letting me know he's more than willing to continue his bathing of me.

Moving faster, I get into the bathroom with his low laughter echoing in my head.