Kierra

Xavier plops down in the black wolf's spot on the couch and rubs his back into it. I raise an eyebrow at him and get a crooked grin back.

"Tempting fate there dude. If he starts pissing on it, I'm blaming you, hope you know that."

He laughs and stands. From all the movement he had done without actually moving, it loosened his towel, so when he stands, it drops. I turn away so fast I give myself whiplash.

"Faline! Get me one of your long skirts!"

She had been looking away till I yelled.

"You don't have to...Oh. Uh, yeah. No problem."

Blushing just as bright as I am, she hurries off. The pain in my ass is actually laughing as if something hilarious just happened. The boys also laughing has me scowling.

"We need more females around here. Too much testosterone poisoning going on in this place."

Faline comes out with a hand over her eyes that she's so not covering. I cross my arms and look at her. Shit eating grin is given as she takes her hand down all the way.

Scowling at her, she points to a spot just behind me. Looking automatically, I groan and throw my hands in the air. The maned wolf standing behind me has my poor cat in front of his groin.

"What are you doing to my baby! You have no shame. My cat is going to be scarred for life. Serious therapy. And we aren't even going to go into the whole pussy factor here. Forget Asher, I need to pimp you out instead, might mellow you out some."

My whole tirade is ignored as everyone else is bent over in laughter. Xavier is laughing so hard he drops Tigger, who has the audacity to look back at the man who dropped him as if putting him down was a sin.

"Tigger! You horrible hussy, go to bed."

I just get looked at by a very unimpressed feline. I glare at him till he goes to his tree in the corner. Fine. Better than nothing. My arms still crossed, I cock my hip as I look out at everyone who's still giggling.

Xavier is having trouble cupping himself; he's still laughing so hard. Holding a hand out to my sister, she tosses the skirt to me, to which I catch and throw on his head. With glittering amber eyes, he turns his back to me.

Hard muscled and tanned buns are very visible and gropable. Growling at him, I look over to my sister who is gawking openly.

"Got a bit of drool there little sister."

Her eyebrow rises as she looks at me.

"I'll take my drool over that shade of red any day."

Green eyes narrow dangerously at her.

"Keep it up Chicky, and I'll tell mom you brought him home."

Her mouth drops open before laughing heartily, fangs flashing. Xavier joins in with her. Hmm... Not sure he ever stopped, so he 'continues' with her. There we go.

Turning my head just enough to see him out of the corner of my eye, he has the skirt on. Getting a wicked idea, I nonchalantly raise my phone as if I'm checking it. Pulling up the camera, it gets turned onto video mode.

I turn as if nothing's happening, holding it out in front of me as if I'm about to take a picture. That gets his attention, glittering eyes narrowing at me playfully.

"That's just dirty. Don't you dare. This is blackmail."

"Precisely, but it's not just on you."

With that, I swing toward my sister. She precedes to squeak at me and dive down the hallway.

"Ha! You've both been captured."

Xavier eyes me critically.

"You didn't take a picture, did you?"

"Nope, I took video."

Now I laugh evilly as his mouth drops. Saving it, I stash it in my pocket. Only way I will get sweats is if they have pockets, which come in handy now. Pleased with myself, I cross my arms again and smirk at him.

"You look so pretty."

Can't help but mock him, my feeling superior now that the tables have turned. He arches a brow and starts stalking toward me. Widening my eyes, I point at him while taking a step back.

"Don't you dare you fiend. You keep yourself over there and look pretty in your, err, outfit."

Not listening, he keeps stalking, mischievous glint sharpening his eyes. So much for feeling superior.

"Don't make me work my mojo on you again. Then you really won't have to worry about clothes."

I grin, but that doesn't stop him. Backpedaling, I laugh and call on my Imp.

"Bastion! Contain your friend before I lay some pain on him."

Having gone around the kitchen table, my back stops me at the island counter. Breaking eye contact as I glance behind me quickly, an undignified squeak escapes me as two long arms box me in against it.

"Not so uppity now, are you?"

Smirking, I cross my arms and raise my own eyebrow. He looks at me warily, then gets a boy on his back. A smile crosses his face before he swings around, acting like he's trying to grapple at Bastion.

"Ha! You forget, I have secret weapons. I can be as uppity as I want."

Hearing Bastion laugh warms my heart so much I have to hold my breath for a moment so I don't tear up. Maii watches on with large eyes, the tall man capturing Bastion up around his waist and lifting him so he's upside down.

His squeal of laughter draws Faline back out from wherever she'd been hiding. She stands in the hallway, giggling at the two. The boy gets lifted till he's hanging over a shoulder.

Smiling as I watch on, my pocket starts vibrating. Pulling it out, it's a response from Ava, she's still up. Sending her the question on how the school is coming, then add another to the roster for me and inquiring if she found someone who can get papers written up, and adding another for those too.

Sending the message off, I turn for the small pad of paper at the wall-side counter. Getting a list of everything that needs to be replaced or gotten new of, it's more or less to keep myself on track.

NEEDED:

* Clothes for Maii

* Clothes for Xavier

* Heavy dark drapes/paint

* Food

* Papers for boys

* Drawer tower x3

Don't know how long Xavier plans on hanging around, so three sets of drawer towers that can work for holding their clothes will work for now. Leaning on the counter, my foot taps on my toes while I go over things in my head. I reach out for my sister in my head and marvel at my ability to do so.

"Even though most if not all of us will be sleeping downstairs, the boys will need their own rooms... Do you hear that?"

My head snaps up at the sound of a vehicle turning into our driveway. We're not expecting anyone for hours yet. Faline and Xavier also stop and listen.

The younger boys picking up on cues look around warily, Maii also has to hear something. Time on my phone shows that it's shortly after one in the morning, which leaves lots of dark left for Vamps to have followed.

"Bastion, you and Maii keep an eye out for each other, I don't know who this is."

Turning off the light, Xavier and I take either side of the door, looking out the windows and seeing the light reflecting on the trees from headlights. We may look paranoid, but paranoid tends to mean prepared and safer. Usually.

Can feel my sister at my back and have to keep fighting myself to tell her to get back and hide with the boys. Turning, I look at her with pleading eyes. She may be tougher now, but she's still my baby sister, and it's my job to keep her safe.

She rolls her eyes, but backs off, joining the boys who are crouched down by the basement door. We seriously need to work out escape plans. Going down and getting cornered is not the way to go.

Yellow eyes dilating, I can see the car coming. It isn't one I recognize. Shaking my head at Xavier, he inclines his head and heads toward the back door.

Someone either sucks at hunting or they aren't bothering to be stealthy. Even in shadow, I can see the maned wolf slip out of the skirt before darting out the back door. Having someone who was in the service around, means someone with more and much better battle experience at my back.

Directing my gaze back to the trees around the driveway, lights coming closer prevents me from being able to see the driver. Light glare really isn't good for eyes. Blinking several times as I try to rid myself of all the dots, feel like I have gnats in my eyeballs.

Body situated so half of me is covered by the door and the other half by the drapes over the window, I get my eyes focused just as the car pulls in. Adrenaline spikes through me as muscles tighten in readiness.

Once the lights are shut off, plunging everything into darkness once more, the driver sits there as if waiting. Yellow eyes narrowing, I breathe a small sigh of relief, yet have to stop myself from relaxing.

Mouthing to my sister to stay here, I slip out nonchalantly, closing the door behind me before crossing my arms over my chest, standing there in my bare feet. I may know this Vampire, but after everything that's happened, trust is in short supply right now.