Kierra

Shit... Fuck... Shit.

He darts ahead with me on his heels, my heart thundering in my ears. The door is ripped open to our rush forward, having us halt abruptly.

Shade stalks out, not looking happy whatsoever. Older brother drops the bag onto the patio chair and goes to his sibling. As he does that, I go in to find out what happened.

Xavier meets me just inside, his own facial expression one of annoyance.

"What's going on?"

I glance around quickly, various animals spread about. Rika had shifted at some point, she and Diego are under the table, Bastion's standing in front of it with a coyote Maii on one side, and fox Kani on the other. My temper spikes as I look toward the Vampire sitting on the couch nonchalantly.

"What happened?"

Benjamin is smirking as he shrugs. When I take a threatening step forward, he stands, keeping his eyes on mine. The blue-green orbs alight in laughter has me scowling even more.

Xavier touches my shoulder, drawing my attention. My eyes have bled to yellow as I look at him, then once more to the kids.

"Shade got cocky."

My brow rises, but he doesn't elaborate. It's the Vampire coming up close to me who responds.

"We had a test of speed. The wolf thought he was faster than I. He was proven wrong and not happy about it."

Looking over to Bastion, he nods. Frowning, I turn to Benjamin.

"What the hell? You figure that was appropriate within my house?"

A glint in his eyes warns me that I'm talking to one who's more of a predator than I, but I don't back down. He points to the back door, which is wide open.

"We were out back, the finishing point was in here. The kids were startled when we ran in, that's all."

Throwing my hands in the air, I make my way to the rear door in annoyance, shutting it and walking back to the front to bring Bryanna in. She looks more nervous than ever.

"No worries, just a bunch of boys trying to one-up the other."

I glare over to Xavier, but he just grins mischievously.

"Please tell me you introduced him to Rika and Diego before the dick measuring?"

He chuckles and nods, looking over to where they're laying under the table. Where I'd seen and assumed they were hiding, they're just resting and watching.

"They got under there to make sure they weren't run over."

Groaning, I roll my eyes, rubbing at my temple as if he's hurting my brain. Which he is.

"Bryanna, this is Xavier and Benjamin. Man child, each one. Thought Shade had more sense but I guess not. Animals over there are Kani, Maii, Diego, and Chandrika. Maii and Bastion you met this morning. Err, yesterday morning. You can put your things in my room for now, follow me."

After a lingering glance at Diego whose legs are still wrapped, if a bit haphazardly, I explain briefly while leading her to my room, leaving the guys to chuckle and talk.

"Remember that call I'd gotten while at the diner? It was from a friend letting me know that he'd brought both the boy and Rika to me. They've both been through a lot. They're new here as well, obviously, and under the protection of all those under my roof. Not my place to say much more, so if you want to know, you have to ask them yourself."

She's quiet as I sit on my bed, removing my boots. I love boots, but I love being barefoot even more. Tigger opens sleepy eyes at me from his curled up position atop my pillow. Cat could sleep through a damn tornado, I swear.

"Where'm I supposed to sleep?"

Her question startles me out of my own head. Looking back to her, she's looking around the room and floor.

"We don't use the bedrooms. Ever since I became what I am now, I've preferred to sleep in animal form. The basement is set up like a big nest, we all sleep below."

Her brows furrow as she walks around.

"And the Vampire? He's a real Vampire? He sleeps with you?"

I blink at her before I bust out laughing. Her offended look has me raising my hands.

"No, he doesn't sleep with me..."

"She sleeps with me."

Our attention is grabbed by the tall ass man standing in my doorway, arms crossed and leaning against the door jam. I scowl at him.

"I'm putting a damn bell on you."

He waggles his brows, but I turn back to the WereLioness and ignore him. She looks at me expectantly though, curiousness plain on her face.

"Well, technically, yes. But not in that way. Like I said before, we all sleep in animal form, aside from Bastion of course. But even he joins us all below. Puppy piles. Benjamin has joined us once, but he doesn't live here."

Bryanna's looking at Xavier, admiring I'm sure, can't say I blame her. The t-shirt covering his upper body is so snug that it outlines his defined cut. Long abdomen leading down to just as long jean-clad legs with bare feet crossed at the ankles.

Having followed her eyes to look along him myself, I have to pull them away and attempt to hide my reaction. Both he and Benjamin have a draw to them thanks to accidentally created bonds, which make things all sorts of awkward. Probably wouldn't be so bad if their noses didn't let them know just how much they can affect me.

Yeah. Awkward.

I clear my throat and stand, going back to her questions.

"But yes, he's a real Vampire. If you ever see my sister, she is as well."

That has her looking back at me with wide eyes, so I shake my head, a small smile forming.

"Long story."

She nods, her look turning to one of concentration.

"Turns out I have come across...Vampires before, I just didn't know that's what they were. Off smell yet combined with that of a cat, what does that mean?"

I slip past her, putting a hand on Xavier's chest to push him back and into the hallway so I can get through without touching him any more than that. The heat coming from him has my eyes flicking to his then away, letting go immediately.

"All Vamps have an animal form, just as we do, so what you're smelling is their cat. So far that's all I've come across, but there are other bloodlines that are something else. Benji is a tiger, my sister is an ocelot."

I can hear her 'hmm' response. Yeah, they confuse me too.

"So they can turn into bats, wolves, and mist?"

Before I can answer her, another voice pitches in.

"Common misconception, that. Wolves, yes, maybe even a bat depending on the bloodline. Mist, however, isn't possible. Through all our shifting capabilities, there still needs to be substance, a tangible form that is all one piece. The rumors that birthed that ability stemmed from those who have augmented speed, even more so than the 'normal' Vampire."

Huh. You learn something new every day. Benjamin stands upright from his leaning position on the table. Can't see an undead doing a puzzle, but who knows. There have been weirder things.

Makes sense that he would have that knowledge too since he's the one with the hyper speed. I'm a little faster than your everyday Werewolf, and Xavier is faster than I. Benjamin's speed, if he really wanted to test it, would have to be compared to the maned wolf’s. That would be a challenge.

Bryanna looks a little confused, so he elaborates for her, and probably me.

"With movement that fast in dark fog-drenched areas, perception can be skewed. There are two ways one can perceive a Vampire turning to nothing; mind tampering and accelerated motion."

I leave them to their talking while I go to Bastion. Poor guy can barely keep his eyes open. Running fingers through his hair, he's coaxed into getting ready for bed.

"You coming too?"

My head shakes even as I stifle a yawn.

"Not yet, have to find out what Benji has for me. After that, I should be able to pass out for a few hours."

Nodding, he heads off to change.

"Go on, scoot."

I wave Kani, Maii, and Rika towards the stairs. Granted there really isn't a designated bedtime that needs to be enforced, but there will be soon since the younger ones are enlisted. Of course, there's that whole 'stability' thing too that kids need, so it will happen.

I ignore Diego's stiffening form as I gather him up carefully. Just before heading down, Zypher captures my attention as he finally comes in, carrying a mocking expression as he salutes the Vampire on his way to me.

"Shade and I will keep watch tonight."

Furrowing my brow, I frown.

"Have you guys slept at all? You still have work later don't you?"

He nods, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.

"We trade off on shifts. We've done it before so it's no problem."

When I go to protest more, he shoots me a look. Perturbed, I turn and take the fox below. Damn males and their need to be all macho. Plain stupidity if you ask me.

Then again... Green eyes fall on the fox in my arms as his and Rika's ordeal goes through my head. It might be good they're outside tonight. Gives these guys a little more time to get more settled.

Aw, hell. What the hell do I know about males anyway?

Squat, that's what. All conjecture. Meh.