12. Family and Love

TWELVE

family and love

"Luna? Why are you here?" Thorne asks the young girl.

"I'm here to keep an eye on you. Topher insisted that you needed a babysitter, and I was tasked with the job." She wrinkles her forehead. "I believe we've had this conversation many times. I'm not sure why you suddenly don't remember."

"I don't need a babysitter. I told your Alpha I would never do anything to interfere with the peace between our groups, and I mean that."

I step back, staring at the duo in front of me. "What the hell are you two talking about? Alpha? Peace between groups?" I haven't felt this lost in several hundred years.

"You haven't been around many lycan, have you?"

"You're the second one I've met," I answer truthfully. "Why does her Alpha think that you need a babysitter?" I ask Thorne.

He rocks back and forth on his feet. "Because I threatened to expose them if they didn't help find you."

Luna crosses her arms and glares at the vampire in front of me. "Tell her what else," she warns.

"I may have threatened to run down Bourbon Street naked during Mardi Gras."

I can't control the laughter that erupts. "What purpose would that have served?"

He scuffs the dirt in front of him. "It was dumb. I was desperate. Desperate men do desperate things."

"Yep. That's why you're stuck with me," Luna agrees.

"No offense, Luna. You're young and inexperienced. I could rip your neck from your body before you even noticed I moved," Thorne warns, staring the young lycan down. "He must not be too worried about me if he sent someone so young and inexperienced."

"I'm here as an annoying companion. Think of me as the chihuahua that can take down a pit bull if she's backed into a corner."

"Tell your Alpha, I've found her. I'm not going to do anything stupid."

Luna turns her attention toward me. "You're Elsbeth?" she asks once more.

"Aye."

"You're even more beautiful than I imagined. How have you lived this long and only known one lycanthrope?"

"It's a long story."

She huffs a laugh. "I'm here for the long haul. Looks like we have plenty of time." She turns toward Thorne's former home. "Is this where we're staying?"

"No, it's where Elsbeth and I are staying. You're on your own."

Luna pulls a phone in front of her face. Several minutes and taps later, she looks up with a smile. "Seems there was one room available. Not anymore. I'm going to go check in."

I watch as the young lycanthrope heads toward the home that Thorne built. "This is going to be interesting."

"I'm sorry, Elsbeth. I didn't realize my idle threats would end with me having a wolf babysitter for the long haul."

I wrap my arm through his and pull him toward the house. "Come on. We need to make sure she doesn't scare Francis."

We enter the house to find Francis and Luna embracing like old friends. "We have a new guest," Francis exclaims, pulling away from the lycanthrope.

"We met," I answer for the two of us.

"Luna's a lycan," Francis says, staring at the two of us.

"What?" I ask, not sure I understood her words correctly.

Francis laughs. "She's a werewolf."

Luna wraps one arm around Francis's shoulders. "She's right. I'm a wolf."

"When are you two going to tell me that you're vampires?" Francis's words stop me in my tracks. I stare at the woman, not sure I heard her correctly.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"I may be old, but I'm not dumb. Now," she props her hands on her hips, "who's going to tell me what the hell is going on? It's not a normal Monday to have two vampires and a lycan in your home. That's usually more of a weekend thing." She laughs as she speaks.

Thorne and I stare at our host, not sure what to say. "Come into the sitting room, and I'll explain," Luna says, pulling Francis with her. "You two coming?" she asks.

The look on Thorne's face mirrors my own. I don't know whether to run or join them for tea. Thorne laces his fingers through mine, and we enter the room, staying close to the door. "What makes you think we're vampires?" I ask after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"For starters, you don't eat human food. I've seen you try and found evidence in the trash can of what you don't eat. Then there's this." She picks up a newspaper at her side, reading the headline out loud.

" Man found nearly drained of blood outside local nightclub. "

"I'm guessing that was you, Elsie." I clear my throat, not sure how to answer.

"Are you afraid?" Thorne asks.

"Of you two? No. I've always been a bit sensitive to things other than the usual. I've known for a very long time that there are other creatures besides humans in this world. I just never thought I would house three of them in my home at once. I can't explain how I know, but I know neither of you is a threat to me. However, I would love to hear the full story of who you are to each other."

"Ooo, me. Pick me! Pick me!" Luna waves her hand from the other end of the couch.

"Nothing personal, dear. I think it might be better coming from one of them," Francis says.

Thorne and I share a look. I know without asking, he's unsure if he should tell her who he really is.

I take a deep breath. "You're right. We are vampires, and the attack on the man at the nightclub was me." I turn toward my fellow vampire. "Thorne had nothing to do with it. I was the one who injured him."

Francis waves the paper toward me. "From what this says, he was not a model citizen anyway. After recuperating, he's being arrested and charged with an entire list of crimes, stemming from sexual assault to robbery. Looks like you did everyone a favor with that one."

She stands, moving toward one of the pictures I asked her about the first day. It's a picture of a ship very similar to the one Thorne captained. She takes it off the wall, holding it toward me. "I'm guessing by your questions about the history of the home and Captain Rex, you are from that period. Did you know him? Did you know my ancestor? Is that why you're here?"

I'm not sure how to answer her questions. Thankfully, I don't have to. Thorne moves toward the couch, sitting on a chair near his great-great-great-granddaughter.

"Francis, I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to say it. I am Captain Hawthorne Rex, and I built this home many years ago for my son and wife."

Francis stares into the young face of her ancestor. "How is that possible?" Her voice is no louder than a whisper.

"You are right. I am a vampire. I was turned nearly three hundred years ago. It was my choice."

"I…I don't know what to say," she admits.

"You don't have to say anything," Thorne answers. "I'm not here for anything other than to check on you and to find Elsie."

"Check on me?"

"Aye. It's something I've done since you were born. Always near, never seen. Just out of reach of human attention and eyes."

A tear streams down Francis's cheek. "You're my grandfather?"

"Several times back, aye. I'm so proud of you, Francis." I smile at his words. "You are an amazing woman. "

"Thank you," she whispers, wiping a tear. "You're not related to me somehow, are you?" she asks me with a smile.

"No," I answer. "At least, I don't think so." Thorne nods, giving me permission to tell our story.

"My family and I set sail from Scotland, headed to Charles Town in the early 1700s. My father had recently died, and my mother wasn't able to support our large family on her own. I was considered…unmarriable at that time, so the burden fell strictly on her."

"Unmarriable?" she asks, wrinkling her forehead.

"I had epilepsy. At that time, no one really knew what it was. I was said to be demon-possessed and unable to bear children for that reason. No one in my village wanted a young woman who was prone to uncontrollable shaking and unable to provide an heir. For that reason, my mother had no choice but to leave."

"Did she have a job here?" Luna asks, suddenly interested in my story.

"Aye," I answer. "Mama used the last of our money to purchase tickets to bring us to America." I huff a laugh at the memory. "We were so poor, we shared two pairs of shoes between all of the children." Thorne looks down as I speak. Clearly, he's remembering the poor, sick girl from long ago.

"Captain Rex was the captain of your ship?" Francis puts the pieces together.

"Aye, I was. It was there that we met. I caught her washing her shite-covered hands in my drinking water."

Luna and Francis share a laugh at the memory. "In my defense, I didn't realize the water belonged to the captain."

"That doesn't help this story," he adds.

"How did you become a vampire?" Luna asks.

I sigh before speaking. "I had a seizure, one that incapacitated me. Thorne took care of me. He allowed me to stay in the captain's quarters, made sure my family was able to eat, and it was then that I fell in love with him." I feel red cover my cheeks at my admission. "It was during that time that he found us."

"Who found you?" Francis asks.

"Kragen," Thorne answers. "My first officer was…"

"An asshole?" Luna fills in the blank.

"Aye, an asshole. In order to repay a debt to Kragen, he sold information about Elsie to one of Kragen's men. He told them there was a sick young lady aboard our ship, selling her in payment for his debt."

"They caught up with us not long into our journey," I continue. "Kragen boarded the ship and threatened to kill every soul on board if I didn't go with him." I wipe a stray tear. "He killed my brother to prove his point."

"You went with him to save your family?" Luna says. Her voice is no louder than a whisper.

"I had no choice."

"I'm so sorry, Elsie," Francis says. She turns toward Thorne. "I'm sorry for both of you. "

"How did you get away?" Luna asks.

"Without going into detail, I waited for the perfect time and escaped. I've been on the run ever since."

"You mean he's still after you?" Francis asks.

"Aye. He's never stopped looking for the one who got away." Anger radiates from Thorne. I turn toward the ship captain. "There was nothing you could do, Thorne. You need to accept that." He stands, moving across the room.

"She's right," Francis adds. "You had to get them to safety. Without you, they all would've died." She moves behind him, laying her head on his forearm. "Without you, I wouldn't be here."

"God, this story is much more interesting and gut-wrenching than I could've ever imagined. No wonder you acted like a fool in New Orleans. I can't say that I blame you. I don't think you need a babysitter, I think you need an army," Luna announces, standing from the couch.

"An army?" I ask.

"How else are we going to fight Kragen?"

"Luna, you don't know this guy. He's one of the strongest vampires in existence. He's not going to just give up and go home. He's been pursuing me for two hundred years. He's not like me. Hell, he's not like Thorne or, for that matter any of the vampires you know. He's ruthless, deadly, and a cold-blooded killer and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. I've already been here too long. I've put you all in danger by staying as long as I have."

"You're not leaving, are you?" Francis asks.

"I don't have a choice. I won't put you in more danger."

Luna crosses her arms across her chest. "You don't need to go anywhere. There is an entire army of lycan that will stand at your side. I'm sure I can wrestle up a few vampires if needed. Some of them are decent."

"No. I won't endanger anyone else's life. Thank you for the offer, but I must go."

"I'm coming with you," Thorne announces. "I refuse to lose you again."

"And where he goes, I go," Luna answers. "Babysitting duties." She winks at the two of us.

Francis looks between the three of us. "Well, I'm not staying here by myself."

"You don't understand. He doesn't care who or how many people he has to go through. He doesn't think like everyone else."

"We have to try, Elsie," Thorne agrees. "We have to try."

I stare at the people in front of me, not sure what to think. For three hundred years, I've been alone, staying hidden in the background, secretly searching for information on Thorne and just out of reach of Kragen. Now, three people are willing to risk their lives for me. I don't know whether to be grateful or terrified.

"I'm going to call Topher. He'll know who to contact here in Charleston." Luna pulls out her phone and moves into the foyer.

"What can I do?" Francis asks.

"You can stay safe," Thorne answers. "This isn't something that humans should be involved in. We have no idea what Kragen will do."

"Why is he so obsessed with you?" Francis asks. "Why not just admit defeat and let you go?"

I sit on the overstuffed couch, pulling my legs beside me. "I've wondered that a lot through the years. The only feasible answer I can come up with is that it's because I escaped. I survived. Kragen is a narcissistic asshole who dominates everyone around him. It took me a hundred years, but I escaped. I'm the one that got away."

"It seems to me he'd lose interest after all this time," she adds. On cue, the doorbell rings, making the hairs on my arm stand at attention. "Oh, my. Are we expecting anyone?"

"I'll get it!" Luna announces from the other room. "It's probably the calvary."

Reaching out my energy, I can tell the person on the other side of the door is like her, a lycanthrope. I move behind her at vampire speed.

Luna opens the door, revealing a man not much older than her. He's tall, thin, and is the host of a head full of coal black hair. Bright green eyes take in every inch of our resident wolf. "Luna?" he asks with a smile.

"That's me! You got here quick. "

"Yeah, I was in the neighborhood. My Alpha didn't give me any information other than an address and a name." He looks past Luna at the three of us. "You two are vampires? And you're…"

"Human," Francis answers with a wave.

"What's going on?"

Thorne moves toward the young lycanthrope, offering his hand to shake. "Thorne. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Micah," he answers.

"We would like to meet with your Alpha."

Micah looks around the group. "Why?"

"That's something we'd rather share with him for right now. Please don't take offense to that."

The lycanthrope shifts from foot to foot. "I will ask him to set up a meeting."

"Thank you," Luna answers. "My Alpha spoke very highly of him."

"I'll be in touch." Micah turns, leaving the four of us alone.

"Too bad I'm not into men. He's easy on the eyes," Francis says, watching him walk away.

"Agreed," Luna adds with a laugh. "You've got good taste, Ms. Francis."

"In the meantime, why don't we do some research?" Francis claps her hands, moving away from the door. "I have a laptop in the other room. There has to be something on Kragen. He may not be human, but he has to have a weakness. Everyone has a weakness. "

"Kragen doesn't have weaknesses," I retort.

"That's not true," Thorne argues. "He has one."

"Elsie," Francis fills in the blank. She turns toward me. "You're his weakness. The one that got away. The one he could never control."

"I'm not his weakness. I'm his obsession. The two are not synonymous."

"They're right," Luna agrees. "You're his weakness. You're the key to ending him."