11. Suppertime

ELEVEN

suppertime

The building around me is silent. Not even the rustling of a mouse can be heard through the stillness. The thoughts of Luna, alone in the basement, are filling my every thought. I haven't heard from Alexander for a while and have lost track of the time. Silence can be deafening.

One skill I learned while on Kragen's ship was how to move in total silence. Vampires are intrinsically silent, but while there, I acquired the ability to be even more so. Pulling on the skills I learned, I stand, moving to the hallway door. I'm thankful for silent hinges as I move down the hall and in front of the door leading to the basement.

Moving down the stairs, I'm standing on the floor of the basement before Luna notices my movement. Her legs are curled to her chest, and she's staring into the emptiness of the room. I'm in front of her seconds later. Her eyes blink, holding back tears.

Sitting in front of her, I hold my finger in front of my lips, issuing a silent warning. She nods, understanding.

Taking her hands into mine, I lace our fingers together, hoping to offer comfort through our silent connection. The bright pink tips of her blonde hair look faded in the dim light of the lantern. I've never seen her look so weak. I move beside her, and she lays her head on my shoulder. It's not until soft movement resonates through the building that I move. I don't know what I'm hearing, but I need to return to my room before someone discovers I'm missing.

I squeeze her hand, and Luna raises her head. Silently, I work my way back up the stairs and into the hallway. Entering the room that's supposed to be my own, I open the door to find Mother.

"Patrice," I greet the woman with a fake smile.

"Where have you been?" she asks.

"I…I went to check on the lycanthrope," I admit. Instinct tells me not to lie.

"Why?"

"Her ties were loose last night. I wanted to make sure she wasn't able to shift."

"Why are you truly here?" she asks. Every part of me is on alert. I don't know where this conversation is going, and I'm not sure I want to find out.

"I told you. I've always wanted to be a mother."

She moves closer to me. "I smell that lycanthrope on you, in you. You drank from her."

Shit. She's right. Luna gave me her blood before I arrived. "I did. I only took a tiny amount. It's been weeks since I've eaten."

"There won't be enough for all the children now," she reprimands. "Part of being a mother is the willingness to sacrifice for the sake of your children."

"I apologize. My hunger overtook me. It won't happen again."

Patrice closes her eyes. "I'm going to allow you to plead ignorance this time. However, if you make another mistake, I will kill you." She moves toward the door. "You'll need to find more food to replace what you took." Less than a second passes before the woman is gone.

"Mommy? What did you do?" Alexander asks.

"Patrice thinks I drank from Luna."

"Did you?"

"She gave me some of her blood yesterday. Patrice smelled it." He doesn't respond. "Patrice is demanding I get more food."

The sun peeks through the cracks of the boarded-up windows, which means that Luna's been alone in the basement for over eight hours. I can't leave her down there while Patrice sends me out after more food.

"Good morning, Mommy," Alexander says, opening the door to my room. "I wanted to introduce you to my sisters. "

He opens the door fully, revealing two small girls. One of them is the girl I met when I first entered the abandoned church. The other one I recognize from the large room.

"These are my sisters, Autumn and Everly."

"It's nice to meet you, Autumn and Everly."

The girl I met before steps forward. Her dress is perfectly creased and looks brand new. Dark brown curls hang to her shoulders, held together with a calico-flowered bow. She holds her hand toward me. "I'm Autumn." I shake her small hand. "I'm Elsie."

"Hello," the second girl greets me. She's wearing a pair of modern blue jeans and a Hello Kitty sweatshirt. Her ebony skin is flawless, along with large brown eyes and dark hair. She smiles, copying the movement of her sister and holding her hand toward me. "My name is Everly. It's nice to meet you as well."

"I've informed my sisters," Alexander says.

"What about your mother?" I ask through my mind.

"She's gone," he answers out loud. "She'll be back momentarily."

"Then we should go." I move toward the door. "You've got your sisters. Let's get Luna and leave."

"I'm afraid we can't allow that," Autumn interrupts.

"What do you mean?"

"My sister means, we can't allow you to leave with the food," Everly adds.

" The food is not staying here and will not be food." I focus my energy on the children .

"We're not going to eat her, silly," Autumn says with a giggle. "But if we take her now, Mother will know, and she will not let any of us leave."

"She will hunt us down," Everly adds.

"What are you suggesting?" I ask the evil trio.

"We have to kill her," Alexander answers for the group. "It's the only way."

I know what it's like to be hunted. "I will not leave my friend in the basement any longer."

"You have to," Autumn answers. "If Mother discovers she's missing, she'll figure out what we're doing."

"What the hell are we doing?" I ask.

"We're going to kill them all," Everly smiles with her words, making my stomach turn.

I look into each child's eyes. "Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"Yes," Alexander answers simply, with no tone in his voice.

"What about your other siblings?"

"They're monsters," Autumn answers. "They're not capable of living in the world."

"And you are?" I ask.

They look at each other. "Yes." Autumn steps closer to me. "Alexander told us about the goat's blood. My sister and I are willing to try it."

What is the correct answer to this? I don't know that there is one. "I can help you," I tell them.

"How many are outside?" Everly asks .

"Two vampires and three lycan," I answer truthfully.

"Are they strong?" Autumn asks.

"Yes." I have no idea if they're strong enough to fight a horde of immortal children, but they're strong.

"Mother will be back momentarily," Alexander repeats. "Tell your friends to stay hidden until we give them notice."

"Alexander? What is the notice? What is the plan?"

"Mother's home." He smiles. "That was a funny joke, Mommy," Alexander laughs just as Patrice enters the hallway.

"Is Mommy telling jokes now?" she asks, rubbing her hand gently through Autumn's curls.

"She is," Autumn agrees. "It was about a chicken and a road." The three immortal children share another laugh.

"I've got more where those came from." I join the insanity.

"Mommy has jokes. I have food." Patrice sends a judgmental look in my direction.

"More food?" Everly asks. "You spoil us, Mother."

"It's in the meeting room. Do be a dear, Alexander, and go get it."

He bows his head slightly, leaving us alone in the hallway. Seconds later, he returns with a familiar figure thrown over his shoulder. Fynn's long arms and legs drag on the floor as he's carried by the child vampire .

"You found another one?" Autumn asks, sniffing the air.

Patrice looks at me. "This one was close by. Imagine my surprise when I found such a large specimen lounging a few miles away."

"It would make sense that she wasn't alone." I nod my head toward the basement door.

Fynn appears asleep, although I know it's much more than that. His heart is still beating, but his energy feels weak. I don't know what she did to him, and anger fills me thinking of the possibilities. "Put him with the girl," Patrice orders her tiny minions.

"Yes, Mother." Alexander opens the door, carrying the giant man to the basement below. Luna's sobs fill my ears the moment his body is thrown on the ground.

"When will you be feeding the children?" I ask the insane vampire in front of me.

" We will be feeding them. Isn't that what you wanted?"

I close my eyes. "Yes. That's what I want." I plaster a fake smile across my face, hoping she falls for it. "When will we be feeding the children?"

"Tonight," she answers.

"Thorne," I call through our connection. "What the hell happened? How did she get Fynn?"

"Topher and Micah were running reconnaissance around the area, while Fynn rested."

"Dammit! She's going to feed the immortal children tonight. "

"We can't allow that to happen," Thorne answers.

"The man is next to the woman," Alexander says through my mind, interrupting my communication with Thorne.

"We have to do this today."

"Okay," he answers like I'm announcing we're making a trip to the store later.

"Elsie?" Thorne's voice overpowers Alexander's. "Tell us when. We'll be there."

"If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were talking to someone," Patrice interrupts, drawing me back to the narrow hallway.

"I'm sorry. I have a tendency to zone out every once in a while," I lie.

"He's with the woman," Alexander says, as the three of them exit the basement door.

"Good. Gather your brothers and sisters, and begin preparing them to eat."

"You said we'd feed them tonight," I interrupt.

"Did I? I must have gotten my times mixed up." She claps her hands. "Get busy, children."

"Alexander?"

"I know, Mommy. My sisters and I will get the children ready to feed. Mother will ask you to help with the lycan. Bring them into the room, and we'll take it from there."

"What am I supposed to tell my friends?"

"Tell them to wait for the signal then come inside with guns blaring." He giggles at his words. "I heard that on the television at the beach house. "

"Get the lycan ready for our meal," Patrice orders, before turning heel and leaving. I don't wait to be told twice. I'm standing in front of Fynn and Luna seconds later. Fynn is awake but weak. Tear stains cover Luna's cheeks.

I quickly loosen the ties around her wrists and pull her to a standing position. "I'm so sorry," I whisper.

"What the hell, Elsie?" Fynn whispers. "What did that bitch do to me?"

I move as close to Luna's ear as I can get, whispering the ridiculous plan. She nods. I do the same to Fynn. I give them a few minutes to understand before uttering words for Patrice only. "I'm taking you filthy dogs upstairs. Don't fight me, or you will die now."

Luna closes her eyes, fighting back more tears. Tying the rope back around Luna's wrists, I grab both of them, pushing them up the stairs.

"This is about to go down," I send to Thorne.

"We're ready. Topher and Micah are with us now."

I push the lycan into the hallway and toward the entrance of what was the sanctuary. The irony of the word doesn't slip past me. What's about to happen in there will be the total opposite of a sanctuary. I take a deep breath before opening the door and pushing the lycan through.

Spread throughout the room are the immortal children. All of them except three, Alexander, Autumn, and Everly are chained in silver. They begin hissing the moment we enter .

"Children, it looks like our food has arrived," Patrice says from the stage. The spectacle she's putting on makes me even more sick than before.

I push the lycan next to her, refusing to let them out of my grip.

Alexander moves to my side. "Mother, may I do the honors?"

Patrice smiles. "Of course, my love."

He turns toward the audience. "Bow your heads." The children obey his demand, bowing their heads. "Mother is good. Mother is great. Let us thank her for our food. Amen." The children erupt in roars. Alexander turns toward me. "Are you ready, Mommy?" I stare at the boy, not sure what's about to happen. Is he going to betray me or his family? Is this the signal? "Everly, Autumn, please stand with me."

The girls join their brother instantly, and the three of them hold hands, forming a tiny line of terror. They turn toward their siblings. "This is the signal," he says through my mind, and the three of them transform into monsters.

"Now!" I scream to Thorne as all hell breaks loose.