Simon turns toward the voice. “It’s me.” Seconds later, a woman equal to him in height is in front of him with her arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a strong hug.
“Oh, my God. I’ve missed you.” She pulls back, putting her hands on his shoulders. “You look rough, big brother.”
“It’s been a rough day,” he laughs.
“I’m so glad you’re back,” she answers before turning toward me. “Why is there a vampire here?”
“I’m Violet,” I answer, holding my hand toward her. She looks at my hand, then at me, before turning her attention back to Simon.
“Why is there a vampire here?” she repeats.
“Violet is my friend.”
“Is that what we call it now?” she says, stepping away. She holds up quotation mark fingers. “Friends?”
Simon sighs. “I can assure you there’s nothing more than that happening. She belongs to Cyrus.” Internally, I want to scream that I’m no one’s property, but I resist the temptation.
“Where is he?” she asks, looking around the foyer.
“I don’t know. There was an…issue,” Simon answers.
“Of course there was,” one of the twins adds. Samuel or Stephen…I don’t know which. They’re identical, even down to the clothes they’ve barely covered themselves in after shifting.
“Enough,” Mary interrupts. “Violet is our guest, and we will treat her as so.”
“When did we start having vampires as guests?” the other twin asks.
“Enough!” Gideon’s deep voice booms through the foyer. The energy shifts immediately, and all three children focus on the marble tiles beneath their feet.
“Where’s Sydney?” Simon asks. His parents share a look.
“He’s not here,” the Alpha answers without answering.He turns toward the young woman. “Stella, you will go with them.”
“What?” she asks. “Go where?”
“Savannah,” Simon answers. “It’s okay. We don’t need Stella.”
“If you’re taking my truck, you will take your sister with you.”
Stella moves in front of her father. “I don’t want to go.”
“I’m not asking,” he answers.
She sighs, turning toward her mother. “Mama?”
“If your father wants you to go, then you go.”
Stella crosses her arms across her chest. “I have things to do.”
“George has other women to keep him company,” one of the twins answers.
“You bastard,” she answers her brother. I stare at the family drama unfolding before me. Like human families, paranormal families have the same struggles.
“When do you need to leave?” Mary asks Simon.
“The sooner the better.”
“Off you go, then,” Mary says, wrapping her arms around Simon once more. “I’ve missed you, son.”
