CHAPTER TEN

"What?" I'm ready to protest. "No!" Fletcher beats me to it, "She's not going anywhere with that creature. These kids are my responsibility, and they aren't leaving my sight."

"Creature?" Golden Eyes glares. Quincy laughs, "Kids? You're only four years older than us. So if we're kids, you're an elderly man."

"Yeah, where was that protective side when you brought us all here and left out the truth about this town?" I ask. Fletcher sighs, "I was just trying to protect you."

"Protect me? I can take care of myself. You know that better than most, and frankly, look around, you're not exactly doing your job." Quincy laughs, "G, I know we're in a tight spot here, but can I just say I'm loving this angry, don't care what I say, you." Fletcher looks annoyed, "You got me when I wasn't paying attention. It hardly counts, and that was an unprovoked moment."

"Unprovoked, maybe you should learn to ask a girl before you try and force her into some non-consensual kissing," I steam.

"We were on a date!" He exclaims and stomps his feet like a child. I scoff, "Yeah, and if a girl doesn't lean into it, it usually means she's not interested. Read the signs," I roll my eyes and look away. "Wait, isn't he a teacher?" Alice asks as she looks for confirmation from us.

Quincy nods, "Yeah, they went on a date when she was a freshman. He was a senior. He tried to kiss her on their first date, and she kneed him in an oh-so-sensitive place. They only just reunited this week, and it seemed like things were on the path to reconciliation, but now he's a lying liar, and she's not having it," she explains, giving them a re-run of my life. "Quincy!" I scold. "What? I thought everyone should be brought up to speed on the Days of Gemma's Life." (Reference to an American Soap Opera: Days of Our Lives)

"This just seems like bad parenting," Edmond interludes. Quincy bursts out in hearty laughter, no one else speaks, but they all fight blooming smiles. Finally, ward clears his throat, "All right enough, Shepard, you get your girl, Scarlett, Rose; you take these two," he gestures towards Paul and Duke.

"Finally, something interesting happens," Rose gives them a seductive smile. "We're both in love," Paul chimes as he tries to shut any ideas down. "We like a challenge," Scarlett smirks, taking her place beside her sister. "With each other," Duke clarifies.

An annoyed look replaces Rose's seductive one, "Of course you are."Scarlett laughs, "It's all right, sister; maybe we'll meet someone at the ball." "We'll take the interesting one," Alice looks at Quincy. "Not without me," Dimitri declares, looking protectively at Quincy. "Is that all right with you, Edmond?" Ward inquires. Edmond takes a moment to inspect Dimitri as if looking for something. Then, finally, he must find it because he nods,

"Yes, he can come with us."

"I want the big one," Chimes Sandy as she looks at Hudson. We all turn to her in question. "I have tall shelves that need stocking," she reasons. "Fine, Seraphina, will you take the last two?" Ward asks about Savanna and Beatrice.

"All right, we'll help you with your little project, but stay away from my daughters. All of them. Oh and one more thing, don't ever threaten me again," Lady Seraphina looks at him calmly yet, pointedly.

Ward steps forward, annoyed, "Your daughter will never be harmed by me or anyone else. I would rather drive a stake through my heart."

"If you want a stake in your heart, I'll happily oblige," Savanna whispers with the usual annoying look. Yet, despite us severely disliking each other, I can't help the tiny flash of a smile that strikes my face at her comment.

Ward and Lady Seraphina remain silent with their eyes locked in a quiet conversation, "Very well, but if you do hurt her, you'll have more than a stake to the heart to worry about," she gestures for him to let Beatrice and Savanna out. He nods and places a silver band around their wrists before removing the restraints.

He steps over to me, and a silver band clasps around my wrist. "A magnified bracelet does just say, trust me, doesn't it?" The touch of it against my skin is cold but not uncomfortable. "Just give us a chance. We might surprise you," Ward says as he undoes my bindings. I waste no time and gather the remnants of my bow and bag.

Quincy quickly comes to my side as she's released and hugs me tightly. I awkwardly pat her back, "Oh, G, are you all right? Are you okay with this?" She looks around to make sure no one is listening. I know she means her going with Edmond and Alice. I nod, "Yes, but be careful."

Golden Eyes wastes no time as he moves to stand beside me. He holds out his hand as his gaze flashes toward my bag. "Come on, what am I going to do? I have this on?" I gesture toward the bracelet. He gives me an unrelenting look. "Fine, but don't break anything else," I hand it to him and glance back at Quincy. She looks at me, worried.

"I'm fine; let's just hope we can survive whatever these people want with us," I mutter and look distrustfully at our captors. "Just so we're all on the same page, here's a taste of what you'll feel if you try to run or harm anyone in our town," Sandy says a word under her breath and twists her wrist. Zap. Ouch! "Ahh!" Beatrice cries out.

"Enough! Stop it!" Mom yells. "Sandy stop!" Ward shouts. Sandy regains her composure and twists her wrist in the opposite direction. "Of course, I just thought it would be useful for them to have an idea of what it'll be like. You know in case they get any ideas."

Dad steps forward, "Listen, I know you don't trust us, but none of us want to hurt you or your friends. We went to Infiniteye; we know what they teach; we believed it for a long time."

"Jeez electrocution does say trust, doesn't it?" I muter rubbing my wrist. "That was a mistake. What we're trying to say is that we just want to show you all that we're normal and that we aren't any threat. We just ask that you don't harm anyone while you're here," Alice tries to clarify. "We'll see," I look away and cross my arms.

Alice clears her throat and glances at Edmond, "We wondered if any of you know Henrietta Knightly, she's our daughter?" Everyone keeps quiet, surprisingly even Savanna. "We know her; she's pretty good with a bow herself," I say, uncrossing my arms as I avoid their eye contact. Edmond smiles warmly, "She was always loved when we shoot targets together."

Alice warmly reaches over to take Edmond's hand, "So she's okay?" Alice mutters, releasing a relieved breath. "I don't know much about her, but Quincy, I think you have a few classes with her, right?" I ask, trying to move the attention away from myself. Quincy and I lock eyes, "Oh yes; I do. She's a very nice girl. I can tell you more later," she kindly volunteers.

"I'd like that," Alice looks at her warmly. I give Quincy a look, an approval that she can talk about me to my parents but not reveal who I am. She nods that she understands my wishes.

I know this seems strange, to keep myself hidden from them. I know that, but I'm just so overwhelmed. I have no idea what to do. Just yesterday, my life consisted of being trained to hunt the boogeymen of the world. Now, I find out that my parents are vampires, making things difficult. I don't know if I can kill or even hunt anymore. Do I even really want to?

"Do you have any blood-free snacks at your house?" Quincy asks as she looks between Alice and Edmond. Neither of them is quite able to tell if she is being serious. I smile; I know very well that she is being serious. I look back at Fletcher, who hasn't said much. By the look of fear on his face, it's clear that he doesn't have a plan. Well unless that involves the cower in the corner or run-for-your-life type.

"What're you going to do with him?" I ask as I gesture his way. "He will stay here until we decide what to do with him," Ward answers. He looks down at Fletcher as if analyzing him he must be thinking the same as me. What a pity he's our teacher. "Time to go," Golden Eyes gestures for me to follow him out. "Don't trust him, don't trust any of them!" Fletcher shouts. His voice follows me like a tidal wave. It seems to echo along the walls. I don't look back, leaving the room that used to be my prison.