"What is it?" Trace set another bag down inside the Pendley's temporary home.
"Nothing. Just had a thought, that's all," Steven set about unpacking.
* * *
Ashe and Sali hadn't intended for Philip to come along, but he did. All four boys sat at the kitchen island and drank sodas, finishing off the tortilla chips that Sali opened two days before to make nachos.
"So, is this all there is—a kitchen, garage and a sun room?" Philip looked around him.
"That's all there is," Sali nodded sagely. "Above ground."
"My dad's a vampire, remember?" Ashe said, crunching on a chip.
"Can I see the rest?" Edward was nearly vibrating with excitement.
"I have to get permission from my dad, first," Ashe said. "He wants to know everyone that I invite over."
"What does it matter? He's dead right now anyway," Philip said.
"Were you born rude or have you cultivated that attitude?" Ashe slid off his barstool, angry in a blink.
"Philip!" Jackie Raymond walked into Ashe's home, searching for her son.
"It's the truth, Mom."
"You don't have any idea what the truth is. Come with me, I need your help unpacking." Philip grumbled as he followed his mother out of Ashe's home.
"Ignore him, all the others do," Edward said softly. "He's gloom and doom all the time."
"He's rude with 'tude," Sali agreed.
"Hey, no more rhyming in this house," Ashe tossed a tortilla chip at Sali, who ducked it easily. "Dude, we should get back to your new house before your dad wonders what happened to you," he said, turning to Edward.
"All right." Edward took his soda bottle with him and he, Ashe and Sali walked along to Edward's temporary home.
"Dad, this is Sali. You've met Ashe already," Edward introduced his new friends.
"Need help, Mr. Pendley?" Ashe offered.
"That bag over there has a few photographs and things in it. Want to unpack those?" Steven Pendley asked, searching through the fridge for something to drink. "Good, they got a few sodas." Pulling a cola from a box, he popped the tab and drank while Sali, Ashe and Edward unloaded framed photographs of Edward when he was small, posing with a pretty, red-haired woman.
"That's my mom—I don't remember her," Edward said, tapping the photograph Ashe held. "She died when I was three. In a car crash."
"Sorry, dude," Ashe said. He didn't say that his own mother had almost been killed the same way a year before.
"It's okay," Edward shrugged. "She was on the wrong side of the car when the ambulance came," he whispered to Ashe. "Buckled in. Nobody in the driver's seat." He cut his eyes toward his father. "Dad gets upset if I talk about it." Ashe glanced quickly at Steven Pendley, who was drinking his soda and staring through the living-room window at the prairie beyond.
"Dude, we need to talk soon," Ashe whispered back.
* * *
Cordell Mayor Jim Taylor was terrified. The man threatening him had taken him by surprise, knocking him out as he'd walked from the barn toward his house earlier in the evening. Now that Jim was conscious inside his kitchen, his assailant was asking strange questions. "Tell me!" The black-haired man demanded, gripping Jim's shirt tightly in a fist. "What did you see?" Jim Taylor saw the scar on the man's upper lip, his face was so close.
"S-six big mobile homes," Jim stuttered, flattening himself against the wall in his kitchen. "I-I didn't see them myself. Heard about it fr-from s-somebody who lives on highway f-fifty-four."
"Where are those mobile homes now?"
"D-don't know. Didn't say where they w-went."
"And the name of the person who did see them?" The name barely left Mayor Taylor's mouth before he died.
Chapter 4
Ashe wanted to talk to his mother about Edward and the way Edward's mother had died, but he'd never admitted to either parent that he'd been involved in saving Adele Evans from a dangerously weaving truck while she lay unconscious on the passenger seat. Ashe had driven the old Ford home from west of Cordell, terrified the entire time. If he told his parents about that now, he'd be grounded forever. Judiciously deciding to keep it secret, Ashe set plates on the kitchen island. His mother had brought home takeout from Betsy's again—Cordell Feed and Seed was so busy, Adele was too exhausted to cook.
"Chicken and dumplings, with two pieces of cornbread, as usual," Adele smiled at her son and sat down on a barstool to eat her own meal.
"I'd like you to meet one of the new kids," Ashe said. "He's sixteen but shorter than Sali. He has pointed ears. And freckles."
"Pointed ears? Really?" Adele dipped mashed potatoes onto her plate—she'd ordered pork chops with potatoes and gravy.
"Yeah. One of the others has pointed ears, too—I think her name is Macy. She covers them up with long hair, though."
"Do you think it makes them feel different?" Adele's brown eyes watched Ashe, prepared to weigh his answer.
"Don't know," Ashe ate chicken and dumplings for a while. "Edward—I think he's homeschooled. His dad said something about homework when Sali and I left. Edward wanted to explore a little."
"Where did he live before?" Adele asked, curious.
"Edward says they lived in Missouri until his mom died, and then they moved to Memphis. That's where they were until Director Jennings relocated the families."
"Director Jennings is getting old," Adele said. "He's done a lot for the country, though."
"Mr. Winkler says Mr. Jennings is about to retire."
"I hope they find somebody good to take his place."
"Yeah. He took over after Anthony Hancock got killed." Ashe admired Anthony Hancock; the previous Director was a national hero and died in the line of duty. Ashe had written a history paper about him.
"How are the newcomers fitting in?" Aedan Evans walked through the middle door and came to sit next to Adele.
"Some better than others," Ashe said, taking his plate to the dishwasher. "There's one kid who's really rude. His name is Philip."
"Honey, you may have to overlook that—these kids have been uprooted from their lives, homes and friends. I can't say I'd be happy about it, either," Adele admitted.
"Aedan?" Ashe and his father both heard Nathan Anderson's voice outside their home. Nathan hadn't bothered with the doorbell located beside the garage door—he'd known that Aedan would hear.
"I'll get it," Aedan held a hand out, stopping Ashe from going to the kitchen door that led into the garage. Soon Nathan Anderson stood inside their kitchen. Nathan was tall but not as tall as Aedan, with dark blond hair and green eyes. He smiled at Ashe.
"How's Cori, Mr. Anderson?" Ashe asked. He hadn't seen her at school the day before.
"Enrolled at the University of Oklahoma for the fall semester," Nathan's smile widened. "As of yesterday."
"Cool," Ashe breathed.
"Aedan, I just heard something on the news," Nathan said, his expression becoming serious. "The Mayor of Cordell was found murdered in his home."
* * *
"Do you think the murder has anything to do with these families?" Aedan asked as both vampires walked through the field behind the Evans' home. Aedan and Nathan could see the six new houses clearly in the deepening twilight.
"Surely not—why would anyone kill someone with such a high profile? That's foolish."
"True. But we've seen plenty of that during our lifetimes."
"Also true. But what would the Mayor know? Those houses weren't trucked through Cordell—they came through from the opposite direction. Mr. Winkler is smarter than that." Nathan shook his head.
"It's probably an unrelated incident," Aedan decided. "Did the news say anything else?"
"They'd just found the body so there wasn't anything. You know humans; proceed with caution and keep information away from the public as long as possible."
"We'll be on our guard to see if anyone else is harmed or killed," Aedan nodded. "We'll investigate if that happens."
* * *
"Director,
Cordell's Mayor was just murdered," Winkler spoke over the phone to Bill Jennings. Bill had flown back to D.C. earlier in the day.
"I'll send two agents," Bill said. "Will you notify the Grand Master, just in case this is connected? How did the man die?"
"Broken neck," Winkler replied. "My contact in Oklahoma City confirmed it."
"So, someone strong, then. Any clear motive?"
"Not that I know. So far, they haven't found anything missing. But there was some sort of flap last year between the Mayor and his opponent during the election."
"I'll have my agents look into that as well. Is there anyone inside the community who might be able to help them? Someone awake during the day?"
"Yeah."
"Who is that?"
"Marcus DeLuca. He's ex-Special Ops."
"You mean I'm just now learning that the Cloud Chief Packmaster was Special Ops?"
"Under a different name—he's eighty-seven, Director. Of course, he'd have to use a different name. Most of us do."
"Of course," Bill muttered softly. Winkler still heard.
* * *
"Haven't seen you before." Philip stared at Aedan and Nathan. He wasn't supposed to be outside this late at night, but his mother was cleaning up the kitchen after dinner. Philip had sneaked out.
"Young one, why are you out at this hour?" Nathan asked the blond teen.
"Why are you out at this hour? And who are you anyway?" Philip returned in his usual, rude manner.
"We guard the community at night," Aedan replied. "You will go inside and not come out again this night," compulsion was thick in Aedan's voice. Philip turned immediately and walked toward his new home. Aedan and Nathan watched as he walked through the door, closing it behind him.
"That must be the one Ashe doesn't like," Aedan muttered as he and Nathan resumed their rounds.
* * *
"Dude—dad just got a call from Mr. Winkler," Sali whispered into the phone.
"What about?" Ashe asked on the other end. Ashe was in his bedroom; his mother was tending her plants upstairs in the solarium so Ashe didn't have to whisper.
"The Mayor of Cordell was killed earlier, so two agents are coming. They want Dad to help them investigate since he's awake during the day. Mr. Winkler said to get your dad or Mr. Anderson to help at night."
"They think the murder has something to do with these families?" Ashe asked.
"I think so—why would they send agents if they didn't suspect something?"
"True," Ashe agreed, setting aside the book he'd been reading. His bedroom was bigger, now, with even more bookshelves. Because of the explosion the year before, however, only half the shelves were filled. "Or maybe they just want to prove that it didn't have anything to do with the families. Better to know, don't you think."
"Yeah. I guess," Sali reluctantly agreed.
"When are they coming?" Ashe asked.
"Tomorrow. They're supposed to stay in Clinton tonight and see dad at the locksmith's shop tomorrow afternoon in Cordell. Dad has to remind them that tomorrow night is the full Moon."
"Surprised they didn't think of that," Ashe chuckled. "Those guys are supposed to be smart."
"They're not used to werewolves, I bet."
"Or vampires." Ashe and Sali snickered for a moment.
"Dude, want to play football or Frisbee tomorrow?" Sali asked.
"Sure. Call before you come over." Ashe and Sali hung up.
* * *
"Keith, why haven't you unpacked your bag?" Bryce Caldwell sat on the end of Keith's bed.
"Why? We'll be moving again soon—Mom said so."
"Two and a half months. Are you prepared to wear wrinkled clothes the whole time? Come on, we have a washer and dryer. You need to wash some of that stuff. Those jeans are so dirty they may fall apart in the laundry."
Keith and Bryce couldn't be more different. Keith had blond hair while Bryce's was nearly black. Keith's green eyes gazed steadily at his older, half-brother. Bryce looked like Jeanine Caldwell, their mother. Keith favored Michael Caldwell, Keith's father. Bryce, Jeanine's son from her first marriage, hadn't seen his father for three years after Bruce Stinnett's parental rights had been terminated. Michael Caldwell adopted Bryce afterward. Bruce Stinnett had fallen on hard times after leaving Jeanine and Bryce behind when Bryce was barely a year old, turning to petty crime. He'd been jailed after stealing a few cars and selling them to chop shops in Florida.
"If my jeans fall apart, will I get new ones?" Keith picked at a scab on his right thumb for a moment, but now he raised his eyes to his brother again.
"I think we're allowed a few new things—we just have to go through that Marcus DeLuca guy to get stuff online."
"What do you think he looks like—when he's a werewolf? I gotta tell you, that Winkler dude scared the heck out of me." Winkler had become a huge, solid black wolf with gleaming golden eyes.
"He wouldn't have growled if Philip hadn't tried to touch him," Bryce pointed out.
"Philip's an ass."
"A general consensus," Bryce sighed. "I don't know that there's any hope for him. Can you see him working at Easy-Stop someday?"
It started as a snicker, but soon Keith was lying on his side and laughing uncontrollably. He could easily see Philip snapping rudely at the customers of a self-serve gas station and convenience store.
"Come on, bro, let's hang up your clothes," Bryce said, hefting Keith's suitcase onto the bed.
* * *
"Mom, do we have the ingredients to make cookies?" Macy asked. They'd cleared away the dinner dishes after having pizza for their first meal at the new home.
"I think we can make oatmeal or sugar cookies—I saw a bottle of vanilla and a box of oats in the pantry." Ramona Hill smiled at her daughter. Macy had long blonde hair that covered the delicately pointed tips of her ears and blue eyes that now pleaded with her mother for cookies. Macy had been beautiful and thin all her life. Ramona struggled with her weight constantly and her brown hair frazzled and curled furiously in any sort of humidity. Macy's hung like a river of gold down her back.
"Did I hear cookies?" Rocky Hill walked into the kitchen. He had darker hair and brown eyes; Ramona's eyes were green. Ramona always believed it to be the donated egg that had given her daughter blue eyes and blonde hair—although the clinic had tried to match features as well as they could. At least they thought they had. Ramona was still trying to understand the information handed out earlier—still struggling to make things go back to normal. Or at least as normal as they could be. They were surrounded by werewolves, shapeshifters and—she shivered for a moment—vampires. Cookies sounded like an excellent idea.
"Let's make oatmeal cookies," Macy decided. Ramona pulled out the sugar and the box of oats.
* * *
"Liz?" Luanne tapped on Elizabeth Frasier's bedroom window.
"Luanne, what are you doing out there?" Elizabeth hissed, struggling with the locked window and heaving it upward. "Shouldn't you be inside? What if those people are out there?"
"What people would you be meanin', lass?" Aedan allowed the Welsh lilt to come out in his voice. Luanne shrieked at the sudden appearance of the vampire.
* * *
"Your voice is different now," Elizabeth cast an accusing glance at Aedan. She and Luanne sat on the sofa inside the Frasier home, huddled fearfully together. They'd been caught first thing by one of those—vampires. He'd admitted it freely when he'd escorted Luanne into the Frasier's home moments earlier, introducing himself as Aedan Evans to Mary Ellen and Francis Frasier. Linda and Peter Jansen, Luanne's parents, were on their way—all the families had walkie-talkies provided by Bill Jennings' department and Francis had notified Peter that Luanne had sneaked out and gotten caught by the Cloud Chief night guards.
"I have several accents," Aedan replied frostily. A very good judge of character, Aedan disliked Elizabeth, finding her a bit on the shallow side. Elizabeth's black hair was styled carefully, while her brown eyes flashed with anger and def
iance toward Aedan. Dressed in a silk blouse and designer jeans, Elizabeth also wore red heels, diamond earrings and multiple bangle bracelets. Luanne sat quietly beside her friend, dressed more appropriately in jeans and a T with athletic shoes on her feet. More subdued than Elizabeth's fiery character, Luanne had light-brown hair and hazel eyes. Prettier, too, if you looked past the makeup that Elizabeth wore nearly to excess.
"Lu, I can't believe you left the house without telling us," Linda Jansen rushed in, a Georgia accent plain in her voice.
"Mom, I only wanted to check on the others," Luanne muttered, staring at her hands.
"I'm so sorry, I'll make sure it doesn't happen again," Linda turned to Aedan.
"It's not a problem tonight, but it will be tomorrow," Aedan nodded to Linda and her husband, Peter. Peter frowned at his daughter as he walked into the Frasier home but chose not to say anything at first, allowing his wife to handle the situation.
"Why will it be a problem tomorrow?" Francis Frasier demanded.
"Full Moon," Aedan replied. "Unless you want to meet up with just about every resident in Cloud Chief. As animals."
"They really do that? On the full Moon? That's not a myth?" Peter Jansen finally spoke, a bit of worry in his voice.
"Yes. That's not a myth. Nor is this," Aedan reached out and casually snapped off a piece of granite from the breakfast bar, which separated the kitchen from the living area. "Stay inside at night unless you notify us ahead of time. Young miss," he gave Luanne a stern look, "use your walkie-talkie next time. You can visit with your friends during the day." Aedan handed the chunk of granite to Francis Frasier and left the house in a blink. Shocked, Francis dropped the heavy piece of granite and cursed.
* * *
"We were threatened," Francis Frasier snapped at Marcus DeLuca early the following morning. If Francis knew anything about werewolves, he wouldn't be accosting the Packmaster on the day of a full Moon. Nevertheless, Marcus listened as patiently as he could while Francis ranted about Aedan's visit the night before.
"How?" Marcus, sitting at the breakfast table, crossed arms over his chest. "How were you threatened?"
"He told us to stay inside at night unless we cleared it with him or one of you-you, well, your kind," Francis floundered uncomfortably.
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