She reached for one. “I’m going, too.”

His hand wrapped around her wrist. “No, you’re to stay here. I need to know you’re safe.”

“Ephraim, you said I can’t die and nothing can hurt the baby. I’m going.”

Hard cold blue eyes met hers. “You can’t die, you’re right. It’s another thing to suffer pain with absolutely no relief. You are not going. I will not have you hurt. You will stay down here and wait. I’m going to try and get the kids down here safely.” He pulled out his phone again. She watched as he pressed his thumb to the screen while typing in four numbers.

“What are you doing?”

“Two Sentinels asking for help in the same location will get a bigger response. I’m leaving this phone with you. If something should happen to prevent me from coming back for you they will find you.”

She knew what he meant. He meant if they managed to take him away. “You’re not going to let yourself get taken, are you?” She eyed him accusingly.

“No, but if they leave the house with anyone I’ll have to go.” He pressed a swift kiss to her forehead. “Just please stay here.” He didn’t wait for her answer before he flashed away.

*******

A low whistle caught his attention. He turned just as Ephraim slithered behind him. With one swift move he had the man disarmed and pulled back against him in the dark corner of the dining room. His fangs scratched the man’s neck, making him shudder.

“Make a sound and I’ll make this a very painful death.”

The man only nodded.

“Good, how many are in my house including vampires?”

“Five men and the Master.”

Ephraim chuckled darkly. “You’re not lying to me now, are you?” He allowed his fang to drag across the skin, leaving a small paper thin cut that he knew would sting. The man gasped.

“I’m not lying,” he hissed.

“Then why are you telling me the truth?”

“She said you would change all of us. That we would all be day walkers like you.”
“You’re taking a chance telling me her plans.”

“Yes, I don’t see any reason not to tell you.” The man’s voice was unsteady.

“Because you want to remain on my good side so that I’ll change you?”

The man nodded.

“What’s the plan for the women and children?”

He didn’t answer. His entire body went rigid. “She told you that you would feed off of them?”

The man nodded stiffly.

“Did she fail to mention that a change takes several days to occur?”

“N-no.”

“But you came here with the intentions of killing and feeding from my children?”

He smelled the first real wave of fear spread through the man’s body. “I-I…no…I…”

“Thanks for your help.” He covered the man’s mouth with his hand and sunk his teeth in his neck. He needed sustenance to endure anything he was about to encounter so he did what he hadn’t done in over a century. He drained the body until the man’s heart stopped. For his family he would do anything.

With that done he moved into the kitchen after the next man. Four dead bodies later he moved around the second floor. He quietly crawled up the wall towards the ceiling and glided across the ceiling making sure to keep away from the chandelier that hung in the middle of the foyer.

Silently he rolled over onto his back so that he was looking straight down at the scene bellow him. His eyes took everything in. The first man had lied of course. Below him were five heavily armed men with their guns aimed at the small group huddled in the middle of their circle. The scent of blood hit him hard.

Sentinel blood.

His eyes focused on the half na**d body lying in Eleanor’s lap. In that moment he thanked god that the boys copied his dressing habits. He could see the wound clearly, a shoulder wound. It was a bad wound nonetheless. From the burn marks around the wound he knew it had been a short range shot. It probably cauterized the wound enough to slow the bleeding.

Chris’s left arm hung lifeless by his side. His right hand was clenching and unclenching into a fist. He kept his eyes focused on Caroline as she paced the large foyer. Satisfied that Chris was fine for the moment he looked at the rest of the hostages.

Joshua knelt by his Grandmother in the middle of the circle where he would be more protected if they started to shoot. Jill cried softly as she kept her back to Joshua’s side, keeping him covered from yet another side. He was so proud of her at that moment. In spite of all the shit Candy put those kids through and Jill’s trust problems and pessimism she was turning out be a really good kid.

Candy he was going to kill. She was slowly adjusting herself behind Joshua not to protect him but to push him slowly out of the middle of the circle to take his spot. He watched with fury as she gently but insistently pushed at Joshua's back. With each movement she moved in to take his spot until Jill and Grandma adjusted to cover him again. They shot Candy a warning look.

“I’m scared!” Candy cried. “Just let me take his spot. Look, he’s not even upset! I am! Let me sit there!”

Joshua nodded. “She can have my seat I’m not afraid. I don’t care if she’s a vampire or not. I’m not scared.” His small eyes were focused on Caroline in an act of defiance.

“There’s no such thing as vampires, Joshua. Stop trying to scare me!” Candy screeched.

He went to move out of his spot when Chris reached out and grabbed his arm. “You sit right there and do not move!”

“But.-“

“But nothing. If you really want me to be your big brother then you’ll listen to me. You do not move an inch for her or I’m telling Dad and you know he’ll be pissed. You keep your little ass in the middle and do not move. She’ll be fine!”

“I don’t care about her. I just don’t want her panicking and getting you guys shot,” Joshua muttered.

“We’ll be fine. Just stay put so we know you’re okay,” Chris said, sucking in a deep breath. The movement had cost him.

“So, you want him to be your brother, do you?” Caroline asked. “Does that mean you want Ephraim to be your Daddy?” she asked mockingly.

“Yes,” Joshua said firmly.

Ephraim quickly took in the rest of the room. No vampires other than Caroline. He was not surprised. She wouldn’t want to share. Her aspiration was to be the most powerful vampire with large armies beneath her. In short, she wanted to be Queen with him as her king.

She wouldn’t take the chance of involving another vampire afraid the chance would be stolen from her. He closed his eyes and listened. He couldn’t hear any other heart beats inside the house. He focused more on the outside and found one, probably the driver.

“What if I told you that your Daddy was just like me, but worse?” Caroline asked, clearly enjoying tormenting his little boy. He was absolutely going to kill her.

He watched as Joshua folded his arms across his bare chest. “You’re a liar.”

Caroline giggled. “Oh, I assure you I’m not. Why do you think we’re here? We need his blood.”

“He’s nothing like you!” Joshua yelled.