Page 11 of Anaki

I rolled my eyes and pressed my fingers into my eyes. Quillion was going to overstep. The Moonlight Outcasts didn’t kill anyone on this mission, so they were going to toy around with the boy to make Elena make a fuss.

It sounds like they already talked to the grandmother, who is very open to the idea of us being here. Or she found them. She appears to be in everyone’s business.

I’d read her file, she had to be part Wiccan; a human with some magical power, and very in tune with the understanding of bonds. Quillion had already infiltrated the home and rummaged through her books, and had piles of ancient texts on bonds.

At least, the grandmother approved.

It was Elena I would have trouble with. She and the Luna seemed oblivious.

And right now, Quillian was making this more difficult for me, upsetting my mate’s child. This will not bode well for me in the future. Especially, if it will make her body physically hurt.

“Hey! You got some sharp teeth! You really are a vampire!”

This time, the ruckus was loud enough for Elena to hear.

I heard her suck in a breath, her heart beating fast. She stood up, unsteady on her feet, and I grabbed her arm with my ungloved hand. She was trembling in rage, but once my hand connected to hers, I felt the jolt of connection I was looking for. My dragon reared back his head, his bright eyes glowing in the dark recesses of my mind. He let out a powerful roar, demanding that she pay attention to us.

Her steady footsteps echoed through the room, the sound reverberating against the walls. As she made her way towards the doorway, the soft glow of the hallway beckoned her forward.

Suddenly, a gasp escaped her lips, a mix of astonishment and fear, as Quillion materialized before her. The air seemed to hold a faint scent of musky cologne and dried blood. My nose wrinkled in disgust, remembering the scent from so long ago.

Quillion's flawless complexion glowed under the dim lighting, casting a radiant aura around him. A sinister smile stretched across his face, revealing his sharp, predatory fangs.

“Hello Elena,” he mused as he draped his arm lazily over Luis’ shoulder.

“Get your arm off of him,” she growled and leaned into me.

She leaned into me.

His eyebrows raised. “Huh, she acts like her sister. Good luck to the lot of you, you are going to need it.” He took his arm off of Luis and patted his head. Luis frowned slightly, but he went and hugged his mother after he saw her distraught state.

“Mama, did you see that? A real vampire? Do you think werewolves are real? Do you think Abuela is a witch too, now?”

I kept my arm around Elena. She didn’t request me to stop, so I would not let go. I didn’t want her to fall. I felt it was me who was holding her up, keeping her strong. At least, I hoped it was me.

Luis leaned away from Elena, who was still speechless. “Hola, who are you? Your eyes! They are like a snake’s. Ey! What are you?”

I shook my head, and I coughed into my fist. I willed them back to my human ones. Elena turned and saw that I was still holding her steady. I reluctantly pulled my hand away and stared down at Luis.

“Name’s Anaki. You must be Luis?” I held out my hand for him to shake. He grabbed it and shook it firmly. “Excellent handshake, firm grip. Your mother has taught you well.”

Luis shrugged his shoulders. “Have to be. I’m the man of the house.” He said with a thick Mexican accent. “Why are you all here? Why are there so many of you?” He gazed around the room, not with fear but with pure wonder.

Elena's piercing gaze locked onto me, its intensity searing through my body like a scorching flame. The heat it emitted made me squirm uncomfortably, feeling as if I were trapped in a sweltering furnace. My longing to meet her eyes, to immerse myself in their depths, was palpable, but I couldn't predict how my inner dragon would respond to this encounter - a sensation that left me unsettled and unsure.

I can’t look, not yet.

Nadia and Bear took off their vests, relieving themselves of the heavyweight gear that might frighten the boy. The grandmother was sitting on the couch, taking sips of the tea I had left on the counter.

Nothing bothered this female at all. She was patting the seat next to her, telling Nadia to sit.

“How about everyone sit down?” Nadia said cheerfully. “Since everyone is handling Quillion so well.” She narrowed her eyes at the vampire in the corner. He had his arms crossed, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

“Abuela over here is a low-level witch.” He waved his hand. “She would not die of a heart attack due to her knowledge, and human children have avivid imagination. The only one we had to worry about was Elena.”

Elena was still silent beside me. I kept waiting for her to pass out, ready to catch her if she fell, but she continued to assess the room.

“I’m processing,” she said slowly. “Reallyprocessing.”