Shifters

Chapter 24

Kayla inched forward.

"Hello", she said quietly. "I'm the Pelisian heir--"

"I know who you are." The woman said softly, wrapping the bathrobe around her and stepping outside. She seemed kind and immensely worried. "What on earth are you doing so far from your territory?" Then her eyes landed on Scott, clinging tight to Damian with a smug smile on his face. "And this child, where did you get him from?"

Before Kayla could answer, the woman's husband came outside. He glared at Damian. "And what are you doing traveling with a Serius?" He grumbled hatefully.

"We were taken by hunters." Damian replied shortly, looking up and down the street. "We only ask for refuge, just for the night, and that you take the boy someplace safe."

The Dragonian man lifted his nose up at him, comtemplating on shutting the door on them. His wife rushed forward and took Scott from him, brushing the boy's red hair and looking over him for injuries.

"Please?" Kayla asked in the most innocent voice that she could muster. Damian wanted to barf. She had put on a pretty face, and all her self-deserving attitude had evaporated. She transformed into an injured angel in seconds, and it bothered him, the way she victimized herself in order to manipulate the couple into helping them. He felt that they should do it because creatures of bermuda ought to look out for each other. Unfortunately though, the Dragonian husband seemed a bit stiff, so he held his tongue and let Kayla do her work.

Finally, the man nodded and opened the door. "Come inside, quickly." He only looked at Kayla when he said it, so she limped up the steps feebly. Damian was never invited in. He hesitantly followed close behind her, only to get a glare from the man.

When they were inside and the door was closed, relief consumed the lobains. The house was warm and inviting. It was narrow like most San Francisco houses, but extremely comfortable.To their right was the living room, decorated in a traditional way. Down the straight hallway they would find themselves at the kitchen, and the staircase which lead down to the garage or up to the bedrooms. The woman sat Scott down on a sofa and invited him to watch cartoons on the TV, he obliged happily. Her husband peeked out the curtains to make sure no one had seen them, and then shut them tighter than before.

"Oh, look at you." The woman said beginning to fuss over Kayla. "You are an absolute mess." Her husband stood nearby, offering his own bit of silent sympathy.

Kayla soaked up the attention. "The past couple days have been a nightmare!" She cried, the whites of her eyes were bloodshot with fatigue, and stress. "It was prom when they abducted me, and my beautiful dress that my poor father spent a fortune on was destroyed! My cousin was beaten to death, and I can't even imagine how terribly worried my family is! I'm afraid they might believe that I am dead."

"There, there." The woman soothed, pulling Kayla into a hug. But she wasn't done with her pity party.

"I woke up in these horrid mines, just outside this city. We barely escaped with our lives!"

"Calm down, just take a seat." The man said, gently guiding Kayla to the couch. The woman hurried to the kitchen where she poured a glass of water and grabbed a damp towel for the Pelisian princess. Kayla took a deep breath and finally composed herself.

The ruckus had caused Scott to turn away from the television. He watched the scene unfold with interest, and seemed to be missing a bowl of popcorn. Then his hazel eyes fell on Damian, and the boy smiled warmly. He had taken an immense liking to him, and he promptly patted the space on the couch next to him. The Serius heir accepted it, he felt a stiff ache in his legs as he strode across the living room.