Moonlight

Chapter 7

At midnight, Merissa and Adley decided that they were going to check in with Lennon and Lyla. At least, that's what Merissa told her father. In reality, she wanted to speak with Lennon about the disturbing lack of information that had come from the conversation.

Putting the mugs down, Lennon sat at the breakfast table that overlooked the back garden. Merissa didn't say a word about the burn mark in the middle of the yard, Adley had warned her against it.

In his search of Eloise's room, he'd found things of an unsavoury nature and told Lennon to take the items directly to an already burning fire. He warned Lennon not to let Lyla see what her daughter had been up to and what she kept in that drawer.

"So, you think he's hiding something?"

"Definitely. I think it has a lot to do with you more than me, to be honest. My parents were turned vampires, yours were purebloods. We know that Charlton was sending his followers to this town to kill them. What if it goes deeper than this? Weren't they killing turned vampires as well?"

Lyla nodded, not even looking up from her warmed blood. She was still sick of dealing with vampires, even if she was one. They'd taken from her in so many ways, they've taken from Sammy too. He'll never know his parents, he will never be able to hug his mother when he's sad, he'll never know what it feels like to have their love. Just words from his grandmother that will mean nothing to the poor kid.

A cry bellowed through the monitor sitting at the end of the table. With tears in her eyes, Lyla looked at it.

"I'll get him," Adley said eagerly.

Lyla turned to watch the bulking creature get up from the table.

"What did he say?"

"That he'd get Sammy. I thought you were getting better at understanding Adley."

She shrugged.

"It's hit and miss."

Sammy's crying lessened, Merissa smiled as she listened to Adley talking to him. Then he let out a gargled groan.

"What was that?" Lyla murmured.

"I think Adley regrets his offer," Lennon said with a chuckle.

The complaints of how horrid the stench was echoed between them, then turned into begging to be free of it. When no help arrived, Adley told them that the contents of the nappy would make for a better friend than them.

Five minutes later, the complaining werewolf walked into the kitchen. In his bulking arms was the infant who was not impressed, squawking loudly. Lennon had the bottle ready and warmed, Merissa had the auspicious duty of feeding Sammy.

"See? We've got your back."

Lyla offered a smile even though the tears threatened to escape. With Lennon and Adley in the lounge room searching for Sammy's favourite toy, the two of them had a moment of peace and quiet. Sammy greedily sucked at the teat, drawing in the blood faster than what it could cope with. It didn't take him long to finish the bottle. Ris lifted him to her shoulder, rubbing her hand over his back.

"So, three eh?"

"Yeah. Life will be a nightmare in four months time. I hope you're ready for it."

A soft snort of laughter escaped, Lyla smiled.

"I will be."

Merissa hoped that was true. She didn't want to lessen the grieving time but wanted Lyla to be happy again. Losing Eloise will always haunt her but ignoring Sammy's needs will do more damage than she could ever realise.

"Do you think that this is one of his usual, when the time is right things or that he intends to permanently hide the information?"

Frowning, Merissa wondered what she meant.

"Permanently hide?"

"It's obvious that he knows something. He's the leader of the vampires in this city. What goes on, what is going to happen, he knows it all. You can't honestly tell me that you think he's uninformed."

"I guess not."

Her murmur was low as Merissa thought about it. Lyla was right. Her father knew everything and to offer what he did was wrong.

"He said that Charlton's goons were targeting purebloods in this city under the guise of being human attacks which forced them to flee north to his territory. We already knew that."

Lyla nodded. It was not new information.

"Lennon's parents were purebloods, they died as a result of Charlton's mission. It left this place exposed as a hub for turned vampires which we know that Charlton disliked so it made it easier for his goons to sweep through this place."

"Did he target any other areas?"

The question made Merissa sit up and take notice of Lyla. It was a good question and she did not have an answer to it.

To find the answer would be difficult. She wondered if anyone knew and vowed to ask everyone she came in contact with. One way or another, she'd figure out what was going on.