Dog Fights

Chapter 19; Reunion

"You didn't," he starts, cutting himself off as Leon's smile falters. He begins again. "I love them," he says quietly, looking up as Leon steps forward and kneels on the floor in front of him.

The younger lifts the glasses from his hands, reaching up and draping the beaded chain over the vampire's head. Ezra waits patiently as the glasses are pushed up his face, fixed gently and finished with a quick kiss on the nose. Ezra smiles, the glinting of his six fangs no longer holding any threat to the human.

"There's the Ezra I know," Leon says, resting his elbows on the vampire's thighs.

"Thank you," Ezra says warmly, taking a hold of Leon's hands just as the door squeaks and slams open.

Both males jump, swiveling to look at the door as Josh takes a long step it. Anger radiates off of his tense body, looking down before spotting Ezra still sitting on the bed.

"You," he demands, voice quiet with fury as he points at the vampire, "out of my house. Now."

Ezra shrinks, realizing this isn't one of their normal bickering moments. Josh is furious.

"Dad?" Leon whispers, hesitantly pushing to his feet as the older does so.

"I said OUT!" the man suddenly bellows, drawing a low growl out of the vampire. The yelling is too loud, and too frantic to remain calm and quiet.

Josh looks down at Ezra. He had bared his fangs, shoulders raised with the urge to defend. Still his expression shows hesitant, not wanting to get aggressive with someone so close.

"Dad!" Leon exclaims, stepping between the two stronger males without daring to touch either of them, "what are you doing?!"

Josh shoves a piece of paper and a ripped envelope into Leon's chest, making him stumble back a step and into Ezra. The teen looks up at the intense gaze his father aims at the vampire, taking a moment before glancing down at the letter. He furrows his eyebrows.

"'Dear Mr. and Mrs. Harrell'," he starts, glancing up as Ezra leans over his shoulder. He takes a deep breath, focusing back down. "'I have been brought to the attention that my run away fighter is finding refuge in your home. I have no reason to get violent with you, since you seem to be normal folk who don't have any real idea of what's going on'. What is this?"

Ezra steps to Leon's side, reaching around and taking the note. He holds it up to his face. "'I must ask, though'," he continues, struggling to read past the shaking of his hands, "'that you remove him from your residence by morning, or my people will be forced to take him for me; I can not promise your family will exit the tussle unharmed. Best wishes, Orgon File'."

"Orgon?" Leon asks, looking up with a frightened expression, "how does he know you're here?"

Ezra drops the note and watches it slowly fall to the carpet. A mix of both terror and anger mix dangerously in his chest, making his muscles tremble and his vision shake. Orgon knows where he is, who he's with, and what they'll be doing. He can't blame Josh for being furious with him.

"I want you out of my house," Josh warns lowly, making the vampire shrink, "we tolerated you long enough. You're putting my family in danger and I will not let it happen; you have thirty seconds to leave or I'll call the cops myself."

The man steps aside, drawing a desperate cry from Leon as the vampire disappears out of the bedroom door. By the time the teen makes it to the top of the stairs the front door flings open, and by the time he runs onto the porch the front yard is empty.