*Cora P.O.V.*
"You guys know you didn't have to make us breakfast right?" I said as I scarfed down some AMAZING chocolate chip pancakes.
Jasper and I woke up a little while ago to the smell of bacon and pancakes and found Chris and Patrick in the kitchen making breakfast for everyone. Man do they know how to make food. A lot of it too.
"Cora." Chris sighed, "For the last time, you both are our guests. We can make you a simple breakfast, can't we?"
"Simple?!" Jasper practically choked on his food, "There is enough food for 10 people!"
Chris and Patrick laughed like they thought what he said was hilarious.
"We may not look it but we eat a lot. You should see the table at Thanksgiving." Patrick said.
At that Jasper looked a little green, "No thanks, I'm good."
We joked around for the rest of breakfast but as everyone was finishing up, Chris suddenly turned serious and looked at Jasper.
"So Jasper. You should know that we see Cora like a little sister and will hurt anyone who hurts her in anyway."
"Uh...yea. No problem here. I would never hurt her." He looked at me and smiled while he gave my hand a squeeze.
"Oh good. Now for some questions."
"Questions?"
"Yea the big brother-like questions and since her dad isn't here we get to ask the ones he would too."
"Oh boy." I whispered.
I knew the questions he was referring to. Girls always would complain in school when their big brother would get all protective over them and ask their new boyfriend of the week a whole shitload of personal questions. One was how old they were. I had fortunately thought ahead of time and after what Jasper overheard between them, we decided it'd be safer to say he turned 18 last month rather than say his actual age. Good thing we already talked about it because what's their first question...
"How old are you Jasper?"
"I don't see what age has to do with this." Jasper replied stiffly.
The twins share a look before Patrick speaks up.
"We just want to see if your...maturity matches your age. We don't want her dating some over protective prick who's going to force her to do things before she's ready do we?"
"No, we don't. So answer the question. Please." Chris said. More like forced out.
They really want to know his age. They are hunters. Well shit.
"I turned 18 last month. Before you try yelling at Cora for technically dating an adult, keep in mind she turns 18 soon too."
Chris and Patrick share a look, again, and they both seem to let out a sigh of relief?
What's with all the secret looks today?
I look over at Jasper and see he has the same look I must have.
What the fuck? I mouth.
I don't know. He mouths back.
They both seem to remember we are still sitting there and clear their throats. Damn these twins are freaky.
Many questions about Jasper's life later, the twins are finally done interrogating him.
We soon began to pick up from breakfast, us helping with my persistence even though they didn't want us to help. We were almost done when the phone rang.
"I got it," Chris says and goes to get it.
*Chris Cacciatore P.O.V.*
Without checking for caller ID, I picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Is the head of the household present?" a young man's voice asked.
I pull back the receiver, look at it for a second, then put it back to my ear.
"No he is not but this is his eldest son. Who is asking?"
"Do you know where he is?"
Damn this guy doesn't give up.
"He's on a...hunting trip." I told him what we were told to always say. Technically I wasn't lying, he was out hunting vampires.
"Does he have his radio on him?"
"How do you know about that?" Radios were used in emergency-only situations. If he wasn't in a safe position and I contacted him, he'd be dead.
"All hunters have a radio on them. Now answer the question. Does he have his radio?" I could tell he was annoyed by now.
"Yes but since you know so much you should know he could be anywhere. I can tell him you called when he makes contact. Now who are you?"
He let out an exasperated breath before answering.
"Chris Knight. Yes, THE Chris Knight. I'm following a lead on a seventeen year old vampire. Well soon to be anyway. His scent led me outside your house. I wanted permission to come inside before he got away. You may not even know he is in your house."
"Shit, ok. Come to the front door in 5 minutes and I'll let you in so you can search. We have two guests that have proven they are trustworthy. The girl's father was a great hunter but she doesn't know anything as far as we can tell."
"5 minutes." Then he hung up.
I took a deep breath and went back to find the others. I didn't find them in the kitchen but in the living room playing cards.
"Took so long that you all got bored?" I asked.
Patrick looked up first. "Hey. Yea we all just started playing. Who was on the phone?"
"Friend of Dad's. He works with him and wanted to come over for a little bit. Want to go get some drinks for everybody? No sparkling water though."
"Works with Dad and doesn't like sparkling water? Wow."
"Yea he's a special case." I put emphasis on special hoping he'd understand.
"Oh! Ok I'll go get some drinks then." Guess he understood.
"Ow! I'll come with." Jasper volunteered after Cora kicked him in the leg.
Of course everything we just said was code for something else. "Works with dad" means he's a hunter. "Sparkling water" is the liquid wolfsbane we spike the drinks with to see is someone is a vampire. The myth that wolfsbane only affects werewolves is bullshit. It affects anything: faeries, were of any kind, and vampires. It's not always a powder either. It's a flower that can be crushed into powder or made into a liquid.
"Who is it that's coming over?" Cora asked.
Thankfully the doorbell rang saving me from trying to explain.
"You'll see in a second." I went and got the door.
I opened the door and there stood Chris (the other one) in all black and the only visible weapon being the hilt of a dagger in his combat boot. Guess being a hunter and vampire had its advantages.
"Well? We don't have all day, boy. Move." I moved out of the way for him and he came inside.
That's another myth about vampires that's total bull. They don't need to be invited into your home, they can just come in whenever. He called for permission because hunters respect each others boundaries and don't want to just show up. Plus you never know if a hunter is setting a trap for some kind of baddie and just showing you would ruin it.
Chris took a deep breath. "He's still here. His scent is strong."
"Shit. And we never knew?"
"He could be right under your noses. He was traveling with a girl. Where is the girl you mentioned?"
"Follow me." Shit. She couldn't be...could she?
We walk into the living room to find Cora still where I left her. She looks up when we walk in.
"Your phone went off. I believe it's a text."
I take a look and see it's a text from Patrick saying he took Jasper to the store with him to get some drinks since all we had left was sparkling water. Good. Keep him out of this.
"Cora. This is Chris, one of my dad's friends."
"Same name as you? That's gonna be confusing."
She sounded...nervous?
"Cora? That name rings a bell. What's your last name sweetheart?" My mouth hung open. Is he really trying to sweet talk her? I thought he likes men!
I could tell it had no affect on Cora though.
"Flirting won't get you anywhere, buddy." She scowled at him.
"Flirting? I wasn't flirting. You see, I like men. I was just trying to be polite." He chuckled. "I was raised to be polite as possible to women, even though I had no intention of ever marrying one."
"Oh sorry. I didn't mean to come off as rude. Well I'm Cora. Cora Grant." She smiled. I could tell she was still on edge.
"Grant? I knew your father. We worked together years ago. He ever mention me?"
*Cora P.O.V.*
Now's my chance to find out his last name!
Since he said his name was Chris I've been on edge. Who cares if he's nice? He could be the guy who's after us for all I know.
"Hm...not sure. He always talked about a Chris i just always assumed he meant this one. It'd help if I knew your last name?" I said sweetly.
"Oh, right I never properly introduced myself. The name's Chris Knight."
I swear my heart stopped.
Shit. Jasper! We need to leave!
I could tell he was waiting for a reaction so I pretended to think about it for a second.
"Oh yea!" I exclaimed. "He mentioned you a few times. Said you went fishing together once."
Now that I thought back on it, he really had mentioned it. Said that Chris caught the biggest fish. Was all that code for something else?
He started laughing. Like a deep belly laugh.
"Is that what he told you? Oh sweetheart are you in for a shock."
"Chris. Don't." Chris, my Chris, warned.
"Don't tell me what to do, boy." the other Chris spat.
This is really confusing. I'm referring to him as Knight in my mind.
Knight turned to me. "Would you like to know what I mean, sweetheart?"
"Yes!" I said immediately.
He chuckled. "Little eager are we? We'll see after if you're still so eager to know."