Jack turned off all the lights in the living room as his wife led Lily and Sophie through with their mates birthday cake. As soon as they entered the room everyone began to sing happy birthday to the twins. While they sang Lily set the cake she was holding in front of James and Sophie set her cake down in front of Ian.
When everyone finished singing Ian and James blew out the eighteen candles on each cake. Jack snapped a picture of the two as they blew out the candles. Rosie jumped up to each of her brothers giving them each a kiss on the cheek. The twins were just about to cut the cake when the door bell rang. Jack huffed in annoyance and muttered curses under his breath as he went to answer the door.
James and Ian sprinted to their dad's side when they heard loud growls from the door. James froze as he saw it was Ellie and two other guys who had a tight grip on two viscous looking dogs. Jack spoke first. "Ellie, long time no see."
Ellie looked guilty. "Sorry about that. I was working."
"Funny because I work every weekday and I still see my family every night before I go to sleep." Jack didn't look happy.
"Yeah? Well I don't have a family Jack."
James cleared his throat and spoke up. "Ellie? What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't make it because you were working?"
"I am working. Look someone reported hearing a lot of noise coming from here. They thought it was a bear attack but we all know that you don't get bears here. I'm supposed to be 'investigating' the supernatural probability with these two dummies but instead I'm here to help you and throw TESS off your case."
Jack looked relieved and opened the door wider for them all to come in. "You just missed the twins blowing out the candles but don't worry you're just in time for presents."
Ian took a step away from one of the dogs that tried to snap his leg. "What about the dogs why are they here?"
"These guys are your cover. Don't worry in a couple of days we will come around again to put them down. Their big dogs and I'm sure if they fought they would make a lot of noise."
The taller man spoke up. "Oh yeah and I think that their bite is still worse than their bark."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Damon Weiß and this here is Keith Frasers."
"You both work for TESS?"
"Well we 'work' for TESS but we really help out some rebel group."
"Where?"
"Can't tell you that. Top secret."
"Let's get back to the party shall we. Happy birthday Ian!" Ellie threw her arms around Ian and then hugged James. "Happy Birthday Jamie!"
"I told you not to call me that!"
"I know but I love winding you up. Let's go."
Damon followed Ellie and the twins leaving Keith standing with Jack. "Excuse me sir but where should I put these blood thirsty beasts?"
"Here." Jack held open a door to a room that was padded. Keith looked at Jack confused after he shut the door on the dogs. "That's the time out room for werewolves."
Keith grinned. "Nice."
Ellie recognised a few faces from school but she had only really been close to James, Ian, Sophie and Amber. She wished that Amber was here. She looked across the room and saw Sophie talking to a girl with black hair. Ellie ran up to Sophie and tackled her in a hug.
"ELLIE? What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't make it?"
"Well I'm supposed to be working but my work sent me here."
"What? They know."
"They suspect but that's why I'm here. To prove those suspicions false. It's so good to see you! You look great!"
"So do you actually. Ooh who is that?"
Ellie giggled. She felt like a teenage girl with Sophie again. "That's Damon my partner at TESS. He's a good guy though. On our side."
"He's hot."
"I know. He's German."
"It all makes sense now. I have been to Germany before and all the boys were hot."
"Really Sophie?" Ian came up behind her. "Hotter than me?"
"It's hard to compare boys from different countries. You're one of the odd Scots that is mega attractive and has a personality."
"That's what I like to hear." Ian leaned down and kissed Sophie on the cheek. "So is that your date over there Ellie? Got a new man in your life?"
Ellie shrugged thinking back to the warehouse and her room. "It's complicated."
The girl with black hair growled and stalked off to the other end of the room. Ellie frowned "What's her problem?"
Ian smirked and opened his mouth to say something but Sophie elbowed him. "Don't pat attention to him he keeps trying to stir up trouble. He did the same thing other day with James and Sebastian."
"Oh right. I forgot he was here. I saw his bike outside. What is she his new girlfriend?"
"No. She's his sister and she is James' mate." Ellie grinned widely but then realised what Sophie said. Ellie looked around until she saw James. She walked up to him and smacked his arm.
"You never told me you found your mate!"
James shrugged. "I didn't think you cared."
"Of course I cared! How could you think that?"
"You never texted me or anything. I heard from Sebastian but not you. I didn't even know you had broken up until I showed up at your flat after a months of you not answering my call. Sebastian opened the door and I asked to see but he told me you weren't living there anymore."
"I'm sorry James. I was so caught up in trying to keep everyone safe I forgot to show them that I do care. Forgive me?"
"I always do Ellie." James ruffled Ellie's hair with a grin. Ellie smacked his hand away but gave him another hug anyway. "I don't think your mate likes me very much."
"Sebastian's been coming around a lot and you seem to be a hot topic in this household. You know we were filling Lily."
"Whatever you said must have been bad because she seems to hate me." Ellie spoke with a smile not really caring what Sebastian's sister thought of her.
"I'll talk to her. How's the search for Seb's brother coming along?"
Ellie's smile faded and she looked down at the floor. "Fine."
"Did you find Sam?"
Ellie tensed as she heard his voice behind her. She slowly turned and looked up at Sebastian. She sighed.
"Can we talk in private?"
Something glimmered in his eyes. Hope? "Of course."
Sebastian grabbed Ellie's hand and dragged her to a room. He opened the door and quickly shut it again. It was the padded room that had the two viscous dogs in it. Sebastian chuckled and opened the next door. It was a guest bedroom. Ellie cleared her throat and clasped her hands together tightly. Before she could say anything Sebastian did.
"Ellie I'm sorry about what I said the other day. It was wrong of me to-"
"Sebastian stop! Look it's alright. What you said was all true anyway. I didn't think of it that way. I know you and you wouldn't have stayed if you knew what she was doing. I'm the one who should saying I'm sorry so... I'm sorry Seb."
Sebastian looked up and smiled at Ellie. He stood up and took her hands in his. "You called me Seb."
"Yeah I know."
Sebastian dropped her hands and cupped her face instead. He tilted her head back so she was looking him in the eyes. He slowly moved closer to her.
"Seb?"
"Yeah?" Sebastian's head was just above hers and their lips were close.
"I missed you." Ellie threw her arms around Sebastian's neck and crushed their lips together. Sebastian returned the kiss just passionately and held her tightly against him. Sebastian slipped his tongue into Ellie's mouth and she moaned as his tongue came into contact with hers. Ellie didn't realise they had been walking towards the bed until Sebastian's legs hit the bed and he fell back onto the bed, taking Ellie with him.
Ellie straddled him on the bed and continued the kiss. Sebastian's hands left her waist and moved further down. Ellie gasped and stood up. She covered her face and began to breath heavily. Sebastian sat with his arm sticking up in different directions. He was grinning but he frowned as he saw Ellie pacing with her head in her hands. He stood up as well and walked up to Ellie.
"Ellie baby what's wrong?"
"Don't."
Sebastian reached out to take her hands away from her face but she slapped them away.
"Don't come any closer."
"Ellie what-"
"I found your brother."
"You did? Where is he?"
Ellie's bottom lip trembled and she turned away from Sebastian so he wouldn't see her cry. She didn't fool him though. He placed a hand on her shoulder which she brushed off.
"Ellie?"
"Sam is dead."
"What? Did they kill him straight away?"
"No. They put him in my training simulation and I killed him."
Sebastian growled and punched a hole in wall. He gripped his head and sank to his knees with a shout of anger.
Ellie gasped and started to cry harder. "I'm so sorry Sebastian. I didn't know it was real I would never have killed him intentionally and-"
Sebastian looked up at Ellie and his eyes were no longer gold, they were black. Just like his brothers had been when he was in the simulation. Ellie cringed away from this unfamiliar Sebastian.
"You avoided me for months for associating myself with the woman who killed your parents and you expect me to forgive you for personally killing my brother with your own hands! You went to TESS to save the supernatural but you come back into the world with supernatural blood on your hands. Not just any supernaturals but my little brothers! You killed him!"
Sebastian leapt forward and slammed Ellie against the wall. She made no move to fight back as Sebastian growled at her threateningly.
"What nothing to say Ellie?"
"Sebastian stop it hurts."
Sebastian didn't loosen his grip in fact his moved his hands so they were wrapped around her throat. He began to squeeze.
"Sebastian STOP!" Ellie cried out before she lost her voice. Sebastian's eyes flickered gold for a moment but they stayed black meaning that Sebastian was no longer in control. Black spots appeared in Ellie's vision as her air supply was cut off. Sebastian let go as the door was kicked down and Damon charged in.
Damon snarled at Sebastian and ran forward into him. Sebastian landed underneath Damon and took the force of the fall. The air rushed out of his lungs and as he took a raspy breath in Damon's fit collided with his face. Ellie fell to the floor gasping for air and knocked her head against the dressing table on the way down. Ellie hit the ground unconscious with a cut in the side of her head.
When Ellie cried out only Damon had been alerted because he was listening out for Ellie at the time. Jack was alerted when he heard the thud of a body hitting the ground. He walked out into the hallway and the smell of blood hit him. He followed the scent into the guest bedroom on the ground floor. Jack opened the door to see one of Ellie's friend beating the crap out of Sebastian and Ellie unmoving on the floor.
Jack growled and dragged Ellie's friend off Sebastian. "What the fuck do you think you are doing?!"
Damon snarled as he looked down at Sebastian bloody and bruised face. "He was killing Ellie!"
Jack frowned and helped Sebastian to his feet. "What? Sebastian wouldn't have done that!"
"You don't believe me? Why else would I beat him to a pulp?"
Sebastian sagged against Jack. Jack put Sebastian's limp arm around his shoulders so he could support him. Jack looked at Damon guiltily.
Damon groaned in frustration. "You think it's because I'm from TESS. Ficken unglaublich! I'm going to go. I heard you all talking to Ellie earlier and she has given up her life for you all! If you care for her you all have a funny way of showing it!"
Damon scooped Ellie up into his arms and carried her out the door. "Keith! We're leaving! We're not wanted here and we've outstayed our welcome."
Keith pulled away from the ginger girl he had pressed up against the wall. She slipped her phone number into his pocket and winked at him. Keith kissed her hand and ran out the door after Damon who was holding an unconscious Ellie.
"What happened?"
"Ellie's ex-boyfriend."
"He knocked her out?"
"No. He tried to strangle her. If I hadn't heard Ellie call out she would be dead."
"What got him so wound up?"
"I don't know."
*********************
Kathleen pulled Angie back down for the third time. "Get down. If anyone sees us our cover is blown."
Angie huffed and flicked her hair. "It's not my fault the ground is so dirty." Kathleen rolled her eyes and looked back at the house. "Why are we here anyway? Xander gave this investigation to Ellie, Keith and Damon, not us."
"I know but I don't trust Ellie- Look!" Kathleen pointed to the front of the house. Angie whipped her head to the side so quickly that she smacked her head against a low branch.
"Ow!"
"Shut up and look slowly, avoiding the branch." Angie looked in the direction that Kathleen was pointing. Damon stepped out of the house carrying an unconscious Ellie. It was clear we from the distance that it was Ellie because of her blue hair that hung down and swayed while Damon walked to his bike. Keith came out of the house and stopped at his bike to talk to Damon. When their conversation was finished Damon drove away with Ellie laid in his lap and Keith followed behind.
Kathleen smirked and took out her phone. "Amy? Yes and she just came out of the house unconscious. Let them tell the story first to see if they're lying or not."