The Moon's Light

Chapter Thirty-One

I should have known there was a problem. Warning bells had gone off the minute Seth had stepped in the door and been turned over to Katty. The fact that he had been trying to push me out only solidified the feeling that he wasn't what he appeared.

But I was a little off about why.

I had been playing video games with Logan and Jason when Emilio and Jake came over. They had fondly complained about how Tucker was still pining after Arthur. We had all been attempting to make him feel better, but he was too love struck to let us help much. Zach had wandered in a few minutes later, looking for Katty. He noticed me searching for Henri and told me that he was with Sable, the two of them out getting some things for dinner.

I smiled at the easy friendship that had developed between all of us. I noticed Logan reach for his can of soda and frown when he emptied the last swallow. I reached over to ruffle his hair and asked him what he wanted as I got up to get more soda.

I moved to the kitchen and was digging into the fridge when the door opened. I didn't look, expecting it to be Katty. Then I was stiffening when a fight broke out. I whirled just in time to see Zach staggering under the blow of a baseball bat to the head. It might have killed a human, but he turned back to snarl at the humans coming in with guns, stakes, and grim looks. Zach's eyes blazed red as he dropped his fangs.

Jason and Logan leapt to their feet as Emilio pulled Jake behind him. I started to rush around the island when a flash of silver caught my eye and something came careening for my face. All the self defense lessons kicked in and I leaned back before someone could punch me. I took two quick steps back to give myself some space and found my attacker.

I stopped, freezing as I stared at the knife tip pointed at me and the hand holding it. Seth grinned. "Just stand down Max, and no one will get hurt." He glanced over his shoulder as Zach, Emilio, and Jason took slugs to the chests, stunning them long enough to get Jake away from Emilio and Logan away from Jason. "Well, the humans won't anyways." He chuckled.

Jake stiffened under the gun to the back of his head, glancing at me. I shook my head, silently telling him to wait before fighting. With us being threatened, the Vampires slowly gave themselves up, and I didn't think we would survive if we fought just now.

It was a dirty way to end the fight, threatening us, but I couldn't deny it was effective. I swallowed as I eyed Logan, unsure if he would try to shift and continue to fight. He bared his teeth, but he submitted to the gun pointed at his head and became pliant. Seth grabbed the front of my shirt to drag me over with the others.

Anyone not holding a hostage was quick to grab up the Vampires, binding them and pressing them onto their knees. They didn't go completely quietly, preferring the focus to stay on them instead of me, Jake and Logan.

I grit my teeth as Jason caught a fist across his face for his struggles. I almost rushed the man who had hit my lover when I felt Logan at my back. I set myself solidly in front of the boy instead. I didn't know if they knew or cared about the fact that Logan was a wolf, but I preferred to not take the chance.

I glanced over the hostile humans, finding the one who appeared to be in charge. I snarled at him. "What do you want from us?!"

The leader of the little group grinned. "We're Vampire slayers. We kill the bloodsuckers. Once and for all."

The entire apartment froze when Katty walked through the door. She was distracted by the mail in her hands but it only took her a couple steps to realize something was wrong. Her eyes flicked up, then her head raised as she took in the scene.

She stayed amazingly nonchalant. I remembered her acting to fool the succubus and waited for her to give us an opening. She wasn't going to go down without a fight, I knew. Not if it meant the destruction of her family. Which is exactly what the lead slayer was intending. No, Katty had a plan, and I would be ready to move when she did. Jake and Logan caught on to my tense readiness and matched me.