The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

Jane

“So, what does that mean exactly? If I prick my finger in front of you, are you going to go all Dracula on me?” I squeak, my mìnd absolutely reeling with this revelation.

“Of course not.” Devon laughs, “I wouldn’t have ever rejoined shifter society if I couldn’t control myself, Jane.”

“It must be difficult though, if you see or smell blood?” I guess.

“No harder than it is for you to see a nice meal laid out in front of you. As long as I’m not starved to the point of insanity, I can easily keep that part of me in check.” He explains

“Well what about food? I mean I’ve seen you eat regular meals.” I’m leaning towards him now, so intrigued by this news that I can’t bring myself to be frightened or upset – not yet anyway.

“I can eat regular food.” He shares, the corners of his mouth tugging into a frown as he watches my avid expression. “I just also have to drink blood a few times a week.”

Now a healthy dose of fear does trickle through my senses. I’m trying to resist the urge to flinch away from him. I’m trying to be kind and understanding, I don’t want to make him feel like a monster just because he experienced something bad. It’s not his fault, it’s not his fault, it’s not his fault. I chant in my mind. He’s still Devon. “Does that mean.. do you have to hunt people?” I whisper.

Devon shakes his head, never breaking eye contact – it’s almost as if he thinks I might run if he drops his gaze from my own. “No, I get it from a blood bank. And if things get really bad I can always hunt animals, but I don’t have to kill them in order to sustain myself – I only have to take a little.”

“Oh.”I state, struggling to process this, “what about other powers? How are you able to be out during daylight?”

“Janey, not everything you read in the horror novels is true. Devon teases. “I’m still alive – not undead. The sun doesn’t hurt me, neither does garlic or holy water. Just like silver bullets don’t hurt wolves at least, not any more than regular bullets.”

“So no fun vampire abilities?” I press, smiling now, “you can’t turn invisible or hypnotize unsuspecting v!rgins?”

“I didn’tsay there were no advantages, just that they aren’t the ones you might assume.” Devon explains, “I can run even faster in human form than my wolf can when I shift, I don’t need to sleep anymore, and I’m extremely hard to kill.”

“Will you live forever?” I murmur, my mind already leaping to thoughts of how sad this would be for him – to outlive everyone he loves and cares about.

some of the grief I already suspected. “But I will live longer than any of you.” He gestures to the pups bedroom, and I feel my heart swell with sympathy. That also means that if he were ever to

a moment, apparently shocked by the affectionate gesture. However after a moment he relaxes, and returns the hug, holding me more tightly than I suspect he intended. “How did you get

had to fight. I had to do a lot of things I’m not proud of. And then it took many years to

I managed to keep the truth from my last pack, and I have

desperately wanting to take the horrible grimace off his handsome

from the hug. He looks down at me with a warm smile and wide eyes. “You’re really not scared of

a vampire or.. or a troll decides a person’s character. That has to come from within. I know you’re a good person, and if you want to lurk around cemeteries in the dead of night or hang upside down from the ceiling like bat, that’s your own

is it you can be so sweet, and such a brat

mischievous pups.” As I speak, I look towards their bedroom door, praying they haven’t been eavesdropping on this conversation. As loving and open minded

I should have known

naturally as breathing to my pups, so if the

3rd PerSon

their bedroom door, their ears glued to the wood as they eagerly listened in on their mother’s conversation with Devon. Of course, their excitement faded more and more with every word the grown ups spoke, quickly transforming into

around at one another with stunned expressions, their small

Riley answered, wringing her little hands. “She just sees her

are dangerous! Everyone knows

nice he

she might not survive.

exclaimed in outrage, “if

for protection.” Parker scolded, ever the voice of reason

must be Paisley on the phone, because their mother’s voice sounded the way sunshine felt. Then her footsteps were approaching, and Parker,

voice was floating out of the receiver. “You guys, thank goodness,

about a ‘mergency?” Ryder sighed. “Mommy’s