The ceilings were high, and a multi-tiered chandelier dropped down to meet another, much larger, staircase. The home had darker colors of black, grey, and navy blue. A surprising contrast from that of the warmer and more vibrant colors of the temporary holding cell the group kept her in. Lunette was almost in awe as she looked around the large home.

She stopped when she reached what she presumed was the living area. “Welcome home,” Jerrard greeted with sarcasm dripping from his words. Inside the room was older man. He was roughly the same height as Jerrard, but far broader than he and Silas. He had short cut, chocolate colored hair and hazel eyes like Jerrard’s.

His upturned mouth furthered the indentations of his smile lines on his lightly stubbled face.  “Hello there,” He smiled to Lunette, greeting her politely. She was taken back. Compared to her welcoming earlier, this was a fresh experience that she welcomed. 

“H-hello.” She replied, enchanted by his presence. Silas glared at her and rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest once again, stepping away from the two. 

“It seems you’ve had a rough night.” He commented, pointing to her healing wound by the base of her neck.

 Lunette covered it quickly with her hand and looked up to him. There was something about him that was calming and alluring. His voice rung out like a new song that instantly captures attention. She was nearly too lost in his presence to notice what he had said. He said it was night? 

The sudden realization snapped her back to reality, “What time is it?” she asked, frantic. She dropped her hands to the ends of her shirt and gripped them. She could feel the fabric was still damp and like it was covered in a film of dirt.

 “It’s about ten.” He responded, giving her another, smaller, smile and standing up straight. 

“I need to go home.”

“I’m afraid I can’t let you leave just yet.” Walter spoke, seeming to repeat what the two other boys had uttered earlier, but instead of bickering with him, her gaze turned soft. 

“But why?” 

“Well…” he then paused, raising an open hand gesturing for her name.

“Lunette.” She answered, holding her bag tightly to her chest. 

“Well, Lunette, I’m sure you’re aware that you were attacked earlier this evening. Silas here saved you from that attack, but there could be more dangerous, things, waiting for you.” 

Lunette gulped, her mind trying to put the pieces back together. She looked to Silas much closer than before. His clothes were also wet and muddy but not torn. His eyes found hers and with a chill, she recalled the gaze.

Someone had saved her from the monster. Before she completely lost consciousness, she remembered a human figure hit the creature, sending it tumbling across the lot. When the monster regained its composure, it had lunged at the human silhouette again. The only breathing she was managing to do was from her mouth, though her air passages were swollen and barely let oxygen through. After what seemed like an eternity, the silhouette walked over to her limp body. 

Originally, she thought it was human, but the long claws that extended from the hands, dripping with black blood told her otherwise. No human could have saved her, and what she saw was no human. 

“What are you?” She breathed out to Silas. Eventually looking to the room of men entirely.

Walter let out a small sigh but smiled, “What we are, does not affect you negatively. In fact, we plan to protect you.” 

“Protect me?” Lunette retorted without a second thought. 

The three men looked between one another and Jerrard spoke after a moment, “We have yet to kill you or bring you any harm. In fact, we healed your wounds and poisoning. If it weren’t for us, you wouldn’t be alive.” Jerrard spoke with formal language, slowly growing more and more casual as he spoke. 

Lunette looked to Jerrard, and then to the floor, processing what he said. Her hand touched the healed scab of her neck once again, recalling the pain she endured during the attack. She shivered and gripped her bag tightly as if she were a child gripping their toy. Silas watched her movements, not saying a word. 

“I’m sure you must be hungry,” Walter began to speak, bringing Lunette’s gaze to meet his, “Here.” From a table he picked up a plate and held it out. He was right, she was hungry.

But no matter hungry she may have been, she was skeptical. “This must be poisoned.”

This made Silas scoff and pace around, annoyed by her stubbornness. “It’s not.” Walter assured, handing her the plate this time. It was toast with jam.

Lunette looked hard at the food, it was carbs, fat, and sugar, “T-then you’re fattening me up to eat me.” This caused a loud laugh to erupt from Silas. Lunette blushed a little, she felt like her assumption was that from a fairytale book.

Walter smiled at her, “I assure you; we are not going to eat you.” Lunette eyed the man, not completely convinced after seeing Vera’s actions. But her stomach growled in response for her.

“Just eat it already.” Silas barked, impatient. Lunette glared at him but took the toast and began to eat it. Walter placed a gentle hand on her back and guided her to an end table with a glass. She started with a few bites at first but then began to shovel the food into her mouth. She gripped the glass of water tightly and chugged it.

“Allow us to properly introduce ourselves.” Walter began after she was finished. He motioned Lunette to sit on one of the black couches that faced each other, but she refused. This seemed to anger Silas slightly, whose nose was twitching as his eyes narrowed on her figure.

Walter then nodded and took a step forward, “My name is Walter Moore, and these are my two adoptive sons, Jerrard, and Silas.” Lunette was curious to see their family dynamic but didn’t dare ask. “Vera is our newest member of the family, and as you could tell, she has a mind of her own.” Walter smiled and then raised his brows when talking about Vera.

“And what are you all?” She could feel the presence of Silas’ eyes glaring at her, but she didn’t bother to look at him.

“What do you mean?” Walter questioned as if he were oblivious.

“You, him, her!” Lunette pointed to Walter, then Jerrard, and then behind her, as if Vera were standing there. “You all…move so fast, and she definitely tried to kill me.” Lunette started to close her opened stance. “And him, I’m not sure exactly what I saw, but it was not human.” She now spoke of Silas, referring to his heroic actions earlier in the day.

Walter’s mouth formed a hard line and his attention turned down for a moment. Lunette observed his features, he was trying to be kind, but he was fighting with himself to maintain that persona.

“You’re not human, are you?” She questioned, not giving up.

“No,” Walter replied, looking at her now shocked expression. “There are many things on this planet that aren’t human. But as I’ve stated before, we do not wish to harm you. I would gladly tell you our predicament, but you’re not who we originally envisioned you to be. So please, bear with us, we are trying to help.” Walter spoke as if he were giving a public service announcement, perfectly annunciating every word carefully enough to not worry or offend any party.

Lunette thought hard about what he had said. The three of them were not human, but they said they wouldn’t bring her harm. So far, that notion proved to be true. But Lunette wasn’t sure if she could trust them yet and their unwillingness to explain details rose her suspicions. She wasn’t quite sure what he meant by how they envisioned her, but she was sure if she pried for answers, she would get none.

“Why can’t I go home?” Walters features seemed to brighten up slightly.

“I can let you go home in time if that’s what you want the most. But we need to ensure you are not in harm’s way.” Lunette raised a brow to his words. “I wish there were simpler ways to explain things to you. Maybe if there was more time, I could prepare something…”

“Yeah, well, so far nothing is making sense and I’m getting the hint that you don’t want to tell me anything either.” Lunette wanted to say more, but there was a lingering fear from being around inhuman creatures that kept her silent. “But for now, please, please – Bring me back.”

Walter warily gazed at her desperate figure. There was so much to be said but none of it would make a lick of sense in Lunette’s current state. “If I can guarantee you’ll return here so we can explain ourselves, will you?”

Lunette felt a weight lift away from her body. Finally, the man had cracked and gave her leverage. She wasn’t sure why they were so keen on her being in their presence, but she did know she wanted to leave. Lunette nodded her head in agreement and Walter lifted a hand for her to shake. Lunette hesitantly raised her own hand to meet his. His cold grip wrapped around her hand like a glove, and they shook to finalize the deal. The cold grasp started to warm at an alarming rate as if Lunette had just broken a hand warmer.

“Ow!” She yelped and retracted her hand. There was a lingering pain in the middle of her palm.

“I would like to have Silas escort you back to your home and make sure you are safe.” Walter announced, not asking for permission but instead stating it as a command. Lunette thumbed over a small blister that was forming in the middle of her hand, looking up at Walter with a bewildered expression and a loss for words.

Silas stiffened; he was no longer swaying as he stood. “Why do I-”

“Because you were the one who wanted this.” Walter glared at Silas. This sudden shift in expression caused Lunette to freeze. His gaze reminded her of Vera’s. Silas was silent and didn’t dare to speak to Walter. Instead, he turned his body to Lunette and looked down to her.

“We’re leaving.”