“Where are we going?” Lunette folded her arms across her chest uncomfortably.

“To dinner, the feast is about to begin.” Jerrard answered simply, though he had a playful hint on his features. Lunette gulped, wondering if this was finally going to be their chance to eat her.

The three began their descent down the hall, crossing into an adjacent section, and finally walking through the archway to a well-lit dining area. The walls were adorned with dark wood with exquisite details fixed into them. The carvings allowed for tiered effects to ripple around the room, encasing all who resided within it. In the center held a massive dining table, the deep brown wood seeming to mold around itself as if it naturally was always a table. Surrounding it like a barrier laid matching antique chairs whose fluffed white fabric was sown into the wood and pressed with metal.

Lunette wearily looked about the figures, most of which stood behind the chairs and met her gaze with excitement. Jerrard took the liberty of snaking his hand around one of her folded arms, guiding her to a chair at one end of the table. From there, she could see Walter at the opposite, motioning everyone to join.

“Please, let us all join for this once in a millennia feast.” He exclaimed, raising his hands and then lowering them. As if on cue, all the guests began to take their seats. Vera sat a good distance away, but not far enough for Lunette’s liking, while Jerrard and Silas sat on either end of the table closest to her. Luca sat to the right of Walter, while a woman with similar features sat across. The rest of the table lined with unfamiliar faces, all grinning towards Lunette.

The girl’s dark brown eyes turned to the table, it was barren, lacking anything related to a feast. “You are going to eat me.” She concluded with a gulp.

There was a silence at the table before one woman started to giggle, the rest followed suit with similar tones of laughter. “She’s amusing.” The woman spoke with an accent like Luca’s. “Camila.” The woman introduced, nodding her head to Lunette, her dark coiled hair resting gracefully against her features.

“No one will be eating you today, Lunette.” Walter assured once again.

Today? Lunette questioned to herself. A smaller man with jet black hair sat near the center right shifted as if on cue. The slender woman from earlier walked in with a large tray filled with a tower of glasses. Lunette was surprised she was able to keep such excellent balance as none of the glasses, or the red liquid inside, seemed to shake with her heeled steps. The woman placed the large tray in the center of the table, taking a small stoop, and sitting next to the man.

“Enjoy.” The man remarked.

“Yes, enjoy.” Walter agreed, standing, and reaching forward enough to grab a cup. Lunette sat there watching everyone take their respective glasses. Walter took a sip from his glass, inspecting it, “What is this? West Asian?”

The dark-haired man grinned “Of course.” Lunette watched as Walter smirked and took another sip.

His hazel eyes fell to Lunette once again and he lowered his cup. He studied her uncomfortable nature and then rose his glass high in the air, “To our new member, Lunette.”

The guests all rose their glasses, “To Lune–”

“What?” She immediately cut in, practically standing from her seat. Walter let out a small puff of air. Truthfully, he just wanted the girl to go along with it, so he wouldn’t disrupt his guests. “What is this?”

Camila’s eyes fluttered between Lunette and Walter, “So the child really doesn’t know.”

Walter’s mouth twitched upward, trying to give a reassuring smile. “Unfortunately, not. It seems Silas found her this way.” All eyes fell to the end of the table where Silas and Lunette sat. Silas slunk down into his seat somewhat, battling the eyes that peered on him.

“I didn’t know.” He tried defending himself like a child being scolded.

“Will someone please tell me what’s going on.” Lunette’s irritation grew, and her eyes fell to Jerrard, the man who promised her answers.

Camila beamed a smile, her eyes never leaving the girl. “What an interesting one. She reminds me of ours at home, doesn’t she, Luca?”

The dark man let out a small laugh, “I suppose.”

Lunette inhaled, puffing out her chest, and then let out a sharp exhale. Her jaw was tight, and her eyes glowered to Walter. “What’s going on?”

Walter settled his glass onto the table and his hands met one another into one solidified fist in front of his face. “Lunette, there’s no easy way to explain anything, but I’m sure you’re now well aware everything is not what you may have thought. So, knowing this, it’s hard to form the correct words for someone like yourself to understand.”

Lunette scowled, noticing how he was dancing around the questions like usual. If they wouldn’t tell her themselves, she would have to pry. “You said you’re not human, then what are you?” She looked about the faces around the table, “What are all of you?”

Walter pursued his lips and lowered his hands, “What do you know of angels and demons?”

“What?” Lunette was taken back from the odd question. Walter remained silent, waiting for a response. “They’re…Religious, I guess? I don’t know much. They’re good and evil, always in stories.”

 “Well, at least you know the bare minimum.” He cleared his throat and fixed his posture within his chair. “What if I were to tell you that many of what you find in stories are true? Demons, spirits, angels, areas of the world you may call supernatural.”

Lunette gave a look of askance, “If I wasn’t attacked and met you, I would say you’re crazy.” She pondered the thought of her diving into madness from admitting the possibility of the supernatural. Sure, everyone knew about the classic angel and demon blend. One with wings and a halo while the other had horns and a pointed tail. But actually believing them as more than metaphors or stories to tell was another thing.

“What about, the creatures you may call, vampires?”

“Vampires?” Lunette snickered; her lips turned upwards into a smile. However, she seemed to be the only one amused..

“Witches?” Camila added, curious painted on her face. Lunette’s smile dropped slowly.

“You’re being serious?”

“What do we have to gain by lying?” Walter questioned. “You asked, yet now you’re rejecting the answer?”

“Because it doesn’t make sense.”

Walter sighed, “I told you some things are hard to explain, especially to humans.”

Lunette shook her head in disbelief. It was a crazy notion to make, but considering the past few weeks, it almost made sense. “So, what? You all are vampires?”

“Something like that. We’re demons, once human, but no longer.” Walter then took another sip from his glass. Lunette eyed the red liquid and suddenly her stomach turned.

“O-oh, god.”

“Nope, demons.” Camila corrected. “But you, my dear, are a witch.”

“Camila!” Luca scolded and Walter tensed up.

“A-A what?” Lunette choked out; Her eyes glued to the woman.

“A witch, a very powerful secular to be exact.”

Lunette closed her eyes in frustration and shook her head. “Secular? No. What? Okay, I’m done.” Lunette then rose from her seat, her hands pushing on the table for support. “I could entertain the idea of you all being something…Something else. But me? No, I’m not anything.”

Walter stood up as well, “Lunette, do you know why you were attacked?”

“What? Of course not.”

“It is because you exert certain energy that is very useful to spirits, demons, even angels.” Walter motioned for her to sit, “Please, you’ve made it this far into the discussion. Whether you choose to believe it or not, you might as well listen.” The young girl let out a long breath of air, turning her gaze to the polish of the table, and sitting back down.

Camila placed her hands on the counter, her various bracelets jingling with her movements. “I’ve seen one like her in my time.” She commented, more to Walter and his guests than anything. “She doesn’t know what she is, her inhibitor seems to have served its purpose for a long time.” A slender finger with a sharp white nail then pointed to Lunette, more specifically, her necklace.

Lunette brought a hand to cover her jewelry, her face remained focused on the far end of the table. “Ours had one as well, though, she knew why.” Luca added to the conversation. Walter continued to listen, curious himself. “It’s given to their kind to limit, sometimes even hide, the power they hold.”

“So, can’t we just take it off? She’ll see then.” The dark-haired man spoke up, his consonants harsh.

Camila and Luca shook their heads, “No, it appears she’s been like this for so long. Taking it off may cause her to overload.” Camila used her hands to emphasize her words.

“What are you all talking about?” Lunette asked finally.

“Lunette,” Walter began, his lips forming a tight line. “Sometimes, there are humans who are born with special gifts, abilities, if you would. These allow them to manipulate the space and time of all dimensional worlds. Your people called them witches. Humans, without the need to be blessed or cursed, able to do extraordinary things. Many celebrated the earth, deities, demons, and angels, but some, worshipped nothing. These witches, with nothing to borrow guidance and power from, were referred to seculars.”

Lunette remained silent, taking in every word as Walter spoke. It was a ridiculous story, and they were trying to put her in the middle of it. “And you think, that’s what I am?”

“We can see it.” Camila’s brightened tone of voice tried to lift the mood. “Every creature like us can. You’re like a lighthouse in the fog, shining brilliantly. A beacon.”

The brunette raised an eyebrow, unsure of what the enthusiastic woman meant. “A beacon?”

Camila nodded and beamed a smile. Even from across the table Lunette could see that her teeth seemed to force themselves to fit in the jaw. Despite this, her smile was stunningly beautiful. “Yes! Think of yourself as a light bulb. A bulb is still a bulb, but when it turns on, it illuminates through the darkness. But, when it gets too bright, it may – Pop!” Her fingers scrunched into her palms and then expanded, mimicking an explosion.

Lunette gulped, suddenly believing the story, and becoming afraid of herself. Her hands gripped her elbows and forearms, rubbing them intensely. Nothing in her life, that she could remember, hinted that she possessed any power. “But I’ve never done anything. I’ve just, lived? I’m sorry I just – None of this makes sense.”

Camila finally frowned, her eyes lowering to the necklace once again. “How long have you had that?”

Lunette cocked her head, “W-Why?”

Camila stared at the jewelry in the girl’s hand and nodded her head towards Walter, her eyes never wavering. “That necklace, it’s definitely an inhibitor. But” Camila then formed a smirk on her face, her tongue clicking the roof of her mouth, “is that a chip in the stone I see?”

Lunette’s eyes widened, and her grip tightened on the item. She remained silent, her body shaking slightly in her seat. Walter snickered and shook his head slowly, his mouth showing a glistening smile as he stared into his glass, swirling the liquid with a simple motion of his wrist.

“Young Lunette,” Luca then started, “Sometimes, witches use enchanted or hexed items that we refer to as inhibitors. These hide or repress their powers. The human body can only handle so much, and sometimes the energy that secular’s hold needs to be held back. But, in your case, your inhibitor not only repressed your powers, but hid them from view.”

“It’s like putting a cover or blanket over the light. But occasionally, holes can be made, letting the light seep through. Enough that we can see.” Camila finished.

Walter stopped to take the final gulp of his glass. “And that’s how we found you. Or rather, how Silas found you.” Once again, all eyes fell to Silas. Even Lunette turned her weary sight to him.

The sandy blonde shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Yeah, but I didn’t know she’d be like this.” He spat out defensively, his hand open towards her figure.

“Like what?” Lunette felt heat rise to her face.

Silas hesitantly looked to Lunette, “A kid.”

“You’re not old yourself, what’s that supposed to mean.” Lunette seemed to disregard all the previous information she had consumed like a buffet. Choosing instead to get irritated at the young man to her right.

Silas scoffed and rolled his eyes, “My point proven.” He then sat, turning his torso to the table, specifically Walter. “You know, I thought witches were supposed to be old hags. I didn’t know, don’t blame this on me. I would have never brought her back to you if she wasn’t attacked by that leviathan.” His voice rose with anger, ignoring the angry girl.

“Leviathan?” The man and woman who sat in the middle repeated in unison. Both sets of eyes looking at Walter with shock.

“Why wasn’t I informed.” The man spoke sternly, offended by the lack of communication.

Walter cleared his throat, “Mr. Sato, please. You need to trust I know what I’m doing.”

“You better hope so, with your position I wouldn’t push boundaries.” The man’s face scrunched, and the woman avoided eye contact with both men. Lunette felt her heart beating in her chest. Not from fear, but from the sheer amount of frustration building up. The two men continued bickering with one another while Jerrard and Vera glared to Silas, blaming him for the encounter.

“I agree with Sato,” Camila spoke up, her smile gone from her features. “Walter, you need to know. If you do not mark her as your own, every pitiful demon will try to have at her. Her blood can heal and give immense strength, her consumed flesh will give you near immortality, eat her to the bone and soul, and you have an all-powerful demon of the likes you will not want to meet.”

Sato slammed his hands onto the table, “You see, stop with this mess. She has no right to decide for herself, she is your property.”

Lunette felt her nails dig into her palms, her muscles tensing and her face tightening. The entire ordeal was beyond absurdity. The family wanted her to believe that not only were they the infamous undead vampires, but they wanted her to believe she was a witch. That her beloved necklace was the reason she never noticed her gifts. And that it was her fault that she was too bright. That monsters and demons were attracted to her. How Silas and Jerrard continued to disregard her and her opinions. And finally, to top it all off, Walter seemed to only want to use her.

“Enough!” Her voice erupted from her chest; the guests fell silent. “Take me home, right now. I’m done.” Lunette bolted up. Her eyes staring intently at Walter, the table shaking. The seated members watched as the surface rumbled against the floor, flashing their eyes between it and Lunette. Silas seemed to cringe backward, remembering something unpleasant. All the while Jerrard smirked.