The Mysterious M! 13 Days Left

Nel stretched as she woke, she jostled Trent by accident as she did so but she wasn't sorry. She could smell food and her stomach was rumbling.

The latter was true for Liron as well. So he licked at Bryna's face to wake her. He needed to be fed.

Trent just stretched, rolled over and went back to sleep.

Bryna jerked her head away from the cold, rough tongue. "Ah, it can't be time to wake up yet," she said. But she opened her eyes to find that it was. The sun had sunken below the horizon.

"Hey, lazy. It's breakfast time." Nel said and scratched on Trent's back in that fast way that cats liked.

"I'm so hungry, miss." Liron whined, because he hadn't had breakfast as they'd been rushed into the car.

Trent liked the way that felt but that didn't make him any more motivated to get up and get out of bed to go get food. He just continued to lay there and take the scratches.

Bryna felt a bit guilty then. Her poor kitty was starved. "I'm sorry," she said and sat up. She wondered if she had time for a shower before getting food. Probably not if he was as hungry as he sounded.

"I'm gonna kiss you on your big fat kitty nose if you don't open your eyes," Nel teased as she tried to wake him. "I need to make sure you are fed too."

"It is okay." Liron said and be could wait an extra ten minutes so she could be clean. He knew her wake up rituals. "I will run your shower while you pick clothes."

"What do I need food for?" Trent said, just being contrary. But he did roll over and hop off the bed. He was a guy so of course he wanted food. He landed neatly on the floor and started to clean his back.

"Thank you," Bryna said. "I'll be quick. I promise." She got out of bed and started looking through the bag that had been packed for her, hoping that Wolf had gotten her some matching clothes.

"sustenance." Nel said dramatically, just to be that way. She ran to the bathroom and washed up, she was literally in and out of the shower and dressed in literally five minutes.

Liron smiled but then he went to the bathroom, he turned on the shower and let it get warm.

Bryna was just as quick about getting into the shower and getting ready. She was dressed, teeth were brushed, and all was well. She grabbed up her cat and rushed out of the room.

Trent had already pulled Nel out of her room to wait in the hallway for the other two to join them. "You do know where you're going, right?"

"Yeah," Bryna said. "I think...Probably."

Nel laughed at that. "I have no clue." she said, because she'd never been here before.

Liron looked at Bryna. "we can find it, really." he knew they could. They were not stupid.

"I know the general area that it's in so once we get closer I'll have a better idea of where to go," Bryna said with a nod. She headed off in the right direction. She knew she could have called for someone to escort them but she just didn't feel like it was necessary. At least not until they actually got lost.

But they didn't. Once they got closer she could smell the food set out for them. Only some of Braxton's household ate human or fiend food. The typical stuff. Others ate less savory things like blood.

Nel could eat both, but her human self was far more used to actual food. Though she had kitty cravings. All the time.

Liron followed the smell of food and he went in first, his stomach was overriding his manners.

The door had been left open to allow for them to enter without feeling obligated to knock. They were meant to feel welcome as guests after all.

The dining table was rather large though this was one of the smaller dining rooms. Braxton was already sat there, dressed and ready for the day. Joining him were two others. One looked like a younger version of him, an obvious son. The other was much younger, just a child, with white hair and red eyes. Little horns stuck out from his hair.

The two servants placing the food on the table were twin girls, obvious vampires, with white hair and pale skin.

"Evening. Do we have specific seats?" Liron asked, but he was close to drooling. The food.

Nel went on in with Trent at her feet she did not wait for seat arrangements, she sat next to the younger version of Braxton but not the child and just looked at them both. "you could almost be twins."

"So I've been told," the younger version of Braxton answered.

"There are not," Braxton said to the question of specific seats. "Sit as you wish." They hadn't started eating yet. They'd waited for them to join them. Most of the food had been put out on the table. The twins went around where they sat and filled their glasses with cold juice.

"These are my sons, Bram and Brae," Braxton continued, making introductions.

Bram, the little one, just looked at Nel and Trent curiously. He'd met the other two before.

Liron pulled a chair for Bryna and then sat down and helped himself to food. He had been there a few times. He didn't feel so bad. "I'm sorry I have skipped two meals today."

Nel smiled at them all, "you even have similar names you're so adorable Braxton. Who are those two slices of loveliness?"

"Tara and Senna," Braxton answered Nel about the twins. "Please, help yourself to food. Don't worry about being polite and waiting. We know you're all very hungry." That was also directed at Liron. It was really no issue. They needed to eat.

Bryna was relieved to be able to eat right away. Everything smelled so good but she knew what the chefs here specialized in and she knew what to take.

Brae focused on the food, not as interested with their guests as his little brother, Bram, who just sat there and studied them in silence.

"Hi ladies," Nel said with her most charming smile as she helped herself to little bits of each dish. Because like she knew what was good or not. "Why is one of your sons not interested and the other one is just....you know. Creepy. In the most adorable fashion."

"You can't say things like that." Liron said as he swallowed, his eyes all wide and just entirely shocked at what Nel had just said. "You really, really cannot. It's not polite. Nel. We're guests."

"What?" Nel said innocently and blinked a few times. "I was just curious about them. The twins are quiet, Brae is focused on his food like he wishes we weren't here, which is also kind of rude to treat guests and you forget that I am the darkness. Creepy is the highest compliment I can give."

"Hello," the vampire twins greeted her with coy smiles as they filled her glass with something cold and put more food down on the table.

"Oh goodness," Bryna breathed, trying not to laugh. This was going to be an interesting breakfast.

"No, it's fine, Liron," Braxton said. "I don't mind her speaking her mind here. I did say that there was no need to be formal." He looked at his children, who looked up at him curiously. "My sons are not very social. But I don't think there's a need to be shy here, yes? We are all alike, after all." None of them were human.

Bram looked at Nel then. "So you live with the traitor too then?" he asked.

"Bram," Brae hissed quickly.

Liron just dropped his spoon. Braxton's children were as bad as Nel. He couldn't cope. He just couldn't. He was a nice boy even if he was dark fae, he had impeccable manners as well. He covered his face and just tried to cope. Just tried.

Nel cracked up and then sipped some juice to make herself calm. She couldn't help it. "Oh sweetie, he is no traitor. That is not very nice. He keeps you safe as much as he keeps humans safe. But yes, I live with him. He's my dad and I have worked with him. OH!" She said then and looked at Braxton with a really sweet smile, "so has your father."

That didn't seem to be news to Bram though. He just held his head a little bit higher as he looked at her. "Saving our princess is a worthy thing even if it means working with villains," he said to Nel, clearly not bothered.

Brae seemed almost as uncomfortable as Liron, though he made less of a show of it, having nearly the same control over his outward emotions as his father. "Are you not going to say anything?"

"Not yet," Braxton said. "Let them talk. It's not hurting anyone."

"Villains!!!" Nel said dramatically then, because she was hyper and because Bram was so frickin' adorable that she couldn't help her self. "Have you ever met a villain? A real bad guy, let me tell you that Wolf is not a villain, he is a hero. He saved your princess, he saved this princess. Without this princess yours wouldn't exist. "

Liron could not talk.

"That's a weird way to say it," Bram replied. "You didn't make her."

Bryna did not feel like correcting either of them. She knew what Nel was saying even if Bram was taking her rather literally.

Bram didn't answer on if he'd met a villain or not. "Hunters are not heroes to our kind. Only to the humans."

"That's actual horse shit. Excuse my French." Nel said, then leaned forward. "I could not count how many times he has saved a fiend against a bad tamer."

"It is true, Wolf does not pick a side." Liron said then with an enthusiastic nod. "I've seen him kill humans too. Lots, really."

Bram did not seem convinced. But he was a little kid with his own views on life. They were what they were. "Hmph," he said and took a big bite of smoked ham.

Bryna took a breath. She thought the worst of that was over. For now. Or not. Who knew. Not that things had been tense for long.

"Braxton, can I show him a villain?" Nel asked with the biggest playful grin, she ate some food but just kept looking at him for permission.

"Oh dear." Liron said, he knew what Nel was like, he lived with her after all.