The shower, the hot meal, the drive back to Tempest Grounds—none of it had helped to quell the uneasiness that had bubbled and festered inside Claude. It felt like dragging an extra limb, the weight of what he'd just discovered making him even more sluggish than before.
He had envisioned the scene which he'd be coming home to. It was close enough, give or take. His parents, his aunt Gianna and uncle Richard, Gerry and Geslaine, all gathered in the parlor room. The flat screen television was switched on, showcasing a news anchor with a headline that had the words Vampires Attack Red Village underneath her, photos taken from Red Village flashing next to the woman's head.
Claude had changed into a thick turtle neck and soft bottoms before the tedious drive to his hometown, but evidence of w
