Chapter 4

In the kitchen I watched Creed sprinkle some cheese over a slice of bread. He was making grilled cheese sandwiches and something was fascinating about watching him go about the innocent task normally as if he didn't hunt supernatural creatures for a living.

"You staring," he said flipping a sandwich so that it could toast on the other side.

"I don't know it's hard to imagine a monster hunter making a grilled cheese for me."

The corner of his mouth quirked in a subtle smile. "Don't get used to it princess. I'm only doing it because you were almost killed because of me." He plopped a plate with two sandwiches on it in front of me. "Bon appetite."

"Thanks." I rolled my eyes. "Is it easy for you to walk around and act like you don't care about anything or anyone?" I asked and took a bite out of the sandwich.

A hint of a dark smile played on his lips while amusement shone in his eyes. He folded his arms and leaned back on the counter behind him. "Who said it was as an act?" I chewed the piece of food in my mouth slowly. My jaws felt tender.

"So you don't care about Liam?" I asked and he shrugged while he watched me eat, making me feel self-conscious.

"No," he answered stiffly, "I don't care about Liam. We hunters we aren't supposed to have any attachments."

"You lying," I narrowed my eyes at him and he shook his head. "What about May?" I asked and the cynical smile disappeared instantly.

He cleared his throat and stood up straight. "None whatsoever."

It was hard to believe considering the way Liam and May felt about him. If he couldn't love his brother and sister then how could he love anyone else.  "Then how do you expect to love me?"

His eyes widened and I knew he was unprepared for a response like that. "You should eat your food it's getting cold," he said and walked over to the sink to do the dishes.

I ate in silence feeling kind of impressed with myself that I managed to silence him. I couldn't wrap my head around Creed he could turn on a limb kind one second and then brutal the next.

It's the things that these people did that confounded me. Dallas does a good deed by adopting six children but then she turns them all into merciless monster slayers.

Creed could save my life and then lock me in a dungeon. He could kill an innocent family of creatures and then tell bedtime stories to a frightened little girl. The problem with them was that there was no in-between. They were either kind or ruthless. It was a flip of a coin and you had to cross your fingers and hope luck was on your side when the coin landed.

"You right I do care about my family despite how hard and cold they may all seem at first," he started, and when I looked at him his back was to me as he continued to wash the dishes, "and as far as loving you goes. I'm not sure if I'd be able to. I've been with women before and I've never loved them. The only reason I'm keeping you here is that it's what my family wants." I couldn't say that I didn't feel a little offended by his words. "Fourteen days is not enough time for me to fall in love with you."

It was true. Fourteen days didn't seem like enough time to get someone as hard as Creed to fall in love. I didn't know how to even begin. What made a person fall in love was time.

"You should try," I said and stood. "Your family needs you." I took my plate over to the sink and dropped it in the soapy water before washing my hands. I could feel him watching me again and I felt conscious every time he did that. The way he stared was like he could see right through me like I was a book laying open and he didn't hesitate to read freely.

I turned to look at him and his shutters were up. I couldn't read a single emotion from his facial expression. I just stared into his eyes hoping maybe the shutters would lift.

"Are you ready to tell my family your condition?" He asked and I took in a deep breath. If they said no then I would still stay and help Creed. I just needed them to believe I wouldn't. I also wanted to test how far they would go to save each other.

There had to be love here somewhere. Even if it was hidden in a corner buried ten feet underground I was determined to needle, poke and prod till it surfaced.

"I'm ready," I said confidently. Wishful thinking. What was the worse that could happen? they say no and feed me to whatever lived in their dungeon.

We left the kitchen and walked down the hallway to his family's 'board room'. Dallas was sitting at the head of the table with Liam on her right and Jared on her left while they looked over a world map that had large red x's on it.

"The last the creature was spotted was in Egypt." Dallas pondered over the map.

"I thought they were extinct," Liam voiced in surprise.

"Extinct or good at hiding," Jared said in thought.

Creed cleared his throat getting his brother's attention. "Dallas, Elea has a condition upon her staying here." Dallas looked up immediately. Her pale blue eyes narrowing on me.

"What is it?" She asked and I took a step forward.

"If you want me to stay here and help your son. I want you all to stop killing and hunting innocent creatures."

"What does she mean by innocent creatures?" Jared whispered and Dallas held up her hand silencing him.

"Care to explain this condition further," Dallas put her hands together. "We are hunters what do you suppose we do when a monster is spotted roaming free?" I opened my mouth to respond but she continued, "you would rather it live and get the chance to kill?" I tried to speak again but she wouldn't have it. "We kill them before they kill us. We fight so that humans can remain dominant."

"I say you look into your cases," I said firmly finally getting a word in. "Kill the ones that threaten humans and leave the innocent ones that pose no threat to humanity alone. Like the children. Everyone deserves a chance at life. I'm sure there are monsters in hiding that just want to blend in and live their lives with no intentions of harming anyone."

"And what makes you believe such things. What makes you think that some are good?" She scrutinized me.

"Because I have to. Some humans do some monstrous things but does that automatically mean all humans are bad?"

She went silent and when I looked at Creed he seemed shocked. Liam and Jared stared at each other and Dallas just glared at me. "You have a big heart." She smiled coolly. "You're a fool but if this is your condition for you living here. I accept."

"You what!" Jared said in outrage.

"Jared shut up," Liam growled.

"This is insane. We have to kill them all we can't allow them the chance to live," Jared argued.

"It's the only way to save Creed right now," Liam defended.

"And then what about the people out there? what if we don't kill on sight and a family is killed. All our families were killed by these creatures!" Jared roared. "And she's defending them. She's on their side!"

"She's not defending them," Liam argued. "She just doesn't want us to harm the harmless ones like the children."

"Boys!" Dallas rose her voice and they went silent. All along Creed stood behind me silently and I was starting to wonder if he was even paying attention to what was happening. He just stood motionless like a robot. "Boys leave us it's time Elea and I had a talk woman to woman."

Liam and Jared both stood. They looked extremely pissed at each other as they both moved to exit the room. "You as well Creed," Dallas told him and Creed looked at me before moving to leave as well.

"That could have gone better," I murmured. "Creed didn't think you'd agree so easily," I pointed out.

"You young you want to do what you think is right. But as you stay here I know you will understand that our way though harsh is a necessary evil."

"It isn't necessary it's just evil," I said and she stood up from her seat.

"Do you know why I have so many adopted children?" She asked. "I'm not a monster I love my children if I didn't I would have put a silver bullet in Creed's head the moment he came home and told me what the warlock had done to him. Creed is a soldier I found him when he was a baby. You see Elea even monsters have a soft spot for children," she laughed cynically. "You find that when they go into homes to kill they always leave the children for last. Creed's family was killed by wendigo's, flesh-eating monsters that have an insatiable appetite for human flesh." I shuddered. I didn't know such a thing existed but I'd make it my duty to learn about all these creatures upon my stay. "All of my children are orphans and I believe that's what makes them the best soldiers. They have no attachments. They know their purpose in life is to protect those ignorant of the world they live in. My children don't care about themselves or their own desires. They put what's good for everyone else first."

"And they okay with this life you've provided them?" I had to ask. No love and no affection. She was trying to turn them into killer robots that had beating hearts. I could understand that she wanted to protect those who couldn't protect themselves but yet there was no justice in taking a harmless creature's life.

"If they have complaints about my methods I  haven't heard them," she said and moved to switch the screen on the wall off. "Now the thing you got to know about Creed is that he is my best soldier. He is unattached to anything and is willing to give his life for the greater good and that's the kind of leader this family needs. He came back here not knowing his fate. He came back to die by my hands and I refused. I will not let some monster rip my family apart. If I kill Creed what would the rest of my children think. They would be afraid of me and I don't want their fear of me I don't want them to see me as the things I tell them to kill. Creed will be the leader of this family one day. He proved he has what it takes to be a good leader. So I will try and save his life to ensure that when I'm dead someone will be making my family name proud."

"Has he never loved anything before. Not even his siblings?" I asked.

"Of course they do love each other but there is something more potent about a romantic type of love. The love they abstain from. Because that love of finding your other half can make you weak."

"I don't know how I can make him fall in love with me," I admitted. I didn't want to give them false hope.

"Well, maybe I should have given him a few tips on courtship." She smiled."I don't know how the youth of today fall in love but Creed hasn't had a normal life. It might be challenging to break through to him but you need him to trust you and you need to trust him."Dallas opened the door and walked out. I followed after her and Creed was leaning against the wall. "Eavesdropping?" she asked him as she walked down the hallway.

Creeds eyes landed on me and he rubbed the back of his neck."So what did she want to talk to you about?"

"You."

His eyebrows scrunched. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked and I nodded.

"Let's unmelt that block of ice around your heart." I grinned and he rolled his eyes.

"Later," he said a smile playing on his lips. "I have a case to look into. A butchery reported a break in this morning."

"What would break into a butchery?" I asked and he paused, his eyes turning stone cold.

"A werewolf."