"I just had a feeling there was something important here that I was forgetting; I get the feeling a lot, actually, and it usually leads to nothing. But I decided to check it out nevertheless." Blinking, he glanced sideways at the few boxes piled on the wall. He had almost nothing to his name, including furniture. "Why do you live in this little town, Sinclair?"

 ~

"Yeah," Cala agreed. "It reminds me of my own house, actually. It will look much better after we're all done fixing it up, though." She slid into the clearing, footsteps soft, trying to make sure she didn't wake up David or Markus*. She knew they were light sleepers, and had no intention of waking them until it was a necessity. There was a cobblestone path that she and Jake had made themselves leading to the small house; she followed it, waving at Eden to do the same.

"It seems like a nice place to live... for a short while, anyways." Basil replied calmly, flopping down on a beat-up brown leather couch sitting against one wall of the near-empty room. Judging by the pillow and blankets draped over one end, this had to be the place he also slept. He waved Sinclair over with a polite smile. "Sit down. Sorry if it's uncomfortable; I don't have much else."

~

Cala slipped, foot landing in a large puddle with a loud splash. Markus, having the better hearing of the two, stirred and started to sit up. She swallowed, cursing herself thoroughly on the inside before plastering a smile to her face. Calling out a greeting, which woke David as well, Cala stopped walking. "I have someone to introduce you to," she told them, waving a hand in Eden's direction. "Her name is-"

She was cut off by David, which was to be expected, as he rose and pointed a finger accusingly in her direction. "Thought I told you not to bring no more strangers 'round here, Cal." Before she could answer, he stared at Eden. "You one of us, doll, or are you jus' lookin' for trouble?" He waited in silence for her response. 

"Werewolves?" Basil said, voice hardly above a whisper. A shiver ran through him, and the fear he felt was like a tidal wave; perhaps he'd been attacked in the past, and didn't remember? "Are there any around here?" he asked, avoiding Sinclair's eyes so he wouldn't be ridiculed for his sudden fright. His gaze traced the shape of something imprinted on the ceiling that looked like a handprint. A handprint on the ceiling? How odd.

~

Cala glanced at Eden, glad that she seemed able to speak up for herself; though, she knew better than anyone, she wouldn't be wise to take the fight to a physical level with David. "David," she said, voice tinged with exasperation, "I'm tired of being the only girl werewolf around. Ever since Danic-"

"-Don't you say her name!" he bellowed, eyes blazing angrily. "I don't wanna hear one more thing 'bout her no more, Cala."

"Ever since Danica died," Cala continued savagly, "I've been all alone with you boys and I'm more than a little sick of it. Don't you miss being surrounded by friends? Don't you miss how lively the house used to be?" Her voice stayed strong even though on the inside she felt like puking. "Eden is staying, and that's final, David. I'm sure Markus and Jake will take my side of the argument."

David sniffed, looking as if he wanted to strangle Cala. "Fine. She can come 'round here for a little while, Cal, but not permanently. An' she better not get into no trouble, or I'll have her head faster than you can say 'Bareback Rodeo'." He turned on his heel and disappeared into the house.

"That went well," Cala said flatly, glancing sideways at Eden. 

"I'm not scared," Basil insisted, "I just have a feeling that werewolves aren't going to be on top of my list of things I want to see." He shrugged, looking at Sinclair once he'd managed to shove his emotions back down into the back of his mind. "What do you mean, 'sniff them out'? Do you like, hunt them down and kill them or something?" He added a shaky laugh on the end, as if attempting to make it a joke, even though he was just honestly curious.

~

"No problem," Cala replied, regaining her sunny smile. Dark curls bouncing, she began to walk towards the house again, footsteps still silent. "You'd be surprised how often I get myself into trouble." She waved at Eden, not looking over her shoulder as she did so. "Come on; I might as well show you around while David's sulking in his room. He always does that when I get my way. Besides, I'm sure Markus would like to meet you."

"Werewolves," Basil repeated, as if he were in a trance. "Tell me more about them, please. Do they only change forms when it is the full moon? Or when they get very angry? Can they change whenever they feel the need to?" He leaned against his hand, arm propped up against the arm of the couch. "They sound fascinating."

~

"Yup," Cala chirped, porch steps creaking eerily as she stepped onto the first one. "Markus is second in command, and the last of us here." She looked sad as she glanced backwards at Eden. "There's only four of us, and you, around here. There was at least twenty of us before, but..." Drifting off the subject, she pushed the door open with a quick twist of the knob and wandered inside.

The room inside was beautiful, and it was evident that Cala had been the one to decorate. The walls were light green, and there were white couches pushed up against opposite walls, and a large screen TV occupying one corner of the room. Pictures were hung on the empty wall, a gl*censored* coffee table taking up the center of the room and Markus was sprawled out on the couch to her right, Jake on the left, the television blaring whatever football game was on at the moment. Both boys turned to stare at Eden, waiting for her to say something, ignoring Cala completely as they entered the room.

"Nothing like I've read in books, then," Basil replied with a half-hearted smirk. "Are their bites contagious? Like, if they bite a human, will they become a werewolf too, or is it a genetic trait?" Then, he added on with a red face, "I just like to know things, that's all; you could call me an information addict. I like to know as much about everything as I can." He grinned, beginning to twirl a strand of his hair between his index finger and thumb. "One of many quirks and odd habits I have, I guess."

~

"I've decorated every room in the house, except for each of the boys' rooms; Danica helped me, of course, but I did most of the work." Cala declared, sounded proud of her achievement. "Now come and sit down, Eden, so we can get the last of our introductions out of the way." She shot a dirty look at both Jake and Markus, both sitting upright to make room for the girls. She took a seat next to Jake, who seemed both annoyed and amused at the same time.

"She's got us on a short leash, that one," Markus teased, tilting his head towards Cala. His eyes were sharp, studying Eden carefully, but friendly at the same time. "I'm Markus; I see you've met David. I'm very sorry about that. He hasn't always been a total jerk, you know."

{ Sounds like a plan. oUo /already imagining it/ }

{And I just realized that Basil lives next to Cala. I used the same street, and said that he lived next to an elderly couple. Cala lives with an elderly couple... o3o Whoops. }

"Hm," Basil said in response, arching one eyebrow. "I'd imagine they're rather... territorial, as well? Perhaps it's a good thing there aren't any werewolves about, then. I'd hate to get in a quarrel the first week I'm here." He grinned, fangs glinting, and then paused and adopted a frown instead. "How rude of me... did you want anything to drink?" He thought, longingly, of his favourite drink. French Vanilla coffee spiked with blood. In fact, he had a pot of coffee brewing in the kitchen, and the last of his blood stores in the fridge.

He started to get up, waving for Sinclair to follow him into the kitchen.

~

Cala smiled back, shooting her a thumbs-up. She could hear some sort of loud rock and roll music blasting from David's room, upstairs. She ignored, as she usually did, but Jake rose and left the room without saying anything. "I know you probably have a house of your own," she said, grinning,  "but it's customary for you to pick a room in the house and decorate it any way you like. There's three upstairs, a couple on this floor and about five downstairs in the basement." Then she paused for a moment.

"I can show you my room, if you'd like. I'd offer the boys as well, but David's is occupied, Markus is a complete pig, and Jake has 'privacy issues'. " 

Basil only smiled, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He found that it calmed his nerves and cleared his mind; only when he drank large quantities did he become hyperactive and risk attacking any humans around. Caffeine had odd effects on vampires, it seemed. "I'm glad I met you, Sinclair," he informed him as he stirred blood into his drink. "I was a little worried at first that I'd be alone out here, in the middle of nowhere. Seems being a vampire is very lonely. It's nice to know that...maybe, someday, I might have a friend somewhere." He smiled, momentarily, before taking a sip from the mug he was holding.

~

"He'll get over it," Cala chirped, obviously referring to David. "Jake seems pleased to have you here; well, pleased by his standards, anyways. Markus is friendly enough to everyone, so he won't be a problem." She hopped off of the couch, landing silently on her feet, posed like a ballerina. "Come on, then; let's go see the masterpiece of a room I sleep in." Without waiting, as usual, Cala took off in the direction of her room, which was in the basement. Her short legs took the stairs two at a time, and only when she reached the bottom did she look back to see if Eden was still there.