"Will they stop the birth announcements?" Adelaide asked.
"We will be sending out a general public announcement tomorrow. We have to keep it vague to avoid mass panic, but I'm afraid most will ignore it. It's a part of our culture to celebrate our children and I know new parents-to-be will want to let the world know." Byron bit into a slice of pizza.
"Oh, that reminds me," Meryn turned to Aiden, "before I lost my mind with your laptop this morning, I came across a report filed by the county sheriff. They located a female body approximately five miles outside of Madison today. They won't be releasing that information anytime soon though." Meryn folded her slice in half and took a bite. Everyone stared at her.
"And how did you 'come across' it?" Aiden asked.
"You own a laptop still running Windows 95, I will not waste a perfectly good explanation on you, but rest assured it was completely illegal."
"Meryn!"
"What?"
"Won't you get caught?"
"No way! If the federal government can't track me, there's no way these small time Sheriffs can." His face blanched.
"Federal government?"
"Yup, NSA is my bitch. They stopped trying to catch me years ago. They know that I don't cause trouble, don't sell secrets or steal. In the end they realized it was easier just to let me do what I want."
"So you just felt like hacking into the Sheriff's email?" Darian asked.
"Uh, yeah. They don't realize they are dealing with paranormals and don't know to report stuff to you, so I set up a tiny little program that forwards all of the Sheriffs email to my inbox."
Aiden's eyes narrowed. "What exactly can you do with that overpriced frisbee?"
"Take over the world." She took another bite of her pizza.
"No, seriously." He prodded.
She looked up at him and blinked. "No, seriously."
"Okay, I'm not thinking about this right now. Any other news?"
Meryn picked up the laptop from the floor and opened it up on her lap. She scanned her email before turning to Aiden.
"Did you want like a Cliff Notes version? It's kinda gory." She motioned to Adelaide.
"If those young women lived through it, I at least, owe it to them to listen. If I can help in any way I will." Adelaide insisted.
"Okay. A second body was found outside of Waynesburg, but because that is a different county they haven't put two and two together that it's the missing person from Madison. Both bodies had been completely mutilated. The coroners are still trying to determine if they have all of the pieces. Oh." Meryn paused to read.
"What?"
"They are having a hard time identifying the bodies because and I quote 'It looks like something ate their faces off'. I wonder if they have pictures?" Meryn was about to check when Aiden closed her laptop.
"Excuse me." Adelaide put a trembling hand to her mouth and left the room, Byron and Marius on her heels.
"Sorry." Meryn felt like she really put her foot in it this time.
"It's okay. I think it's the fact that she knew that the women had been pregnant that got to her. We've discussed worse at the dinner table before." Aiden rubbed Meryn's back.
Adelaide and Byron returned a few minutes later.
"I am so sorry." Meryn apologized.
"It's okay, dear. I hope no one minds if I skip the rest of dinner and go right to dessert. Cookies sound perfect right now." Adelaide pushed her pizza aside.
"Sounds perfect to me too!"
"First batch is out. Get them while they are hot. I have also taken the liberty of scooping out just the cookie dough." Marius set a plate in the middle of the table. On one side steaming fresh cookies, on the other dough balls. After Adelaide and Meryn got theirs, everyone else dug in. Meryn was just about to ask how their training went when the lights went out.
In the dark Meryn heard a half dozen chairs scraping the floor as the men stood.
"Gavriel, take Colton and Keelan and check the back. Father, you, Darian and I will check the front. Marius can you keep the staff calm?" Aiden immediately took charge.
"Of course, sir."
A hand appeared on her shoulder and she gasped.
"Just me." Aiden kissed her and moved away quickly.
"Meryn feel around the table and make your way to me." Adelaide's voice sounded calm and sure. Meryn never would have guessed she had just chucked her dinner. She did as Adelaide advised and felt her way around the table until she grasped two warm hands.
"Now follow me. Byron has a panic room in his office. Hurry dear." Adelaide easily navigated the hallway in the dark. They were just passing the front door when Meryn heard the sound of a canine whimper. She froze.
"Come on Meryn." Adelaide gently tugged on her hand, but when a high pitched yelp was cut short Meryn turned towards the door.
"That was Colton!" She tried to pull her hand free.
"No Meryn! We have to stay inside." Adelaide began to pull her back towards the office.
"No! Please! We have to see if he's okay." Meryn tried to break free but couldn't. Then, as suddenly as the lights had gone out they were back. Meryn took advantage of Adelaide's momentary distraction and tugged free. She ran and flung the door open. She had only taken two steps outside when everything began to move in slow motion. She couldn't seem to catch her breath. She realized that she was having a hard time breathing because she was screaming. Pictures flashed in her mind in bits and pieces. The door opening and then blood. So much blood. Arms wrapped around her from behind. A familiar perfume engulfed her as she was pulled back inside the house. The steady stream of screams from her own throat and the image that would forever be etched in her mind.