Tall, Dark & Lonely

That didn’t seem to disturb Joshua at all. “So what? I already see her as my mom. She’s not really my sister so it won’t bother me.” His eyes shot to Chris. “Can we ask tonight?”

“Sure.”

“Kids, I think your food is here. Go answer the door,” Grandma said as she walked down the hall. They heard her busily talking on the phone as she passed.

Chris placed Joshua on his feet. “Food, let’s go.” He grabbed his wallet and knelt down. “Alright, climb up.” Joshua didn’t need to be told twice. He jumped on Chris’s back with a choke hold around the neck.

He threw an annoyed look at Jill. “Let’s go, you can carry the pizza.” With that he took off running, making Joshua laugh and screech the whole way.

“Alright team work. I’ll bend and you open the door.”

Okay!” Joshua said excitedly.

Chris bent over and heard Joshua open the door followed by Jill’s scream and felt Joshua tighten his grip around his neck. Chris looked up to see the barrel of a gun aimed at him.

“Stand up and move back, now,” the man said in a crisp military tone.

Chris stood up slowly, keeping his eye on the man in front of him. “Slide down Josh and stay behind me.” Josh did as he was asked. His little hands gripped Chris’s back pants pocket tightly.

“Move back,” the man said, again. Chris slowly backed up, giving Joshua time to move.

“Is anyone else in the house?” the man asked as six armed men flanked him into the house.

Before Chris could lie, Grandma walked down the stairs and Candy walked out of the parlor. He hadn’t known she was there.

"You two women, come here and join them” He used his gun to gesture his request.

Candy's eyes took in the men and guns and began to sob. “I’m not with them! I don’t live here. Just let me leave and I won’t say anything.”

“Join the group or I'll shoot you, bitch.” He leveled the gun on her. She stumbled into the middle of the foyer and threw her arms around Jill. “Oh my god!” she sobbed against Jill who was reaching out blindly for Joshua to pull him behind her, but the boy wouldn't give up his hold on Chris' pants.

“What’s going on here?” Grandma demanded.

“Everyone, take off your crosses now,” he demanded. The men broke off to search the house.

Chris pulled his cross off and tossed it forward. Joshua, Jill and Grandma did the same. The man kicked the crosses towards the wall.

“All clear,” he called out. Then with an evil grin he said, “I’m inviting you in.”

“About time,” a familiar voice said.

“Oh shit,” Chris muttered.

The blonde bitch stopped in front of them. Chris’ eyes dropped to where her stub should be. Damn it, her hand had grown back. “What? You’re not happy to see me?”

“To be honest? No, not really,” Chris answered.

“Chris, do you know them?” Grandma asked.

“Don’t worry, Grandma. I’ll take care of it,” he said firmly.

Caroline laughed. “Oh Chris, you are so funny. We both know that before the night is over I’m going to tear your family limb from limb.”

“Oh god,” Candy said before she passed out. Jill did her best to catch her but in the end could only guide her to the ground.

“We’ll kill her first,” Caroline ordered. A man stepped over to Candy. As soon as his hand touched her arm she jumped back. “Ah, a little faker. Good to know.”

She looked Chris over. “Where’s Ephraim?”

“Fuck you.”

Caroline ran her fingers over his jaw and sighed heavily. “Shoot him.” She stepped to the side. Chris pushed Joshua back hard and stepped forward. The searing pain in his chest sent him collapsing to the ground before he heard the sound of the gunshot.

Chapter 29

“I love you, Ephraim,” Madison said between kisses. Her hand darted down to the fly of his pants. She gripped him, giving him a gentle tug. “One more time?”

“Baby, I have to get Chris and get ready for patrol.” He hated leaving her now that they’d made up. “Plus, we should really save some of it for the wedding night.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

Madison giggled at his leering gesture. “I guess I have a lot to do anyway.”

“Yes.” He grinned arrogantly. “You have an entire wedding to plan and pull off in less than twenty-four hours.” She bit her bottom lip nervously at his words. “But, if I know Eleanor, and I think I do, she’s probably upstairs planning a wedding for tomorrow even as we speak.”

“You think so?”

“Yes, she’s been itching for this wedding for quite some time. Now that you’re pregnant she’ll want to rush it to make sure neither of us changes our minds.” He kissed her lips gently.

“I won’t.”

“That’s very good to know,” his voice was hoarse, more intense.

Madison flattened her palm against the growing hardness when a loud piercing beep made her jump back with a yelp. Without a word, Ephraim reached into his pocket and took out his Sentinel phone. The light flashing was green.

“Shit,” he muttered. “Looks like we’re heading out sooner than later.” He pressed his thumb to the small piece of glass on the back of the phone and waited for it to scan his fingerprint. With another small beep the phone slid open.

“Where are you going?” Madison asked curiously.

“One sec..I just have to…there.” A text message with the Sentinel’s name that was in trouble, current location and directions from him to the Sentinel was given. “Oh f**k.”

“What?” she asked anxiously.

“It’s here. Chris is in trouble.” He swore under his breath as he walked to the weapons area.

“Maybe it’s an accident. Joshua or maybe Jill were playing with it and set it off.”

He shook his head. “That phone never leaves his sight. He’s very good about that. Besides, no one can open his phone except for him or another Sentinel. It’s also impossible to set off the emergency signal by accident. He has to press his finger on the scanner while pressing eleven twenty-five.”

“The day every Sentinel is born,” she stated.

“Exactly. They're upstairs right now. Someone let them in the house. I need to get up there before someone gets hurt.” He poured a bottle of holy water over his head, allowing it to drip down his back to his jeans.

Madison watched as he attached two ankle holsters with a gun already secured in both to each foot. He placed a large gun in the front of his waistband and a matching one in back.

“I thought bullets didn’t kill vampires.” Her voice shook.

“They don’t. These are for Minions.”

“But they’re human!”

He nodded. “They’re also slaves and probably upstairs. They gave up their rights as far as the Sentinel is concerned when they took their oaths. In my opinion they gave up their lives when they came after my family.” He pocketed a cross and several small bottles of holy water.

Finally he pulled on a bullet proof vest. She knew it wasn’t meant to save his life, but to stop anything from slowing him down. A bullet in the heart could knock him out for several hours as she learned several months ago.