~Julius's POV~

"Just follow the directions on the box?" I ask Andrew, staring puzzled and clueless at the Pillsbury cookies in my hands.

He laughs a bit, mixing in the eggs a little harder. "Have you never cooked before?" With an even slight of hand he adds the milk to the cornbread, not a droplet falling to the stove.

"I've always had maids." A pang of guilt hits me as I long for Lucy but I'm able to push it aside as the boys burst through the doors. Maneuvering my way through the wooden kitchen, I end up at the entrance to greet them.

"Where's your brother?" Andrew questions with a sense of authority, not even bothering to turn and face them as if he already knows which one is missing.

Clide and James drop their things at the table, rolling up their sleeves and joining at the stove top. "Moon's working late." Will answers, guiding Kai by the hand into the mess of a workspace we've created.

"Kai help Julius with the cookies, Clide start the turkey, James is on pie duty, and Will you're stuck with the biscuits." There is a simultaneous groan of protest as they gather around the sink, washing their hands and walking off to their 'stations'.

Kai cringes as he cracks open an egg, half of the shell falling into the bowl while the other half lands on the floor. "Why do I have to help with cookies." He groans, peeking at the yellow-orange bubble near his socked feet.

"I don't know how to make them." I confess. Will snickers, spilling flour over the counter as he loses what little focus he had.

Clide catches my eye as he removes the turkey from the fridge and a large spotted baking dish from the cabinets. "No chocolate."

"An itsy bitty bit won't hurt him!" Kaiien protests, snatching the chocolate from a drawer and pouring half of the morsels in the batter. "He likes chocolate." He says aloud as if trying to explain his actions.

Grabbing the bag, Andrew ties up the top and throws it to the table, flashing Kaiien a typical fatherly look. "That doesn't mean it's good for him."

Kai stands back as I add the brown sugar and attempt to scoop out some of the chips. "I've given Moon chocolate before and he was fine."

"What else have you given him?" Andrew sighs. "No raisins. Or caffeine. No artificial sweeteners either. Just...everything a dog can't have." He drags off with a worried expression, his brows furrowing as he looks at me.

Thinking back to our mornings at the table I reply: "I attempted to give him co-"

"Cock!" Will jumps in laughing.

Playing along I respond coolly with: "That too."

Kai sprays the pan with oil, scooping the batter into balls and smushing them flat. The chips melt between his hands and the dough, chocolate smearing the spoon and bowl. "So you two have had sex?"

"Er..." I glance over at my phone, praying to myself when Moon's name pops up. Handling the phone with my wrists I'm able to prop it between my neck and shoulder while continuing to work. "Hey," My teeth collide with my bottom lip in a poor attempt of restraining my smile. "are you off yet?"

"A few more people."

"You sound tired just come home."

"I can't." There is a pause filled only with his shallow breathing and my soon to be shaky ones if he keeps it up. "I'll be done in two or three hours."

My eyes wander to the oven clock, a frown overtaking my features at the time displayed in blue LED. "Babe, I don't care. It's not like they can hold you ransom there either."

Andrew looks up from his hands, a brunette eyebrow raising up at our conversation. "Put it on speaker."

Following orders I place the phone in the middle of the stove, Moon's voice echoing out into the room and bouncing off the oak walls. "Jules...I-I want to go home."

"Then come home." My eyebrows furrow at his tone, something in them becoming panicked.

A door creaks on the other side of the phone, his breathing becoming harsher as he backs up against a wall, a soft thud transmitting through the phone. "Jules..."

"Yes?"

There's a noise like a door hitting a wall, followed by squeaks and a harsher thud. "Jules...c-come get me." Furniture is being moved out the way, a muffled voice in the background yelling something unrecognizable. "Julius come get m-!"

Moon, or whoever was with him, hangs up on us, a new silence forming in the room and settling like morning dew. Moon's screams have me shaken but it doesn't stop me from tearing through the front door like a madman, apron snapping from the sudden winds.

"Shit." My hands shake the key away from the ignition three times over before I finally get a hold of myself, turning into back roads until I swerve onto the highway. Almost hitting a semi, I jerk the car over and drive fast, my foot pressed as hard as it can go on the gas pedal.

Not bothering with the break I turn corners harshly, almost crashing the back of the car more than a few times. The restaurant comes into view and I'm throwing myself out the car, sprinting into the restaurant and towards the back entrance.

"Invitation?" A man stops me at the metal door, his veiny hand outstretched as if expecting something.

"What?"

"No invitation, no entrance." His muscles bulge when he closes his fist, an angry scowl settling on his face as he crosses his arms.

"Look," I pant. "I'm a very close friend of Moon and his family and trust me you do not want to get in a Master's way, understand?"

"Don't tell anybody." He grunts under his breath, unlocking the door so I can run past him.

I travel down the corridor and pass the sitting room, sprinting for what seems like miles until I reach Moon's bedroom. "Fuck." The knob doesn't budge no matter how much I jiggle it, and it sounds like something is pressed against the door. Whether it's to keep people out or to keep a black haired boy in I don't want to know. Kicking the door with my foot proves my theory, the rattling of a shelf echoing into the halls.

My foot collides with the door once more before I attempt to ram it with my shoulder, the shelf rocks back into the door, the pure weight of it splintering the wood enough for me to kick the knob in.

I don't focus on the mess of the room or the dull whimpers of Moon. It's all a blur compared to the rugged man ahead of me stripped of his clothes and trying to do the same to Moon.

My vision fades red, pure rage and blood rushing to my face as I rush forward in a daze. There's a throb in my head but I don't stop, my fists colliding with the man's face until red splatters the furniture like airbrush. His bones splintering under my flesh only have me dreaming of death, of what I can do to make him suffer like he tried to do Moon.

"Julius." Moon whines. It's the only voice that can break me out of a spell such as that. His cheeks and eyes are red and puffy from tears and exhaustion, his arms wrapping around my neck as more come. I yearn for the image to leave my mind, of a man on top of him, shedding him of his clothes as he cries. I want it gone.

He attempts to button his pants but only ends up in shaky sobs as his trembling fingers fumble about. "Moon, did he hurt you?"

"No." His eyes fall to my stomach as he pokes it with his index finger, his other arm falling in between his clenched legs.

I grab hold of his arm, placing his hands in his lap to keep him from distracting himself."You can tell me the truth." I whisper into his ear, moving away blood and sweat drenched hair.

"He touched me...but he didn't go inside of me. I swear I didn't know he was coming it was supposed to be a girl but she called and canceled and-"

"Calm down alright? So, your client canceled and this man came instead and molested you?" I advert my eyes from the bloody mess on the floor as well as the splintered wood and overturned furniture that clutters the small room.

"He didn't molest me." My thumb wipes away a rolling tear from his cheek as I hold him closer between the chaos.

"Then where did he touch you?" Gingerly, I brush the debris from his hair, allowing him to pull back to show me. Moon cups his hand around his neck, the maturing bruise just catching my attention. The hand travels downwards across his chest and nipples, trailing further south to where it lingers at his crotch.

There's something innocent to the way he clings to me, something about how he shakes that reminds me he's still a child. "Moon, you were molested."

"I want to go home." His legs shake when he attempts to stand, forcing me to carry him away from the ruin like a small child.

"Will you be alright?" I dare to ask.

He only rolls his head onto my shoulder, closing his eyes as I situate him in the back seat of the car. I adjust the mirror to where I can see him, his head down and staring at the growing tent in his jeans. His shoulders start to shake from tears and he draws his legs to his chest, burying his face in his knees and wrapping his arms around his shins.

I begin to put the key in the ignition but stop to turn and face him. "It's just your body's natural response to being stimulated sexually. It doesn't mean you liked it or you wanted it, Moon it wasn't your fault." I rub his shoulder soothingly as he gasps for breath between sobs. "You did the right thing and called somebody when you felt threatened, Moon I'm proud of you."

I fall forward when his arms wrap around my neck in a tearful hug, his face wetting my neck with salty water. "Thank you for saving me." He whispers, a part of my heart breaking at his words.

"It's what I'm here for. Hey, guess what?" I add, attempting to cheer him up.

He wipes his face with the back of his hand. "What?"

"There are cookies at home."

A small smile breaks through the pain and I smile back at it. "What kind?"

"Chocolate chip. I know your dad said no chocolate but I think I can change his mind."

As if there were never tears, Moon undoes his buckle and climbs into the passenger seat beside me, locking his hand with mine and reclining the seat back. Our clasped hands run over a scratch on his cheek and up to his temple, his eyelids fluttering when he closes them. He pecks a warm kiss on each of my fingers, letting my wrist linger over his lips for a while longer before sliding his tongue over it. The moisture tingles my skin, pins and needles spreading down my vein at the sensation.

A shaky breath escapes through my lips like cigarette smoke and I dare glances at Moon on the way back. Our fingers comb through tangled hair, brush reddened cheeks, rub trembling thighs before they rest on his bouncing knee. "Do you think Andrew will be angry?"

"No, he'll be happy you're safe." I say, shocked that he'd ever think of such a thing. It is Moon though..

"Promise?" He quizzes at the turn into the driveway.

"Pinkie. Now come in and help with dinner tomorrow." He smiles and grabs my outstretched hand, allowing me to guide him through the front door and into the kitchen. Everyone is still at their same stations from previously as if the whole room went on hiatu.

Andrew gathers Moon in his arms, holding him close and kissing the top of his hair. "Did a man hurt you?" He questions, finally letting go and holding Moon by the shoulders at arms length.

"I was molested." He answers bluntly grabbing a molten cookie off the cooling rack and taking a bite, chocolate oozing onto his lower lip.

Andrew's head tilts in confusion, his brows furrowing as the rest of the boys slowly come to a halt. "Wha-how do you know that word?"

"Julius taught it to me." He answers in the same nonchalant tone.

"G-go help your brothers I need to have a talk with Julius. And put that cookie down!" He stammers, yanking me by the wrist into the other room.

"Is that why he's so calm about this?" I hiss, leaning back on an ivory piano and crossing my arms. I've seemed to been dragged into a cream themed room. It's couches are cream, the photo frames that adorn the walls are a sparkling gold. The piano and walls even have trimmings of gold that shimmer off the cream coated carpet. "Because he doesn't know what happened to him?" I refuse to look at him, focusing my attention on the golden door ahead of us instead.

"It's easier by not letting him know...terms for it. Look, it just happens too often for us to even try to keep track!"

"Then he can get help!"

"Now he associates the word with someone touching him where they shouldn't. He's a prostitute, Julius, it happens everyday. Eventually someone is going to catch on and it's just going to go south from there."

"I trust that Moon knows the difference between work and being in danger. If he didn't, he wouldn't have called me today." I walk past Andrew and out the golden door, leaving him to think about my last words in the cream room.

I manage to stumble back to the kitchen, the radio now blasting gut-wrenching pop songs as Kai dances around the kitchen in laughter. "Want some help?" Moon glances up from his work for a second before smiling and moving over.

"Did I do something wrong?" He whispers under his breath, his brothers oblivious to our conversation.

"He's a little upset that I taught you a new word..."

"Understandable." Moon shrugs, returning to rolling out the pie crust as I stir the filling. His head drops a bit, his rolling becoming slower as his shoulders slump down.

My flour covered finger slips under his chin, raising his face up to mine but he refuses to look me in the eye. "What's the matter?"

His eyes dart from left to right, from the unfinished pie to his oblivious brothers, everywhere but my eyes. "I feel bad I-I want to cut."

"Bad about me and your dad arguing?"

Moon shakes his head softly, returning to the crust and rolling it out completely. "Bad about letting someone moles-take advantage of me." He corrects at the last minute, finally looking into my eyes.

"Don't cut over that! Moon, you aren't to blame." At least three of the boys are now secretly watching the two of us and our hushed conversation.

"I feel dirty, a filth that can't be washed away by a shower or two." My arms instantly wrap around him in a hug but he doesn't protest, instead he leans his shoulder into my chest and crosses his arms, shutting his eyes against the fluorescent lights of the kitchen.

There are at least four brothers now observing us in the open, having completely stopped their progress and turned to observe. Andrew, choosing probably the worst of times to walk in, stumbles in when Moon is pulling back, my lips falling onto his temple to kiss him.

Andrew merely clears his throat, two girls trailing behind him into the spacious kitchen. One of them mixed, her uncontrollable curls tied back out of the way. She wears a sweatshirt two sizes too big with leggings and boots, her eyelashes are either fake or slathered with mascara and her lips bear the shine of newly applied lipgloss.

The other girl, a few shades lighter than the first walks in with a smile. Her hair is strawberry blonde and curled, the heat having loosened them to almost nothing and the bow having slipped out of place. She sports a floral skirt and lacy crop top, her jean jacket slung over her shoulders and her white cloth wedges clicking against the floor. Her winged eyeliner and mascara haven't altered a bit from the time she applied it, her lips shimmery pink from her nude lipstick seem to top off the look.

So what? I may have gone through a fashion phase.

"Moon!" They seem to shriek in unison, both of the girls running up for a hug.

"Jules, this is Mikayla," He waves to the curly haired girl. "and Claire." The strawberry blonde smiles, her hazel eyes glinting under the light. Nothing about her seems off...so why did Moon seem angrier when he introduced her?

"Daddy, can they spend the night?" Kai jumps, hugging his dad from around the neck. "Please?"

His eyes roll playfully as he detaches the bones from his neck. "Sure."

"Can Jesse stay over then?" Moon pipes up, the two girls still hovering around him.

"You know why that's a bad idea, Moon." Moon doesn't seem hurt by the bad news, he just continues lacing the top crust of the pie before shoving it in the oven.

"What?" I ask, noticing the looks Moon and Kai exchange, an occasional stare bouncing my way.

Moon hugs himself awkwardly, staring at the wall and biting his lip. "Nothing...Kaiien just has something he'd like to ask you in private."

Kaiien bounces up energetically from behind an out of character Moon. "Why do you get all creepy at night? I saw you this morning when I came to wake Moon up."

"I'm so sorry!" Moon's face glows red as he pushes Kai back. "I guess I should've asked if he knew what in private meant first. I'm so sorry." He stares at his feet, biting his lip to still their trembling.

Smiling, I place my hand on his shoulder, feeling it shake beneath my palm. "I admit I'm a bit taken aback," I say, aware now of the audience that has gathered. "but I'm fine with talking about it."

"You are?"

"Sure, I mean I-"

Kai jumps between the two of us, his bony chest smacking mine. "Story time!"

I risk a glance at Mikayla and Claire but Kai waves his hand in my face. "They're human but they know."

"Well then I guess I'll start." Moon has traveled to the other side of the room, his head nuzzled into James's shoulder and his arm wrapped around his waist. "Long story short, me and my entire family for centuries to come are cursed."

James clears his throat, Moon hiding his face even more when everyone turns to face him. "Is it contagious? I've heard some are."

"No," I laugh. "My family killed a vampire in like the eleventh century and as punishment we were cursed to 'feel their pain'."

"The curse makes you a vampire? That's fascinating..." James mumbles to himself, his fingers brushing flour throughout his muddy hair.

"Give or take a few things. For example, my skin, it isn't nearly as cold as yours. I can actually sleep like humans do, I have to breathe-"

"You can have kids." I turn to face Moon, guilt stabbing at me as I take in the pain in his eyes.

"Moon I-"

He's gone.

"Moon! Fuck." I'm chasing him up the spiral staircase before I even realize it. Turning corners I didn't even know existed and running for what seems like forever. "Moon stop!" Surprisingly he obeys, skidding into the wall a couple feet ahead of me.

"W-we need to talk." I gasp for air, clutching a fistful of fabric so he can't run. "I should've-"

"Is that why you don't talk about your family much?" His voice is cold as he stares down at the ground.

"What? No! You just never asked so I never brought it up!"

"It's not really proper etiquette to bring up the dead." His voice houses no emotions aside from a speck of annoyance. Moon peels my fingers from his blood red shirt, smoothing the crinkled fabric with his palm.

"Dead? Moon, my family isn't dead! You haven't met them because they live in Vegas! They don't have the time or energy to drive up to the Canadian border!"

His eyes widen for a moment but quickly fade back. "Oh."

"I'm sorry about not telling you a lot of stuff, especially the really big stuff."

He fumbles with a black vase on an end table, tracing his finger around the genuine silver rim. "You told me the 'I love you' stuff. That's pretty big stuff."

He seems fragile now as I hold him in a hug and caress his back. "I can't give you children."

"W-why?" I ignore the crack in his voice for his sake, moving my hand up to where his head is buried in my neck.

"It's illegal for a shifter to have a child. You know that."

"It would be your child not mine. There doesn't have to be paperwork or legal shit you can just give them to me." He whispers.

"Who's best interest is that in? The woman you're stealing a child from? The man you're using as a pawn? The baby that may not even make it two days in the care of a child? You have to think about this, Moon."

His arms wrap back around my waist, pulling me closer to him as water rolls down my neck. "I'm lonely."

I take in a deep breath, watching his hair blow back as I exhale. "Aren't we all?"

Moon draws back, holding himself and rocking on his socked heels. Clumps of his hair have fallen out their rainbow restraints, falling forward to shade his face from me. "Have you ever wanted a family?"

"Of course eventually. When I meet a nice guy and settle down in a two story house with a dog and cat and white picket fence. But that's the future I mean I'm perfectly content with my little family right now." I grin.

A faint smile plays at his lips. "Should we be heading back now?"

"Have you ever thought of getting a puppy? You're a dog, they're a younger and more legal dog. It's somewhat like a baby." I ask, entwining our hands and letting him guide me back through the halls. It's a wonder he remembers the interior of this place after five years.

"It just doesn't strike the right feeling, ya know?"

I pull him aside just before we reach the bustling sitting room. "So you're fine? For now?"

"I really want a baby."

I nudge him out of our cubby and into the bright lights of the sitting room. "At least consider the puppy?" Please? I beg with my eyes.

"Andrew." The room stares at us in the curtained doorway, the emotions behind each pair of eyes making me nervous as I suddenly feel judged. "Why have you never gotten me a puppy?

"Puppies grow up, puppies grow old, puppies die. You can't make a puppy immortal or forever young like you can a human, you wouldn't be able to handle the heartbreak." Andrew lectures, still flipping through channels absentmindedly.

"They are a lot of work too and nobody would know what they are saying but you."

"Kai has a good point."

The room silences, Moon quickly becoming panic stricken and attaching himself to Andrew. Kai cocks his head to the side. "You know?" He asks, obviously shocked. "I didn't expect Moon to tell you because it's freaky rare and stuff. But then again I didn't expect him to get jealous in the car this morning either."

"I have no clue what you're rambling about..."

"Moon is a bit gifted. Him and Kaiien both are." Andrew speaks up, stroking a furry black head lolled in his lap.

"How?" I ask Moon, oblivious to his current state.

"I can talk to animals." His mouth doesn't move except to pant heavily but his voice rings clearly through my mind. "It's how I got out the brothel the first time, a spider told me the way."

"T-that's extraordinary." I'm astounded, it truly is rare to hear about someone that can speak with animals. "And what were you jealous about in the car?" Even when his skin is clad with thick black fur I can still take note of his signature blushes.

Kai covers his mouth with his hands, glancing at Moon as if waiting for permission. I turn away to the TV just as Moon shifts, his tanned finger hooking mine as he leads me back up the spiral staircase. "Are you alright?" I ask him, noticing his face turning the lightest shade of green. "Do you feel sick?" Struck with concern I'm guided to his bedroom where he motions for me to take a seat on the bed.

"Moon, you don't look too well." He allows me to graze his goosebumps clad arms with my fingers before he begins to pace the room. "I'm worried about you."

"Would you ever date another guy...while you are with me?" He blurts out, cheeks a blazing red as he stares at his toes. So that's what this is about.

"Sit down." I pat the seat beside me until he reluctantly sits. "Do you know what 'I love you' means?" Neither of us glance at the other as I speak, Moon's body tensing up at the eight letter phrase.

"No." He's being honest. The way he crushes his hand into a fist and bites down on his lip, eyes squeezed shut tell me so.

"It means I don't want to be with anyone else but you."

His eyes flutter open, water resting on his coal lashes. "I-I'm straight." He coughs out, confidence dying mid-speech as tears fall.

"Love can be one sided. It's the most common kind there is." He falls back on the bed, gripping the feather blankets in his fist. His hair has fallen over his face, shielding his eyes from mine as the built up tears roll down his cheeks.

He murmurs a simple phrase so gentle it's barely audible but I'm able to pick up on it. "Then why doesn't it feel that way?" His ears perk up just before four boys burst through the door, fumbling with the lock in a fit of laughter.

"Were you two about to fuck?" Clide's eyebrow raises up in accusation before he shakes the thought out of his mind. "Never mind...Moon I need you to get on that not so little Instagram of yours and hey, are you crying?"

Hastily he wipes the remaining tears with the back of his hands, sitting up in the bed to grab his phone. "Why do I need to get on my phone?" He sniffles, unlocking the device and passing it to his older brother.

"We're throwing a party and thought you and Kai's eight hundred thousand followers would be interested." Will grins, propping his foot up on the wall. "Do you know how many girls we can get at this thing? Better clear out the bedrooms."

Moon snatches his phone back with a quick glance back at me. "You can only use our followers if there's going to be weed."

"I already called up some guys." Kai speaks up.

Five sets of teenage eyes are on me before Moon gives me one of the cutest smiles I've seen. His hair is messy but in the I-meant-to-do-that sexy sort of way, he bites back on his lip, eyes glancing downwards as he rubs his arm. "Could you maybe get the alcohol? I have the money." He pleads.

How can I say no to that look? "Sure." I roll my eyes playfully and cross my arms.

"So it's decided?" Clide, the obvious leader, asks. Everyone nods slyly, stifling their laughs as Andrew's footsteps are heard walking up the steps.

"The best Thanksgiving eve party starts...now!"