― What the hell?

Moon muttered as soon as she opened Gray house’s doors, and was welcomed by everything scattered around.

Too stunned and confused over the situation, she slowly began tidying up things in piles and boxes; an old framed photo of her family was broken. Something inside of her twisted.

― Archie? Bailey? Who did this? ― she thought out loud, a mix of confusion and anger inside her.

― Should we get rid of both? ― Noira hisses.

Moon feels the air around her heavy, clouded by the black smoke that is Noira. A cold hand on her arm makes the smoke dissipate and a strange calm feeling invades her.

― What was that? ― a tall blonde guy asks with his deep voice resonating through the empty floor.

Dressed up as a security guard, his body was too big for the clothes he was wearing. His eyes were blue as the ocean, dimples, and a tiny scar on his forehead. Moon recognized him instantly.

― Nothing. What are you doing here... Huxley, right?

― How do you know my name?

Moon smiled way too sweetly.

― You’ve been keeping secrets, Hux. Be careful.

The man smirked.

― Right… Witch, huh? This looks like something caused by Bailey Byrd out of jealousy. But, we have urgent matters at hand that might need your… abilities. Or powers, whatever you want to call. 

Moon looked at him while pointing to the things scattered all over the floor.

― Do you see this? I gotta clean it...

― I’ll have someone take care of that. Now, shall we? Casey’s been short-tempered lately… He’ll nag at me if we’re late.

― Ah… Who the hell is Casey?

― A friend.

― And I should just trust you, right? Fucking great… ― Moon sighed. ― I just had an emotional roller-coaster… I wanted to be together with my family, back in the hut, but no… here I am.

― Mr. Sutherland will know about this, don’t worry.

― Which Sutherland? The father? What he’s gonna do?

― Gray.

― Oh… Will that change anything?

Hux smiled thinly and guided her through the dark corridor, out of the house, towards a parked blue navy sedan, with a hand near her waist, but never touching her. As they approached it, the man looked around before tapping his fingers on the window. Once inside, she met a man named Casey. 

And just like Huxley said, he was nagging.

― What are you two? Fucking turtles? So damn slow…

― Chill, Casey. Someone invaded the house…

― And made a fucking mess out of everything… ― Moon complained. ― Nothing good is coming out of anything related to the Sutherlands, jeez...

― Who did that?

― I don’t know, man… But you should ask someone to come and clean the mess.

― Here… ― Casey threw his phone over the man’s lap. ― Call Zane. He’s good at cleaning up.

― Done.

It was past ten, the moon shone brightly over Berkshire.

This ride to the Atlantis Hotel was the most uncomfortable she’s ever had. The lift to the seventh floor... was excruciatingly silent.

As the doors opened, she found herself facing the long black corridor again. She quietly followed both men, as they reached a double gray and heavy door.

― Before I give you a tour of this floor, can you come here? ― Casey asked and walked straight to a big round table. He scattered a few papers in front of her. ― Something’s happening in Eshen, at the border of Berkshire.

― What? ― Moon tilted her head.

― We’ve been getting multiple reports of small crimes around the area. Thus, we’ve been sending people to secure the area.

― This always happens over there… Ever since I moved in here, that area has been dangerous. So what seems to be the problem now?

― We think this is a strategy to divert our attention. ― Hux amended.

― You think someone will try to attack Berkshire? ― Moon asks.

She then focuses on a few pages, one of them being a report on Ada Sverige, the woman she was told to find.

― Her? ― she didn’t sound confident when asking because she was almost certain it wasn’t Ada’s doing.

― Maybe. ― Casey answered. ― By the way, did you get the message? 

― Yeah, as I thought, Archie was one of Gus’ attackers... ― she kept looking at the woman’s photo. ― How long has it been?

Huxley and Casey stayed silent; both confused at her sudden question.

― How long since you last seen your mate, Hux?

― How do you know? ― Hux leans back and crosses his arms, a smile on his lips.

― I don’t know, man… Maybe I’m a witch… Oh, wait. I am. ― she looks at him unamused. ― You’re both stupid.

Hux stared at her. Whatever she thought she knew, it wasn’t the full story, he was sure about it.

― Huh, interesting… ― Casey tilts his head. ― Anyway, see that gray door over there? ― he pointed his fingers across the big room, to a door near the exit. ― Go to sleep. I’ll arrange some clothes for you in the morning.

― Wait… You brought me all the way here for me to go to sleep? Seriously?

― It’s a request by your mate. He won’t be at home tonight.

― Why?

― Call him and ask. ― Hux spoke rudely. ― You guys surely have an exemplary relationship.

― For your information, I don’t have his number. ― she crossed her arms. ― Don’t be too jealous, big guy, you’ll end up with her. ― Moon clicked her tongue, left both men and went to sleep.

It took her a while to finally fall asleep. She had a hard time sleeping in unfamiliar places, and the bed wasn’t exactly comfortable… Around one in the morning, she finally slept. But it wasn’t a great night.

Although she was used to waking up early, Moon was far from being a morning person. Casey woke her up and called her to have some breakfast. The big analogical clock on the kitchen wall had a loud noise. Either that or maybe the place was just too quiet.

― It is delicious, Casey, but I really wanna punch you for waking me up so early like this… Unnecessarily.

― Sorry… ― Casey smiled apologetically.

― I’m quite surprised at this place. I thought the whole floor was just a dark room…

― Well, initially it was. But with time, we’d end up sleeping here more frequently, so we’d decided to renovate this unused area to be of use to us. We have this great kitchen and many rooms, as well as a gigantic bathroom.

― I’d kill right now for a good, long, and hot bath… ― Moon munched her toast.

― Be my guest. There are some clothes for you in that red suitcase.

― Hey. ― Huxley suddenly barged in the kitchen, with a finely dressed woman behind him. ― Witch, you have a visitor.

Moon was confused, still sleepy, trying hard to recognize the woman until something in her mind clicked, and she remembered the framed photo back in Gray’s place. That woman, right in front of her, all smiley, was his mother. May Sutherland.

Moon was so lost trying to find a reason for such a visit that, when she came to her senses, she got even more confused. Her brain wasn’t functioning normally.

― So, I’d like it if you accepted my offer, and came to work at our family company. ― the woman asks, using the softest voice a mother can use. Her elegant clothes and the delicacy with which she moves make her very different from the two guys behind her. Although she already has some lines on her face, her beauty is undeniable. ― I’ve heard that you’re creative and hardworking… You’d be a great addition to the Design Department.

Casey nods his head to her as if they were pretty close; Huxley just looks at her, expressionless, while Noira laughs hysterically inside her head.

― Man, how cute it’d be, working by your lovely mate’s side… ― Noira can’t stop laughing.

― No. ― Moon answers, quite dryly, and regrets. She then tries to soften up her voice, seeing May's astonished face, and the disappointed look on Casey’s face reprimanding her for sounding rude. ― I'm sorry, but I can’t. I have a promise to keep and-

― Your friend and your brother are included in my offer, Moon. You all will get a position there. And I think you'll be pleased to know that my offer extends itself to Gus Rothery. Even if the Brock family no longer supports him, I will do my best for him.

― Why?

― We’ll be a family, darling. ― May answers, smiling.

Huxley tilts his head, confused.

― Look, I appreciate the... kindness of your family so far. I truly do. But my family is my uncle and brother, and Ace. Just them. ― Moon looks at her, then, Casey and Huxley. ― Why is everyone ignoring the history of relationships between vaniks and fucking vampires?

― Moon. ― Casey calls her attention. ― Please respect her. 

― I’m not being disrespectful here… But if I keep following whatever the hell you guys say and want it, where will I end up? Drop dead after your lovely son gets crazy and sucks all my blood. No, thank you. That’s not how I wanna die. ― Moon gets up, getting ready to leave.

― Moon… ― May calls her gently. ― I know my son very well. He wouldn’t hurt you…

― If we’re talking about Gray, we all know the odds… He may be great, mom, but he’s short-tempered. ― Artur suddenly appeared. ― Casey, here’s what you asked for. ― he then drops a brown folder over the table. ― I’ll take a few days off. See you… ― he looks at his friend. ― Hey, want a ride back to Barlows?

― Please. ― Moon turned around and left with Artur.

― Well… That was better than I expected. ― Huxley said, crossing his arms.

― What did you expect? ― May asked him.

― She’s a tough one. I thought it’d end up with her using her powers... Your so is surely having a hard time with her.

― Speaking of the devil. ― Zane came running with a few papers in hand. ― Here’s what he asked for.

― We should go. Sorry, ma’am. ― Casey apologizes and leaves, alongside Huxley and Zane.

In a brief moment, May Sutherland finds herself alone in the big meeting room. She was a little disappointed, but she still had hope of having Moon as a close friend in her life.

― Maybe I was a bit too much… ― she mutters.