Moon's Rite

Threats

Tony followed Alistair up the little walk, already grinning at the cute cottage. From the front gate to the door it was a wild forest of carefully organized flowers and herbs. Wide flagstones made meandering paths through the vegetation, with moss and tiny flowers growing between. Alistair glanced back, looking like he was about to say something until he saw the absolute delight on Tony's face.

"What?"

Tony chuckled, shaking her head. "I love it."

Alistair cocked his head, seeming a little confused and mostly reassured. He pushed his way in the door, calling out. "Mum?"

"Alistair!" A portly woman rounded the corner, wiping suds from her hands on a dish cloth. The excited smile only grew bigger when she laid eyes on Tony. "Oh, welcome home sweetheart. Who's this then? You brought your girlfriend to meet me?"

"No."

Tony raised a brow, smirking at the quick denial. Alistair bit his lip, giving Tony an odd look of almost panic before moving into the outstretched arms of his mother for a hug. He easily dwarfed the woman, standing a head taller with much broader shoulders.

"No, she's just a friend. We've been working together on something."

"Oh? What's that?" Alistair's mother questioned almost absently as she wiped at a bit of stray paint beneath Alistair's jawline.

"Mum, this is Tony. Tony, meet my mum, Ciara Duncan. I've been helping Tony track down someone who wants to usurp the Vampire throne. Someone calling himself Noble."

Tony watched Ciara freeze for a fraction of a second before she smiled easily. Her dark eyes turned to fix on Tony and something steely and cold entered her gaze. "Noble? Never heard of him." Tony let her fingers curl into fists, trying to decide how to go about that blatant lie. Alistair took his mother by the shoulders and urged her to meet his gaze.

"Don't lie mum."

"I'm not lying." Ciara pulled away, putting distance between herself and her son as she attempted to believe her own falsehoods. "I wouldn't lie to you, sweetheart. I don't know anyone called Noble." She spun and headed for the kitchen again. Alistair followed hot on her heels.

"Mum, this is important! Noble wants to control the Vampires and he's killing people to do it. He's attacking innocent people. And if he gets his way, he'll go after the Were's and enslave the Humans and- We can't let that happen!"

"It's not your place to be a hero, Alistair. Leave the politics and warmongering to the ones who are good at it."

"But Mum!"

Tony let them argue. Her eyes drifted around the cozy house as she shoved her hands into her pockets. Rustic furniture and delicate knick knacks had been thrown together, tied together with soft blankets and colors in an organized clutter. It was close and cozy. A home.

Something shattered in the kitchen and Alistair swore. Ciara scolded him for the language and they were off again, to the tune of Alistair insisting he wasn't a child anymore.

A soft smile crept across Tony's face, for the memory of similar arguments made to her own mother and the inevitable battles coming when her niece started spreading her wings. Seven-year-old Aisling was brimming with independence already. Sire help them all in ten years or so. Or less, if Katty's personality wasn't tempered by either of her husbands in their daughter.

She cocked her head at the diploma on the wall, amongst the oil paintings and family photos. Ciara apparently had a masters in genetics. And Tony grinned at the picture of Ciara and a little Alistair blowing out five candles on a cake. Alistair had been adorable before he grew into sexy. Another photo looked like some sort of event. An awards ceremony, maybe. And Ciara was standing with some fellow scientists and...