Running with Shifters (completed)

Chapter 16 Isadora

Chapter 16

Isadora

At the end of the tunnel there is another door that the stranger opens before stepping through and blinding everyone. I barely have time to wince before my eyes have adjusted and take in the large living room. The walls are stone, just like the basement we just came from and the church above us. Granite, if I had to guess. There are tapestries covering nearly all of the wall space except on the middle of the far wall where a small window at the very top shows only the blackness of night and below that, a small framed picture of a... woman, I think.

The floor is covered with a gigantic red and grey Persian rug and there are four couches and a few arm chairs, all different colors and all facing the oversized hearth where a small fire flickers away, giving the room a comfortable warmth.

The stranger motions towards the seats before making his way to the farthest, and clearly most used, arm chair. "Please sit. I believe introductions are in order." I walk over and sit in the overstuffed armchair beside him, looking back to everyone as they stand around and nod for them to sit. They do, almost like little obedient puppies, and he seems to find this far too amusing. He also seems strangely happy that I'm sitting next to him and keeps throwing me random smiles.

Lin sits closest to me on the couch to my left and Meg sits between him and Eli. Surprisingly she's the first to introduce herself, standing as she does, "my name is Meg-Elaine and I doubt I have to explain what I am." She pulls out her sword just enough so that the blade glints in the light before putting it away and sitting down.

"Welcome, Meg-Elaine, and that won't be necessary. I'm quite familiar with your family. Tell me, how is Niklaus?"

She stares at him in silence for a moment before finally answering, her voice unusually quiet. "Grandfather passed five years ago."

"My condolences. Niklaus and I had a certain rapport. You said he was your grandfather, does that mean you're Dean's child?" She nods hesitantly, "wonderful. I've met your older brothers but you were not yet born the last time I visited." Even though I can't read her mind I can read her face well enough, and it's saying how absurd it would be for a family of Hunters to associate with a vampire.

Deeming their conversation over for the moment, he turns his head to Lin and quirks his eyebrow questioningly. Lin nods, "I'm Linden St. Morissette, and, until recently, I was a vampire for seventy-eight years." He lifts his lip to show his fangs and the stranger stares at him for a moment, completely caught off guard.

"How is that possible?" Lin then goes on to explain everything about how when I was first "found" (I wasn't really lost, just oblivious) he was turned and retained some vampirism, but then after the Henry Incident I could turn vampires human. He doesn't look surprised by the first part of his story but he looks at me in disbelief when he mentions that I was bitten. Deciding it would be easier to just show him than try to explain, I pull down the collar of my sweater and show him my scars.

He looks at them only briefly before turning away as if he's in pain. He turns to Eli and he says his name and 'species', and the others follow suit. He looks slightly surprised by Eli and Em, given the fact that they're rather rare, and simply nods to the Wolves.

After everyone's introduced themselves the stranger seems to realize something, "how rude of me, you've all introduced yourselves and I've yet to do the same. You must forgive me, I'm unused to having visitors. My name is Vlain-" and he continues rattling off a name that I can't understand even as he's saying it, it's too long and has far too many consonants "-and I am, dear Isadora, your ancestor."