Splinterbark: Chaos of the Coyote Crew

Chapter 6: Chasing The White Rabbit

Lynn was gallivanting down the stairs in her blue and green pajamas with her phone in one hand and scrolling back and forth of the same batch of texts. The name Chelsea was the sender and Lynn was grinning as she skimmed paragraph after paragraph of grievances from last night. A cold pleasing grin curled up her cheeks and she hummed in the future delight she was about to witness. Hoo boy did her stepbrother really blow it this time. Though his girlfriends hardly lasted at most a month most ended casually. He seemed to have a talent of breaking it off without much drama. She often hated that charismatic charm he could turn on and off at will. Heck, he had convinced her father to buy him a new car last year just after he got his license two days after his birthday. Lynn was lucky if she convinced her father to get her the latest dress in style. She was going to enjoy the moment she showed these to father. And then her dear oh-so-smart stepbrother was in for a world of a lecture. Maybe even a grounding to sweeten it.

A sweet smell reached her nostrils the moment she stepped into the small dining room used for the immediate family. Followed by the most peculiar sound of all: singing. Or at least a low humming kind of singing that she could only make out a few lyrics. It did not sound like any of the staff either. When she looked completely up from her phone she saw her stepbrother assisting the maid setting the table and serving himself a sizeable stack of pancakes. The shock to Lynn's senses made her drop her phone. The device almost crashed to the ground only for Alucard to effortlessly catch it with his free hand and wordlessly hand it back to her before finishing his setting of the table. His stepsister was still standing there dumbstruck as if all reality had broken in the Dougal household.

First off her stepbrother was never up this early-not by choice. He was a lousy morning person and she sometimes thought he was in a half sleep state until the first school bell actually woke him up. Second he was completely dressed even if it was something as simple as jeans and an 80's band shirt. Thirdly he had made a full breakfast when his usual meal was almost dry cereal or toast. And finally-he was singing. He was not a bad singer-but he was not good either.

"Mornin' sis", were the first words she spoke to her. Lynn slowly sat down still processing this scene before her. He hadn't called her sis since they were eight.

"You're in a chipper mood", she replied uneasily. "Your date...went well?" Alucard's face flushed slightly and he rubbed the back of his head with the spring point of the tongs he had been using to serve. Then he shrugged nonchalantly and seated himself.

"We didn't click too well I'm afraid. Toonz Boom actually had pretty good food. Music a little too loud for my tastes, but you and...Reggie right? You and Reggie might like the place." Lynn glowered her eyes as Alucard stuffed a big cut of pancake into his mouth. His casual response matched nothing that Chelsea had said. Her story was that she cheated on him by the restrooms while pretending to have a headache and he stiffed her on the food.

"You two did break up, didn't you?"

"Not going to deny it."

"You know father isn't going to be happy about that."

"Mmm hmm and he'll probably have another chat about it. Your point?"

"Why do you seem so happy?"

"Aw, is sissy wissy mad about something?" If her stepbrother did not drop that smug stupid grin off his face in five seconds she was going to...

"Ooh pancakes! So that's what the chef was babbling about this morning", Desmond's voice thundered into the room. Their parents were busy thanking Alucard seemingly unknowing that self-assured glare Alucard was passing his stepsister. Desmond looked over at his daughter rather confused at the cold glances between his children.