“We have training clothes that we can give you, Tegan, they are comfortable and allow movement without being too heavy like your fatigues,” Michael offered. “Some days you just want to be comfortable.” Again, the easy smile and Tegan felt her discomfort lessen.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“Have you eaten?” Leonid asked.
“Not yet, father,” Tegan glanced at Sloane before she said, “Will you be feeding me this morning?” Sloane froze as he looked at her with wide eyes.
“Excuse me?” Leonid was frozen for a different reason.
“Last night, my cousin asked if you fed me your blood,” Tegan explained. She felt strangely satisfied as Leonid turned to her cousin with a look of contempt.
“How disappointing,” Leonid replied coolly. “Come, we will see if the cook is awake and able to feed us both.” He walked from the room, and Tegan feeling remorse for making fun of her cousin, looked over her shoulder at the two males. Sloane was staring after her, still seemingly speechless, while Michael was grinning openly at his friend’s discomfort.
“Tegan, wait,” Michael called as she turned away. He hurried up to her and handed her Sloane’s t-shirt. “Please?” he asked quietly.
“Of course, I apologise if I brought you shame.”
“No, Tegan, you didn’t. You are new to Headquarters and being around so many people. You’ll learn,” Michael nudged her again with his shoulder like he had the night before, “and we can help you.” They heard Sloane snort behind them, and Michael rolled his eyes at her.
“Come, cousin,” Tegan called. “I’ll let you share my breakfast.”
Sloane walked slowly across the room. “I’m eating half,” he huffed with a glare but then he winked as he passed her. Smiling, Tegan and Michael followed after him and her father. She heard her father ask Sloane ifhewas planning on putting some clothes on and envied Sloane’s easy laugh in reply.
There were more people around now, walking through the halls, Tegan commented to Michael that when she had gone to the training room this morning there had been no Sentinels in the halls.
Michael frowned but didn’t comment, he was conscious of the stares they were receiving. Headquarters were the main place of business for the northern territory, with San Diego covering the southern territory. There were always people visiting, Sentinels being trained before undertaking their Trials for Advancement. The turnover of people was constant, with only a few being permanent residents. Still, with the continuous turnover of guests there was only ever around thirty people at a time. However, as he walked to the kitchen with his new sister beside him, following behind a Vampyre, Michael felt the heavy curiosity of the Sentinels and staff as they passed.
Tegan looked so much like his father and himself, he knew the speculation would only escalate until his father addressed it. Michael frowned again, they needed to speak to Zahra before the rumours reached her. His sister should not find out from someone else, especially about the affair and he knew she would struggle with this revelation. With his resolve hardening, despite wanting to know more about this new sister, Michael turned to Tegan. “Can you excuse me? I need to speak to dad about something urgently.”
Tegan looked into eyes the identical colour as her own and nodded. “She needs to know soon. Go,” she said to him softly.
Michael exhaled, not at all surprised that Tegan knew where his thoughts were. They seemed to be in sync already. Now that the initial shock over finding out who she was had passed, he felt comfortable around her. It was almost as if he had missed her absence, which considering that he hadn’t known about her until last night, shook him at how her being here with him just feltright. “She does, thank you.” He took Tegan’s hand, squeezing it in thanks before he left the group and headed to his father’s study.
“Are you okay?” Leonid enquired softly. Tegan knew her father had heard their exchange and walked forward until she was alongside him. Sloane had looked over his shoulder and frowned when he noticed Michael’s absence but said nothing.
“Yes, he needs to talk to his father,” Tegan answered softly.
“He does,” Leonid agreed as he led them into the kitchen.
“No one comes into my kitchen before breakfast unless they’re volunteering to serve!” Blythe bellowed from the stove, without turning to see who had entered. She looked to be making the biggest pot of scrambled eggs Tegan had ever seen.
“I can serve,” Tegan offered. “If I can go into the parlour for a light snack?”
“Out!” Blythe shouted, turning to them all, although she seemed slightly unsure of Leonid.
“Quiet with your bellowing, woman. My daughter needs to eat,” Leonid strode forward into the pantry and disappeared. Tegan looked at Sloane and then the cook before shrugging in self-defence.
Blythe squawked before abandoning her eggs, following Leonid hurriedly into her pantry. Tegan heard their voices and watched in silent wonder as Sloane wandered over to the stove, her eyes continually flicking to the pantry for Cook’s reappearance. Sloane grinned at her as he scooped a ladle of eggs onto two plates and grabbed two forks. Tegan hesitated for a moment and then reached out for a plate, before they both made a hasty exit from the kitchen.
Leonid found them tucked under a stairwell, eating eggs with gusto, Sloane still completely at ease shirtless. Leonid handed them both bowls of fruit and then two bottles of water. “I wouldn’t recommend returning the plates personally,” he commented drily. “Although, it was Sloane’s name she was cursing.” Leonid winced as he recalled the cook’s shrill shrieking. “How long has she been here? She seems ill-suited to her role.”
“Blythe’s been here ever since I have,” Sloane answered around a mouthful of eggs. “She hates cooking, but she’s damn good at it.” Tegan nodded in agreement as she ate hungrily.
“Will you be ready for weapons training?” Leonid asked sceptically as he watched Tegan turn to her bowl to eat her fruit.
“I thought I may take Tegan for a walk around the grounds.”
Leonid turned to appraise Salem quietly. He had heard him approach but didn’t want to put his daughter off her food. He knew she was still uneasy around him, despite having slipped into an easy camaraderie with her cousin and even it seemed, her brother. “Tegan trains until eight with weapons,” Leonid reminded him. Salem had heard Tegan describe her usual day like everyone else last night.