"She protects humans, you know," Rosa said. "Maybe if she sees you're in trouble the next time, she won't be bothered. I know I wouldn't."
Selena figured she wasn't going to get anything more out of the car thieves. "You can arrest them for stealing my car." She told the officer when and where it had been stolen while her brother retrieved her car keys for her, since the thief still hadn’t handed them back to her, and then the officers took the men into custody.
The hosts hurried to clean up her car for her, which she hadn’t expected and thought it was nice of them. She didn't want to drive in the vehicle until it was aired out, but she put down the top and figured that would do the trick. Her brother and sister rode with her back to Atreides's house.
"I'm so glad I got the car back, but I'm equally thrilled we learned that at least one of the rogue vampires who bit me is truly dead. And I'm hoping the one that had been a wolf was only there to solicit my help in the hunter murdered vampiress's cases," Selena told her siblings. “As to the other, we’re going to have to find him.”
"I agree," her brother said. "Not to change the subject, but you need to talk to Mom and Dad about all this."
"You haven't told them already?" Selena was surprised. She figured her brother would have told them right away.
"No. Rosa and I discussed it and we felt it was your call when you felt ready to talk to them about having been turned."
"Okay, I guess maybe we could have a family dinner and discuss it then. Should I invite Atreides?" Selena wanted to but she wasn't sure if that was the best way to handle this. They had been upset with her for killing a hunter, even though she was in the right. What would they have done in her situation? She wanted to think only good of her parents, but everyone dealt with a situation differently. Side with the hunters, even if they were wrong, but keep their standing with the hunter community, or side with the vampires who had been wronged, and face the consequences, like she'd done?
She'd liked to think her parents would have done what was right and protected the vampiress, but she'd gotten mixed messages from them, so she wasn't sure.
"No on Atreides," her brother said, and her sister agreed.
"It's going to be enough of a shock to them to learn that you were turned. And yes, I'll tell them what I had done to you when I kicked you out of the hunter club. I was taught better than that,” Daniel said.
"And I'm mending my ways," Rosa said. "From now on, I'm letting everyone in the family know where I am so that no one has to risk their neck looking for me because I disappear for a while."
Maybe this had all been for the good then, bringing her family closer together and aligning themselves with right instead of just keeping the peace with the hunters in the League.
"But about Atreides, once you have told our parents you have been turned, then we can set another family gathering date to welcome him into the family if you think you are going to stay with him," Daniel said.
"I am."
"I'm sorry, not that you ended up with the prince of the vampire clans out here, but that we weren't the ones who protected you in your time of need,” Daniel said.
"It's done. We're a family again. I think we are better off now for what had happened." Selena telepathically communicated to Atreides, "I have my car! It needs detail work, but it looks good otherwise."
Atreides didn't respond and she sighed. He was probably asleep. It was going to be something they would have to work out because she still wanted to sleep at night, except when she went on rogue vampire hunts, and he needed to sleep during the day, especially on sunny days like today when he couldn't be out and about anyway.
She wanted to be with him, but they would have to just work out their own schedules and do the best they could.
"Do you truly love him?" Rosa asked.
"I do."
"I heard he dumped a rabid vampiress for you. I would watch your back, if I were you. We will too, but we won't be running in the same circles as you,” Daniel said.
"She conceded, graciously, from what Atreides had told me. So we're good. She's dating another vampire already. One that she had been dancing with at the club even, so it appears she has moved on."
"That's good," Rosa said. "We were worried about that."
Then they arrived at Atreides's home and Selena said, "I'm going to get some sleep."
Rosa lifted her brows.
"A nap."
Rosa shook her head. "I could never get used to trying to be up half the night and half the day to be with a vampire."
"You would do it if you loved one of them. See you tonight to hunt for the rogue hunters." Selena gave her sister and brother hugs.
"See you tonight, but don't put off telling our parents about what's happened. They'll learn about it before long when you should be the one to tell them, not the rumor mill," Rosa said.
"I will." Though she wanted to take down the rogue hunters first. "Maybe we can do lunch instead of dinner, then we can continue to try and entrap the rogue hunters at night."
"That will work," her brother said.
"Let's do it. This afternoon," Rosa said.
Then Twilight came out to greet them and said, “Do you all need a ride back to the ranch or somewhere else right now?”
“Yes, to the ranch,” Rosa said. “Daniel, you’re staying with me too.”
Chapter 17
Selena was thinking of having lunch tomorrow with her parents and telling them the news. She agreed with her sister and brother. She didn't want any other hunters to learn of what she'd become before she told her parents herself, and she needed to go before the League Council and tell them also and see what they wanted to do with her. She wanted to continue to do both—work to protect the vampires who were not rogues and fight the ones who were, with the League's sanction. She was still a huntress after all.
She called her mother before she went to bed with Atreides. "Mom, Rosa and Daniel and I want to have lunch with you this afternoon, if you can swing it." She had to be mindful that her parents weren't just sitting around the house waiting for her to show up at her leisure.
"Yes, that would be great. I'll make, uhm, your favorite meal if you would like."
Selena thought her mom sounded a little choked up, and making her favorite when it wasn't her birthday? She suspected her mom knew what had become of her and she was upset. Tears pricked Selena's eyes. She didn't want to upset her mom, and she had really thought they would be mad at her, not saddened and she had come to terms with it. She had to remind herself if they did know, this all had to be a shock to them. But she was what she was, and she couldn't do anything differently now. Who had let it slip? Maybe one of Daniel's friends.
"Sure, that would be great. Everyone loves your Italian sausage spaghetti."
"Would noon be all right?"
"Is that Selena?" her father asked in the background.
"Yes, the kids are all coming home today for lunch," her mom called back to him.
"Noon would be fine, Mom. I've got to go," Selena said.