#brannon weldon

Brannon struggled to maintain a straight expression when his couch space was suddenly intruded. Oh, Eldon sat an appropriate distance, naturally, but the fact that the vampire so casually took a seat next to him had a weird sort of disgust curl around inside his chest.

“So, what was it about that man that has you coming here? Was he an ally or an enemy of yours? Did you mean to take him out yourself and are upset that I did it first?”

“No...” Brannon replied slowly, “We have no idea who you took out. We just found all the blood, thought the killing was rather brutal, and I came here to find out why in the world you were so aggressive.”

“Oh, well that’s much more boring and predictable.”

“I hope there’s a good reason for it all,” Jolene said kindly, pulling Brannon close and wrapping her arms around his waist, “For your sake more than his. You’ve done a lot to ensure his safety, even if he doesn’t realize or recognize it. We don’t need him going blood crazy right now.”

“No, we don’t.” Brannon agreed softly.

Her lips comfortingly met his. They met a second time. Then they entangled deeper. On it continued until Jolene let out a laugh while pulling her husband’s hands up from where they’d been going lower and lower.

“Careful now.” she warned in amusement.

“What?” Brannon teased playfully.

“Don’t go getting too handsy. We have to be careful until we’re sure my birth control is back on track. We had one scare already. Pack leaders we may be, but rich we are not. We haven’t even able to get Renee and Vivi out of that small room they share yet. I don’t know what we’re going to do with Joey when he gets out of the crib.”

“Things will be fine,” Brannon promised encouragingly, “We’ve got my higher pay coming in soon, remember?”

They shared one more long kiss.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go upstairs?” Brannon proceeded to tease again the second he had his breath back, “I could really use some distraction until the vampires wake up.”

“Distraction? How about you go to work already, you goof?” Jolene chuckled, shaking her head and giving him a loving smack on his rear end.

“She’s been acting really weird the past day or so.” Jolene expressed to her husband as soon as she knew the girls couldn’t hear her.

“Renee, you mean? Completely agree,” Brannon answered, “She’s been rather clingy, sorta nervous about something.”

“I think we seriously do need to talk to her later today.”

“For sure. I was planning on it already. I just wanted to get that other talk out of the way first. I’m dreading it so much I can’t think of anything else.” Brannon complained, wearing a pouting expression as he closed the fridge and turned around.

“Talking with Eldon about what you and the others found last night? I mean, I know it was...a lot of blood, but it doesn’t sound as if even whatever he was doing did anything to break the pact.”

“It was a fuck ton of blood, Jo,” he shook his head stiffly, his expression stern, “No body or anything of course. Maybe it wasn’t him, but there was no wolf or even human scent, aside from the victim’s, near where we found it all. Breaking the pact or not, I cannot stand that kind of brutality. There was no way that person went kindly.”

The keys were handed off, and Brannon’s family journeyed down the street once more. The call of a boy wearing a cowboy outfit for his father from a few houses down caught Hiro’s attention. With him departing as well, it allowed Brannon the chance to drop the mask he’d put up.

“You have some nerve walking around like this.” he chastised, unimpressed.

“There are no rules that say we can’t, dog, and we’re not causing trouble,” Douglas piped up smugly, “We have a right to enjoy the holiday as much as anyone else. I do think we’ll find someplace else to celebrate, however. I’ve always hated the stench of your kind.”

Brannon’s eyes narrowed into a dangerous glare before he sighed, closed his eyes, opened them, and addressed him now.

“I’d be more than happy to have you take your leave. You, Eldon, there’s unfortunately something I need to talk to you about though. I’ve been trying to avoid it, but it’s a matter that affects us all.”

“Well, I shall help put you out of your misery,” he agreed nonchalantly, “I trust the rest of you to find a place that does not insult Douglas’ sense of smell. I will rejoin you soon.”

“Shouldn’t you be wearing shoes, little one?” Felicity spoke to Renee, “Your feet could get all cut up or have worms crawl inside them.”

“Worms? There’s no way that’s true.” Renee scoffed, although she turned to Brannon to make sure.

“She’s not talking about normal worms. She’s talking about different kinds you might not be able to see, and she’s right as well. There’s all kinds of parasites on the ground that can bury under your skin and lay eggs inside your body.”

He watched the child’s face fall before turning a frightful, disgusted eye to the grass upon which they stood.

“I did tell you earlier you should put shoes on.” Brannon reminded her.

“But fairies don’t wear shoes...” Renee mumbled nervously.

“You’ll be fine. We were about to head home anyway,” Jolene comforted, patting her shoulder, “You, don’t scare her.”

“What?” Brannon questioned his wife’s rebuke, “It’s Halloween, isn’t it? The time when you’re supposed to be scared?”

“Just give me the car keys.” she sighed.

However, that was no surprise. His wife was clearly one of the pack as well. The boy in her arms hid his face shyly, but he could also see gold there.

“My wife, Jolene, and son, Joseph.” Brannon continued.

They all exchanged the typical pleasantries before Aurelia leaned a bit closer to the boy who appeared, perhaps...three? It had truly been so long since he’d lived around humans to properly remember the rate of their growth.

“It’s nice to meet you, Joseph.” his wife greeted the toddler.

“Hi.” he mumbled quietly, burying his head more against his mother’s shoulder.

“These are my two daughters,” Brannon began to introduce as his family stood near him, “Renee here is dressed as a fairy. Vivian is a gladiator.”

It was all too easy to see the gleam in their eyes. The daughters shared in their father’s power.

“Your children are nearby then?” Aurelia asked Brannon, “Two girls and a boy, if I remember correctly, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.” Brannon confirmed.

The intensity of his smile faded somewhat as the two engaged in that brief exchange. The annoyance in Brannon’s expression seemed to fade as his wife spoke to him. He almost appeared as if he was entirely comfortable in her presence. Her words bothered him as well. When had she talked to him to learn the better specifics about his offspring?”

“Ah, they’re actually heading over now.” Brannon noticed, motioning behind them.