Exton

Alise had just laid Gracie down with the nanny at the tavern and had retrieved Tomas from under a table where he had been climbing all over Panther.

“Mon Dieu, what am I going to do with you? You are lucky Panther doesnt get mad and gobble you up.” Alise tickles Tomas and his happy squeals can be heard throughout the tavern.

Tara was clinging to Raina when Adrian and Thea arrived. She wasnt comfortable with strangers and vampires seemed to scare her. Raina thought maybe it was because you had to 'read' their emotions a little differently and Tara hadnt learned how to do that yet.

Adrian introduced himself and asked if the women would mind answering a few questions about his brother and Laila. He asked pretty much the same questions as he did of Rowan and Ramji, paying careful attention to Alises description of what happened the night Rath broke the glass around Lailas hand.

Alise finished with, “My husband and brother in law saw the whole thing too. Stoney carried her from this main room to a smaller private room in back. I called Rowan and she came to see to her injuries, which could not be treated here. They will be here shortly if you want to talk to them.”

As she finishes speaking Star tentatively approaches. She knew who Adrian was just as she knew he was coming in that way she had. Erik sits back and lets her approach Adrian herself. Raina was always after him to let her do things for herself. And it was true, Star did seem to be coming out of her shell more and more. He knew she wanted this opportunity to stick up for her friend.

“Ex...excuse me. You are Adrian, R..Raths brother?” At his nod she continues, “And you must be Thea. You look just like Laila.”

Star nervously adjusts Mera in her arms. “I wanted to tell you about the shack she was forced to live in. I saw it the night she was hurt. I was not here when it happened, but went to see her after. Then I went to her place to gather her clothes and things, and her kitty, Serena.”

With some gentle coaxing Star described the shack just as Ramji had but added, “He wouldnt let her use the bathroom in the house. She had to bathe and do her washing at the pump out in the yard.” Tears fill Stars eyes, her empathy for her friend very apparent to Adrian and Thea.

Thea reaches across the table and takes Stars hand, “Thank you for being a friend to her. I have brought her some things from home which we will see that she gets before we leave.”

Star smiles and nods, then returns to Erik, her eyes huge and dark.

“Whats wrong Princess? They seem nice and are trying to be fair to everyone concerned...”

“They should just stake him. He is going to cause trouble later... for everyone...”