While we were helping with the food, I introduced the group to Anthony. He appeared to genuinely appreciate meeting them, while at the same time, my friends were more apprehensive about buddying up with a vampire. Christina even went so far as to say, “This better be legit, bloodsucker.”
Most of us were used to her blunt comments, but still, I felt my face flush with embarrassment. “Christina, he has invited us into his home. Keep it to yourself, all right.” She responded with an indignant look in my direction.
By the time everyone was seated around the dining room table, I was practically drooling. I could not have been happier when Alice entered the room carrying a tray with the best looking pot roast I had ever seen in my life. Everyone had already brought in all the side dishes. We had a giant bowl of mashed potatoes, massive amounts of corn on the cob, green beans, and a huge bowl of green salad.
Anthony had gone about setting the table while we were prepping the meal, so there were five tall candles lining the center surrounded by all the food. He had even used some really nice dishes which included two plates and two forks.
Anthony sat at the head of the table, with me directly to his left and Luke to his right. “Now,” he began, “we can enjoy this wonderful meal that everyone has helped to prepare.” Everyone took that as the signal and began serving themselves.
Once we had all eaten enough that we could possibly speak over our chewing, it was time to discuss things. Anthony took initiative and got us started. “I am assuming you will want to begin the hunt for Korina as soon as possible.”
Luke nodded. “You assume correctly. The sooner we can end this, the sooner society can begin to rebuild.”
Drew finished chewing a bite of pot roast and stabbed another one. “If we can get one bloodline eradicated, that only leaves Pavlos and yours, which means far less vampires to deal with than we have now.”
“I have a few ideas on where she might be.” He had eaten his meat and then resorted to pushing his mashed potatoes around on his plate. “I feel the need to inform you, however,” he paused, “New Orleans is a city owned by its people and they aren’t going down without a fight. There is a resistance.”
Christina tilted her head, “You mean the survivors?”
“Indeed.”
Luke leaned back in his chair, “and what do you mean by resistance?”
Anthony met Luke’s eyes as he continued. “The survivors are gathering together, preparing to battle the vampires for New Orleans. As far as I know, there are no other Hunter’s in the area who have yet found the resistance. I’m thinking that these survivors may be of some use to you.”
My plate was empty, so I pushed it a bit further away from myself. “If you know of the survivors and the resistance, then surely the Vampire Council knows about them too.”
“Yes,” Anthony agreed. “Most likely they have discovered these survivors by now. I do not think it will be much longer before the vampires move against them.”
I looked over at Drew and then Luke before speaking up. “I don’t want to use these innocent people as decoys just so we have a better chance of accomplishing our mission.”
Drew placed his hand on my leg. “I don’t think that is what he meant.”
“I don’t care, that is what we would be doing if we ask them to help us.”
“But, the resistance is about getting rid of the vampires, so I think that helping us is what they would want to do,” Drew countered.
“I agree with Drew,” Luke said in a low voice.
Gavin, who was working on his third corn cob, added, “Me too.”
Of course they all thought we should do this, like we didn’t put enough innocent people in danger lately. I exhaled a long breath. “What about the rest of you. Do you all want to find the survivors?”
I was quickly out voted. Everyone nodded their heads and voiced their agreement in favor of Drew and Luke. “All right, I’m with you guys then. But, no one fights who doesn’t want to.”
Luke narrowed his eyes, “Chloe, you should know that we would never make anyone do something they didn’t agree to. Let’s find them first, and then we can see where it goes from there.”
I accepted the fact that it was going to happen. I wasn’t happy about it, but I asked anyway, “Should we go out tonight?”
It was Anthony, not Luke or Drew. “Yes, we can’t waste any more time. Each day that passes the conditions get worse and worse.”
I frowned. “What are the conditions like?”
Anthony leaned back in his chair. “In expectation of your arrival, I have done a bit of reconnaissance throughout the area and discovered quite a few interesting facts.” He paused and there was a stagnant silence as everyone waited for him to let us know what we were going into.