Feral

When they returned inside Ethan met them and told Soren that Mason's group had brought food. It had been all non-perishables that were still on the school bus.

"Once everyone has eaten, help them move everything to the cooler. Track everything that goes in; what it is, how many of each there are. Everything. It'll be added to our current list and help with tracking inventory. Food will be a priority for a long time.

"I plan on putting a team together as soon as possible. They'll be tasked with going into the city to find people, and gather all the food that can be found."

The more people they had the more food was consumed. Soren knew eventually they would have to look into growing their own, but that would have to wait. There was always a chance that things would not get that bad. Not that he held out any hope for it.

"Weren't you helping with the food?"

Ethan chuckled, "I was. I wasn't doing so well, then Issac came around and pulled Mason away. I was pretty much thrown out because I was doing more harm than good. Ashton and Darcy are helping in my place. Kelly is in there right now with a couple of the older kids getting food. She has all the kids in the dining room at the table."

About then Gabriel stepped out of the kitchen and announced that food was ready and had everyone line up. Soren found it interesting to watch. Between his trip to Culton and the groups brought over by Mason and Issac, they had added a little over forty people. Out of that, there were six under ten and two teenagers. A handful of the remainder were college students.

Those who had just come in with Issac stayed back, while the rest lined up. Kelly had already gotten the food for the kids and was sitting with them in the dining room.

"We need more beds. Oh, Ethan, I told Issac to go rest in your room after he was finished talking with Mason. I'm going to work out a roommate system today. So, you're forewarned, you will be getting a roommate."

"Understand, boss. Does that mean that all of us evolved will be staying upstairs?"

Soren nodded, "It's safer that way."

Soren dismissed Ethan and made his way to the basement. He wanted to talk with Madelyn about getting things ready for a mass round of vaccinations. The plan this time was to let everyone know what was going on before they got the shot. That did not mean he was giving anyone else the chance to become an evolved.

He did plan on making Mason's transformation a public show. Soren wanted to make it clear that, while painful, it was not dangerous.

When they got to the basement they found the Marsh family talking with Jordan. Madelyn was there as well, but off to the side. It was clear that Jordan had revealed himself to his father and Ava and it looked like it had gone over well, they were talking with him as if he did not look like a muscled mutated.

~Hey, you should come join us.~

Jordan turned to look at Soren, not giving him a chance to sneak off. Soren smiled and walked over.

"How is everyone doing?"

"Better now that we're all together."

Charlotte spoke up, her face lit up and smiling as she glanced from Jordan to her husband and daughters. Reece appeared happy as well, though both girls were a little more restrained. Jordan was giving off waves of emotions that only Soren could feel, his eyes were a brighter red than normal. Jordan was doing his best to restrain his own smile, not wanting to show off his serrated teeth.

"I'm just happy that Issac was able to find Ava and Mr. Reece. He had originally gone to Kansas City to find his sister. Unfortunately, he wasn't as lucky."

Jordan frowned, ~She was dead? How is he?~

~She was and it was apparently bad enough that he was unable to fully describe the situation. He was barely hanging on, though he's calmed down now. I chose right when I made him one of us.~

"Soren Valle?"

Everyone's attention turned to the man who was walking up to them. He had short brown hair and stood a good three inches shorter than Soren. He was wearing well-worn jeans and a dirty t-shirt. There was something off about it, something that Soren could not quite pinpoint outside of his obviously dead eyes.

"What's up?"

Soren stepped up, head cocked to the side. What is wrong with this guy…

"I have a gift for you, from your father."

He stopped just inside the hall, Soren and the rest were standing between the first two bedrooms. The stranger raised his right hand and threw something at Soren. Soren stepped back and Jordan stepped in front of him. To his side, Avery dropped his notebook and drew a gun.

Something that looked like a shriveled heart landed on the floor near Jordan's feet. As the mystery item came to a stop two things happened almost at once; the mystery man collapsed to the floor and Soren let out a low, deep growl.

Jordan turned to find Soren's eyes bright red and his teeth bared. There was no sign of Soren in those blood-red eyes. What was there was something far more terrifying.

~Madelyn, get them out! Now!~

Soren reacted to Madelyn moving to the Marsh's. She had been behind them and moving had put her beside them and within eyesight. Soren made to rush them but Jordan stepped in front, body low. Jordan let out his own growl and pushed at Soren.

"What's going on?"

Charlotte grabbed both of her daughters as she was pushed forward by Reece and Madelyn. Madelyn shook her head in response to the question. She had no clue what was up. Madelyn had only been around them a short time, but she had thought that Soren was incapable of losing control.

"I'm not sure. I think it had something to do with what that guy threw."

As she spoke she moved away from the family to grab the strange object and rejoined them. She felt disgusted just holding it, whatever it was. She was not certain what it was, but her instincts were screaming at her to toss it. She paused long enough at the bar to grab a resealable bag from behind the bar and tossed the item in it.

"Will Jordan be ok?"

Ava asked as she tried to look down the hall. All they could hear were growls.

"He's safer than us."

Back down the hall, Jordan had managed to push Soren to the end of the hall. He turned to look at Avery, trying to convey the fact that Avery needed to run. Jordan had only ever seen Soren lose control once before, the day that he ran away. Somehow Jordan had been able to pull him out and it had given them the opening they had waited years to get.

Avery stood as if frozen to the ground. He had suddenly found himself facing his worst fear; Soren, out of control. Life had been bad enough when Soren was in control of himself. Avery knew that he should run, he knew that he was no match for Soren whether or not the man was in control of himself.

And yet, without knowing why, he put his gun away and walked toward them. Jordan, who had turned away to give his full attention to Soren, did not realize that Avery was approaching. Soren did. His blood-red eyes had locked onto human prey and he was not willing to share.

Soren growled, low and deep, but this time it was lingering like a warning. A second later he lowered his body and pushed at Jordan.

Jordan found himself pushed against the wall between bedrooms with enough force to break through the drywall and leave him breathless. Jordan found his breath and came back to his senses in time to see Soren take Avery down, teeth locked on the other's neck.

~Fuck..fuck...fuck…~

Jordan was certain Avery was gone. There was no way a human could survive that. What he saw when he moved closer left him shocked. Soren was holding Avery, his mouth had a firm hold on Avery's neck but the bite had not gone any further than the initial bite.

When an evolved turned feral they were no better than a mutated. Soren's attack should have ended with Avery's throat ripped out.

~Soren?~

Jordan's question was answered with a low growl. It was no longer the same feral growls he had been giving, but it was a possessive growl. Soren was telling him to stay away, that the human was his.

Jordan went down on his hands and knees, his head lowered. He glanced at Avery and caught his attention. Avery was calm, even in such a dangerous position, and mouthed 'ok' to Jordan.

~Are you going to kill him?~

Jordan moved his attention back to Soren, though he made certain to not make eye contact. Soren let out another low growl.

~Go.~

There was power behind that one word. Soren had the power to control the mutated and evolved alike, but not Jordan. That did not mean that Jordan could not feel Soren's power, or be made to submit even without absolute control.

Jordan did not want to leave Avery, the only friend he had made outside of Soren. If Soren's eyes had not turned a dark shade of red he might have pushed the issue. The change in eye color told him that Soren was regaining his control, and he had once told Avery that he would not go against Soren for him. As much as he hated it, Jordan slowly backed away, head down and body low to the ground to let Soren know that he was not going to attack. When he was far enough away he got up and walked up the stairs.