Dark Creations: Dark Ending (Part 6) by Jennifer Martucci, Christopher Martucci

action.  She’d heard reports of mothers reacting with animal ferocity and nearly killing men twice their size to protect their children against members when they’d stormed houses.  She’d been affected by hearing of that impenetrable bond then, had admired it, and secretly wished she’d been born to humans, that she had a family.  Her throat clenched unexpectedly and she swallowed against the strange squeezing. 
    “I just don’t know how I’m going to tell her about her sister, about my mom,” Kyle continued and she heard his voice falter.  “It’s after eleven, like you said, and she’s probably going to freak out about that, you know, when she sees it’s me.  Then what?  I clobber her with news that I can’t even wrap my mind around yet?”
    For reasons she could not explain, Amber wanted to reach her arms out and draw Kyle close to her.  She wanted to hold him tightly and tell him everything was going to be okay, even though she knew the future was uncertain, at best. 
    “You can’t tell her too much,” Amber said gently and battled the pressing urge to hug him.  “She will think you’re crazy if you tell her about the Hunters and what you’ve lived through.”
    Kyle sighed sadly.
    “I really don’t think you should tell her about your parents,” Amber added and acted on impulse by touching Kyle’s shoulder.   The feel of firm muscle beneath her fingertips as he tensed at her touch set her cells afire, storming and simmering excitedly as an electrifying sensation swept up her arm.  She lowered her hand and swore she saw a look of disappointment pass through his features briefly. 
    “I don’t know what to do,” he said and dropped his gaze, but watched her through his lashes.
    Her stomach quivered involuntarily and she breathed deeply to calm it.  “I won’t tell you what to do,” she said softly.  “But we have to hurry.  We have to keep moving.”
    “You’re right,” he said and nodded.  He then twisted away from her and opened the passenger side door. 
    She climbed out, as well, and opened the back door to scoop Jackie into her arms.  The sleeping child roused slightly as Amber hefted her up near her shoulder before falling back asleep.  Kyle did the same and they both walked to his Aunt Christina’s doorstep. 
    The house was small and surrounded by similar looking structures.  Fortunately, their late-night visit did not draw any attention as lights did not immediately shine in driveways and the sound of dogs barking did not disturb the quiet.  A small breeze shuffled leaves on treetops but did not evoke even the slightest swish of air, which felt laden with moisture and stagnant.  Rain was coming.  Amber could feel it.
    “We need to hurry,” she said to Kyle and he reached out and rang his aunt’s doorbell. 
    They waited several moments before Amber heard shuffling beyond the door and the porch light came on.  A pajama-clad woman with her hair tied in a topknot answered, her face puffy and her expression bleary.
    “What the hell? ” she started before her eyes focused on Kyle then widened immediately.  “Kyle!” she exclaimed.  “What’s going on?  Are you and the girls all right?  What are you doing here?”
    “Aunt Christina,” Kyle breathed and Amber heard the emotion there, heard the pain at the sight and sound of his Aunt who looked so similar to his mother, she would have sworn they were twins.  “I need your help.”
    “What’s wrong, Kyle?  You’re scaring me,” his aunt said worriedly.
    “I need you to take the girls.  Something terrible has happened and they need to stay here,” Kyle said in a trembling voice.
    His aunt advanced a step, her face etched with concern.  “What’s happening?  Talk to me, Kyle.”
    “There’s something we have to take care of, something the girls need to be kept away from,” Kyle said cryptically.  But his aunt looked skeptical.  She eyed Amber suspiciously, examining both of them from