Moon Bound (Glorious Darkness Book 1) by Unknown

I have had every reason to doubt her, thank you very much.
    As soon as she pulls over in front of the house, I hop out of the car, shaking my head at her.
    The welcome party consists of six people - five males and a female. At five feet eleven she's just a few inches shorter than the males, hair a dark shade of red, falling past her shoulders, she's standing next to a guy with multiple tattoos, his arm possessively snaked around her waist.
    Two of the males are dressed in jeans and t-shirts, chests strong and bulky under the clothes as their eyes are silently inspecting, evaluating me. The one in the middle of the group has chosen a black leather jacket over his button down and faded jeans while the man standing in front of the group, is wearing a black suit, golden hair shining under the sunlight and a shadow of a beard shading half of his otherwise strikingly beautiful face and giving him a somewhat rugged look.
    Silver gaze resting upon me, the man steps forth, offering me a hand. "Nice to finally meet you, Scarlet. My name is Michael and I'm a friend of your father."
    My father, however, didn't have any vampire friends. I should have known if he had. And Michael, with the gleam of fang showed through his parted in a smile lips, is surely one of the undead.
    Lifting my hand, I place it in his. "A pleasure," I respond politely. "So, you knew my father?" 
    The guy behind Michael shuffles nervously, his midnight black eyes probing at me like I'm some kind of a rare specimen in his study. 
    "I knew him, yes," Michael confirms, eyes closing for a moment, then snapping back at me. "He was a fine man," he says quietly. "A rare kind of person." 
    My stepdad hasn't been a rare kind of person, no. He was just an ordinary man trying to keep his pack as strong as it could possibly be. Despite the odds.
    And he failed. There is nothing rare about failure as far as I know.
    "I'm sorry he's not the one to meet you today," Michael says, grief in those silver eyes. "He'd have wanted to be the one to meet you."
    What a strange thing to say. "I'm sorry. I'm not sure I understand, sir. I lived my whole life with my dad and you're speaking like he never really knew--"
    "No, Scarlet." He shakes his head. "Your real father never even met you. He was killed before he could return to you and your mom." Sadness, so much sadness in those eyes, in those words.
    "Oh. I-"
    "And please, just call me Michael."
    "Yes, I can do that, si--... I mean, Michael. But how do you know... err, my real father?"
    "It's a long story, Scarlet, and I'll tell it to you but maybe at a better time."
    "Yeah, he'll tell you all about it later. Now, come on. Let's get this pity party over and get something to eat. I'm starving,"  Micah says, placing a hand on my shoulder.
    "You should starve for getting her here two days later," the guy next to Michael declares, scowling at her.  
    Right on time, huh?  I smirk at her.  
    "Oh, shut up, Scar!"  
    "I didn't say anything," I point out, arms up in surrender only to be met by her hard stare.
    "You thought it just fine, though," she accuses.
    I shrug. Can't deny the obvious, can I?
    "I see you're going to be just fine here, Scarlet," Michael interrupts, hushing the obnoxious girl next to me. "Have fun and enjoy yourself. Cole here is going to get you up to speed. I hope we meet again soon so we can have our private conversation."
    "Likewise, Michael. It was nice meeting you," I say, shaking his hand once more before he turns to leave.
    In the blink of an eye, he's gone.
    "Well, Scarlet," the guy who has spoken to Micah earlier begins. "Let's finish the introductions and get you something to eat, shall we?" he winks.
    I nod, smiling at him. Returning the smile, dark brown locks falling in messy curls, his midnight eyes are intent on me.
    Motioning towards the couple, he says, "Those two lovebirds are Jazmine and Hunter." he motions towards the couple as the redhead gives a small wave my way.
    The guy nods my way, his