Leo swallowed the last bit of the cookie, his eyes darting between the shirtless Damon and the blood-stained Jax.
"Why were you trying to fly out the window, Leo?" Sloane asked, her voice hovering between suspicious and amused.
Leo looked at the floor, acting embarrassed.
"I... I was going to meet my girlfriend outside. I didn't want you to know. I'm the man of the house, I can do what I want."
Sloane let out a dry laugh. "A girlfriend? Really, Leo? You and I both know you wouldn't do such a thing."
Suddenly, Leo snapped. He looked her right in the eye, his face turning red. "Okay! Fine! I know everything! I know what you guys were doing downstairs. I know you needed my blood for your stupid orgy!"
The basement exploded—not with violence, but with loud, mocking laughter. Jax doubled over, clutching his blood-stained stomach, and even Kaito cracked a smile. Sloane let out a long, soft sigh of relief, her shoulders dropping. She thought she was safe. She thought he was still just a boy who didn't understand the dark world.
"Leo, Leo, Leo," she said, shaking her head. She leaned in and explained exactly what an orgy was, her voice dripping with mock-pity. "We definitely won't be needing your blood for that."
"Then why?" Leo demanded, playing his part. "Why take it?"
"It's for a science project," Sloane lied smoothly. "A very important one."
"You could have just asked me!" Leo shouted. "I would have given it to you!"
Sloane smiled, reaching out to pat his cheek. "I know, but I also know you're terrified of needles, Leo-Lion. I wanted to spare you the—"
WEE-OOO! WEE-OOO! WEE-OOO!
The blue and red lights began to flash through the small, high basement windows, strobing against the walls. The sound of tires screeching onto the gravel driveway silenced everyone in the room.
Sloane's face went pale. The "science project" lie died on her lips. She looked at Leo, her eyes wide with a sudden, sharp fear.
"Leo..." she whispered, her voice trembling. "Did you... did you call the cops?"
Leo didn't look like a scared little boy anymore. He sat upright in the chair, the sugar from the cookie giving him a final burst of courage. "I called 911 right before I went to 'sleep,'" he said firmly. "I told them there were intruders in my house and someone had been murdered."