First it had been Mrs. Ambrose saying that Sharp could really use her company in her own home? Then June and Allen's warning, accompanied with whatever Simon had been trying to tell her. And finally, Sharp's weird behavior.
Stella shook her head wondering what this all meant. She could currently make no sense of anything. There were too many things she didn't know, didn't understand, in motion here. She sighed and slowed her pace a little, matching the others. "We must be reaching Sharp's home probably." Stella thought to herself, but her mind turned blank upon realizing that Sharp had slowed his pace further, to let Penelope go further. He fell in step with Stella and they ran in silence for a minute.
Just as the silence was getting uncomfortable and Stella was wondering how to break it, she was spared the torment. "I assume you have questions?" Sharp's voice rung out through the silence among them. Stella turned her head to look at him. He was right, she had questions. A lot of them. But she had been avoiding asking them to Sharp.
Ever since they had reconciled, she had been avoiding a lot of things around him. She avoided talking about things she knew would make him angry, she avoided doing things that would make him angry, and changed the topic whenever she saw what she was saying was having a negative impact.
Since Stella had figured that they wouldn't be living together forever anyway, she might as well tip-toe around him. As the previous incidents of her rebellion had all led to physical harm. She had even stopped sneaking out and getting into fights. Whenever Sharp was around, anyway.
They had continued to run while Stella had been thinking all this. She shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but Penelope in front of them stopped at that exact same instant. "We're almost in the hearing range." she said. Sharp nodded and turned towards Stella. He placed both his hands on her shoulders and said, "McCarteny, though I am sure you have a shit ton of questions, this is neither the time nor the place for them. I'll answer whatever I can, but when I can. Okay?"
Stella nodded, hearing the urgency in Sharp's voice. The only other time she had seen him this agitated was when he had saved her from Mazata Zukao. "For now, just do as I say. Okay." Sharp continued upon getting another nod from Stella.
"Once we are within earshot, I do not want you to utter anything that remotely sounds like you're scared, or uncertain. And once we're withing sight, I want your expression to be, at all times, one of haughty indifference. Act like you're the strongest one here, and you fu*ing know it. Do not show even an ounce of weakness. Okay." "And not, for even one second, even think about being afraid. I am sure my aunt will not be able to read your mind, but best if you believe yourself to be the strongest being within a five mile radius." he added, laying emphasis on the last few words.
Stella only nodded, convinced that these were the strangest set of instructions she had ever received. Even from a vampire.