Chapter 26
Alexis let me go early that evening so I could get ready to go to Raine's. I went home and showered and changed before heading over to his place. He lived on the south end of town, and by the time I got there I was almost late. I knocked on his front door, and only had to wait for a moment before the door swung silently open, revealing my brother. He was close enough to me in height and age that I didn't really consider him a big brother, though he was almost a year older than me. I walked in and wondered what was going on, we saw each other every week at the family dinner, but it was uncommon for him to have one sibling over without the others.
"Hey, How you doing?" He gave me a hug as I stepped inside the house.
"Good, confused as hell, but I'm good." I watched as he closed the door and turned toward the living room.
"I've got enchiladas in the oven, they've still got a while to cook," He said, "Do you want anything to drink? I've got soda's, tea and water."
"A Pepsi would be great, if you have one. If not, I'll take tea."
"I have Pepsi, let me get that for you. Have a seat, I'll be right back." He invited, heading into the adjacent kitchen.
When he returned he handed me a glass filled with ice and the dark soft drink.
"So, what's up?" I asked.
"I thought we should talk."
"You said that on the phone, about what?"
"Life. Changes. What's happening with you, all of it."
"I'm not sure what you're talking about," I pretended ignorance.
"Yes, you do, Nickie." He said calmly, confidently, "But I guess I'll go first, since I've been keeping my secret longer."
I stayed silent, waiting to hear what he felt he needed to tell me.
"I have what I think of as a blessing,” He looked down at his hands, clasped together between his knees, “I've known some who've called it a curse, but more often than not, it's been a blessing to me." I raised one eyebrow in question, but didn't say anything.
"I've had it as long as I can remember, my grandmother, who had the same gift, taught me when I was very young never to tell anyone, ever, about it. So when Mom and Dad adopted me I kept it secret. You're the first person I've ever told." He looked back up at me, meeting my eyes.
"And why are you telling me now?" I wanted to know.
"Because it's time to share, Nickie, for both of us."
I tried to calm the panic in my chest. I could hear my own heart beating too rapidly, and I couldn't make it slow. I could only hope that Raine couldn't hear it.
"I don't know what you mean," I tried to pretend I didn't know what he was talking about.
"I think you do, but I'll continue anyway. I'm a seer, at least that's what Nan called us. I sometimes have visions. Bits of the future, events that could happen. Sometimes I can change them, sometimes not, and sometimes I don't even try, or want to.
Sometimes it's not events that that I get but insights into others, sometimes people I've just met, sometimes people I've known for years." I was trying to keep a straight face, not to let him know that I already knew about his talent.
"I know what you are, Nickie." He continued, "I've known about your kind, though not about you, for years."
I couldn't keep my shock off my face, how could he know? I blinked at him, unsure what to say.
"I didn't ask you here to make accusations, condemn you, or to rail at you. I just wanted to let you know that I know. So you don't feel like you have to continue keeping it secret from me. Someone to talk to is something we all need sometimes."
"How do you know?" I finally found the words to ask.
"I saw you shift."
"When? I've been so careful. I would have scented you if you'd been around." I was almost panicking at the thought that I had somehow missed him and if I’d missed him I could have missed someone else.
"I wasn't physically there, but as for where, I would say you were on the mountain. You were standing next to an old pickup." A blush rose up my face. It occurred to me that if he’d seen me shift he’d also seen me naked, but I tried to ignore that tidbit.
"How long have you known?" I asked
"A few days."
"Not about me, about the Kindred."
"I assume by kindred you mean the shifters?" He asked, when I nodded, he continued, "Years. The first time I encountered one and picked up a sight of them in wolf form, was when we were teenagers."
"And you've never said a word?" I wondered.
"I figured I had secrets too. I wouldn't want them to share mine, so I kept quiet about theirs."
I was amazed. I'd never imagined that Raine would know about us, but the thrill that I no longer had to keep my secret from him raced through me.
"You know, Mom and Dad know what I am." I shared, "But the Anikitos said I couldn't tell the rest of the family, as the whole race is a secret."
"I understand," he said, "I just wanted you to know, you don't have to keep it from me."
"I'm glad." A timer went off in the kitchen and Raine went to take care of dinner. We visited a bit more while we ate and then I went home.
Saturday morning, as soon as I'd eaten breakfast and dressed for the day I called Bill.
"Are you busy?" I asked.
"Not really, what's up?"
"We should talk, and I think it should probably be in person."
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm fine. It's not urgent but it should be soon."
"All right, I believe you. How about noon? Come see me, and we'll talk."
"Noon's great, I'll see you then."
"See you then." I disconnected the call and sat down the phone, trying to figure out the best way to say what I knew I had to tell him.
I knocked on Bill's door at exactly noon. I'd asked for the meeting and I felt like it would be rude to be late after he'd made time for me. After a few seconds Gabriel answered the door. I'd forgotten that he would probably be there.
"Hey Nickie, how you doing?" He asked, ushering me into the house and closing the door to keep the cool air inside.
"Pretty good, you?"
"Staying busy. Bill said you'd be coming by, and to tell you he's in his office when you got here."
"Not going to escort me down there and guard him from me?" I teased, making him smile.
"No, I know you won't hurt him. Besides, he said not to." Gabriel admitted.
I laughed. "I guess I'll see you later, if you're still around." I said over my shoulder as I headed down the hall for the office. As much as I wasn’t looking forward to it, I wanted to get it I over with at the same time.
I didn't see Bill in the room when got to the door. I stepped inside anyway and looked around the room, still not finding him. I was about to turn around and go back to Gabriel when Bill appeared in the doorway. He was carrying a plate piled high with cut fruit in one hand and a pair of glasses in his other.
"Have a seat; I got us something to eat." He motioned toward the seating area we generally used. I sat down, but on the edge of the black leather chair, instead of all the way back like I normally would.
"You said we needed to talk?" Bill prompted, setting the plate and glasses down and taking a seat in the other chair.
"I did." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly before speaking again. "I wanted to be face to face when I told you that Raine knows."
"You told your brother?" Bill was carefully showing no emotion, keeping me from being able to judge his reaction.
"No, I didn't have to. He already knew."
"Who told him?" He seemed to be running short on patience.
"Let me tell you what happened last night, then you'll know as much as I do."
"I think that would be a good idea." His voice terse.
I explained to him what Raine had said to me last night, and finished with, "I already knew he was a seer, but I didn't know he’d be able to tell that we were shifters."
"How did you know he's a seer?" He seemed
less angry, less on edge now.
"One of my talents, it took me a while to figure out what it was. It was Hank who solved the mystery."
"Hank?"
I explained to him about the first time I'd met Hank and the shocking sensation I'd felt. I continued with what Hank had explained to me at the barbecue at his place later. Bill seemed surprised to learn about the talent.
"So to clarify, you didn't tell Raine about the Kitsune, and you believe him when he says that no one told him?"
"Yes." I answered briefly.
"And in your opinion, will he continue to keep the secret?"
"I think so. He's already kept it this long, and his own secret. He told me he didn't want his secret told, so why would he tell someone else's."
"I see. I tend to agree with you. But should an issue arise, I need to have asked the right questions, understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"Has it occurred to you that this ability to sense power may be why you feel like you can sense Devon's wolf?" Bill changed the subject.
"It has. I believe the combination of my powers, the sensing power and the calling animals is why I can feel it. I didn’t realized what it was until after I shifted someone the first time."
"Hmm…. It's an interesting theory. Sensing powers is not common; it's possible that the rarity is why no one knows anything about calling a non-shifter's animal."
I didn't know what to say, he seemed to be talking more to himself than to me anyway. I listened to him think for a few minutes before he seemed to realize I was still there. We ate the fruit he'd brought for us and visited for a bit before I left, promising to call when Devon made a decision. I didn't see Gabriel on my way out. He must have been busy in the back of the house.