***
Standing in the middle of the gym, waiting her turn in yet another of Caleb’s grueling training sessions, Kevan looked around the room observing her sisters and cousins in various areas, learning new skills. Not everyone was here; Brennan was at the shop, Eve the hospital, but the rest, when they weren’t working, came over and worked out with whoever happened to be training at that time. Thinking back over how much their lives had changed in the past month made her head shake, having a hard time believing it had been a whole month since she had arrived on Caleb’s doorstep in tears. How times had changed since then.
Joseph was proving to be quite the taskmaster, but they were all slowly learning from him. Most were still waiting for their so-called powers of the ancestors to come in. At this point, only Eve and Kevan had shown any signs of any type of power. But that didn’t mean what they were learning wouldn’t be useful, if and when their powers kicked in. The ideals worked in everyday life choices. Kevan was starting to think that Niall might have been wrong about all ten being the so-called Ones.
Kevan felt a grin on her lips, as she recalled the day she and Kaitlyn had caught the warriors in the middle of a video game competition. A trip to the mall had ended quickly one day, as the girls returned earlier than expected to a house quiet but for the shouting coming from behind the games room door that was slightly ajar. Kaitlyn was hilarious as she took stance, her training kicking in before rushing in with battle expectations, even with all the security that Caleb had. What they found instead were five immortal warriors and a twenty-something year old in a battle all right, just not a physical one. Mario Cart was playing out on one of the biggest flat screens Kevan had seen outside of a theatre. A fight over whose turn it was to take on the winner of Mario Kart on the Wii was in full roar, and the look on their faces when they were busted still made her smile. The best part, whether they be big or small, boys, they pouted when whipped by a couple of girls in what was quickly becoming a weekly ritual.
Kevan laughed to herself as she recalled how red Caleb turned whenever she teased him about boys and their toys. The others were slowly coming around in their decision about joining the training sessions, not only with Joseph, but also with Caleb. Of course there were a few holdouts who avoided Caleb’s lessons with excuses of things they had to do - they hated to exercise, or whatever came to mind. But Kevan knew in her heart she’d have them sooner or later. Kevan had to remind herself to be patient, for all ten needed to come to this decision on their own, not have it forced on them.
Brennan still made sure that the guys knew she didn’t trust them completely. It was starting to become a joke with the guys to see which one could push her buttons enough, to send her off on another tirade. Kevan had tried to talk to Caleb about it, but he’d told her to leave it alone. They enjoyed watching her storm around the room, threatening to never come back to work with these Neanderthals, but she always did.
Kevan would love to say she hated the workouts, but it gave her a chance to watch Caleb in warrior mode, and that was something she really liked watching. Then usually afterwards they would have fun together. She had to admit, she was in the best shape she had ever been in, and having the most fun she could ever recall. The slap across the ass brought her attention back to the present.
“It’s about time, sleepyhead.”
Kevan turned, looking to Caleb standing behind her. She was slightly confused at the abrupt pull from memory lane. “Did you just slap my ass?” she accused him.
“You bet your ass, you were day dreaming in the middle of a work out session,” he accused her.
“I was not,” she defended herself.
“Tell me, what did I just say?” Caleb asked, crossing his arms, giving a look.
“That I was day dreaming in the middle ...”
“Nice try, woman,” Caleb said with a snort.
“Don’t woman me!” Kevan warned him, poking him in the chest.
“Kevan, you need to pay attention when I’m trying to teach you something,” he watched the pout on her face; “You never know what could be coming at you.”
“Yes, I know, Caleb, expect the unexpected,” she repeated his daily mantra, while adjusting her sweat pants, and running her hands through her hair, pushing it back off her face. She felt Caleb’s eyes devouring her body as she ran her fingers down her neck, and over her sides, distracting him enough he didn’t hear Niall shouting at him.
“Caleb,” Niall yelled for the second time, finally getting his attention. Caleb turned away from Kevan, giving her the chance to attack. Taking a running leap, she landed on his back wrapping her legs around his body, her arms around his neck.
“Gotcha!” she yelled, nipping at his neck. Caleb grunted as she landed on him, and then growled, reaching around, his hands cupping her ass, holding her up.
“Yeah, you got me, but I gotta tell you, I’d prefer if you’re going to wrap your legs around me, that you are least facing me, and that we don’t have an audience.” Caleb got hard just at the tease.
“Why? What would you do if we were alone?” Kevan teased him, giving him another playful nip on the neck. How he did it she wasn’t sure; one second she was on his back, then the next she found herself pulled around so she looked into his eyes, his hands caressed her, as he held her close. A cheeky smile told her he was enjoying himself just a little too much.
“Well, now you’ve got me facing you, what do you plan on doing about it?” Kevan asked, lifting her eyebrows as she watched all kinds of emotions flash through his eyes.
“Lesson over,” he shouted, heading for the door. Giggling as she teased him, she raked her nails down his back ever so lightly. “Keep that up and I’ll forget about the fact you don’t want an audience,” he warned her, as they headed for their room.
“Put me down, I’ll race you to the room,” she purred, leaning in, nipping at his chin, rubbing her body against his, getting them both all hot and bothered; until she heard something that broke the mood faster than a drenching from a bucket of ice cold water.
“Kevan Lila Marie Cameron!” Kevan’s head shot up, as she pushed herself away from Caleb, and dropped onto her feet. She twisted around to come face to face with four people standing at the front door with Martha.
“Oh gods, please tell me I’m having a nightmare!” she whispered, closing her eyes, then opening them again, but still seeing the same thing.
“Not a nightmare,” Caleb told her quietly in her ear. “The parents?”
“All the parents. Oh gods, what did I ever do to deserve this?” Kevan gulped, looking over her shoulder at Caleb. Her panic-stricken look made him smile. “How the hell did they find us, and how did they get in here without us being informed?” she demanded to know.
“I put their names on the list,” Caleb informed her. She glared at him over her shoulder.
“Thanks for telling me,” she spat at him.
“Kevan, stop your bickering,” Jason Cameron informed his daughter.
Kevan groaned as she rested her head on Caleb’s chest for a second before turning to face them, plastering a smile on her face.
“Mum, Dad, what a surprise!” Kevan’s voice was high and squeaky, not like her normal husky voice at all. “You look great!” She walked up to them. “You should have told us you were coming,” she told her mother as she gave her a big hug.
“Oh, but I think we learned so much more this way, don’t you agree, Brianne?” Kevan turned and smiled at her serious looking Aunt.
“Yes, I totally agree, Bridget. I’m so pleased we came with you. It would seem that the girls have a new friendship that we know nothing about.”
Kevan groaned under her breath. “I’m so dead,” she said to herself as she gave her aunt a quick hug.
“Hi Daddy,” she whispered in his ear as she walked into his open arms. She always felt safe in them, and in a great many ways Caleb reminded her of her fath
er and uncle. Maybe that is why she was falling for him as fast as she was.
“Baby girl,” She smiled; he called them all his baby girls. “You look great, but if you don’t want your mother to see your tattoo …”
“Kevan, Lila, Marie, Cameron,” her mother exclaimed.
“Oh gods,” Kevan moaned.
“Sorry, too late,” her father whispered. Kevan closed her eyes, mentally preparing herself for what she knew was about to come.
“How could you disfigure your beautiful body like that?” She glared at Caleb. “I hope it wasn’t because this young man has tattoos as well. No, I don’t suppose you’ve had any influence on my daughter, she’s too pigheaded.” Kevan turned to face her mother.
“Mum,” she started to explain, only to get a reprieve when Kaitlyn came walking down the hall.
“Hey, it’s the weirdest thing, I thought I heard … Mum, Dad!” she yelled when she saw them.
Her yelling brought the rest running. Kevan watched and waited as the others greeted the parents. She shifted uneasily, a childish dread building in her guts while she waited for her mother to pounce, but Bridget just stood and watched her daughter shift from foot to foot. The other women weren’t feeling much better as the parents looked over their offspring. After what seemed to be hours, Kevan finally couldn’t take it anymore.
“So to what do we owe this unexpected visit?” Kevan questioned.
“I think you know.” Her mother gave her the all too familiar, boy you’re in trouble now look. Kevan stood tall; she hadn’t done anything wrong, and she wouldn’t act like she was a little kid caught with her fingers in the cookie jar.
“Mum, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kevan told her, trying to look innocent.
“Oh my darling daughter, you haven’t gotten away with that butter wouldn’t melt in your mouth innocence act in a great many years, so I wouldn’t be trying this right now.”
She crossed her arms and stared Kevan right in the eyes. “I want you to answer something for me?”
Here it comes. Kevan thought to herself.
“Why is it that for the last month, you have been impossible to reach? What is really odd is none of your sisters or cousins ever seems to know when you’ll be home, and tell us if we want to talk with you, to call your cell phone. I even called the shop, but Brennan tells me you’re out, and that she’ll get you to call. It seems strange to me that you’re suddenly so difficult to get in touch with.”
Kevan gave her mother a weak smile.
“Ah, but the kicker is, that when we’re lucky enough to get a hold of you on your cell, we can’t get you to talk more than five minutes. I know you’re not twelve anymore, but I am still your mother, and I want, no, deserve some answers.”
Kevan felt Caleb’s hands come to rest on her shoulders, squeezing them gently, showing his support. Bridget looked from Kevan to Caleb, her eyes narrowing as she stared at him for a moment before looking back to Kevan. “I take it this young man is the reason for these problems?” She paused for a moment. A smile crept across Caleb’s face at the young man comment; he reached around Kevan, holding his hand out to her mother, who just stared. He turned to her father, he shook Caleb`s offered hand.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He smiled. “I can see where the girls get their good looks.” Bridget gave him a look that chilled him to the bone. “Okay,” he whispered to himself.
“Young man, does that line work with all the parents of the women that you are sleeping with?”
“Mum!” Kevan exclaimed.
“No Kevan, it’s okay.” He looked her straight in the eyes. “I don’t meet the parents most of the time,” he looked to Kevan and with a smile added, “I know where Brennan gets her bluntness.”
“I don’t believe in beating around the bush. So how long have you been sleeping with my daughter?” Kevan gasped at her mother’s bluntness.
“Mother!”
“Don’t ‘Mother’ me Kevan, I know that you’re sleeping with this man.”
“You know what, I’m an adult, Mother, and who I am or am not sleeping with is really not any of your business.” Kevan felt her face redden more, and sweat trickled down her spine.
“It becomes my business when a man influences whether you talk to your family, or mark up your body,” Bridget accused her daughter. “We walked in on the two of you molesting each other, as you were headed up the stairs. From my point of view, I think I have the right to ask questions about a man who seems very important to you.”
“I think that is really …” Kevan stopped, looking at her mother, then to Caleb. “Mother you ...” She shook with anger at her mother’s tone. “Mum ...” She couldn’t even form a coherent thought, she was so mad.
“Kevan, you should calm down before you say something that you’re going to regret,” Caleb told her. Kevan looked into his eyes, nodded, but caught the look that passed between her mother and aunt.
“Okay, what was that look for?” she demanded
“I have no idea what you are talking about, Kevan,” Bridget stated.
“Don’t give me that. I saw the look that you gave Aunt Brianne. What could you possibly have against Caleb? You don’t even know him.”
“You’re right, I don’t know him, but at least now we know his name.” Kevan clenched her fists in frustration.
“Caleb McLaren, my parents Jason and Bridget Cameron, and these are my Aunt Brianne and Uncle Gavin.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Caleb told them. He wasn’t thrilled about how they were making Kevan feel.
“So Mr. McLaren, Caleb, tell me, are you the reason behind the tattoo that my daughter is sporting?”
“Mum, knock it off,” Kevan demanded of her.
“I will not knock it off, if you did this to your body because of some man.”
“I’m not a child anymore, Mother; what are you going to do to me?”
“Don’t talk to me like that young lady. You’re still my daughter, and I can still ground you if I want to.”
Caleb couldn’t hold back his laughter any more. The foyer echoed with the snickers that escaped from the crowd of onlookers that had gathered.
“Caleb, you’re not helping,” Kevan warned him.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t like seeing you this upset,” he ached to pull her into his arms and comfort her.
“Kevan, I’m really tired of you ignoring me. I’ve asked you a question!” Bridget demanded.
“I think that we all need to calm down.” Kaitlyn stepped in, trying to diffuse the tension.
“No Kaitlyn, I want to know why your sister would mark up her body with that thing just because of a man, and this man is obviously important to her, but she hasn’t told us about him; so is she ashamed of him, or us?”
“Neither,” Kevan informed her mother, but Bridget wasn’t listening, she was glaring at Caleb.
“I want to know if you encouraged my daughter to get that tattoo.”
“Mum, damnit stop,” Kevan ground out.
“No, he’s obviously important to you. I want to know if you let him encourage you to get one, just because he has the same one.”
“He’s important to me, but I got the tattoo before we met,” she shouted at her.
“What?”
“You heard me, Caleb is very important to me.”
“Are you …” Kevan stopped her mum’s rant.
“Mum, I really care about Caleb, and that is the end of this conversation.”
“I don’t think so,” Bridget told her. “Do you care about my daughter?” she demanded of Caleb.
“Very much, Mrs. Cameron,” he told her. “More than anyone I have before.” He wrapped his arm around Kevan’s shoulders, pulling her into his side. “I hope that clears up the misunderstanding regarding the tattoo. As Kevan told you, she had hers before we met. I would not encourage nor discourage her from doing s
omething that she wants to do, unless it put her life at risk. Your daughter is smart and capable, as well as beautiful. She certainly doesn’t need me to make her decisions, although sometimes I wish she would listen to me a little more.”
“So, if she didn’t get the tattoo for you, you did it for her?” Caleb smiled, shaking his head.
“The tattoos are just a fluke that they look so much alike,” Kevan explained to her mum. “I don’t know where Caleb got his, but I got mine while in England.”
“I got mine in Scotland a long time ago,” Caleb stated, not wanting to say how long ago it had been.
“England?” Kevan braced for her mother’s anger to explode. “That was two years ago.”
“Yes,” Kevan admitted.
“Bridget, honey, you need to calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down, Jason; our daughter has been lying to us for four years.”
“Oh please, I haven’t been lying, I just didn’t tell you. Besides, it’s not like I’m the only one who has a tattoo.”
“What!” her mother shrieked.
“Kevan ...” Kaitlyn hissed in warning at her sister.
“Who? Which of your sisters have tattoos?” Bridget demanded.
“Thanks a lot Kevan,” Kaitlyn groaned, giving her sister a dirty look, knowing that they were in for it now.
“If you think that I’m going to be the only one to get in shit for having a tattoo when you guys have them too, then you’re crazy.”
Kaitlyn gave Kevan a killing look before she turned to her mother. “Fine, I have one, too,” she told her mother.
“What?” Bridget ground out, upset that they felt like they had to hide things from her.
“I have a crescent moon and stars on the small of my back, and a flower on my shoulder.” She turned and looked at Kevan. “There, are you happy now?”
“Yes, at least we’ll get yelled at together,” Kevan told her sister.
“Mum, we all have different tattoos.” Kaitlyn stated.
“I don’t,” Aiden whispered.
“Yet!” Myrna spoke up for her sister.
“So all of our children have decided to put permanent markings on their bodies and neglected to inform us.” Bridget looked to her sister who was standing quiet.
“Oh would you knock it off, Mum. What are you going to do, make us get rid of them? We have them, deal with it. I’m sure that we are all very sorry for not telling you that we got them.”
“I really don’t know if I like your attitude Kevan; this is not the daughter I remember.”
”Mother, do you realize how embarrassing this is? We are standing in the middle of my boyfriend’s house arguing about the fact that your adult daughters have tattoos, and didn’t inform you. Stop treating us like we are children.”
“Then stop acting like a child.”
“Fine. I’m sorry Mother that one, I didn’t tell you about my tattoos, and two, about Caleb. Happy now?”
“Tattoos?” Bridget sputtered.
“Awww!” Kevan cried out, grabbing her head. “You’re trying to drive me crazy, aren’t you?”
“It’s called revenge. You did it to your father and me for a long time, so we might as well get our licks in while we can.” With that, she looked to Caleb. “So Caleb, this is your home?”
“Oh, you’re in for it now!” Kaitlyn warned him.
“Yes, Mrs. Cameron, this is my home.”
“Lovely home.” Bridget was very aware of the understatement.
“Thank you, I think so.”
“So, you must have a very well-paying job?” she questioned.
“Mother, that’s none of your business. Oh my gods, I can’t believe this is happening,” Kevan moaned.
“Kevan, how do I to know he isn’t going to try and get you to support him?”
“Mother …”
“Kevan, it’s okay,” Caleb told her. “Mrs. Cameron, ask any question you would like. I will try to answer then to the best of my ability.”
“I do appreciate that, Caleb.” She sized him up. “You say that you care for my daughter, this is good, but what I would like to know, is how long you two have known each other?”
“About a month,” Caleb told her.
“And now, how long has my daughter been living with you?”
“Oh lord, here it comes!” Kevan whispered, closing her eyes.
“About a month,” Caleb told her, staying cool under Bridget’s interrogation.
“ So you and Kevan are now living together, even though you barely know each other.” Bridget’s anger boiled just below the surface.
“Mrs. Cameron, we aren’t taking this lightly; time is out of our control.”
“We’ll get back to that. I want to know what you do, that enables you to afford such a prime piece of property at your age?” Caleb didn’t say a word; he just continued to stare at Bridget. “I believe that I have asked you a question, young man.” Both older women tapped their feet.
“What do you want me to tell you, that I have worked very hard, and have a really well-paying job? I have worked very hard, and I own shares in a great number of businesses that make me a lot of money every month, but I think that you already know that, don’t you Mrs. Cameron?”
Gasps of shock erupted when Caleb suddenly pushed past Kevan, and grabbed Bridget’s wrist, pushing the cuffs of her jacket up to reveal a tattoo the size of a silver dollar on the pulse side of her mother’s wrists, a tribal style intricate Celtic knot.
Kevan’s eyes widened with shock as she stared at her mother. “Mother?” she questioned, as she looked her in the eyes.
“I have to say, I wasn’t expecting that,” Caleb stated, as he looked to Marcus and Kayne. “What do think, it’s been around 300 years?”
“Give or take a decade or two,” Marcus agreed.
“What are you talking about?” Kevan questioned him. “Mother, Mum?” but she stayed quiet just watching her daughter’s reactions.
“It certainly explains who bound their powers,” Niall told them.
“What? Mum?” Kevan sputtered, looking at her Mother, then her aunt. “Oh my gods, you did, Niall’s right. What the hell is going on? Who the hell are you, and how did you just give me shit without laughing? Okay, what did you do with my Mother?” They both stayed silent. Kevan wasn’t the only one to stare, trying to comprehend what they had just learned.
“What does it mean?” she demanded, looking to Caleb for answers.
“You need to be the ones to tell them,” Caleb warned the parental units, but still they stayed quiet. “I will tell them!” Caleb’s threat did nothing to loosen lips. “This tattoo isn’t worn by just anyone, it’s special.”
“Special how?” Kaitlyn wanted to know.
“That is the sign of a member of the Crystal Coven and the star in the middle tells the others that they are also part of the Orion Council,” Caleb said to Kaitlyn, his eyes never wavered from Bridget’s glare.
“What the hell is this Crystal Coven, and Orion Council?” Kevan demanded.
“It’s the oldest coven in the world.” Caleb could see how the revelation was affecting Kevan and the younger members of her family.
“Coven? As in witches? Are you telling us that our mother and aunt are witches?” Kaitlyn was screeching at the end.
“Since they are members of both the coven and council, I would think that they are witches of the highest order,” Caleb stated. “The Crystal Coven is the most powerful coven in the world.”
Kevan rubbed her temples, looking from Caleb to her parents, then back to Caleb. “Oh my gods, how is it that we did not know this?” she wanted to know. “Do we even know you?” she shouted at her mum and aunt, throwing a look of exasperation. “Okay, what about this other thing, the Ori..”
“The Orion Council is made up of representatives of almost all of the other races,” Caleb explained.
<
br /> “So they are what, the United Nations for the others races?” Myrna asked.
“No, that is the S.N.U.N.”
“The what?” Kaitlyn sputtered as they absorbed the strange information.
“The S.N.U.N. Super Natural United Nations, but the Orion council is who the S.N.U.N. uses to back up its decisions, so I guess that they would be like the police force. The people that are invited to be a member of the Orion Council are the best of the best from their race, they are the elite. Most people, when they’re approached by a member of the Orion Council run; it usually means that they aren’t there to invite you to tea.”
“This really can’t be happening.” Kevan turned to her parents, “Is what Caleb is telling us true? Are you some kind of elite witches? Why wouldn’t you have told us? You have lied to us our whole lives!”
“No,” Jason told his daughter, his heart clenched in pain at the look on the girls’ faces. “Girls, they didn’t lie.”
“They just didn’t tell the whole truth,” Kevan told him. “I’ve, no, we have had to deal with so much weird stuff, creating more questions than answers, feeling turned inside out, and you fucking parental units found it convenient to keep us ignorant. Thanks so fucking much! Excuse the language.”
“You’re right on all points,” Jason agreed, looking at his wife and sister-in-law. “But the time has come for you to know everything.”
“Jason!” Bridget hissed in warning.
“No, my dear Bridget, it is time for them to know everything; if you don’t tell them, we will lose them.”
“No!” Bridget told him.
“No more lies Mum ...” Kevan suddenly grasped Caleb’s arm.
“Kevan?” he questioned with concern as he watched her body tense, her face pale.
“There’s something getting in here ...”
Then a presence was invading them all. Everyone reacted within a heartbeat of each other; the only way to describe the feeling was it was like a blanket of evil trying to cover them. The cairbare warriors jumped into protection mode as they surrounded everyone.
Kevan wasn’t sure where the swords came from. The ease with which each man fell into battle mode was impressive, but not as impressive as the changes in her father and uncle. Gone were the loving, caring men they had grown up with, replaced by warriors very much like the cairbare.
Kevan began retching as the foreign energy trickled across her chest, trying to burrow in, stopping her breath. Fear choked her body as the unseen presence of hatred overran the room in pulses timed with her heart. Kevan couldn’t breathe, fear threatened to overwhelm her, though she knew if she gave into the need to scream, she would be lost, they would all be lost.
“Get out!” she wailed, as she pushed away from Caleb. Glaring at an unseen enemy, Kevan shook with the power that she suddenly felt surging within her, and all she could think about was protecting her family. She brought her hands up with an instinct she didn’t know she had, and channeled the power that was surging through her body down her arms and out her hands. The energy bolt slammed into what should have been the wall, but it hit something of no discernible shape. Then it was gone; all sagged in relief as the sludge lifted from the room, and from their souls.
“What the hell was that? I’ve got a good imagination, but I never would have thought that I could feel so violated just standing here,” Kaitlyn questioned as they all looked around, checking to see if everyone was okay. That was when she saw Caleb holding Kevan; her entire body was racked with tremors as she slid to her knees.
“Kevan!” she dropped by her sister’s side as Caleb held Kevan in his arms. “What’s wrong with her?”
“I don’t know! Rhiannon?” Caleb shouted, seeing her push her way through the crowd of people to help them.
“Kevan!” Bridget yelled, trying to get to her daughter, only to be stopped by her husband and the other men stepping between her and Kevan. Caleb looked to Rhiannon as she checked Kevan over.
“What’s wrong with her?”
“I don’t know,” Rhiannon admitted. “We need to get her upstairs and call Eve.”
“No,” Kevan whispered as she came around. Caleb wrapped his arms around her.
“Thank gods!” he stated. “Come on Kevan, we need to get you upstairs.”
“No, Caleb, I’m fine,” she told him as her voice sounded stronger. “What happened?”
He gave a look of surprise. “Don’t you remember?”
“Sorta,” she admitted.
“Kevan, I really think that we should take you upstairs, you should rest,” Kaitlyn told her twin. “This has all been freaky and weird. I’ve got enough fodder to write for the rest of my life, and I can’t take anymore without a stiff drink.”
“No Kait, really I’m fine, honestly. Pour me a drink and tell me what happened. All I remember is this terrifying feeling of evil swallowing me whole. I’ve never been so scared.”
Jason looked to his daughter. “We all felt it, Baby Girl. You weren’t alone in that.”
“Is that what you were attacking with the energy bolts?” Caleb asked.
“The what?” Kevan exclaimed.
“Don’t you remember?”
“It’s a little fuzzy right at the moment,” she admitted. “Energy bolts from me?”
“Yeah,” Kaitlyn told her. “It was kind of cool.”
“Only you would think that was cool, Kaitlyn. All I remember is being terrified of whatever was touching me.” She got to her feet with Caleb’s assistance. “What happened to me?” she questioned.
“She reacted to protect herself and her family,” Joseph stated from behind the crowd where he had materialized. He had sensed something was happening, and had come to check on them.
“From what?” Caleb demanded to know. He just wanted to be able to protect Kevan and her family, but he needed more information.
“From exactly what, I’m not sure yet, but it has certainly left a huge residual energy signature on you all. It appears to be very uncomfortable for you.”
Joseph looked to the parents, who were standing quietly watching all that was happening. Kevan wasn’t really thinking clearly, but she knew that something was up because her mother, never one to stay quiet, wasn’t trying to control anything. She saw Joseph’s interest in them.
“Well, this is something that you don’t see every day, for certain,” he stated. “Could someone tell me why Council representatives are here? Who are these people?” he questioned.
“Joseph, meet our parents. Aha! See, there are a few things you don’t know! Not a nice feeling, is it?” Kevan questioned him.
“Them,” Joseph pointed at the parents. “Why are they here, although it certainly explains a great number of things?”
“Joseph?” Kevan questioned.
“Kevan, forget about him. You need to get some rest, we should take you home,” Bridget interrupted.
“No Mum. Joseph, what are you talking about?” Joseph looked at her as if she should know this.
“You don’t know?”
“Know what?” Kaitlyn asked as she stepped up beside Kevan.
“You haven’t told them?” Joseph looked to the parents; he could see the panic in their faces.
“Joseph, tell us what you are talking about,” Kevan demanded of him.
“Witches married to Sentinels,” Joseph said quite matter-of-factly.
Kevan felt as if all the air had been sucked out of her lungs, again not knowing what the hell was happening.
“What?” The noise of everyone yelling out questions brought the focus back on to the parents.
“Dad?” she questioned.
“Kevan, we’ll explain all as soon as I’m sure that you’re okay,” he told her.
“I’m fine, at least as fine as I can be when I’ve just discovered that my parents have lied to me my whole life. What are you?”
”Yes K
evan, I am your father.”
Kaitlyn couldn’t help but mimic Darth Vader breathing, earning a few groans from around the room.
“Then nothing that you tell us will change anything, but I remember when I sensed whatever the hell it was, you and uncle Gavin sensed it too; I saw you both change into something that wasn’t our father and uncle.”
“So tell us the truth. I think we deserve that. Joseph said you were Sentinels, what the hell is that?” Kevan pushed her father for answers.
Jason had two choices, incur a wife’s wrath, or piss his daughter off; happy wife seemed wisest so he stayed silent.
“A Sentinel is a guardian that the powers of the universe use,” Caleb explained. The room suddenly was drowning in noise at the information that Caleb had imparted.
“The powers of the universe?” Kevan questioned, squeezing her eyes shut, holding her head. “Oh my gods, what the hell is happening to our lives? Two months ago, I had a semi-normal life. Now I’m living with an immortal warrior, my mother and aunt are super witches, and my father and uncle are supernatural guardians. People appear and disappear out of thin air, what the hell else is going to happen? Are you sure this isn’t the plot of one of your books, Kaitlyn, I’m not having a nightmare?”
“Hey! We’re all on the same ride, you’re not losing your mind, and I’m not sure I like the way you make it seem like my books are too out there, but I have to admit, I’m gonna love writing this. The convoluted plot lines, fooling readers about it all being fiction, and knowing my characters so well; I can hardly wait to see where this goes,” Kaitlyn admitted.
“Kevan, please let us explain?” She looked at her father. She could see the worry and pain in his face. “I promise it will all make sense.”
“A little late for that, isn’t it Dad? This is something that we should have grown up knowing, not finding out in our mid-twenties that our whole lives have been nothing but a lie.”
“That’s not true, and you know it!” Bridget barked, stepping forward.
“Maybe not, but to be honest right now, I don’t want to see you, or talk to you.” She looked to Caleb; he squeezed her hand reassuring her. “Please, we all need time; there is a lot of shit to absorb.”