by Lynn Veevers
“This is my cousin, Bevin. We call her Bay for short. This is her older brother, Grady, and her oldest brother, Quinn,” Kenneth said to Eugen and Kaya. They all smiled at Kaya with a friendly demeanor. “This is my mate, Kaya, and her best friend’s brother, our newest pack member, Eugene.”
The three gawked at Eugene with unveiled interest and he was finally unnerved enough to say, “What?”
They all stopped, and it was Bay who spoke. “I have never seen a fox Pure Form like yours. I am just a little shocked is all. You are definitely unique. What is your trait?”
Eugene stopped to think and looked confused, like he had missed something somewhere. “You know, I have no idea,” he said slowly.
“Eugene is Samantha’s mate,” Kaya explained to the three cousins.
Kaya then went about telling them exactly what had happened that night. By the time she’d finished, Kaya noticed she was telling the entire pack. They had all gathered round her to listen and look at Eugene.
“OK, you guys are making me feel like a freak show!” Eugene said in exasperation.
Owen laughed and slapped Eugene on the back. “Not a freak show, son, just a mystery is all.”
They all walked back to the house where Samantha sat with the cubs, probably scared out of her mind.
17
Four Wolves and A Bear
Back at the house, Owen yelled out for Samantha, telling her it was all clear, and then headed toward the kitchen.
“Well, where is that girl?” Art asked.
Kenneth explained to Kaya that Samantha had always been their uncle’s favorite; he saw her more like a daughter than a niece.
“She must not have heard Owen. I’ll go down below and get her,” Kaya said.
“I think I’ll join you, missy,” Art said as he followed Kaya down below the house.
When Kaya came to the thick, heavy wooden door, she stopped. When she opened the door Samantha was growling viciously. The four cubs stood behind her, wide-eyed and visibly trembling.
As soon as Samantha caught sight of Kaya, she stopped growling and her hackles went down. Kaya blew out a breath of relief. Taking note of who was with Kaya, Samantha barreled the big man onto the cobblestone floor. It was the funniest thing ever, seeing this huge man dwarfed by this larger-than-life wolf licking him to death. Samantha’s tail created a small torrent of air with the speed it was wagging.
Samantha stood up on her hind legs over where Art played dead on the floor and howled victoriously. Kaya realized this was a standard form of greeting for this family, one she would have to grow accustomed to. The cubs seemed far less scared, and decided since Samantha had jumped on him, they could too. So they all dogpiled on top, all except Christian who stood back, still wary. Nadia resumed her Human Form.
“Come on, Christian, come jump on Owen,” she said.
Christian just took a step back and crossed his arms across his chest. “No way! That is definitely not Owen!”
Art waited for the girls to get off him and stood up and walked over to Christian. “And how do you know that, son?”
Christian uncrossed his arms from his chest and pointed at Art. “Because you smell funny. It is kind of like Owen, but different. Plus, I don’t smell Mama on you at all. Lately Mama’s smell has been all over Owen, and you don’t smell like Mama at all.”
Art laughed long and hard.
“Well now, don’t you have a nose and a half on you! Owen and I smell almost identical. You see, we are identical twins, so the fact that you can pick out the subtle differences must mean your trait is enhanced smell, just like me! So how long was it before you noticed the difference, son?”
Christian stood there a moment, not sure if he could trust Art, but a reassuring smile and nod from Samantha put him at ease.
“I could smell you and whoever you were with as soon as Samantha woke us up. I could tell the closer you all got to the house because your scents got stronger. There were scents I know and more I didn’t. I also know two of you are female and three are male. One of the females is older and the other is close to mine and my sisters’ age. The other two males are younger than you, but older than us.”
Samantha kneeled down so she was eye level with Christian.
“Sweetie, how long have you been able to smell like this?”
He shrugged and said, “I don’t know, a few months after Dad died. It started out weaker than it is now. As time goes by, I can smell more and more. At first I could smell different things and after a little bit, I could tell what I smelled, and then I was able to make out how old and if what I smelled was male or female.”
Samantha and her uncle shared a creepy, devilish grin.
“Well, we need to go tell the others! Man, this is so cool!” Samantha said.
She grabbed little Christian’s hand and all but pulled him up the stairs and into the house, the other cubs and Art right behind her. Once again, Kaya was left standing around in the dark. It was infuriating.
She was trying to learn three distinct magical cultures at the same time. For the most part, she knew her dad’s culture inside and out because she had grown up around it, but Kaya was still new to Natural Mystic and Lycan culture, even though she belonged to both.
When they got out to the patio, Samantha went straight to Eugene and snuggled into him before she addressed everyone else.
“Dahlia, Dad, were you aware Christian has been gaining his trait for the last couple months?” Samantha said loud enough for all to hear.
“No, we have not been told a thing,” Dahlia said with a frown.
“I’m sorry, Mama. I didn’t think it was a big deal. You already have so much happening, and I was doing OK on my own.”
Dahlia sat down next to her only son and asked him to tell her about it. Everyone—Lycan and Mystic alike—sat and listened as Christian explained how his trait had begun and then evolved over the last couple months.
“And we thought Samantha’s trait was rare. Christian, do you know what you are describing, son?” Owen said.
Christian beamed at Owen’s reference to him, then shook his head no, that silly smile glued to his face. Owen couldn’t help but smile back.
“You are what we call a scented visionary. You have not completely developed your trait yet though. In its entirety, you will be able to pick up on a scent from miles away and every detail about what you smell will come to life in your mind’s eye. You will know if they're a man or woman, how old they are, and what they have on their person within seconds, as if they were standing right in front of you. In essence, your nose paints a picture your brain interprets. Do you understand?” Owen explained.
Christian gave Owen a hug, “Thank you for explaining it to me Owen. Mama do me and the girls have to go back to bed?”
Dahlia laughed and said, “Of course you do, it is the early-morning hours and you little ones should be zonked out!”
As the four cubs headed off to bed Art said, “Sorry for just dropping in but the rest of my pack was not going to let me come without them, so we decided to come down early and spend the holiday with y’all. It turns out this is a partial clan reunion!”
Kaya vaguely remembered Kenneth telling her, at some point that individual families were packs, but when two or more families from the same line came together, then the combined packs were called a clan.
“Well, since that is the case, brother, you and I had better find where the turkeys roosted for the night and where the hogs bedded down,” Owen said to Art.
Samantha grabbed Eugene’s hand and reported they were going to bed. Dahlia and Grace decided conversation over a glass of wine by the fire pit was in order. Eric and Cole decided to go along with Art and Owen, and Grace’s brood settled down in the family room for the night, saying they didn’t want to bother their uncle about which rooms were theirs until the morning. That just left Kaya and Kenneth.
Kaya told the men good luck on their hunt, bid the women good-night, and followed Kenneth up to his room. She climbed int
o the queen size bed and Kenneth snuggled up to her. He was warm and Kaya felt so comfortable in his arms.
When the soft knock came at the door, she was slightly perturbed because all that comfort temporarily left their bed. He opened the door and she heard Eugene’s voice from the other side of the door. She couldn’t make out what they said. Kenneth closed the door gently and climbed back into the bed with her.
“Well, that was awkward,” Kenneth said.
“Do I want to know?” she asked hesitantly.
“I guess he is like my brother now, in a sense. I can’t believe Samantha found her mate and how fast it happened. I guess when it is right; you don’t need time to know. At least they are being smart, no need to make babies just yet.”
He draped his arm around Kaya’s waist and they were both out cold within five minutes.
The next day went by in a buzz of activity. The men had managed to get the extra boar and turkey they had gone out for in the wee hours of the morning. It was quarter past six and most of the house still slept, but Kaya could hear Owen, Dahlia, Art, and Grace from the kitchen. They conversed in quiet tones. The smell of roasted turkey and smoked pork wafted through the house along with many other scents of food. It all smelled wonderful.
Kaya got up, walked into the kitchen, and opened the fridge to get some orange juice and cream cheese. She then went to the bread box and took out a bagel. Everyone greeted her with good mornings and she returned the greeting.
“Going to have you a little breakfast this early?” Art asked. Kaya offered him a big smile; he was incredibly likable.
“Nope, I require coffee this early in the morning. The food is for Kenneth.”
“The O’Connell men sure know how to pick grade A women, don’t we Owen?” Art said, his voice full of approval as he glanced at the women present.
“That we do!” Owen said with a fatherly wink for Kaya and a tender smile for Dahlia.
Kaya told everyone that everything smelled great before heading back up the stairs. She set the bagel and orange juice on the bedside table then flipped on the red light that Kenneth used to read at night. She sat on the edge of the bed, called Kenneth’s name, and gently shook him awake. He peered at her through one barely-opened eye.
“Good morning, Kays. You are up early today.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, I made you a small breakfast.”
He propped himself up on the pillows. She handed him his breakfast and he told her thank you, then dove right in. She watched him for a moment, then decided now would be the perfect time for the gift she’d been planning for a couple days. She wanted to give him something special, something he’d remember forever. She opened up and immediately, Kenneth’s head shot up from his plate. He saw Kaya’s mother and visibly relaxed.
“Sorry, you gave me a shock,” Kenneth said to her parents and the woman who stood with them, going right back to eating his bagel.
“Kenneth!” Kaya’s mother snapped at him and he jumped at her sharp tone. This time, he paid attention to what he was seeing. He set the plate and cup back on the table and slowly threw the covers back and got out of the bed. Walking to where her parents stood, he stopped in front of the woman who had come with them.
She had wavy black hair that fell to the middle of her back, and couldn’t be more than five feet tall. She was small-framed and had the face of an angel with eyes the exact shade of grey as Kenneth’s. He stood and stared, unable to speak for a long time. Then finally, he found the words.
“Mom, is it really you? Are you really here?”
Lana O’Connell laughed, and the fullness of it resonated through the room. Kaya sat on the bed and watched as he tried more than once to say something, but the words just wouldn’t come. Lana didn’t speak for a long time, star struck by her youngest son.
“You look so much like Cole. I never saw you in Human Form. When I left this world, you were curled up in my arms, sleeping. I passed not even an hour after you came. I am sure your father was upset with me for the way I went. He wanted so much to be there, holding me when I crossed, but I wanted to spend my last moments with you. It was all the time I was going to get and I knew that. I want you to know it isn’t your fault I died. There was no way we could have known you would take on your Pure Form during the labor. A Lycan child normally doesn’t learn how to assume Pure Form until they're a year or so old, much like a Gnáth child learning to walk. So the fact that you did it in utero was an unforeseeable complication.”
Kenneth listened to his mother, hanging on her every word. When she had finished talking, the flood of questions came out of Kenneth faster than Kaya could keep up with.
“I have so much I want to ask you! What is your favorite color, favorite food, your favorite flower? What was it like growing up in Ireland?”
She laughed again, and even in death, the sound was full of life.
“Green, seafood, sunflower, and I can’t answer the last question in one word.”
Kenneth grinned sheepishly and apologized to his mother.
“How long do we have?” he asked Kaya.
She loved him so much for his confidence, his fearlessness. He was always so sure of himself; however, looking at him now, he looked vulnerable and slightly lost. It was a side of him Kaya did not know existed. He needed this time with his mother.
Kaya smiled and said, “You take all the time you two need.”
Kenneth laughed nervously and said, “Can you tell me about Ireland and how you met dad…please.” She sat on the bed next to him and began her tale.
“I grew up in County Clare in a small town on the western side of Ireland. It is situated almost half way up the country, closer to the south than the north and about two and a half hours from Cork. It’s where I met your father. It was my first year at CIT, Cork Institute of Technology, and I was going for my degree in horticulture. I was walking the path of the huge round courtyard toward the track where I took my daily run. My face was buried in one of my course books and I was not watching where I was going. The next thing I knew, I was flying backward with whatever force had hit me. Hitting the ground with my book still in hand, I realized someone had landed with me. Unfortunately, I had broken their fall and hit my head in the process. Before I’d processed what happened, I’d passed out but, when I woke up, it was to a frantic man’s voice."
“I think I might have killed her! Please wake up. PLEASE…Evan, help me, get her stuff please,” Owen said.
Lana could feel Owen’s hand brushing the hair off her face. He kept saying he was sorry, and she felt her body being lifted off the ground. She was groggy and her head hurt like crazy, but, her fear of being dropped made her use what little energy she had to wrap her arms around Owen’s neck. The sun hit her skin, warm and comforting, and then it was gone suddenly. When she muttered “wait” he stopped walking. Lana opened her eyes and bloodshot, ice-blue eyes stared back at her. His fear and remorse showed in those eyes and she realized he’d been crying. It was written all over his face; he thought he had messed her up good.
“Please put me down,” she asked him weakly.
“I’m sorry, but no. I am pretty sure you have a concussion. Your head made a hollow- thud when you hit the brick. I’m taking you to the hospital. I’ll pay for it. What’s your name, darlin?’ Owen asked Lana.
His smooth American accent was soothing to her, but it had a different quality to it than she’d heard before. It had a kind of charming twang that Lana found extremely attractive. She stared at him and said nothing. His eyes had locked her in and left her speechless.
“Can you hear me, hun? What’s your name,” Owen asked again.
He stood perfectly still, holding her effortlessly in his arms like she weighed nothing and waited for her to say something.
“Lana. My name is Lana,” she said with a slight slur.
Owen let out a relieved sigh because she had said more than two words then started walking again.
“Well, Lana, we are taking you to the hospital
. I have to make sure you’re going to be OK. I’m Owen by the way. Evan here is going to drive. You are going to be just fine. I am so sorry, I didn’t see you when I went to catch the Frisbee. I’m really sorry!’ he’d said, completely upset.
When they finally arrived at the hospital Lana’s vision was still a hazy mess of duplicate images. The doctor diagnosed her with a mild concussion. A few hours of observation and she was free to go home but, told not to drive until her vision returned to normal. Owen dropped Evan off first and then drove Lana to her flat in town. Lana’s flat mate answered the door when Owen knocked, and without asking, he pushed through the door and asked her where Lana’s bedroom was. Lana pointed kitty corner across the lounge to the door on the back wall to the left.
“Hey! Who are you and what do you think you’re doing?” Lana’s flat mate, Soraya asked crossly.
Owen spun around and said, “I’m the idiot who accidently landed on your friend and gave her a concussion. Now if you don’t mind, I could use your help.”
Soraya glared at your Owen and said, “Americans! They think they run the whole world!”
But nonetheless, she shut the door and followed him into the room as he set Lana down on her bed.
“Can you help Lana change and check on her every couple hours to make sure she’s OK,” he said, never taking his eyes off Lana’s. “Can we exchange numbers so I can follow up?”
Soraya had agreed and he left, but not without reluctance in his face. Soraya walked him out, and when she returned to Lana, she was buzzing with irritation.
“Well, he’s a pompous one, isn’t he! Just came through here like he owned the place!”
Lana laughed and Soraya looked at her cross-eyed.
“Come off it, you can’t be serious! Are you serious? You actually want to see him again! For heaven’s sake, just shoot me dead! Why?” Soraya wanted to know.
“I don’t know. He’s awful sweet, Soraya,” Lana told her.
Two hours after he left, Owen was knocking on Lana’s door again. When she answered the door, he said, “Darlin, you should be resting, not up and about.”