by J L Lawrence
He was tall with a goatee, short blond hair, and strong build. His defined facial features made him quite handsome. He had unique-colored eyes, a liquid silver. Strangely, his companion’s were the exact same color.
The lady was a good six inches shorter than him, but still around the same height as Kate. Her auburn hair tucked right under her chin set in an almond-shaped face. Her build was slight but emanated power.
“Hey guys, we missed you!” The woman hugged Xander and Gregory tightly.
The man calmly reached forward and shook their hands. “Maybe she missed you. I liked being in charge.”
The woman elbowed him in the stomach. “Oh hush, you know it’s not been the same around here. We have all been on pins and needles the last several years waiting for her to arrive.” She smiled at Kate.
Xander grinned and hugged her again. It was weird to see him so relaxed and in his own element.
“It’s truly good to see both of you. Kate, these are my good friends Illianna and Marco. Marco took over training along with Jeff once my mission was activated. Gregory was helping them until he had to come and help me search for you.”
He winked at her. Kate glared, but everyone could see she wasn’t offended. She reached her hand toward the couple and smiled sincerely. “Nice to meet you. I’ve been anxious to meet some of Xander’s friends.”
* * *
Xander watched the scene before him. Illianna looked insane from grinning so much. At least Marco acted more normal. Xander figured the first few introductions could have gone a lot worse. Except Roxy.
What crawled up her butt and died? She was a pain but usually not that forward.
“Guys, this is Kate, our new Mystic, and her friend Angie, who has come to help as well.”
“I’m so excited. I realize what’s ahead, but it feels like a new chapter has begun instead of constantly waiting. Remember that we are your friends. You too, Angie. We welcome you both to our home and our world. We know the transition may be a little tough, but feel free to ask us anything at all.” Illianna reached forward and took Angie’s hand.
“More than that,” Marco added. “We are your faithful servants. If you ever need anything, simply ask. We will follow your lead.”
Xander nudged Kate the second she started to refute the servant comment. She caught on quickly, and instead took his outstretched hand and smiled warmly.
He let out his breath. Many of the people here could be traditional and formal. He hadn’t had a chance to tell her much about their customs yet, or how the power structure was regarded differently. She was like a queen to them. Their ultimate leader. Even if some were hesitant to accept her.
So far, she was handling it well.
“Thank you, but I consider you my friends above all. I have no doubt I’ll need as many friends as I can earn and all the advice I can stand if we’re going to be successful at the Rising. I look forward to spending time with you.” Marco nodded in appreciation as Kate smiled.
Illianna wrapped her arm around Kate’s shoulders. “Why don’t you come over for dinner soon? It will be a nice meal for us to catch up. Also, I hope you don’t mind, but Pam told us that you two were bonded. I know you didn’t have time to celebrate, so I thought a small party would be better than nothing. Maybe we can put together something bigger later.”
Xander’s first thought was to refuse, but they needed to eat. Plus, he and Kate were in a dangerous place right now. She didn’t hate him, but held a lot of anger. He needed some quiet time to talk with her, but she needed opportunities to make friends and allies.
Maybe if Kate knew more about their world and way of life, she could find a way to forgive him. “That sounds great. We’ll see you again soon.”
Bubbling over, Illianna hugged Kate again. “I’m so excited. See you at the Council meeting.” She ran off, dragging her husband behind her.
Xander groaned. “I wanted to spend time with only you, but I know it’s important to start working with friends quickly. And they have gone to a lot of trouble for us.” He leaned down and kissed her. Heat swiftly rose between them.
She stepped back and cleared her throat. He had to work hard to suppress the irritation inside him. He kept reminding himself that she had saved him. She still loved him, but they had to find their way back to each other. It was his fault. He would have to be patient.
They started walking down the street following Xavier, Gregory, and Angie. This will definitely be interesting with them all living under one roof.
“Welcome to your new home. It should suit all of our needs.” He watched her eyes as they widened and the smile cross her face.
* * *
When they came to a stop in front of an iron gate, Kate’s mouth gaped open.
“This is your house? I’d say adequate is an understatement.”
They entered at the edge of a short driveway and she could only stare at the house standing before her. At least she liked his home. That was a start.
Holy crap. This wasn’t a home. It’s a freaking mansion. It was at least three stories and she assumed covered several acres, although she couldn’t see how deep it went. The brick was a beautiful rust color and the windows were all made of painted glass.
It had several wings and what appeared to be servants’ quarters or extra rooms back behind it. The house was situated on a gorgeous piece of land with luscious green grass and the perfect number of trees to give the illusion of total privacy.
Angie’s amazement equaled her own.
Glancing at Xander, she gulped. “This is your house? Where you grew up?”
Nodding, he shrugged like it was nothing special. “Yeah, this is home.”
“This isn’t a home. It’s a plantation,” Angie snorted.
“I take it that you like my home?” He lightly punched her in the arm and grinned. He used a remote to open the gigantic side garage.
Numerous cars and other vehicles were inside. Show off. Kate grinned, watching Angie drool.
“By the way...” Xander wrapped his arms around Kate’s shoulders and turned to address Angie. “You can choose any of these cars and it’s yours permanently. You can drive anything you choose. I will show you how to access the keys tomorrow. We have a small city, but we cover a lot of land and some great driving strips should you ever feel the need to break some speed limits.”
Her face lit up brighter than a Christmas tree. She barreled past Kate and hugged him, laughing as she looked around at all her choices.
Kate followed Angie, who lovingly walked by and touched some of the cars. Expensive cars had always been her greatest weakness, but she’d never been able to own one. She was in her own version of heaven at the moment. He’d received a few points for the sheer joy he’d brought to Angie.
She brought her gaze back to Xander and Xavier. “You both have a beautiful and amazing home. It seems so big for one family. Who all lives here? Surely you don’t live here alone?”
“This is our family home. As you can see, it accommodates more than one family, but it’s pretty empty. My parents aren’t living here at the moment, and Xavier was living in Zane’s home until now.
“Any visitors or family that visit stay in the west wing, but right now we’re pretty low there. When you begin recruiting, this house won’t seem so big anymore once it is full of warriors. Enjoy it while you can.”
Xander put his arm around her waist. They walked back to the front. “How about walking inside?” She tried to be civil and not shake it off. He was trying, and she needed to. He held out his hand.
Pulling herself together, she took his hand, and they walked back around front and up the porch steps. It was hard not to be impressed. Her chin hit the floor again as they reached the top of the porch. It wrapped around the entire house. She’d always loved wrap-around porches.
The front doors were the size of those old-fashioned massive doors she remembered seeing on churches and other historical buildings in other countries she’d visited.
When Xander opened the doors, the shocks kept coming.
She felt like a princess taking a tour of her new castle. Cinderella or Snow White had nothing on her. She stepped into the foyer onto marble floors. A fountain in the center of the entryway flowed smooth and quietly. Soothing. Hypnotic.
She was jarred out of her stupor by the shout of a female behind them. A woman a little taller than Angie, who looked to be in her twenties, came bounding at Xander. She launched herself into his arms, nearly knocking him over. She was uncommonly pretty and lithe.
He grabbed her up in a huge hug and swung her around.
She jumped into Xavier’s arms next, kissing his cheeks and causing him to blush. Kate and Angie stared at the crazy woman knocking everybody over. Startled, Kate tipped back as the girl grabbed her in a crushing hug. At least she didn’t kiss her, too.
“I couldn’t wait to meet my sister-in-law. Mom told me to wait until later, but I had to meet you now. I have dreamed of you since Xander’s birth, and you are everything I imagined. I’m Nikki Montgomery, by the way.” The girl gushed, setting Kate back down.
Her smile could light up an entire town. Kate was looking at one of Xander’s sisters and could see the resemblance, except she had her mother’s soft brown eyes and gentle spirit. Her long dark brown hair was intricately braided and ended down around her bottom.
“Nicolette, please let go of Kate before you terrify her,” Xander said softly, with no real censure in his voice and a smile full of affection.
“Oops,” she laughed. “I’m so excited, discounting the Awakening thing and all that. I’m sure everything will be fine. You are even prettier and more powerful than in my dreams.” She stared at her as though she would never stop.
Kate tried not to be creeped out.
“Nicolette.” Xander was actually tapping his foot like a frustrated parent.
She glared at Xander, and he shrugged. There was a moment between the siblings.
“Sorry, Nikki, could you calm down a little? No wonder Mom wanted you to wait a bit.” He turned toward Kate and Angie. “Nikki is a healer and specializes in dreams and nature.”
A what? Kate questioned him with a raised eyebrow.
“She can heal similar to Mom,” Xander continued. “But she has the unique ability to travel through people’s dreams. Or, she can use the dreams to learn more about the individual. She doesn’t actually watch your dreams. I’ll explain it later. It is a rare, precious gift, and she wields it beautifully.”
Nikki flushed from the praise. “Aw shucks, little brother. I’ve missed you terribly,” she added quietly. She glanced over at Xavier. “Both of you. Welcome home.”
After the reunion, they continued to look around several of the rooms. Everything was made out of thick hand-carved wood. She could see a music room on her left and a sort of den to her right.
She’d never get the hang of this whole house. She wondered if they had an App for her cell that would help her navigate. He’d said they had cell phones and all other technology.
The surprises kept coming as they proceeded down the hallway. Room after room of amazing and priceless art, decorations, and antiques covered every square inch. Next, they stopped at a fork where there were three different hallways.
Xander pointed. “Straight ahead leads to the kitchen. To the left, there are two main sections. My parents’ and sisters’ quarters are in one, and visitors’ quarters are in the other. We are going to the right. Mine and Xavier’s quarters are in this section of the house. Although for the last several years, we have only used my set of rooms and will be using Xavier’s as visitor rooms.
“As the time comes closer, everyone’s house will be full. Many of the regular families here have large homes and house multiple or large extended families. We are the main training and education center for all supernatural beings, so it’s easier to live and work together especially when we are nearing a battle.”
Kate was amazed at how unified the communities and people seemed to be.
“Are all the communities set up this way?” Angie asked.
Gregory finally chimed in. “Not all of them. Some are in between. And in some of the more concentrated areas, groups of warriors, covens, families, etcetera, might live together to maintain safety.
“With demons constantly hunting and rogues causing trouble, it makes more sense to band together so they aren’t picked off. In less concentrated areas, or for those who have tried to mainstream with humans, they live in separate homes to avoid suspicion. Many will still stay near others of their kind and might have an underground safe house in case of attack.”
Angie cocked her head to the side, with a questioning look. “It’s weird to know that all of this exists and humans are completely in the dark. I will say, I’m beginning to see how easy it is to hide and blend in our current culture that is starting to accept the unusual.” She looked upward, hesitating. “Was it my imagination or did some of the people standing around us not look quite human-ish?”
Kate gave the conversation her full attention, since she had seen the differences.
“There are few humans who know about us except certain covens.” Xavier, who’d been extremely quiet since their arrival, reluctantly spoke. “On the whole it helps if we remain Hollywood legends. It was not your imagination earlier. There are lots of supernatural creatures that have banded under our protection to avoid human and demon persecution.
“They are all unique in abilities, or appearances, or both. Shadow Warriors have a tattoo on their backs. Elves and nymphs have slightly larger eyes and some of their ears are a little different. They can be different sizes and have other distinguishing characteristics. Shapeshifters or wereanimals usually have markings on the back of their necks or sometimes down their arms.
“Gliders tend to be pale, but not always, and have unique eyes. They are usually warm, unless they have gone without blood too long, and then they may turn cooler and their skin becomes more and more transparent. The list goes on and on and gets much stranger.
“Wizards, witches, and sorcerers look much like humans except for distinguishing birthmarks usually on their hip, but sometimes in other places. Kate, you will receive a mark as well—probably on your chest—that denotes you as the Mystic. This is supposed to be so all can see your power, but you can hide it at will. Especially when you are operating in the human world.” Xavier took a deep breath.
He sounded winded. Kate wondered if he’d talked this much in the last twenty years. She tried to sort through all the information, but it overwhelmed her.
She was on information overload and not happy about getting some kind of marking across her chest. She’d never been one for tattoos.
It wasn’t accepting other types of people, but accepting several at once that was hard to grasp.
Geez, she had a lot to learn. How would she keep it all straight? “Are there any species that look a little more on the demon-ish side? I don’t want to attack someone on accident due to a lack of knowledge.”
Xander shrugged and shook his head. “There are some species that look a little more different than others, but most have learned how to blend in with humans to survive. There are some that turn into animals, so be careful attacking any animals, unless they are attacking you.
“Most demons are pretty easy to pick out. Legend says that it is due to their black souls and the torture endured in the Hell realm. I don’t think this is something you need to worry about. Besides, once you’re the Mystic you will know who or what is evil automatically.”
“Even the traitor?” Concern laced her voice. She couldn’t stop thinking of how much damage this entity had done so far. There was no way out now. Her only options were life or death. This traitor played a part in that outcome.
“Honestly, if Rowena can’t feel the traitor, I doubt you will be able to either. Once you embrace the full light, it will be easy. At that point, I seriously doubt that it will matter anymore.” Xander continued walking through th
e house until he came to another split.
“Xavier’s old quarters are on the left. Mine are on the right. There are several rooms in each set with a large study. We have decided with everything going on that we will all stay in my quarters, at least until after the Rising, even Gregory. Right Gregory?” He looked pointedly at him.
“I remember, I remember. You don’t have to keep reminding me every ten minutes. I gave my word, and I will stay here until the Rising, or I will at least give it my best.” He looked at Xavier with severe distrust.
Oh yeah, we are one big happy family, dysfunctional and all. None of them would be speaking by the time this was over. She glanced over at Angie, who was twiddling her thumbs, obviously trying to remain aloof.
She knew it was hard enough for her not to be magical. To be stuck between two magical beings that were your love interests and be stuck in the same house with them sucked. Big time. At least she’d be spending plenty of time with both of them and learning all their faults.
Xavier opened the first door on the left. “I’ll be staying here for now.” He waved his hand. All the sheets covering the furniture disappeared, and the bed made itself.
Gregory inclined his head toward the next door beside Xavier’s. “I’ll be staying here if you need me.” He opened the door and followed Xavier’s movements, clearing the furniture and fixing the bed.
“Xander, if it’s okay with you, I’ll take Angie to her room, so you can have some time with Kate.” Though it seemed innocent it was obvious Gregory was trying to get Angie away from Xavier.
“Sure, but don’t forget she needs to unpack and get ready for dinner.”
Gregory glared. “Yes, master.”
Xander sighed and Gregory took hold of Angie’s arm and led her to the third one on the right. Xavier went into his room and slammed the door.
Xander rolled his eyes. “I am way too old for this crap.”
“You are a little old, but I didn’t want to say anything.” Kate laughed at his mock look of indignation.
He opened the second door on the right.