Chapter 11: The first encounter

Brick, Butch, Boomer, and Bane all stood around the grill chatting it up while watching the food. They had missed each other. Boomer and Brick both filled him in on things that were going on around his empire. When Butch had murdered Mitch, his group had been attacking little shops around the neighborhood. But they had been put down by Boomer along with Bunny. Bunny had been more enthused to help her father put down the rebellion. The pride all over his face was hard to miss. Brick and Jr. both put down a group planning to riot through their territory. Jr had had his father sit it out and watch him for a grade going after following Jade's plan. Brick was proud of both of his kids. Butch explained how the boys were picking up on habits of the alpha but they all knew Majin would be the next alpha. His power was immense plus his mate was quiet powerful in her own right. Bane was content to just listen to them all talk about it.

Blossom, Buttercup, and Bubbles sat around the table chatting about what they had been up to since the last time they had seen each other. Blossom and Bubbles both filled her in on how their business they were running were going. Buttercup took in both of their concerns before giving out the answers in how to deal with them. Both Blossom and Bubbles were very interested in what it was like for her sons to find their mates. Buttercup assured them it was a relief. The girls were hundreds of years old. They were strong, very strong especially her youngest son's mate. Being a grandma was actually kind of exciting. She still looked good to be a grandmother to six grand pups and she would love all of them.

The two sets of triplets and cousins along with Brett plus Charlie all sat in the living room staring at each other. The boys couldn't help but to stare at Brett while the Brooke and Elaina stared at Charlie. Sean was in a world of her own as the cousins stared between the two curiously. Bunny sat there annoyed at her older cousins just staring at each other in silence. Everyone's eyes shifted to Sean's standing form as she removed herself from the group only to disappear outside. Bunny's eyes were drawn to her cousin Majin quickly before calling out to him.

"Majin, how come your mate is so mean?" Bunny asked looking to the said boy.

Majin sighed. "She's hurting Bunny. Sean is not really mean, she is just well… Sean." He smiled.

"Do you love her?"

He nodded. "I do."

"Like how much though?"

"More than I have loved anything else in the world."

Brett looked to his younger sisters as Bunny continued to question Majin about Sean. He cocked his head to the side as he noted his sisters' eyes on Charlie. Sean must not have told them about her for the last time they were together; she cut ties with him out of anger. He could sense her hunger but he knew her. She wouldn't ask him to feed her. Now with the news of their father appearing, he knew her heart was in turmoil and her hunger was steadily rising. Majin must have wanted to comfort her but what could he do? His eyes slid to the girl on his side.

"Go speak with my sisters. I am going to my other sister."

Charlie nodded without a word as he stood to follow where she had disappeared.

Jr. stared at Frost. He frowned slightly. "So how good is your cultural food?"

Frost shrugged. "I'm currently learning how to cook Hispanic food authentically."

"Really? I'm in the Indian culture at the moment. I want to learn the Hispanic food culture." Jr nodded almost impressed by his cousin's achievement.

"When I master it, I will teach you in exchange for Indian cuisine." Frost nodded.

"You got a deal." Jr. agreed.

Charlie stared at the two of three triplets in hesitance. If they were anything like the oldest one, there would be some beef. The two of the continued to stare for a long time before one youngest one spoke up.

"Who are you?" Brooke questioned softly.

"I'm Charlie,"

"How did you meet our brother?"

"We met at a beach one night. I asked him to walk me home from a group of men that had been following me and he obliged me." She explained.

"You think you know about us because I'm sure Brett told you of our history."

Charlie sighed. Here they go again. "I don't know anything about any of you. But I'm not going anywhere either. Your brother is amazing."

Elaina raised a brow before sitting back. "We'll see Charlie. I'm willing to give you a chance."

Brooke nodded. "Me as well. But don't except Sean to. She's very territorial."

Charlie nodded. "That is all I can ask. So what are you each having?"

…

Sean stood in area where she and Majin made love. The memory of that night was overshadowed by the current situation. Her father who she thought was dead appeared from thin air brought here by the meeting of the Jojo family. So it was that easy to move on and forget they even existed? He left them with Zac for Zac to do terrible things to her sisters. It didn't matter what Zac did to her. She knew she could take it. Even when he killed her pup, she knew she could take it. Her hand touched her stomach in memory. Shaking her head, she sat in the sand letting the surf brush against her legs softly.

"Sean, you should not go off by yourself like that." Brett spoke appearing beside her.

"I will do as I please just as you have. You brought that girl here; I can disappear if I want to." Sean responded, her eyes looking out to the ocean.

"You have to understand Sean, she calms the blood." Brett tried to explain.

"I am aware." She sighed. "You are going to abandon me just like Bane has. I worry about it, more than I worry about everything else."

"But I would never abandon you, Sean. You are my sister. I love you. Charlie cannot fully understand what I am like you can. We both share the same bloodlust. And I know you need me like I need you." Brett dropped beside his sister. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her forehead. "I cannot speak for father but I will never leave you."

Sean nodded accepting his affection. "I will be more tolerant of her for you."

"That is all I could ask."

"Sean? Brett?" A voice called to them.

Sean refused to turn around while Brett looked over his shoulder.

"What is that you want father?" Brett asked standing, guarding his sister.

"I need to talk to the both of you about what happened."

"There is nothing to talk about." Sean responded standing with little difficulty due to her pregnant state. Brett assisted her by grabbing her hand for leverage to pull herself up into a stance.

"But there is. I know you hate me for what I have done." Bane spoke stepping closer. His heart hurt at the distrust on both of their faces, especially his daughter.

"Hate you? You moved on like we never existed. It is worthless for me to hate you when you do not even exist to me." Sean spoke with finality.

"You can't just cut me out of your life because you are mad at me Sean. You, your sisters, and Brett are the most important people in my life. I'm glad to see you all survived." Bane hissed softly.

"But you have cut us out!" Sean roared. She paused for a moment to compose herself. Her eyes looked up at the man with nothing in them. "You left us alone with Zac and replaced us with the Jojo's. You do not give a damn about us. Do you know what he has done to Elaina and Brooke? He broke them when I could not protect them. When I was too beat up to defend them, he injected them with the tiger's blood. You left them to die with no protection except for me."

Bane took in her words. There was something she wasn't saying. He knew his daughter well enough to say that she was probably took the brunt of all that punishment rained down on the girls. But she wouldn't admit to that not to him, at least not out right. Taking a step toward her, he waited on her reaction. When she did nothing, he continued to walk till they were face to chest since he towered over her.

"What did he do to you Sean?" he whispered.

"He did nothing." She answered.

"Why are you lying? I know you. You wouldn't let your sisters go through that unless you couldn't do anything to stop it. You take after both your mother and me Sean. Their weakness inspired something in you." Bane pressed.

"No,"

"Yes it did Sean! Just admit it, admit that he broke you like your sisters! Tell me about all the hardships you endured to save them." Bane growled.

"Father, this is not necessary." Brett spoke up.

"It is necessary. Just because you were in her blood doesn't mean you know what happened to her." Bane snapped.

"But I did more than you did 'dear father'. I was the one supporting her every time she was hungry. You left all four of us to die with Zac and you are aware of that. She is right. You did not nor do you now care about us." Brett growled.

"Brett is right Bane. You wanted us to die with him which is why you never found us. Yes we did move around more than was normal but that was because of I. That bloodlust your mistress cursed all of us with takes over my mind till all I think about is murder. I painted a trail for you to follow but you refused to go. You have no right to be called father." Sean spoke up irritated by his questions.

"That's not true Sean! I looked everywhere for you!"

"I do not wish to hear it anymore." Sean turned away from them both.

"You will hear me instead." Diablo spoke into their minds.

"What do you think you are doing?" Bane asked struggling to keep control over his mind.

"You will do my bidding. We will consume this world in fire." Diablo laughed.

"We'll never let you succeed in it."

"But you will."

The three in the field gripped their heads as a burning sensation overcame their brains. Growls and howls filled the area as talons sharpened like they did in their other form. Teeth jutted out in terror. Clothes shredded to the ground as fire burned their clothes showing those tattoos that all of them carried from hundreds of years ago. All three of their skin became that tar like skin Brett had as the tattoos continued to glow with fire. Their eyes had been consumed by the red from Diablo leaving nothing but the speck of their pupils. The three stood there waiting for the order.

"Go." He commanded.

The three nodded before disappearing.

…

The family had gathered in the backyard of the house to enjoy each other's company. Food had been served as did the drinks. Music filled the area as the family enjoyed each other's company. Majin tried not to look off in the distance too much for his pregnant mate. She disappeared a lot so it wasn't exactly abnormal for her to be gone. Instead, he chose to focus on his brothers trying to out eat each other in a competition. The other family members were laughing at Boomer's jokes and Bunny's antics. It was an all-around good time as it had been the first time in fifty years they had been together as a family.

Something caught Brooke's eye. Frowning, she peered into the woods to see Sean standing there in the shadows. Getting up to greet her sister, she was quickly grabbed by her mate to stop her as Sean sprinted forward. A call left her mouth as she raced to the family as she cleared the path to them. Brett and Bane followed suit in going after the family as well. Frost, Tocar, and Majin moved the family back up against the house. Brook, Elaina, and Charlie stood the boys in confusion as the three began walking circles around them. They snarled and snapped at the family menacingly as some had tried to reach out and calm them down. The fires on their bodies glowed impatiently as they waited on their next order.

"What is going on?" Butch whispered to himself.

"Your time is done here. I will be in control." Diablo laughed.

"No, Diablo stop." Butch hissed.

"No."

Butch's head was on fire as he moved to the three approaching. His eyes bled red as a howl left his mouth. The hair on his head stood up in the way it did when Diablo was around. He cocked his head to the side as somehow blood was making its way down this chin only to drip onto the grass in a steady stream. His head rolled as he looked to Buttercup. That sadistic chuckle left Butch's mouth as his eyes focused on the family.

"Kill them."