Here is the next chapter. Enjoy.

Thanks to piperspeanut.

Chapter 25

The orbs that appeared in front of Wyatt, who sat in the kitchen drinking coffee turned into a yawning Chris.

"Oh, I'll have some coffee, too," he said.

"Well, I guess you'll have to make you some then."

Chris saw the empty pot. "Juice is just fine."

He got himself a glass, poured some juice in it that stood on the kitchen table and took a large gulp.

Wyatt watched him.

"You are limping," he stated not as worried as before but still a bit concerned.

Chris waved it aside.

"You should look after yourself more."

"It's okay too much dancing. When did you guys leave?"

"I'm not sure, but why are you here so early? Well, early for your standards considering the party."

It was barely after noon, on Sunday after the big party. Wyatt had just gotten up while Noelle was showering.

"I drove Justin home."

"But you orbed."

"I know my car's in the driveway."

Wyatt rolled his eyes. He wanted to ask if his brother had been too tired to walk or if his leg hurt too much but Chris talked first.

"Where are your neighbours?" the brunette asked.

"Why?"

"The house seems empty."

"Right, they're on a trip I forgot where."

"Uhu, so after I was caught sneaking around their house, they leave town and you don't think that's suspicious."

"Do you really want to start? Well, not that suspicious. They left us the key to feed their cat and water their plants."

"Oh."

"Yes, see, why would they give us a key if they didn't' trust us."

"Right, I guess."

"Finally, thank you. Now, why are you here?"

"You told me I had still clothes here and I have new laundry."

Wyatt shook his head.

"And I was hoping for some breakfast. Noelle not up yet?"

"My girlfriend's not here to make you breakfast."

"But she would if I asked her nicely."

The older brother sighed. He knew Chris was right, though. Noelle had the mother instinct which was scary enough.

"Should we be talking about yesterday?" he asked changing the subject.

"No. I don't want to talk. I already know that I shouldn't smoke pot."

"That's not what I mean...well it is part of it. I mean the accident, how are you dealing?"

"I'm fine," Chris said getting upset. "I'm sick and tired everyone of asking me how I am."

"Okay, okay."

Noelle entered the kitchen. "Oh...hi, Chris do you want breakfast. It's a bit late but anyway."

Chris gave his brother a meaningful look.

"Yes, I do...thanks."

Wyatt smiled but was still a bit concerned. How stupid the twins had decided on this very day to celebrate.

Chris rang the bell to apartment 1B it took a while until a young dark haired girl answered.

The twenty two year old stared at her surprised.

"Hey, I know you," he said.

"Now, you do, yes," she replied smiling.

"Still, I've seen you before." He frowned looking over her shoulder then exclaimed. "Sure, the photos" He pointed towards the wall where all the framed photos hung.

The girl turned around and laughed. "Oh, yes. The photos my grandfather loves his pictures."

"Your grandpa, Arthur's your grandfather?"

"Yes. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I'm Victor's grandson. I'm here to pick him up."

"Jenascia, is everything okay?" Victor called out.

"Oh, yes. Come in please."

The young woman stepped aside and Chris went inside. "Of course, I know that Victor has a grandson called Chris but it's not such a signature name. I never came to think that Haley's and Holly's cousin Chris is the same Chris. Victor never knew I was friends with them."

"The twins aren't his granddaughters, anyway."

"Sure, I know." she led the way into the living room.

Victor and Arthur were playing nine men's morris.

"I still need a few moments. We have to finish our game," Victor said.

"Take a seat," Jen offered. "Do you want a drink?"

"No, I'm good, thanks."

"Grandpa, can you imagine Chris is my friend Holly's cousin. Isn't that a coincidence?"

Arthur gave an agreeing grunt and kept on staring on the game board.

The girl shrugged and sat down opposite Chris.

"And how is it to live with the twins?" she asked.

"So far, it's good."

"Wyatt and Noelle live alone now?"

"Yes," Chris frowned.

"I know Wyatt from when he picked up Victor. He usually does that," the young woman explained.

"Yeah, he does but not on Wednesday anymore. He never has time too. So, it'll be me."

"Oh, that's good. We will meet more often then, too."

"Seems so"

"It's your turn," Arthur told his friend as Victor had stopped focussing on the game and watched the two young people.

Victor looked back and ended the game winning.

The other old man grunted.

"The party was great. However, I was wondering why you picked that day after what had happened a year ago."

Chris wondered how she could know so much about him. He wasn't sure if he liked it. It made him feel uncomfortable.

"Holly talked to me a lot then. She was very scared. Something went wrong with surgery right? Your condition was pretty bad."

"An infection, that's all."

Jenasica nodded and dropped the topic.

The four people sat a moment tin silence. Before Chris had a chance to get his grandfather going, the young woman spoke up again.

"How's your boyfriend?"

"What?" Chris asked surprised and shocked.

Arthur chocked on his drink.

"Oh, I thought that other guy; blonde, piercing blue eyes…Guess I misunderstood."

"Justin. You mean Justin. No, he's a friend. One of my best friends but nothing more" She nodded blushing. "I'm not gay," Chris added.

"Right, I though Holly had told me something about a girlfriend but I wasn't sure and the way you were acting and disappearing in your room had my imagination going."

"It's okay. I understand. Really, it's fine...it's just that I'm not."

The next silence was disturbed by Victor who suggested Chris could also accompany them on Friday.

"We're going to see Madame Butterfly and Jenascia wants to come with us but it could get boring for her with only two old men. What do you say, Chris? A bit of culture, would do you good."

"What's Madame Butterfly?"

Arthur scoffed. "Opera, son"

Chris wrinkled his nose. He had never been to an opera but it sounded boring in itself. Victor cleared his throat and Chris looked at him. He understood his grandfather wouldn't allow further arguments, so he agreed.

"Good," Victor replied. "We'll go for Japanese food before to get in the mood."

At least the food will be good.

Haley looked up at the sound of someone stepping on a piece of glass behind the corner.

She held her arms in position while standing up from where she was crouched down next to a burn mark on the sandy ground of the underworld.

She silently moved forward. As soon as she reached the corner and looked around, she was grabbed, an athame held against her neck.

She rolled her eyes identifying the knife by the ornaments on the hold.

Her attacker let her go and she turned around a hand on her hip.

"Hi, Chris"

"Hals. What are you doing here?" the brunette asked.

"Vanquishing a demon, what are you doing here?" the girl asked back.

"Research"

"On?"

"On demons," Chris replied. "Sorry."

"For thinking I was a demon?" she shrugged. "Save it. I thought the same about you. However, how could you be quicker than me?"

"Training...but I hope it taught you that you have nothing to do down here, especially on your own. It's too dangerous."

Haley sighed. "Don't get all over protective on me. I can look after myself. I learned everything."

"You can not learn everything. Demons can be tricky. You can't prepare for everything. Nevertheless, I expect you to orb home. I need to see my dad now."

"So, no luck with the research"

"Not really. Do me a favour, though. I need information."

"I can get information."

"Not demonic. I need information on Madame Butterfly. Like what it is about and so on. Could you do that?"

The twin frowned. "Opera...well, yes, but…"

"Awesome, thanks." Chris orbed out leaving his cousin to shake her head. "

"I really hate that, you know!" she called after him.

Leo rumpled another piece of paper before throwing it in the bin while mumbling to him-self. He looked through the index cards again and sighed. He was relieved to hear the knock on his door as he could now take a well deserved break from this rather annoying task.

His youngest son stepped in. Chris shoes and the pants were sandy.

"Since when do you knock instead of just orbing in?" Leo asked.

"Since I think of you, I mean the age you are; I don't want to cause a heart attack."

"How thoughtful...however, I think I'm familiar enough with orbing to not let it get to me. This work could, though." The headmaster of magic school eyed the papers around him.

"You should use a computer. It'd be much easier and faster."

"You think? I don't know. I've worked like this for the last 20 years."

"Then maybe it's time for a change."

"Yes, maybe...but I guess you are not here to talk to me about my work, are you?"

"No, not at all" Chris sat down in one of the large cushioned wooden chairs. "I heard of an old story and wondered what your thoughts might be."

"You mean what I know about it."

"Well, if you could share some knowledge, I wouldn't mind. It's just something that caught my attention and made me even more suspicious. I have a, certain mistrust towards the new neighbours of the Manor. Something is odd about them. I just can't point my finger on it. I observed them a bit which neither ended my mistrust nor did it convince me I was wrong. I don't know if they're demons but with what, is going on in the underworld I rather sneak around a bit."

Leo frowned. "I don't understand."

"There is something wrong with those neighbours and it could be connected to the re-organization that is going on in the underworld lately and also could be linked to this other story in the past. Have you heard of the Spearman family?"

"Yes, I have. I was a whitellighter when they were killed. But I knew about them before, of course...a very powerful family of witches with a wide knowledge. Other witches also benefited from it."

"If they were so powerful how could they all end up dead?"

"Even the most powerful witches can die by the hands of demons," Leo replied bitterly.

Chris looked away a moment.

"However," the ex-Elder went on. "I know what you mean. There was indeed a rumour that one of the daughters was interacting with evil. Still that could never be confirmed.

In the end it didn't seem to matter. They were all dead. Everything was burnt."

"I guess they had a book where they kept all their spells and potion recipes like the Book of Shadows."

"I guess but as I said everything was destroyed."

"I found something in the new neighbour's house. It was a book hidden in the cover of another novel. It read 'Spearman' family. I didn't get a chance to read it but it could be such a book."

"Do I want to know how you found that?"

Chris shook his head. "But there is more. The neighbour's name is Brandon like the Spearman patriarch. I know it is a common name…"

"It is."

Chris saw his father was barely convinced.

"I have a theory. Do you want to hear it?"

"Go ahead."

"As you said everything was destroyed, the night the family was killed. That can also mean that no one would have noticed if anything was missing; or anyone. I imagine the baby of the family is now Wyatt's age or slightly older. I imagine he is indeed our new neighbour. I think the demons killed the whole family but kidnapped the baby and also stole their book. The baby grew up raised by demons and turned evil. But as being still a witch he can cast the spells and bless the potions his family had discovered. I also think that the newlyweds next door are the same couple that tries recruiting demons to become the new royal couple of the underworld."

"I haven't heard of a potential new source in the underworld. Have you talked to an Elder about all that?"

"I'm talking to you. I have been in the underworld myself. I heard it from demons that are reliable sources. Apparently, they hadn't much luck yet, anyway. Demons enjoy their time without a reign; they are hard to convince to trust a new source. But if they should have the latest success, that could change. And with success, I mean go after us."

Leo leant back in his chair letting his son's words drop.

"Maybe Brandon even is half demon. Maybe the female you mentioned did indeed interact with a demon and a baby was the result?"

"No," his father disagreed. "The Elder would have noticed that."

Chris scoffed. "Come on, the Elders are blind. Especially if a family of witches covered the whole situation. But I don't insist on that."

"If he was half demon or the girl you could find that out."

"I tried. They don't show themselves openly to any demon in the underworld. Plus it isn't too difficult to hide your evilness, especially not if you are a powerful witch. How do you think, Wyatt could use the Book of Shadows when he was evil."

"The Elders searched for Spearman relatives all over the world and underworld. They didn't find anyone blood related."

Chris sighed.

"What does your brother say to all this?" Leo asked.

"He thinks I'm insane. And you think that, too," the twenty two year old answered.

"No, I don't think you are insane. It's a good theory, it could be right. But I'm not sure if I can just believe it." Chris opened his mouth to protest but his father stopped him. "I make a suggestion. I'll tell the Elders what you told me. Maybe they can sense something. Or can give you further information. Apart from that, be careful. Don't get yourself in danger because of a theory. And don't fight with your brother over it. If what you say is right, you two will need to work together."

Chris sighed. It was indeed disturbing that everyone told him to keep away from danger. As if he was searching for it.

"Don't worry, dad. I'll have it covered. Me and Wyatt are cool. I just don't tell him any of my theory as long as it is still just a theory."

Leo knew he wouldn't keep his son form finding proof for his theory. Just as he hadn't stopped trying to find out who had turned Wyatt evil in the past. However, he hoped the young man had learned and knew now when to stop or at least seek help before anything bad happened to him.

I know still nothing about the neighbors. But soon, I promise.