"Is this the famous Bennett witch our Coven can't stop talking about?" voiced Cody's younger brother when she was fifteen feet away locking his striking iced out irises on hers, spiked out hair is disarray.

"Can you blame 'em? Look at her, she's stunning," Michael's legitimate mini version of himself chimed in throwing a shoulder around his friend. "A pleasure to finally meet you, I'm Mason and this charming young chap on my side is Dylan."

Chuckling at his easygoing nature Bonnie closed the gap between her and the group and was embraced with an unexpected hug from the youngest Gemini's. "Hi, nice to meet you guys. I'm sure you've both probably heard this before, but…"

"Don't they look exactly like their brothers?! I thought Evan was messing with us with some kind of illusion spell or something!" Caroline expressed with a touch too much enthusiasm.

"He did, we're the hotter versions," Dylan smirked eyeing his brother who rolled his eyes in response. "Mom and dad finally got it right."

"They did the first time bro you're a cheap knockoff at best," Cody snorted shaking his head, "just ignore him, I know it'll be tough I've been trying for years but eventually his voice just tunes out to white noise."

"Hilarious," he deadpanned, both boys perking up looking over Bonnie's shoulder. "Hey, man. Loved your speech at the ceremony."

"Oh, it was great. I haven't been to a more entertaining meeting since that one time Anna tried to fight the Nazi leader to be one of the Elite's."

"For real I thought Ashley was going to drop kick him. That shit escalated quickly."

"Okay it wasn't like that, boys, give me some credit."

"Oh we give you all the credit – it was all you, shit talking that leader all over the sacred ceremony," the two tittered and snickered as the group reminisced.

"But really, uh – Mr. Par-"

"Nope, try again," Kai quipped to the youngest Turner who's face bloomed with embarrassment, taking note that she could no longer tap into his internal monologue.

"Oh I'm sorry, I meant Gemini lead-"

"Oh God, no," he laughed saddling up besides Bonnie shaking his head. "Just 'Kai' is fine.

"Really?" Dylan's voice cracked in surprise by his suggestion. "But you're like – our leader. That usually comes with a title of some kind to be called by."

"Yeah, 'Kai'," he repeated chuckling at the two stepping forward to give a typical 'guy handshake' that all male's seem to inherently know. "Cool to officially meet you guys. Sorry for the theatrics and backlash I'm sure followed when I left Ash's."

"Yeah it's like the Capulet's vs the Montigue's in this Coven."

"More like Republican's vs Democrats," Mason corrected, "and no one wants to agree on anything."

"Other than that the other party doesn't know what the hell they're talking about."

"Yeah – that. That's about it."

Bonnie listened on as the boys chatted getting acquainted with their new leader, both seemingly fascinated with everything Kai had to say and acted.

"Mase I am so happy you're here," Emma gushed curling up to his side, "fill me in on absolutely everything that's been happening at school this year that I've missed. Was Tasha crowned the Princess at the Winter Formal?"

"Oh, you're going to want to sit down for this," he eased in a soft town with a hand on her shoulder, "Blair won by a landslide – with Ricky."

"Richard is the Prince of Westmont High? Over my dead body."

"Bang!" Dylan shouted shooting her with his fingers pointed like a gun and the two chuckled amongst each other. "Who cares? Blair's hot. And Rick's the star running-back, she could do worse. Or better, like me."

"Yo, woah wait are you dating Blair Upton? For real? My man," Evan spoke up slapping the younger offspring on the back. "Forever a step ahead of your brother, always appreciated that about you."

"A serial polygamist, yes, I do wish I could be just like you, little bro. By the way have you met Elena?"

"No… I have not," he eyed her skeptically taking casual steps towards them, "but I have heard my brother gush about a girl like some love-sick puppy for weeks. It was disgusting. But now that I've met you I can see what all the fuss was about."

"Awh, what a little charmer," she smiled looking between the brother's and laughed lightly outstretching her arm. "Hi, I'm Elena."

"Dylan," he flashed a heart-stopping smile – a spitting image of Cody's, complete with the dazzle of confidence he wore like a second skin. "And just to clarify no I'm just messing with you I'm single. But my heart does belong to the elegant and beautiful Miss Ashley Rae Stone."

"Are you still obsessed with my sister? For God's sake Dyl give up on it already."

"Why would I do that when I'm finally of age to pursue her?"

"Ugh dude she's so old."

"And so fine," Michael chimed in with Cody, Evan, and Mason nodding along, glancing up at Kai sporting a wide grin staring over at the guys.

"Oh my, I kind of need to know what your sister looks like now," Elena remarked with piqued curiosity.

"Like Jessica Alba," Dylan gushed in a lovey-dovey voice like he was lost in a day-dream.

"Okay so this is uncomfortable. Who's up for a round of 'Glam and Glow up?' Em, I'm looking at you."

"Ooh, yes! Do me!"

The laughter spilled out of Kai before he could stop himself and did not recover smoothly whatsoever causing the rest of the Gemini's to join in.

"Don't mind us; it's pretty much just a makeover with a magical twist. We stole it from The Craft."

"Finally!" Care beamed physically bopping from one foot to the other. "I've been begging Bon-Bon to re-enact that scene for years. Oh can we do it too, pretty please?"

"Of course!" AnnaLynne beamed with equal exhilaration. "Anyone who wants to partake come in and form a circle."

All of the girls formed a tight circle with the guys making no move to step closer, glancing up to Kai smirking down at her.

"You don't want to play?"

"With you?" he retorted cocking an eyebrow and tilting his head towards her.

"The game," she stressed avoiding the group's eyes she could feel on her, teasing, "you could use a little fixing up."

"Yeah what's up with the grizzly look? Turning into a leader bulked you up and chiseled you out, man."

"Right, you're almost intimidating now. And I mean that just look-wise – obviously. On the inside you're… yeah you're kind of scary."

"Terrifying, to put it mildly," another Gemini added in, "but then you talk to us and my brain almost forgets who you are and what you've done."

Something inside Bonnie's core twisted at the innocent jabs directed at Kai, his subtle shift in demeanor tensing beside her and could feel the deeply inhale and steady exhale like it was through her own lungs. The Coven has been hearing horror stories about Kai since they were still in the womb, being spoon-fed brainwashed information that morphed their perception of the man that is standing in front of them today. She would be lying if she said she didn't have her own definitive perception on who she thought Kai Parker was when she was in the prison world and kept fragments of that image with her when they teleported into current day. It wasn't until she saw him at Mrs. Forbes funeral, felt the change rippling out of him like a static charge that she truly started to believe Kai wasn't some irredeemable person who was incapable of change. That his past didn't make up the person that he is, but were the building blocks of what formed the man that is standing here today.

"Is that your way of suggesting I should shave?" Kai brushed off lifting a corner of his mouth and rubbing his chin. "I think it just makes me look like I'm not 17 anymore."

"Pretty sure your new physique took care of that, my man. You're ripped."

"Yeah you look like Turner now."

"And you used to look like Hayes so congrats on the upgrade," Michael agreed playfully shoving his friend and his oncoming attack.

"Alright who wants to go first? Caroline…"

"Yes!" she practically cheered causing snickers all around.

"What would you like to do?"

"Something like totally different and unexpected that I wouldn't have the guts to do on my own. Something fun and crazy and wild, like…"

"Blue hair?" Kai proposed looking off to his left at the blonde whose face morphed from horror, to contemplation, to intrigue.

"Hm, what if it was like a pretty mystical mermaid blue? Like with wisps of white or teal or something mixed in with it."

"Ooh! Say no more!" AnnaLynne voiced moving to stand directly in front of her. "Okay just, close your eyes, relax, and envision what you want it to look like. I know that sounds dumb but it really does help to draw off. Ready?"

Caroline's lids closed as AnnaLynne focused in on her face, murmuring something incoherently as her hands lifted an inch from the blonde's hair and ran her palms down each side as the color changed to a vibrant and luxurious iced out electric cyan turquoise.

"Woah!"

"Holy Hell."

"Damn, Care."

"Hold on I'm not done yet," AnnaLynne hushed them and went a step farther changing her wardrobe to a simple white summer dress, flip flops, and a white sunflower crown to accentuate the style. "A little mermaid, a lot of hippie."

"Atta'girl Anna. Very 'elegant bohemian vibes'."

"Care, you look beautiful."

"Okay the suspense is killing me I need a mirror or a picture or something before I run to the lake to stare at my reflection." Elena was the first to locate her phone snapping a shot to show her who lit up like a firework. "I love it!"

"Well that backfired," Kai ragged on his confidant looking her over and shrugged, "I didn't think you'd be able to pull that off."

The compliment ignited Caroline's expression blooming across her features, visibly glowing and warming Bonnie's heart.

"I'm officially psyched, me next!" Elena gleamed hopping in place like a bunny. "I've had the same boring hairstyle for as long as I can remember. Aside from that mistaken red-streaked mess when I, uh, wasn't in my best headspace and wanted a change but it didn't work on me."

"So no to color… what about something a little edgier?"

Emma intervened pivoting and stood face-to-face. Copying her friend's mantra and motions the group watched on in awe as Elena's hair fell to the ground, chopped in waves above her shoulders rising up to her hairline in the back. The center was flipped to a thick side-part adding texture and volume transforming her profile completely. White hoops appeared on her ears along with a pair of black sunglasses, her attire morphing to a simple white tee and black skinny jeans and the finishing touch with a pair of Converse. All in all, Elena looked like a cool punk rocker chick.

"Who is this bad ass I'm looking at right now?" their now cerulean-haired gypsy exclaimed in astonishment.

"Talk about complete opposites," Kai laughed looking between her two best friends pulling out his phone. "Say cheese!"

Snapping a photograph he flipped the phone for the girls to see who reacted in the purest college-girl form who just underwent a magical beauty transformation in seconds. Jumping with glee the two embraced their new appearances as the Gemini's turned their attention on Bonnie.

"Oh no, that's okay."

"Oh come on, Bon. Live a little!"

"You don't have to make any drastic changes but if you want to try out something different and don't like it we can always change it right back."

"Well I have wondered what I'd look like… blonde," Bonnie confessed never able to convince herself to take the plunge, "but that's just so extreme."

"More extreme than the flower child Smurfette?" Kai quipped on her right and Evan and the younger boys roared with laughter.

"I am a fairy Goddess," Caroline snapped back twirling the ends of her dress up for effect. "Peace, love, and light, bitch."

"Oh is that how the saying goes?"

"Yes that's how the saying goes."

"Okay so blonde," AnnaLynne steered the conversation back in her direction and stood a foot apart. "I can do that no problem. You are in good hands. And if you don't like it tell me I won't be offended and we can try something else."

Nodding in agreement Bonnie shut her eyes bracing herself for what she imagined was going to look absurd and not like her at all began to take place, listening to her chant the Latin phrases until the crowd gasped.

"Bonnie…"

Lids fluttering open from her friend's voice her eyes scanned the group as they all gaped back open-mouthed. Glancing down the kimono had been replaced by a little gray cotton crop-top with a zipper down the center with thick black suspenders on each shoulder attached to a pair of black jean shorts and DC's on her feet. Certainly not a choice Bonnie would have chosen for herself, but, she didn't hate it which made her all the more curious as to what the total package looked like. Knowing there was one person who wouldn't be able to hide their honest reaction, her eye-line trailed the few feet up to the intensity gazing back at her.

"Well? What do you think?"

"You're just too hot," Kai let out mystified with a soft laugh and slight shake of his head, "it's ridiculous."

"Can we agree? Is that – we can do that?" Dylan asked in a semi-hushed tone looking off to his brother.

"When someone looks this good are we just supposed to keep it to ourselves?" Mason retorted lifting up his phone. "I mean look at you."

The shoulder-length tendrils of platinum cascaded around her jawline showing off her more prominent distinctive features, like the speckles of yellow in her stark green irises surrounded by a dark smoky eyeshadow effect. Her lips popped a vivacious glossed plum matching her newly polished nails and had to take a moment to accept the image she was staring at was her.

"Yeah, look at you," Kai rumbled scanning her small frame silently cursing the spell for wearing off just a bit too soon, lifting his hand to brush a loose curl out of her face.

"So can you guys work your magic on your 'Almighty Jesus' or whatever because uh, he's really starting to look the part," Caroline interposed scrunching her nose and mouth in distaste, jerking his head back.

"What? No I don't. Okay so I may have skipped the razor for a day or two-"

"Weeks," she retorted as the Coven snickered and his eyes darted back to Bonnie.

"Do I look like Jesus Christ?"

"No," she cracked up at his rise of a panicked state, "but you do look different from 1994."

"Back at'cha," he winked and took it upon himself to repeat the spell waving a hand across his face and hair.

The sprouting scruff of facial hair was wiped clean with a light dusting of a shadow across his jaw and up and around his mouth remaining. The increasingly shaggy mop on Kai's head was buzzed with a couple inches left on the sides and back, the front spiked up and to the side like running his hand through naturally styled it. Swiping down his torso the clothes transformed into a fitted graphite gray t-shirt under a brown bomber jacket, dark jeans, and sneakers. Bonnie's heart fluttered like a hummingbird as Kai stared down at his appearance, momentarily sucking in his bottom lip and lifting his gaze to hers with a soft smile.

"Much better," Care's voice gushed oozing with delight, "what do you think, Bon-Bon?"

The heat was burning up her neck and out the pores of her cheeks, his eyes not leaving hers only magnifying the vivid flashes of how close they were fifteen minutes prior. The longer the silence stretched on the more scorched Bonnie's skin became igniting the insatiable Scarlett within and hooked her fingers around the suspenders pushing them forward and cocking her head, scanning down to get a long look at him.

"I approve."

"Well if the lady likes," he repeated puffing out his chest with a proud grin.

"Yo if we're making changes and revolutionizing lives can we shave this mop off your head? You look like a dirty hippie from the 70s," Michael remarked nose turned up at his friend. "I know you smoke like one but you don't need to look the part."

"I'm as pretty as a picture, watch me pick up this super hot chick," Evan bragged and sauntered over to Emma putting on his most flirtatious voice. "Wanna hook up?"

Keeping in line with the 'good vibes' theme music chimed through the campsite as the boys fired up the grill, lost in thought replaying through every ounce of Kai's memories.

"Hey," the familiar husky voice called from over her shoulder, "Coop said there's a hot springs nearby. Want to check it out?"

"Sure."

Fighting the internal monologue weighing out the pro's and con's Bonnie retreated to the yurt quickly putting on a bikini under the new outfit. Unaware of how long they had been walking it took her by surprise that Kai walked silently beside her, not trying to fill the silence or pull a conversation from her as they took comfort in the others presence. The loud crack of thunder pulled her from the daydream with a startle, peering up at the rolling darkness snuffing out the daylight. Almost as soon as Bonnie registered the change in weather a droplet hit her arm, another splashing her cheek. Lightning cracked overhead opening the floodgate as the rain started to pour down on them, rearing up to run and find coverage.

"Want to see something cool?" Kai yelled over the sound of the rainstorm, reaching out to hold both hands. "Repeat this with me; pluvia substisto."

Closing her eyes Bonnie blocked out the world and focused on the words, the spell flowing from her lips as she repeated it three times over followed by a an abrupt noiselessness. As her lids fluttered open she was met with a pair of striking icy irises peering back at her, trapped in his gaze for a few beats before taking in their surroundings. Blinking and looking away Bonnie stood frozen, mouth agape. Rain drops stood suspended in place, frozen in time, all around them. Unlocking their fingers she reached out brushing her fingertips through the single droplets feeling a smile spread wide in awe. Lifting his free hand Kai maneuvered the water moving in whatever position his hand swayed until he raised it watching the teardrops float up with it.

"This is incredible."

"We make a pretty good team." Dropping her head their eyes locked feeling the underlying current behind the statement. "Do you want to clear up the storm? Or make it worse? Or leave it alone and put an invisible dome around us so we can continue our journey."

"Dome, definitely," Bonnie nodded intrigued hearing the murmur of a phrase before the rain began pouring in an instant, all around a 10 foot barrier of them. "Wow."

"Nature, right?" He snarked pointedly making her chuckle as she continued to look around taking in the scene around them "Want to try something else?"

"Okay."

"Put your hands together bringing them up to your mouth like you're praying we kick this spell's ass and end up together forever," he chuckled and she squinted slightly into a glare. "Now I want you to say 'manifesto est amino' while imagining your favorite small animal, like insects or birds. And then bring your hands down and open them."

Doing as instructed Bonnie brought her praying hands up repeating the incantation imagining a butterfly and lowered them, slowly pulling her thumbs apart. A gasp escaped her lips as a red puff of smoke spewed out followed by fifty or so tiny red holographic butterflies fluttered out of her palms. Illuminated in delight she listened to Kai's next command repeating, 'manifesto est fatum' and this time could imagine any animal her heart desired, 'size does not matter – at least in this scenario.'

Bonnie's always felt a deep love and affection towards otters so she closed her eyes picturing it as it swam through her mind, opening her lids to a floating two-foot electric blue holographic otter staring back at her. Swimming around her at eye level the little critter left wisps trailing behind it as it twirled in circles begging her to keep up. The light trickles of laughter sounded so foreign coming from her, the sound something she has not heard in weeks. Chasing after the otter the two pranced around the open clearing as her new magical pet stayed within their rain-free bubble. To her surprise the little guy also managed to direct them to the location they have been in search of, the hot springs.

The little oasis was right through the clearing in its own quaint quiet cut-out piece of paradise. There were two hot springs, one leveled slightly higher but close together surrounded by plush green grass. Kai's graveled tone murmured behind her, blinking as twinkles similar to fireflies filled the space. Bonnie kept her eyes on the Enchanted Forest around her; half expecting a dozen animals to gather around them with the sudden urge to break out into song. Kicking off the sneakers she dropped the suspenders from her shoulder pulling the shorts down with him and unzipped the small crop top, climbing in first.

Bonnie's heart and brain felt like it was waging a literal war today. The in-depth look into Kai's mind opened up her eyes and views on things she never could have anticipated. The bond that he shared with Gram's was so much more significant and impactful then the stories he has underplayed. If there is one thing Bonnie has always been able to spot and feel to her core it was the pure-wholesome love that her Grandmother holds sacred and only expresses to the one's that matter. The one she deems her own flesh and blood. Kai's offhanded 'Sheila loved me' held such a deeper meaning to her now. The gentle tug of her bikini string against her bag loosening snapped her out of the daydream.

"Hey!" Bonnie squealed squeezing her chest to keep hold of the top but he was too quick and tossed the material over his shoulder.

"Oh, did you need that?" Rang out like a deep melody feeling something in her lower abdomen tighten in response.

"Yes," she said curtly dipping under the surface up to her neck and he copied her movement, slowly creeping closer.

"Why?" Bonnie's breath hitched as he loomed in, feet turning into inches feeling his hands slink around her hips. Her chest rose heavily with the waves they were creating as he leaned down pressing his forehead lightly against hers, their noses brushing. "It's just us."

Heavy lids pulled her gaze up to his, drooping down to his lips and back up noticing his lack of expression, simply watching her. There was something about the way Kai was looking at her, so open and unguarded that made him appear younger. Without a conscious thought Bonnie reached out to his chest touching the necklace he's never taken off, the connection to his twin sister and his past a constant reminder that he wears every day. The deeper she digs the more dark smears she's seen has stained Kai's life since he was just a child. A never-ending uphill battle to an impossible goal that – if achieved, meant he'll also be killing the one person who loved him most. And that admiration was not one-sided, no matter how much he denies it. But Bonnie's theory was proved right when he became the most powerful warlock leading his Coven and didn't enact revenge against Josette for betraying him and helping their father trap him in the prison world.

"You're not very talkative," she pointed out in a soft voice, taking note of the lack of nonstop babble during their walk.

"Mm," Kai hummed; case in point by his response as his eyes stayed on her.

"You seemed pretty chatty with Caroline," she teased lightly, grinning at the small curve of his lips recalling their various topics discussed.

"She's spunky."

Each attempt at a light conversation topic to distract this uncontrollable craving bubbling up inside her was getting shot down, Bonnie's guess being that he can physically feel it radiating off of her. Kai had always been just a little too in-tune with her body and mind seeming to have an understanding of her that was beyond logical explanation. While on the flip side she has been able to empathize and see Kai's soul with blinding clarity pulling her in since their first encounter. Against all odds they have managed to bring out the best aspects of each other, bringing out their strengths along the way. But now there has been a shift in the balance and what is weakening one is making the other stronger, more powerful, and the sensation is addicting.

Gliding her hands around his bare shoulders Bonnie's legs slid around his waist, two thin layers of swimwear the only things separating them. Kai's mouth felt like static drawing hers in like a magnet until they fused as one, her chest thudding hearing his quick inhale. Fingers drifted up her spine and side of her neck, twirling a strand of hair and pulling her in deepening the kiss. Blasts of white light burst behind Bonnie's closed lids, the rationality in her mind drifting away as her body took over on its own volition. Dipping her hand into the water the string of his swim trunks were tugged loose, reaching inside.

The guttural grunt that left Kai's lips had her fingers curling in anticipation and he lurched forward pressing her backside against the rock-wall that caged them in. Pressing forward she pushed down his trunks, breath catching an instant later feeling the material being torn off of her. Gaining leverage against the element they were floating in Bonnie was lifted and sank down his shaft with ease, right to the base. A strangled cry pierced through nature's tranquility enveloping them, immobilized as the next wave crashed down on her when he tilted her hips up to accommodate himself better.

Lulling her head back Kai leaned forward resting his nose against her shoulder, his body completely still other than his arms rocking her hips into him. Ghosting her hands up his skin they found their way to his neck and cupped the sides. A familiar tingle crept through Bonnie's extremities, heightening in ferocity as it flowed up her arms and neck, blooming in her cheeks. The rush of euphoria flowed through her veins; her skin feeling like it had a static charge to it and clung on locked in on absorbing the energy. A rough grating rumbled up through Kai's chest echoing louder against the water until a pained exasperated sound broke through his vocal cords.

Rearing back Bonnie was disoriented from the blur of being spun around grabbing hold of the rock-wall that was leveled with her chest. This time when he took hold of her hips his grip was firm, almost rough, using the momentum to thrust forward. Every inhale Kai took was greeted with a steady rhythm utilizing the water to his advantage as he found that spot deep in her core and relentlessly nudged at it. Dropping his mouth to her shoulder blade his lips barely touched her skin leaving faint kisses as he went, the intimacy mixed with dominance making Bonnie shake. Reaching around he grabbed hold of her forearms in one hand and pinned them in front of her as the wave of ecstasy crashed down, crying out.

Heavy exhales puffed against her skin, her counterpart sounding completely winded even though she could feel how very ready he was still feeling. Tugging her arms in his embrace Kai loosened his grip and she pivoted, scanning his face for what she knew he was trying to downplay and hide. Bonnie has both envied and not been able to stand his permanently incessant spouts of energy that never seemed to waver, even in his most exhausted state. Because in those circumstances she can see the fatigue in his body, not his eyes, and lately it seems like he can barely keep them open anymore.

"Can we do that again?" Kai teased with a lazy grin nuzzling into the crook of her neck.

"You sure you'd be able to make it another round?" she joked back gasping at the feel of his hard shaft grind against her nakedness. "I didn't mean because of that you look like you could fall asleep."

"Would you like me to show you how awake I really am?" he growled lining himself up and slowly pushing into her a few inches.

"Oh, God," Bonnie moaned, overstimulated as residual spasms continued to wrack her frame and yet, her back arched and bowed unconsciously igniting a response within.

Groaning at her reaction Kai locked an arm around her driving forward, the other sliding between her cheeks and entering her backside. The lubricant of water let his finger slip in with ease, wasting no time as both intimate areas were sensitized to it all. Rocking into him the missionary position, gentle movements due to the flow of the waves, and unchaste touches were too much for Bonnie to handle and felt the second, more forceful surge swell up in her.

Gliding his hands free Kai took hold of her wrists pulling them behind to her lower back and used the anchorage to plunge deep inside her. One hit her just right and clenched up tightly around him, the next thrust provoking something carnal out of him followed by a salacious overdrawn groan. Pumping through his orgasm signaled Bonnie's and tried to tug her arms free as it all spilled over, limbs seized in his grasp. Only a whimper broke through as she felt like she was being lifted outside of her body experiencing true bliss.

"Again?" Kai rasped and Bonnie let out a small shriek attempting to wiggle herself loose. "Alright fine I'll give you a minute or two first."

"You are too kind," she simpered as her arms loosened floating gently at her sides. "You really know your way around spells. Those ones were pretty random and they were on the tip of your tongue."

"Of course, what fun is it to have magic if you can't play around with it?"

Joking back and forth in light conversation the two rounded up their clothes and made their way to the campsite seeming to find their way back in half the time. Scanning the open field Bonnie spotted her friends, the Cooper and Turner brothers in a heated 3 on 3 game of volleyball. The girls were facing off against the other in a round of corn-hole with Evan at the grill, a heaping of cooked food by his side. Even though it was the middle of the afternoon they had a decent sized fire roaring multicolored flames. Splitting off to get reacquainted with everyone Kai sauntered towards the volleyball net and she retreated back to the yurt to change out of the damp clothes.

Opting for a pair of light blue jean shorts and a white long sleeve with black stripes hanging off one shoulder Bonnie headed for the bathroom, pausing glancing at the desk and picked up Kai's black hat with a white snapback and slid it on backwards. Checking her reflection she was pleased to see that none of her makeup had smudged; the magic-proof plum lipstick a treat she did not know she was going to need and appreciate so much. Using the facilities before heading back outside Bonnie bee-lined it towards the wafting aroma of grilled barbeque finding Evan with the tongs in hand, awaiting her command on what she she'd like from the enormous spread. Making her way around the yurts she got to know each Gemini on a deeper level, being in this carefree relaxing environment and before she had realized hours had passed and the sun was beginning to set.

"Yeah Parker your pop's was a super douche when it came to anything revolved around practicing outside of the sanctity of the law or fun in general," Bonnie overheard Dylan saying when she, Mason, and Emma joined everyone else huddled near the beer pong table. "So dad would bring us here so we could fuck around."

"And then my aunt stepped in to claim half of this establishment as hers and did not share a penny with my old man," Evan tattered with the sting still audible in his tone.

"That's because he's a bum," Cody retorted with a roll of his eyes as Kai tossed the ping pong ball sinking the final cup. It wasn't until that moment that one of the long interconnected branches of their Coven's family tree stuck out.

"Wait… are you guys cousins?"

"You couldn't have guessed? These dorks are like two conjoined heads on one body. One's got the wits and the other's got the looks and they both walk around thinking they've got both."

"Hey," they both protested, a brief pause before Evan added, "but I'm the one with the striking good looks, right? I mean check the jawline."

Segregating nearby in the easygoing and tranquil atmosphere, these cabin-like-tribal-tents gave off a vibe that made it relatively easy to relax and kickback on a pile of cushions on a plush rug beside Caroline, each with a fruity drink in hand. Kai paced around the room laughing and jostling around with the rest of the Gemini's outwardly appearing untroubled but Bonnie could see the tension in the way he shuffled on the balls of his feet. Something was different, his posture was tense and his smile never met his eyes.

"So then wait, is anyone else related?" Caroline spoke up drawing in the crowd's attention. "I feel like I should know this already but you have that thing with six families so the timeline must get pretty confusing."

"It does," all six Gemini's agreed in unison earning a round of laughter.

"But it's not so bad when you know there is still a bunch of other families in the Coven. Our six are just the core bloodlines that make up the founding 22 members."

"The only other related people we have to us in the clan are our parents and older sister, Brayden. Oh and our nephew," Michael vocalized.

"Yeah and it's just my sister and I," AnnaLynne brushed off but it caught Bonnie's attention, unaware that her family circle was so small.

"My parents are the obvious, Dean Cooper and Danneel whose maiden name was Hayes."

"Which is my dad's little sister. And my mom is a mutant from outside of our magical world because that guy gave zero fucks about the leader's rules and married his high school sweetheart. And that is exactly what I plan to do with you, Miss-Walsh-soon-to-be-one-day-Mrs.-Spectacular."

"What about you Emma, any siblings or cousins or anyone around our age?"

The question was light and subtle in the air hearing it from her friend's voice but Bonnie felt its weight hovering over them as she scanned the line of people landing on the one across the room peering down at the redhead. Kai has been very open and transparent when it comes to his life, his actions, and what he thinks or feels about any topic but when it comes to his past, or specifically certain people from his past he's kept his cards close to his chest. From what Bonnie could piece together the name Walsh left a bitter taste in his mouth, the name causing a physical reaction from him almost every time it has been mentioned and the man attached to it was someone just like Mr. Parker. Old-school, ruthless, and saw Kai as some type of abomination that needed to be fixed.

"I've got an older brother that's back in Portland and lives close to my mom. My parents split when I was young and my dad's been living with my uncle for a while. He never had kids so he doesn't mind the company, so my dad says. But according to him he had his fill of fatherhood having to take care of some bastard nephew."

The offhanded comment bounced off the walls of the group's inner circle as everyone's eyes shifted from Emma over to Kai who was sitting on one of the circle chairs in front of the bar smirking back at her.

"Well I wasn't going to make it easy for him."

"He also said something about not wanting to ruin the bloodline by having a daughter or show disgrace to the name by going by something different."

"Wow… harsh."

"You have no idea. He used to yammer on about it when I was a child. He had an older sister who died during childbirth and didn't keep their sacred last name so he'd go all vengeance mantra over it. Said 'the risk of having the wrong seed wasn't worth it' or something over the top like that."

"Liam didn't have a sister," Kai voiced with clarity, brows drawn and expression solemn.

"Oh he did, believe me. Even without him droning on about it my dad vouched for him. Their father used to drink a lot and when Lizzie was sixteen she left Portland and didn't show her face until he was no longer leading the Coven. After that she had a pretty average life, at least for our lifestyle, and died of natural complications."

"I know all about Liam's dad being one of the Head Honcho's. Same goes for his little brother – your dad, Martin. I know more than I'd ever need to know about your family's bloodline and there wasn't a long-lost sister in it. When did she die?"

"Beats me. They were older, I know that much. She wasn't like a teenager or anything."

"What was the last name?"

"It was… shoot, hold on," squeezing her eyes shut Emma clicked her tongue off the roof of her mouth seeming to put all of her effort into tapping into this tiny fragment of her memories. "'In the arms of an Angel' – OH! The singer of the heartbreaking sad puppies commercial! Mclaughlin!"

"McLaugh… Laughlin? Elizabeth Laughlin?"

"Yes! That's it! I knew she had to be a real person my Uncle couldn't be that far gone," Emma rejoiced sitting on one of Evan's thighs. "Who is she?"

"My mom."

Any trace of noise vanished from the yurt leaving them all in collectively stunned silence. And the one who looked the most out of it? The man that everyone was staring at, holding their breath waiting for what could possibly follow after.

"So are you guys like… distant cousins? Or, no you'd still be up close and personal cousins. Because if both of your mom's had you when they were in their 20s-30s and the fathers are blood siblings then-"

"There's no way," Kai cut off one of the younger Gemini's, staring down at the rug looking like he was doing advanced calculus in his head. "I would know. I would have known. I grew up with Liam there's no way he's – and if he was…"

"Are you alright?" Mason stood placing a hand on his shoulder, "you're looking a little pale."

"You must have heard wrong. Liam was always at my house and he and my mom barely spoke."

"Well my dad did say nothing was the same between any of them when she came back. They all had this huge fallout and my Uncle made a grand show saying he had no sister from then on. And then Lizzie got married and changed her last name and the rest was history."

"…To Parker, because she married the new Coven leader," Mason summed up like he cracked the code.

"But Josette goes by Laughlin," Kai countered.

"Isn't Josette's last name Parker... like the rest of you?"

"She changed it and she works at Whitmore in the Medical center, where you now attend classes."

"And got engaged and has gone by Saltzman since we got here. I swear Kai, I didn't know. She was never a part of the Coven after you, she left town and never came back. We didn't know anything about either of you."

"It does seem like a smart way for your mom to have kept herself protected," AnnaLynne nodded ticking the points off of her fingertips. "Deadbeat dad and brother, afraid of her past but forever a witch you shall be, and then a role change of positions cast's your dad as the new Gemini Bachelor. Ironic that Josette has followed down a semi-similar path to her as well. Not to jump right on board the conspiracy train but I don't know, that doesn't sound like the craziest thing that could happen. Which would make Liam your… Uncle."

At the news Kai sprang up from his spot like he had been burned and excused himself from the yurt disappearing from sight. Before Bonnie had any time to fully comprehend the bomb that Emma had just dropped on him had detonated and the mysterious domineering male figure from his past was still finding ways to destroy him. Two hours had already ticked by without any sign of Kai making her increasingly more worried wondering where he could be, or who he could be calling. Elena had pulled Bonnie aside when she wandered outside finding her pacing around and informed her she still had one more dose of the potion, offering it up to get an informed perspective when he finally did show up. Against her better judgment, she took it.

The group had moved from the yurt to the grill for dinner and now were all sitting around an impressive bonfire thanks to a little magical touch, the multicolored flames that crackled like sparklers as they drifted up to the night sky giving it that extra spark. Crunches from the distance perked Bonnie's ears and tuned in turning to see Kai approaching. His snapback was pulled down too low and off to the side like he had been taking it off to pull at his hair and yanking it back on. There was no distinguishable expression etched across his features standing out above the rest.

The worry line was still etched prominently between his brows but he wasn't simmering in rage or on the verge of starting a feud either. Bonnie watched on as he scanned the group before landing on her seeing the first ghost of a smile briefly touch his lips; the bubbles in her stomach fluttering seeing even in this state she still has an effect on him. Too consumed with the man closing the distance she hadn't noticed there were no vacant seats around her but Kai didn't seem phased, stopping briefly to kiss the top of her head and continued on scooping a drink from the cooler and plopped in a lawn chair a few seats to her left half illuminated through the flames.

Almost instantaneously the overwhelming scent of something putrid and vile flooded through Bonnie's nostrils physically covering her mouth and nose to keep from gagging. No one seemed to pay attention to her abrupt visceral reaction including the guy across the way whose gaze was honed in on the flames, the longer she stared at him the stronger the smell became. Taking a deep inhale she kept her mind open and as blank as possible hearing faint noises and catching flashes of daylight as the haze pulled her in through the smoke changing the scenery around her.

Standing in a stark white kitchen I scanned my surroundings from one side of the room to the other, an ominous darkness clouding my mind as a chill ran down my spine. I know this house. I have been in it before, in a dream-memory-like-situation that was strangely similar to this. Taking a step in one direction heavy footsteps sounded from the opposite as a high-school aged Kai ran into the kitchen and opened the fridge. His baby face couldn't have been older than 18, if I had to guess somewhere before his Graduation and when I saw him when he was with Gabriela. Keeping his back to me as he rummaged through the contents we both heard the door in the back of the house slide open and closed and I looked off to the right down the long corridor but didn't see anyone.

"Sorry Ash just give me two minutes I need to eat something and we can go." Pivoting with his hands full of cold cuts and condiments he kicked the fridge door closed and stood inches apart from a well-built man around his father's age. This guy looked like he grew up on a farm or some place that he never had off from hard labor a day in his life. "Liam?"

'Oh, God…' I breathed.

Grabbing Kai by the scruff of his he was thrown backwards breaking the glassware on the counter, launching him over the island crashing through the full-length frosted glass door to the pantry. Crossing the kitchen and stepping through the shattered fragments I watched as this grizzly bear of a man picked up the teenager like he weighed nothing throwing him around the confined space like a rag-doll. Once the shelves were demolished and dented canned goods were all over the floor I watched in horror as Kai fought off what appeared to be a professional boxer; no emotion in his cold dead pupils as they tore the house apart.

Bouncing off of the walls I noticed Liam never used magic on him, in fact he made sure to put his hands on his prey frequently which Kai was trying to use to his advantage but it was to no avail. His opponent was too strong, too angry, and all too willing to brutally beat a kid – his nephew – to death. Stumbling into the bathroom Kai's body was scooped up and connected with the porcelain sink with such force it shattered on impact leaving him sprawled out on the tiles.

Lying there immobilized Liam gripped him by the back of his head shoving his face into the mirror, the gut-wrenching sound as his cheek and eye connected and shattered the glass had me flinching and shutting my eyes at the brutality. Stumbling Kai fell on the closed toilet seat and reached behind him swiping the heavy ceramic lid off of the back. Using the momentum of being yanked up he swung catching Liam's profile and knocked the upper half of his body into the tub.

With an arm wrapped around his torso holding his ribs and blood blinding his vision in one eye, Kai stepped over Liam's unconscious body and limped out of the bathroom. Keeping his torso upright he dragged his left side along the wall making it to the end of the hall before he was grabbed from behind and hurled into the living room. I heard the brutal impacts of fists against bones before I saw the sickening scene play out in front of me with Kai's face becoming horrifyingly more altered with each fatal blow. Grabbing him by the scruff of the collar his attacker sent his limp body through the beveled glass of the Grandfather Clock, the chimes and pendulum singing as he collapsed.

Moving quickly Liam was able to get Kai by the throat and picked him up, suspended for an agonizing moment before he violently collided with the wooden fragments of the coffee table. I could barely witness what was happening through the tears anymore being an invisible bystander that couldn't do or say anything to change what was a real and vivid memory. Seizing hold of him once more he had him upright and pinned against the nearest wall, sneering down with revulsion.

"You killed your mother, you little shit. Do you hear me? You have been a curse in this Coven and Lizzie's life since the day you were born."

Kai's grip around the large forearm weakened with each deafening second and the hazy blue irises rolled up out of sight; his life source being choked out of him. Sagging ever so slightly his arms dropped and head lolled to the side.

"Kai, come on! We're going to be late for The Wake!"

A teenage girl's voice rang out snapping Liam and I out of the traumatizing car crash of a scene I was witnessing and he loosened his hold letting Kai slide down the wall slumped to the floor. Listening to where the voice and footsteps were approaching from his assailant gingerly made his way around the corner just as a striking blonde appeared in the doorway.

"Kai, we gotta – oh my God!" Rushing to the other side of the room his friend wept and howled out for help as her hands shook inches from his face frozen in place. "Dean! Help me, please! Kai, can you hear me? What happened to you?"

When I got close enough to lean over and see the damage I had to cover my mouth to keep from vomiting. Kai was unrecognizable; his face was broken, bleeding, and nonresponsive. His body was covered in bloody wounds, a splatter of colorful bruises under his torn up clothes and was showing no signs of life.

"Fuck!" An older green-eyed leather-jacket wearing college kid ran in and knelt on his other side. "Hey buddy, stay with me. You're gonna be fine."

"He hasn't said anything," his friend sobbed and put her ear to his chest, jerking upright to place her fingers against his neck. "Is he breathing? I can't find a pulse."

"I'm not letting Josie bury her mom and brother in the same week."

Both seeming to understand the other they closed their eyes and clasped one hand placing the other over Kai's heart and chanted. A sharp gasp broke through his vocal cords with a string of choppy anguish-filled moans; eyes squeezed shut as he attempted to roll on his side.

"Hey it's Ashley and Dean. We're going to fix you up, okay? Please try not to move, you've been in some kind of accident."

"Yeah the kind when someone beats the shit out of you. What the fuck, who did this to you?" Kai tried to speak but a garble of blood spewed out falling into a fit of coughs as he held onto his ribs. "I think you broke a few of those. Sit tight."

For the second time I had to stand by and watch as Kai's loved ones performed supernatural surgery to save his life, caused by none other than the domineering cowardice male figures that are supposed to act as his role models. The cries of torment rippled through my soul as they patched up the grotesque open wounds and marks that were flittered across his skin before moving onto the internal damage. By the time they were finishing up my eyes were puffy and heavy from tears and was astonished to see he was just about fully healed aside from a mark or two. One of which being a gash that slices through the end half of his eyebrow from the impact of his face connecting with the bathroom mirror.

"So who's ready for that party?" Kai joked trying to hop to his feet but still too weak.

"Did your dad do this?"

The question pushed my head back, the seriousness and complete understanding between the three on the subject matter twisting my insides. They knew. The two closest people to him were aware of the beast that lives and breathes within the same walls as their best friend but to what extent? Did they have any clue about the other heinous creature lurking in the shadows too?

"No."

"Don't lie to us."

"I'm not."

"You just don't want us to make a scene."

"Because you know I'll walk into that funeral home right now and rip him out of there by his balls. That son of a bitch."

"But I'm already patched up thanks to you two" he brushed off swiping off actual fragments of glass and wood shards from his torn shirt, "and good as new."

"Kai, you-"Ashley's voice cracked and tears stained her cheeks standing to grab hold of his hands, "I think you really just died. And if we got here any later you wouldn't be able to joke your way out of this because your family would have been burying you too. I love you and someone almost just took you away from me and I want to know it was right now."

"Ash," his smile only reached one side of his mouth as he cocked his head to scan her face.

"Nah someone roughed you up. You were beaten to death, man."

"It had to have been your dad, who else would it be? Only a deranged lunatic would do what we just saw. And today of all day's… he's a sadist. I'm so sorry."

Kai let out a gruff sound at the sudden body slam of a hug signifying he was still feeling of the lingering trauma and wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she broke down. Shifting his gaze straight ahead his friend was staring back with fury seething out of him mentally channeling him to tell him the culprit. Dean's brow raised and tilted his head at the girl, seeming to ask if what she's implying is true and Kai gave his head a slight shake. Then he shifted with a firm set of his jaw and pointed to a picture that had fallen on the ground during the scuffle of his parents on their wedding day with Liam right beside them. Wiping his features to a blank slate as a response was all the validation needed for his compatriot who was already backtracking out of the room.

"Where are you going?"

"I've got a party to crash."

Kai slipped past Ashley to cut Dean off but the conversation became muffled and hard to hear, the haze fading the memory away like smoke until it was completely evaporated.

Rubbing at her lids with her palms Bonnie looked back to Kai whose glazed-over daydream eyes suddenly snapped into consciousness, scanning away from the fire to the people around him.

"What's up?"

"I asked if you were down for a round of boozy horseshoes. You can even pick your partner first to ease the sting when you lose."

The delicious spread of food Bonnie had eaten throughout the day crept up her throat at an alarming rate as residual images of Kai broken and battered played through, pushing the chair backwards and sprinting away from the group. With her palm over her mouth to stop any accidents she managed to get almost all the way back to the yurt before she leaned forward and heaved. Tears rolled down her cheeks as the scene continued to play out of what she just had to witness firsthand.

The heart-wrenching sounds of a young man fighting for his life as the Devil's second in command took pleasure in taking it in his own hands, momentarily bringing it to an end causing a ringing in Bonnie's eardrums. The look on both of their faces as one, absolutely terrified, slipped away as pure evil gazed its blank vacant abyss back at him. Then by some magical miracle is brought back to life just in time to attend his mother's funeral. It was a sight Bonnie was never going to be able to forget.

"Hey, are you okay?"

The hoarse familiar voice over her shoulder swelled her chest up so tight she couldn't breathe. Turning in his direction concerned cobalt orbs peered back at her and widened taking in her tousled appearance. Before he could press her Bonnie took a cue from Kai's long-time blonde beauty and collided into his torso wrapping her arms under his and squeezing. Unable to pry open her lids from distress of a dam breaking free she buried her face in his collar bone willing her mind and body to stop.

"Bonnie you're shaking. What's wrong?"

Kai tried pulling back to look at her but she wouldn't budge and nuzzled in deeper shaking her head. She couldn't believe what she witnessed was real; there was no way that had actually happened – when he was only a teenager no less, and by a man he is just now discovering is his Uncle. Fingertips danced lightly across Bonnie's back in a soothing pattern causing her body to physically relax and deflated into his touch, the spasms simmering into nothing. Regaining an ounce of composure she straightened and leaned back peering into Kai's uneasy gaze as it took in her tousled appearance.

"I need to brush my teeth."

"What?" he laughed out, the abrupt change in comments making him smile.

"I'll be right back."

Darting up the few steps Bonnie took a sharp turn into the bathroom quickly brushing her teeth and rinsing, glancing at her reflection as she turned and stopped mid-step. The platinum blonde waves framing her face was so shocking and stunning to see, the contrast against her complexion making her look like she was glowing from top to bottom. But it was the vibrant makeup that was now bleeding down her face in dark streaks against her puffy eyes that gave way to her obviously frazzled state. Washing her face clean of all evidence Bonnie quickly vacated the bathroom only to collide into a bulky frame before she could get outside.

"Figured I had a better chance of you telling me what's going on if we were inside and away from wandering ears," he reasoned shoving his hands into his front pockets and rocking back on his heels.

"You didn't have to follow me. I didn't mean to drag you away from everyone I know the guys wanted to play a game with you."

"I followed you because I wanted to." Kai tilted his head giving her a better view of his sincerity under the brim of his hat and scanned over his face, a haze of a bloody nightmare peering back at her.

Blinking away the unexpected tears Bonnie cautiously lifted the brim off of his forehead and trailed her line of view up where a small scar sliced through his eyebrow near the end. Gliding her palm down his temple and cheekbone she tried not to let her lip quiver imagining the broken bones under every part of his smooth skin that was splattered in blood like a canvas. Squeezing her lids shut the momentarily blindness only heightened the sickening echoes of fists making contact against something, screams howling, and sobs breaking the inner sound barrier of her mind.

"Please talk to me," his soft voice pleaded in half a whisper, opening her eyes as tears fell seeing his apprehensive expression. "You've been off all day and it's sort of freaking me out. Did I do something wrong since we've been here?"

"No."

"Are you having problems with your friends?"

"No?"

"My friends?"

"No…"

"Then why did you run away?"

"I didn't, I – I just felt nauseous and thought I was going to be sick and didn't want it to happen all over the campfire."

"So why were you crying when I caught up with you?"

"I don't know…" Bonnie lied, the lack of expression displaying he was still waiting for her to answer. "I'm just overwhelmed. I have a lot on my mind and had a moment. Sorry, won't happen again."

"You know that's not what I'm saying," Kai shot back looking entirely unamused with the deep worry line etched between his knit brows. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine."

"Clearly," he retorted trying to keep his composure calm and collected and took a step towards her, now less than a foot apart. "Now say it like you mean it."

"I'm fine," she annunciated each letter of the last word to drive it home but neither of them were convinced and he nodded once, starting to backtrack towards the door.

"Right, well do you want to go back to the fire then?"

"Why don't you ever talk about Liam?" The internal inquiry rushed through her vocal cords before they could be stopped and watched the cloud settle around him darkening his demeanor.

"Why would I?"

"He's a part of your past. And from what little you've told me I still get the sense he made an impact. He was your dad's 'right hand man' after all, and he made your life a living Hell. Was Liam like that too?"

"Pretty much," he brushed off pointing over his shoulder with his thumb, "so, s'mores?"

"I'm being serious."

"About this, who cares?"

"I do."

"But why?"

"Because… because I think he hurt you like your dad used to. Maybe even worse, but when you were a kid he was just your dad's friend and now you know that son of a bitch is actually your mom's blood brother and has been your Uncle this entire time."

"Why did you call him that?"

"Call him what?"

"A son of a bitch…." Kai trailed off and it must have clicked in their minds in the same instant of Dean cussing Liam out in his memory referring to him with that colorful phrase.

"I don't know – because he is?" Bonnie deflected struggling to keep her voice from shaking and crossed her arms over her chest, "Cody's been saying it this weekend so I guess it stuck in my head. If you don't want to talk about it you don't have to, I just want you to know that you can. You can tell me anything."

"Likewise," he agreed looking her over with skepticism, the wheels turning trying to figure out what she was up to. "Is there something you want to talk to me about?"

Bonnie could not put into words the revelation these visions have brought to her or how much of an impact they've had on how she sees him and the depth of their relationship. She would be the first to admit she was the Devil on Kai's shoulder through the first half of their existence together being a constant reminder of the 'monster' he was and how undeserving he was to live and breathe in the world like so many other evil souls. Possessing a malevolence that runs through his veins able to twist and turn him into the villain and banished him to a world of solidarity.

Nevertheless, the more you get to know a person, the more you understand them. Empathize, sympathize, living vicariously through them folded up in the chapters of their lives that they narrate and uncovering the inner light of that individual's soul. It's growing to love someone. To see with clarity every red flag and irredeemable quality and give your heart to them in spite of it because they're worth it. They are worth fighting for. And whether it is piece by piece, or all together, you willingly give your heart to them and envelop them in your warmth for safekeeping.

"No."

Sighing, Kai stared at her a beat longer and nodded opening the door and lifting an arm gesturing her to lead the way. With her head hung low Bonnie scooted quickly past his scrutinizing stare making her way back to the group who was setting up a giant projection screen for a movie night. There were half a dozen pink full-sized fire side lounge chairs that looked and felt like plush mattresses, giant bean bag chairs, and comforters and pillows scattered all throughout the area really opening up the space.

"Hey you blonde bombshell," Elena cooed walking into the dimply lit scene illuminated by lanterns floating overhead.

"Sorry," she laughed off downplaying it without further explanation and no one pressed her on it but her friend's investigative expression didn't get past her.

Settling into the middle of one of the propped up plush lounge mattresses in the Kai plopped down beside her, two armfuls of snacks tumbling down in front of them with a bucket of popcorn and drinks and leaned back propping himself up on an elbow. "What are we watching?"

"At Camp Coop Lake, what do you think?" Evan snickered setting up the projector and angling it correctly. "Friday the 13th, baby."

"Oh here we go," Emma curling into one of the bean bag chairs with a bucket of pop snacks.

"Alright everyone get cozy and settle in, because this is not the Jason Vorhees and 1980's camp counselor's you're expecting."

"Is this is the remake?" Cody asked oozing with dread making his… cousin? Crack up in response.

"What a prick," Dylan chuckled along stretching out on the mattress on the end, "but that is pretty funny."

"It's going to be hilarious," Evan corrected and started up the movie, the first scene after the opening credit being a man driving down a long dirt road on a motorcycle into a trailer park, his face coming into view turning towards the camera.

"Hold up," Kai called out, shooting up in his seat and pointing, "Holy shit that's Sammy!"

"Ah yes, Uncle Sam," Dylan snorted raising his beer to the screen, "forever living in his big brother's shadow."

"Wait… is Dean in this too?"

"Dad would never take a role this small," the youngest Cooper grinned looking back at Kai. "What? Oh did Cody not tell you dad's a famous celebrity? Yeah he and our Uncle auditioned for this Paranormal show like a decade ago to play brothers who were hunters and fuck that shit took off like the guy's on Maury after they hear they aren't the father."

"Dean's an actor," Kai chuckled to himself shaking his head, "that's awesome. And Sammy always was the theatrical one."

Bonnie had never seen this version of Friday the 13th and after the scary movie marathon the two of them had in the prison world she was pretty interested to see what the new take on a Classic concept would be. Sam's character made his way into the haunting town in search of his missing little sister, flowing between his story line and a group of college kids spending the weekend at one of their parent's country houses. During a scene where they are all goofing around partying one of the guy's playing darts hit the bullseye and tore off his shirt in victory. His response to the girl asking why he always has to try and flex on them? 'I'm a creature of habit.'

The familiar statement stood out to her, hearing Kai say it on more than one occasion and felt an instantaneous blinding pain shoot through her skull like something had ruptured. Squeezing her eyes shut a hazy scene started to appear in the darkness, bodies spread throughout the woods surrounding the twenty-two year old versions of Kai and Jo. As soon as the image cleared he dropped to his knees holding his temples and bellowing out in agony, Joshua Parker appearing from thin air chanting in Latin with the ascendant in hand.

"How many times have I told you, Malachai?" he yelled over the Gemini's continuing the incantation as he closed the distance. "Always stay three moves ahead of your opponent. But you are, and always have been, a creature of habit. That's how I knew how to trap you; your impulsiveness will be the death of you. Haven't I taught you anything?"

The scene wiped clean with a smoky haze turning with lids filled to Kai's profile, still facing forward watching the movie. It struck Bonnie that nothing in his posture or expression had changed as his mind drifted to what she presumes is the worst day of his life and the realization brought a chill across her skin. Angling down before he caught the side of her face Bonnie nuzzled into his side pulling the blanket near her feet up over them and settled in letting out a shaky exhale. As soon as their bodies touched his hand was drifting down her shirt in small circles, the irony of the intimate act soothing her when he was the one that needed it more not being lost on her.

The movie was certainly a modernized version of what really happened at Camp Crystal Lake but it was still a good choice. The group continued to loiter around the campsite and in the yurts after before splitting off and the two excused themselves to head back to the room feeling wiped. Bonnie had just enough energy to strip out of everything but her underwear sliding on a baggy tee and jumped into bed letting out an overdrawn sigh of elation.

"This bed is so comfortable."

Chuckling softly her line of view shifted to the other side of the mattress, watching Kai zoned out pulling his shirt over his head and unbuttoned his jeans kicking them off with his shoes. Stretching tall he flopped forward on the exhale sprawling sideways across the bed and she let out an 'ooph' at the bulking mass landing on her thighs.

"Mm yeah it is."

Closing his eyes flashes like a kaleidoscope scanned through of his dad, Liam, memories together with Sam, Dean, and Ashley, and that night in 1994. Noting the crease beginning to form between his brows Bonnie reached down running her nails through his hair and lightly across his forehead and cheeks, his body deflating with a deep exhale. As if she had put a new film strip in his mind new images began playing on a reel, all of Bonnie. Moments ticking by like nanoseconds of dozens of memories highlighting the smiles and laughs he's pulled out of her along the way.

Struggling to take a breath it felt like her airway had been cut off, his thoughts paused on her tear-stained face morphing to shock hearing Kai tell her she was breaking his heart. The heavy thuds of Bonnie's heartbeat pounded violently giving her physical pains in her chest and pressed her palm to the sensitive spot, hand trembling. Chills broke out down her arms making her dizzy as their repeated attempts at a break up played out through his perspective – each in their own stubborn ways not budging or backing down from the other. Bonnie's stomach twisted at the acknowledgement that he knew deep down she would run the moment he read the contents of the book and the raw fear and panic that flooded his system in response.

"Please don't hate me," slipped out in a whisper catching Kai's attention and turned honing in on her face.

The ache in her chest dissipated and tension slipped away with the memory replaced by one of them lying together facing each other in what looked to be Damon's bedroom. Curiosity and adrenaline coursed through as his fingers danced up Bonnie's forearm while she slept, observing her every feature. Anxious sounds like she was falling into a nightmare started up and Kai's brows furrowed, contemplating, before sliding his right arm between her head and shoulder resting on the pillow grabbing hold of his other forearm in a snug embrace. Blowing out a harsh exhale she pressed her front to his wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

Chuckling to himself Bonnie could feel his intrigue and fascination at this girl who kept drawing him in with every new detail he found out about her. The mysterious beautiful Persephone trapped in his Underworld with the God of War and Death, and he wanted to know more. Once she was wrapped up tight in Kai's embrace the whimpering subsided and nuzzled in close, the touch so foreign and new she realized this was the first night they spent in the same bed together in the prison world.

"I don't."

"I'm scared."

Kai's gaze didn't waver under her candor. "Me too."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," she admitted and his smile spread wide, sniggering softly.

"Oh I'm aware. This is weird new territory for me too, Bon. But life is all about the choices you make because nothing is out of your control; you just have to keep moving forward. And I want to do that with you. Do you still want to with me?"

"It's not that simple." Kai sat up and scanned down her entire frame and back up, smirking with a small shake of his head.

"Yes it is, Bonnie. It is actually that simple. If you want to be with me then you'd at least try to find a way for us to stay together. I know I could risk it all and lose everything if we tempt the Fates That Be and it doesn't go in our favor but the same thing could be said if we ignore it. Your beloved Elena and Caroline and the brooding brothers could lose out on their own happily ever after's and they can't do anything to stop it, and I know how much you love risking your life for other people's benefit. The damage is already done, Bonster. We're sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g and set off the spark for this thing. All we can do now is figure out a way to beat it before it beats us."

"Risking my life for other people's benefit?" Bonnie repeated, the only thing sticking out to her above the rest, arching an eyebrow.

"You're right, I misspoke. They technically aren't people with the whole 'drinking human blood' trait. Thank you for correcting me."

"They're my friends, and I love them," she shot back defensively and her blood pressure rose catching sight of Damon half a dozen times in typical fashion invading in her space with his corny lines and 'come hither' goofy-eyed looks. "They mean everything to me."

Advancing forward Kai hovered over her small frame spreading her legs at the knees and yanked her into him by the waist, his expression resolute. "Everything you just said, I feel about you. And only for you."

A horrified scream broke through the air from outside the yurt catching the two's full attention and sprung to their feet. Sliding on a pair of sweatpants Bonnie found the closest legwear of shorts and the two ran out the door following the screams blended in with anxious voices to the culprit in a full-fledged panic attack; Cody.

"Her face!" he yelled looking at his coven frantically. "Her eyes – they did something! There were these vein things and they were so bloodshot."

"Sounds like she got into my head stash," Evan joked but Bonnie's heart dropped down to her stomach, dread settling in knowing exactly what Cody saw.

"I'm not fucking kidding I gave her some tea and she started choking and when she looked at me her face was completely different."

"What was in the tea?"

"She said she had a headache so I made a quick chamomile with lavender, ginger, peppermint, vervain, mugwort –" Elena emerged from the yurt as soon as it registered in both friends minds the toxic herb to vampires that he just unknowingly used to expose her. "Stop!"

"Cody I'm not going to hurt you," she said in a calming voice descending the stairs and he looked around him, finding his little brother and shoving him behind him in a protective stance. "Or your family, or anyone else in your coven I promise. I'm sorry you had to find out this way but, I've wanted to tell you something about me so I guess this is as good of a time as any."

"Elena I really don't think you need to bore him with your extreme allergic reactions and the crazy effect it has on you."

"Caroline, please. Cody, I know about your supernatural secret and I think you deserve to know mine." Each step she took closer made his posture tense and demeanor shift, flowing with apprehension in his protective stance. "I'm a vampire."

"A vampire? Really?" Michael cackled jostling around his friend, "It's okay bro you've watched enough TV to take her down. Just think to yourself, 'what would Buffy do?'"

"Whip out your stake and slay her, man," Dylan joined in over his brother's shoulder but he stayed planted in his spot, frozen.

"Cody-"

"Don't come any closer," he declared in a stern tone with a hand raised, similar to Kai's stance before he uses magic and Bonnie jerked forward a step in response towards Elena. "I'm serious; this is your only warning."

"Yo man, ease up," Evan spoke out, looking as if he didn't believe her best friend's declaration either but stood with Emma slightly behind one of his arms shielding her.

"Everything that I have ever said to you is true. How I feel about you, my family, my entire life. But the first day of my Sophomore year I met Stefan Salvatore and fell for him, and then I found out he and his brother Damon are vampires. I hadn't known anything about the supernatural or magic or that it existed in this world and it changed my views on everything. It was the same time we were learning that Bonnie was a witch too so it was really hard but I came to accept everything. And we were together while I was a human and we made it work for years, until… I drowned with vampire blood in my system one night and was turned."

"This is a fucked up story."

"Yeah and weren't you dating the other brother?"

"I was, after I was turned. But Stefan and I had something real and we having a loving functional relationship against a lot of obstacles for a very long time."

"Wait, hold up," AnnaLynne shook her head pointing in Caroline's direction. "Aren't you dating Stefan?"

"Yes," her other friend drawled out, knowing the path of questions this was going to lead down to her inevitable end result. "And since we're doing this, might as well tell my story with you. Hi, my name is Caroline Forbes, and I was turned into a vampire during my filler year at age seventeen. I thought that was going to be the end of me but it actually turned into the best thing that's ever happened to me. So that's me, the same girl you've always known just more… mystical."

"Yeah Bonnie sorry to tell you but your girls are certifiable," Michael brushed off and Caroline huffed out in irritation.

"Okay fine, you're all witches I understand that you're the types that need to 'see it to believe it', so." Once the words left her lips ripples of deep purple veins trickled up her cheeks into her eyes as every speck of white turned bloodshot, the sharp fangs slightly exposed.

"What the fuck!"

"Mase, get over here!"

"What do we do?!"

"Stand back!"

"That's enough." Kai's voice rose with such authority by her side she almost didn't recognize it and stepped forward walking between his group of friends and hers. "It is a very dragged out underwhelming story because yes, what they are saying is true but no, they aren't quote so 'Nosferatu'. They're more like, I don't know, hyped up children?"

"No, we aren't like anything you've seen in the movies. We are still the same people we were before it happened everything is just heightened, and we have superhuman powers, and we have to drink blood to survive."

"Mason I'm not playin' get the fuck behind me."

"Kai what the hell is going on?"

"They're vampires," he shrugged like it was typical information making eye contact with each member. "They're the same girls you've been getting to know they just do some weird shit behind closed doors. But if it makes any of you feel better it's really easy to overpower them. Like, embarrassingly so. It's pretty much turned into a game of entertainment on Damon whenever boredom strikes."

"You can't be serious," Mason stated in disbelief, still off to the side beside his red-headed companion

"Yeah I'm like genuinely scared right now," Emma agreed with her arm linked through his. "I think we should go."

"You think we should?" Evan repeated looking over his shoulder. "This is Coop's family campsite, babe. Yeah fine, whatever, let's get our stuff."

"No, please," Elena rebutted with her hands held out palms up in a non-threatening gesture, "I swear I would never hurt you, Cody. I wouldn't hurt any of you, neither of us would. I'm so sorry you all had to find out this way and I know it's going to be a shock and might take a little to get past it and accept it… but I'm hoping you do. I really like you. I'm gonna go and give you time to let this sink in. I'll see you at school on Monday?"

"I'll drive you home," Caroline offered and Bonnie's heart sank thinking about being here once their gone with the Gemini's bombarding her with an interrogation.

"I'll go with you too," she spoke up and both girls, including the guy a foot in front of her all looked back in question. "I'll pack quickly."

Retreating back to the yurt she managed to pack everything up and put it in front of the door stopping to use the bathroom before the long trip back and walked out to Kai standing in her way.

"You're leaving?"

"I kind of have to it's going to be so uncomfortable and awkward once they're gone. I was going to leave pretty early in the morning with them anyway to get ahead of traffic so I'm only missing one night. I just can't even that really happened. What will they say? What are they going to do?"

"They aren't going to do anything Bon, don't worry about that. I'll talk to them."

"You will?" she inquired feeling an instantaneous release of tension and lull of reassurance blowing out a breath. "Thank you."

"Anything for you, toots," Kai poked fun alleviating the suspense and picked up her bags for her, opening the door for her to go first. "Besides, your girl's are alright."

"Awh I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said about them," Bonnie grinned finding the two already at the car loading it up.

Giving the Gemini's a swift goodbye the three packed up the vehicle and started off on what was going to be a very long and animated car ride back to Mystic Falls.