1 The Taliesin secret

What I saw shocked me.

First shocking thing, the smell vanished. Next shocking thing, it was my father sitting in my room, on my bed watching the ballerina dance in my jewelry box. Last shocking thing, he looked alive except for the odd way his head hung.

I immediately changed back into a human and gasped.

He turned slowly, with his whole body and saw me. His eyes filled with tears as he rasped.

"Angela."

I opened my mouth to speak but his eyes cut to someone behind me. I didn't need to look to see Damon standing behind me in his human form.

Without another word being spoken, my father, Robert Taliesin followed us to the others.

We all gathered in the living room as my father sat down and began his story.

"Ariel and I saw the Game being played in a pub not far from here" Daddy said surprisingly in a clear voice. "It promised us mystery, danger, temptation and desires unveiled. We were excited and so we joined in."

Julian snorted and was about to say how stupid my parents were when Madelyn elbowed him.

"Suddenly we found ourselves *inside* this Game and fought against these creatures." Daddy looked up and locked gazes with Julian. "The aljunnu."

"Not only did we have to face our nightmares but go against our secret fantasies." Daddy snorted, "Our most inner thoughts became real and-- we could not win. "

Tears filled my father's eyes as he kept going. "They were going to kill me but Ariel had only to ask and their master granted her wish for my freedom. For one month I alone took care of our four-year-old son, Branton. Until one stormy night, Ariel just appeared."

"She told our son and I tales of the odd monsters she beheld. Their "silly" games and stories of their master. Branton loved to hear stories of "her Erlking"

"Elf king." Julian murmured with a little smirk.

"It wasn't long after Ariel came back to us that I discovered she was pregnant." Daddy continued harshly. "I just knew it was one of them. It would be vile and ugly." He said in a soft tone, "But he wasn't. He was perfect."

Daddy smiled in remembrance, "Ten tiny toes, ten tiny fingers and beautiful blue eyes. But I hated him, his beauty was evil and I sought to return him to his kind." My father looked up at me sadly, "Ten months later, when your mother was eight months pregnant with you, I gave your half-brother to his people. When Ariel found out, she was heartbroken. She ran screaming from me and into another monster's arms. By the time I found Ariel and chased that fiend away from her, it was too late."

He began sobbing, "That was the price I had to pay for dealing with the monsters, your humanity and your mother's life."

Someone began to clap and everyone turned to see Keegan surrounded by his two bodyguards.

"Bravo, Robert." He exclaimed, "Brilliantly acted."

My father made to rise to his feet but something about Keegan made him freeze.

"You're forgetting where you told Branton to forget he ever had a brother." Keegan continued. "Or the fact you burned every single picture and record of their brother's existence."

Daddy didn't say a word.

"Why don't we finish this family reunion and bring out your son and his family." Keegan said and snapped his fingers. Before the sound could end, my brother and his in laws appeared before us all.

"W-what's going on?" Morigan asked smoothing her tangled hair. Moria clutched Jasmina and her youngest to her, looking every bit as ruffled as her two girls. Branton was the only one who looked like he hadn't gone through hell.

"May I introduce to you, Robert Taliesin. Father, murderer and dead man." Keegan introduced with a bow. "Robert, your daughter in law Jasmina and her family."

Branton looked shocked at our father as Moria and the girls cowered behind my brother.

"Dad?" Branton whispered. "Is it really you?"

Our father nodded sadly, "It's me, son."

Keegan chuckled and turned to face my friends and me. " Now, you have all the clues, Angel. What's the answer to the Game? What is I've been trying to tell you?"

I gathered all the information together. My mother had a relationship with a Shadow man that resulted in the birth of a child, my brother, who would be seventeen today. Because of his halfling nature, my father gave him back to the ones he considered was the child's own kind. This act caused my mother to go fleeing into the night and got her killed.

Other things began to click into place. Keegan knowing what my mother smelled like. Knowing her favorite flower and why he wanted me to win so badly.

I looked up at Keegan with new eyes and spoke aloud for the first time in fifteen years.

"Hello brother."

Instantly my voice entranced everyone in the room. No one living or dead was unaffected. My voice was the ultimate weapon in my hunt for vampires and its purity could send them to their deaths. Instead of harsh commands, it was a gentle caress to one's ears. I used my voice to do a simple and wonderful thing that Keegan probably never had.

A welcome.

Everyone shook his or her heads and my spell was broken.

"You win." He said proudly and smiled.

Branton looked on shocked as Keegan meekly approached him and held out his hand to him.

"That's why you kept me in that castle, away from those monsters." He whispered and jerked our new brother into a hug. "Welcome home little brother."

Keegan came up to me and I took him up to my father who sat with his head down. I immediately saw the happiness turn to pure hatred.

"Before Daddy died, he wanted me to give you a message." I told him entrancing everyone once more. "I had thought for a time he meant it for Branton but now I know it was for you."

"W-what was it?" Keegan asked struggling for the control he didn't have.

"Daddy was sorry." I told him.

Keegan shook off the effects of my voice and looked at my father. "Are you really?" he asked with disbelief.

Daddy whipped his head up slowly, "More than you'll ever know, Keegan. I paid the ultimate price for hurting you and I'm sorry Angel had to pay as well."

I noticed then my father's body was slowly turning to dust and began to blow away.

"I wondered what ever happened to the little parasite that kicked me while Mommy rocked me." Keegan said before I punched his arm halfway playing with him.

"Don't you two start." Branton scolded before Daddy laughed.

"This is how I wanted things to be!" he said before blowing away entirely.

Everyone was silent for awhile.

"So, where do we go from here?" Madelyn asked. "The adventure is over."

"Life is an adventure." Keegan said looking straight at Joan.

Joan cleared her throat, "I think she's asking where are you going to stay?"

"With me and the rest of his family." Branton exclaimed and I could just see all the plans Jasmina and Morigan had for my new brother.

I began to dread this adventure ending and my friends knew it.

I saw Keegan get an ominous grin, "Let's play a game for where both me and Angel stay."

Branton scowled and Keegan held up his hand.

"If you don't play, I'll just disappear with my baby sister." He warned Branton.

With a sigh Branton agreed.