Chapter 4

"Ugh…. shut up." If being a housemaid suited Brooklynn, more power to her. Melina had things outside the house to keep her sane; there was no way she was tying herself to just the mom / housewife label, not happening. She was way more than that. "If I am, then I know exactly when it happened too. We got really drunk last month, we didn't have the girls, and it was a very wild… night." She giggled mischievously.

"Wild sex baby. Nice. No judgment here, that's how most babies are made from my knowledge."

Brooklynn wasn't a housemaid, this was her home and she enjoyed taking care of it. For years, all she focused on was crossing spirits over and helping other people. Granted, she still did it, but not nearly as often due to having a family and not being alone. After Nemesis was stopped, her life with Mark had settled down, along with the others, and she was content with the peacefulness and solitude.

"Hell, if you're gonna make a baby, that's the way to go. Make it as wild and memorable as possible."

"I'll spare you the sordid details, but it was pretty wild and memorable, even with as drunk as I got." Melina chuckled, not about to get into it with kids lurking. God help her if one of her kids overheard her discussing the positions, she and David had done, all over the house. "I'll let you know how it goes, we're taking the spawn out for dinner, so I'm going to have to let you go. We should get together soon, what do you think?"

"Yeah definitely, let me know when a good time is, and we'll fly out to D.C. to see you guys for a couple days. Spring Break for Claira is coming up towards the end of March." Melina told her she'd call back at a later time once she figured out when their kids were on Spring Break.

They hung up and she set the cell phone on the ledge, rubbing the back of her neck. Brooklynn was dreading heading back inside, but she had to clean up the dinner mess and make sure Claira did her homework. Even if she was 16, she was still a kid and had to be watched, especially since she'd been pulling shady crap lately. Taking a deep breath, Brooklynn slipped her cell in her back pocket and walked back into the kitchen, beginning to clean the mess up.

Mark was sitting on the couch with Claira, reviewing her math homework for her. He still hadn't returned use of her tongue; she was going to have to suffer a bit longer. Claira wasn't amused, sitting there with her arms folded over her chest. When he finally asked her if she had any other homework, she shook her head no. Claira would've told him, if she could, she had done all the rest first, Math last because it was the hardest. When Bastet jumped onto her lap, her eyes narrowed at the cat. Turning on the radio, soft country music flowed through the speakers as Brooklynn started doing the dishes that didn't fit in the dishwasher. She jumped when the radio stopped working and sparks flew out of it, amber eyes widening.

"What the hell?! MARK!" The curtains had caught fire from the sparks and he was in the kitchen instantly, shoving her outside on the patio along with Claira and Bastet, handling the flames.

Claira smirked wickedly, folding her arms in front of her chest and ignored Bastet hissing at her.

Brooklynn did NOT miss that smarmy smirk on her daughter's face either.

Mark had completely missed the smirk, a bit busy with the mild catastrophe going on in the kitchen. When it was sorted out, flames out, he studied the radio thoughtfully, looking for any sign of an electrical issue that would have caused it. Frowning, he stepped outside, staring at Brooklynn.

"What the hell happened, darlin'?!"

"Why don't you ask our daughter? I'm sure she has an inkling as to what happened, considering she was smirking about it. I'm done, I'm going to bed."

Claira had set the house on fire all because her father had kept her from talking! Brooklynn couldn't look at her right now, wanting to beat her ass. The kitchen cleanup could wait, Brooklynn was taking a hot bath and going to bed, hoping tomorrow was a better day. Today had been hell because of her teenage brat. Claira actually felt a smidge of fear when her father's now venomous green eyes turned towards her, moving inside and away from him.

"Bastet."

A second later, Bastet had tripped her and then sat on Claira's chest. Her weight was magically enhanced and she simply licked her paw. Who was a FAT, SNEAKY cat now?

Claira couldn't scream out or do anything as her father planted his fingers on either side of her temples, chanting in tongues. The wind outside had picked up drastically as the burnt curtains flew all around the kitchen. Her screams echoed in her mind as her eyes turned black along with his, feeling as if a chain was being wrapped around her body. Bastet eyes glowed a demonic green as she continued licking her paws before laying down on the brat's chest while her master finished the binding spell. Claira would no longer be able to use her powers until her father decided to unbind her. Tears poured from the corners of her eyes as he pulled his fingers away from her head and Bastet got off her, leaving Claira laying there, purring. Her father also hadn't taken the lock from her mouth off either.

Binding his own daughter… Mark leaned back against the couch, simply staring at her, the acid fading from his eyes as they shimmered with… potential tears. "You could have seriously hurt, if not killed her, Claira." His voice was void of emotion. "If you can't check your powers, or if you WON'T, then I'll do it for you." At the look she shot him through teary eyes, he raised a black brow. "Is it all worth it?"

Claira hated country music and she was angry at her mother, so that's why she'd send her energy to destroy the radio. She didn't expect the sparks to fly out and set the curtains on fire though! Not responding to him, she simply stared up at the ceiling and wiped her tears away, slowly sitting up now that Bastet wasn't on top of her. Her father snapped his fingers and the sounds of her crying could now be heard, the tears not stopping.

"C-Can I g-go to m-my r-room now?" She stammered out, scooting back when he reached out for her, not wanting to be touched at the moment.

"No. You're going to sit here and tell me what the hell is going on with you, girl! And if you try to leave, I'm letting Bastet sit on you again."

Bastet purred, moving so she was curled up in her Master's lap, emerald eyes fixed on the Little One. And to think, this thing used to be so cute and loveable. Humans.

"So?"

"It's nothing! I'm not doing anything wrong! So what if I don't clean up after myself?! Mom has nothing better to do anyway! I just wanna be left alone! I'm not talking to you about anything after what you just did to me!" Claira snapped, having a temper that matched her father's and folded her arms tightly in front of her chest, pursing her lips together. "Mom took my phone away from me for no reason and, if she thinks I'm staying away from Seth, she has another thing coming! I love him and nobody is keeping him from me!"

He could sort of remember his own teenage years and he knew well the harder his parents came down, the more he rebelled. Of course, he had been a lot subtler with the magic thing then Claira was. Probably a good thing she wasn't 100% his clone or they would be in some serious trouble.

"If you'd stop being a pain in the ass, Claira, she wouldn't be coming down on you. How hard is it to keep your bathroom clean and NOT leave used pantyliners on the floor?"

"I-I didn't mean to do it! I was in a hurry because I was late leaving for school this morning! Maybe you should look where you're walking, Dad!" Claira cried out, breathing heavily and clenched her fists tightly at her sides, gritting her teeth. "She needs to stay out of my business and stop freaking out about my grades! My grades are FINE! I only failed that test because I don't want to be in advanced classes! I don't even know if I'm going to college yet! You guys just need to let me live my life and stop being jerks!" Being on her period didn't help matters either because Claira's hormones were raging right now.

"Claira, I get why you failed the test, I'm not mad about that and your Mom is just concerned." She probably shouldn't have even gone after the grade situation, honestly. Claira was a straight A student, but she was also turning into a little prick. "And I shouldn't HAVE to watch out for USED PANTYLINERS, Claira, that's just disgusting. You want me to start coming into that school? I bet I could come do a lecture on proper hygiene and bathroom etiquette." That would humiliate the hell out of her in the process.

"No! No, please don't do that to me! Mom cleaned my bathroom, so I'll just use mine from now on and…clean up after myself." Claira sniffled, wiping tears away and leaned her head back against the couch. "She's just being a bitch to me because she's got nothing better to do! Threatening me to take Seth away…I'm not gonna lose him because of her! She can ground me all she wants, I'll just have my relationship with him at school and start cutting classes to be with him!" Seth wasn't into school and often skipped, though Claira had never once gone with him because she legitimately cared about her education. "Oh, she's also pissed because I made her wait a whole 10 minutes before coming out of school! Excuse me for having a social life!"

"You knew you were in trouble, you were dragging feet." Mark pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing they weren't going to have to tiptoe around her as long as she was Bound, but then the average teenage rebellion… god, save them all. "Claira, if I find out you're skipping classes for a boy, I'm going to make what just happened look like kiddie play, you understand me? I will use up my vacation time just to walk you into each class. I'll even sit there and take notes with you. You really want that?"

"Then tell Mom to back off when it comes to Seth and I won't have to skip classes just to spend time with my boyfriend."

Claira didn't back down, already knowing her father was blowing smoke up her backside. It worked when she was younger, not so much now. In 2 years, she would be 18, an adult, and they wouldn't be able to control her anymore. Seth was right, they were nothing except control freaks and she was over it.

"And I didn't drag feet, I was talking to my BOYFRIEND since he couldn't drive me home like he normally does." It was more like 20 minutes she had made her mother wait, but her father didn't need to know that.

"You set my kitchen on fire, Claira, it's time you learned that I do not make compromises with fuckin' terrorists." Now his temper was rising, slowly but surely. "Bastet?"

She purred louder.

"You're about to find out how sneaky my FAT cat can be, lil darlin'." He picked Bastet up, pressing his forehead to hers and smirked.

Bastet was gone. Just gone. She was there one second, gone the next.

"Mind your manners, don't skip class, and toe the line, Claira. You're being watched." Mark informed her, pushing himself up onto his feet. "Go on, get to bed."

"Ugh! Whatever! Stupid cat! Stupid parents! Stupid house! STUPID EVERYTHING!" Claira shrieked, flying past her father up the stairs to her room and slammed her door shut so hard, the walls rattled.

Brooklynn felt that and sighed heavily, fresh out of a bath and seated on the windowsill, staring out at the night. She had changed into a black nightgown, left her hair down and had a long cry in the tub. Claira had set the kitchen on fire with her temper. She had no idea what Mark had done to their daughter, but whatever it was, did not appease Claira at all. She was angry, and Brooklynn feared for the house, not wanting her temper to set fire to the whole house. That thought made her shiver because, with powers like Mark's, it was possible to do something like that.

She didn't look at the door when it opened and leaned her head against the window, her arms wrapped around her drawn up legs. Mark just stood there for a long moment, taking the time to present the gorgeous vision before him. She looked like some kind of gothic angel, sitting there. After a moment or two of basking in the visuals, he finally walked over to rest his hands on her shoulders.

"I Bound her magic." He said quietly. "Either she'll break it on her own, which I highly doubt, or she'll learn from this. Either way, she's just an average teen for some time to come."

"Great, so she won't be blowing our house up than with her temper tantrums?"

Brooklynn breathed a sigh of relief when he nodded and leaned back against him, physically relaxing. It was a relief to her he Bound Claira's magic. She didn't need it anyway and she hoped the girl remained Bound for the rest of her life. Dark magic was dangerous, powerful and Mark had to learn, after years and years of destruction, how to control it. Claira was a hormonal teenager and right now, she couldn't control her magic, even if she tried.

"Thank you. Is the kitchen too damaged?"

"Nothing I can't fix tomorrow. I'll call in, take a day, and get the stuff to fix it up, darlin'."

They would be eating takeout or something for sure, but he'd have it done. His major problem with magic hadn't been learning to control it so much as WANTING too. Whoever said being good was easy was out of their mind. Being good was hard as hell, the right choices were usually not easy, or fun.

"Come here." He kissed the side of her head before pulling her up into his arms, swaying with her across the floor. "You going to make it, Brooklynn?"

"What is that supposed to mean? Am I going to make it? Nothing happened to me except our daughter scared the hell out of me. I'm fine. Just fucking grand." Pulling away from him, she walked around on her side of the bed and got in, turning on her side to snuggle against her pillow. "I love you, good night."

There would be no sex tonight, not after what they had to deal with regarding Claira. Tomorrow wouldn't be any better because she had to give the teenager a ride to school and pick her up as well. Closing her eyes, Brooklynn hoped no spirits came tonight to bug her because she really needed the rest.

Maybe Claira was right, maybe Brooklynn did need a life outside of her house and Mom role. She had sunk herself in it. She was a clean freak. Did the parental thing, sometimes with a bit too much gusto and not enough stop and think -the grade thing came to mind- and Mark sighed, beginning to shed his clothing.

"Love you too." He muttered, disappearing into the bathroom for a shower and hand time.