Chapter 14

Jeanette sat at the breakfast table reading the morning paper and occasionally lifting her cup of tea to sip. Logan sat across from her, his gaze hidden behind half closed lids as he concentrated on her, she had been the most resistent of the family to his blocks, he knew eventually he would have to tell her what he was doing, his hope had been to be able to take Josette's immediate family individually without their knowledge of knowing what he was doing.

The twins Sarah and Jerimiah had been easy enough. They had not possessed any of the hybred talents that JB, Josette and Jeanette showed. Her father and her mother were more suspectiable to his cloaked approach. Jeanette was a natural resistor and he had been attempting to put in the safety locks for the past 2 hours. Following her around the house, sitting close to where she was. Finally, she had made her some tea, took the paper and went to the formal dining room to read the paper and drink her tea.

"Jeanette, my dear, look at me." Logan spoke gently to get her attention.

She lifted her gaze to peer at him a quizical look on her face. "Oh, Logan, how long have you been there?"

Logan smiled and slumped down into the chair across from her. "When you concentrate on something you throw your whole self into it don't you?"

Jeanette liked Logan, he could be ruthless, yet he had a very nurturing tender side to which she had been privy to on several occasions. Jeanette shrugged and then folded the paper and peered at him with a smile. "I suppose so. I did not realize you were still here or I would not have been so rude."

He waved his hand and sighed. "My sweet Nettie, you were not being rude. Jo told me you and JB were on a hunt last night, so you were not aware of what really went down here."

Jeanette immediately became concerned and rivited her attention to Logan. "What do you mean happened here last night? Was that why you all were sent in to stop an incusion?"

Logan sat forward and clasped his hands together resting them in front of him on the table. "Your mother was in danger of a DP breach. Had an old ancestor of yours not interviened your mother would be in serious trouble right now."

Jeanette showed her concern with the stiffening of her body and giving him her undivided attention. "JB and I were called out on a retrieval with the new recruits. We folded back for the pomenade and minuet then I kind of got bored and J.B. found an old girlfriend so we kind of went our ways. I spent some time on Windows Hill then went to the stables.'

She folded the news paper shut and directed her attention to Logan folding her arms over the paper she studied her friend and co worker. "I noticed you and Cameron were here and thought Jo had invited you. So when I got home last night, of course I went to bed. I did notice the area was being guarded by a intercept team. I think I overheard father saying we had guest by the name of Logan, so I knew you were here. Radu and I went for a stroll on the beach and I got out some pent up energy. So, what is going on?"

Logan again had attempted to put in the safety locks in her mind as she became animated with their conversation and once again, he found she was a natural resistor. "How familiar are you with Cameron's past associations? His family?" Logan watched her involuntarily give a delicate shrug of her shoulders.

"Not very, he has always been a diversion or variable to the team as a whole. I know he comes from a dark power background. He has a strong magical component and he seems to be hot for my sister. That is about it."

Logan nodded, "Nettie, have you ever been tested for mental abilties? Tested for any kind of psychic talents?"

Jeanette wrinkled her nose and sighed. "No, I am a time folder, and a shifter I have an explosive issue which the school officials said were anger issues that needed addressing. I basically do the retrivals and help with recruitment. I don't know what you mean by psychic talents. Aunt Carolyn and David had them, but I thought it was more intuitive and empathic than anything else."

Logan nodded, "They are very strong with that partiular talent. However, there is a specialize talent that used the ability of the mind to manipulate thingsor people. It is called a psychic intuitive. Cameron's twin brother Damian has this ability and is very strong in the art. Where Cameron holds and reigns supreme in the magic, Damian can manipulate with his thoughts."

He watched her features go from curious wonder to amusement then to a hint of fear. "He can use his mind to play tricks?"

Logan smiled and patted her hand. "It is more than just tricks dear. It could be described as something akin to possesssion of body and soul." This made her blanch at the thought and she frowned.

"This affects us how?"

Logan loved the logic of her mind. "He can try to control you through the manipulation of your mind to do his bidding. However, with you, I believe he would find himself equally matched."

This did cause her to smile and her eyes brightened and then her curiosity got the hetter of her and she asked. "Explain?"

Logan leaned back and laughed outright "Because for the past 2 hours I have tried to put safety blocks in place without your knowledge and you have resisted me. You don't even know you are a natural at this resistence. I believe the only way Damian could get to you, is by rendering you unconcsious and even then I don't think he would be able to penetrait that thick brian of yours."

Jeanette laughed. "Well you just proved Josette right. She alwatys said I was thick headed."

Logan loved the sound of her laughter and he joined her and nodded. "What I need to do is put in some simple bocks in your pathway, I need you to lower your resistence to me and allow it to happen."

Jeanette looked round the dining room and then back at him. "Tell me what I need to do?"

Logan sat back, folded his arms over his chest and smiled. "Relax, close your eyes and think of absolutely nothing." Jeanette closed her eyes took a deep long breath, let it out slowly and then began by spelling the word blank and visualizing a white background.

Then she felt it, a nudge against her mind. Her natural instinct was to push back. Then she heard Logan clear his throat and say softly, "No, no, no Nettie, don't block me." Sighing softly, she once again began to focus on the word blank, writing it in bold black letters in her mind. She could hear a soft chuckle from Logan. This time he did not sound frustrated.

Beginning to feel the sweat bead her forehead she snaked the tip of her tongue out and licked her lips. Finally, she heard Logan only he was in her mind. "Thanks darlin, we got you blocked now. You are good to go and you can quit spelling that annoying word."

Jeanette opened her eyes and smiled at Logan. "That was kind of a tickling of the brain."

Logan nodded, and then shoved himself back from the table. "Except if Damian does it, you won't have a mind left to tickle. He is ruthless and can wipe meories with a thought. Net, you have a real latent, you should speak to HQ about allowing you to develop it more. At this time, I am their only Phys power person our unit has. You could be a great asset with a natural talent like yours."

Jeanette smiled. "So, I could cross train and be able to branch out?"

Logan nodded, pikced up his coffee mug and saluted her. "Yes, my dear you certainly could do that, and you could impress Cameron with that talent."

It was Jeanette's turn to frown and sound annoyed. "I am not so sure he would be impressed with anything I did. He has the hots for my sister you know."

She showed her irritation by snapping the paper she had just picked up shut and pushing her chair back hard enough that it tipped the chair. "You know Met, the green eyed monster does not do you justice. You can't hide those feelings from me. I know you are crushing on him big time and you need to get it under control."

Jeanette sighed deeply and then rolled her shoulders. "I am not irritated with Jo, she can't help it Cameron is obesssed with her, she is even a little afraid of him. Me, I guess I am naturally drawn to the bad boy type."

From the open doorway, the shadow of another figure fell over the table and much to Jeanette's chagrin, her mother entered the room. "And which bad boy has caught the attention of my beautiful daughter?"

Jeanette flushed a deep crimson and to cover her fopah, she turned, "Why mother did you not know I am madly in love with Logan and was just asking him to run off with me to Bangor Hilton so we could get married and make mad passionate love, and wouldn't you know it, he turned me down."

Victoria knew her daughter was side stepping the issue and smiled at her then looked at Logan and quipped, "Your loss my dear."

Vicki moved to the side board and poured herself some tea. "You are refusing a rather potent and beautiful woman you know."

Logan laughed. "So, true, I must be out of my mind. Well ladies if you will excuse me, I have some reports to complete."

Both women watched as Logan left the room whistling a tune that sounded suspiciously like a dirty ditty that was used as a cadance song she recited while doing her 10 mile run. As he left, Vicki looked at her daughter and smiled. "Now care to be more specific about who this bad boy would be and don't tell me it was Logan, I know you too well my dear. You are my daughter and so much like me in all respects that you were trying to side step the issue."

Jeanette slumped back down in the chair she had just righted and sighed deeply. "I guess mom I am confused over my feelings."

Vicki sat across from her and sipped her tea. "I asked you which bad boy."

Jeanette looked around the room and then offered, "Mother what were your feelings towards Radu Florescu?"

It was Vicki's turn to choke on her tea and wipe her mouth while she thought about her daughter's question. "Well, that is a name I have not heard in a long time. My feelings are of deep respect and admiration and I have wished him nothing but luck in his life's persuits."

Jeanette stood and moved to refresh her coffee. "Mother its time we were frank with each other and I think you need to know what has been going on in our lives and the lives of your other children."

Vicki had long suspected that Josette and Jeanette were involved in more than science projects with the goernment and had always known she birthed a child to be the protector of the hell mouth, she just was not sure when she had assumed that position. "If you are talking about the guarding of the hell mouth, I am aware of that position that was forced on your sister. I was not sure how you and JB fit into that scenario."

Jeanette sat down with her cup of tea and blew on it then sippied, "We work together and we can fold time just like you did in 1967. We have talents mother, talents that send us into the very maw of the hell mouth and we tract demons, vampires, werewolves and anythig else that might bring harm to the mundane poplace. I know you are a white witch with very strong powers and you can fold time. The difference is we set things back in balance from those that would pervert the lives around us."

Vicki nodded thinking about all she was being told. "I see, and when you have been away and traveling as much as you have, you are chasing these demons?"

She nodded, sat forward and caught her mother's gaze. "It's a lot more than that. You were taken by Tepes and you went back to bring his wife to him so you and father could be runited. Josette and I have been there every step of the way mother."

Jeanette studied her cup of coffer took a deep breath and began to speak again, "We have so to speak had your back. The only time we could not be there was when you were pregnant with one or the other of us. We could not touch the same timeline we existed for fear of creating a failure of the timeline resulting in the death of one of us."

Vicki carefully studied the cup she held as she thought about the information her daughter was giving her. "I understand darling and I know that you are a part of something bigger than all of us put together but you have not answered my quesiton. What bad boy?"

Jeanette sighed looked at the folded paper and began to play with the edges of the paper as she considered her thoughts. "Radu has been my partner for six years. He has an interest in me and well I have flirted with what it would be like to be with him as a lover."

Vicki swallowed hard looking at the bent head of her daughter and had to consider her words. "Are you lovers and is he the bad boy?"

Jeanette looked up at her mother and shook her head. "No we have done nothing more than heavy petting and kissing. I just don't know if I can trust him."

Vicki looked down and asked, "What is the trust issue about?" Jeanette lifted her head and looked at her mother and knew she was beautiful and not aging as fast as her father. She looked barely in her thirites and she figured that was from her being a vampire and having tasted Vlad's blood.

"Mother he loves you and he knows he cannot have you as long as Dad lives and he respects you and I don't want to be a pale immatation of you. Lord knows I do not have your temperament your loving touch or the purity that everyone sees in you. As far as I see it, I am a corrupted part of you, I am hot tempered, I see no good in all that sorrounds me at work, and I would rather kill the beast than reform or recruit it. I don't know where I get these emotions but that is who I am and what I have become is one kick ass soldier that is nothing like you."

Vicki looked on her daugher and smiled, "Truth be told Net, you are exactly how I wished I had been. I come from a diferent time and I compromised to my generations standards of being the way I am and I would not change but I could dream of being a strong woman that could open up what was that phrase you used to Bobby Taylor a can of whoop ass?"

Jeanette smiled thinking about that day so long ago. "Yeah, I wanted to put a hurt on him and Masters and Little. They held Jo down and called her a bitch and wanted her to say she had fishy pants just because she had started her period. They were jerks."

Vicki cleared her throat,"I think you called Bobby a penis face in high school."

Jeanette laughed. "Yeah I did and it felt good. Because he was a penis face."

Vicki reached over to pat her daughter's had. "But this is not about Radu is it?"

Jeanette stood and moved to a window that overlooked the side garden. "No, I really like Radu and I think he cares for me. I just found myself attracted to Cameron and he only has eyes for Jo, she is his obession and he does not know me except as the kid, or her kid sister. He makes me feel like I have switched places with Sarah and I don't like that feeling."

Vicki stood and moved to her daughter and hugged her. "Darling, one day you will find the right guy and when you do, you will know it. As long as you have doubts about either of these men, they are not the ones for you. You and Josette are going to find love that will be so full filling and complete you that you will wonder who those men were. And if Radu or this Cameron happens to be the one you will know it."

Jeanette turned and hugged her mother, "Oh mother I missed you."

Vicki hugged her daughter. "I love you too my little darling. So what are the plans for you today?"

Jeanette pulled back and smiled, "I would love to go horse back riding with my mother. Would you be up for it?"

Vicki laughed, "Of course I would just give me time to change and we can walk to the stables together." Jeanette laughed the thought of a hillside ride with her mother had more appeal than she realized she had needed this special time with her mother and she wanted it.

It would help clear her mind over what had happened between her and Radu last evening. How they had nearly went the distance to do the bump nasties and were stopped by their own innate respect for each other. They had agreed to wait until they knew the time would be right before they took the next step. So, she spent the next two hours sparring with Radu on the beach in the moonlight.