Sins 40

Tyler wrecked Kate's car, by throwing it off the road and down the cliff side into some trees. She would be pissed but at least she was alive. She wasn't handling everything that had happened to her that night very well. Including the boy's abilities that Chase had revealed to her.

So Pogue asked Max to block her memories of that night. He was disappointed that Kate would never be able to handle that part of his life and considered dumping her later.

Max stayed by the pool all night, as did Caleb. Until they were good and sure that chase was dead. Then they found his car parked down the street and covered his drowning by driving the car through the house. They waited a while then called the authorities.

Caleb and Max handled the police while his mom slept upstairs. Max had to place a sleeping spell on her. she would have never let Caleb drive a car through the living room and into the pool.

The cops towed Chase's car out of the pool and fished his body out of the water. Max made his skin look normal so they wouldn't have to explain anything. They zipped him into the body bag and Max watched as the coroners wagon drove away. After all the cops and reporters left they locked the door.

Their insurance would have the front of the house restored in a few days. It was really minimal damage, Caleb had made sure it was convincing though.

Max stayed at Caleb's until school restarted on Monday. He asked her to stay longer but she wasn't sure how his mom would take that news. So she refused maybe the woman would eventually accept her, or maybe she wouldn't. Max wasn't one to force the issue.

They let Kate out of the hospital the day before class started and Max reluctantly did her thing.

She registered like planned on Monday and was back in her old dorm room the same day. Everything was returning to normal. Except for when Pogue broke up with Kate. She didn't take that well and he ended up having to replace his bike, again.

The week after the chase incident Caleb called a meeting. He invited Max personally to it. She showed up with Reid and Tyler. The two boys wouldn't tell her what was going on. Instead they walked silently down the stairs to the meeting room.

When the doors closed the boys drew up their hoods so they resembled some sort of ceremonial robes. Max looked around the room at the others they were all dressed the same way. Max approached her seat and Pogue stepped in front of her again. "Only covenant members may sit at this circle," said Pogue

Max was about to retort that they had already gone over this. When Caleb spoke "Maxine Elaine Rhyde, do you wish to join this circle?" said Caleb "ah yeah" said Max. She was a bit confused by their weird attitude but decided to play along. "Do you pledge yourself to the protection of your brothers and their secrets?" said Tyler. "I do," said Max. She felt absurdly like she was getting married, so it seemed the appropriate response. "Do you promise to uphold the laws of the covenant and hold its existence secret" said Reid. Max nodded "yes" said Max.

"Hold out your hand" Caleb ordered. Max held it out to him. She wasn't sure what was going on but it looked like some sort of ceremony. She noticed Caleb was holding a knife in his hand and Max almost stepped back. "Do you trust your brothers with your life as they now trust you with theirs?" said Caleb "yes" said Max. She did trust them; there was no hesitation to her answer.

Caleb drew the knife across her palm and Max hissed in pain. "Let this one time be the only time we cause you pain, and let it show that you are willing to shed blood for your brothers" said Caleb

Then Caleb lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "Welcome to the family sister" said Caleb. "Now take your seat you've earned it," said Caleb

Max smiled and sat down in the empty seat, the others did the same. As the last of them sat down a jolt of energy passed through them. It left them all breathless for a few minutes. "The balance" Tyler whispered in awe. Then Caleb called the meeting to order.