Caroline felt her mouth go dry much like the night Kate had seduced her in the kitchen. She didn't know what to say and her words came out mixed up.

"What the….How…..I…I don't know….."

Kate returned to her seat on the sofa and looked down at the green on the back of her hand. She fought hard not to let her tears fall taking large gulps of air.

"It started when I turned 16 and I was studying my A levels. I was already out about my sexuality then, having told my mum two years earlier. Whether it was because she knew about this I don't know but she was totally supportive and accepting. I had a girlfriend at school but it wasn't really serious. Then I met a girl through hockey when I played against a nearby school."

Kate checked Caroline's face to see if she was okay.

"Caroline are you okay? Do you want me to stop?"

Caroline was still in shock. She couldn't really take in what she was seeing with Kate's shoulders and her back showing over the straps of her top.

Kate decided to carry on with her story.

"Sarah was a year older than me and was in the last year of her A levels getting ready for her exams. She was into chemistry and the sciences and we hit it off straight away. Later that summer after her exams were all finished we had a hockey tournament in Leicester. It was over two days which meant we had to stay over at a local hotel. We shared a twin room and we realised we both felt the same about each other. It was our first kiss which unbeknown to me set things in motion and it felt wonderful."

Caroline smiled recognising the feeling of finding out you weren't alone and kissing another woman was life affirming. She wanted to reach out to Kate but she wasn't sure she could.

"We had a great weekend and Sarah's school actually won the tournament. When I got home I told my mum and it was then that she realised that she would need to tell me about my family history. I knew my aunt was into witch craft and was what everyone knew to be a white witch. You already know the story of the black white witch."

Caroline nodded remembering their conversation on the way to the party.

"My mum failed to tell me that witches ran in our family and were part of our DNA. We came to Britain as part of the slave trade and settled originally in Scotland. I remember tales in my youth of my great great great grandfather Frederick being part of the McKenzie clan and a local landowner. He bought a black slave Elsabeth at the market to be part of his housekeeping staff and the story goes he fell in love with her."

Kate checked again how Caroline was taking things and she seemed reasonably calm but a distinct look of shock on her face. Clearly she was still taking things in.

"The story goes the daughter of a fellow land owner had taken a shine to Frederick and was extremely embarrassed when she learned that his heart was taken by his own slave. She had proudly told her family and friends who were part of the social scene of her love for him. Frederick's secret was discovered and she felt shame. She was so angry that she paid a witch to place a curse on Frederick's family. The curse was that his children and any descendants would become witches when they developed into adulthood."

Kate saw that Caroline had tears in her eyes and was slowly moving towards her, reaching out. Kate began to cry and took Caroline's hand. She handed a tissue to Caroline and continued with her story determined that Caroline should know it all.

"Anyway Frederick and Elsabeth were married and had two sons and a daughter. The eldest was Katherine and as she approached her teenage years the family held their breath. Nothing happened and the family felt a sigh of relief and had a huge celebration. Katherine turned 18 and met a local man called Peter. He was a farmer and they began courting. Without notice Katherine called off their romance sending word by letter with a friend. Peter was heartbroken and begged his love to meet him. Katherine refused and he was said to be a broken man."

Kate felt Caroline's hand rubbing the back of her hand in a comforting way. Kate began to cry at the affection shown towards her. She had never had this reaction from anyone she had told. All those before had spoken soothing words but she had never seen them again. None had every given her any physical comfort.

Caroline watched as Kate's tears dropped onto her hand and saw the paint coming off and the green underneath revealing itself. Caroline took her tissue and wiped Kate's hand revealing more of Kate's skin. She kissed the spot which she had wiped and took Kate into a hug and whispered into her ear.

"Kate. I'm so sorry you have had to deal with this all this time. I'm so very sorry. You are so brave."

Kate couldn't hold back any longer dissolving into tears at Caroline's kind words.

"Thank you Caroline. You're the first person I've told who has ever touched me afterwards. Lots have said they understood but I never heard from them again. They all left me and each time someone new came along I faced happiness followed by rejection, then bouts of depression. I'm sorry I kept it from you but do you see why I had to be sure."

"Shhhh Kate. It's okay I can't blame you for it. I feel like a coward not telling my mother about me now. Telling her I'd met a lovely woman left me with dread and I planned to tell her tomorrow but now I feel a fraud. She asked me before I came out tonight about going out with a man and I shut her down. Compared with your situation, my mother is nothing."

Kate used her finger to stop Caroline talking leaning in for a kiss which Caroline reciprocated. The passion between them was electric. Caroline couldn't ignore what her heart felt for this beautiful woman. Her head was still a little shocked but her heart had melted.

The two women separated and Caroline was curious as to what happened next.

"What happened to Katherine?"

Kate laughed at Caroline's curiosity and the strange situation of someone wanting to know more instead of running for the hills.

"Katherine couldn't meet with Peter because her skin which was a lovely golden brown began turning green. It would seem that it's the chemical reactions in the body linked to falling in love and the changes into adulthood which transforms our DNA."

"Not all the descendants have the same reaction. My mum missed the affliction but she has powers the same as I do. She didn't tell me because she hoped I would, like her miss it. Her sister, my aunt is the same as me and she covers her skin with paint. It also affects the women in the family more than the men."

"That's the real reason behind my research work with the skin conditions. Certain conditions which are common in the population such as Vitiligo are more prevalent as the individuals get older. I've got funding from the large pharmaceutical companies because they are seeking the ultimate fountain of youth potion. I'm just looking for the key to unlock what I have."

Caroline stroked Kate's face and smiled because the tears had stopped and Kate was now smiling.

"Kate, as women we all wear make-up to hide our true selves to the visible flaws but we all have invisible marks and still I see beauty. I don't see that what you do is any different. I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't shocked and I know it will take a bit of getting used to. It's not every day you meet someone of a different colour. Now I know why you had the light box in the room at Pat's. It's the only thing you left behind that confirmed to me it wasn't a dream."

Kate laughed at the mood box and her one night a year of true freedom.

"Caroline are you really sure you're okay with this? I don't know if I could face another rejection and the thought I may never see you again."

"Kate please. I'll admit this is going to take a lot of getting used to and I'll be honest I can't stop thinking about it but I really like you. You're very pretty. I plan to tell my mum….not about the…curse thing….I mean about us…..about me and you."

Caroline took a deep breath at the thought of what she was planning to do.

"It won't be easy and I know she'll be absolutely livid but I'm not hiding anymore. I'll need to tell my sons too. There is also the matter of my ex-husband who has a habit of getting rather drunk and having loose lips. I'm sure he'll go telling everyone about me and you. I never told him about Pat."

Caroline had a heavy heart as she knew she would have to leave even though she didn't really want to. She wanted to make sure Kate knew she was going to stay and she wanted to but she couldn't.

"Kate. You know you said you had powers. You couldn't change my mother to make her less of a critical old bat could you?"

Kate laughed.

"Caroline, I can't and it's not because I don't want to. My aunt and I don't talk anymore because we disagreed about it. My powers are very weak and most of the time they only work when I get really angry. That's why I chose not to use them. I can't see what good will come of something from anger. My aunt wanted me to join her in….well, I won't."

Caroline looked at her watch and smiled at Kate.

"Kate, I'm really sorry but I have to get back otherwise my son's will wonder where I am and my mother will tell me how I'm such a bad mother for leaving them. Can we meet up again tomorrow to chat further? It's probably easier if I come to you. I'd like to tell my mum and I'm sure I'll need you after I've done it."

Kate smiled and nodded to show Caroline she would love to meet up again. They agreed a time and with a heavy heart Caroline walked out the door of Kate's cottage. She got into her car and sat in the seat for a few minutes taking in all the emotions and drama of the last 48 hours. Kate was so beautiful and she felt like she was floating on a cloud. Then her thoughts returned to her mother and what the next 24 hours would bring.