Hey guys! I'm so sorry I've skipped the past couple weeks! I've had a lot going on and a bunch of stuff has happened and I'm seriously so sorry! I'm going to try to make it up to you by updating two or three times this weekend, but no guarantees, especially since I'm throwing a Halloween party tomorrow. But, I will try my hardest to update at least one more time this weekend and if I don't update twice this weekend I'll try to update over the school week on a day when I don't have a lot of homework. I'm so sorry guys I'll try to do better. Read On!

Damien

I was terrified walking home. I didn't know who would welcome Phelos, if he would be shunned. I ran a mental list. Stevie Rae and Rephaim most definitely would be on the side of acceptance. Zoey and Stark might be a little more skeptical but he didn't think they would be too much of an issue. Aphrodite could be hateful but he figured she wouldn't have anything more than sarcastic remarks he had to deal with. Darius might be a bit more skeptical but he wouldn't make any problems. The Twins were harmless. As for the rest of the school, Neferet… Well, that's where the issues laid. As we approached the tunnels my grip tightened on his.

"Is everything well?" Phelos asked, looking at me, concerned.

"Just worried is all." His eyes grinned up at me and I noticed that they had dimmed from scarlet to amber.

"We have each other. Is that not all that is truly important?" I grinned at him.

"Of course." I kissed the top of his head and we reached the front of the depot. I looked at him. "Are you ready?" Phelos took a deep breath and nodded and we walked in. Stevie Rae and Rephaim waited for us inside.

Phelos

We walked into Damien's home. I was just as scared as he was but was careful not to show him that. I had to be cool and confident. I had to act as though I truly thought everything would turn out well. Truth be told, I was not sure at all but if Damien thought I was he would believe it too. Waiting for us just inside was an unfamiliar man and woman. The woman was tall with short blonde curls. Her eyes were bright blue and she had scarlet tattoos lining her face. I wondered if this was the Red One Father had so often spoken of.

The man was even taller and he had a dark braid in his hair. He was a tanned skin color and had high Cherokee cheek bones. His eyes were a golden brown color. He reminded me of Father… and that was when it clicked, so to speak. The man was Rephaim. Damien had spoken true. He had truly been forgiven by the Red One's Goddess. Maybe it was possible for me as well. The man confirmed my theory with his next words.

"Why, hello baby brother," he said, grinning.

"I have not been a baby for centuries, Rephaim."

"And I have not even been a child for a century or so more than that." Rephaim hugged me and I breathed easier knowing my constant protector was back. "This is my Stevie Rae," he said, indicating the woman.

"Hello, Stevie Rae, High Priestess of Nyx. I am Phelos, youngest son of the fallen Warrior Kalona." I bowed then, fisting my hand over my heart. She giggled.

"Please you're almost like my brother-in-law. There ain't no need for all the bowing stuff." Then to my surprise, she hugged me. I stood stiffly for a moment before hugging her back. Then she sighed. "We may as well bring you to everyone else and spare yourself the drama." She sighed again and my brother looked at Damien and I.

"Be ready," he said, walking away. I followed, lacing my fingers in Damien's and praying for the best but expecting the worst.

Damien

I had expected the warm welcome from Stevie Rae and Rephaim. After all, we were just like them. So, no matter what happened next, they had our backs. We found everyone in kitchen, eating their lunch. Everyone looked up and froze immediately. Kramisha smacked her forehead.

"Great. Another freaky birdboy." She looked at our intertwined fingers. "And looks like he's here to stay too." Then she turned back to her grilled cheese and continued eating. The Twins followed suit. Aphrodite slit her eyes.

"Now we have to deal with two of them. And this one is still a bird!" She huffed before sipping more of her wine. Darius simply shrugged and continued whatever conversation he had been having with Aphrodite. Now it was simply down to Stark and Zoey. Zoey looked like she was deciding what to say and Stark just looked tight-lipped and indecisive. Zoey breathed in deeply, exhaled, and walked over to us with Stark following.

"Hallway. Now," she breathed and we all followed her.

"Who are you?" she rounded on Phelos. I wanted to step in front of him, to guard him. But this was Phelos' battle to fight, his chance to prove himself. So, I stayed silent. He bowed again and fisted his hand over his heart.

"I am Phelos, youngest son of Kalon, High Priestess." He knelt and kept his head bowed and his hand fisted. She didn't correct him or tell him to stand up. That was when I understood. She wasn't Zoey Redbird, one of my best friends and seventeen years old right now. She was Zoey Redbird, a fledgling High Priestess doing what was best for her people. What was best for her people right now was figuring out why there was a Raven Mocker in their midst.

"Why are you here, Raven Mocker?" she asked in a voice full of power.

"I am here for Damien. I am here because he saved my life and I have fallen in love with him." He spoke the words without fear and with confidence but I could see the hand not over his heart shaking. Zoey gaped for a second before composing herself.

"Damien," she said and I looked at her calmly. "Are his words truthful?" I nodded.

"They are, and I have fallen for him as well. Shall you condemn us for that as you have not his brother and Stevie Rae?" She looked genuinely hurt.

"Of course not. But, Damien, you must understand why I had to question him first." I nodded.

"I do. Do you accept us choosing to live here?" She nodded and looked at Stark. He shrugged.

"If he can be like his brother and not cause any issues I don't see the problem." I smiled joyously. Questioning over, we returned to the kitchen where Phelos and I sat and ate as though it were perfectly normal and no one else acted any different either. I was just glad that this was still a welcoming home to me.

So, that was interesting. I actually enjoyed writing this chapter a lot. Next chapter gets all fun and full of conflict though. Excited? I am. I should be back in about a week if everything goes the way I plan it. I hope you enjoyed. Oh, and who's read Hidden? It was AWESOME! I'll be back either tomorrow afternoon or Sunday if you read Foreseen. Thank you to all of you who have stuck with me, StevieRae2011, signing off!