Summary – Hunter arrives in Widows Vale with his mentor Ciaran MacEwan. There he meets his half brother Cal and his girlfriend Morgan, whom he feels strangely drawn to, and is sucked into a cat and mouse game that has played between Ciaran and Selene Belltower for years and on top of it all he is reunited with his cousin Sky who is a Seeker for the International Council of Witches and has been hunting him down for years.
Disclaimer: These are all Cate Tiernans toys. They're just in my playground.
A/N: I do hope everyone had a great Christmas/Holiday Season and New Year, this is my new years resolution to try and update and finish this fic within a sufficient amount of time, and recently I've been doing well :-) I hope you're still enjoying it, please show me love by reviewing it may inspire me to update faster ;-)
It's been a few days since I last saw Hunter and what surprises me is that I miss him, I didn't understand why I miss him as I hardly know him. I love Cal, but I can't help feeling guilty as I think I also have feelings for Hunter. Who am I kidding? I do have feelings for Hunter - huge, heart wrecking feelings that scare me because they're so much more intense than my feelings for Cal. Why do these things happen to me? And they're brothers for Goddess sake!
I found myself really disappointed at our Cirrus meeting on Saturday night, Hunter was supposed to show but he didn't. I can't help feeling like maybe he's avoiding me. It's so wrong to be feeling this way about someone who clearly doesn't feel the same when I'm already with someone else.
I need some kind of closure, perhaps I should take him up on his tuition offer some time to see whether its just my imagination. Who knows maybe some time alone with him will cure me of this wretched infatuation!
Oh Morgan, you are such a fool.
- Morgan
Ciaran was already waiting by the car looking expectantly at his watch. As if I didn't already know I was running late, after all I did have Killian with me who had no sense of time keeping and the only thing he was reliable at was being unreliable.
I was lead to believe he had already packed ready to go after we had our conversation. But when I announced it was time to go and meet Ciaran a couple of hours later - that was when he got up and begun to pack his things, I got frustrated with him and I couldn't help but think that Killian did this on purpose to keep Ciaran waiting. Judging by his expression as we neared the car, my thoughts were confirmed. It made me want to cry out in frustration.
"Ciaran, I'm sorry we're late" I said as we approached
Ciaran looked up ready to grill me for my tardiness but was taken aback to see his youngest son trailing behind me, I knew he quickly realized that it would not have been my fault for the delay as he rolled his eyes.
"Killian," he nodded, it was quite a reserved and formal greeting considering the guy was his son.
"Da," Killian nodded just as formally.
I was under no delusions that this wasn't going to be an awkward car journey. Ciaran's eyes met mine evenly, I could tell he wasn't happy about this arrangement and I would probably pay for it in some way later.
After a long, uncomfortable silence in the car, Ciaran finally broke it, "So what brings you to Widows Vale with us, Killian?" he asked, "Surely a small town such as ours doesn't provide the quality of night life that you're used to and thrive on,"
"I fancied a change of scenery" Killian shrugged, "I have no work commitments at the moment and I wanted to spend some quality time with Hunter,"
"You actually have work commitments?" Ciaran raised his eyebrows, he was trying to get a rise out of his son, luckily, for my own sanity, Killian doesn't easily bite.
"Not right now," he grinned. Killian turned to me and winked, he knew what his father was trying to do. I could see Ciaran's eyes in the rear view mirror and it was almost as if I could read his mind as he thought about what a waste of space his son was.
I breathed a sigh of relief when we finally arrived home and I don't think I've ever jumped out the car quicker in my life.
Ciaran made his way straight into the house without a word to either of us, I briefly considered following him inside and asking him about his business in New York, I was dying to know. But I knew without a doubt that he wouldn't tell me anything, especially with Killian here, I'd have to get him alone later. Maybe I had made a mistake letting Killian come back with me?
"So Hunter, what is there to do around here?" Killian asked
"Not a great deal," I admitted,
"Then let's go find something to do," he grinned
I shook my head with a smile, no I hadn't made a mistake, Killian's presence was the welcome distraction I needed. He could find fun no matter where he went.
I lead him to my car, "I'm starving" Killian stated, "Is there anywhere to grab a bite at this time of night?" he asked, I realised that we hadn't eaten since our breakfast that morning and the thought of food suddenly awoke my stomach and I heard it gurgle. Killian's stomach seemed to grumble in agreement. We both laughed.
"Food sounds like a great idea," I admitted.
I drove us to the late night diner and as I pulled into the parking lot I felt the stirrings of a familiar tingle in the back of my neck. I glanced around and saw Cal's car parked a few cars away from mine, I knew they were both inside. "On second thoughts," I said, "Let's try somewhere else." Just as I was about to turn the keys in the ignition to drive away Killian leaned over and ripped the keys away from me.
"What the hell are you doing?" I cried
"You really do not want to go in there, do you?" he grinned,
"Cal and Morgan are inside," I sighed, "I don't want to see her right now, I need to keep my distance,"
"But I really want to meet her, after all isn't that why I'm here?" he climbed out the car not waiting for my answer and headed towards the diner. I growled in frustration, he was giving me no choice here. I climbed out the car and with my head down I followed him into the diner.
I felt both Cal's eyes and Morgan's eyes on me as soon as I entered.
"Killian?!" Cal cried surprised, "Good to see you, man, what are you doing in Widows Vale?"
"Just catching up with my adopted bro - Hunter here," he answered and took the booth across from them, I reluctantly sat down across from him and I say an awkward hi to the pair.
Killian, who was an expert at feigning innocence, said, "You know Cal, Hunter?"
Exasperated I nodded "Killian, Cal is my half-brother," of course, Killian, already knew this, "And this is Morgan, Cal's girlfriend. Morgan, this is Killian, my adopted-brother for all intents and purposes"
Morgan smiled a genuine smile at Killian, "Hi, it's nice to meet you," she said,
"Likewise," Killian reached over, took Morgan's hand and kissed it gently, he was such a charmer. He'd better not be flirting. I quickly noticed that both Cal and I were giving him the same deadly look. I immediately relaxed and smoothed mine over before Cal noticed. I must remember that she's not mine to get possessive over. Killian picked up a menu, "say what's good to eat here?" he asks her, I think it was rhetorical because he didn't give her any time to answer before he turned to Cal
"So who would have thought that you're the half-brother I've heard so much about" he said
"I hope it was all good things you heard" Cal said
"Mostly," Killian waved a hand nonchalantly, "but don't forget that I know you and we both know that anything good would all be lies, Blaire," he winked and picked the menu back up again just as the waitress placed Cal and Morgan's meals in front of them, Killian investigated the contents on their dishes as the waitress turned to our booth.
"What can I get for you?" she sounded exactly like I would if I worked in a place like this, as if the job was slowly draining the life and soul away from her.
"That looks pretty damn good," he said pointing at Morgan's plate of pancakes and bacon, "a breakfast dish so late in the evening, I like your way of thinking," he said to Morgan, she laughed.
She found him funny. No girl could resist Killian's charms, not even Morgan it would seem. "I'll have what she has, with a large chocolate milkshake" he told the waitress
"And for you?" she asked me
"Can I just get a cheese burger and fries with a coke please?" I folded my menu away and placed it back in its holder.
The waitressed nodded, wrote my order down on her pad and headed for the kitchen without saying another word. So much for the outstanding American Customer Service I'd heard so much about.
"So Hunter," I turned surprised to hear Cal addressing me, "I thought you were going to make an appearance at our coven meeting on Saturday, how come you didn't show?" he asked, I heard the underlying accusations.
"Had some business to attend to in New York with Ciaran," I answered, "While I was out there I ran into Killian and he decided to come back with us for a while,"
"And I am so pleased I did" Killian smiled as the waitress returned with our drinks.
"You're welcome to come to our circle this Saturday," Morgan offered, "If you're both free of course,"
"We would love to! Wouldn't we Hunter?" Killian exclaimed, this was all a big game to him, I'm pretty sure he knew about the inner turmoil I was going through but nevertheless he was loving it.
"Of course," I smiled at Morgan, "We'd love to," it was the first time since we entered the diner I allowed myself to really look at Morgan and I instantly regretted it. Suddenly she filled my mind again leaving no room for anything else, she became my every thought and my every desire. It took about a week of Morgan-detoxing to make room in my head for other things last time and now I'm right back where I started.
Cal didn't look happy, I didn't understand it. Okay, I suppose on some level I could, but if it was just about him picking up on my feelings for Morgan, surely he could see that I'm not acting upon them. If it was anything to do with our father then we hadn't smoothed that over like I believed we had, I truly believed we were on the same page there. At the end of the day Cal was my brother, I wanted us to get along.
I kept silent when our meals arrived and allowed Killian to talk enough for the four of us entertaining us all with crazy anecdotes, he had us all wiping tears from our eyes due to laughing so hard at his stories.
When Morgan and Cal had finished eating Cal stood. "Well it was nice to see you again, Killian," he said, "But I'd better get Morgan back home before her curfew, but we shall see you both Saturday?"
"Count on it," Killian said with a mouthful of pancake
"Bye," Morgan waved
"Bye," I replied
When they had gone I glared at Killian, "I think that went well," he said, I rolled my eyes, but he was right it had, Cal had even seemed to warm to me a little more, not by much, but enough.
"You can be such an arse at times," I muttered
Killian laughed, "It's a gift" he sucked on his straw for the last of his milkshake making loud sucking and slurping noises, "I like Morgan, there's definitely something about her" he grinned at my reaction, "don't worry I don't like her like that. But I do like her a lot, just in a more platonic way. Which has completely mystified me, the relationship I have with girls is never platonic" he scratched his eyebrow as if trying to work something out, "does she seem familiar to you?" he asked me finally
"Yes!" I replied, I was so relieved that it wasn't just me who thought this, "since the moment I first laid eyes on her I thought there was something familiar about her, like perhaps we'd met before or something, I just can't place her or put my finger on what it is,"
"Hmm," Killian looked deep in thought, "I'm sure it'll come to us," he said, "Though, I can see why Da and Selene have taken a shine to her," his face was solemn now.
"We can't allow that to happen, Killian,"
"I know," he agreed, "So what do we do?"
"I'll keep my ear to the ground, try and keep on top of everything going on between Ciaran and Selene and make sure nothing goes down without my knowing about it, which unfortunately is easier said than done." I sighed, "If we tried to bug one of them they would know,"
"But would Morgan know if we bugged her?" Killian asked,
It was a good idea, it definitely had merit, but… "she's so powerful, Killian, I think she might,"
"Yeah so we tell her about it," Killian shrugged, "Just tell her enough for her to agree to it, we could tell her that we know there's a powerful coven who are attracted to powerful witches and with her lack of training and great power we are worried about her being a target. I'm sure we can come up with some kind of bug which isn't invasive but will alert us anytime Morgan feels panicked or scared at least that way we'll have some kind of heads up if something happens,"
I beamed, I was honestly surprised and impressed at his way of thinking "Killian, you are a genius!" I cried
Killian grinned, "But what about, Cal?"