Everyone trooped into the living room and sat down Jazz carrying the plate of bars passing it around, so everyone could have a second one before she set it down on a table that was in front of the couch.
"Now Miss Abigail, we have something serious to discuss with you," Aaron said once he had taken a bite chewed and swallowed his second cheesecake bar.
Aaron went into his usual spiral about immortals and magic, and Abby listened, not seeming as disbelieving as most people would be. Damon knew however, that she had a rather unusual view on life and celebrated the day of the dead where spirits were supposed to come back from the other side to visit relatives that were still living.
"We're willing to prove it," Damon said.
"Yes, we are," Shonda agreed.
"I've always believed in things that most people think are not real," Abby said after a minute of silence. "I've always believed that ghosts are real and that they come back to visit, their still living relatives on November on the 1st and 2nd which is the Day of the Dead, but immortality is a bit much even for me to believe."
"I don't see that's there's much difference between believing that ghosts come back on the Day of the Dead in November to see their living relations and immortality," Dave spoke up. "Both are supernatural and if you believe in something like the dead coming through the veil to this side on the first and second of November, what's the difference?"
"Have you ever actually seen a ghost?" Jazz asked
"No, but then, I've never lost anyone super important to me. Both my parents are still alive and so is my brother," Abby replied. "Still, I like to celebrate it by lighting candles and honoring my ancestors who have passed on."
"So what's different about immortality? They both deal with the supernatural though it's not surprising you don't have the ability to see ghost because you aren't a witch," Shonda asked Abby. "We can demonstrate as Damon has already said and we will."
"I'll do it this time," Dave offered, "so long as that's OK with everyone."
Everyone nodded and Dave took the knife that was on side of the cheesecake bar dish and swiftly cut his hand while Abby watched.
Abby said nothing as she watched as Damon's uncle cut himself fairly deeply and saw the blood run down his hand and arm. Luckily, he was wearing short sleeves so it didn't get on his shirt. Even if it did get on his shirt, Jazz would either get the blood out or it would be replaced as Dave wasn't worried about the money it had cost. Besides, he had a whole closet full of clothes including shirts so throwing away one wasn't going to cause him any difficulty.
Abby watched in amazement, as the deep cut begin to heal over within a few seconds and then disappeared entirely after a few more. They couldn't have been more than 30 seconds later when all that was left were streaks of drying blood.
"That was amazing," Abby finally spoke once the wounded Dave's hand had disappeared entirely, leaving nothing but drying blood behind. "I had no idea that such beings as immortals existed, and I've always on the believed the supernatural was real. I suppose what people say is true, seeing is believing."
"We keep our existence quiet for a reason Abby," Damon spoke.
"I can certainly understand why you do, so why tell me?" Abby said. "I know there are a lot of people that would want immortality for all the wrong reasons, including the government. I can easily imagine they're being numerous death if immortals were discovered."
"Which is why we live quietly," Aaron said, looking at his son.
"You asked why we risked telling you and all of us have a very good reason why we did so," Damon began taking his cue from his father. "You see every immortal has someone that they can trust with anything, build a life with, have children with, a kind of mate, someone that will never betray them in any shape or form.
"I met Shonda in Houston, Texas and I knew immediately that she was my mate so I started up a conversation. Shonda, of course, was suspicious of my intentions," Aaron explained smiling as he remembered that long ago memory.
"I was always more careful when I was away from home, which was in a small town known as Moonlight Gorge in Louisiana," Shonda continued. "Jazz and I grew up together, going all the way back to kindergarten to when we were still completely mortal."
"I met Dave three years before Shonda met Aaron and I was pregnant with our first child when Shonda headed for Houston for an important auction," Jazz continued smoothly. "Shonda promised to be back before our little girl was born as she had been named the godmother and she was gone longer than she expected when she'd originally set out."
"Alright, I could understand why you moved away from your hometown, since you are immortal you don't age and I'm sure people would've started to notice after 20 years or so," Abby said.
"They definitely would have as lifespans were a lot shorter back in the late 20th century when Jazz and I were born then they are now," Shonda said. "Most people didn't live past 90 or so, though beat those odds, but a lot died younger, like my father. My father, Mike Walters, was only in his late 70s when he passed."
"How do you turn someone immortal though," Abby wanted to know seeming to be thinking about the information she had been given. "I mean, I'm completely mortal and I'll live out my life and die, but I'll bet there's a way to change that."
"I'm surprised you thought of that so soon as I know, we shattered your worldview with the information we've given you," Dave offered with a small smile.
"I'm not surprised that Abby could think of that question, because she is one of the most brilliant people I've come across in a long time and her mind simply works differently. I wouldn't be surprised if she had a genius level intellect, like several members of this family," Damon told his uncle. "Before we go into any further explanations though, let me demonstrate my magic."
Damon formed a ball of blue light after making sure Abby saw his palms were empty. The ball seemed to form out and nothingness.
"Considering you just demonstrated your immortality, I wasn't about to disbelieve that actual magic existed," Abby said, even as she poked at the blue globe of light that was hovering over Damon shoulder seeming fascinated.
"This is the simplest of magic," Jazz offered, as she watched Abby study the little witch light.
"It's known as a witch light and it's basically a flashlight except made by magic," Shonda added. "Every magical child can form one by the time they're five years old."
"So if I'm understanding you right, the reason you offered to take me to dinner is because I'm your mate and you knew this the minute you saw me," Abby said, even as she worked out the information she had been given in her head.
"Exactly," Damon said, even as he gave Abby's hand to squeeze. "I wasn't going to miss my opportunity."
"Opportunity for what?" Abby immediately wanted to know.
"For marriage and a family," Damon replied honestly. "I've been lonely for a long time, centuries, so while you were something of a surprise, well, I wasn't going to turn away my chance at never being lonely again with you in my life."
"Before you suggest that Damon can settle down with anyone that is not the case," Aaron said his tone calm before Abby could even think to say something like that.
"How did you know what I was thinking?" Abby wanted to know.
"It wasn't that hard as several other mortals who are mates to one of our children have thought the same thing, so we just anticipated what you were probably thinking," Shonda offered with a slight smile. "No magic required."
"Just perception, and being able to anticipate what somebody is thinking at any given moment," Jazz added. "All of us have a lot of experience with all of the above."
"You are not naïve and I'm sure you can imagine what would happen if the wrong person found out about immortals, not to mention magic," Dave said.
"There would be riots and hundreds of people would die, maybe thousands," Jazz said.
"Then the government would know about us and they'd probably want us to register so they could regulate us, or at least keep an eye on us to make sure we were obeying the laws. I can easily see an organization forming that punished magical that broke the laws. I can see us being ostracized for being different, for having an ability that most people did not, which is one reason we went underground a very long time ago. Back at the end of the dark ages magic was considered evil no matter if it was used for good purposes, and I can easily see witch hunts happening again if it was revealed that witches actually existed in society," Shonda said shuddering at that possibility. "Our very lives would be at the governments whim and I'd rather kill myself permanently dead then have that happen."
"It's why we live so quietly, as none of us wants all those deaths on our consciousnesses due to one of us being careless, and revealing that we're not quite normal to other people who are," Damon commented.
"Yes, I can see that," Abby said, knowing that Damon's family was very right in what they feared happening the most.
"Every immortal knows when they have met the one they can settle down with," Aaron added calmly. "That happened to me when I met Damon's mother Shonda in Houston, Texas, as has already been mentioned. I haven't been lonely since we met like I was before we did."
"The same goes for me when I met Jazz in Moonlight Gorge at her bakery, which had only been open about four years at that point in time," Dave added. "I was just passing through the small, charming town until that event that changed my life for the better. Like Aaron, I was very lonely and considering, I'm considerably older than him, I'd been lonely for much longer until I met Jazz."
"I can see immortality being a very lonely business," Abby commented.
"It definitely is," Damon agreed. "As I mentioned a few minutes ago, I've been lonely for a long time, which is why I kept myself as busy, as I possibly could and why I worked so much of the time, though now that I've met you that will slowly change. I'll gladly cut back on my hours if it means I'm spending the time with you."
"That's very sweet Damon," Abby said looking rather touched. "I do understand about loneliness, because while I've dated, nothing ever stuck. I've always dated what most people would consider bad boys or misfits. Men that rode motorcycles for example. There was even this one guy I dated a few years ago that believed he was a vampire."
"That's a new one on me," Shonda laughed. Her laugh had a great deal of relief that Abby seemed to be accepting their explanation without the shock that some people had.
"I think that's a new one on everyone," Dave commented chuckling.
"Shawn was really very sweet, but was heavily into cosplay," Abby said. "Still, he had a reputation for being a bit of a bad boy, though not in a dangerous sort of way."
"Those who don't fit society standards are often labeled as bad boys or misfits," Aaron said.
"It's good for Damon that you aren't attached to anyone much less married," Jazz commented. "It means you're not attached to anyone that will stop you two from having a personal relationship."
"Which definitely relieves my mind," Shonda said, giving Abby a rather motherly look.
"So I take it you've had experience with at least one of your children getting together with someone because they were married Abby said.
"In both cases, the spouse was dead, but with Dave and Jazz's son Aeon, Nadia wasn't sure she wanted to get involved with anyone else, as she had loved her husband a great deal and he had been dead but a few years when they met.. Jason, on the other hand, was different, as he had realized that Sarah and him had lost their common ground, and if she hadn't died from some form of unidentified illness, they probably would have divorced if she had not.
"But luckily, it all worked out," Dave said.
"Which is a good thing," Jazz said empathically.
Nobody bothered to explain to Abby why it was a good thing it had worked out and Abby was very curious, but knew it could all be explained later, but, that didn't mean her curiosity wasn't killing her.
"I think it's time we get going," Damon told everyone. "It's getting late.
"That's true it is," Abby agreed. "This has been a rather fascinating evening, and I know very well I've always believed in things that most people don't, but immortality and magic are new to me and just proves my point that there are more things in the world than most people see or care to know about."
"That is very true and you are very wise young lady," Dave told Abby, smiling in relief at Abby's casual acceptance.
"I suppose from your point of view I would seem young," Abby said, not taking insult at being called a young lady, because to someone who was immortal, even though the others in the room didn't look any older than she did, she would be. "The meal was spectacular and I meant to thank you earlier," Abby told Damon's mother Shonda.
"You're quite welcome. It is one of Damon's favorite, as you know, and since we don't see him very often I certainly didn't mind going out of my way," Shonda said.
"It could certainly become my favorite as well," Abby said smiling at Damon. "We need to get going though, as Damon has already said, it's getting late," Abby said.
"You're welcome to visit us anytime you like with or without Damon. We never turn away family, so if you're ever in the area, feel free to visit," Shonda told Abby with a smile. "Welcome to the family."
"Thank you, I'll certainly remember to visit if I'm ever in the area," Abby said. She shook Aaron's hand and Shonda gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek for good measure.
"You let us know what's going on with you and Abby," Aaron told Damon giving him a significant look. Damon nodded before he escorted Abby towards the front door.
~~~Damon and Abby~~~
"Your family is wonderful," Abby told Damon as he drove towards the shuttleport in order to catch a flight back home.
"I'm glad you think so, because we'll be seeing a lot of them over the centuries." Damon said as he concentrated on the road.
He could've put the car on auto pilot, but he preferred to drive himself, but then, he knew in that way, he was just like most men and didn't like the computer to control his destination.
"So your family never did answer my question about how you're going turn me immortal. I understand it's possible, as I got that much from their story, but as to how you do so, that subject wasn't covered," Abby said.
"They didn't leave that out deliberately there was just a lot to cover, so it got glossed over," Damon said. "It has to do with DNA."
Abby worked that out quickly and didn't even blush when she did. In fact, she was looking forward to it. Damon and her hadn't started having sex yet and she had wondered why every so often in the back of her mind, but had just thought that he was old-fashioned, as some men still were and wanted to make sure their relationship was solid before taking that step. Now she knew the truth that Damon hadn't wanted to start to turn her immortal without telling her about himself and his family first, though he could've used a condom.
"I see you figured it out," Damon said, smiling, even as he pulled up at the car rental place.
"It wasn't that hard," Abby shot back half playfully, as the doors to Damon's rented car opened automatically as soon as it was parked.
"I'll return the car and then we can catch our flight," Damon said, as he and Abby both got out, the doors shutting automatically, as soon as they were inside the car rental agency out of range of the car sensors.
Luckily, the car rental place was only less than a block away from the shuttleport and since they had no luggage, they both walked quickly to get on their flight.
"I'm looking forward to us making love," Abby told Damon quietly, so no one else who was nearby could overhear what she said. "I've wondered why we hadn't gotten to that stage over the last few months you know, but now I understand. At least now I know I don't have to ask you to get tested for any transmittable diseases."
"No, you don't, as we can't get anything that's transmitted through sex," Damon quietly, as he walked up to the counter of the car place.
It took a few minutes to complete all the paperwork, and for Damon to confirm his phone number and address in case they found damage to the car that he would be billed for, and then he and Abby were on their way to the shuttleport, walking hand-and-hand.
"In fact, we can't even catch a cold much less an STD, AIDs, genital warts, hepatitis or any other disease."
HIV was still a real problem even in this century. Even if it was only a small amount of people that had it and the odds were you would never come across someone that had the disease, much less have sex with them, but still it was a real concern, for most people.
"So not only are you always healthy, you heal from any physical injury at a rapid pace," Abby said, remembering how Damon's uncle had cut himself and how the deep wound had healed in a matter of seconds.
"Exactly," Damon agreed. "It's kind of nice not to have to worry about getting any serious illness like the black plague that went through the population in the middle ages for example or even something like anthrax man-made or otherwise."
"It's nice to know I'll never go old and always be in good health, never get wrinkles or liver spots or white hair. I know those are just signs of age and then I'm still young, but age affects most everybody eventually, even if that's not for a 100 years or more from the day they were born," Abby said, as the two of them reached the shuttleport. Damon had been nice enough to match his pace to hers as she tended to walk slower because her legs were shorter. It showed he was considerate and so many men were not.
"That is something you no longer have to be concerned about as you'll be just as young and beautiful as you are now," Damon said.
"That's definitely a plus," Abby said enthusiastically, but keeping her voice down.
The two entered the shuttleport once the automatic doors had opened side-by-side.
~~~Damon and Abby~~~