Several months later, it was December and the holiday season was upon them. Damon had spent Thanksgiving with Abby's family and they had been happy to meet him and learn their daughter was engaged to a good man. The mother of course, wanted grandchildren, which was understandable. The only barrier was language since both parents were deaf, but Abby had translated for them, even though they also knew how to read lips. Abby had never left his side the entire time they were there so that she would be around to translate whatever he said.
"I hope you're ready for the madhouse when we go visit my family for Christmas," Damon told Abby as they were in her apartment instead of his this time. They kind of moved back-and-forth between the two.
"I'm looking forward to it," Abby promised. "You went out of your way for my family, so it's only fair that I do the same for yours."
"I don't consider it going out of my way, as they are your family and you love them, just as much as I love my own. Also, they won't be around a couple of centuries from now so we need to spend as much time with them as we can now before they are gone.
"Your brother might leave behind children and grandchildren, but we'll have to break off contact with them at some point as they can't know about immorality. It's not even that I don't think they could keep a secret, but for obvious reasons we don't usually tell the families of those that are mates to one of us. It's always dangerous to tell anyone what we are, but when someone like you is the mate to one of us it's necessary," Damon explained.
"I understand," Abby said. "Has anyone ever rejected someone in your family?"
"No, not so far," Damon answered. "It's actually a good thing that hasn't happened."
"Oh why?" Abby immediately wanted to know.
"I know we kind of just brushed over this, but mates are basically all important to an immortal or magical for that matter both have them," Damon explained. "Not only do mates help with the loneliness no immortal could ever get someone mortal like you pregnant without turning them into what they are so that means they'd be no children if immortals didn't have mates, because they wouldn't dare risk telling anyone unless they knew deep in their souls that they wouldn't be betrayed. If a rejection happens, then that immortal will feel as if half their soul has been ripped out of their bodies and they'd want to end their existence."
"So it is possible for you to die then?" Abby said her mind immediately working out what Damon meant.
"Yes, but it would take help from somebody else, as even poison or an old-fashioned bullet wouldn't see us permanently dead. There's a method to it. There are only a few ways we can permanently die, so it's just as well that no mate to one of my family has ever been rejected, as none of them would want to take the life of their sibling, cousin, niece, nephew or grandchild," Damon explained.
"So you call yourself immoral, because you basically are, but you can still die," Abby said.
"Yes, as we are not gods or goddess, there's simply no other word that fits, because we basically are immortal, as there is only a couple of ways I know of to kill us permanently," Damon said. "By the way, I've mean to tell you something for awhile."
"I thought I knew all your secrets Damon. What could you possibly have to tell me?" Abby asked.
"Just that every immortal has an ability that is unique to them," Damon explained. "My mom, for example, is a powerful telepath and can read your thoughts as easily as reading a book."
"That's rather frightening," Abby said looking rather horrified, as she imagined, Shonda Hotchner, reading her thoughts without her even knowing it.
"You don't need to worry about her reading your mind, as that goes against her ethics," Damon promised his mate smiling knowing exactly what she was thinking. "I know it's a frightening ability and everything, but the only time mom would read your mind was if she believed you were a threat to her family, as that would be a good time to use such a talent."
"I would think she wouldn't have a choice in the matter," Abby said. "That everybody's thoughts would just spill out of their heads whenever she looked in their direction."
"That's not the way it works Abby, though I suppose I can't blame you for thinking that. Mom or any telepath for that matter would go insane if they heard everybody's thoughts all the time," Damon said. "Mom is very powerful, the most powerful telepath that anybody in my family has ever known, but her mind is protected by a natural mental shield that prevent everyone's thoughts from entering her head unless she creates a hole in that shield. She'll never invade your thoughts, as she wouldn't do that to her future daughter-in-law. No, it is not a talent I inherited, so that is not what I was about to tell you. It was just an example of talents that magical can have. Only about three quarters of my parents children got that ability and the rest of them got different talents. There is at least one child per generation that does not get the telepathic talent and for mine that's me."
"So if that's not your ability, what is it then?" Abby said. "I've been doing research on magic in my spare time, at home to be on the safe side."
"I'm not surprised," Damon chuckled warmly. "This must come as a surprise, as you might have been told about magic, but you didn't know that we had extra abilities, one that is specific to that person. In any case, my ability is that of a shapeshifter."
"Shapeshifter," Abby tried out the word, that she had heard of, but only in fantasy books.
"I can change my looks for example, and that's what I do for every new generation," Damon explained. "I don't have to change my looks much. I never change my eye color or my hair color, but I can lengthen or shorten my hair change the style, change the shape of my nose or my cheekbones just basic things. It makes me look different enough that if I'm ever questioned by the police, they won't identify me as the same person that is, supposedly dead. It comes in handy when I have to get a new Social Security number. Every generation unlike the rest of my family does I don't need to alter any computer records, because I don't look the same like the same person as the previous Damon Hotchner."
"Why don't you change something minor and let me see for myself," Abby suggested, and Damon nodded, as he granted the request. Damon's skin on his face started to ripple and Abby watched in fascination, as Damon's nose, cheekbones and the shape of his eyes all altered.
It was like watching an illusion that flickered until solidifying into something completely different. Abby stared at Damon's face and while the new face was close to the original, there were enough changes that he could be somebody completely different.
"That was pretty amazing," Abby said once Damon's new appearance solidified. "It's too bad I can't do the same thing, as it sure would make it easier when we have to move somewhere else in a few decades."
"Yes, it is but you can change all your looks by make up even if I know that's a pain," Damon said.
"I'll have to experiment some," Abby said looking thoughtful. "Maybe I can create something like a hologram you can wear around your waist or around your neck that changed the shape of your face at least."
"Well, holographic technology does exist, but I don't think anybody's ever created circuitry small enough that it can be put into a necklace or a bracelet or something," Damon said. "This would just be another application of the technology if you can manage it."
"I'm actually surprised that something like a hologram belt or bracelet hasn't been invented already," Abby said, "but I'll see what I can do, but not right now. Still, it might be easier just to change my records as I can hack when I need to. I'll have to be careful that nobody notices my intrusion."
"That's what my family does every generation, except we usually have to hire someone to do it for us, because we never had anybody that had the skills before, well, not until Penelope Garcia met my cousin Ambrose Rossi, as she has the ability to hack as well. To be fair, though she doesn't always have time to change everybody's background, so if you could help out by changing our backgrounds when necessary, that would be great," Damon said. "Anyway, we can talk about this later. I think we can be doing other things before we have to go back to work."
"Happy to," Abby said smiling, as the two of them headed to her bedroom where there was a nice king sized bed, perfect for making love in.
Abby was so in love with Damon Hotchner that she knew that despite the fact that he was unusual man she would never stop. She was so happy she had met him as he had changed her life in the best possible way. Of course, that didn't mean that her view the world hadn't shifted dramatically over since she learned of immortality and magic, but she would have it no other way.
The two of them would explore the world, and she was sure they would have many children, and she didn't mind that at all as she'd been ready to settle down for at least a couple of years, but had had trouble finding true love.
Something that had now changed, which she was very happy about.

~~~Damon and Abby~~~