Chapter 1

Minerva Hotchner tossed and turned in her bed, asleep but not. She was in the midst of a vision. She, out of all of Aaron and Shonda Hotchners children, had gotten the ability of a Seer. Her family was related to Merlin, who had supposedly also been a seer, as well as a telepath, through her mother. Her Uncle Dave was always telling her that she resembled Godfrey Ambrosius wife and daughter to a startling degree, just as her mother did, as well as several of her siblings, though not necessarily for her generation.

Unlike most of her siblings for every generation she had inherited her mother's red hair and green eyes. Most of her siblings and she had quite a few, had inherited their father's black hair and dark brown eyes. A few had gotten her father's black hair, but her mother's green eyes and yet others had gotten her mother's red hair but her father's brown eyes.

Minerva came awake with a suddenness breathing heavily for several seconds before it finally slowed and her heart stopped drumming a rapid tattoo against her chest.

Who was this guy that kept appearing when she slept? Minerva wondered. He wouldn't keep appearing in her dreams though if he wasn't important to her in someway. He was certainly handsome enough with his short black hair and brown eyes. He was fairly broad at the shoulders, though not as broad as her father. Still, there was a seriousness about him, even though there was also good humor in his expression. The crinkles at the corners of his mouth seemed to say that he smiled occasionally, but that he mostly frowned. Minerva wasn't sure how she knew this, just that it seemed right.

It was probably time to talk to her mother about her dreams, Minerva thought. Shonda Hotchner always gave her a good advice when asked and she loved her mother for that. Loved that her mother and father, as both knew how to stay out of her life unless she asked them for advice or help.

Minerva knew from experience that she would not be going back to sleep so she rose took her shower and started to get dressed for the day. Minerva sighed and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked tired, probably because she was tired. She had deep bags under her eyes from lack of sleep for awhile. Unfortunately, being immortal did not prevent bags beneath her eyes from lack asleep, even if it did prevent most other things like being ill with some serious disease like cancer.

Something had to stop these dreams, as they were slowly driving her insane. Who was this man in her dreams? Minerva wondered again. She had better figure it out soon. She wasn't gonna die, she knew that, since she was immortal, just like the rest of her family. It didn't mean she didn't feel like it though and that was only because she was getting damn frustrated with these dreams she was having repeatedly.

It never occurred to Minerva to think that this man could be her mate.

~~~Jason and Minerva~~~

Nashville, Tennessee

Walters Antiques

"This is a surprise, Minerva," Shonda told her. "What can I do for you sweetie? It must be important if you came all the way from San Francisco."

"Yes, it is important," Minerva said, even as she leaned against the counter next to the register at her mother's store in Denver. "I should've called first but I didn't want to worry you."

"You look tired honey," Shonda told her daughter. "Not sleeping very well?"

"No, I'm not, but there is a reason for that," Minerva said looking around to make sure that there were no customers near enough to hear what she was talking about. "We should probably talk in private."

"One of those things, huh?" Shonda said in understanding.

"Yeeesss," Minerva said drawing out the word.

"Rosa can watch the store," Shonda said. "We'll talk in the stockroom."

"So Rosa is helping you out now?" Minerva asked.

Rosetta Rossi was all of 17 and she started college in the fall. She was helping her godmother run the shop a few days a week. Shonda was of course paying her, which was a nice side benefit. It wasn't even that Rosa didn't get an allowance from her parents or the fact, that she had a trust fund just like all the Rossi and Hotchner children. However, she could not access that trust fund until she was 21 and that was still years away. While her allowance was quite hefty still Rosa enjoyed helping her godmother out in the shop and she was saving for when she went to college. It wasn't even that her parents weren't very generous when it came to money for expenses when she went, just that it was nice to have some money that she had earned herself to spend on what she wanted. Once she finished college the allowance would stop so she really needed to figure out what she wanted to do with her life.

"Yes, she is and she's proven rather helpful," Shonda said. "She might have the rare talent of finding antiques. She has a good eye and a good brain."

It went unsaid that a lot of the Hotchner children had inherited Shonda's talent in finding antiques. You had to have a certain knack to be any good at it though, the right instincts. However, a lot of her children had gotten totally different talents and that was just fine. Also, it must be pointed out that Rosa was a Rossi not a Hotchner so wouldn't have inherited Shonda talent on how to figure out the antique market, which changed all the time.

Unfortunately, Rosetta had not gotten her mother's Jazz's bakery magic, which was why she was helping out her godmother in her antique shop.

She had yet to decide what profession she wanted to go into for the rest of her eternity. She just had not found her calling as yet, but then, she was only 17. Hopefully, college would help her decide what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, which would be very long. She was aimless with no definite goals.

"Rosa could you watch the store for a few minutes please," Shonda called out and the girl appeared.

Rosetta was a very pretty girl with both her parents dark hair and skin that glowed with health. She had a pert nose, a pretty bow for a mouth and a slender frame. She was also fairly tall much like her father in that way as well. When she finally stopped growing she would probably be around her father's height.

"Of course, Aunt Shonda," Rosa answered.

"We shan't be long. If you need me for anything I'll be in the back room talking to Minerva," Shonda told her goddaughter.

"It's nice seeing you Rosa," Minerva told the girl.

Minerva of course, was much older than her cousin.

"Nice seeing you too Minnie," Rosa said with the mischievous twinkle in her grey eyes.

"You know I hate being called Minnie, Rosa," Minerva told her young cousin, glaring at her, then rolling her eyes at her cousin's cheek.

"I am well aware, which is why I do it," Rosa told her with a smile.

"You too can argue later, I believe you and me have something to talk about Vera," Shonda said, giving both Rosa and Minerva a look that basically said "behave children!"

Vera was another nickname for Minerva and the lady in question much preferred it to Minnie.

"Yeah, we do," Minerva agreed once again calm, turning her back on Rosa to show she was rather put out with the 17 year old's teasing.

The two women, one older, one younger, though they both looked the same age walked towards the stockroom where Shonda had a couch they could sit on to talk more comfortably.

They sat on the couch just a minute later and Minerva suddenly felt nervous, which wasn't usually like her.

"So what's the problem Vera?" Shonda said.

"It goes like this," Minerva began and told her mother all about the dreams she had been having for several weeks.

"You know that's rather interesting," Shonda said looking thoughtful. "You're the only one so far that has gotten the talent to see the future. It's a heavy responsibility, a burden that you carry with you everywhere. Lady Hecate must have decided that you could handle having visions of the future, especially since you're immortal and you'll live forever unless of course either someone murdered you in the correct way to where you stay dead or you asked one of the family to take your life, which we will never do unless the circumstances are very unusual."

"Normally, I can, but if I don't get some decent sleep soon..." Minerva said her voice trailing off. "I'm just so tired and I don't think getting a decent night's sleep is too much to ask."

Her daughter did look rather tired Shonda thought sympathetically, but then, she now knew, that Minerva hadn't been sleeping probably not for more than a few hours every night for nearly a month, so it was no wonder. It wouldn't kill her, since she was immortal, not even if she got in a car accident or something, but that didn't mean she didn't understand why her daughter looked as if she was totally exhausted.

"I know how hard continuing to have these visions is when you can't sleep," Shonda said sympathetically to her daughter. "As for my advice, I think the reason you're dreaming about this man is that he's your mate and he is in your near future."

Minerva stared at her mother a moment completely shocked, as the thought that this man might be her mate, had never occurred to her.

"That's never occurred to you did it?" Shonda chuckled lightly at her daughter's expression despite the seriousness of the situation that faced Minerva.

"No, it never even entered my head," Minerva admitted. "Now that you've said that though it feels right. Whoever this man is I think you're right, he's my mate. The question becomes is he in some kind of trouble? When will I meet him?"

"I can't answer any of those questions sweetie, as I'm not like you. I'm not a seer. I'm actually really glad it's not a talent I inherited as having telepathy is hard enough, but being a seer would be worse. At least I can control my telepathy and can put up a mental barrier in my mind, so I'm not reading people's thoughts inadvertently," Shonda told her daughter. "You're just gonna have to be patient. He will show up in your life when the time is right. However, you've been dreaming about him for weeks, so it's probably pretty close to when you meet him."

"That's true, my vision usually come true within a month or two at most," Minerva agreed. "It's usually much sooner than that though and I've been having these dreams for a month. Why do you think this particular vision is coming out in my dreams every night? Usually, they don't happen so often."

"I really don't know sweetie," Shonda told her. "That is something only Hecate, the goddess of magic knows. It's possible that Hecate just wants to keep this man in the forefront of your mind so that you'll be on high alert. Maybe she wants you to pay special attention for some reason."

"I'm hoping it happens soon," Minerva said honestly. "Not only do I want to meet my mate, if that's who this man in my dreams is, but I want the dreams to stop so I can sleep and catch up on my rest."

"I don't blame you there," Shonda admitted. "I can't blame you for being anxious to meet your mate and also, about catching up on your sleep. Even being immortal doesn't prevent bags beneath your eyes when you don't get enough rest, even if it prevents most other things, sickness and the like."

"Thanks for talking with me mom," Minerva said. "I know you're busy with the store."

"Never too busy for one of my children, especially when they have a problem," Shonda told Minerva firmly, giving her a daughter a stern look making Minerva cave. "Let me know how it turns out will you honey?"

"Of course, I will," Minerva promised. "I'm hoping I'm soon introducing my mate to you and dad as well as my aunt and uncle."

"Can I tell Aaron about this?" Shonda asked Minerva carefully. While Aaron was her father she might not want to tell him about her troubles quite yet.

"Of course you can," Minerva said smiling. "Let him know I'm fine, just tired. I'll let you know as soon as I meet him."

"OK then," Shonda agreed smiling giving her daughter a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "What about your aunt and uncle?"

"Them too, if you want," Minerva agreed. "I'm sure you all want to meet him, even if that's a few months from now."

"Of course we do, as he's probably your mate," Shonda said.

"I really believe he is," Minerva told her mother with certainty in her tone. "I felt something click in my mind when you said that earlier. As if a puzzle piece just snapped into place. It was as if you were just confirming what I really already knew, even if the idea that this man in my dreams is my mate never occurred to me. It was as if that knowledge was being hidden from me until you said that."

"Well, we'll soon learn one way or the other I suppose," Shonda said.

"We will, hopefully, soon," Minerva said fervently.

"Are you about done back here," came the voice of Rosa who stuck her head in the door of the stockroom

"We are," Minerva said.

"What is the problem Rosa?" Shonda asked.

"There's a customer out here that is looking for something specific and I'm not sure how to help him," Rosa explained shooting a glance over her shoulder at the customer that was waiting at the front counter.

"We'll be right there Rosa," Shonda promised. "Will you be OK?" Shonda asked her daughter.

"I'll be fine mom, I promise. A little sleeplessness isn't going to kill me, even if I think it will just because I'm so tired," Minerva promised yawning.

"OK, then be safe going home," Shonda said, even as she rose headed for the front of the store so she could help the customer waiting now. "Call me when you get back to your apartment just let me know you've arrived safely."

"I will," Minerva promised kissing her mother on the cheek before she headed out the front door.

"How can I help you sir?" Minerva heard her mother asking the customer before she was out of range.

~~~Jason and Minerva~~~