`You're not a Darkells, are you?'
`Impressive. You are dangerous. Mmm. I need your word you will not to speak of this to anyone. Ever.'
`Done. On the condition you tell me who, what you really are.'
`Conditions! You expect a great deal.' Red flashed across her eyes for a second and Mason felt the presence of something far more dangerous than Bemeon. She stood over him.
He frowned. `If you aren't ready to tell all, then why tell me anything in the first place?'
She scowled, crossing her arms at him. `I had forgotten how single-minded men are.'
`What?'
`Shut up!' she snapped.
Mason felt his own anger begin to move in response but he saw the pain on Tashia's face. She sat on the end of the bed. `It's hard for me, Mason. It has been a very long time since I have thought on this.'
Mason did not move as her face softened.
`Agnes was my only child.'
Breath caught in his throat. Everything was connected.
`Time travels differently for me but her death pains me every day. I have never tried for another since her death. This world took my child from me. The hand of your ancestor stole my child's life. But I have adopted the Darkells and they are my family. And so, you are my family. My family needs new direction, but I cannot do that for them. You must lead them, Mason.'
She stood up.
`You could be wrong about me.'
`I can't be,' she said, walking towards the door. `Get dressed.' The door closed behind her and the house began to come alive. Tashia had taken the silence with her.
`Welcome to the family, Mason.' He threw off the sheets. `No pressure here, Mason, just get married again. Twice. And have some more kids. And, by the way, change the world if you don't mind.'
`I can hear you!' Tashia's rebuke floated up from down the stairs.
`Big ears,' he muttered, pulling a pair of pants. He glanced at the mirror on the wall. He looked the same, unmarked from his fight with Bemeon.
But, for a brief moment, grey eyes overshadowed his own in the mirror's reflection.
`Father.' He reached for the mirror and the eyes creased with a smile.
Mason smiled back. The eyes disappeared.
He finished dressing, realising as he did that the house was full. Not just with people but with energy, emotions and uncertainty. And love.
Conversation hushed when they saw him standing at the top of the stairs.
Calm came to him then. He looked down at the sea of faces, waiting; fearful of who he'd become: Hunter or Mason.
Ruth stood with Renee and Nikki at the bottom of the steps, watching. Wilson stepped forward, waiting.
Mason took control. He agreed with Tashia with all his heart. Hunter could not be allowed to run free.
He looked at his son, trembling.
`
Say something, dummy,'
Renee 'pathed.
Mason smiled and winked at Wilson. `Surf's up!' he yelled, and leapt out over the sea of arms reaching up for him. Wilson caught him mid-leap and they fell into the laughing crowd.
`It's Dad! He's still my dad!'
`Always!' Mason let the sea of hands and tears wash over him.
This was his family, all of them.
CLAN DESTINE PRESS
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and hopes you enjoyed the story.
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http://www.clandestinepress.com.au
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First published in eBook form by Clan Destine Press in 2013
PO Box 121, Bittern
Victoria 3918 Australia
Copyright © Dean J Anderson 2013
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (The Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10 per cent of any book, whichever is the greater, to be photocopied by any educational institution for its educational purposes provided that the educational institution (or the body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act.
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-In-Publication data:
Anderson, Dean J
Unnaturals
ISBN 978-0-9923295-9-4
Cover Design © Ran Valheron