Dark One- The Khiara Banning Series Book 1

Thirty

Over a large bonfire, people's stories are slowly told, and information is divulged. Patty talks about her plane ride over from Australia, and how she grew up adopted by a human couple, never having known her birth parents due to their deaths at the hands of superstitious religious bigots. She and Melania met when she first visited the States just eight years ago.

Cael talks of his Fall, and how he became my guardian, Vicky talks about her involvement, though nothing too personal about herself, and of course Cara talks enough for both her and Tristan because he's too shy to speak up.

Interestingly, it turns out that most of the Pixies of the world live in various countries around Europe, and only a few in the Americas. They can become invisible to the human eye at the drop of a hat, which explains why there are hardly any reported sightings.

Liam and Samael – who has asked me to call her Samantha at all times now, since I refer to the other angels by their human names and she felt a little left out – don't talk much, but Lisa chats about all sorts of random things, and what being Nephilim is like; Paul had asked, timidly raising his hand like we're in school.

Sam is quiet for most of the night, happy to sit on my lap and listen to everybody, sometimes fiddling with my necklace, but around eight he begins to yawn, and by ten o'clock he's all but passed out in my arms.

Samantha moves to bring him to bed but Sam says, "I want Aunt Ki-Ki to do it."

"Alright honey. I'll be in to give you your kiss soon." Samantha smiles and sits back down. She seems almost relieved that her son has taken to me like he has.

Picking up the boy, I excuse myself from the bonfire and make my way to the house. By the time I've opened the back door, he appears much more alert than a tired child should.

"What's up?" I ask, placing Sam down on the doormat so that he can take his shoes and winter clothes off.

"I needa show you something," he says matter of fact. "But you prolly won't like it a lot because you have to keep it a secret of secrets."

Chuckling, I reach out and muss his curls. "I'm good at keeping secrets."

He smiles wide, revealing all of his tiny teeth, save one on the far right that he must have just lost today. "Well then you're gonna think it's cool."

Suddenly he scampers off, too fast for me to catch him, but he quickly returns with the book about the Rephaim that is bound with Samantha's wings, takes my hand, and leads me to the kitchen island before placing the book down and pushing me towards it.

"Open," he says, seriously. "You'll see."

I smile at him, not sure what he's playing at, but open the book anyway, only to be able to see words on the page where before there had been none. The first part I recognize, but the rest is new;

"The Rephaim race is the most pure in existence; it is the offspring of two of the Fallen. They must be guarded, as they are hunted for all they can do. Rephaim are the closest to God and should not theoretically exist, yet they do, and have the potential to change the world."

The words feel as if they are taking all of my attention and forcing it on them a whirlpool at sea, sucking me under.

"Of course they share genetic material with Angels and for all intents and purposes they could be considered angelic in nature; but because their parents are of the Fallen, the Rephaim possess free will. They are like a strong mixture of the angels in Heaven, and the Gods who created them."

"Sam," I say. "I can read it. Shouldn't we tell the others?"

"No," he says. "Everything isn't what it looks like, Aunt Ki-Ki. I know lots. I can help you. I just needed to let you see that Mommy's magic necklace worked in a special way. I am half Mommy, and the book is made out of her wings, so you can see it 'cause her magic answers to the wings. Or...the other way around. I'm not so good at explaining yet."