Secret Sister

Chapter 1: 6 Months Later

Author's Note! The title is "6 Months Later" because it's in the new character's POV-Patch/Jev. It's kicking off from the 6-month mark that the fourth book of the HushHush series "Finale" takes place in. For anyone that hasn't read the HushHush series, you'll be confused. If you don't have the books, look them up and just read about the characters and read the book summary if you can find them.

Patch's P.O.V- I felt like throwing up. I had no idea what was going on, but I couldn't control my emotions, a skill that I've mastered for centuries. Transporting to my family's home, I hesitated, sensing something was off. I had opened the front doors, walked through the castle, reaching the throne room, and everything just got worse. A group of twenty Nephil stood behind Nora, my secret girlfriend. As fate would have it, I fell in love with the illegitimate and secret child of Hank Miller, and a descendant of my deceased Nephil vessel. Nora was a newly sworn Nephil, and now lead her "father's" army, thus our secret relationship. Last night we had a public "break-up" and she now stood in the arms of her lieutenant, Dante, who both stuck up their noses at me. I smiled on the inside; my Angel was really going all out for this. Her friend and only ally, Scott, stood next to them both, he glared slightly when he saw me. I couldn't care less.

I looked away from the Nephil and noticed there was a small group of Fallen here, something else that confused me. I only knew four of them; Dom, Gabe, and Jeremiah, who nodded their heads in greeting when they saw me. I did a double take when I saw Seti Alberti, the leader of the Fallen Angels, as he was the oldest and most powerful. He was an Avenging Angel that existed during Lucifer's time. He ran the Fallen community down in New York. He smirked at me, and I bowed my head in respect. His power intimidated me, and that was very difficult to do.

Everyone turned to look at me as I walked up to Arcana and Naveen, my adopted parents. Arcana is Wicca, and Naveen is half-Nephil. My relationship is semi-rocky with them both, but it took me longer to warm up to Naveen. He's a good guy though, we made it work. "¡Bienvenido a casa, mi hijo!" my mother cooed, running her hands lovingly down my face. She looked happy, but I sensed she was nervous, why, I had no idea. My father held his hand out for me to shake, which was odd, not that I was much of a hugger anyway. But still, everything felt tense and a bit formal. I was already uncomfortable with how public this was, but now I had to force my body not to start shaking from stress. My family had been a huge secret, and now it was out for everyone to see. Figuring it couldn't get any worse I held Arcana's hands and said, "Hello, mother." I heard the chorus of whispers all over the room. Catching Nora's eyes, she looked dumbfounded. Mother? She mouthed me. I'll explain later I said in her mind.

"So, what's going on?"" Why are all these people here?"" And what's wrong with the two of you, and don't lie, I can sense something's up." My parents shared a worried look before re-addressing me. "My darling, there's a lot we have to talk about." My mother spoke in a slow-calming voice, like she was speaking to a child. But I could just faintly detect the tiny notes of pleading behind her words, as if she were begging me to listen. Worry was plain on her face, and my father couldn't even look at me. I was getting worried now, too. "Have, have I done something wrong? Upset you somehow"? My mother was quick to answer me. "No, sweetheart! How could you?" Pulling me into her arms, my head was pressed to her heart. I heard it pounding like crazy. My mother wasn't worried. Whatever was going on, it scared her.

I pulled away from her. "Mother, what the hell is going on! You're scared and Naveen won't even look at me"! I didn't mean to yell, but I was getting aggravated, and my discomfort was growing by the minute. She looked crestfallen and Naveen gave me a look almost of mourning, like someone had died. Taking a deep breath, my mother straightened herself and clasped her hands together in front of her, her face serious and businesslike. "¡Mi hijo, there's a very serious matter that you need to be made aware of. We didn't summon you because we missed you. I told you we needed to talk." Behind her, Naveen's face went blank, his posture was rim-rod straight, but his arms were crossed in front of him.

"I'll cut right to it; firstly, you have a half-Nephil little sister, whom we have hidden from you for the past sixteen years." The room was deadly quiet. I blinked rapidly and shook my head, as if I didn't hear her right. There's no way she was serious. "Excuse me?" was all I could say. I covered my face with my hands. This could not be happening to me right now. God had to be fucking with me, if not him, then Heaven in general, which wouldn't surprise me. "So, you just expect me to accept that I have a Nephil for a sibling?" "And, what, that I would be okay with it? That I would just step up and be a "big brother" to a half-mutated brat!" I growled at my mother; whose hand came out so fast I didn't even see it until it was in the air near the right side of my face. I couldn't feel the pain, but she must have broken my nose because there was blood all over my hand when I touched my face.

Gasps went around the room, but whether it was because of my words or my mother striking me, I didn't know. And to be honest, I didn't care. I no longer cared that this was now a public spectacle, I was livid. "You. Will. Not, talk about your family that way! Especially towards our princess, and only hair to the throne"! My mother's rage was so great I almost felt it. Out of the corner of my eye, my father gave me a painful look of disgust, but he came over and placed his hands-on Arcana's shoulders. "My love, think about what you're doing..." "Don't you dare defend him! What happened to the man who argued with me about telling him the truth? You'll defend him now after the vile things he said about your little girl?" she screamed at him.

He glared at her. "Of course, I'm not defending him. But he is still our son. You shouldn't hit him; you punish him instead." He looked at me with rage in his eyes. "However, he did deserve it, this time" he hissed. Arcana gripped my face with her sharp nails and glared venomously at me, her voice matched her eyes when she spoke. "You need to remember that I am your mother! I took you in out of kindness and sympathy, but I swear to you Jev Cipriano, disrespect our family like that again and I will personally send you to Hell giftwrapped"! I felt my soul leave my body. Hell was the only thing I was afraid of, and I knew my mother's words were no idle threat, she meant them. And she had the power to act on them. She was a Wiccan, and the Queen. She didn't need my feather to send me to Hell, she could either kill me or use her powers to send me there.

Arcana, breathing heavily, flung my face away from her and forced herself to speak in a tone that hardly passed for civility. "As for the second matter; this will concern everyone in the room and their respective worlds." I wiped the remaining blood from my face and glared silently. I knew better than to speak, so I waited for her to continue. She looked at the door behind me. "You may come in now!" she yelled across the room. I gave her a confused look, then I heard the gasps from everyone and a scream from Nora. I spun around so fast I almost fell over. My blood went cold, I heard my heart stop, and my body shook with suppressed rage. A tall "man" had walked through the door, chrome-colored eyes glared at me with scorn. "Impossible" I whispered. He smirked at me. "Hello, Patch. Miss me"?

"Nora!" I heard Dante and Scott yell. I looked over and saw Nora had fainted. I quickly turned back, hoping it wasn't real. But then he laughed, mockingly, and I knew. This was all real. Somehow, someway, he was alive. Chauncey Langeais was back.