The Haven High Book Series (Wattys2017)

Chapter 20

After school Lauren ported him to the backyard of his cousin's home in the financial district. It was situated South of Market on South Park Street. His cousin's home was smack dab in front of the oldest park in San Francisco.

Apparently having a park across the street is essential to keeping your sanity when you have energetic Cait Sith kittens. They'd purchased the property seven years ago for an astronomical amount. His cousin's were a little fixated on money and they made no secret of exactly how much they spent on absolutely everything. He didn't know if it was a Cait thing, or an Italian thing, or if it was just their thing, but he did know he'd never have that kind of money?

Lauren did the appropriate amount of ohhing and awwing when she saw the back of the house.

And who could blame her, he knew the three story Victoria structure was impressive. It had been built after the neighborhood's complete destruction due to the quake of 1906 and still had all of its original eclectic designs: spires, circular tower and gable roof, decorative cornices and stain glass windows and doors. It was a real show stopper ! He'd heard a client of his cousin's call it that once and the idiom had stuck with him.

"It is impressive, no?"

Lauren just nodded her head in dumbstruck awe.

They stood in the backyard for a moment admiring the view when Kelly came around the corner and said," Sugar you didn't tell me you lived in a castle. Are you a secret prince or something?"

Donnie just chuckled, "No Cara I am merely a frog, but if you kiss me I might turn, si?" he wagged his eyebrows to make her laugh.

And it worked she snorted, and said," we'd best get inside; we're nothing but sitting ducks out here."

Lauren said, "I'll keep watch outside and alert you if I see anything."

"And make sure no one goes near my baby, "Kelly called out as Lauren made her way to the front of the house. Then she continued, "and I don't need to see your face to know when your rolling you're damn eyes at me."

Donnie smirked as he took the keys for the back door out of his pocket and marched up the back porch with Kelly right on his heels. He'd chosen to come well before the girls did just in case Liam or the Cait Sith had a means to find him. If that happened he'd be able to port and draw them away from the girls. He just hoped his obscure-us charm worked. He really needed to get some answers from his cousin.

But so far so good -- He could tell by the birds that chirped happily up and down the street that all was well. If they suddenly stopped singing that could only mean one thing: the Caits are near. He opened the back door onto the mud room. Three little red galoshes and yellow rain coats hung all in a row. Cubbies lined the wall built to house the many childhood outdoor toys.

The expensive home was kept immaculate by a friendly cleaning lady that came when everyone was either at school or at work. Like the fairytale of the cobbler and the elves, they did all their work when there were no witnesses. He had never met her/him/them in all the years he had lived her. And all of a sudden he had to wonder if it was indeed humans that did the work. After all they were living in a magical world.