Cian went upstairs to fetch for the magical bangles, he decided to skip dinner, he could hardly take a bite of his food, he laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling for who knows how long. A knock at his door brought him back to reality, the person entered the his room since he didn't answer, it was Clint.
'Come on bro, don't starve yourself because of aunt freak face' Clint said as he entered and placed the tray of food on the bed beside Cian. He pulled Cian up to eat, Cian looked down so Clint stir the hot porridge that he ask Matt to reheat and brought up a spoon to Cian's mouth. Cian frowned, 'I can feed myself', 'Now I got your attention, my arm is aching' Clint complained and Cian slightly opened his mouth. Clint smiled and fed him the porridge,
'I'm sorry' Cian said dwindling with his fingers,
'It's okay, it wasn't a storm, it just a rain that came during summer, sounds weird' Clint said
'How did you hold up?' Cian asked
'I didn't, I left ,remember? I don't spend holidays with them I either stay at Sean's or Raymond's or just stay in the mansion alone' Clint said
'You've never been to Asher's before?' Cian asked curiously
'I have but that dude is boring, I've known him to be quiet since we were kids but after that night he became more quiet, you want to know a secret?' Clint said peaking at Cian's curiousity. Clint lean closer and said
'He doesn't have any friends apart from us',
'Is that a secret?' Cian asked in disappointment, he thought it was a big secret that he'd use to tease Asher.
'Not really, everyone at school knows he doesn't hangout with others, I wanted to, you know....to cheer you up' Clint said smiling stupidly.
'To cheer me? with him?' Cian asked with enthusiasm
'Didn't it work?'
'No, it did not' Cian said in denial
'Liar!'
'Whatever, I got something to ask you' Cian said
'Shoot'
'What is his deal? I mean Asher, sometimes he seemed cold, sometimes he seemed concerned and there is something about the way he looks at me, I just don't understand' Cian said trying to put his thoughts into words.
'Clint?' Cian called as Clint remained silent,
'Oh, that's not my place to tell' Clint finally said
'Why? is there some big secret I'm not supposed to remember?' Cian asked preying Clint for answers.
'He will tell you when he wants to' Clint said
'And if he doesn't?' Cian asked
'That means he doesn't want you to remember, Cian, do you really not remember anything? Even that night?' Clint asked on a serious note
'No, I don't, if I try to remember, I only remember seeing a burning house' Cian said
'Don't try, it's better not to remember' Clint said
'But...'
'No buts, eat your food, it's getting cold' Clint said standing up from the bed and went to the wardrobe.
'Clint, don't you know the word privacy?' Cian fired at Clint who was going through Cian's clothes,
'Dull Colo..' Clint stopped as something caught his eyes, it was the same blue hoodie they wore on their fifth birthday,
'You always hated the hood' Clint said feeling nostalgic as he brought out the hood from the wardrobe
'Why?' Cian asked
'Because of this' Clint said pointing at the name written on the arm, 'Because you hate seeing my name on your things, you were always about earning a name for yourself and not "The twins"' Clint said and rolled his eyes.
'Were we close back then' Cian asked with some unknown feelings in his voice
'Sometimes we were the best brothers ever and sometimes you get mad and go to.... nevermind' Clint halt his words realizing he was going to accidentally reveal a secret.
'Go to what?' Cian asked, Clint was saved by their ringing phones, it was Raymond calling both of them at the same time, 'A group call?' Cian asked it was more like a statement than a question
'Hey guys' Raymond said immediately they answered the call,
'Are you really bored?' Clint asked
'How did you know, I'm damn bored, I'm at home with nobody to hang out with, everyone are just serious with the Voodoo witch stuff' Raymond said more like complained
'When you say hang out, you mean hook up' Sean said
'That's my bro, you understand me' Raymond said
'Did Asher pick the call?' Cian asked and he heard a wolf howling, 'He's in his wolf form?' Cian asked surprised but not showing it on his face.
'He does it every night but hasn't done it since you came back' Raymond said
'Why does he do it?' Cian asked
'To feel free, being in your wolf form makes you let go of the anger, pain, fear and you just feel free' Clint answered staring into Cian's eyes.
'And you know that because?' Cian asked
'I'm part werewolf' Clint answered and Cian appeared obviously shocked
'And you didn't bother to tell me' Cian said a bit hurt
'You never asked' Clint said feeling pleased with Cian's expression
'Raymond and Sean are?' Cian asked
'Part witch, part vampire' Raymond said
'Part witch, part vampire' Sean said
'So, how was your visit back home?' Raymond asked
'The usuals' Clint said
'Aunt Julie, again?' Raymond asked totally not surprised anymore
'You mean Aunt Freak face' Cian snared, then he heard cracking of bones and groaning, it was Asher turning back to his human form.
'What did she say?' Asher growled, Cian was silent, he really didn't want them to know so Clint spoke up for him and told them everything that had happened during dinner.
'Cian, did you want to come back home?' Asher asked after calming his blazing anger, home referring to their mansion
'Honestly yes, but it would make grandma sad so I would stay' Cian answered trying to suppress the sadness and anger he felt during dinner.
'What about we all come over tomorrow' Sean suggested
'Like to stay?' Cian asked surprised
'Yeah' Sean answered
'I'm definitely in' Raymond happily announced
'Count me in too' Asher said, for some strange reasons Cian felt happy, his happiness almost showed on his face, he quickly masked it with a blank expression before Clint saw it, unknown to him, Clint saw it and smirked.
'But why do you want to come over' Cian asked
'Mainly to train you besides someone needs to show Aunt Freak face you're special' Asher said without realizing he voiced out his thoughts, "He could actually say a long sentence" Cian thought, the line was silent as everyone never knew that Asher would one day say it out.
'Uhm uhm' Raymond cleared his throat and Clint made a fake laugh to release the tension but Cian was too dense to notice what just happened.
'I'm not special, you guys are, you are all born hybrid' Cian said innocently,
"Good thing that he's dense as always" Asher thought to himself with slight disappointment.
'I suspect you're also an hybrid, we won't know yet until you awaken your other part' Sean said
'Young master Raymond, your mom calls for you' a distant voice was heard, it was from Raymond's phone, 'Hey guys, I got to go Mom's calling for some parent-child prep talk, see you tomorrow afternoon' Raymond said with that the group call ended.
'Cian, I got a favor to ask of you' Clint said with a pleading eyes
'What?' Cian asked irritated knowing that he won't like it
"Can I sleep in your room' Clint asked making a puppy face.
'Is there a ghost in your room' Cian made a dry joke with a serious tone and Clint shamelessly shook his head.
'I have nightmares on the first night anytime I sleep here and it's been thirteen years since we slept on the same bed' Clint said playing with his fingers.
'Ok' Cian said holding back his laughter but that was a ultimate failure, his laughter came in soft rhythmic pattern,
"His laughter has really changed"
It sounded more matured than the last time he heard it Clint felt more pleased than embarrassed.
The next day afternoon three different portal open in front of the Plaurum (castle in the supernatural world) and three young men stepped out of them causing a scenery.