Julien Gregg's Moreau Witches Part Two Chapter Two

 TWO

Stephan moved into the Manor the next day. Stella went to her aunt's in Santa Barbara. No one knew what had happened. They told no one. Quinn and Giselle knew what had happened, but they were keeping it to themselves. Lucas went back to school and baseball practice. He no longer had to divide his time between Stella and Stephan. He hung out with the team, which were his cousins. They went to the Family Fun Center all of the time. They bowled and threw darts. They'd added a pool table and they played pool. They watched movies, and they ate pizza. They drank a lot of soda. They had a good time.

School let out for winter break and he spent most of that time at home with Stephan and Rustan. Rustan kept saying that it was going to be odd with a baby in the house. Lucas laughed about that. He said it would be like the baby was his and Stephan's. Stephan said he was so angry at his sister for what she'd done that he didn't care if he ever saw her again. Lucas wasn't so sure about that. Stephan asked if he would go back to her when she came home. Lucas said he was done with females. Stephan was all he needed. That made Stephan happy.

He went Christmas shopping for everyone on the team. He got ball gloves and batting gloves for most of them. For Stephan he got him a necklace like the one that his uncle had given him with his favorite rune suspended from a black cord. He also got him some cologne that he liked. He got Rustan the cologne that he liked, and for his dad he got a "World's Best Dad" t-shirt. He got "World' Best Grandpa" for Shane and "World's Best Uncle" for Marcel. Then he was done. He wrapped his presents and put them under the tree. He'd gotten his baby a golden rattle that would have his or her name engraved on it. That was under the tree. The child wouldn't be born until July but he got it anyway.

They had the team over on Christmas Eve. They exchanged gifts, and Lucas laughed when he opened a new ball glove and a new batting glove from them. They had cookies and cake with punch that night. Philippe and Shane were happy to have them over. They were happier when they saw them leave. Lucas was, too. He liked it better when it was just the family and Stephan. On Christmas morning it was just the family. Of course Marcel, Quinn, and Giselle were there. That was fine with Lucas. He had presents for them, too. He loved all of his gifts. He'd gotten cologne, a briefcase, a laptop computer, and a personal assistant pad. He also got a new deck of Tarot Cards, and a whole package of runes. He loved them. From Rustan he got chocolate that he loved. He also got more cologne from him. From Stephan he got a necklace with L and S in golden letters suspended from a golden link chain. He hugged him for that one. He put it on with his rune necklace.

They had a ham with all the trimmings and sat around the table talking about what a great Christmas it was. Lucas was thrilled when they adults came to the table in the t-shirts he'd bought for them. He smiled at them. They smiled back. Then there was pie and whipped cream or ice cream depending on which pie you had. He had pumpkin with whipped cream. Then he had apple with ice cream. They heated the apple pie so it was ala mode. Then they were back in the living room, all of the paper mess had been cleaned up. They were munching cookies and drinking hot chocolate. It was a great day and turning into a great night. News came in from Santa Barbara. Stella was having twins, and they were identical. That made Lucas happy. Philippe said it was a trend in the family. But there was only one set of identical twins in the family at the moment. There would be another set in July. Well, if it was twins it would be more like May he supposed. But the fact was that he was the father of identical twins.

That night he made love to Stephan and they slept in each other's arms. Time began to move for him. New Year's Eve was spent in the grand hall with the team. They had handheld games that they played and there was punch and cake to eat. They slept in sleeping bags on the marble floor. Lucas vowed never to do it again the next morning. He helped the maid clean up the mess and then went up to his rooms to shower and sleep some more. Then it was time to go back to school. He was doing so well in school. He loved his subjects and he did his homework with Stephan and Rustan every night. There was no baseball practice in the winter months. But January became February, and baseball practice began again. They didn't have a game until the middle of March but Revanche wanted them in top form. He was happy with them all so far.

Stella went into labor but they stopped it. The twins weren't ready yet. News came on and off about her bed rest, and her insistence that they be named after her mother and father. He paid no attention to that. He already had names for them. He had decided to name them Charles and Lestan if they were boys. News came that they were in fact boys, and he was happy about that. He had his names picked out. He would name them Charles Quinn, and Lestan Shane Moreau. That was all there was to it. In March they played a game against the Moonlight Bay High School Tigers and beat them seven to five. Revanche was thrilled. They played another team from the neighboring town, but they played on their field and beat them six to four. They came home victorious. They played again at home and beat the Santa Maria Prep Gators nine to seven. They were having a great season.

Stella went into labor for real in April. The twins were five pounds each, but they were completely healthy. They came to Moonlight Bay in blue blankets. One had a red cord tied around his wrist, and Lucas was told that this was the first born. So this one was Charles Quinn. He filled out the birth certificate and mailed it off to get social security cards for his boys. Stephan held Lestan while he held Charles. Shane was touched that he'd named him Charles Quinn. Rustan was thrilled that he named the other Lestan Shane.

He went to buy two bassinets. He had diapers, pacifiers, bottles, formula, burping blankets, receiving blankets, a double stroller, two highchairs, and all of the stuff he needed for the babies. He paid for his purchases and went home. Stephan helped him put it all together. They took the babies upstairs and put them in their bassinets. They liked them. He sat and watched them sleep. Stephan told him that he'd get up with him at night to feed them. He thought that would last until he was falling asleep in his classes, but he figured he'd let him surprise him if that's what he wanted to do.

He took the highchairs downstairs. His father told him it would be a while before they needed those, but he told him he was trying to be prepared. His dad laughed at that. He went back upstairs to the youngsters. He downloaded two of the Santa Barbara papers and had the birth announcements. He printed them and put them in the baby books he'd bought. He took pictures of them sleeping in bassinets side by side and printed those out and put them in the baby books. Then he sat down. He showed the baby books to Stephan, and he loved them. He'd written their names in the front.

"I wonder what their powers will be," Stephan said.

"I don't know," Lucas replied. "But thankfully, we have about thirteen years before we find out."

"Yeah, puberty, but it could happen sooner than thirteen," Stephan said. "I was in puberty at nine. I got my powers at ten."

"I got mine at ten," Lucas said. "I thought I was a special case, though."

"Nope," he said. "Puberty is happening sooner lately. I've heard the elders talk about it. They could be pretty powerful. Stella is one of the most powerful witches in the family, and you're an elemental. You don't get much more powerful than that. Unless you're Marcel."

"I'm hoping that they're elementals," Lucas said. "I know how to deal with that."

"They could have powers that have nothing to do with what you can do," Stephan said. "They could be like Stella, and move things with their mind."

"That's Rustan's power," I said. "And Shane's. They'd help them if that's what they get."

"Yeah, there's help for them all over the house," Stephan said. "They'll be fine."

"How do you feel about your sister now that she's had the boys?" Lucas asked.

"I'm still angry with her for the way they got here," he said. "I'm not ready to forgive her. You know if you'd have married her, we'd have had to stop being together."

"That would hurt my heart," Lucas said. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Stephan said.

"Best I leave the girls alone," Lucas said. "I won't be missing anything. To be honest the sex was better with you anyway."

"Well thank you," Stephan said with a smile.

"Well, I can definitely say gay sex is better than straight sex," Lucas said. "I like the gay sex better and it feels better."

"That's because we're both boys and don't have to wonder what turns each other on," Stephan said. "We just instinctively know what to do for each other."

"That's so true," Lucas said. "Still, I think it's just better anyway."

"Okay," Stephan said. "I can't believe they let me move in here."

"I can't believe that your mother and father were all for it," Lucas said.

"This way they can focus on my little brother, Wesley," he said.

"How old is Wesley?" Lucas asked.

"He's twelve," he said. "He got his power already. He's like dad, a dream walker."

"That power mystifies me," Lucas said. "I have no reference for it. At least being an elemental I can talk to Dad about it."

"Well, dream walkers can enter the dreams of other people to communicate with them," he said. "He used to do it to us all of the time."

"Cool," Lucas said. "What's your mother's name?"

"Lyla," he said. "She's not a Moreau Witch. I mean she is now, but she wasn't before she married my father."

"Who are your grandparents?" Lucas asked.

"I don't talk to my grandfather on my dad's side," he said. "He killed my grandmother. My grandparents on my mother's side are Phillip and Barbara Simmons. They're members of the coven."

"I met them at my initiation," Lucas replied.

"Probably," he said.

That night the boys got up twice to eat. The second time they needed to be changed. Tomorrow was Saturday so it wasn't all that important that they get their sleep. They had a game that night but that would be all right. When Lucas finally got up he bathed the twins one at a time in the sink in his bathroom. Then he dried them off, put diapers on them and dressed them in their little sailor outfits. He took them downstairs and put them on a blanket in the middle of the living room floor.

"How many times did they wake up last night?" Philippe asked.

"Twice," he said. "Stephan got up with me each time to feed one while I fed the other. Then we changed them. I bathed them this morning in my bathroom sink. Now they're all clean and dressed and ready for the day. I have bottles for them in the bag. Are you staying with them while we play baseball tonight?"

"No," he said. "The maids are. I'm going to the game."

"Okay," Lucas said. "They're the light of my life now that they're here."

"They should be," he said. "They're your sons."

"Yes, they are," Lucas said. "I don't feel a bit sorry that they were born now either."

"Neither do I," he said. "Just don't set a trend for the rest of the younger generation."

"I don't plan to," he said. "I'm going to host a party to let everyone meet the new little Moreau Witches. But I don't want the others to suddenly have children."

"How's your powers now that you're initiated?" Philippe asked.

"I can throw electricity from my palms now," Lucas said with a grin. "I haven't mastered water yet, but it stormed when I was upset the other day. I had to calm down quick to get it to stop."

"Yes, you have to be careful about those storms," he said. "However, it was because of one of those storms that Charlie got a body. He became Shane."

"I know," Lucas said. "Shane told me. That's why I named one of the babies Lestan Shane and the other Charles Quinn."

"You're cousin is thrilled that you named him Quinn," he said with a smile.

"Well, technically he's named after Grandpa," Lucas said. "I wish I'd met Grandpa."

"I wish you had, too," he said. "But you have Shane. You know it's hard for Shane sometimes to be here without Quinn, but he went to be reborn."

"Yeah," Lucas said. "Lestan, my brother took over our brother's body. The real Rustan went on to be reborn."

"Yes," Philippe said. "I mourned for him in my own way, but I was so happy that Lestan got a body and a chance to live the life he was robbed of by death."

"I'm happy that he has a body," Lucas said. "He'd been with me my whole life, so it was nice to be able to touch him and hug him."

"I remember what it was like," he said. "That's why I didn't throw a fit about it. I remember what it's like."

"I wish I'd gotten to meet the real Rustan, too," Lucas said.

"He was much like he is now," said Philippe. "But then Lestan remembers being Rustan."

"Yes, he does," Lucas said. "He's different than he was as a ghost."

"Well, he remembers Rustan's life," he said. "He was bound to be different."

"I hope he has a long life," Lucas said softly.

"I hope he does, too," said Philippe. "You know I'm probably going to die of cancer. It has happened to almost all of the Heirs."

"Almost all?" Lucas asked.

"Well, Maria killed Lisette," he said. "She was your great grandmother."

"Where's my grandmother?" Lucas asked.

"She's dead," he said. "My father killed her. She cast a spell that killed Charlie, Giselle, and our cousin, Corbin in one fell swoop."

"So she was a dark witch," Lucas said. "It's good that Grandpa killed her. His power was like Marcel's?"

"Yes," he said. "Exactly like Marcel's."

"I don't know how Marcel does it," Lucas said. "To kill with your mind."

"He heals more than he kills," he said. "He's been healing since we were teenagers."

"I'd love to be able to heal people," Lucas said. "Maybe I could have healed my mother."

"You can't think that way," Philippe said. "Your mother died because it was her time. Anyone Marcel is allowed to heal, it's their destiny to continue. It wasn't your mother's."

"I get that," Lucas said. "I just miss her sometimes. I think about my life here and I wish she was able to see it. There's so much love here that she just could never accept."

"She was hurt by her father," he said. "When it's a parent that's supposed to take care of you and protect you, it can do a number on you."

"Yes," Lucas said. "I can see that. I know what he did to her. She killed him with magic for it. That's what got her kicked out of Rios."

"I know that," Philippe said. "She wasn't a dark witch though. She killed to stop him from hurting her. It was basic human instinct."

"I've never thought of my mother as a dark witch," he said. "She was my mom."

"Well, I'm glad that you don't see her that way," said Philippe. "She taught you magic and taught you well."

"She did that," Lucas said with a smile. "She was always on me to study, and to use what I learned to make the world better."

"That was her way," Philippe said. "She was always trying to make flowers grow. She was jealous of Marcel that he could make them grow by looking at them."

"She cast spells to make the flowers grow," he said. "She liked white daisies. They grew outside our apartment house. She spelled them. They even grew in the winter months."

"Well, that wasn't a dark thing to do now was it?" Philippe asked with a smile.

"No," Lucas agreed. "It was beautiful."

"You can cast spells to make flowers grow," Philippe said.

"I know," Lucas replied. "She taught me the spell when I was young."

"Well, at least she taught you magic the right way," he said. "You're a powerful witch, one of the most powerful in the family. It wouldn't be any other way if the ring didn't burn or itch your finger until you took it off. Only the really powerful people in the family can be the Heir to the Legacy."

"I'm wondering what my children's powers will be," Lucas said, looking off into nothing.

"You have a few years to worry about that," Philippe said. "You'll help them discover their power. You'll teach them magic until Pierre takes over."

"Yeah," Lucas said with a smile. "I'm looking forward to that. To showing them what my mother showed me."

"You have a lot to teach," said Philippe. "It's going to be special."

"I just hope they want to learn," Lucas said.

Later as he was feeding Charles a bottle, Stephan asked where he'd been. He told him he'd been having a private word with his father. The maids would look after the boys while they played baseball. He said he understood. They got them fed and changed and then let the maids take over. Then they got ready to go to the game. Philippe drove them. They joined the rest of the team and started practicing. They were already in their gear with the cleats on.

When the game got underway, Quinn led off. He hit a line drive down the middle and made it to second base. Stephan was up next. He hit a line drive down the third base line and made it to second. Quinn moved to third. Theo came up next and he smacked it over the pitcher's head and made it to first. Then Lucas was up, and he hit it out of the park for a grand slam. The parents went nuts. Then they scored a single run. It was now four to nothing. Then they got three outs pretty quickly and ended up in the outfield.

Lucas played second base and trapped a runner between second and third. He tagged him out at the last minute for out number one. Then the pitcher struck out the next batter. Two outs. Then a pop fly was caught by the catcher and that was three outs. No runs scored by the visiting team. Back up to bat it went pretty much like last time with runners on all three bases when Lucas stepped up to the plate. He didn't hit it out of the park, but he drove Quinn and Stephan home. He and Theo stayed on second and third. Marcus came up to bat and he hit it out of the park. Nine to nothing. They hit a few balls and made a few bases but the other team got their stuff together and got them out pretty quickly and they were in the outfield again.

This time they had runners on first and third when a batter hit the ball out of the park. They had three runs. Nine to three. They were the Wicks and they were winning. They got back up to bat but it was not Lucas's turn to bat. Others took their stance and hit the ball all over the park. They filled the bases as Andrew stepped up to the plate. He hit a line drive down the first baseline. He made it to first, but the others made it home. Two more runs. So it was now eleven to three, Wicks.

Play went on like that for the rest of the game. They scored five more runs and suddenly it was eleven to eight. They didn't let them have one more run. The final score of the game was thirteen to ten, Wicks. Revanche was beside himself with happiness. Lucas was happy, and Stephan was happy. Even Rustan was happy. They shook hands and said, "Good game" to each of the opposing players. Then they celebrated in the locker room. Lucas got showered. So did Stephan and Rustan. They got out of there pretty quickly. Lucas had boys to get home to.

"It was a good game," Philippe said. "You hit some homers, Lucas."

"I did," he said with a smile. "Rustan did, too."]

"Yes, he did," Philippe said with a smile. "My boys are good at baseball, and to think, you didn't want to play a sport this year."

"Well, that is one thing I have to thank Stella for," Lucas said. "She pushed me into it."

"Well, she's back, by the way," said Philippe.

"I know," said Stephan. "She called me three times. I haven't accepted her phone calls."

"Well, do you really want to cut her out of your life?" Philippe asked.

"I'm not sure anymore," he said. "I miss her from time to time. Then I'm mad at her all over again for what she tried to do."

"You can't make her pay for that over and over," Philippe said. "She lost Lucas in that. You gained him. Remember that."

"I'll call her tomorrow," he said. He looked at Lucas, and Lucas smiled at him. He wasn't against letting her see the boys either.

When they got home, Stella was sitting in the Lounge with the boys in her lap. This pissed off Stephan, but Lucas was all right with it. He smiled at her and told her they were growing like weeds. She said this was the first time she'd seen them. When they were born they took them out of the room. She never got to see them before they were driven to Moonlight Bay. He told her she could come twice a week to spend time with them.

"Thank you," she said. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," he said. He looked at the others and they went to the dining room.

"I heard you had a game," she said. "How did it go?"

"We won," he said simply. "Did you want to talk baseball?"

"Not especially," she said. "I want to talk about us."

"There is no us," he said. "I'm done with girls. I'm in an exclusive relationship with Stephan now."

"There's no hope for us to get back together?" she asked.

"Not after what you did," he said. "That hurt me. It was a betrayal."

"I can change," she said.

"You can," he said. "But you won't do it with me."

"I guess I deserve that," she said. "I wish you'd change your mind."

"I won't," he said. "But you can come twice a week and see the boys. Just don't show up when I'm not here."

"Okay," she said. "Thank you for at least letting me see them."

"You're their mother," he said. "Of course, I'll let you see them. You are never to take them anywhere, and don't bring anyone over here unless it's your parents and Wesley."

"All right," she said. "I should get going though. I have a curfew now."

"Okay," he said, taking the boys from her and putting them back in the playpen in the living room.

"Well, bye," she said.

"Bye," he said. He watched her walk out the door and sighed.

"Are you going back to her?" Stephan asked as he came into the room.

"No," he said. "I told her that there was nothing between us now, and I told her that I'm with you exclusively."

"Thank you," he said.

"I also told her she can come twice a week to see the boys," he said. "She is to bring no one over here unless it's your parents or your brother. She is never to take them anywhere."

"That's good, because she'd try," Stephan said.

"This is reminiscent of the time that Quinn let Josephine come to the house to see Philippe and Marcel," Shane said. "It was before I died as Charlie."

"Well, Stella is not Josephine," Lucas said. "She's broken but she's not a dark witch."

"No, she's not," agreed Stephan. "My mother would skin her alive if she tried her hand at a dark spell."

"Well, let's not think about that," said Philippe. It hit a little close to home for him.

"Yes, let's talk about other things," said Lucas. "Rustan, you hit two home runs!"

"I sure did," he said. "You hit four."

"I did," Lucas agreed. "It was a great game."

"It was that," said Stephan.

"It was fun to watch," said Shane.

They had snacks in the dining room. Lucas and Stephan fed the boys again. They burped them and then put them in the playpen. They ate their snacks and then took the boys upstairs and got them ready for bed. Stephan watched Lucas for a bit but then went to change into his sleep shorts. Lucas came in a minute later. They smiled at each other. Then Stephan said what was on his mind.

"I was worried that she'd talk you into coming back to her," he said.

"There was no way that was going to happen," Lucas said. "She tricked me once. That's all it takes. I don't give second chances."

"I'll remember that," Stephan said.

They went in and went to bed. The boys got up twice again that night. They fed them the first time and changed them the second time. Then they slept the rest of the night. Lucas got up before Stephan and got the boys dressed and ready for the day. He took them down to the living room and fed them one at a time. Then he burped them and put them in the playpen. He went to breakfast. Philippe and Shane were in the dining room.

"How are the little guys this morning?" Shane asked as Lucas sat down and accepted a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast from Marla.

"They're good," he said. "They were hungry little guys this morning. They drank full bottles. I burped them before I put them in the playpen."

"What did you and Stella talk about last night?" Philippe asked.

"She wanted to know if there was a way for us to get back together," Lucas said. "I told her I was in an exclusive relationship with Stephan and she and I would never get back together. I told her she can visit the twins twice a week. She isn't to take them anywhere, and she isn't to bring anyone over here unless it's her parents or her brother."

"Well then you covered your bases," he said. "I just wondered what was going on."

"Now you know," he said with a smile.

"What's on your agenda for today?" Philippe asked.

"Homework," he said. "I've got a lot of it. We're headed toward finals."

"Yeah," Philippe said. "That school is so much different than what I went through."

"You were taught on the compound, right?" Lucas asked.

"Yes," he said. "We lived there until I was sixteen."

"Then another dark witch reared her head," Lucas said. "I've read Quinn's Book of Shadows."

"I gave it to him to read," Shane said. "I thought it might give him perspective on all things dark."

"And did it?" Philippe asked.

"There were three dark witches in Quinn's life," Lucas said. "Josephine, Maria, and Maggie. He dealt with each one. I liked that he only killed Maria when she came at him with a kitchen knife. Josephine and Maggie he had to kill. Maggie killed everything on the compound and stole her family's bones to make a charm. Quinn cast a spell that I hope I never have need to cast. I don't think I could survive such a spell. It gave me perspective all right. I'm glad that I don't have dark witched to contend with."

"Well, let's hope you never have a dark witch to contend with," Philippe said. "You just keep Stella at arm's length when it comes to you and boys. We should be fine. She's had a better upbringing than Josephine, and Maria was evil incarnate. Maggie was just a little evil. She cast the spell that killed the compound, and it took thirteen unintiated witches to do it. Thirteen children died to cast that spell, so you're right. My father had no choice but to kill Maggie. I don't want you going through that."

"I'm going to try not to," he said as Stephan came to the table.

"Why didn't you wake me?" he asked.

"You were so peaceful," Lucas said with a smile. "I let you sleep. Besides you got up twice with the boys last night."

"So did you," he said.

"Yes, but they got me up this morning and you slept through it so I let you sleep," Lucas said.

"Well, thank you, but please wake me up when you get up," Stephan said. "Where's Rustan?"

"He hasn't come down yet," Philippe said. "He's a late sleeper."

"I'm not a late sleeper," Rustan said as he came into the room. "I was just up late. I was talking to Tomas on the telephone."

"Oh," said Lucas. "What did lover boy have to say?"

"He was at the game, but he went home with Lorette," Rustan said as he accepted a plate. "How were my nephews this morning?"

"Hungry," Lucas said. "They sucked down eight ounces. I burped them and put them in the playpen."

"Okay," he said. "What are you doing today?"

"Homework, what are you doing today?"

"The same," Rustan said with a grin. "There's a lot of it."

"Yes," said Stephan.

"We're headed for final exams," Lucas said. "There's going to be a lot of it every night."

"Maybe we should say something to Revanche about the practices," Rustan said. "Three a week are a bit much."

"He doesn't want us to slack off," Stephan said. "I already said something to him."

"Well, it was worth a try," Rustan said with a sigh.

They all three did homework for most of the morning. Lucas was the first one done. He thanked Marla for watching the boys for him and then took them upstairs to change their diapers and get them redressed for the day. He was coming back down with them when Stephan came and took Lestan from him. They put them in the playpen and sat in the living room. Philippe and Shane came in a few minutes later followed by Rustan.

"They're happy," Rustan said as he smiled at the boys.

"They rolled over," Lucas said.

"Already?" Philippe asked.

"I just watched them do it," Lucas said.

"Well, they're ahead of schedule," Philippe said. "Are you sure she didn't use magic to make herself pregnant?"

"I don't know," Lucas admitted. "I never thought to ask."

"Well, it would explain a few things," Philippe said. "Like how they came out at five pounds after seven months instead of eight, how they're rolling over and only getting up twice in the night. Josephine used magic to get pregnant with me and Marcel and we were very advanced."

"I'll ask her," Lucas said.

"No, I'll ask her," said Stephan. "I'll ask her in front of Mom and Dad."

"Okay," Lucas said. "She may tell you the truth. If not your dad can get the answer pretty easily."

It turned out that they didn't need to ask any questions. Henri came to the manor to discuss that very thing. He came in, held the boys for a bit and cooed at them. They liked that. He kept looking at them. Then he was crying. Lucas didn't understand it. Could he be second guessing giving them to him to raise? He sat there with a baby in both arms and cried for a bit. Philippe looked at Lucas, and Lucas looked at Philippe.

"She used a spell to get pregnant," said Henri finally. "She tied them to her life force, but it had a backfire. She's dying. As they live and thrive, she's wasting away. It was a dark spell."

"Why would she do this?" Lucas asked. "She could have gotten pregnant the usual way. She'd stopped taking the pill. Aren't women more fertile when they stop that kind of medication? The condom was enough. She tampered with it so it broke. The ingredients were there. She didn't need dark magic to get pregnant."

"She thought she did," he said. "She's wasting away. Her hair is falling out, and the light has gone out of her. I can't stop it. You, Marcel, and the boys are the most powerful witches in the family. Is there nothing you can do for her?"

"Not if she used dark magic," Philippe said. "We can't counter that kind of spell. It would mean killing the babies, and I won't do that. I won't sacrifice the lives of my grandsons for her life. She did this to herself."

"I know it," Henri said. "I agree with all that you said. I just hoped that there was something you could do."

"We might be able to give her more time," Philippe said. "But we can't alter the spell. It's trading life forces. The Goddess has decided on this. Anything we do that crosses the line could have us all in hot water with the Goddess."

"I hadn't thought of that," said Henri. "There's nothing that can be done. She's to become a tale about dark magic and the dangers of it. My daughter."

"Henri, I'm so sorry," Philippe said. "You're like a brother to me. If I could spare you this agony I would."

"I know you would, Philippe," he said. "I just can't believe that she used a dark spell to trap Lucas into a marriage that she wouldn't live to thrive from."

"Dark magic is seductive to some," Philippe said. "I can't understand the allure, but Stella did. She cast the spell. It's made the boys a bit advanced."

"Has it?" Henri asked.

"Well, think of it," Philippe said. "They were born at five pounds after seven months instead of eight. They just rolled over. Lucas watched them do it. They only get up twice in the night, and I suspect that it will taper off soon. They're eating a lot more than normal babies. They're sucking down full eight ounce bottles of formula. Today I saw Lucas give them twelve ounces, and they drank it down. They're advanced. I don't know what spell she cast, but if it tied them to her life force, the more they advance, the quicker she'll falter."

"That sounds about right," Henri said. "I'm so mad at her for doing this. But at the same time, I don't want her to die."

"I don't either," said Stephan. "She's my twin sister."

"Oh, Stephan," Henri said. "I'm sorry for discussing this in front of you."

"Don't be," said Stephan. "We were sitting here wondering about this before you came into the house. We didn't suspect dark magic, though any spell to get pregnant would be dark I think."

"There are plenty of light spells to get pregnant," Henri said. "I can't figure why she chose a dark one. I found the dark book in her room. I invaded her dreams and learned the truth. Oh, Goddess. She's going to die because she cast that spell."

"I'm so sorry, Henri," said Lucas. "I didn't want any of this."

"Oh, I know that, Lucas," Henri said, smiling through his tears. "You were a victim in this. I know that. Lyla knows that. She's so mad at her she could kill her. I need to talk to Marcel."

"What for?" Philippe asked.

"He could try to heal her," he said.

"Yes, he could try," Philippe said. "I doubt that it would work, though. He might heal the symptoms, but he can't get to the cause, because they're living, breathing babies. I won't stand for anything being done to the babies."

"I wouldn't do a thing to these babies," Henri said. "I love them just as much as you do. They're my grandchildren. I would never harm a hair on their heads."

"As long as we're clear on that," he said. "I'll call Marcel."

He called Marcel and told him what was going on. Marcel agreed to meet Henri at his house. He'd try to heal Stella. Henri handed the babies to Lucas and Stephan. Then he left the manor to go meet Marcel. Lucas looked at his sons and sighed. This wasn't what he wanted. None of this was what he wanted, but he would protect his sons from anything and that included their mother. He looked at his father. Philippe was angry and sad. It was a bad combination. Lucas was so upset that it started to rain. He sighed and tried to calm down. It stopped about an hour later. He had to keep his emotions under tight control for the duration of this. He didn't want to cause a storm.

Three hours later, Marcel came to the manor. He told them that it didn't work. He was able to prolong her life and take away the suffering today, but it would return. She would get worse, and she would finally die. He'd read the spell that she had cast, and it was specific. It tied her life force to the babies. She had thought that would mean she'd live as long as they do. It backfired and they are thriving at her expense. It was much like a Maxwell Vampire that mated with a woman. The baby thrived at the mother's expense. At least they wouldn't claw and rip their way out of her. That horror wasn't what the spell did. But it was going to kill her. That much Marcel was sure of.

Marcel was upset. Philippe was upset. Lucas and Stephan were upset. Rustan just looked at them. He didn't know what to think of any of this. He liked Stella, or he had liked her. He'd liked her until she'd conspired to get pregnant to trap his brother into marriage. Then he'd stopped liking her. He hadn't wanted her dead for what she'd done. He couldn't understand why she'd cast a dark spell. They always backfire in one way or another. She had to know that.

That night, Philippe's prediction came true. The boys slept the whole night through. They were in different positions in the bassinets in the morning, too. They also graduated to baby food. They weren't three months old yet, and they were eating cereal with babyfood infused with it. They were growing, too. Their clothes didn't fit. Lucas went and bought them bigger clothes just to clothe them. Their diapers weren't soiled as often either. They were holding it. He wondered when they'd crawl.

It was two weeks later that they started to scoot around the playpen. Everyone saw it. Philippe cursed when he saw it. They graduated from scooting to crawling, and grew almost a foot. They looked liked toddlers by five months. It was crazy. Stella was getting far worse. She had gone blind. She couldn't taste food, and she had trouble sleeping. Her breathing was labored. It was happening faster than they'd though. By the time the boys were pulling themselves up to the chairs and foot stools in the living room, Stella was on death's door.

Henri called a month later. Summer was in full swing. Stella had died in her sleep. The boys took their first steps. Six months old and they were walking. Stella was dead. They geared up for the funeral. They held a ritual circle to chant for her soul. Then they went to the funeral. It was a standard Wiccan funeral for the dead. They talked about her destiny, and coiled a cord into a bowl. They said that she had journeyed into night and the circle remained. They said farewell to her spirit and said she awaited a new destiny. They were given seeds to plant in her memory.