Julien Gregg's Moreau Witches Part Two Chapter 4

 His dad hired a contractor to develop the undeveloped section of land on the west end of town. It was a long stretch of land that ended with a beach. He had thirteen beach front properties built, put in another marina, and built an apartment building that he said he'd only rent the apartments to college students. That filled up fast. He also opened another Family Fun Center on that side of town. There was also a Moreau Medical Clinic, and law offices for two without natural magic who didn't want to work at Moreau Legal. The police department was built. Moonlight Bay had always only had a sheriff's department. Now it had police as well.

The first semester of college was passing quickly for Lucas and Rustan. They both had the same classes, and were in the same classes most of the time. Quinn and Giselle were a year ahead of them in college. They hung out and studied together a lot. But then his father was feeling run down again. He called Marcel to come check him out, and he found more cancer. It was in his stomach, it was in his liver, and it was in his bones. Marcel tried to heal him, but he got nowhere. He said it wasn't working. Lucas cried. Rustan cried. Even Shane was crying. This was just what had happened with Lucas and Rustan's grandfather. It was happening. His dad was going to die. He would be the Heir.

"You have to finish what I started, Lucas," Philippe said when he was bedridden a month later. "Finish the western part of town. It's a city now with all of that land. Finish it. Make it yours."

"Dad, I don't want you to die," Lucas said. "I'll finish it, but please hang on."

"I'm hanging on," Philippe said. "It's spreading faster than it did with my dad. I don't understand it. It's as if someone has cast a spell."

"I'll get Lorette over here," he said. He got up to call her. She came and put hands on his father.

"It's a spell all right," she said. "Let me break it. Then Marcel can heal you."

There was another dark witch in the family. He vowed to find out who it was. She broke the spell, and Marcel healed him. It wrecked him to do it, but he got all of the cancer. The next day he checked him again to be sure. He found some lurking in his liver and healed that. They were very upset. Philippe said he'd find out who cast the spell on him and they would pay. They didn't have to look long. Roberto came to the manor and told them that his now fourteen year old son had a book of dark spells, and a dead pigeon in his room. He'd cast the spell. Marcel was up and out of the house before Roberto had finished speaking. This boy that the family had celebrated had cast a spell to kill Philippe. It was unthinkable.

"He's gone to kill Kelvin," Roberto said. "I wish it didn't have to happen, but the boy has to be stopped. We can't stop him from casting spells. We have no magical ability. We were so excited when he got his powers. Our daughter is not magical. She was jealous of him, but she wouldn't do this. She doesn't even know Philippe. Kelvin does. Philippe was at the party. He told him that it was a miracle that he had powers. It pissed off Kelvin that he said it was a miracle. I don't know what to do."

"He's dead," Marcel said when he came back into the house.

"You killed him?" Roberto asked.

"After I found out that there are five dark witches in the family," he said. "Wesley Moreau, Peter Moreau, Kelvin Moreau, Annabelle Moreau, and Deanna Moreau. They're all dead. I killed them all. They were at your house plotting to kill Shane next."

"You rid the family of dark witches," Roberto said. "I'm ashamed that my son was one of them."

"Your wife is dead, too," he said. "She tried to kill me with a meat cleaver for coming for your son."

"She was in league with him," Roberto said. "I'm so ashamed."

"You bear no ill will toward me for killing your wife and son?" Marcel asked.

"No I do not," he said. "They had to be stopped. Short of killing them there was nothing else to do. Once a dark witch, always a dark witch."

"That's my belief," Marcel said. "Philippe, you won't be troubled again."

"Thank you, Brother," he said. He was barely able to stand. The healing had done a number on him. He nearly collapsed but Lucas and Marcel caught him. They took him up to bed. Roberto left.

"Rest, Philippe," Marcel said. "You need rest and food. That healing took as much out of you as it took out of me. I'm operating on pure adrenaline."

"You need to sleep," Lucas said.

"I'll sleep when I calm down," he said. "I'll go to the room I always sleep in here."

Suddenly Quinn and Giselle were there. Lucas didn't know when they had come to the manor, but they were both upset. They asked if it was true that a band of dark witches in the family had tried to kill Philippe. Lucas told them it was true, but their father had killed all of them. They were together plotting to kill Shane once his father was dead. Quinn couldn't believe the names of the witches when Lucas told him. They'd been at Ashdon in classes with him. They'd been in league with a fourteen year old boy to kill Philippe and Shane? It didn't make sense. He believed it, because his father had caught them plotting to kill Shane next. He just couldn't figure out what had happened to make them all dark.

"They wanted something," Lucas said. "I'm almost convinced they'd have killed me too when they were done with Shane."

"Was it that one of them wanted to be the heir?" Giselle asked. "You can't become the heir by killing the heir and the heir in waiting. It doesn't work that way. Only the strongest witches in the family can be the heir."

"They apparently didn't know that," said Lucas. "They were killing my father. He was near death when Lorette broke the spell. Your dad was able to heal him then. He came back today and healed what he missed yesterday. Then Roberto came and told us that it was his son. Your dad just left. He found them together plotting to kill Shane. Then he killed them. Roberto's wife tried to kill him with a meat cleaver so he killed her, too."

"This is just too much," said Quinn. "Do you think there are more of them?"

"I've made my father and Shane charms like mine. I'll make more," he said. "I think we should all wear them until we know for sure that the dark witches are gone."

"How soon can you make them?" Giselle asked.

"Come with me," he said and went to his room. He got the box out of the closet and started to make more charms. He had the ingredients. He'd spelled the herb garden outside his window himself. He harvest the right herbs and added rose oil. Then he added lavender from his garden. He crushed it all with his mortar and pestle. Then he infused the metal with it using his power. When he had enough he shaped it and it turned red. He had the leather cording. He made two more charms and handed them to both of them. Rustan was already wearing one. So was Stephan. Tomas even had one. He'd made one for Lorette, and she had it though he didn't know if she was wearing it.

"Thank you," Giselle said. "I'll sleep easier with this around my neck."

"Yes, thank you," said Quinn. "To think they were dark the whole time."

"They wanted something they didn't think they could get without magic," Lucas said. "It's the pull of the darkness."

"Yes," said Giselle. "It certainly is."

"Come, Giselle," Quinn said. "Let's go home."

They left and Lucas cleaned up the mess. He stored the rest of the stuff in his closet. Then he went and checked on his sons. They were playing in their room. Nothing was amiss with them. He sighed with relief. He sat on the floor and played with them. Their second birthday was coming up. They'd be more able to appreciate it now. He decided to buy them a puppy. He'd talk to his dad about it first, but he wanted them to have a dog.

His dad was run down for days after the healing. It didn't usually take that much out of the one being healed, but he was on death's door. The spell had been a bad one. Lucas talked about getting a puppy for the boys, and Philippe was all for it. Lucas started to look through the paper for puppies for sale. He found them. They were American Cocker Spaniel puppies. He bought one and brought it to the twins on their second birthday. That's how he found out that they already had their powers. They'd been accelerated from the spell that Stella had cast. So it wasn't as much of a shock that they had powers. What they did with them was what shocked him. The puppy bit Charlie, and then it started to yelp. Charlie was looking at it intently. Lucas was about to step in when Charlie suddenly fell to the floor and cried.

"You hurt puppy," Lestan said. "Bad Charlie. Bad."

"Lestan, stop hurting your brother," Lucas said. The puppy was fine.

"He hurt puppy," Lestan said.

"But you're hurting him too much," Lucas said. "He's your brother. He only reacted to the bite, Lestan. Let him up."

Charlie got to his feet. The puppy shied away from him. Lucas and Rustan looked at each other. They sighed. It seemed that Charlie had Marcel's power. They didn't know what Lestan's power was. They asked Charlie what he felt, and he said he felt like something was crusting him. He didn't say it like that, but that's what he meant. It was how they found out that Lestan could manipulate air. It was like their great great grandmother, Angelique. She could manipulate air. Lestan had that down in spades.

Lucas sat the twins down and had a long talk with them about powers. In the end he bound them. Philippe was astounded that they had their powers at two. He said that wasn't possible, but what was possible with a dark spell enhanced child? The puppy never had anything to do with Charlie again. He slept in Lestan's bed. It wasn't long before Charlie wanted his own room. He was two years old and afraid of his brother. It was a mess.

They moved Charlie out of the room and gave him a room of his own. They were never frightened of the dark, but not they were frightened of each other. They didn't play together, and they didn't talk at the same time. Charlie played in his room, and Lestan played in his own room. The puppy stayed with Lestan. Lucas wrote in the baby books what their powers were. He'd witnessed Charlie making the flowers grow outside, so he'd written that down. Marcel spent a little time with him going over what was good like making the flowers grow, and what was bad, like hurting people. Charlie seemed to understand, because there were no more incidents like the one that had split the twins.

It was sad for Lucas to see the split happen. It was all because he'd bought them a puppy. Well, the puppy was Lestan's now. He finally started to call him Lucky. He took him outside through the kitchen whenever the mood struck him. Lucas was amazed that the puppy went to the bathroom every time Lestan took him outside. He never had an accident. He was Lestan's companion. He followed that boy through the house. Lucas had originally wanted the dog to eat in the lounge, but Lestan insisted that Lucky ate in the dining room. The puppy ate all his meals in the dining room.

Their charms warmed, so someone was casting spells. Lucas vowed to find out who. It seemed the dark witches weren't culled from their ranks. He posted signs in the Keller Center that someone was casting spells on people and it had to stop. He posted that he was looking for those responsible. Nothing ever came of it. The charms warmed from time to time, and Lucas swore. Even the boys' charms warmed. That pissed him off. He started to suspect several people who gave him funny looks now and then. He had no proof, but he had his suspicions.

Marcel was up in arms about what to do about the spell casters. He didn't know who they were either, but he also had his suspicions. He eyed the younger generation and had a talk with his twins about the absolute terror that dark magic would inflict upon their lives. Their charms were warming, too, though. He knew it wasn't his children. Someone, somewhere was casting spells on the immediate family of Philippe. It was pissing them all off. Philippe said he understood now why his father had wanted to move away from the bay to begin with.

They started to talk about leaving the bay, but where would they go, and how could they know they weren't taking the bad element with them if they went? Lucas posted more signs. He watched the younger generation, too. He didn't think it could be any of the elders. They'd have been discovered sooner than later. He was sure of that. Yet his charm continued to warm from time to time. They were testing him to see if he ever took it off. He only fed more power into it and made it stronger. He did the same for everyone in the house.

Philippe issued a statement as the Heir that when he found the culprits there would be hell to pay. The charms stopped warming for a while. Lucas knew it wasn't over though. There were just too many times that the charms had heated up to make him think that the culprits had finally saw the error of their ways. The magic classes were teaching the treachery of dark magic. Several of the youngsters swore they would never do dark magic, but who could believe them?

Lucas just kept thinking of the five young witches that were killed by Marcel for practicing dark magic. They had been plotting to kill the family of the Heir, including and beginning with the Heir himself. No, he decided. They were still out there, waiting and biding their time. They'd strike again. He just hoped that someone caught them before they did any damage. His father wasn't feeling run down anymore. Now he was angry that it was happening in his coven. He was the High Priest of the coven, and he felt that he should be able to root out the problem. He and Lucas talked about it endlessly.

Parents started to snoop through the kids' rooms. They found three more dark witches, and they were banished from the coven. They were lined up and told that they were being shipped off to live with relatives in another place. They named more kids, and they swore they weren't dark. Searches of their rooms found hidden compartments in closets and floorboards that were loose. Inside they found dark spell books and provisions for dark magic. Thirteen dark witches were found. Some were college students. Steps were taken to get them expelled from Ashdon and banished from Moonlight Bay. With so few mundanes it was easy enough to banish them. Yet, had they found them all? The charms never warmed again that year.

"It's a growing problem," Philippe said to Marcel, Lucas, Rustan, Quinn, Giselle, and Stephan. "Thirteen youngsters banished for dark magic. How many more were there? They're hiding from us. The searching of their rooms didn't root out all of them. I'm sure of it."

"Everyone let us know if your charms warm," Lucas said. "We need to find all responsible and eradicate them one way or another."

"These people cast a spell on me and gave me a body so full of cancer that I had to be healed twice," Philippe said. "The healing almost killed me. If Lorette hadn't broken the spell, I'd be dead by now. I was nearly dead when she broke it. This can't be allowed to happen in this coven."

"I agree," said Marcel. "We need to find all of them before the entire younger generation goes dark."

"Is this how it happened with Starlight?" Quinn asked.

"No," said Philippe. "Their High Priestess turned that coven dark. Starlight is no more. I refuse to have a mini Starlight in my own coven."

Then a remarkable thing happened. Two teenagers came to the Manor and told of Witch Hunters in town. They were turning certain young people dark and convincing them to cast spells on the elders of the coven. Two had died already. Sheryl was dead and so was a man named Grant Fielding. Four more dark witches were unearthed. Marcel killed them. Then he went looking for the witch hunters. He killed all he came across. They were gone. The rest turned and fled. They hadn't known that there was a witch in the coven who could kill with his mind. That was information that they hadn't had when they had arrived in town. They had been college students. That's how it had happened. The youngsters were thrilled to have college students paying attention to them. They hadn't known that they were witch hunters. They were the Arrows. This was what their band of hunters had turned into. Now they were gone.

The charms didn't warm after the eradication of the witch hunters among them. Lucas was shocked that witch hunters had infiltrated so quickly. He was glad that they were killed or rooted out. Ashdon had a large amount of students suddenly quit school and leave the area. The apartment building nearly emptied. Philippe was astounded that it had been college aged kids that had done this. He had a meeting of most of the coven at the Keller Center to talk about it. He urged the young to come to the Elders and talk when college students started to show undo interest in them. This couldn't happen again. He stressed that it was a plot to kill them all. They would have to start vetting all who came to Moonlight Bay. If they had to close Ashdon to do it they would. Philippe didn't want to do that. He needed the college to remain open. He urged them to talk to the Elders whenever anyone tried to entice them to try dark magic.

Several came forward and said that they'd been approached. They'd rebuffed all attempts, but they'd been approached. Were the witch hunters all gone? Yes, they were. They wouldn't be allowed back. No one with their family names would be accepted at Ashdon or rented a house or apartment. They had played their hand and lost. The witches were united once again. No witch hunters could infiltrate now that they were warned.

"Witch hunters in Moonlight Bay after all this time," Marcel said. "I read about the witch hunters in the family journals. It's what got our grandfather to take Dad and marry one of their daughters. It's what set Dad on his path. But to have them back after all of this time and college students who urged the young to cast dark spells on the elders."

"That's what happened," Philippe said. "I've written a warning in my journal about it."

"I have, too," Marcel said. "I just can't believe it was the Arrows. Grandpa's journal said they were killed by other witches."

"Well, apparently not all of them were killed," Philippe said. "They were here in Moonlight Bay. They nearly had me killed."

"It was a new tactic," said Marcel. "I'm sure they won't try that again."

"No, it'll be worse," Philippe said. "They'll go back to the way they used to it. Killing people who they only suspect are witches."

"That's worse than what they did this time," Marcel said. "We need to make sure they never come back to Moonlight Bay."

"Well, they didn't count on you," Philippe said. "Your great nephew has your power. When he's old enough we'll tell him what to look for."

"I really don't think he's going to be the one to wipe them out," said Marcel. "I've told him that hurting people is bad."

"Well, when he's older and understands that sometimes you have to hurt people we'll talk again," Philippe said.

"It's hard for me to picture my son killing people to save the coven," Lucas said. "But I will teach him right from wrong. I will teach him that witch hunters are bad and the only way to deal with them is to kill them."

He couldn't believe he'd said that. He didn't want Charlie to kill. He wanted him to heal. Yes, he'd teach him right from wrong, but his power had already split him from his twin. What more damage would it do when he got older? He couldn't think of it. He didn't want to think of it. He wanted it to go away. No more witch hunters should ever come to Moonlight Bay. The witches were onto them. They knew their tactic now. They'd never let it happen again.

Weeks went by with no word on the witch hunters. Lucas began to relax. He was sure they had left town. He hoped they had left town. There was nothing saying they were still there. They had a list of family names, and they were checking it against applicants to Ashdon. None with those names were ever admitted again. Philippe began to vet the college aged kids who rented from him more carefully. He asked pointed questions. Most were confused by the questions, and he let them have an apartment. They thought him strange. He didn't care. It would never happen again.

The split between the twins continued. Now they fought openly about toys that were one twin's or the other's. Lucas had to make them keep their toys in their rooms. He was so sad that the split had happened. Lucky growled at Charlie, and Charlie gave him a wide berth. Lestan told him to remember what he'd done to him if he ever thought about hurting Lucky again. It was awful. They sat at opposite ends of the table at meals now.

Everyone was commenting about it. It seemed that he wasn't the only one paying attention now. They'd graduated from potty chairs to toilets now, but they were not allowed in each other's rooms. It had gotten so bad that their doors remained closed when they played in their rooms. Lucas didn't know what to do to heal the rift. He sat them down and had a long talk with them about what it meant to be brothers, what it meant to be twins. They were part of each other whether they liked it or not. They needed each other.

It worked after a fashion. They played together again. They spoke at the same time again. The even hugged each other from time to time. Lucky forgave Charlie and played with both boys again. They asked to be moved back into the same room, but Lucas said that they had to prove that they wouldn't use their powers on each other. Charlie told him that hurting people and Lucky were bad. He wasn't a bad boy. He wouldn't hurt his brother or the dog again.

It took a month, but Lucas finally put them back in the same room together. Christmas was coming and he took each twin one at a time to buy for the other. They were thoughtful and chose their gifts for each other carefully. Lucas wrapped them and put them under the tree. He bought a ton for them. New toys, more clothes, and a bunch of candy. Christmas was about candy and cookies and pies. He wanted their world to be cookies and candy and pie for as long as it could be. He wrapped all of their presents and hid them in his closet until the night before Christmas. He read them that tale before bed each night, getting a little more into each night. They clapped their hands when he came in with the book.

Christmas morning they were amazed at all of the presents. They made out like bandits. Everyone got them toys and cookies and candy. They had piles of presents in front of them. They calmly and quietly took them all up to their room and put them away. Then they came down for Christmas dinner. They sat side by side and the dog ate from a bowl between them. Of course the others had gifts from each other, too. Lucas got many gifts from his father and uncle. He got new clothes, and shoes. He even got boots for some reason. It never snowed in Moonlight Bay so he didn't get the reference. He also got cookies and candy from the others. It was a good day. The twins were back together, and the family was happy.

Then they were gearing up for the twins' birthday. That would happen in April. They spent New Year's with the twins, telling stories and eating cookies and candy. They loved the stories, and it became a nightly ritual for Lucas to read to them. They used their powers on things from time to time but never each other or the dog. Charlie made the flowers grow, and Lestan swept the leaves from the patio and the back patio. They were good boys again, and he was so happy about that.

The next big thing came when Quinn announced that he was engaged to Amelia Moreau. They were to be married in the summer. She was besotted with him. Giselle threw them an engagement party at the Keller Center. She herself was dating Percival Moreau. He was a good guy who made trees grow and sprout new leaves. He loved Giselle, and she loved him. But they weren't ready for an engagement. That was Quinn's deal. She threw the party and wished them a happy engagement.

Planning went into the wedding. Amelia's parents began to decorate the church, and Marcel decorated the Keller Center with their colors of Blue and Gold. Everything that would stand still was draped in blue and gold. The Keller Center looked amazing. It turned out that women from the coven helped him with the decorating. They didn't trust a man to do it properly. The church was tastefully decorated. The wedding happened on a Saturday in June. Amelia was radiant in her white gown that looked like a lilly turned upside down. She wore her hair in ringlets over her left shoulder, and her flowers were chosen by Giselle and made to grow by Charlie. They were the ring bearers.

The wedding was tasteful and the ceremony was long. The reception was epic. It went on until three in the morning. Lucas had left the reception at ten with the twins who were very tired. They were happy to have been included in Quinn's wedding and they were trying to understand that Quinn had bought a house and was moving in with Amelia. He wouldn't live with Uncle Marcel anymore. Lucas tried to explain it to them, but they remained confused about it for a while.

Their own birthday had been epic. The cake was huge, and the young kids that came to the party were all happy to give them presents. They got new toys and handheld games. They got more candy and clothes of course, but they had a great time. That was all that was important. Even Lucky got bones and tug ropes. He was a happy dog all right. The entire family was happy at last. The threats of the past were gone, and the promise of a new day were on the horizon.

That was until Philippe's cancer came back. Lorette checked him for spell work but found nothing. Marcel couldn't heal it, either. This was it. It was the real deal. He went to Moreau Medical and started chemo and radiation, but it didn't help. He got sick, and he got better. It seemed that for the time being he was living with cancer. It was in his stomach again. It hadn't spread as of yet. He was of high spirits, but he knew that this was the end for him. He constantly talked with Lucas about what it meant to be the Heir. Lucas didn't want to have the discussions, but he sat through them. He was asked to continue the development of the western side of the city again. He promised to do it.

Philippe stepped down as the Heir and handed the ring to Lucas. He went to Moreau Legal to be confirmed and to switch the legacy accounts to his name. It was real. He was the Heir now. They had a party to celebrate, but he wasn't much in the mood to celebrate. His father was dying. It was just like his mother. She'd had cancer and it had gotten worse and worse. So far, his father wasn't getting worse. He took many naps, and he threw up a lot from the chemo that didn't do a thing to help.

He died on a Tuesday in October. Lucas and Rustan were beside themselves with grief. They had a huge funeral for him. Moreaus from all over the world came to say goodbye to Philippe. Lucas broke down at the funeral. Rustan had to hold him up as they paid their final respects. He was entombed in the crypt next to his father. They had a dinner at the Keller Center afterward, and the place was packed to capacity. Several had to eat outside at the tables set up on the lawn of the center. Lucas and Rustan were sitting at a table together with Tomas and Stephan. They were crying softly as they watched everyone eat. They couldn't eat. They were too upset.

When they got home, they went through his room. They each took things to remember him by. Shane helped them box up Philippe's things. They took his journals to the college to be transcribed into novel format. They added the finished version to the library in the manor. Lucas read them over and over again. He loved reading his father's words, but it broke his heart to know that he was reading them because the man was dead.

A pall fell over the manor. Marcel was there more often than not. He was bereft with the loss of his twin. He called it the curse of the Heir. Lucas didn't like hearing that. He planned to live a long life. He started screenings for cancer a month later. Things got back to normal almost. He had more houses built on the west side. He opened businesses there. The Flower Pot got a second location. Another antique store opened over there along with two more nail salons, and a chiropractor. Of course, they were all owned by the Moreau Family. A banking kiosk was set up in the shopping center that Lucas had built over there. He kept one of the beach houses for himself. He would vacation there with the twins when he was in the mood.

Life went on for him and Rustan. Rustan now wanted to be called Rusty. Lucas accepted that and called him what he liked. The boys grew older. Things began to even out. He had loans to look after and paperwork for the further development of the west side. He approved three loans for different stores on the west side. An electronics store, a store that sold DVD's, and a book store. Pierre opened a second location of The Bell, Book, and Candle. He employed the younger generation at this store. The marina got boats. Several of the younger generation lived on house boats like Pierre and Tom.

He and Stephan had a handfasting on the beach and went to Tahiti for the honeymoon. The twins missed them terribly. They were happy when their daddies were back at home. Henri came to see them and talked about getting a loan to open a money management firm in the west side of the city. He said he had his own money from his mother. Lucas told him to draw up he papers and present him with a business plan and they'd talk.

Henri wasn't the only one to come to him. A few others came to him with plans for a restaurant, a paddle boat business, and a men's clothing store. He approved all three loans for them. Those were good additions to the west end of the city. The younger generation started to come of age as well. They needed houses. There were several one bedroom houses on the west side of the city. He approved the loans to buy them if they provided a stable income of more than a year. A few worked at the new Family Fun Center and had since it opened the year before. So, he approved them. Being the Heir was tedious, but it was like running a business. His classes were starting to pay off.

He, Rustan, and Stephan were still in classes at Ashdon. Stephan surprised him by taking pre med classes. He wanted to be a doctor. It was a good thing that Moreau Medical was a teaching hospital. He could do his residence there. There was even a medical school in Santa Barbara that he could attend. He could come home as time allowed, and Lucas could take the twins and spend weekends with him while he was in medical school. It was a long row but Stephan really wanted to do it. Lucas could deny him nothing however.

"Daddy, I want another puppy," Lestan said to him one morning. "Lucky needs a friend."

"Have you discussed this with your brother?" Lucas asked.

"He wants it, too," Lestan said. They were talking so much better than they had been. Their preschool days were paying off.

"I'll think about it," Lucas said. "You remember what happened when Lucky got here."

"Charlie says he won't do that again," Lestan said. "He wants another puppy just like me."

"Okay, I said I'd think about it," Lucas told him. "Go play before dinner."

"Okay, Daddy," he said and toddled off to play with his brother and Lucky.

"Do you think he'll be as successful as he was with Lucky?" Shane asked.

"I don't know," Lucas said. "He was a way with animals. When we're out, the squirrels come to see him. Twice he had a dear in the back yard eating out of the palm of his hand. It's uncanny."

"Maybe it's a power," Shane said. "You know that you don't get just one power. Even your grandfather discovered new powers all of the time."

"Maybe it is," Lucas said. "Animal communication. I've read about it in the journals."

"Yeah, your cousin Joseph has that one," he said. "He can also move things with his mind."

"There are so many telekinetics in the family," Lucas said. "There aren't many elementals. Me and my dad were the only ones I knew about. I read about one in the journals, but that was generations ago."

"Elementals are extremely powerful," Shane said. "It's why you are the Heir."

"Yes," Lucas agreed. "But I had hoped there was another. I don't want either of my boys to be the Heir in Waiting."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because being the Heir is tedious," Lucas said. "It's all loan applications and reports from vendors and contractors. I get so tired of it after a few days of it at a time."

"Well, you have a project going," he said. "It'll calm down when the project is over."

"Yeah," Lucas said. "I hear you. I just wish the project was finished. I promised Dad that I'd develop that section of the city, and there's so much empty space over there."

"Build a second school," Shane said. "Let the children of the west go to that school instead of the one in Keller Village."

"That's an idea," Lucas said. "Thank you for talking to me today."

"Lucas, I'll talk to you any day you want," he said with a smile. "You're my grandson. I love you."

"I love you, too," Lucas said and meant it. "You're the only grandfather I have right now."

"Well, your grandparents have expressed the interest in meeting you," he said. "They reached out this morning. I was waiting to tell you, because I don't know where your head is at with them."

"I'll meet them," Lucas said. "I can always use more family."

"I'll set it up," he said.

It happened a week later. June and Frank Cresta came to Moonlight Bay and to the Manor for dinner. They were impressed with the Manor, and they were astounded to learn that Moonlight Bay was about ninety-nine percent witches, and those who weren't natural witches were family. They asked pointed questions of Lucas, and were thrilled to meet their great grandchildren. The boys didn't know what to think of them. June looked so much like Lucas's mother only older that it was almost painful to look at her. Frank was not his actual grandfather. He was just June's husband. His mother had killed her father.

"So, tell me about your life here," June said. "I so want to know you. I'm so sorry that your mother died. I've been to the grave site and I've left flowers and tried to tell her how sorry I am for shutting her out."

"Well, here I have a wonderful husband who is studying to be a doctor," Lucas said. "His name is Stephan. He's seated next to me. You've met my grandfather, Shane. The boys are Charlie and Lestan. I named one after my twin brother who died at birth. I'm the Heir to the Moreau Family Legacy now that my father is gone. I miss him terribly. He showed me what real family love was. I am a college student. I'm studying business and finance at Ashdon. It helps with my duties as the Heir. It is my hope that neither of my sons become the next Heir. It's tedious at times, and a bit nerve wracking to be at the head of all of this money."

"But you're happy at least?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm happy," Lucas said with a smile. "My life isn't all Legacy related. I spend time with my boys, my husband, and my grandfather. My uncle is here a lot, too. My cousins and I spend time together, and of course I see a lot of them on circle nights."

"That's wonderful," she said. "We didn't know you existed until we went to look for your mother. We heard that she had died and left behind a son. We didn't even know your name until we contacted Shane. We're sorry for that. We should have watched you grow up and learn magic. It warms my hear that your mother taught you our ways. I'm sure you learned the Moreau ways as well."

"I learn more every day," Lucas said. "I've discovered new powers now that I'm initiated. I have prophetic dreams, I can see and communicate with the dead, and I'm an elemental witch. I have power over the elements."

"Powerful," she said with a smile. "It's amazing to me that you are a Moreau Witch. They are revered in the magical community. There is only one other family nearly as powerful as the Moreau Witches, and that's the McNeal family in Salem."

"We've heard about the McNeal family," Lucas said. "They come to Moonlight Bay from time to time to have a summit with the Elders of the coven. Our coven name is Moondance."

"Yes," she said. "We've seen the website. It's amazing that so much can be in the open now in this day and age. When I was a girl we had to be secret. Not like the burning times, but secret none the less."

"People don't believe that we're actual witches most of the time," Lucas said. "They're shocked when they come to Moreau Medical and my uncle heals them of their sicknesses."

"Yes, Frank has been on the receiving end of that healing once already," she said. "He didn't charge anything for healing."

"Magic is free," Lucas said. "Why put a monetary value on it?"

"It was wonderful," she said. "He had prostate cancer, but it's gone, and he's healthy as a horse."

"Yes, Marcel heals all sorts of illnesses," Lucas said. "Unfortunately, he was unable to heal my father. Destiny was at play."

"Are you worried about cancer?" she asked. "Both of your parents have been taken by cancer."

"I worry about it from time to time, but I just live him life. If the Goddess is willing it will be a long and lustrous life. I'm ready to meet my destiny whenever She decides that it's time," said Lucas.

"That's a good attitude to have about it," she said. "Cancer doesn't run in our family. Your mother was the first to have it in the family that I can recall. Does it run on your father's side?"

"My great grandmother died of cancer, but I've since learned that she and my great uncle Marcel were given cancer by a spell cast by her daughter to kill them both," Lucas said. "My grandfather died of cancer and my father died of cancer. It wasn't a spell, but I don't think it actually runs in the family. We are either predisposed or we're not. Right now I've had all of the tests run, and there aren't specific cells in my body that can become cancer. That doesn't mean that I won't get it, though."

"Right," she said. "I understand the testing. When I found out that my daughter, your mother died of cancer I had all of those tests as well."

"So, it's always in the back of my mind, but I just live my life. I take care of my boys and I do the Legacy work. Right now I'm finishing the development of the western side of the city."

"That's a huge undertaking," said Frank. "We've been trying to get more land where we live, but it's scarce and owned by mundanes who won't sell."

"We had that problem here, too," Lucas said. "But my father called a congressman, and cousins got elected to the city government. Then the way was clear for us."

"That's amazing," she said. "That they got into city government."

"Well, outside of college students, there are no mundanes living in Moonlight Bay," he said. "We had a run in with the Arrows. They had infiltrated the college and tried to get the younger generation to kill the elders of the coven. Two died before we discovered them. Then we killed them until the rest left town."

"The Arrows were supposed to be extinct," she said.

"They evolved," Lucas said. "We know their family names and have taken steps to make sure that no one from those families is ever admitted to Ashdon again."

"That's proactive," she said. "So, we keep an eye on the college kids?"

"If they come to your town, you'll know because some of your younger generation will go dark."

"Is that what happened here?" Frank asked.

"It was," Lucas said. "It was a bad time. Marcel had to kill a bunch of them, because they were trying to kill the elders of the coven. We couldn't allow that to happen. We banished some and sent them off to live harsh lives. They have witches looking after them though. With the threat of the Arrows gone they've all tried to come back to the light."

"You can't trust them, though," she said, nodding.

"No, we'll never trust them again," Lucas said. "Which is sad because they're all Moreau Witches."

"The Moreau Witches are very powerful," Frank said. "Your uncle can kill with his mind."

"So can my son, Charlie," Lucas said. "They were conceived via a dark spell that accelerated their growth. They are only three but look and act five. They got their powers extremely early because of it, too."

"How do you deal with Charlie?" she asked.

"We sat him down and explained to him that hurting people or animals is bad," Lucas said. "I got the boys a puppy for their second birthday. The puppy bit Charlie and he nearly killed it. But Lestan used his power on Charlie. He can manipulate air. Charlie didn't trust him for a long time after that. The puppy had nothing to do with Charlie. We had to separate them and move them into their very own rooms. The dog stayed with Lestan. Now the rift is repaired and the dog is with both of them again. They want another puppy but I haven't decided if I want to get them one or not. Lestan is very responsible with the dog. He named him Lucky."

"That's remarkable that he's so responsible," she said. "Usually the thrill will wear off and the kid loses interest. Then it's the parents that take care of the animal."

"Not in this case," Lucas said. "Lestan is very responsible. He also knows not to use his power on people."

"That's to the good," she said. "In our coven we don't allow anyone to use their power on anyone. We use it on plants, and helping each other."

"We do the same thing," Lucas said. "The younger generation love to play tricks on each other with magic, but we've stamped that out pretty much. They fear being branded a dark witch now."

"That's sad," she said. "That you had to deal with dark witches."

"Well, Stella, the twins' mother died as a result of her spell," Lucas said. "She tied their life force to hers, and the backfire was they thrived while she faltered. She died when they were seven months old. That was the first dark witch. Then my father got cancer the first time, and Marcel healed it. It came back with a vengeance and Marcel had to heal him twice. Then we found out that a very young boy, the twins' uncle was casting spells on my father to give him cancer and kill him. Marcel killed him and others that he found with him plotting to kill my grandfather and then me. Then we searched rooms and found more dark witches. Those we banished. Two youngsters came forward and told us that college kids had told them to do this. We investigated the college and discovered the Arrows. Then we killed a lot of them and ran the others out of town."

"That's remarkable," she said. "So sad."

"Yes, it was a bad time for all of us," Lucas said. "Families were ripped apart, children were killed. It was just a bad time. Hopefully the threat is gone for good."

"Hopefully," she said. "It's been a pleasure to sit and talk with you. Will you invite us again?"

"Let's make it a weekly thing," Lucas said. "You come to dinner every Sunday if you can."

"We'll be here," she said. She looked at Shane. "Thank you for inviting us."

"You're very welcome," he said. "Welcome to the family."

"Thank you," she said. "We need to be going. I need to do some things at the house before it gets too late."

"Thank you for coming," Lucas said. "You're my grandmother. I want a relationship with you."

"And I want a relationship with you," she said. She stood and so did Lucas, Frank, Rustan, and Shane. She hugged Lucas. Then they made their way out of the manor and to their automobile.

"Well, that was your grandmother," Shane said. "She didn't seem like the kind of person who would turn her back on her own daughter."

"That was a different time," Lucas said. "My mother told me it was the elders of the coven who banished her. Her mother just went along with it."

"That makes more sense," Shane said. "We need to get out of the dining room and let Marla clean this up."

They went to the living room, and watched a movie. The boys went to their room to play with the dog. Lucas sat with Stephan and held his hand. Rusty left to be with Tomas. We had a good time watching the movie. We popped popcorn and watched two movies. The boys made their presence known about half way through the second. It was bath time for them. Lucas took them upstairs and got them started. Then he sat on the toilet and watched over them while they were in the water. When they were clean, he dried them off and got them dressed. Then he put them to bed. The dog curled up at the foot of Lestan's bed.

"Goodnight, my boys," Lucas said. "I love you both."

"We love you, Daddy," they said at the same time.

He turned off the light and closed the door. He and Stephan went to bed shortly after the twins. Lucas was tired. It had been exhausting talking about dark witches again. He snuggled with Stephan and went straight to sleep.