Later that evening, everyone had retired to the front family room. After their candlelight vigil, it had felt too lonely to separate. In the background, cartoons played as Jaxon colored with Penny.
Aiden looked up from the latest copy of the The Observer. Daphne Bowers had had a vaginoplasty! What was their world coming to? He heard the front door open and close. A bit of movement caught his eye, and he looked up to see a very guilty-looking Noah dart past the doorway with something large tucked under his arm.
‘Aiden…’ Gavriel murmured.
Aiden sighed. ‘I saw.’ He was especially aware that his mate was nowhere to be seen.
A few minutes later, Noah walked into the room and headed straight for Jaxon. He sat down, picked up a crayon, and began coloring as if his life depended on it.
Aiden set his paper down and crossed his arms over his chest. He faced the doorway and waited.
What in the hell is she up to now?
He didn’t have to wait long. Seconds later, Meryn strolled by the doorway trying to look casual, too casual. Under her arm was a large wooden board.
‘Meryn,’ Aiden called. His mate stopped in her tracks.
She turned and smiled brightly. ‘Yes?’
‘What do you have?’
‘A Ouija board.’ She turned as if to keep walking.
Aiden frowned. ‘What are you doing with a Ouija board?’
Meryn shrugged. He was beginning to learn her shrugs. This was the ‘I probably shouldn’t be doing what I’m about to do, but I’m going to do it anyway’ shrug. ‘Amelia gave me an idea about shining a light for Keelan to find his way home. I’m going to use the Ouija board to call his spirit back.’
Aiden heard Amelia snicker. ‘It was a metaphor.’
Meryn shrugged again. That was her ‘I don’t care’ shrug. ‘Whatever.’ She turned and headed toward the stairs.
Colton cleared his throat. ‘I’m no expert on spirits and the occult, but this is Keelan we’re talking about. If by some miracle his soul did find it’s way back to the Alpha Estate, Voodoo Meryn with a Ouija board doing incantations would scare him back the way he came.’
‘Denka, let me carry that for you.’ Aiden heard Ryuu’s offer. Just once, he would like that damn squire to keep his mate out of trouble.
Aiden stood and was heading for the foyer when he heard knocking on the door.
‘I’ll get it!’ Meryn yelled.
‘Meryn stop. Let me answer it. It could be dangerous!’ Aiden rushed forward, the other men and their mates behind him.
Meryn gave him an exasperated look. ‘Bad guys don’t knock.’
Heavy pounding on the door shook not only the doorframe but also the wall around it. Meryn swallowed and backed away from the door. ‘Okay, maybe they knock like that.’
Aiden looked behind him. Colton had his gun out; he nodded at Aiden who turned back to the door and opened it. He looked out at the visitor. Unable to believe his eyes, he felt his stomach drop and his heart clench. It couldn’t be.
Meryn flew by him to hug the stranger. ‘Keelan!’
Aiden pulled her back and shoved her behind him into Ryuu’s arms.
‘Aiden! What are you doing? That’s Keelan!’ Meryn said pounding on his back.
Behind him, Amelia gasped. ‘Kendrick?’
The man shoved back the hood to his cloak his eyes full of power and anger.
‘Where is my brother?’
