Here's one more part to the story. I hope you like it. Don't forget to send feedback. It all helps.
Disclaimer : This is a Fantasy story with Male to Male sex and Love relationships. If you are under the age of eighteen years , you shouldn't be here. You have been warned.
Only_Skin_Deep_Part_7 by dymondbolt
Abe had decided to discus the body change options with his fiance. The shocker was that she believed it without batting an eye. Abe stood taller and acted like he had a goddess for a fiance.
She confirmed something he had suspected for over a year. She told them that She and Abe had been sharing dreams ever since she had moved in. And Abe backed up her assertion with the dream they had both had after he had proposed to her. The morning after they had both missed the alarm and were late to work, so they didn't have time to talk about it to each other. But as soon as they had time to talk to co-workers they both described the exact same dream.
They dreamed they were in a forest. They were dressed in short white robes and they were walking down a path. It was evening and they both held onto the handle that was attached to a four inch globe of glass with something inside it that put forth a great deal of light.
The path they were on lead to a clearing where all their friends and family were standing in concentric circles around Vince and Carl. When they entered the clearing the could see dozens and dozens of the same Balls of light. Selahs sister Gretta took the ball from them and gave Selah a bouquet of flowers, and followed them to the center of the circles. People parted to let them through and closed up ranks after they passed.
When they got to the center, Vince and Carl were holding the Book. Vox Magi. They looked at each other and then down at the Book, which promptly opened itself and started glowing.
Before the ceremony started a third person seemed to appear between Abe and Selah and the feeling they got was that it was normal for three people to get married. They couldn't see her face due to a very thick veil. They stopped trying to see who it was when the book that Vince and Carl were holding , started to speak. He was performing the wedding ceremony and Vince and Carl were just there to hold the book. Half way through the nuptials , they both glanced at Carl and then Vince. For a moment Carl looked like a horse, and Vince looked like a tiger.
This little twist to the dream They both decided to tell no one. They also left out the part where the book talked and the second wife.
After they spoke their vows and the book pronounced them husband and wife and wife , Abe and Selah kissed ; but before they could remove the other wife's veil, half of what they thought were leaves in the trees, actually were Butterflies that chose then to start flying like a blue green cloud. The other wife's veil turned into small white butterflies And then they woke up to the late alarm clock buzzing.
They only worked till noon, for it was the day of Uncle Brian's funeral, and they were invited.
Abe got home first and made them both soup and a sandwich. The soup was poured into two bowls just as Selah got home.
She called out to Abe " Darling! I smell Love , Love , Love " He chuckles and starts to take off his shirt. She steps into the kitchen and sees he only has one more button to go.
She moaned and faked a pout., Then told him " You didn't leave anything for me to do. "
She smiled flirtatiously . then walked her finger across the counter-top, sticking one finger into the soup and slowly sucking every drop o soup and flavor off of her finger. Then she walks her fingers towards him again. She had slipped out of her shoes when she got home and she just now saw he's in bare feet too. She uses the two walking fingers to grab his belt and pull him back and forth a little as she tells him " Well at least you left me the belt." She starts to slowly take it off him.
Abe rewards her patience with him by telling her " I left you more than that! " He smiles wider as he moves to kiss her neck and unzip her dress.
Selahs eyes get bigger with happy surprise. She tells him " You're wearing the underwear I gave you last night. "
Now they really start kissing and undressing. He realizes when he gets the dress completly unzipped and it's falling to the ground, that Selah wore the sexy little nightie that he'd given her last night, into work, so she'd be wearing it now. They break the kiss to be able to get a good view of each other dressed in their lovers gift.
She has pert medium sized breasts , bicyclers thighs, a tight firm bum, Shoulder length glossy black hair and a face that would have prevented the fall of Troy. That foolish prince of Troy, Paris, would have completly ignored Helen, If Selah had been there at the time.
Abe is Five foot eight, and Selah is five foot nine. She's just an inch taller than him but he likes it that way. He has a gymnast type body due mainly to his devotion to gymnastics in college. He has a long trunk, wide shoulders, thick neck/shoulders/Pecs/delts/arms, a slim waist, a tight but, medium thick legs. And with his eight inch long- two and a quarter inch diameter Pecker with it's tennis ball sized gonads, It seemed that Selahs gift caused his package to be lifted forward and up while making it look even bigger than it was.
She couldn't resist. The little, almost hidden, velcro tab cried out to be pulled , just as his cock and balls , pleaded with her to release them. It wasn't fair. Her nightie didn't just pop off of her when you pulled a tab. She giggled, as his equipment practically snapped to attention in response to her releasing them from the velcro confinement. She reminded him that her nightie had some velcro by pulling one closure loose.
Abe finishes removing the nightie and they start the kiss again, moving slowly towards the living room; until the mundane world reared it's ugly head and both their stomachs started to loudly growl at the same time. The kiss couldn't stand the stomach comment or the laughter it caused. They head back to the stools in the kitchen next to the soup and sandwich, sit, spread napkins in laps glance at each other and give each other a quick little kiss before digging in to Lunch.
She finishes first and tells him " We've got to watch the time and leave here no later than two thirty. Thank you for another excellent lunch, darling."
She kisses the middle and side of his neck.
He tells her " You're welcome, Love."
She folds in half and picks up her dress and his pants. This little move got him eating faster.
She tells him ' I'll be up in the shower. Please don't take too long finishing your lunch."
A smile and one erect nipple on a happy breast were the last he saw of her in the kitchen as he assures her " I'll be upstairs quick as a bunny!"
He could hear a muttered " Yeah! " and her running upstairs to the big master bath shower, so she was ready for him when he too runs upstairs.
He stuffed the rest of the sandwich in his mouth and barley swallowed when he poured the remainder of the soup in his bowl down his throat. A quick rinse of the dishes and into the dishwasher ( which made her happy when he did this) and he was out of the kitchen like a shot and taking the stairs two at a time.
She always pleased him beyond his own imagining. She was a bit fussy about cleanliness.
So how does he find her in the shower? She is faced away from the Master bath entrance and her beautiful behind is rubbing and rolling and massaging itself against the glass wall next to the shower door. She loved him! He knew it!
He loved her so much. It helped him respect the love they shared. That meant doing little things like making sure that before he went to sleep tonight , He will have cleaned the shower from top to bottom, cause that makes her happy.
His erection was at the point that it showed his rapid pulse. It was just being selfish standing out here watching such a wonderful dance; when he could get in the shower and tell her just how beautiful she really was.
She looks over at him as he opens the door and gets in. As he closes the door he tells her
" I don't care what guy has said it before, or which guy will say it in the future, because they are all lying. I am the luckiest guy in the world. I love you. I love you, I love you!"
She tips her head sideways and smiles a little smile as she soaps up his manhood.
She tells him " I guess Snow White and Cinderella are just out of luck this time, cause I'm just not letting go." She's been pulling and stroking him while she said that and all he can do is start nibbling on her neck and rub her back. He groans and she says " I love you, Abraham Hasp!
The kiss begins again and they clean themselves as they pleasure themselves.
They get to the chapel just as Vince's father asks Vince to forgive him. Abe and Selah both know how much this means to Vince, and they smile and take seats near the back. They know the healing has started.
At the end of the service Abe and Selah moved to the side entrance to talk to Vince and through the crowd Selah sees Vince and Carl arm in arm and Vince catches sight of them and waves and smiles. She tell Abe " Wow. They both are much bigger, now."
Abe tells her as they push through the crowd to get to Vince " It probably wont be tonight, but we've got to introduce you to Leo."
Vince and Carl reached out and hugged Abe and Selah and then swapped. Vince looks at Carl as he steps back after the hug with Selah and taking her hand, kisses it, and says
" Carl this angel was the one who directed me to your fine and wondrous tattoo parlor. Who knows how long it would have taken us to find each other If she hadn't smiled on us."
Selah can take it from Abe, but so much praise gets her acting bashful.
Carl sees this but must pay his respects to the muse . He takes her hand then and says
" How do you thank someone whose helped you find you're True Love." He pulls her into another hug and murmurs " Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you."
He lets her have a little breathing room and she tells al three men, " I don't know what it is. I'm an auctioneer. I'm never at a loss for words, But seeing you two together just makes me so happy I don't know what to say."
Vince sees the diamond first and reaches and holds her hand up to get a better view of the ring.
He says " It looks like congratulations are in order." He looks at Abe as he lets her hand go,
He asks Abe " Did you tell her about LEO? "
Abe smiled with Selah and He nodded yes as she says " just before he asked me to marry him.
Carl smiles and says " I've been hearing this for the past two hours and it made me feel so good.
Now I get to tell someone. Selah, welcome to the family. "
Sara breaks up the hug-fest with " Vince. We're heading over to Uncle Brians. Everyone here's invited, so I'll see you over there." She kisses him on the cheek and then Carl.
Vince tells her " We'll be on our way in just a bit."
Carl says " I didn't know this family stuff had so many fringe benefits."
Selah chuckles and tells Abe " WE should get going too. " She turns and gives Vince and then Carl a peck on the cheek and heads towards the exit.
Abe follows after and says " Sorry guys. You're outta luck here. " as he take Selahs hand she just started to dangle in back of her.
Carl grins at Vince and says " It's not as if I wanted tongue."
Vince just smiles and shakes his head and heads towards the exit and dangles his hand in back of him, which gets Carl moving quick to catch up and take it.
They find Kern and Greg waiting by the car. Kern asks " Where to now Boss? "
Carl says " On to Uncle Brians house."
Vince pulls a card from his pocket and says " Here's the directions." as he hands them to Kern.
Kern grins and gets in as Greg holds the door for Vince and Carl. Greg says " Let's go."
They turn left onto a slightly wider than average, tree lined street and Kern says " Hey. This is the street that has a huge private forest in back of everyones property. Well everyone on the right-hand side."
Greg glances at Kern as Kern glances at Greg and the Greg looks over his shoulder at Vince as Kern looks through the rear-view mirror at Vince.
Vince answers the question on their faces with a nod and " Uncle Brian and Olaf bought the property when they came to California in the fifties. The forest just came with the house."
Kern stopped the car and was staring at the house. All he could say was " House?! "
Greg and Carl could see his problem with the word when applied to this particular residence.
Vince admitted " Well, I guess it is a bit larger than the other houses on the block."
Greg muttered " Three times larger." then he notices something more so he asks " Vince, is that cottage sized house to the left of your Uncles house, part of the property? "
Vince reluctantly tells them " Yes, That's where Marta and Stephan live. She's the housekeeper and he's the grounds keeper."
It didn't seem like there were any parking spaces nearby and Kern was about to say as much when Vince had a request " Kern, could you drop Carl and I off at that driveway between the two houses and with Carl's Keys to the office; you and Greg go back and get LEO? I'm getting this feeling we're going to need him tonight. Does that sound OK with everyone? "
Carl smiles first and tells him " Very OK! I felt bad leaving him, but dragging him through a clothing store and a funeral where he couldn't say anything , would have been the wrong thing to do. Besides, we have to introduce him to Selah."
Greg and Kern had already silently agreed so Greg tells them " We'll be quick like bunnies but not speeding ticket bunnies. Ok? "
Carl smiles and says " Again, very OK." Greg gets out and lets Vince and Carl out.
Vince tells them as Greg gets back in " I'll hide two plates of my sisters great food for you guys." Kern and Greg give toothy grins and take off.
Carl holds out an elbow for Vince and says " Food sounds real good right about now"
Vince hooks his arm into Carls and tells him " Let me introduce you to another beautiful aspect of your new sister."
Carl and Vince walk to the kitchen entrance of the three story house as Carl says " Please do."
Vince holds his index finger to his lips and softly walks into the kitchen with Carl as Marta is pulling a huge pot colander out of the pot as one of Saras workers pulls the pot away, and then pours the boiling water into the sink. Marta lets the foot and a half tall colander full of ravioli drain on the sink drain-board. Vince sees the platter full of little shrimp egg rolls still steaming. and just as he has a huge hand on four or five, a long wooden spoon lashes out and knocks his hand.
Marta grins with a wild look in her eye as she says " Your sister knew you'd come here first.
You know I can't let you have those!"
Vince looked like he was going to wrestle her for the egg roll, and Marta looked like she was going use Kitchen kung fu. they circled the egg rolls.
Vince told her " But I must have them!"
And Marta told him "But I must stop you"
Vince got closer and the spoon got closer to his head. They stopped.
Vince demanded " Why must you stop me!"
Marta took a deep breath and relaxed as she told him " Cause they're too hot. You'll burn yourself." She finished walking away from him and going to the big fridge. and coming back with a smaller plate with 12 egg rolls.
Marta hands him the plate as she says " So I set these in the fridge to cool for you."
Vince is ear to ear smile for a good ten seconds. Brian loved those egg roll too. He put the plate down and grabbed one before he looked into her eyes to see the same ache. She reached up for him as he pulled her into a hug, and their tears washed a little bit more of the pain away.
Marta mumbled into his shoulder " Big cry baby. I got through the whole morning without breaking down." She looks up to see Carl bite into an egg roll and says " Speaking of big."
She puts her fists on her hips and tells Carl " Don't think you're too big to spank if you've eaten them all."
Vince rubs her back and Carl shows her there are six left on the plate. Vince leans down to whisper the words in her ear. " My heart and soul are no longer alone. Be gentle with my love."
Her scowl transformed into an angelic smile and her fists opened to be able to reach out and hold Carl. But she was so happy her hands didn't know where to thank him first. She stepped towards him and practically did a jig as she moved to embrace Carl. She swayed back and forth a few times with Carl and told him " I have sensed his longing for you, and seen his loneliness.
And now both have ended. Welcome home Carl Handy."
Carls cup just runneth over. with one huge arm around Marta he used the other to pull Vince into the embrace. He whispered into Vinces ear " I'm gonna owe God into my next two lives for this family. For you Love." they kiss for only a moment and then both get tickled by Marta.
She pulls out from between them and tells Vince " And he talks like you do too. Ooh."
She started bustling around the kitchen and told them " Ok, boys. I've got more food to get ready. I'm working for your sister today, so take your egg rolls, " she dipped out some ravioli
onto a paper plate, dipped some sauce from a large pot on the stove, sprinkled some parmesan cheese on top handed it to Carl and as she shooed them out of the kitchen told them " Forks are on the tables in the dinning-room. I'll see you tonight."
In unison they say " Thank you Marta! "
As they walk towards the tables full of food they see the plastic forks, spoons, and knives .
The Cousin whose name Vince has forgotten gets two plates and two sets of plastic wear, and starts making up two plates. Carl and Vince notice this and remember at the same time.
Vince says " I'll make up Kerns plate."
And Carl tells him " And I'll make up Gregs plate."
They got the four plates full and went to the kitchen door quietly with the intention of not bothering Marta, but she was right at the door when they got there.
Marta told them " You're good boys. Making sure your friends get fed. I will hide this plate for Kern" she takes Vinces second plate, " and I will hide this plate for Greg. " the second plate in Carls hands just seems to move out of his hands.
They both say in unison again " Thank you , Marta. "
This time they hear a muted " You're welcome , boys."
They find a place to sit and feed themselves. They just finish when Jess and David come out of the bathroom together . Vince gets a very confused look on his face. David is buttoning up his shirt.
David tells Jess " I still can't believe Brian didn't tell either of us , that he gave us both the same tattoo."
Vince looks to the tattoo artist responsible . Vince smiles and says " Comments?"
Carl does the mime thing and first draws the shape of a heart with his index fingers, then slashes an arrow through it and with two fingers he pokes at three different spots on the heart. He tells Vince with each poke " Robert, Sara , and Vincent." Carl then crossed his hands over his heart and looked to the heavens. Vince didn't have time to comment himself with both parents walking up to them.
Vince was able to ask " Comparing tattoos? "
Jess tells them " At least your father can show people without going into a bathroom."
David chuckles and then looks at Carl and then Vince. He looks a little bashful as he tells them
" I don't think my son could have found a better partner for himself. "
Carl stands up and engulfs David as he says " Thanks David. I think I'm kinda lucky too."
David whispers as he looks up to Carls face " You take care of my boy. "
Carl bends down a bit to whisper into Davids ear " Till the day I die." They both separate smiling.
Jess moves over to give Carl a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. David is hugging his soon for the second time after eight years of no contact.
Vince says " We've got to get together soon."
David tells him " We will. I gave your mom my new numbers, and I can always call Skin Gallery to find your whereabouts."
Vince says " Good. "
Jess tells him " David, we better get some food before it's all gone. "
David tells Vince before he heads to the serving line " Soon "
Vince says " Thanks Dad. I love you "
David is being pulled gently away so he says louder than normal " I love you son!"
David is still smiling as he's moved away.
Vince is shining he's so happy and Carl can't keep himself from saying " And it's not even Christmas, Huh? "
They give each other a quick hug and then meander through all the stories people are telling about Uncle Brian. By the time eight o'clock rolls around and most people start leaving, Mr Carson finds them and asks for them to meet him in Uncle Brians office for the reading of the will.
Kern finds them right after that and says " Thanks Vince, we got our plates as soon as we promised to come and thank you . So thanks. That Marta is a trip. "
Greg tells them " Thank you for the food. I think Marta watches too many Kung Fu movies."
Vinces face gets serious when he tells them " She is a black belt in Kenpo Karate."
Kern says " OOOh "
Greg tells Vince " Thank you for that heads-up . Kern and I will maintain a respectful attitude with Marta."
Carl says " You were awfully playful with her this afternoon."
Vince tells them " She's flipped me a few times. But I've learned how to take a fall. "
Carl realizes his own limitations and says " Good enough for me. I also will maintain a respectful attitude with Marta."
Vince tells Carl softly " I think you're safe with her. Three years ago , she caught me crying cause I thought you didn't exist. Six months earlier , I had broken up with my lover. We had only been together for a year. She didn't really like him and it took me eight months to find out why. But for that year, even up to the day he left, I had someone who said ' I Love You '. Parents can say that, brothers and sisters can say that, relatives and close friends can say that. But when a lover says that to you every day for a year, even if the lover isn't right for you; you miss hearing it when they're gone." Vince puts his head into Carls shoulder and hugs him. His breathing is ragged, but evens out.
Carl closed his eyes and just held him till his breathing evened out. Then he tells Vince
" I love you too." He frowns and says " There were times I thought ' Nobody loves me ', then I'd look around at my friends and family, and how much they really did love me. I came to realize, I knew I'd find you." They briefly kiss and then look over at Greg and Kern.
Greg puts his plate down and from behind Kern, wraps his arms around Kern. He tells him
" I know my superfine thing when I found him." Kern puts his plate down and just leans back against Greg. Kern opens his eyes from a blissful state and sees Vince and Carl watching them.
All he can think to do is put a big smile on his face.
Vince says " It must be true love, Greg. You've left Kern speechless."
This just gets all four of them smiling bigger.
Marta walks by with Stephan her husband and Vince stops them to introduce his lover and friends to Stephan.
Before he can get started, Stephan says as he's looking up at Vince " Good vitamins" then gets a sly grin on his face.
Vince ignores the comment and tells him " Stephan , these are my friends Greg Bailey and Kern Preston. And this is my soul mate Carl Handy. Friends and lover, this is Stephan Chavez and his wife Marta." Smiles, hand shakes and hugs all around.
Marta tells them " We should all get to the office. I don't think anyone will mind Greg and Kern sitting in on the reading." They all move off to the office
The office is very large but it has the whole family and about ten family friends taking up all the couches and extra folding chairs. there are four empty chairs near the desk. Jess is holding them for Vince and company. and right in back of them are two more vacant seats, which Marta and Stephan take. Stephan closed the door as he was the last one in, and as he sat , Phil Carson cleared his throat.
Phil told them " It looks like we can begin. "
The will was written like so many others an yet there was a lot to be dispersed.
Vinces mother was given all the paintings and artwork in the house and on loan to three major museums. she was encouraged but not directed to keep the collection together and lend it to the museums that have some of it already. She was left stocks and bonds worth about a quarter of a million to help administer the artworks if she wished.
Vinces dad was left the same amount but half of it was to be used as a grant for students interested in becoming negotiators for peace through the UN. David smiled at the challenge it represented.
Vinces brother Bob received stocks that amounted to over fifty percent of the stock of three companies. Effectively giving bob control over a bioresearch corporation, an import export company, and an investment corporation. His children received trust funds that would help them through college
Vinces sister Sara had a catering company that worked out of a building right next to her husbands five start restaurant; he was the head chef/ part owner. She was surprised with ownership of ten buildings all next to each other which included her husbands restaurant and her catering company. her children also received trust funds to get them through college.
Vince was shocked to find he now owned the very house they all were in , along with the very large forest. A trust had been created to administer to the needs of the forest. He also received stocks valued at under one hundred thousand dollars. Vince was also given ownership of three different type of watchdog companies. They were funded from an endowment that kept the companies running. One was for the environment, one similar to amnesty international, and one had been created many years ago to prevent the abuse of children in the foster care/ adoption system. This last shocked Carl. he told Vince "That group was the one that helped my foster parents adopt me."
Vince said " Well it looks like I'll be getting some help with that company."
Marta and Stephan were given the house they lived in, and a retirement fund of just over one hundred thousand dollars.
The rest of the relatives received cash outright or stocks.
Phil told those gathered there that that was the last of it and they could come by his office on monday and they would receive any pertinent documents then.
Vince started to go but Jess caught his eye and so his group stayed. Jess told David she had to discuss something with Vince and his friends, and asked if he and marta an stephan could see to the stragglers and hungry. He smiled and followed Marta. Phil closed the door and pulled something out of his pocket. He locked the door and slipped a cord with a medallion over the two door knobs. He looked to the group that had stayed . Vince and Carl, Kern and Greg, Abe and Selah, and Jess. and he made eight.
Her started towards the desk and then thought better of it. He turned to Vince and said
"perhaps you should get used to the position."
Vince frowns a little and sits in the chair behind the desk. He grins and then when everybody sits he asks Phil " Mr Carson my.."
Phil cut him off and says " Vince, please call me Phil. "
Vince smiles briefly and says " Phil, my uncle was involved with a lot of things I was never aware of. I'm getting this feeling you have a few more things to take care of . and My mother has a few things I need to hear about .
Phil says " I'll take care of my things and then leave so you and LEO can take car of things."
Vince looks at him and then at his mother and back again. he asks " Your name isn't in the book either! How do you know about him?"
Phil tells them " Brian and Olaf were Mages. Keepers and guardians of magic's of the light. Not illusions, but true Magic. At times they were called to fight evil. This took a toll on their health. Unfortunately sometimes the physical part of the fight, caused damage that needed the assistance from a well versed lawyer. Without introducing me to LEO, they proved to my satisfaction that they were the real deal. I even think I heard LEO mutter one day. They asked me to keep a log of the events that were part of their lives very few people knew about. As per Brians request I'm giving the log to Vinces true love . That would be Carl Handy."
Carl and I both were surprised uncle Brian foresaw our getting together. Carl had a confused look on his face and Phil took pity on him. Phil told him " Brian told me one day after counseling a young seminar student that the energy he felt coming out of you made him think of Vincent. He said your energies were not the same, he said he got the feeling you two were meant for each other. It was the next part that confused your uncle. A few days after telling me about Carl, Olaf woke in the middle of the night and told Brian his dream warning. He told Brian that they were not supposed to tell Vincent or Carl about each other. That if Brian or Olaf or Phil said anything or tried to be matchmakers, then Vincent's coven would never come together; a repeat of the tragedy Brians coven suffered. " Phil stopped and didn't look like he was going to explain.
Vince looked at him and then his mother. " Mom, what happened? Why was it just Brian and Olaf?
Jess took his hand and looked down and into the past. She found the words and said " Your Uncle and Olaf became guardians of the book after World War Two. It was a war that fought great evil and the guardians all became involved. Brian told me they were nine at that time and the balance had tipped towards male." She looked uncomfortable saying this.
Vince asked " Balance?"
Jess becomes less hesitant as she tells him " The Name of the Light is a power and force for good. But it is also the name of the coven that arises out of commitment to being a guardian of the book and the power he can teach you. When new guardians are called to serve the previous guardians chose the new Prime Mage and the other mages build off of that one.
A coven can be nine or thirteen people. The larger the coven the more power the Prime Mage needs to channel . But the proportion of male to female must be close.
For a coven of nine, there must be five of one sex and four of the other. With a coven of
thirteen, there must be seven of one sex and six of the other." She still hates talking about Brian this way.
Vince says " So the guardians before Brian became Prime Mage, had five male and four female."
Jess nodded. She said " During the war, the book was left back here to keep it safe, but every single guardian was sent to a different part of the war. The Prime Mage , Daniel Grace, was channeling energy and encouragement to the eight. It didn't stop all eight from finding terrible evil and defeating it. But in the process it left them all weakened. and the next hour, or day found them dying in a minor skirmish or a land mine, or even friendly fire. The Prime Mage came home and Passed the torch on to Brian and Olaf, and within a year was dead. A loving heart can only take so much loss."
Vince 's other hand was in Carl's and he looks to his lover and they bump shoulders. his attention goes back to his mother, as she tells him " Those who knew of the Name of the Light, but weren't guardians didn't know about the balance needed in a coven dedicated to helping people. So no one could warn Brian when he chose Olaf and then three friends, all male, to be part of a nine coven. The balance had already been tipped to male, and then even more so. "
Vince asked her " Didn't LEO know about the balance . "
Jess told him " LEO is constrained to only be able to give advice on knowledge he contains, and how it applies to his guardians. If someone not a guardian is there when he is open, they must either become a guardian or He will close himself. He is not allowed to suggest who would be a good guardian, or even what sex the guardians should be. That was the responsibility of the previous Prime Mage. Uncle Dan was in so much pain from losing his lovers he wasn't thinking."
Carl asks her " What happened to the three guys Brian brought into the coven?
Jess shivered " At first it looked like an act of nature. But wind and water are female forces, and they cane down hard on the first of the three. It was in Oklahoma and the tornado season wasn't due for two months. But freakish warm weather brought a tall skinny persistent tornado down right on top of his barn. It was like it knew exactly where in the barn he was. It took him and the side of the barn away from the horses and spun what it took into shreds."
Vince asks with a frown on his face " It left the horses? "
Jess just nods and says " And the rest of the barn didn't even collapse."
Phil helps with " A month went by and The second man was drowned when he was helping a friend move some cattle across a river, his horse got spooked, his foot got stuck in one stirrup, and the cattle milling around the horse kept him from gettin loose or pulling himself up past the cattle. And a month later the third man worked on a maintenance crew for a nearby dam. They have to grease the cable that an ariel bucket travels over, and half way across, the rock-face that secured the main cable broke out and he fell one hundred and fifty feet to the surface of the water."
Jess finishes with " Brian and Olaf didn't talk to anyone for six months. Then when they were talking to LEO again, they decided to move to California. I followed when I was eighteen. they never tried to form a coven again."
Vince is confused" Their names aren't in the book!? "
Jess tells him " Olaf was hurt more by the loss and would open LEO and touch the place their names were. Brian told me LEO and Olaf cried the names away."
Phil says " And In their pain they could have let it happen again, But now you know and I think I will be leaving for a while so you can adjust the problem."
Vince brightens and says " Selah ! " and then he holds his mothers hand as she starts to leave too. " And Jessica." she frowns, but a look to Phil and he smiles and closes the door. Carl and the others are smiling also.
Vince tells the group " I think we're going to go for a thirteen. "
Jess tells him " Then you are going to get a lot more tattoos mister."
Carl cut in with " I'll be there to help him with those. " His smile got her to smile.
Vince asks " Kern, we need LEO now."
Kern lifts up a leather satchel and pulls out The Book. The six people in the room stand up and arrange themselves around the desk.
Vince places his right hand over his heart and his left hand on The Book. Carl , Kern, Greg, and Abe follow his example and they say in unison
" In the Name of the Light, we bid thee Open! Vox LEO Magi "
The Book opens as he says " In the Name of the Light, I reveal myself. Only those whose name appears on the Page of Guardians may share the wisdom of this Tome and view the Secrets
of the Light! " the glow from the page was sparkling in their eyes.
Abe spoke up first as he hands Selah a pen " Sign your name next to mine. "
She looks at him out of the corner of her eye and smiles as she signs the Guardians Page,
right next to Abe's signature.
The Book told her " Selah Marie Cisco, I bid you Welcome, In the Name of the Light."
Selah tells LEO " Thank You! " then she hands the pen to Jess who moves around and writes her signature on an empty line.
The Book tells her " Jessica Grace Anderson, I bid you Welcome, In the Name Of the Light."
Jess says " Thank you LEO. It's good to finally hear your unrestricted voice."
The Book says " It is good to have your name on one of my pages. Though, unofficially, you have been a guardian for many years."
Vince asks The Book " LEO, I need to know what's needed for a thirteen person coven."
The book tells him " It would be best to wait until you finish the series of tattoos you are currently pursuing. Then you can augment the foundation and learn how to channel more energy. "
Vince says " Then we will worry about that after four days. Any body have questions ask them now." Jess and Selah shake their heads no and Vince tells LEO " Thank you LEO, we're done now" The Book closes and the glow dims.
Vince tells them " Well that's about it for now. After We finish this sequence of tattooing, we'll all get together and decide what we're going to to do with this stuff."
The End Part 7
I hope you liked this part of the story, Many more parts to come. Please send feedback.
It all helps. Thanks for reading this.