49)

That brought the table to an awkward silence, the kids seemed to sense it as well as the three of them turned to look at us.

Three. Hey. “Sara, Ami, where’s Aran?”

They looked around, only slightly concerned, while Mel pointed over into the woods. “He was picking up sticks and went that way.”

I gave the girls an expectant look and made a shooing motion toward the woods. They raced off in pursuit, with only Ami lingering for moment to give us a suspicious look before turning to follow at Sara’s shout.

We all sat still for a moment, before I shared my own suspicions.

“Not just as slaves, but as weapons.”

That got me some curious looks.

“Self replicating, able to disappear into the wilderness, or mix in with other people as an infiltration.”

“No need to supply us with weapons, or for us to sneak one around with them, and the halfway form feels like it combines the best of being human and wolf to fight with.’

That got me some more weird looks before Adora hesitantly asked. “You can turn into something not wolf or man?”

She seemed more resigned then shocked. What did I do now?

“Ah, am I not supposed too?”

She hesitated, as her grandson and deputy looked at with great interested.

Now she was blushing. “I’ve only turned into “that” two times.”

“Dorian had changed for the first time and was running around in the hills, howling and chasing my families’ sheep around. He claimed he was only doing for the thrill, not because of how hungry he was, but my family just saw him as an intruder.”

She looked away from all of us. “I had volunteered to help at the hospital, so I knew his scent. When I saw them chasing him, I was determined for them to hear me for once, and the moon was full, so...I stopped them.”

She shrugged off the memory. “I think I embarrassed them, even scared them. So when my Rian asked me to marry him, they were more then happy for me to go off and live far away in America. And I only has been so angry and determined to make a point one other time.”

Darius whispered. “I remember.”

We were all silent again before Adora gave me a concerned look. “What happened when you...”

I pursed my lips and looked off into the distance. “I wanted to scare the kids, but it was just my hand.”

I could feel the stares.

Charles chuckled. “Let me guess, that’s why the Bertinolli’s billed you for a new patio door?”

I sighed. “Yeah, she threw up her hands and tore the whole thing out of the wall, frame and all and tossed it, along with me, across the entire patio.”

Mel’s mom looked out toward the woods in concern.

“She’s got it a lot more under control, and I doubt you daughter is going to do any more startling then turning into wolf, which Ami is probably trying to egg her on to do right this moment since all four of them have managed to get out of our sight.”

Deborah gave me a surprised look before getting up and heading for the trees calling out for her daughter. “Melinda, get back here right now, and you better still be human! I told you no shape changing!”

Dare did his best to stiffen his laughter as he watched his roommate stomp off before turning back to the rest of us. “So you can turn into something that is nearly only a legend, even to us, and you use it to scare your own grandchildren.” He looked back and forth between me and his grandmother. “I approve, best use for it.”

I glanced at Adora. “So is it going to be a problem, her having magic?”

She shook her head slightly. “If she can us it? But doesn’t, unless to defend herself, then no. I won’t have a problem, and I doubt most of the locals would even know it was a possibility.”

Then she smirked “If any big bad wolf starts acting scared of a little witch girl, they will have to move to another state to stop the mockery.”

She turned to me. “You and yours are safe in my county, at least from the locals.”

I gave her a smile. “Glad to hear it, but how many can be safe here?”

She looked concerned, “What do you mean?”

I paused to make sure I had the right words. “It’s not about the power, but the health benefits. How can I not at least offer the chance to have a long healthy life, with no fear of their bodies or minds betraying them due to age, to everyone in my family.”

“And not just my family. What about friends, even strangers, who are good people? Where do I draw the line when I got something this good that costs me nothing to share?”

Great, that killed the conversation again.