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Yuki was waiting for me inside the front door. “I am not going to take your home from you Mr. Lathe.”

She was looking pretty flustered and ready for a fight. I just shook my head at her. “I was thinking that this property was pretty large. I could build something to your specifications on the southern end and then sell it to you. Shouldn’t be too hard for Bree to do her thing to it.”

I looked over at Bree to confirm that and she nodded. “If I set the wards in the foundation for my own family, they will be even stronger than the ones on this house.”

My daughter in law still seemed determined for a fight. “We can pay for our own house. It’s just...”

I stared at her while she began to squirm. “The Elder said you could tell where people are on your land and you might even be able to tell what they’re doing… it’s would be hard for me and your son… You know… If I thought you could tell what we were doing...”

Well, that was clear and informative. She began to blush as I stared at her in confusion until Bree drove one of her bony elbows into my ribs.

That was something I had never missed after she was gone.

I glared at my ex “What!?”

Bree glared back. “They wanted one more kid. They can’t do anything to get one if she thinks you might know when they are trying to do something about it.”

“Huh?” I thought that over. “Oh.” I looked over at Yuki. “It’s not that fine tuned. I can tell who all is in the living room, but unless I really focus in, I can’t tell who is sitting or standing, let alone if someone is lying down. And it's not like I’m going to spy on someone in their bedroom or anything like that.”

My son’s blushing bride sighed in relief and looked up at me again. “I’ll talk to John about the house ideal.” Then she scampered off.

Once she hit the stairs going up and met her husband coming back down I leaned over to whisper to Bree. “Of course, I can tell by those two’s scent what they were up to last night. Grandkid number four might be on their way.”

That got me another pointy elbow and a hissed “Don’t ever tell her that.”

I nodded. “Of course not. I let her find out on her own. It’ll be funnier that way.” Then I quickstepped away before she could escalate to a foot stomp or something. Funny how some reflexes never go away.

I returned to the meeting to see everyone looking my way. “Sorry about that folks, just a little history catching up with me. So I think the plan is for Bree and her family to finish setting this place up as a safe house for John, Yuki, and the kids. While they get a new equally magically secure house set up.”

“Possibly right here in this town since they’re pretty used to trying not to notice werewolves in their schools and the sheriff’s department. Which means if Sara shows off or Ami has a slip up, people around here are pretty much used to just accepting whatever explanation the Sheriff comes up with.”

Otaru got a thoughtful look. “I would prefer if they returned to California. But it is possible that other parties may have found out about Ami. Having her this close to the lair of the Witch would make it clear that she would involve herself.”

The Witch got a scary look on her face. “I dare them to try. There is no one I can not reach.”

She smiled, or more like barred her teeth. “Perhaps it has become overdue for someone to become an example.”

She stood up. “Brianna will begin the child’s education this month. Then Rosaria will have a week to tutor her.” The Witch looked at Ami. “Then you are mine every third week until the summer ends.”

Ami swallowed nervously. “Yes, great grand mother.”

The Witch nodded. “It will be Mistress Caine while I am teaching.” Then she leaned forward to look her great-granddaughter in the eyes. “Dread not child. You will learn the secrets of the earth. To understand the whispering of the shadows. And even to fly on a broom of yarrow stalks. There are wonders ahead of you.”

Otaru cleared his throat. “On the weekdays for the summer. Weekends will be for her family and physical training.”

The Witch tilted her head to one side, then waved her hand at him dismissively. “Granted. Now I wish to eat.”

The was a general agreement that this was a good time to eat as the Witch wandered off toward the dining room. John and his brood were at one end of the extended table with me, my brother, and my nephew sat on the other end. With the three witches and the Ichibans on the opposite sides in the middle.

And... It went well.

Oh everyone was still a little on guard, and the Witch never passed anything down the table. But a well made dinner of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, lots of gravy, green beans with bacon, corn, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and deviled eggs went over well.

Seems it’s not just werewolves with big appetites. The witches and warriors dug in and I almost whimpered at the sight of so many leftovers to be getting finished off. What the heck, is magic powered by calories?

At least things had gotten settled with nobody getting things exactly the way they wanted it, but everyone getting things a way they could accept. Ami was sitting at either the head or the foot of the table, opposite me but on neither the Witch’s or the Ichibans' side. She looked a lot more relaxed than I had ever seen her the entire time she had been staying with me.

Then Adora called and I excused myself from the table to answer her. “John, people are heading your way. Entire carloads of them. There's a vampire with them .”