Old Promises, New Mysteries: Book 2 of The Kinstone series

The night of the winter festival, Rachel and I huddled together in her room. We didn’t do anything outrageous, like do the entire festival. We did follow a smaller, more compact version of it.

Mainly we reflected on the past year. This year wasn’t nearly as eventful or heart-wrenching as the last year. But for the both of us, it had been a year that we were a true family.

It was a year of exploration for the both of us. Last year it was us getting to know each other and for me exploring who I was now compared to who I was when I first put on the necklace. This year started with my becoming her daughter.

We traveled to places where I was lived. It was during the first leg of our trip we made the earth-shattering discovery that we had met decades ago and were destined to be together. Not that I believe in destiny, but I decided to let it slide and allow myself to have faith in it.

I decided to step away from my old life, my old world, and embrace the new one. I traveled to New Orleans for my first summer festival, visited France and Italy. Finally to my shock and disgust, discovered that I had two men who actively sought after me.

I met some of my mother’s friends, and made a new one. I actually got to celebrate my birthday with Marron, still wishing she was here. The new year was approaching fast and with it an old promise was about to be fulfilled.

I curled up into my mother, feeling her holding me tightly to her chest. The room was dark and still. Fenris lied curled onto the floor. I could hear the massive wolf breathing softly.

Now I know that teenage girls are supposed to be fiercely independent and mature. But I say, SCREW THAT!!! If I want to act like a little child then by hell I’m going to.

Throughout the night, I was assailed by texts from all of my friends from within the Coven. I giggled as I read each and over one of them. A few expressed jealously towards Jenn for come to visit me, with some stating that they were next.

Marron even called me, wishing I was there with her. I wanted to be, deep down I did. But I also wanted to just be home and enjoy it.

I stared aimlessly out the window, watching as the snow fell outside the balcony window. The quiet dark of the night would put anyone to sleep and I soon found that I was struggling to do stay awake. Soon I couldn’t fight it anymore and drifted off.

Christmas came and went without much fanfare. Marron had sent me a new outfit for spring, something of her making of course. A brand new Lolita dress, something akin to a gardener’s motive, complete with boots. I giggled as I held it up.

Asha and Yukari each sent me a few presents, with Asha further extending my already extensive backlog of anime, manga, and model kits. Geez…at this rate, it’ll take me a lifetime to get through it all.

Yukari sent me another tome on kitsune lore, and when I mean a tome, it really means a collection. Gonna be really busy reading through all of it.

Rachel updated my music box with even more music. I in turn gifted her with a book that I had bought while in Rome. Yeah…my time with Kerrigan really was fruitful. Speaking of Kerrigan, she even sent me something.

We emailed each other a few more times, slowly getting to know each other. It kinda made me curious about if I wanted to meet the rest of her siblings. But I think she just wants to keep me to herself. Which to be honest…I didn’t mind.

What I did mind was receiving more gifts from Drakon. The guy just doesn’t know when to quit. And there was the fact that apparently he was sending them to me under the nose of his father and his sister. So yeah…what did my vampiric suitor send me? Another dress and jewelry.

The dress again looked fit for a vampiric princess, high-necked, feathery collar. The skirt reached just midway down my thighs and was twin layered. It came with a blood red cape that at first glance made my skin crawl. The jewelry was a silver latticed pendant with a crimson ruby at its heart.

If someone else had sent them to me, I might have accepted them. If Master Andriy was the one who gifted them I would’ve accepted them without hesitation. But it was sent by Drakon. Just…lovely.

Now I still expected the gossip to return with even more gifts from Savero. I heard the rumor that he was nobility or something higher up. No idea, but important enough to be given the rank of knight-commander, either through merit or station.

I’m not saying the guy is bad or dishonest. In fact he’s well-mannered, cute, cultured, and is highly respected. So yeah, he appears to be a great guy and all. Just thinking about him makes my head swim in confusion.

Both men on their own would seem to be at the forefront with their affections. Because every time I receive something from either of them, they both send me letters.

The problem is that they’re not even my age for crying out loud. Part of me wished they were my age if just a few years older. If they were, I wouldn’t feel nearly as creeped out by either of them.

Even Rachel sensed my growing frustration by both men. I half-expected her to get into contact with both of them, telling each man to knock it off. But it would be more fuel for Beltrok and Irina to grow their hatred for me. As for Savero…I was worried that it might affect the gossip. So my mother kept it quiet for now.

Other than that, Christmas was great. But it only served as a reminder of my side of the deal I had made with my mother so many months ago. It filled my stomach with a knot that I tried desperately to ignore. Just let me forget about it, if not for a little while longer please?

A couple days after Christmas I was wandering through the hallways, heading for the kitchen for a snack. I managed to complete even more of the models from my backlog, and was now reading a volume eleven of a light novel series. It was yet another series that I had wanted to read for quite a while now.

I giggled to myself, having really become a bibliophile, much like Yomiko Readmon from Read or Die. My nose was buried deep into the book as I walked towards the main staircase.

When I arrived, I turned and leaned over the railing, becoming engrossed within the chapter I currently was on. Fenris sat beside me, having made sure that I didn’t bump into something while I was reading. I heard voices down below, but didn’t pay them any attention.

“Well hello there…you must be Aria.” A voice echoed from the floor below.

I lowered my book to see a man standing in the foyer. He was dark haired, ebony in color, with it being long and tied back into a ponytail. Clean cut if not for the short beard. He looked well-toned, sharply dressed, well, winter casual.

A bright and cheerful smile adorned his face, it looked sincere and honest. Even from the distance which stood between us, I could tell he was as tall, if not slightly taller than Rachel. I nodded to him, turning yet another page.

“You and I never were properly introduced while you and you mother were at Court. My name is Arcturus Helaron. I am an old friend of your mother.” This instantly caught my attention.

I slammed the book shut and gave the man a soft, piercing stare. His voice was vaguely familiar, but for the life of me I couldn’t place it. And then there was his name, “Arcturus”. Where had I heard that name before?

Now, I had been introduced to a few of my mother’s old friends while at Court, with two of them having become friends to me. But I continued to stare at him. I stepped onto the railing and jumped.

The man quickly saw this and tried to move towards me. But shortly before I landed, I caused a whirling of wind to form under my feet, setting me safely onto the floor below.

The man stopped in his tracks, staring at me, but smiled, “That…that is quite the entrance.”

I looked up, still unsure of him. I slowly walked towards him, “The last time a man who came to visit my mother and claimed to be an ‘old friend’, she wasn’t exactly that happy to see him.”

The man before me cocked his head, “Who was here before?”

My eyes narrowed, “Regulus Cromwell.”

The man’s eyes widened, “Regulus was here?” I nodded, still wary of him. He folded his arms, “What on Earth would compel him to appear at your doorstep after all these years?” I still stared up at him, watching carefully.

He looked to me, “I am assuming your mother explained to you what exactly happened between them.”

I clenched my book tightly, “I also learned how our coven didn’t really care for him.”

He nodded cautiously to me, “I see.”

His smile returned, still warm and sincere, he then eyed the book in my hand, “I see that Andriy was correct in your love of reading.”

Hearing him say Master Andriy’s name, and lacing it with a compliment, definitely helped relieve some of my apprehension. This guy is a bit of a smooth talker, so if this was his way of breaking the tension; he did a good job at it.

I smiled to him, “I do love reading,” smirking, “in fact you should see my room. My mom’s had to get me several more bookcases just to house everything.”

I still watched him, unsure about him. One thing that was clear was that if he had any ill intentions, Fenris would’ve quickly appeared at my side. So he must be someone who even my bonded approved of.

I then vaguely remembered the conversation that this man was having, with who I now realized was Sebastian. Their tone was cheerful and welcoming. So again, more evidence that he more than likely wasn’t a threat.

I let out a long slow breath, finally relaxing. Peering up at him, “I’m starting to like you. You definitely have a certain charm about you.”

He bowed his head to me, “I graciously accept your high appraisal of me young lady.”

I grinned at him, “So you know my mom, or,” leaning in closer to him, “is there something else between you two?”

He smiled slyly, yet still honest, “That I do young lady. You’re mother and I share a…deep relationship with each other.”

I eyed him, examining his face and expressions, smiling, “Yep…definitely liking you.”

Again he responded with a warm smile, “Once more I am honored,” his silver eyes gazed tenderly towards me, “I’ve heard much of your exploits as well young lady. I was present when you were cornered by Lana and Mistral in the corridor, and then helped smooth over things afterwards.”

My ears then perked up, “Now I recognize your voice. You came to our residence that night.”

He nodded softly, “That I did. And I wished you both had stayed longer.”

I smiled to him. Something about him screamed boyfriend or lover. It then dawned on me, could this be the guy that Miss Elizabeth told me about? Grinning to myself, I could use this to really tease Rachel with.

“Arcturus?” Speak of the devil.

I turned to see Rachel walking into the foyer, her cheeks flushed a soft pink as she walked up to us, “When I heard that you had arrived, I couldn’t believe it. I pray I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

He smiled tenderly, shaking his head, “Not at all Rachel. Your daughter was gracious enough to keep me company.”

She looked down to me, smiling, “I hope she wasn’t too much of a bother for you.”

“Not even in the slightest. We were enjoying rather pleasant conversation, weren’t we?” winking to me.

I smirked, “Yep, more like just breaking the ice.”

He chuckled, “What other way is there?”

Okay…that was good.

Arcturus then turned to look at my mother. Both of their eyes gazed deeply into the others, almost fluttering like the wings of a bird.

“What…what brings you here? Not that I’m saying that you can’t be here. Just curious mind you.” asked my mother.

Is she stuttering? My mother, a person who could stare down a vampire, tear through an entire city just to find me, who even I still worry about pissing off, was now acting like a nervous school girl in front of her big crush?

I had been reading dozens of cheesy romance novels, and trust me, most sucked. So all I need to see was for her to twirl her hair and I was now living one.

He smiled to her, “As your daughter might say, I was merely in the neighborhood so I figured that I would stop by and pay you a visit.”

I laughed loudly to myself, Oh dear God that really was cheesy. But you can’t deny the results.

My mother blushed even more. Her hand rose to her face, and yep, there it is. She actually started to twirl some of her hair between her fingers.

A soft smile rose on her face, “You didn’t have to trouble yourself just to visit me…or us.”

He smiled, “It was no trouble at all, for it is always a true pleasure to see you. Rachel.”

The pair now stood barely a breath apart from the other, having slowly and unknowingly inching closer to the other. Their lips were practically touching. The world around seemed to fade away as they drew ever closer to one another. Both locked into a daze.

I leaned in between them, grinning, “If you’re gonna kiss, just kiss.”

Both adults snapped out of their trance, with my mother’s face now turned completely red. I quickly turned and ran away, giggling.

“G-get back here young lady.”

Arcturus chuckled, “Well it would appear that even your daughter approves of us.”

Rachel turned back to him, “I am so sorry.”

He looked to her, smiling, “Rachel, it’s obvious your daughter loves you enough that she is willing to tease you.”

She sighed, face still blushing deep red, then looking up to him, regaining her composure, “It truly is good to see you Arcturus.”

He smiled to her, “That it is,” looking the direction of where I ran off, “you have done an incredible job in raising your daughter.”

She blushed softly, now smiling with pride, “She has proven to be a handful at times. But I couldn’t imagine my life without her now.”

He nodded, looking her, “Have you given thought to my proposal?”

Rachel smiled, her hand clenching his shirt, “If you had asked me a few months earlier then I would’ve said yes. But that was after she entered my life,” she looked up at him, “it doesn’t mean I’m declining it. I have no doubt in my mind that you would be a wonderful father to her. She practically has one already in her bonded.”

He looked up, eyeing Fenris, still sitting at the top of the stairs. The wolf’s eyes gleaming in the light. The man gave a nod to the massive wolf, who in turn nodded in response.

Arcturus smiled, looking back to Rachel, “I still hold hope that I can try. You know how much I love you, and would come to love your daughter.”

She smiled to him, “I know you will, and I won’t bar you from her life. If you wish to be a part of it, then I won’t stop you.”

He bowed his head, “I thank you. But that will have to wait for another time,” his face then hardened, “she informed me that Regulus paid you a visit.”

She sighed, holding her arm, giving a soft nod, “Yes…during the middle of September.”

He stared into her eyes, “You should have informed the Court. Why didn’t you?”

She looked up, “Since he came to my door, I thought it best that I would handle it. His visit was a surprise, an uncomfortable one to say the least.”

Her grip tightened, “You really can’t stay can you.”

He shook his head, “I could only spare a moment before I had to leave for a dull business venture. I stopped here to come see you as I stated.”

She smirked, “You flew into here, just to pay me a visit?”

He grinned, “I do have my reasons.”

She grinned, leaning in, and kissed his cheek, “Don’t be stranger.”

Arcturus nodded, “I shall endeavor not to be.” He then turned and headed for the door.

Rachel took a deep breath and turned in the foyer, “I know you were eavesdropping young lady. You can emerge from wherever you are hiding.”

I grinned stepping out from behind a door, “Sorry couldn’t help it.” My mother sighed, walking towards me.

I looked up to her, “So he is the guy that Miss Elizabeth told me about. Someone that you fell in love with that even the Coven gave their approval of.”

She shook her head, “I need to have a discussion with that woman about what she can and cannot tell you.”

I giggled, “So he did ask you to marry him?”

She nodded, “That he did. But he did so roughly two months after I sent you the necklace. So all my attention became devoted to your well-being.”

I leaned up against a pillar, staring up at her, “So…what’s stopping you now? It’s obvious you love him.”

Rachel folded her arms, glaring at me, “You shouldn’t put your nose too deeply into other people’s business. Besides, you have other things you should worry about.”

I rolled my eyes, “Please don’t remind me.”

My mother then pulled me into her, hugging my tiny frame tightly, “I love you my girl.”

I smiled, “Love you too Rachel.”

She then turned me around swatted my butt, “Now go get prepared.” I giggled, running back up the stairs and to my room, completely forgetting why I came down in the first place.

The new year finally rolled around. So as the as the old saying goes, “A promise made is a promise kept”.