Time's Daughter (21 page)

I tried not to flinch as he stepped forward and held
a hand out to me. I recalled him roaring at me, threatening me and
generally being menacing. But I also recalled his polite behavior
after. I took it, hoping I’d successfully displayed something a
little calmer than terror on my face.

“
Arthur Chattan.” The older man
nodded toward Alex. “He gets his finer qualities from
me.”

I managed a smile. “Aeon Still.”

“
Lovely name to match a lovely
girl.” He held out his arm. “Won’t you allow me to escort you to
dinner?”

A glance at Alex showed I was supposed to let him. I
took Arthur’s arm and followed him out of the giant room into
another portion of the house we had yet to visit. Alex lingered
long enough to turn off the television.

I hoped I could handle whatever happened next. If
Alex was there, I was certain I’d be okay.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“
Are you sure you’re
not a witch?” Arthur questioned quietly on our way to the dining
room. He spoke before I could swallow my fear enough to answer.
“Because you have bewitched my son.”

My cheeks seared.

Alex burst into laughter behind us. “And you said my
goddess thing was cheesy.”

“
It was.” I cast a glance over my
shoulder. “But now I know where you get it from.”

Arthur patted my arm. “Finer qualities, m’dear,
finer qualities.”

We passed a staircase made of sturdy timber that
matched the accents on the front of the house. The second floor was
open on one side so that light streamed down from skylights on the
cathedral ceiling and a bank of doors was barely visible on the
other. Rustling from the second floor meant that some of the family
had yet to come down to dinner.

The dining room was massive by my standards but I
could tell by the place settings on the table that it was tiny by
theirs. Ten spots were free for ten people. The family could never
have a sit down meal with more than one guest at a time without
someone being left off the table.

For a family of supernatural creatures, they seemed
to have a thing for glass. The dining room was set between walls
with exposed beams and a bank of French doors overlooking the lake
that shimmered in the setting sun. Exposed rafters with two rustic
iron chandeliers hung above the table and matched the candelabras
on either end. Each place setting had a cream colored plate, far
too many forks, a dark orange napkin with iron holder and a
matching dark orange suede cushion on the seat.

Abby was busy filling glasses with ice water as Anna
bustled around the attached kitchen and Arnie sat waiting at the
foot of the table. I was guided around the long table. Arthur
gently released my arm so he could pull out the chair beside the
head of the table.

Was I supposed to sit there?

I sent another glance at Alex. He gave me a barely
perceptible nod. I settled myself down. The Chattan men took the
seats on either side of me. As I’d expected, Arthur sat at the head
of the table while Alex sat beside me.

But something told me I had someone else’s seat. I
hoped it wasn’t someone who despised me. I doubted the fact that
their leader had personally seated me would help any.

Alex’s hand sought mine out beneath the table. I
clung to it tightly for support. So far the visit had been a
success but I was positive it wouldn’t stay that way.

Anna and Abby brought ceramic dishes filled with
steaming goodness in twos. Identical bowls of mashed potatoes,
fresh green beans, seasoned pork and glazed carrots held spots on
both ends of the table. The last item the ladies brought were
baskets of rolls.

Anna took the seat across from me after setting the
basket down. And Abby sat beside her grandfather near the kitchen
door.

Anna leaned back so she could shout. “Soup’s
on!”

Footsteps pounded on the stairs. Not so much as a
peep emitted from Alex when I squeezed his hand with all my might.
Instead he covered my hand with both of his so that he could
lightly rub the skin over my knuckles. I tried to concentrate on it
instead of the impending awkwardness.

A man I didn’t know stopped suddenly in the doorway.
“Wow, Drew. You got prettied up for dinner.”

Alex’s older brother Drew shoved by and smacked the
newcomer upside the head on his way. Drew took the seat beside
Alex.

The newcomer neared Anna and held his hand out to
me. “You must be the girlfriend we’ve heard so much about. I’m
Aaron, Arthur’s youngest brother.”

I shook it and responded with a quiet volume.
“Aeon.”

“
Good to finally meet the girl
behind all the fuss.” He nodded firmly then moved down and took the
seat across from Abby.

He’d been nice. The conversation I’d overheard in
the garage replayed in my head. Aaron had defended Arthur’s
decision. The defender should have sat closer.

When I’d begun thinking everyone had arrived, the
final two family members appeared at the door. The male’s attention
was fixed on the female at his side. However she glared at me from
beneath lowered kohl lashes that matched the color of her long
hair.

Arthur cleared his throat. The male’s gaze snapped
to the head of the table. They then switched to me.

“
Hello.” The man gave a sober nod.
“I’m Antonio.”

He didn’t explain his connection to the family
before walking further into the room and taking the seat beside
Aaron. The family resemblance was so strong that I guessed he was
another of Arnold’s sons.

“
That is my sister, Alicia,” Anna
said without turning. “Won’t you sit, my dear?”

“
If I must.” Alicia’s icy tone made
me uncomfortable but not as much as how she eyed me
warily.

“
It would please me.” Arthur smiled
at no one in particular.

“
And we must always please
you.”

“
Alicia!” Anna snapped.

The woman inhaled sharply before taking the seat
beside her sister. I lowered my attention to my plate.

Had I witnessed a rare occurrence or a long-standing
feud?

Alex squeezed my hand with both of his. I glanced
over and forced an uneasy smile for him.

Arthur picked up the plate of seasoned pork and
chose a slice. He started a new, lighter conversion. “Why don’t you
tell us about the games you played, Abby?”

We were regaled with tales of Wii bowling for ten
minutes while the food was passed around. The males on either side
of me had loaded my plate up with food. I kept my head down,
picking at it in silence. By the close of Abby’s story everyone had
relaxed except Alicia and me.

“
So tell me, Aeon,” Anna began the
inevitable questioning. “What subject do you enjoy most at
school?”

I set my fork down on the edge of the plate, put my
hands in my lap atop the cloth napkin and then answered.
“Drawing.”

Her lips lifted upward. “An artist. How nice. I
enjoyed art most in school as well.”

“
Aeon also excels at photography,”
Alex said proudly.

Anna chuckled. “So you’ve said.” She gave the
mischievous grin I’d seen on his lips. “What subject does my son
excel at most?”

Alex snorted. They seemed like a close-knit group.
Surely she already knew the answer.

I gave her an answer anyway. “Alex seems to excel at
everything.”

He sent me a look and grumbled, “I do not.”

“
He aces pop quizzes in A.P.
History, needs no help in the darkroom and wins just about every
game for his team in physical education class. Those are the only
subjects I have personal experience with.”

“
I didn’t win the game today,” he
said while pushing around potatoes on his plate.

Arthur asked the next question. “What did you play
today?”

“
Basketball.”

Drew guffawed from the other end of the table.
“Yeah, he sucks a basketball.”

“
Do you have much family,
Aeon?”

I turned toward Arthur. “No, it’s just me and my
mother.”

Abby’s head peeked from around Drew. “Just you two?
Wow. It must be quiet.”

“
It is. But Christmas is
cheaper.”

My lame attempt at a joke was met with polite
laughs. I dropped my gaze to my plate and tried to take the fork
back up.

“
We place great importance on
family,” Arthur said. “This is my entire living family with the
exception of some cousins on my mother’s side.”

I shook my head in awe.

His tone warmed as he continued. “We’re lucky to be
able to pool our resources together to be able to afford a place
large enough to fit us all.”

“
It is a beautiful home,” I said
quietly.

“
It will be better when we’re
finished with it,” Drew said.

“
What will you do to it?”

“
I’m installing cat five, cable and
central stereo connections in every room.”

I nodded as if I understood what Alex’s brother had
said.

“
We should let her eat,” Anna said
with a motherly tone. “How is the work going on the Shipley’s
condo?”

“
We’ll have it done tomorrow.”
Arthur’s answer was all business. “I’ve got an appointment with Sam
Denoncourt on Wednesday.”

The food on my plate held my attention even though I
wasn’t hungry. Contemplating what seasoning was used in the
roasting of the pork kept my mind off the fact that a woman glared
across the table. What little I’d had swallowed of it was delicious
but I didn’t think I could eat more. I still felt sick to my
stomach from the anxiety of meeting Alex’s massive family.

Business discussion ended quickly and was replaced
by what activity the family would be doing the next weekend. Anna
took suggestions. Abby piped up with a vote for Wii bowling that
was met by groans all around. Drew suggested a trip to
Burlington.

“
Apple picking,” Alex
said.

Anna’s face lit into a stunning smile. “Fresh apples
right off the tree. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“
On Sunday,” he added.

“
Sunday?”

“
So Aeon can go with us.”

I set my fork down but didn’t look up.

The suggestion wasn’t immediately discounted.
Instead Anna added to it. “Perhaps she can invite her mother to
come with us.”

My face paled. The thought of introducing my mother
to a clan of shapeshifters made me twice as queasy. I tried to get
the color back in my cheeks through sheer force of will so they
wouldn’t know how I truly felt.

“
I will see if she’s off that day,”
I said,

Mom often worked a few hours on the weekends but it
wasn’t consistent and relied on regulars’ appointments.

“
Since it was your idea, Alex, you
are in charge of research.”

He nodded in agreement.

Anna gestured toward the nearly empty bowls in front
of her. “Drew, Aaron, and Antonio are on dish duty tonight. The
sooner we get it cleaned up, the sooner we get cookies.”

The pressure at my hand made me look over at Alex.
He slid off his chair on the edge closest to me then stood. I let
him pull me to my feet with him.

“
We’ll be out back until then,” Alex
said. He tugged me to the door.

Anna nodded as she lifted the plate of pork up.
“Okay, hon. Take a sweater.”

CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN

I eagerly followed him through the house to the
room with the fireplace and onto the deck outside. The further we
got from the dining room the more relaxed I got. But when we
stepped out into the chill, took the stairs down and walked down
the pebble path toward the lake my teeth began
chattering.

Alex slowed and faced me. Concern filled his
handsome features. “You’re freezing.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “I don’t think I am.”

His hands slid along my arms. “You’re right, you
aren’t. It must be nerves.” Alex pulled me forward until my head
rested against his chest. “Thank you for coming. I know this was
hard for you. Was it as bad as you thought?”

“
Are they always like
that?”

“
Like what?”

“
So…perfect?”

“
Perfect?” Alex’s quick laugh
sounded incredulous. The sound of it rumbled the chest beneath my
cheek. “You think that’s perfection?”

I pulled back to see if he was joking. He wasn’t?
“Yes. I do. I mean, that was like
Leave it to Beaver
except
no one said, ‘golly gee, Pa’.”

“
I guess they were well behaved
today.” He laughed. “Usually rolls are flying, people are arguing
over the last slice of meat and no one agrees on the weekend
activity.”

“
You guys really do a weekend
activity
every
week?”

“
We try. Doesn’t always work
out.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s insane.”

“
What?” His slow delivery sounded a
little embarrassed.

“
That you guys are…well…so
different, and yet so perfect.”

“
We’re not perfect. Did you forget
about the aunt?”

“
No, I didn’t.” I frowned, looking
away. “What is her deal anyway?”

“
Long story.” He took hold of my
hand, lifted it outward then tugged lightly on it until I was
forced to walk forward. “Come on, let’s sit by the water until they
send Abby after us.”

Abby was one Chattan I wouldn’t be upset to see.
“Your sister is adorable.”