Genetics

Chapter 19

The early autumn breeze carried a hint of the winter that would arrive in just a few months. The hot mug of coffee in my hands was a welcoming feeling against the coldness. The sun had just peaked over the horizon, casting a pink hue along the sky.

Nicole was sitting beside me with Marcus. Mark was supposed to be over soon with Jasmine and their five children. Mark had even informed me that Jasmine was expecting again.

"Mommy, the sunrise is pretty." Nicole said as she leaned her head against my arm.

She had her black blanket wrapped around her to keep her warm as we watched the sunrise together. Nicole wasn't learning magic from any of the witches and hadn't really performed any magic since the canary. Marcus was sitting beside Nicole with his blue blanket wrapped around him and he looked extremely tired.

"Dad would have loved this." He mumbled before yawning.

"Alex would have loved the pretty sunrise." I told him as I reached over to hug not just him, but Nicole too.

"Mommy, when will Daddy be home?" Nicole asked.

"He'll be home soon. He's just working late." I promised Nicole as I looked at my phone.

It had been a while since I had last heard from Caleb. He said he would be home by sunrise, yet he wasn't home yet. I stood and called him. It just continued to ring and ring until it went to voicemail.

I frowned and looked up at the roof, knowing Adonis and Lugus would be standing guard right now over the house. I sent a message to Adonis and heard the ding far above. Then I heard a screech and Adonis flew overhead, heading towards the city. I waited for a few minutes and soon got a message back. Looking at it, I noticed it was a few photos, but it wasn't from Adonis.

I stiffened up and looked at Nicole, quickly turning off my phone. I whistled to draw Lugus's attention to me. He landed on the ground in front of me and looked confused. Nicole and Marcus looked confused too.

"What's wrong?" Lugus asked.

"I need you to go get Adonis to return, tell him Fox, and then I need you to send him to fetch Cole and Nefari. I also need you to watch Nicole and Marcus after you return." I said as I stood up.

"Mommy?" Nicole asked, her voice filled with worry.

"Marcus, take Nicole up to your room. See if Beth and Cherry can play with you two for a bit. Tell their parents I said Fox." I told Marcus as I held the door open for them.

Nicole and Marcus got up and headed inside. Lugus flew off to catch Adonis while I stood at the door taking shaky breaths. I needed to call Mark and tell him he needed to bring his family in. He's wife would have to be given a crash course in the supernatural's' existence.

I pulled my phone out and called Mark, hoping he would be awake. He answered on the second ring. He sounded tired as he replied with a hello.

"Mark, it's a code Fox. You need to bring your family in now. They're watching your house, so you'll have to go about telling your wife as you carry her out here from your backyard." I spoke as I looked out at the forest.

"Wait. What? Are you sure it's a code Fox?" Mark asked.

"Positive. I got a message from Caleb's phone of your house, Caleb's job, your job, Jasmine's job, and then Caleb injured lying on a stone ground." I spoke as I ran my fingers through my hair.

The last three years were too peaceful to the point we had actually lowered our guards and begun to live more normal lives. We did set up a list of codes to warn each other if the peace was disturbed again or threatened. Fox was our code for 'Our peace is over, and our lives are in serious danger.' With Caleb kidnapped and in serious danger, our peace was over.