Not so Natural

Prologue

"Hi, are you Cassadee?" the taller man with close crop hair asked the girl sitting behind the counter. She had purple hair, an array of freckles across her tanned skin, and warm whiskey eyes and was about 5' 9". She smiled at him, "Yeah, I'm Cassadee. How can I help you?" "I'm Daniel, that's my brother, Alex. We need your help," he replied. She gave him a confused look, "With what?" Alex sighed looking bored. "Well, have you ever heard of a bear in the area?" Daniel asked looking shy and embarrassed.

Cassadee nodded, "You think you found one and you want my help killing it?" Daniel muttered a 'yeah' as a girl walked in. She was much shorter than Cassadee, about 5' 2". She had black curls, pale eyes, some freckles on her olive tanned skin, and a large scar across her nose. She stopped dead in her tracks and her hoodie string fell out of her mouth when she saw the two men. Cassadee beckoned her over, "Daniel, this is my best friend, Cecilia." Cecilia smiled at the very tall man, then looked at his brother.

"Hi, I'm Alex," he introduced himself with a winning smile. Cecilia opened her mouth to reply when a little boy walked in. "Nico said his tum hurts and Luke feels warm and Addie keeps crying," the little boy told her. "Justin, do you feel okay? Give Adam his binkie, bring Nico here and then give Lucas a popsicle," she told his whist feeling his forehead. He pouted scrunching up his nose, "Can I have one too, Mama?" Cecilia's face went pale for a split second then went back to normal as a warm smile broke on her face. "Of course you can sweet thang! Now get going."

The two brothers had a confused look and when Cecilia caught it she grinned, "That's Justin, you'll meet Nico soon. Maybe even Lucas or the baby, Adam, if you're lucky." Justin came back in carrying another boy about three. Justin had curly almost black hair, dark brown eyes, and paler skin. "Nico, tell me what's wrong. Tell me baby," Cecilia asked the younger of the two boys. Nico had the same curly, dark hair and pale skin, but had dark gold eyes. He grabbed for his mother, "Tum." She picked him up as she hushed him, "Honey bear go eat an apple, then go to sleep."

She handed the boy back to his brother who then walked away. "Now, what can we do for you boys?" Cecilia asked grinning. "You can't sweetheart, but we need your friend," Alex grinned back as he pulled out a box with an antenna. Both girls gave him weird looks. The box started beeping loudly which made the boys go pale. "What is that thing?" Cassadee asked nervously. "An EMF meter, it's used for detecting spirits," Daniel said looking around.

"Do you ever have strange noises or things moved?" Alex asked. Both girls shook their heads. "there are no 'spirits' here," Cecilia snapped. An older woman came in, "Do y'all sell canteens here? Silver ones?" Cecilia nodded and put one on the counter, "Six dollars, sixty-six cents please." The woman gave the needed amount and left. Cassadee turned the sign to closed, then turned back around looking slightly scared.

"Okay, what the hell are we hunting and where is it?" Alex frowned, "We think it's a bear. Not sure. We kinda hunted one." Cecilia rolled her eyes, "Can you turn that damn thing off? You'll wake the baby." Alex glared at her, but did as she asked. A sharp cry cut through the new found silence. Cecilia gave Alex a cruel look over her shoulder as she turned and stormed up the stairs. Alex rubbed a hand over his face with a heavy sigh, "Sorry. Shame she hates me 'cause she's real pretty."

Daniel and Cassadee shared a look as Cecilia reemerged holding a baby looking very much like his brothers. "Move it or lose it, Sasquatch. Back off my sister, Rapunzel," snapped at the brothers. "Sister?" Alex asked confused. Cassadee pointed to herself. "Here, hold him for a moment," Cecilia said handing the baby to Daniel. "Now, Princess Blondie, the is not one single bear in the area. Didn't hurt anyone, so it's just a kid messing around." Alex opened his mouth to respond, but Cecilia put a hand over it, "Don't."

She took the baby rocking him slightly. "You have some questions, go ahead and ask," Cassadee said. Daniel 's face broke into a grin, "I like you!" Cassadee's face went pink as she smiled back. The two older siblings shared a look that said "Ew. Please don't make me endure you." While the elders were busy glaring the younger siblings exchanged numbers.

"What's up with the kids?" Alex asked eyeing the sleeping infant. "Sorry to tell you, Bonnie and Clyde, I'm too young to have four chitlins," Cecilia replied with a condescending smile. Daniel rubbed a fingertip over the baby's tiny hand. Alex went to do the same, but Cecilia jerked back. Alex opened his mouth to say something, but the fiery-tempered girl adjusted his arms and settled Adam in them, "I'll get you if you drop him." He gave her a genuine smile that made her heart melt a little.

The small boy opened his dark gold eyes that stared at the man holding him. He made a small noise and in an instant a small with skin darker than his brothers' appeared. He put his arms up, "Give." Alex looked at the other adults who just shrugged. He handed the baby back over. "I'd like you to put him back in his crib, okay darling?" Cecilia said quickly. He gave a nod and went back whence he came.

"Mia sorella corso via, sinistro il bambinos," Cecilia explained the kids."I have no idea what you just said, but it sounded real pretty," Alex said looking awestruck. Her cheeks went bright red, "Sorry! I said my sister ran away, left the babies." "Sorry before you decide to screw each other right here on the counter remember kids upstairs and we have a case," Cassadee said breaking their stares. Daniel checked his watch, "I'll text you later, c'mon Alex let's go." They left in a bit of a hurry with that. "Damn, he was hot! Shame he was a big ol' bag of dicks," Cecilia sighed. "Yeah, they were weird," Cassadee agreed.