The Fragile the Broken and the Brave

9. Grandparents

7.24.20

"Okay, I know you're probably curious because you're Benji. Please remain calm." Once the lights had turned on, I was even more alarmed by Connor's eyes. They're red which is typically an evil color, but he isn't evil... Right?

"What could be more scary than this!?" Suddenly, I watched as horns, a tail, and leathery wings burst from his body, and I fell back onto the ground. He looked down at me with gentle eyes, but I crawled backwards on my hands fearfully.

"I know this is overwhelming, but I don't want to keep it a secret anymore." The wings stretched high over his head, and my eyes became saucers at the huge size. Those things could engulf me in a second, then it's bye bye Benji!

"This is a lot to take in."

"I know it is... I promise most of our other friends aren't as frightening as this."

"What are they?"

"Will and Ariel are werewolves, and Lily is a vampire. Ariel may be part demon, but she is mostly wolf so she doesn't have a form like I do. Emile, creepy shadow guy, is a medium like his dad. Jack's twins, that you have her to meet, are both warlocks like you. Jacob is a late bloomer, but we ignore that; he doesn't like to talk about it."

"You're right, I don't like to talk about it." I looked over at th doorway, and I was shocked to see a young man around my age standing there. He had brown hair, amber eyes that were calculating my every move, and a different aura than the rest of my friends. This is strange, but he reminds me of my father in a lot of ways. I hadn't noticed it before, but all of the people I hung out with had a special feeling about them that made them different. However, the kid in front of me was just there like the other kids in my school; he must be human.

"Connor, he feels–"

"Yeah, I know. Don't say it."

"But–"

"Jack hasn't gotten around to telling him yet. Don't know why, he just hasn't."

"You talk about me like I'm not right here." When I looked back, he was literally right in front of me, and I fell backwards into Connor.

"Close much."

"Just saying you shouldn't talk about someone that is right there. Jacob Quinn." He stuck his hand out as a greeting, but I ignored it with curiosity too great.

"Isn't Jack's–"

"Yes Benji, stop talking." Connor is clearly keeping my censored, and I'm hoping that he lets me ask my questions later. "Where's the other twin; y'all are practically inseparable."

"Here!" I looked up at the ceiling, and I saw a girl staring down at me, floating. She was insanely beautiful, and her long, black hair fell down from her head. She stared with green eyes down at us, and I watched as she flipped miraculously through the air. When she landed, she immediately smiled at me. "Sasha Quinn~"

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Benji."

"Connor didn't tell us he had a cute friend!"

"That's because I don't think he's cute." Connor crossed his arms, but the girl just snickered.

"Unfortunately for me, Jack won't let me date until 18 because he's an overprotective dad. My brother agrees." The two siblings started to argue back and forth, and I looked at Connor desperate to burst out in questions. He smiled at me before leading me out of the room, and I looked around the find us in a supply closet.

"Okay, you're about to burst. Please only ask one at a time."

"Why does Jacob have a human aura?"

"No one knows. He was born with the warlock spark, but he never developed with it after the first night in the hospital. Jack always wondered if there was a mistake, but he couldn't go back to the hospital because pregnant males are weird and he would have been bombarded by reporters."

"Why do they have a different last name?"

"Jack's soulmate died the day they were born. He originally had them under his last name, but he changed it to match their father. He didn't want to forget."

"Why do you have wings?"

"I'm a demon, it's fairly normal in my culture."

"Is that why you have long hair too?"

"Yes. Both males and females grow their hair out in hell. It's supposed to be inclusive."

"Can I touch your wings?"

"If you want to?" I reached out my hand, and I realized that they were just as leathery as they looked. There were muscles in the limbs, and they flexed and relaxed as I ran my hands over them.

"They're like a cow."

"Uh, thanks?" When he spoke, I remembered that I was feeling up my friends wing, and I stepped back.

"Sorry that was probably weird."

"I don't mind, but it was kind of."

"I'm going to assume that your dad is the demon?"

"Yes, and Papa is a vampire wolf hybrid."

"Do you have grandparents?"

"I do... I used to have great grandparents until a month ago..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up."

"It's fine. Wanna meet my grandparents? On my papa's side. My dad's parents are either dead or locked away somewhere secret."

"That's dark, but sure."

Connor lead me through the hallways, and we approached a dark room. All was silent, and I was slightly concerned that he was leading me to a booby trap. However, I heard a nearly silent noise in the room, and Connor nodded at me. Suddenly, he kicked the door open, and I heard a yelp.

"Connor I am 52, you cannot be doing this to me!" When I peaked into the room, I saw an older man sitting on the bed. He had gray streaks in his brown hair, and his green eyes were extremely wise.

"Yeah, seriously Connor, don't give him a heart attack–"

"Who are you?"

"Granddad, this is my friend Benjamin."

"Come here." I walked over to him, and he grabbed my shirt collar as soon as I was close. His eyes bore into mine, and I felt like he was staring into my soul a bit. "Ashton get here now."

"What!? I'm trying to brush my teeth!"

"Trust me!"

Another old man came out of the bathroom, and he looked kind of scary. Please don't eat my soul. "Alex, why are you manhandling the kid?"

"Look at his eyes!" The other guy walked over, and he also stared deeply into my eyes. What is with these people! "Oh my God."

"Mhm!"

"Can someone explain what's going on?"

"I think that Jack has some explaining to do, yes?" The brown haired one just straight up ignored me to continue his conversation, and I felt my frustrations bubbling over the top.

"Get him in here. Get his other child too, the human one."

"WHAT IS GOING ON!" I finally snapped. Everyone in the room looked at me again, and I was finally released to rub my neck where my shirt collar had dug in. The two men looked at each other before looking at me, and they conjoined hands before finally telling me.

"Benjamin, we have suspicions that you are related to us."