Beyond Agent Vix, it was a quite stressful evening for five younger girls.
Katie took it well, but with astonishment as Sharon showed her the videos and showed Katie her transformation.
Ebony scared Lucy half to death as Ebony changed outside her daughter’s room and knocked on the door. Lucy opened the door to see a large jet black wolf smiling up to her, a wolf that leaped up on her and licked her face lovingly. “Nice doggie!?!” Lucy said flattered but baffled. Then Ebony changed back. Lucy screamed her horror as the friendly wolf disappeared to reveal her mother. After Lucy calmed down, they talked well into the morning.
Solange and Anaya brought their daughters over to Anaya’s home. Both Gabrielle and Maria were amazed, though Maria’s reaction was closer to horror as her mother disappeared under sprouting fur and fangs. The two teenagers stayed up until the sun was creeping up over the horizon.
“Mom, Dita and Heather said I should ask you about what’s going on.” Brenda nodded. “If they told you, you would be hard-pressed to believe their words. When we get home, I will show you. There is much that you have to learn.” Ten minutes later, Brenda brought her daughter into her bedroom.
“Rachel, what I’m about to show you was something I needed to keep hidden from you until today, so please forgive me for being silent till now.” She began to undress.
“Mom, what’re you…?”
“Shhh, you will see.” Brenda finished undressing, standing nude before her daughter. She inhaled deeply, focusing. Rachel stared at her mother, a strange questioning expression on her face that turned into incredulity as her mother changed before her eyes.
“Mom,” Rachel whispered, “Are you a…,” Brenda nodded. “We are werewolves, Rachel. I was attacked on the Burren shortly after you were born. I have been changing every night of the full moon for the past eighteen years.” “Why couldn’t you tell me?” Brenda smiled, her fangs unnerving Rachel. “We are a secretive people, a ghrá. By the Law of the Werewolf, had you found out, we would be obligated to pass the gift onto you.” Rachel was shocked. “You would have bitten me?” Brenda nodded. “There are other was to pass the gift onto others, but in any case, you would be a werewolf within a few hours of finding out.” Rachel began to panic. “Mom, I know about you!!” Brenda shook her head, holding up a clawed hand covered with thick fluffy brown fur. “Hush now, leannán, there is nothing to worry about now, though if Wendy had not survived, you would have been gifted this evening. The pack is endangered which I why I am sending you to Ireland for a few weeks while we get this sorted out.
Rachel began to breathe easier. “All of your friends are werewolves then?” “All of them at the meeting tonight, and Wendy, yes. Rachel, now that you know what I am, I can tell you that you will have me around as long as you live. Barring a weapon of silver, werewolves are all but immortal. The way you see me now is the way I looked when I was twenty-five.”
Rachel’s jaw dropped, her eyes smiling. “You’re never going to die?” Brenda shook her head. “God willing, I’m always here.” Rachel grinned, hugging her mother “Saol fada chugat, máthair!!” Brenda chuckled, always appreciating her daughter speaking the old tongue, “Ye best practice that, me love, you’ll be there on Tuesday morning. Sleep well, love.” Brenda changed back and kissed Rachel goodnight. Her daughter left the room, and Brenda herself got ready for bed, unaware that she had failed to mention a rather important facet of her daughter’s trip.
Sunday, Three in the Morning, September 24th, 2006
Debra slipped into her daughter’s bedroom, kissing her sleeping Heather on the cheek. “Happy Birthday darling,” she whispered softly, then slipped on out.
As Heather slept and drifted into the eighteenth year of her life, her body chemistry started changing, changes that were significant but imperceptible.
Monday, September 25th Evansville Regional Airport.
“Ok Heather you’ll be taking American Eagle 4172 to Chicago, and then getting on Aer Lingus 124 to Dublin. Do you HAVE your PASSPORT?” “Yes, Mom I HAVE my PASSPORT! I also have my tickets, boarding pass, books and clothing.” Heather winked. She and her mother had spent a frantic Sunday getting airline tickets and hotel reservations. “Mom, there’s Rachel and Dita!!” Heather raced up to her two friends embracing them both.
“How much time before our flight leaves? Are you all checked in?” “We have about an hour, and we’re good to go.”
Lisa, Brenda, and Debra walked with their daughters up to the security gate.
“Remember girls; don’t tarry too long in getting to Galway, my parents look forward to seeing you. Call us as soon as you land, don’t you be worrying none about time zones.” Brenda’s admonition was met with six pairs of rolling eyes.
Debra stroked her daughters shoulder. “Have a good trip honey. We’ll try to meet with you before the 7th, if not…just remember that I love you.”
Heather nodded. It’s not going to happen to me, she said to herself.
They waved goodbye, took off their shoes, and their belts, and any conceivably metal object and stepped through the metal detectors.
“All right, Mistress of the Sky, what kind of plane is that?” “Uh, Embraer Regional Jet 145. Nice little aircraft, range of 2500 nautical miles in five hours.”
Forty-five minutes later they touched down on Chicago O’Hares longest runway and were soon exploring one of the worlds busiest airports, after all...they had three hours to kill.
“Good Lord Deet, you sure you want to spend your career trying to navigate around a place like this?” Heather asked in astonishment.
“Must fly. The Deet must fly,” Dita replied in a robotic monotone. Heather and Rachel giggled as they made their way through Terminal 3. “So where do we go for Air Lingis, asked Heather. “That’s Aer Lingus, a coleen,” advised Rachel slipping into an Irish brogue. Though raised in the US, her native accent tended to disappear once in her mother’s homeland. “Our flight will be leaving from the International Terminal, way over there."
The three hours were killed easily, with all the distractions and the sheer excitement of traveling overseas with best friends. As the sun sank over the horizon, the first boarding call for Aer Lingus was made over the loudspeaker. Already used to the flight, Rachel took an aisle seat, allowing her friends access to the window. EI-EWR was an Airbus 330, noted Dita, eight across seating and easy access to the aisle. Shortly after seven, the chocks were pulled and the aircraft backed away from the gate to the happy squeals of three high school seniors and one co-pilot.