Erin the Fire Goddess: The Beginning

Chapter Nine

We eventually got back to the cottage, just after 4pm. My Mum was busy in the kitchen, making dinner. Whatever it was, it smelt delicious. I stayed in the kitchen to help her, whilst Sean went into the other room.

As I was laying the table something dawned on me, "Kasey-Ray!" I said out loud, freezing where I stood.

My Mum looked over, understanding exactly what I meant.

"No, she doesn't know." She turned back to the pot. "And no, we have no idea if she has any gifts. We are hoping it may pass her by."

I nodded at this thoughtfully.

"When is she coming home? Is she coming here?"

"Your Dad's going to collect her just before Dr Hammersmith gets here, but he's taking her home first, to pack an overnight bag."

"How are we going to explain why we are here?" I finished laying the table and went to stand next to her.

"Not sure yet, but I'm sure she'll be more preoccupied with you and Sean." She laughed warmly, making me blush.

She carried on cooking, as I went into the other room. I walked up to the sofa, where Sean sat and leaned down to slide my hands down his chest.

"Hey you!" I whispered in his ear, as I kissed his cheek.

He smiled happily as he placed a hand on mine and the other he stretched up to slide his fingers through my hair and kiss me tenderly on the lips.

At 7pm sharp, there was a knock on the door. I was cuddled on the sofa with Sean, with one hand running though his hair. I paused as a tall man with long grey hair, tied into a pony-tail, wearing a grey suit and carrying a briefcase, stepped into the middle of the room and stared at me carefully. A slow smile spread across his face as he reached over to shake my free hand.

"You must be Erin!" It wasn't a question and he went to sit down in the arm chair, next to the fire, without taking his eyes off me. "I've waited a long time to finally meet you!" He saw my puzzled expression and raised his hands up, as he placed his briefcase at his feet. "All in good time."

He slowly looked at Sean, then back to me.

"It's wonderful that you two have finally found each other."

Sean moved uneasily in his seat and pulled me closer to him, protectively.

"It's okay, I'm not going to run any tests today." I looked at Sean and back to Dr Hammersmith, who eventually turned to look at me. "We will be running tests on you, like Sean said." I hadn't heard Sean speak, I thought, making Dr Hammersmith laugh.

He composed himself before continuing. "I'll need to test your strength. Your powers, so to speak."

I didn't like the sound of that, and feeling my unease, Sean reached up to gently stroke my left cheek.

Ignoring my unease, Dr Hammersmith continued to talk.

"Every century, one force dies and takes hold in another vessel, – body." His face was very serious as he leaned forward "The day that each of Sean's great grandparents died, you were both born, possessing their unique gifts."

Sean looked at me and I could tell he didn't realise this. He had told me that he had never gotten the chance to meet his great grandfather, as he had died when he was a baby, and his great grandmother had died a couple of years after. I could see the pain in his eyes as the velocity of this hit him and now we were being told that I was born on the day his great grandmother died. Bittersweet.