Secret Heart: Other Realm, Frost Family Series, Book 3

Lock 18

Present day...

"...The next morning we were packing up and moved here," Kazuo murmured softly.

Bren stared at his old teacher in shock. "...That was not what I was expecting," he whispered.

A sudden noise from the first floor doorway made both men turn their heads at the same time. Standing there, looking pale, shaken, but equally determined, was Aiden.

"Fuck," Kazuo swore, shaking his head and covering his face with his hands. "Eavesdropping is rude, you know..."

"Does Willow still have to feed on souls as often as you said she did when she was pregnant with Prophecy?" Aiden asked in a tight voice.

Kazuo blinked in surprise. He certainly hadn't thought that would be the first words out of Aiden's mouth after hearing what he had. Lowering his hands, he turned his head to face the younger man. "No," he answered. "After she had Prophecy, Willow returned to only needing to feed once every five years."

"But she still goes out and kills people much more often than that, doesn't she?" Aiden pressed, dark green eyes unreadable.

Kazuo let out a long sigh. "She's got it stuck in that stubborn head of hers that she has to. You see," he admitted quietly, turning to face Bren, "I'm basically the same as you now."

Bren raised a brow. "What? What are you talking about?"

"I have just enough power left to ensure two things. I can sense and see magic and I have a slightly longer life span than a normal mortal. Remember how I used to aged one year for every thousand that passed?" he asked wearily. At Bren's slow, uncertain nod, he continued. "I age one year for every five now...I don't even have enough magic to sense souls anymore, let alone teleport or kill someone with the snap of my fingers," he sighed. "At this point, I'm very nearly human."

"W-what happens if you bring Willow, or anyone else for that matter, back to life again?" Bren questioned softly.

Kazuo's lips lifted into a wry smile. "One of two things. Either I'll die outright or I'll loose all my magic and become completely mortal, which means I'd have one last life, to say, left."

"Holy shit..." Bren whispered, eyes wide in shock as he slumped back against the chair he was sitting in.

Kazuo nodded, clearing his throat. "Yes...So, Willow's got it stuck in her head now that she has to do my old job to make lots of money and pay me back for everything I've ever done for her. The silly woman refuses to let me just do things for her because I love her," he muttered in mournful annoyance.

Aiden's lips twitched a little at that. "Sounds like Willow," he murmured in dry amusement.

Kazuo peered over at him, studying the other man's face closely. After a few seconds, he let out a long sigh, nodding his head. "It's hard, loving her. It may be for completely different reasons, but I suppose I should welcome you to the club, Aiden. So far, it's just me and you. I'm kind of hoping it stays that way though. I don't think I can handle another guy being in love with my daughter."

Aiden didn't even bat an eye. No, he was past trying to deny it. Stepping forward more into the room, he smiled, just a little. "Yeah, I don't think I could handle it either. But," he grumbled as he reached the couch, "something tells me that this Andrew guy might have sneaked into the clubhouse when you weren't looking."

"Damn, I knew I should have installed better security!" Kazuo cursed.

Bren glanced between the two men, eyebrow raised in question. "Are you two already practicing your father and son-in-law relationship?"