“Dad, you awake?” I called, the minute I got through the door.

The house was still lit up so I assumed he was in the living room watching TV or something. I walked into the living room and saw dad spacing out on some detective show.

“Dad? I need to talk to you about something.” I said, turning off the TV.

“Oh, I’m sorry dear, what is it?” He asked, sitting up and looking at me.

“It’s about my birthday dad… And my grandparents.” I added on as an after thought.

“Oh Phoenix. Can’t we talk about this another time?” He said, sounding exasperated. “How was your date?”

“I don’t want to talk about my date, or Kayde, or planning the birthday party dad, I want to talk about Grandma Grandpa.” I told him firmly.

“Phoenix. Please. Not tonight.” He said, almost pleading.

“Fine, lets talk about Kayde and I then Dad. Let’s talk about our date.” I told him heatedly. He took me up to a hill just out of town and treated to me a French dinner. Afterwards, we ate desert and asked each other questions to get to know each other because we just met last night.”

“Phee! You know better than to go somewhere with someone you don’t kn-”

“Oh, don’t worry dad, it gets better. We sat on a tree branch and watched the sunset and then watched the city lights come on in the city. We ran around and chased each other and acted goofy. He pinned me down on the ground and ate me out for damn near half an hour and then, after wards, we had sex. Yes sir, right there on top of the hill, bare ass naked for anyone to just walk up and watch.

“Oh, and that’s not even the good part! When we came, together, might I add, a huge cone of light shot into the sky from my vagina and his penis. What do you think of that? Not to pleased, it seems. Well, it’s ok, there’s more.

“After we got dressed and got in the car, I thought he was going to bring me home, but no, we drove for twenty minutes to go to a forest. When we got there, we searched for 10 minutes trying to get in the damn gate that surrounded it. We finally found the gate, and got in and searched for at least 15 minutes for a house that SHOULD have been in the forest, according to the address, but wasn’t. By this time, it should be almost eleven, right? Ten forty five, to be accurate.

“Finally, we saw a magical arch that made people disappear when they walked through it. Oh, and in the arch, was a tunnel. So we followed the tunnel and found a door. A door with the address we were looking for. We knocked on the door and met a very nice couple, Flora and Syle, who for some insane reason were convinced that they were fairies.

“Not only were the supposedly fairies, they claimed to be my mother’s parents. Meaning they also claimed to be my grandparents. You know, the ones you never want to invite over so they don’t call attention to us? It makes sense that you would be worried about that since they seem to be in their early twenties and are green with bright yellow hair and pale with silver hair…

“Oh, and even though Kayde and I didn’t seem to get into their house until past eleven and stayed for at least an hour, here it is, eleven seventeen.” I finished and plopped myself down onto the couch and waited for an answer.

The whole time I had been talking, my father had sat there quietly, only listening to my rampage. Now he seemed to be thinking and processing everything I said.

“So, you met them, huh?” He asked. “I suppose that means you know everything? You know they didn’t want your mother to be with me?”

“Yes Daddy, I know all of that. But the important thing is that you lied to me. Kept things from me. Things about Mommy. Things about myself.” I told him softly.

“I know Phee, and I’m sorry. I wanted to protect you; I didn’t want you going to school with kids calling you a freak. I figured if I didn’t tell you, you wouldn’t try to learn how to use your powers or what the hell ever.” He told me.

“It doesn’t work that way though Daddy. If you had just talked to me, just let them talk to me, we both would have known how it works.” I hated that I had to explain this. I hated that I had to have this talk with him, but it had to be done. “In order for any half blood to come into their powers, they have to share and orgasm with another half blood. One who they have strong feelings for.”

“Half blood? Is that what they called you?” Said my father, his voice dripping with disgust.

“Yes Daddy.” I told him calmly. “It’s not a bad term, just a term, like mixed, except it’s not as easy as that, from the way they made it sound.”

“Wait, you mean that this Kayde guy is a half blood too?” My father asked, only at that point understanding what I was saying. “And what? You’ve known this guy over night and you’re in love?”

“No Daddy! We just met, how could I be in love?” I asked, shocked. “I do feel very close, drawn to him. I think one day, I might be in love with him, but not today. I feel like he’s my best friend. Like I could tell him anything.”

For a few minutes, I sat in silence waiting for my father to say something to me about the whole situation. Finally, he looked at me and sighed. “I guess this means you’ve invited them to your birthday party, doesn’t it?” He asked.

“Yes Daddy, I did.” I told him. “And they’re coming.”

“I figured.” He said with a sigh. “Look, Phee, I know this is important to you, but it sure did take a lot out of me. I’m going to get some sleep and if there’s anything else you want to talk about it, we’ll go out to breakfast and chat. Deal?” My father asked as he stood up from the recliner and began to head to the stairs.

“Deal.” I agreed.

“Oh, and Phee?” He said turning towards me at the stairway.

“Yea dad?” I asked, turning to look at him.

“I expect to meet this Kayde guy before your party next week.” He told me.

“Yea, I figured you would.” I said as I got up and headed to my room. “Good night Daddy. Love you”

“Love you too Firebird.”

“Kayde, it’s late, we should get home.” I told Kayde as Flora and I got into the living room.

I hugged Flora and Syle and thanked them both for being so hospitable and helping me understand things. They invited me to come back anytime, and even offered me their car keys incase I couldn’t find a ride back. Of course, Kayde wasn’t having any of that. He was incredibly protective of me for someone who had just met me the night before.

We walked to the car in silence and it wasn’t until he had started the car and pulled away from the gated forest that I decided to say something.

“Kayde?” I started, gently. “Why did you watch out for me so closely back there?”

“I don’t know quite how to explain it. I feel… linked to you, I suppose is the best way to say it.” He answered, sounding genuinely unsure.

“It’s not bad or anything” I said, trying to comfort him. “It’s just curious. I mean, we just met yesterday.”

“Yes, but it seems I’ve known you much longer.” He said softly. “Like I said, I’ve dreamt about you.”

“You were serious about that?”

“Yes, very. For months now, probably since Yule, I’ve been dreaming about you. But, you were different. Your hair was always the color of fire, your skin, always tinted red. Your face, your body, your voice, it was always the same, just the colors were different.

“That’s what was so unnerving about them; their skin was strange, colored, the way yours always is in my dreams.” He explained to me. “I guess that was why I was so quiet; I couldn’t get over the fact that you truly are going to be like those people.” He said, putting his hand over mine.

“Kayde, I have to tell you something,” I said to him nervously “And I probably shouldn’t, and I don’t know if you’re going to like it, and I’m worried you might freak out, so please please don’t be upset or angry, just be open minded.”

“Flora knew about the cone of light we saw earlier. She said that it happened because I was beginning to come into my powers. She told me the only way it could happen is if a half blood, like myself, shared an orgasm with another half blood that they have strong feelings for.” I said quickly, afraid that if I gave him a chance to interrupt, I’d never get a chance to finish.

I was hoping that he wouldn’t be upset, or angry with me, or Flora, or what I was saying she had told me. At first, Kayde said nothing, in fact, for five minutes straight, he was silent and I was afraid that he hadn’t heard me.

“You’re trying to tell me that my parents, they’re like them?” He said slowly.

“Well, yes, probably. I mean, no. I mean one of your parents. Although I suppose they could both be half bloods, like me, which would still make you a half blood.” I said all of this quickly and then noticed that once again, I was blabbing.

“Phee, I know that it’s important to you to find your grandparents. But I just have to ask, do you really and truly think that those people are your grandparents?” He asked me.

“I do, Kayde.” I answered, knowing that I meant it whole heartedly. “They talk like my grandparents do in letters to me. They talk so well of my mother. They knew her, they knew me, and they knew my father. Even the writing in the scrap book and the photo, Kayde, there’s no doubt about it. Flora and Syle are definitely my grandparents.”

“If you believe that they are your grandparents, and that you can trust them, I will trust and believe this story about the light earlier.” He said, looking at me as we pulled up outside of my house. “Do you want me to come in with you?

“No, I have to do this on my own.” I told him as I took a deep breath. “Thank you Kayde, this is the most amazing night I’ve ever had.”

I leaned over the center console to kiss him lightly on the cheek. He turned his head at the last minute and wove his fingers through my hair as he kissed my lips passionately.

“I’ll see you tomorrow beautiful.” He told me. “That is, if you don’t have any plans, of course.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Kayde.” I answered for him, kissing him again softly.

I turned toward the car door and let myself out of the car. My breathing was slow and deep as I summoned the courage to have the conversation with my father that was a long time coming. Hopefully it wasn’t too late and he hadn’t gone to sleep yet. I checked my phone to see exactly how late it was and was shocked to see that it was just barely past eleven o’clock. I was sure that by the time we left the hill it was at least ten. It was as if we hadn’t even visited Flora and Syle at all.

    Thousands of thoughts must have shot in and out through my mind when she said that. Above all, how could I believe someone I didn’t know to say something like that?
    “Why don’t you look like my grandparents?” I asked.
    “It’s called a glamour.” Explained Flora. “When we wish to walk among humans, we can change the way others see us.  Of course, we have to see them in order for them to see us the way we wish, and it takes a lot of energy, that is why we only came to see you on special occasions.
    “It’s not that we didn’t want you to know what we were like.  Your mother and father had a talk when she found out she was pregnant and decided it would be best to wait until you came into your power to know. There was no way to know that your father would not allow you to see us after your mother passed.”
    “It’s not Daddy’s fault.” I exclaimed, immediately seeing the falsehood in the statement I had just made. “He just didn’t want to confuse me, I’m sure…
    “Wait, what do you mean ‘come into your power’?” I asked, realizing her words. “What are you, exactly?”
    “Well, sweet one, we are faery.” Flora said slowly. “I am a Flower Fae, I help flowers of plants to grow. Your grandfather is a Frost Fae, every winter, he is partly responsible for the snow and ice. Your mother was a Night Fae. Her dark hair, the sky; her perlescant skin, the stars; her deep violet eyes, the ending sunset.
    “And you, dear one, I’m not quite sure what power you hold, but from the looks of things, we shall know soon enough.”
    “What do you mean, Flora?” I asked. “Should I call you grandmother Flora?”
    “Call me whatever you are comfortable with dearest.”  She told me. “You know us now, I no longer plan to disguise myself as an old woman.
    “I know that this will not be easy to hear, but as a half Faery woman, there are some things that are different for you than they are for us.  While we don’t age, you will, but it will slow down when you turn eighteen. Also, well, this part may be somewhat private, would you like to hear it alone, or would you like Kayde and Syle to stay?”
    Kayde stood up, “Now wait just a minute lady, I’ve been quiet until now. You may have her fooled but I’m no-”
    “Kayde please,” I said, looking to him with pleading eyes. “Just give us a few moments.”
    “Come now boy, it’s nothing to worry about.” Said Syle, as he stood and began to walk out of the room. Kayde looked at me, then turned and followed Syle out of the room.
    “Good choice dear.  What I meant was that being only half Fae means you don’t come into your powers the way you would expect.  Some never do come into their powers.
    “You don’t have to work towards this, or watch for it, it will happen when and if it’s meant to. When a half-blood, forgive the term, it’s truly not derogatory, shares an orgasm with another half-blood who they have strong feelings for, they begin to come into their powers.
“I was truly hoping you would want to hear this alone, because Kayde, like yourself is a half-blood, the problem is that he has no idea. You may share this with him, but he likely won’t believe you.”
    “How can you tell Flora?” I asked, shocked with this news.
    “He may not be, but I assume he could see the arch the same as you could, is that right?” She asked.
    “Yes, he could. As clear as day, just as I did.” I answered. “How could you tell we’d… Well, you know, had sex?”
    “Ah, that was easy dear.” She said, laughing. “Anytime a woman is given an orgasm, or has sex with someone she cares greatly for, her mood changes, her skin glows, the same way a pregnant woman’s does. And you, my dear sweet one, are absolutely radiant.”
“So, you’re telling me that the cone of light Kayde and I saw earlier was us coming into our… power?” I asked, amazed.
“Yes dear, it was. Come now, let’s join the men in the living room.” Said Flora standing.

For a few moments, everything was incredibly quiet as Flora poured a cup of tea for me. “Phoenix, dear. You’re here to find your mother’s family, are you not?” She asked me.

“Yes! I am! Do you know them? Are they near by?” I asked hurriedly.

“Calm down sweet one.” She said with a smile. “Yes, we know them, and they are indeed near by, but first, I want to talk to you a bit about your family. May I?”

“Oh yes! Please, ask me anything, I’ll answer whatever I can, but please, please help me find my grandparents!” I begged.

“What do you remember of your grandparents?”

“Oh, nearly nothing. I know the last time I saw them I was two. My father won’t allow them to visit me though, not even for my birthdays. That’s why I want to see them. I will be eighteen in a few weeks and I want to invite them.” I explained.

“Well then, what of your mother? Do you remember her?” She asked me.

“Oh! Mommy had the most beautiful smell. She always smelled of wood smoke and ginger bread. And she had the most beautiful long dark hair; it was as long as yours, I bet. And she was always so soft. Nothing ever upset her either. Oh! And her laugh! It would tinkle like the softest little bell, but still as soft as velvet. And she loved to”-

“Calm now sweet one. You remember your mother quite well, it seems.”

Sheepishly, I smiled. “Yes, at least, I think I do. I dream of her quite often. Father never talks about her anymore, ever since she passed, so I may just be imagining her.”

“Do you remember your mother’s name dear?”

“Of course! Raven. Raven Rose. I always thought she had the most lovely name.” I told them.

“Well, your imagination seems to be quite accurate my little love.” Said Flora. “I’m sorry to ask so many questions, I just need to make sure you are the right person before I tell you how to find your grandparents.

“Syle, love, will you go get the box?” She asked her husband.

“What’s ‘the box’?” Asked Kayde, trying to protect me, as Syle rose from the chair he had been sitting in.

“Don’t worry. It’s just a small wooden box that we use to hold important papers.” She explained, not insulted.

We sat and enjoyed our tea for a few moments as questions flew through my head. How do these strange people know my grandparents? How do they know my mother? Why did they look so odd? As the questions floated in and out of my mind, Syle came back from retrieving the box and sat back down in his chair. He pulled a small laminated card out of the box and then passed the box to his wife.

Flora rifled through the box for a few moments and then pulled out a card, similar to Syle’s and then two sheets of paper and handed me one of them. What I saw was shocking, an official sealed copy of my own birth certificate.

Kayde leaned over, reading the sheet. “How did you people get this?” He asked. “What the hell is going on here?”

“Kayde, wait, please.” I asked him with begging eyes. “I can’t lose this. You know how important it is to me.”

Protectively, Kayde draped his arm around my waist and sat quietly as Flora handed me a second piece of paper, identical to the first. Only this time, my name was nowhere to be seen, nor was my fathers. There were however three names I was familiar with. Raven Rose, Flora Rose, and Syle Rose.

“This can’t be! You two? You can’t be my grandparents! You’re not old enough. You’re not normal enough.” I shouted, standing up. “What kind of people are you? How could you do something like this to me?

“Kayde, we’re leaving. These people are frauds!” I said, turning toward the door.

“Phoenix, please wait. Just let us finish.” Said Syle, calmly. “You are a spitting image of your mother at your age, you know.” He said, smiling. “The same temperament too. She would never trust anyone unless she had known them her whole life. She didn’t even trust Albert enough to tell him what and who she really was until after she was pregnant.

“Would you like to see a picture of her on her eighteenth birthday?” He asked kindly.

“Oh Syle, you can’t show her that. She very obviously isn’t ready.” Said Flora.

“No, I’d very much like to see it, please.” I answered. “Kayde, will you come with me?”

“Come this way with me you two, Flor, you might as well come with us.” Said Syle.

We walked back into the hallway and down the hall. About halfway down there were two doors, one on each side of the hall.

“That’s the bathroom, by the way.” Said Syle, pointing to the door to our left. “And this is our stop.” He said, opening the door to our right.

Behind that door was a bedroom, which had obviously been changed into a storage room at some point.

“Please, have a seat on the bed.” Offered Flora as Syle dug through a box next to a desk.

Finding what he was searching for, he stood up and sat between Flora and I. “This used to be your mother scrap book when she was younger. When she married your father, she left it here for us.” He said, opening it to the last page.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I know that you don’t want me to be with him, but I’m in love. He’s asked me to marry him and I said yes! I’m leaving this scrap book for you so that you always remember how sweet and innocent I once was. I hope that you aren’t taking this to mean that I love Albert more than I love you, just that I finally found my soul mate, just as you two did. You’re wonderful parents, and I will come and visit as much as I can.

Love Always,

Your precious Raven

Syle turned the page back one and there she was, just as beautiful as I remembered her, her long black hair over her right shoulder, straight and shiny as silk. Her skin pearly, and although it took a moment, I saw that certain places the flash hit her skin, it seemed to glimmer.

“Is that your mother?” Asked Kayde.

“Yes, it was.” I answered, smiling.

“She’s… she’s lovely. You truly do look just like her.” He told me, holding me close.

“Wait. This isn’t right.” I said, an epiphany forming. “This can’t be my mother. She may look like Mommy, but this girl can’t be much younger than Mom was when I turned two!” I said, confused.

“Phee, your father should have told you by now. I don’t know why he hasn’t.” Started Syle.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed that my husband and I don’t look like you, or anyone you’ve ever met.” Said Flora. “It’s because we’re not. Neither was your mother.

“I know this is going to sound completely insane, but you’ve had a strange night, so I’m just going to come out and say it. We’re not human, Raven was not human, and you, dear Phoenix, are only half human.”

Slowly, the door swung open. The moment the occupant of the strange home opened the door, Kayde gasped. The woman standing there was not much taller than I and physically, she did not look much older than I was, either. Not a single wrinkle on her skin, or a sagging bit of skin anywhere to be found. She did however have a strange, older look in her eyes. It was as though she had been alive three times as long as I had, but frozen in time for the entire duration.

Her apparent youth was not what caused Kayde to gasp, nor was it what caused me to look at her with shock in my eyes. It was the bright yellow flowing hair that reached past her waist and I was almost positive that I detected a slight green tint to her skin, which was definitely not the lighting.

“Oh dear”, she said softly. “Now this is really going to be a problem.

“Syle!” She yelled out, looking into her home. “Syle dear, get dressed, we have company.” She looked back to Kayde and me, “Please, why don’t you come in? I just started a pot of tea.” She told us, opening the door wider and standing to the side.

As we stepped into her house, there was a faint earthy smell, similar to the way the soil smelled after a heavy rain, but it was much lighter. Kayde and I walked in and the strange looking woman showed us to her living room.

Kayde and I sat down on the soft moss green colored couch.

“Hi”, I said, feeling shy and slightly nervous. “My name is Phoenix and this is my… Boyfriend, Kayde.” I told her, hesitating and watching Kayde’s reaction for my use of the word. “I really hate to bother you so late at night, but I’m in town looking for my”-

“I know dear. Quiet now, we shall talk about that in a bit.” She said, interrupting me as she began to head for her kitchen. “For now, why don’t we just enjoy each other’s company as we wait for Syle to get in here?” She finished off as she left the room.

Kayde and I looked at each other, both equally confused by the woman, as she walked to her kitchen for the pot of tea she had mentioned earlier.

“I’m sorry, how rude of me, I meant to introduce myself. My name is Flora” She said, as she came back into the living room carrying a beautiful tray holding a tea pot, four tea cups, upside down on saucers and what I assumed were cream and sugar, along with what seemed to be a small jar of honey, all the same beautiful cream color. “Oh! And this is my husband, Syle.” She said as she gazed up behind us.

“Well, it’s lovely to meet the two of you,” Said the man who was possibly even stranger than Flora. At first glance, anyone would have thought Syle to be albino, with his pale skin and white hair, but in the light, his pale skin was nearly translucent with a slight shimmer, and his white hair was not actually white, but silver, and they were highlighted with nearly clear ice blue eyes.

Syle looked at me and a look of surprise began to cross his eyes “Well aren’t you just a”-

“Syle. Come now, have a cup of tea. She doesn’t seem to know.” Flora said, interrupting her husband.

“Doesn’t know what?” I asked, desperate to find out what, if any connection the two strange looking people had to do with my family.