I saw Nadia had already made herself comfortable with the other kids, and I had a feeling it wouldn’t take long for her to reestablish her friendship with Ella. I was the last one to enter the kitchen, and I noticed the large chef’s kitchen seemed fuller than I had ever seen it. Everyone had found seats around the island and pulled some chairs into the room from the dining room.
Drake was busy scooping out the batter into the cupcake papers, and I grabbed another scoop from the drawers and started helping him fill the muffin tins. We worked effortlessly together, and it only made me feel more at home. I just wished we were able to talk. Talking with Drake had always been easy. Since arriving…again, he seemed to want to keep me at a distance.
Tonight, he was whipping up a chocolate cupcake with Reeses peanut butter cup filling and a peanut butter frosting.
Will was handing out coffee cups, and Jace started handing down the coffee pot with cream and sugar, for those who took it that way.
Will cleared his throat. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I asked you to come over here tonight,” he addressed Steven, Cora, and Beth.
“Does it have anything to do with Zach skipping town?” Beth said shrewdly. She was the most outspoken in their relationship.
“It’s a part of it,” Will nodded. “We have recently found out he was in bed with Horatio.”
No one seemed surprised by it, and Steve said as much. “It doesn’t surprise me too much. He always pushed us to be more out in the open by our gifts, so it was a matter of time, but why now?” he looked over at me perceptively.
“What I’m about to tell you is a bit…hard to believe,” Will preempted. “Do you remember the institute we were involved in, years ago?”
“She’s Amanda!” Beth gasped as she pointed at me.
I nodded as I placed the cupcakes in the oven. “I was. I go by Blake now.”
“When did you find her?” Beth asked as she stood up from her stool. She came around the counter. “You don’t remember me, do you? I was young when I started working for the institute,” she stated. “It was me who took care of you. It used to make me cry seeing what they did to you. Maybe that’s why I never wanted children.” She looked over at her pair.
Even though she had carried Nadia, it was Cora who ‘mothered’ Nadia more. She only had Nadia because Cora was unable to, and Steven and Cora had wanted a child desperately.
I looked at her and had a flash back of sitting on a stool in a stark white room, in my stark white uniform, as she ran a brush through my hair. I had a flash back of her reminding me to brush my teeth. She used to sneak cookies and treats to me because we had been on a strict diet.
I smiled tremulously. “I do,” I said quietly. “You used to bring me Oreo cookies.”
She nodded and smiled.
“Jace actually found her the first time, and the second time, Noah found her,” Will said quietly. At their confused glances, he elaborated. “Horatio has a time changer working for him. You know how interested he was in Blake when we had her, but since then his…obsession has grown, especially since he found out that she is his daughter. He wanted her to be on his side, and I think he’ll go to any lengths to get to her now. Especially if he knows how very unique she is.”
“Those are some…unbelievable accusations. Do you have proof?” Cora looked shocked.
“I was working for him,” Collin spoke up quietly. “I was working with Bridgette Mason, his other daughter, and Mr. Young.”
The connected trio exchanged looks. “How is she unique?” Steven asked as he continued to look at me with his piercing dark eyes. He was as dark in coloring as his connections were light.
“She’s connected to my sons,” Will finally said.
They looked at Jace and Jaxson.
“All of them,” Will added.
Cora laughed uncomfortably. “You’re kidding right…?”
I could see the shock in Collins gaze as I turned around and showed them my mark on back of my neck below my hairline. Each one of the guys stood up and showed them our identicalηmarks.
“I always knew she was special,” Beth said after moments of stunned silence.
We gave the cupcakes to the children, made some more coffee, and took our own cupcakes into the den so that we could get more comfortable in our discussions.
I told Micah he could join the younger children in the living room to watch a movie. I could tell he was tired and wanted to join them. He had been robbed of a childhood, and I could see the longing in his gaze as we passed them. He eagerly accepted my offer, and the younger children welcomed him with open arms.
I settled the children in with blankets and drinks before joining the group once more. The moment I walked into the room, Remy pulled me into his lap and I went willingly. I had my cupcake in one hand and my coffee in the other as he began running his hands through my hair. I had to stifle my moan of pleasure. I had missed feeling his large hands through my hair, his fingers magically massaging my scalp and back of my neck.
“Something’s been bugging me about this whole situation,” I stated, silencing all the side conversations. “When time went back, our memories of the future should have been erased, in theory. However, I was able to remember from the moment I woke up at Collin’s.” We had already filled in Steven, Cora, and Beth of the other details of my ‘abduction.’ “Ella, Alex, and Micah had their memories intact as well. They remembered everything.”
Steven rubbed his chin with his hand. “We haven’t known of a time changer for over a century. Maybe the connections you made with some of the guys were enough to protect you from the time shift.”
Cora shook her head. “That wouldn’t explain the children. Maybe it’s something in their blood.”
“They already disapproved another one of our beliefs that a gifted person was restricted to the number of children they could bare,” Beth added.
“Rachel’s father was able to father more than two children,” Collin added. “Her memories were taken as well.”
We all sat in silence mulling over their words.
“Can I draw all of your blood? Maybe it’s time we started doing our research again,” Cora said hesitantly. She looked over at Beth and Steven. “With Nadia in school all day now, there’s not much for me to do anymore. I wouldn’t mind getting back into the lab.”
Will looked concerned as he ran a hair through his perfect salt and pepper hair. I rarely saw him disheveled. “I think it would be a great start, but I’m afraid of the doors that may open, or the possibility of our…experiments falling into the wrong hands.”
“You’re afraid to become the man you use to be,” Rachel said astutely.
Will gave her a fond but exasperated look. “It’s been some time since I kept company with a lie detector.”
“Or a seeker of truth,” Rachel teased.
Will turned and looked at me. “I’m leaving the decision in Blake and Rachel’s hands. Those two boys and that little girl is her blood, Blake’s family. Rachel is a minor, yes, but mature enough to make those decisions on her own.”