Free Banishment : Book 9 of the Heku Series by T.M. Nielsen

“Why?”
    “She said she’s waiting for you to take her
to the house, so she can live a mortal life.”
    She sighed, “Damnit. I can’t leave her alone
with Alec in that house.”
    “The Elder’s not going to want you moving out
there either,” Silas told her.
    “Chev,” Emily called out, and then watched
him come down the stairs.
    Chevalier smiled, “How did it go?”
    “She’s sitting in the Jeep waiting for me to
take her to my house, so she can start her life as a mortal,” Emily
told him. “She listens to you… see what you can do.”
    Chevalier sighed and walked into the garage.
Megara was sitting in the Jeep with her arms crossed, glaring at
the dash board. He walked up and knocked on the window, “Can we
talk?”
    Megara lowered the window, “What about?”
    “About you turning fully mortal.”
    “No more blood for me. I’ll just eat what Mom
does, and then I’ll be mortal.”
    “It may not be that easy,” Chevalier told
her.
    “You really screwed us kids over, you know
that?” Megara said.
    “You…”
    “No! I hate it…, and I hate you two for doing
this to me.”
    “Megs, you’re almost 8-years-old and still
very young. The thing that tells you if you are a Winchester or a
heku hasn’t happened yet, but that doesn’t mean it won’t.”
    “I hate you,” Megara whispered.
    “Moving into the house and eating food isn’t
going to make you mortal.”
    She simply glared forward and didn’t
answer.
    Emily finally walked out and stood beside
Chevalier, “Let me talk to her. We’ll stay in the mansion for a few
days and have some girl time.”
    “I don’t like that.”
    “I know, but it’s the only way I can calm her
down.”
    Chevalier thought for a moment and then
nodded. She kissed him lightly, crawled into the Jeep, and took off
for her mansion.
    Security was already in place when she
arrived, and Alec was waiting in the door with a smile.
    “Good to see you!” he said, coming out to
greet them.
    “Hi, Alec. We’re just here for a few days,”
Emily said as she adjusted her cane and walked into the house.
    “How’s your hip?”
    “Better every day.”
    “It’ll be nice to have company. It’s been
quiet.”
    Emily laid her purse down on the table and
looked around, “What exactly do you do here all day?”
    He smiled, “Want to see?”
    “Sure”
    Alec showed her into his office, and Emily
gasped and looked around at the intricately decorated saddles and
belts. The room smelled like fresh leather and was filled with
tools and mallets of all sorts.
    “Alec, these are gorgeous!” she said,
carefully running her fingers along a winter scene on the side of a
saddle.
    “I always wanted to work with leather.”
    “You’re really good. You could sell
these.”
    “I already do. Allen helped me start a web
business.”
    She smiled, “That’s great, Alec. Maybe I want
you to make me one.”
    Alec’s smile broadened, and he dug behind a
stack of leather and pulled out a smaller saddle, “I already made
you one.”
    He put the saddle on one of the bare saddle
horses, and Emily bent down to look. Her eyes filled with tears as
she saw her father’s brand surrounded by swirls that formed the
name of her kids, along with the Equites crest, and the date that
she and Chevalier were first bonded.
    “Oh my God, Alec,” she whispered, and then
studied each delicate swirl.
    “I’m glad you like it.”
    “This is amazing.”
    “It’s been fun learning, and I’m making some
good spending cash.”
    She turned and hugged him, “Thank you.”
    “Mom?” Megara said, looking in at them.
    “Come look, Megs,” Emily said, turning to her
saddle.
    “No thanks. When’s dinner?”
    Alec’s eyebrows rose, “You’re going to
eat.”
    “Yes, I’m going to be fully mortal.”
    “You get to choose, do you?”
    “Yes”
    Emily rolled her eyes at Alec and then
followed Megara out. They both made a spaghetti dinner and sat down
to eat and visit with Alec. He was making good