Kaitlyn Delphi barreled through the back exit of the club. She stood in the middle of a darkened alley, trash the littered the ground by her feet and a strange repugnant smell wafted through the air. Her hand cupped her throat, covering the jade pendant that hung limply by the nape of her neck. One by one they emerged from the club, their faces somber and eyes remote, as if there was something each of them had to think about. Two girls stood in the middle of the group, each accompanied by what looked to be their own personal body guard. The first and perhaps scarier of the two, had hair as dark as the night sky and silver eyes of cold, steel. The second was not as frightening in her appearance but the immaculate beauty she possessed was just as intimidating. Her hair was spun from gold and eyes that reflected the dark depths of the endless ocean.

The two hadn't spoken a word in the whole encounter but Kaitlyn had a sneaking suspicion that they were the ones running the show. The amount of power that oozed off of them was crippling to her pride and she found that she had to fight the urge to keep her head bowed while looking at them. She knew that she had never met them before but their faces were familiar.

"We couldn't have done this inside?" Kaitlyn looked at Alix who was casually leaning against the alley wall opposed to hers.

It was no secret in the supernatural community that the Delphi's and the Slade's did not get along. Since the early 20th century the Slade family reigned as coven leaders of New York- they were the second longest reigning family to lead New York. Second to only Kaitlyn's family, the Delphi, who presided their reign over the territory since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The reign would have continued on if not for the drastic changing of opinions in the supernatural world. In the 1900s the newest Council Members took their parents places as rulers over the supernatural world and began to challenge their parents most basic ideals. One of the ideals, was that the Moon Goddesses did not in fact exist and that it was nothing more than a silly myth. Their viewpoints on religion spread like a wildfire and in the years to follow every statue, painting or relic used commemorate the goddesses was destroyed or locked away.

Those who still believed in the Moon Goddesses were scorned- like Kaitlyn's ancestors who dedicated their lives to ensuring that Moon Goddesses remained where they belonged- in the Spirit World. Kaitlyn didn't believe in the nonsense of her ancestors but she was still a Delphi and inherently despised Alix's family for stealing their power.

"Too many eyes and too many ears," Alix kicked off the wall and gestured to her friends. "What I'm about to tell you is confidential and it starts with introductions."

Crossing her arms of her chest, Kaitlyn swallowed her snippy response and nodded. She didn't necessarily want to meet Alix's friends but she didn't want to anger the young psychic either. She had been a senior when Alix's older brother, Jaxon, was a freshman and barely knew the fiery redhead but her reputation preceded her. There were talks about how she was supposedly friends with the Council's heirs. A shiver traveled down Kaitlyn's spine as she imagined crossing any of their rulers.

"Xavier Drachen," Alix pointed to the dark haired Hercules who stood protectively in front of the girl with silver eyes. His crimson eyes were narrowed into a malevolent glare; Kaitlyn wondered if he ever smiled.

Alix skipped over the two girls in the middle and moved on to the golden-curled boy- he was by far the least intimidating of the three. And if Kaitlyn were to examine him further she would have realized the wisps of fear lingering in his blue eyes. "William Haverstock."

There was a brief pause before Alix spoke again, her green eyes were cold and calculating as she thought of what to say. "Then- my good friend and her twin sister- Twyla and Luna Goodwin. You might already know them, but not by those names."

The skin on Kaitlyn's arms pricked as she raised a thinly tweezed brow. "A-and what would those be?"

"Alla and Aki."

The blood in Kaitlyn's veins froze, forcing her to be prisoner to her body. She didn't dare question Alix's words not when they were so appallingly true. She knew she had seen their faces before, she had seen the two girls called Luna and Twyla on the large tapestry that hung in her grandfather's study. Their faces could be found painted on the pages of the leather bound books in his library and sculpted out of marble in the statues in his foyer. A small whimper managed to escape her closed throat. She had been so certain that everyone else in the world was right and her grandfather and his followers were simply crazy but how could she deny what was standing in front of her.

"Are you out of goddamn mind!" Kaitlyn hissed at Alix but she couldn't peel her eyes away from the twins.

Alix tapped a finger on her chin, her face scrunched as if she were talking a second to think. "No. I don't believe I am."

"They should not exist," Kaitlyn pointed a finger a the two girls.

"I would put your finger away before I bite it off." The vampire- Xavier- stepped in front of Twyla.

Quickly jerking her hand away from the hulking man, Kaitlyn turned back to Alix who was watching her with mild amusement. The blood her veins slowly began to unfreeze and then simmer underneath her skin as she stared at the girl's infuriating smirk. It wasn't funny, not to Kaitlyn who had heard the horror stories of the twin witches her whole childhood.

"Whatever it is that you want, I won't do it!"

"Well that's a shame," Alix clacked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Then I guess I should tell my mom that it was you who stole that Jade pendant from the New York Coven."

"It was my mother's!" Kaitlyn gripped the pendant tightly in hand, her knuckles whitening around the gem.

"And was claimed by the New York Coven after her death."

A harsh laugh bubbled in Kaitlyn's chest. "Yeah- her death. Which was caused by the Moon Goddesses."

Alix rolled her eyes. "She was killed by a rogue werewolf."

"On a trip to find the Moon Goddesses!" Kaitlyn nearly yelled the last part. Her mind tumbling into a state of minor hysteria, her chest was heaving rapidly and her tears began to blind her sight.

Never before had she blamed the Moon Goddesses for her mother's death but that was because, before, she didn't think they existed. She thought those expenditures were a waste of time and energy but she never thought they could be dangerous. Her grandfather had claimed the Moon Goddesses sent the rogue to get them off of their trail. At the tender age of thirteen, Kaitlyn didn't believe him. In fact, she had blamed him and his obsession for her mother's death. Now, she could see that she was wrong.

"Alix," a voice as sweet and soft as melting chocolate interjected before Alix could say anything else.

The blonde twin- Luna- stepped around the two boys who stood guard in front of her. Kaitlyn was fully prepared to hate her, and verbally and potentially physically attack the young witch. But, when she saw the look of pain and pity in her sparkling blue eyes- she found herself staring, dumbfounded. There was something so real and heartbreaking in the girl's stare, it was almost as if she were a real person who had also suffered loss like Kaitlyn. Did Goddesses feel pain? Kaitlyn thought that to be unlikely but truthfully she didn't know.

"I did not kill your mother," Luna's voice dropped to a whisper but there was a burning conviction in her tone. It compelled Kaitlyn to believe her. "I can't speak for my previous lives but in this one, all I have ever wanted is to have a nice, normal life. I don't want to harm anyone- I just want my mom back."

Kaitlyn cocked her head to the side, she held her hands to stop Luna from taking another step closer. "I can't help you."

"But you can. My mom was taken and the people who have her, want the Book of Moons in return."

An image of large leather bound book, sitting inside of a glass-enclosed display flashed before Kaitlyn's mind. She the crossed moons engraved on the cover, in detail. The book of Moons was her grandfather's most prized possession as he claimed it was the spell book of the Moon Goddesses.

"I still don't see why I should help you. Why should you get to be reunited with your mom when mine is gone forever." Honestly, that was Kaitlyn's greatest grievance with helping Alix and the twins but there was also a nagging thought in the back of her mind that told her that no one on earth should be able to possess the power that the Book of Moons held.

"We could always make you," the vampire- Xavier- cracked the bones in his knuckles as if to make a point.

"Or," Alix's emerald eyes flashed with a wicked a gleam. "I have a proposition to make?"

Inching further away from the vampire, Kaitlyn eyed Alix warily. "What are you offering?"

"With the Book of Moons, the Moon Goddesses are told to have unlimited power. They can do anything, right?"

A sense of unease bloomed in Kaitlyn's stomach as she nodded. "In return for the book, they could grant you anything you want."

"Even your mother."

**I hope you guys liked this chapter even though it was a bit of a filler- but it was an important filler. Kaitlyn and the Delphi will definitely play a big part in the girls future. And most importantly, Kaitlyn is the twins' only way to get the book and get their family back. This is a bit on the shorter side for my chapters but that is because things have been a little hectic while prepping for back to school. I've been really stressed about making sure everything is in place for my college applications, it was to the point where I couldn't write. Eventually my mom forced me to take a break and spend some time with my little sister. She's thirteen, so she's really into this summer show called Boy Band which is another reality singing competition. I thought I was going to hate it because that is not my kind of thing but it was actually good TV. If you're looking for something to binge watch, where you don't have to think, I would recommend checking it out on Hulu or demand. But spending time with my little sister reminded that it's important to cherish the little moments you have with those you love and sometimes it's healthy to do nothing.

I got sidetracked... anyway, thank you again for all the support! And I hope you are enjoying your summers!
XOXO,
Ro.**