Misty

We got a reprieve from school and the psycho demon and headed home for Thanksgiving. I didn't realize demons celebrated the holidays. I figured they were too busy trying to suck people's souls from them.

The cops couldn't locate Chet. How do you lose a linebacker who's hell-bent on causing me problems? Luckily, I had Nash as a guard dog. Ha! Take that, Chet, you jackass.

Anywho, we arrived home to our parents ambushing us like a hidden treasure they had recently discovered. My mom squashed my face against her chest while hugging the life out of me. My dad had to peel her away so I could breathe.

My dad took my bag from me and carried it inside while my mom told me about the tea.

After getting reacquainted with my parents, I asked, "What's the plan for Thanksgiving?"

"Raymond invited everyone to his house for Thanksgiving since he sits on five acres," my dad said.

"Who's everyone?"

"Everyone that traveled to West Virginia with the addition of Aiden, Diego, Marissa, and their families."

"Oh, it's just like college, except we have the adults with us." I shrugged and bobbed my head.

"It's better than trying to stuff everyone at Val's house." My dad shrugged.

"I always wanted a down-home Thanksgiving," Alana said, smiling.

Alana was in for a treat and a country-style holiday with two guys from West Virginia.

******
Valentino

Ma and Dad told me everyone was going to Raymond's house for Thanksgiving this year. I'm okay with that if Mags is there.

I carried my bag to my bedroom, dropped it on the floor, and crawled into bed. I passed out once my head hit the pillow. The past few months have been chaotic at best. Between classes, the psycho demon, and dealing with Chet's bullshit, I needed a break.

Eventually, my stomach woke me up to feed it. I hit the bathroom before heading downstairs to eat.

Ma was in the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher, when she spotted me. "Hey, sleepyhead. You missed dinner. Did you want me to reheat you a plate?"

"Please." I slid onto a chair at the counter while Ma pulled a plate from the fridge and reheated the food in the microwave.

I rubbed my head, trying to wake up. Sitting at the kitchen counter, I felt an electrical current flow through my body.

"What the..." my dad said, entering the kitchen.

I turned my head and did a double-take before scrambling from my seat. Ma moved toward Dad as I noticed the electricity flowing from the microwave to me. My body kept absorbing it before the microwave started sparking. The lights dimmed on and off as appliances rattled on the counters before turning on themselves and going haywire.

What the hell?

*****
Misty

I was relaxing on the couch after dinner with my parents when the lights started dimming. We sat forward and glanced around as we heard a noise from the kitchen. We got up and crept toward the kitchen to see the appliances going haywire before an electrical surge hit, causing an electrical outage.

I turned in my phone's flashlight as my parents and I exchanged glances. The only person who could cause an outage like this lived next door.

We grabbed our coats, pulled them on, and headed next door. When we arrived, Val had a house full of people with flashlights.

My dad moved around people until he reached Val. "What's going on?"

"We don't know. Tino drew power from the microwave before everything went crazy with the power going out," Val said.

Leave it to Nash to cause electrical problems when we get home. Couldn't he wait until after the holiday?

******
Valentino

I sat on the couch with my cousins, the girls, and Mags surrounding me while the adults tried to figure out what happened. Good luck. Not even I understand what happened, even after explaining it to the others.

"Okay. So we have a new development in our already complicated lives," Nix said. "It's not like we don't have enough going on. Let's add Nash short, circuiting everything to the mix."

"There has to be a reason why Nash would draw energy to him," Nathan said.

"How? It's not like it's happening to the rest of us," Noah said.

"No." Nix wagged his finger. "But what if a higher-up chose Nash to do his bidding?"

We exchanged glances, not knowing what to make of this current situation.

Nash held up his fingers and thumb as electricity formed. We watched as he wiggled his fingers, making the electricity move around. If this were another dream, I would scream.

******
Valentino

The tiny zaps between my fingers and thumb left a tingling sensation behind. I couldn't explain why I absorbed electricity and caused a power surge. I put up my other and let the electricity flow from one hand to the other.

Everyone watched me while I played with it like it was a toy.

"Uh, Nash. Are you okay?" Nolan asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, focusing on the movement of electricity between my hands.

"Nathan, see what you can find about a reincarnated soul absorbing electricity," Nix said.

Mags watched my hands before sticking her finger into the electrical current. It zapped her. She giggled. "It tickles."

"What?" Nix asked.

"Try it." Mags held out her palm to my hands.

Nix touched the electrical current before pulling his hand away and rubbing his thumb against his fingers. "That's so odd."

The others followed suit. The electricity zapped them, but it didn't hurt them. It was like tiny needles touching the skin.

Ma called the utility company to report a power outage on our street. They would restore everyone's power in a few hours. Luckily, we had a fireplace to keep us warm.

******
Misty

Everyone camped out at Val's house since no one had heat, thanks to Nash's shenanigans. I didn't mind since he emitted an electrical current that kept me warm. Nathan searched for anything to help us with this current development. Google was so not our friend this time around.

Since there was no time like the present to drop a bomb on our parents, I volunteered tribute. Nixon wanted to wring my neck for opening my mouth. Well, someone needed to forewarn our parents before we had Thanksgiving at Uncle Raymond's house.

Did I mention Elias called his brothers to drag their grandkid's asses to Val's house? Oops.

Nate and Deacon arrived with their boys and grandkids. Aiden, Diego, Karlene, Damien, and Brody stood with us as Elias explained the truth about their grandkids to Nate and Deacon. Nate and Deacon stared at their grandkids, their mouths gaping.

I walked over to them and pressed their chins upward so they didn't catch flies. Nash, the cousins, and the girls stood with the other cousins while they smirked at everyone.

My parents and the girls' parents shook their heads and rolled their eyes at this unbelievable development. Aiden, Diego, and Karlene walked over to Luke and Belle and hugged them. Damien and Brody hugged Tom and Gail. They glanced at Grace before walking away as she pursed her lips.

What did Lucille expect when she sent the family back? A warm welcome? Oh, hell no!

Elias, Nate, and Deacon started arguing while my dad yelled at Grace again. My mom tried to keep my dad from losing his shit while Tom and Luke laughed. Val and his brothers tried to wrangle my dad and the others while the women ate Doritos and watched.

Eventually, Nash called Matt to soothe the natives before they threw down. I made a bag of microwave popcorn, sat on the couch, and watched the free show.

My dad spotted me eating popcorn, did a double take, and walked toward me. The others stopped arguing and saw my dad syncing before me, his hands on his waist, glaring at me.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

I swallowed the popcorn in my mouth. "Eating popcorn."

"Why?"

"Because this is better than Jerry Springer." I grinned.

My dad did and snatched the popcorn from me.

"Hey, I was enjoying the carb-induced buttery goodness."

"Don't push me, Maggie."

I pushed my lips into an O.

Matt arrived with Nora to get the lowdown about my bombshell. Elias explained it to him so my dad didn't rip me a new one. At least Matt kept his head and listened without losing his shit.

"If more family returned, this doesn't bode well when we got to Raymond's tomorrow," Matt said.

"How do we keep the kids from revealing themselves or the others? Raymond and Gloria won't understand," Elias said.

"The kids will keep themselves in check." Matt shot us all a look that said behave or else. "Some of the family only know about a few returns. We don't need to cause them alarm about this recent development. Do I make myself clear?"

We nodded our heads in response.

"What happened to the power?" Matt glanced around at the fire and lit candles in the living room.

"Tino caused an electrical outage," Val said. "Kadia reported the outage to the utility company."

Matt nodded in understanding. "I don't understand what's currently happening with Tino. But my gut is telling me there's a reason he's experienced everything more so than the others."

"Wouldn't it make sense for Tino to experience more since he was the family's patriarch?" Elias asked.

We glanced at Nash, realizing Elias was right. Nash was the head of the family since the kids married into the Harper family. Nash held up his hand as electricity zapped between his fingers and thumb.

I pursed my lips, knowing why Chet keeps chasing my ass. Fantastic.