Justin St Paul as Travis Stone

Alexander Ludwig as Kyle Audney

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to book three of the Haven High Series. This book will feature Travis and Kyle. They really do have a special relationship these two. There is nothing they wouldn't do for each other. They are family of the heart, and brothers forever. 

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Travis Stone was in his and Kyle's shared bedroom in his foster parent's boho cheek -- that's 70's -- bungalow getting ready for a night on the town. The gang was going out to celebrate their victory over the evil Sea Witch and Cam's renewed health.

And it was about time too. It was time they got a chance to be 15-16 year olds. They were spending so much time lately trying to save the magical world and each other; they'd forgotten how to have fun, but he intended to tear it up tonight.

He and his crew would hit up club NYX a halfblood bar in the warehouse district of San Francisco. Marley's band Pandemonium was playing there tonight and he couldn't wait. Their music is a cross between thrash metal and ancient Celtic, even the instruments that the members play are centuries old. Sounds like a weird combo, right, but you'd be surprised, when you've lived for hundreds of years like the demon members of her band have, you can get pretty creative.

That was one of the mysteries of the halfblood world. Why did some half human/half magical creatures have a seemingly immortal life while others lived a normal human life span? He didn't even know how long he or Kyle would have, but he hoped -- whether one or the other – they were together.

Kyle was napping on the other single bed directly on the other side of the room snoring predictably. His foster brother was pretty predictable actually, he really only had two drives eating and sleeping, well three if you count . . . oh well never mind that.

They'd been fostered together since they were ten and thank god for it too. Travis never even had a friend until he met Kyle, and even Kyle had given him a hard time at first, until he realized they were pretty much cut from the same clothe. They were the same abandoned kid just in different packages. Kyle was as long and lean and pale as he was short, fat and dark.

All through his childhood he'd been big -- huge really. And when Kyle had met him he was nearly three hundred pounds of flesh at ten years old. And the teasing had been relentless, he had been bullied mercilessly for it all his life, but he really couldn't help it; he ate practically nothing yet he kept gaining. It wasn't until he was enlightened at thirteen and told that he was a halfblood Mountain Troll that he developed his rock hard form practically overnight.

The teasing had stopped instantly, but the memory of it hadn't. Kyle had been his only friend through it all, and he would never forget him for it. Now they were more like brothers than friends. There was nothing he wouldn't do for him and vice versa.

And because of Kyle, he now had dozens of friends that cared about him. There had been a very sad time in his life that he thought he would remain friendless forever, but now he and his crew practically spent all their time together. Okay so when they spent that time together most of the time their life was in danger, but you can't have it all, Trav thought as he chuckled to himself.

The last six months had been crazy, ever since the bombing at the Samhain ball life had never been the same. He and his crew carried their weapons everywhere they went. They would never run into Liam and his hateful crew again unprepared. They'd had their asses handed to them last time and, so yeah that wasn't happening again.

Lauren had come up with a spell to charm the weapons past the magic detector at school and the barrier. That had been a real learning curve when they found out that they got by the detectors but that they're weapons had reacted to the magical barrier the same way magic books react to the wards when you try to go through the front door of the school with them, but now she's figured out a solution for that too without any of the male members of his crew having to get busy with a Gorgon, so yeah that was awesome.

Not like he had to worry though he never carries a weapon he refuses to do it. And the school and his crew respected that, he just hopes that the council's guards will be as understanding. He actually hates the idea of hurting anyone. He's a pacifist at heart. If he had to get right down to explaining why, he would probably say it was because he spent so much time as a child being hurt. The bullies chucked things at him in school: pencils, books, garbage cans, you name it. Outside of the school on the way home and in the school yard, they'd knock him down, knee him, kick him, slap and punch him too. He wasn't even safe at home because fellow foster kids would do the same. He often went to bed at night battered and bruised and dreading the next day. Now he'd rather die than make anyone feel the way he had.

So when he trains in hand to hand combat after school with the rest of the Enlightened, he trains in Aikido. It's a martial art form that teaches its practitioners to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury.

It's not like most people would intentionally mess with him now anyway. He's three hundred pounds of pure muscle, seriously ripped and looks like a badass dude, now when he walks down the street at night most people cross to the other side. If only they knew what a softy he was, but he's glad for his persona if it keeps them out of his face, he welcomes it. That's why he hates Liam and his crew they're just bullies to him.

The entire magical world is arguing over whether they're heroes for the halfblood magical race or martyrs for halfblood independence, but he knows them for who they really are: bullies, only interested in establishing their own power. It doesn't matter that they aren't on a playground. His secret underground magical world is their playground and they don't care who they hurt. No they're bullies alright, and if you're a bully in his books look out he's got your number.

Kyle started arguing with someone in his dream, muttering inaudibly from across the room. He was a tough person to share a room with, but what other choice did they have? San Francisco is one of the most expensive places in the world to live. Their foster parents, are lucky enough to be able to rent this 2 bedroom bungalow for a song. He knows now that was the magic lure taking effect. Every halfblood child has one magically attached to them at birth, so that when they become twelve they're drawn to the city the magical lure was affixed. In his and Kyle's case it was San Francisco.

That would explain why a foster child originally from Colorado and a foster child originally from Nevada would end up fostered together in Pheonix, Arizona then almost immediately move to California.

Travis had gone into the foster care system in Denver, Colorado when he was found wandering alone in the Rocky Mountains at 4 years old. It had been a media circus for a while the entire nation was wondering: was he an abandoned child or the sole survivor of a backwoods accident. He had been no help to them because he didn't speak English or any other language the world could recognize. That just added fire to the flame of the mystery.

It was no mystery to him though. He knows now that trolls are very secretive and reclusive magical beings that speak their own tongue which has no basis in any human languages. So it had taken him a long time to catch up with children his own age which had led to even more bullying, because he was labeled a slow learner. He still took remedial classes, but no one bothered him about it anymore. His foster parents tutored him a lot, which helped him keep his grades up, but he didn't much care for the human classes of the school or the magic ones for that matter, no that wasn't entirely true, he loved the care of magical creatures. He had a real knack for working with animals; Ms Murakami said he had a real future in the field.

His foster parents had introduced him to his love of animals and plants on the small farm they owned on the outskirts of Phoenix. They'd moved here with a mission four years ago to teach this generation the value of farming and growing your own food. The government, in a bid to encourage productive green spaces in San Fran, encouraged local philanthropists to buy and donate land to local community growers. His fosters managed these urban gardens: teaching valuable growing techniques lost to this generation. The produce grown was donated to local shelters. They even had school tours throughout the year.

Bruno and Bo short for Roberta (but don't call her that) were leftovers from the hippy movement of the 60-70s and devoted raw vegans that only ate what they grew, which was a real shock for both Kyle and Travis who had grown-up on packaged and canned food, filled with dyes and artificial flavor, and yummy, yummy goodness. They missed and craved things like froot loops and spaghetti O's, Cheetos, and Big Macs. As a result, any chance they get to eat fast food or junk food, he and Kyle are all in, and it really helps that Kyle has the ability to gift you stuff you really need, because financing their addiction to shitty food has never been a problem since his enlightenment. They keep their non raw vegan ways from their foster parents though.

Not that they thought they'd truly mind, they're cool with just about anything, as long as they're being safe. His foster dad was fond of saying "Time had tempered them'. They were older than most parents more grandparent age really, but they're also real chill too, which makes it easier for the crew to hang out till late at night without him and Kyle having to explain themselves constantly or worry about being grounded all the time. "as long as they called it was cool" his foster parent's words not his.

He'd moved in with them just before his tenth birthday, Kyle the halfblood demigod moved in a few months later. He'd given him a real hard time at first. Kyle, as a boy, was one seriously angry dude. He had a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas and he was not afraid to let everyone know it was there.

Like him, Kyle had moved from foster home to foster home never really finding a place to call his own, until they met the Marcocchio's. He had moved because of being bullied, and Kyle, because he lashed out at everyone who even remotely tried to love him, until they met and became each other's family that is, then Kyle said he had too much to lose if he screwed up again. They were inseparable now. One didn't go anywhere without the other.

Which reminded him Kyle had asked for a wakeup call at 7pm . . . and a wakeup call he was going to get.

Travis stuck his finger in his mouth and got it good and wet before he promptly shoved it in Kyle's ear.

He mumbled for a moment shifting a bit in the bed before her opened his eyes and cocked the one closet to Travis wide and to the side. When he figured out what was going on he leapt up on the bed hitting his head on the ceiling noisily.

Travis lost it. He was literally on the floor rolling around laughing and couldn't stop.

Kyle clutched his head then looking annoyed AF and whined, "Geez brah never wake a guy like that especially when he's dreaming about Ariana Grande." Kyle shuddered before he got down.

Travis smirked again when he thought he was not much shorter on the ground. The dude was seriously tall -- Nordic god tall. He looked like what you would picture Vikings looking like, if you shaved off their beards and cut their hair. He was tall, had light blonde hair closely cropped, and pale blue eyes. Girls swooned over him that is until he opened his mouth. Then he usually sent them running with his warped idea of what was acceptable to say to them. Don't get him wrong, he didn't do it out of any sort of malice or anything, he just genuinely had no idea what to say to girls and he talked to them like he talked to him, so yeah neither of them had girls at the moment. Not for lack of trying though.

Maybe that would change tonight.

"Hurry up and get a shower dude. I for sure need to grab a burger before we meet up with the gang," Travis stomach growled. "That kale slaw was seriously not filling enough."

"Tell me about it, "Kyle whined, "Let's stop at' Mcee Dees' on the way."

"I'm lovin' it!" Trav joked.

"Hey, I hear that Lara the fourth year halfblood *Naiad you like will be there tonight and she's bringing her fifth year *Nereid friend."

"For real!" Kyle said excitedly.

Trav just chuckled, "For real dude. So shake your money maker. I want to get there before CJ has a chance to charm them."

Trav rolled his eyes saying, "Aaah. . . man that dude could charm the birds from the trees." It's probably one of his affinities and if it isn't – well the world's just not fair."

"Tell me about it Brah. . . . he's got good looks and charm, the guys a triple threat."

"That's only two things, what's the other threat?"

"Dude he probably has a big . . ."

"Oooooookay I got it," Trav stopped him there and said, "Kyle you should probably let me do all the talking tonight," as he threw his arm around his shoulder and pushed his dumbfounded foster brother in the direction of the bathroom.

Travis snorted, "and don't forget to use a lot of body soap. Training has left you smelling really ripe."

But he wasn't laughing for very long, he was too busy plugging his nose when Kyle started chasing him around the room with his armpit in his face.

With tears in his eyes he took off for the living room to use his foster parents as a living shield. No way would he follow him in there. Travis kept Bruno and Bo, company while they watched Jeopardy. When his foster brother showered and his foster parents' guessed answers to questions he didn't even understand, he was reminded once again how lucky he was to finally have a family.

An hour later they were both in a cab happily travelling to the warehouse district. They'd grab a bite there and meet everyone at the club later.

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*In Greek mythology, the Naiads (Ancient Greek: Ναϊάδες) are a type of female spirit, or nymph, presiding over fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of fresh water. 

*In Greek mythology, the Nereids were fifty sea-nymph daughters of Nereus the old man of the sea. They were goddesses of the sea's rich bounty and protectors of sailors and fishermen, coming to the aid of those in distress. Individually they represented various facets of the sea from the salty brine, to the sea foam, sand, rocks, waves and currents, as well as the various skills possessed by seamen.

****************** THANKS FOR READING********************

I hope you all liked this chapter --Special thanks to all my loyal followers. I hope you like this story as much as the last two. This one is actually my favorite, but shush don't tell the others they tend to get jealous. LOL

Well what do you think guys; can the gang actually have a little fun without any drama?

Tune in tomorrow to find out.

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