Victor

"Holy shit!" I cursed as I watched the screen.

"Really, Vic, you're watching them have sex?" Nate snorted.

I blushed, "Well, sort of. I, um, kept the cameras running as Gabe said, and yeah, they had sex, but they also slipped into her memory again. It's the same one he told us about with the barn." I turned the screen around and they all stared in shock. It was like watching a TV show in old technicolor. Gabe and Gray were walking up the hill from the barn toward what looked like a smaller version of the bed and breakfast.

"Wait, aren't they in the bedroom?" North asked, starting to get up.

"Don't," I said quickly. "I have no idea if they are or aren't in there. Think Schrodinger's Cat theory. If we open the door and break the spell to find them, we will never get our answers. For now, just watch and keep the door closed. If something happens, then we'll open the door."

"Damn, and I thought I was a science geek," Kota laughed. I scowled at him, then watched with the rest of them as the two knocked on the front door.

"Shit, that's her Dad," Nate said. "Turn up the volume."

I turned it up and the man's voice filled the small space. "Gracie, who's this?" the older man asked.

Gray and Gabe exchanged looks, and then she answered, "This is Gabriel, Papa. He came for a visit."

The old man looked a bit confused, but shook his head, "Well, alright then, come on in, young man." Just like a TV show, when they entered the house, our view changed as if we were in the corner watching them as they sat down to a meal. They made small talk and ate when there was a knock at the door. Gabe nodded to Gray who walked to the door.

"Hello Reid," we heard her say, but we couldn't see the person she was speaking to at first.

"Gracie," a deep voice said. "Changing up the scenes are we?"

"Seeing things clearly is more like it," she said, coldly, "Why don't you join us?"

"Gladly." She came back into view and we all collectively sucked in our breath. He looked almost exactly like Gabe but with black hair and dark eyes. He reached out and shook hands with Gray's father, then nodded at Gabe. "Gabriel, I assume?"

"And you must be Reid," Gabe replied, neither one making a move to shake hands. The man just laughed as he nodded and sat in the empty chair next to Gray. You could see both Gray and Gabe taking notice of every detail and I was so glad I was recording as they talked and interacted.

As the meal finished, Reid cleared his throat, "Well as informative as this has been, I think we should get to the details at hand." He waved his hand and Gray's parents froze in place. Then, with a snap of his fingers, we were all sitting in the room with them. "Now that I have you all in one place, I think we need to get a few details worked out," Reid stated. "I understand you have some sort-of relationship with my bride-to-be, but I assure you that her priorities will change after we have been joined. If she chooses to keep you as concubines, then I can accept that, however, she cannot bear your children. The bloodlines must be kept pure to ensure our heir's powers. Do you have any questions?"

The room was silent for a moment until Gray began to laugh. It was a soft giggle at first, but quickly swelled to a full belly laugh that had tears edging at her eyes. "Did I say something amusing, my future wife?"

Gray slapped her knee and laughed more, her words broken as she tried to talk, "Y...yes, you really think I...I'm going to marry you. Oh my word, what kind of shit has that bastard been telling you?"

Reid's expression darkened as his fists shook. "You made a vow, Gracie Jean. That cannot be undone."

"Um, actually she didn't, or at least she wasn't herself when she did it," Owen pointed out. "Her father has trapped her in time loops, creating false realities and you were a part of those tricks. Did she know who or what you really were, or did you mislead her into thinking you were her true bond? I find it rather suspicious how similar you look to Gabe."

Reid looked like he was ready to fight as he glared at Owen, then Gabe. "He is the one who looks like me. You are not her bonds, I am. My claim cannot be undone!"

"What claim? I don't see your mark on her," Silas growled, "Yet I clearly see ours, and we bear her mark as well." He pulled back his collar, proudly showing her mark. The others who she had claimed did the same, Gabe smirked as he showed off his. Reid hissed as Silas laughed, "She didn't mark you - and she didn't have sex with you even though you and her father tried to make her believe she had."

Gray's laughter stopped, her hands over her mouth as she cursed, "You son of a bitch! Silas and Owen are right, you have no claim on me and you can't enforce the alleged vow because it wasn't real - none of it has been real since I was just a kid. The moment Father dearest stepped back into my life, it has all been one illusion after another!"

"You are such a petulant child, Gracie," he growled as his eyes began to turn black. His voice took on a deep resonance that shook the walls. "Throw your little tantrum, but make no mistake, you will marry me. Tick tock, tick tock...time's running out little girl...only so many illusions, so many lives until your destiny will claim you." He took a step closer to her, flicking his wrist to freeze all of us in place as he gripped her chin. "I am your destiny, Gracie. Once we are one, your power will merge with mine. We will be unstoppable, darling." She winced as he squeezed tightly. His tongue darted out, grazing along her cheek. It wasn't human. It looked like the tongue of a viper, forked and slender. "Not much longer," he hummed, then vanished, leaving us to fall to the floor in the once again deteriorated house.

"Gray!" Silas yelled as she began to collapse. He scooped her up in his arms, cradling her gently as she cried. "Shh, love, we aren't giving up. I spent thousands of years looking for you, i psychí mou, and I am not letting you go. I love you, Gray."

"I love you, too," North added.

"So do I," Nate echoed, followed by Luke and Gabe.

"Oh, my little ghost, I've loved you from the moment you showed up in my room," Kota chuckled.

"I know we haven't bonded yet, but in my heart, I already know I love you," Sean said with tears in his eyes.

"I'm scared, but I do love you, Gray," Owen said.

Gray's eyes met mine, and I gave her a soft smile. "Oh love, I was a goner the moment I met you," I told her.

"See, we all love you and we are going to figure this out. I think it's time to see your cabin. What do you say, love?" Silas asked as she nodded.

"Okay. Although I have to admit, I'm even wondering if the cabin is real. I can't seem to keep it all straight anymore," she said leaning against his shoulder.

"That's okay, love," I offered, "We will help you keep things straight and we will be here to pull you back to us every time."

"Thank you," Gray whispered, "Thank you all. I don't know why the universe chose to match us, but I'm so thankful for each of you."

Author's Notes:  Well we've now met Reid...

I realize I'm writing much slower than usual.  The end of term is kicking my arse honestly.  I finish next week so I hope to sit down and write frantically before I begin teaching my mythology course in June.

P.S. As part of the course I'm teaching, I'm also writing down stories of Irish lore that my grandparents told me when I was young.  My intent is to publish it when finished.