4 Half-Demons

"Yeah-"

"Melina! Jason!" A voice yelled suddenly, cutting Jason off from explaining anything more.

"We're here!" Jason yelled back.

A figure quickly approached them and soon Melina saw that it was Kai. He smiled madly before crushing Melina into a huge bear hug. "I'm so glad you're okay. I wanted to come after you but Jason felt it was better if he went after you."

"Wait…" Melina started but stopped, her eyes widening.

The embrace felt weirdly familiar like she had hugged this person before. Many times. She closed her eyes, hugging Kai back and feeling and emotion she never knew she was missing. Comfort.

"Kai, why are you here?" Jason's voice said, breaking the moment.

Melina opened her eyes as Kai pulled away to look at their brother. James was looking at the two with a blank expression on his face.

"Oh right. Dinner is ready and the old man wants a family dinner." He turned to Melina. "Of course if you don't want to go, we can totally ditch. I know a good place that makes great burgers."

Melina gave a small smile and replied, "It's okay. I want to ask father something. Maybe a rain check on that place."

The word 'father' was still a little weird for her to say, especially when referring to James Rana. She had spent ten years calling someone else 'father' so it was a little hard for Melina.

"Of course." Kai said, interrupting her thoughts.

With those words the three left the garden, heading back inside the grand house.

***

"I hope the food is to your liking, Melina."

"It is. Thank you." Melina replied, looking up from her plate of roast chicken and vegetables.

Her father was looking back at her, sitting at the head of the table. Kai sat across from her on the right side of the table, a spot next to him left opened. And Jason sat next to her by their father's left side.

It's like sitting at a noble's table, Melina thought as she turned away to stare down at the gold fork in her hand. The cutlery was all gold with a peacock engraved into it.

The dining room was even grander, with purple and gold everywhere. It seemed the family liked the colors or they were maybe the family colors. After everything she'd seen in the mansion, Melina wouldn't be surprised.

"So, father…" Melina said, finishing the last bit of her food. "I'd like to know about the family business."

She looked back at her father who was drinking wine from a crystal glass. He raised a brow from her question but had a blank face again. Putting down the glass, he dabbed his mouth with a nearby handkerchief.

"So, Jason told you about that."

"Not everything. All I know is that there's a family and you own large companies from what you said in the office earlier."

"I see…" He signaled a nearby servant. "Clear the table up and have Andrew bring dessert to my office. Tell him to just knock and leave the tray outside. I don't want anyone interrupting us."

The servant nodded and began to clear the table. Melina's father then turned to look at her and said, "Let's go to my office. We can discuss everything there."

Melina's father got up with her brothers following suit. Melina got up too and they made their way back to the office. Her father led the way with Kai behind him and Melina and Jason walking behind Kai.

"So, why can't he talk about the family business in the dining room?" Melina whispered to Jason as they made their way up the stairway.

"It looks like father is going to tell you everything about the family. There are a few family…" Jason paused for a second, looking for the right word. "Secrets, you could say. Some that shouldn't get out."

"I see." Melina replied. "Well, I guess I should be glad I get to learn about these secrets."

"It's not like he could hide it forever anyway. Better to come clean before things happen."

"Things?"

"Best for you to see it yourself rather than explain it to you."

After that the two fell silent, soon entering the office. Melina's father went straight to a bookshelf on the one side of the room. Melina hadn't noticed it earlier, too interested by the man behind the desk.

Jason moved behind her, locking the door. Melina became nervous. What kind of family secret is it that they're locking doors and everything…

Melina's father grabbed an old leather book, pulling it out. The bookshelf suddenly opened up leading to a dark pathway. He touched the side of the wall and the dark path was lit up.

"Come along. We have much to discuss." James said before entering the secret passageway.

Kai looked over at Melina who was quite nervous about everything and held out a hand. "No need to be afraid. You can hold my hand if you're scared."

Melina took it, following Kai into the passageway. Jason followed behind them, pressing the stone wall. The entrance way closed behind them. Melina looked around her. Gray stone walls were on either side of them with slabs of stone also covering the floor.

The air was a little damp and cold making Melina glad she was still wearing Jason's thick coat. She looked to see if he was cold but it seemed her brothers weren't affected by the cold air at all. Kai's hand was even warm, bringing warmth to her cold hand.

She looked back ahead to see her father was entering a huge room, the book still in his hand. Melina entered the room too and was amazed at the sight before her. It was like she had stepped into a witch's lair.

The gray stone was used for walls and the floors. A gold chandelier hung from the stone ceiling and there were four human sized bookshelves all stuffed with old leather books like the one in her father's hand. One of the shelves also had some bottles and what looked like different herbs and spices.

In the center was a round wood table with several wooden chairs. The only thing missing from the room was the fireplace and cauldron.

"Don't tell me-" Melina exclaimed.

"Sit down." Melina's father interrupted, taking a seat.

He placed the book in the center of the table and waited quietly for everyone to sit down, his hands on the table in a fist. Jason quickly took a seat opposite his father and Kai sat next to him. Melina looked at the seat next to her father.

Nervously, she took it, looking at her father. Things were getting quite confusing for her. The family secret isn't about us being in a cult, is it? Melina thought. I know money makes people do weird things but please…

"Melina, take the book." Her father's voice commanded, breaking her thoughts.

She silently took it and looked at the cover. It was quite an old book, the book being held together by some type of string. The writing looked a little weird, not in English. But then Melina's eyes widened in realization.

The cover was written in Latin. She had taken Latin in high school for a year so she wasn't fluent and couldn't read the whole title but a few words stuck out to her.

"Can you read it?" Her father asked.

"Not all of it. I just understand a few words. But why do you have a book like this? It looks like it belongs in a museum."

"Well, I can't have a family book like that get into the hands of humans. We'll have quite a big problem."

"You make it sound like we're not human." Melina said, putting the book down on the table.

"Quick like your mother." James smiled. "But yes you are right. We're not human."

Melina's father held out his hand, a purple fire suddenly appearing. It floated a little above his palm. But that wasn't the only thing that happened. James removed his coat quickly with his other hand, two black feathered wings appearing from his back.

Black horns grew from his head and his eyes started glowing purple, the purple light swirling around his black iris. His gray colored eyes were gone completely. Melina turned to look at her brothers and saw they had turned as well.

They didn't have the fire like their father, but the wings, eyes and horns were all the same. Kai tried smiling at her but Melina felt her face go pale. She felt a sharp stab of fear shoot through her body.

This is not happening. I'm just going crazy. Yes, that's it. It's nothing more than a weird dream. No one can turn into this. The funeral has just taken a toll on me. I-

"Melina, calm down now!"

A voice commanded her and she felt the fear disappear from her. Her father was staring at her with sharp eyes. The fire in his palm had now disappeared.

"Good." He said, his eyes softening a little. "As you just saw, we aren't exactly human. Rather we are half-demons. Specifically we are Satan's descendants."