The following afternoon Megan changed into a pair of dark skinny jeans and a black square neck tank top. She stuffed some cash, id, and a card into a small thin cross body bag that would work for carnival rides and put her hair into a ponytail. Megan went to check on the men and found them in the upstairs sitting room having a quiet conversation. They stopped talking when she walked into the room.
Taking a good look at the two men she sent them back to their closets. Telling them to wear pants with at least one zippered pocket and t-shirts. They came back to her a while still looking dressier than most at a carnival would be. However, now at least they had pockets to put things where they wouldn't get dumped out if they went upside down.
They climbed into the car about a quarter past four knowing that it would take them about forty-five minutes to reach Plymouth. Megan sat back in the seat trying to get comfortable for the trip. She glanced around noticing that Afton seemed really fidgety.
"What's the matter with Afton?" Megan asked, when no one answered her, she turned to the man in question. "Why do you look like you swallowed a taser?" Megan glanced at Gabriel who was giving Afton a look. She looked back in time to see Afton shake his head vigorously at Gabriel.
"Okay, what is going on here?" Megan turned and squared up to Gabriel.
"Afton," Gabriel started, and Afton blew out an angry breath. "She might be able to help you and she has proven to be able to handle strange things well." Gabriel told his friend.
"Oh yeah, if that's so true, what about your strange things." Afton snapped back. "If you're wrong telling her could screw everything up."
"Hey, for starters, I am your friend too. You both need to start being honest with me." Megan snapped in frustration getting tired of the secrets. "Now tell me what is going on with Afton?"
"He found his soulmate." Gabriel said quickly.
"I'm guessing you don't mean in the abstract that he likes a woman, but in a supernatural this is his actual soulmate kind of way." Megan questioned astutely.
"Correct, his actual soulmate." Gabriel told her as he ran a hand up and down her arm soothingly.
"How do you know?" Megan asked Afton. Gabriel motioned for Afton to go ahead and tell her.
"The thing that makes me special and different from say, you. Means that I can see soul bonds in most… people." Afton said glancing at Gabriel.
"As in, see it… with your eyes?" Megan questioned as she tried to wrap her mind around the concept. Afton nodded at her.
Megan looked at Gabriel, "you said you have been trying to find your soulmate. Why can't Afton see your… bonds?"
"Sweetheart, I am different. The way I am different blocks his ability to see my bonds." Gabriel said sadly.
"Is it because of the same thing that makes your eyes turn black?" Megan asked frowning.
"Yes, Afton can't see my soulmate for the same reason." Gabriel answered her.
"How do you know you have one then? Maybe you don't have one." Megan's frown deepened.
"I definitely still have one. I can feel it. There is a special term for feeling one's soulmate known as 'the call', I can feel it." Gabriel explained as much as he could without confusing Megan more. Megan nodded at him.
"So, Afton found his real soulmate and you think I could help how?" Megan asked Gabriel.
"You're right, she is great with this stuff." Afton told Gabriel with a smile. "Megan, it's your mother."
"What's my mother? Oh… you mean your soulmate is my mother." Megan whistled long and low and then blew out a breath. "Let me think about this for a minute. Megan didn't say anything for almost ten minutes.
"The only thing I can tell you is a single piece of advice. Do not lie to her. It doesn't matter if you think she won't believe you or if you think she'll think your crazy. If you lie to my mom at all she will turn her back on you and never look back. I've seen it happen. Don't lie to her. You might want to start with the truth and hope she sees things your way. Just don't lie." Megan gave Afton a grim smile knowing she had just given him an impossible task, but it was the truth that her mother didn't tolerate liars. Megan leaned into Gabriel's side wondering why she didn't demand the same honesty from him.
Afton stared at her and heaved a heavy breath. "Thanks a lot."
"Better that you know now than when it is too late to fix it," Megan said with a shrug. Gabriel ran his fingers softly across her shoulder and up the side of her neck before tipping her chin up and giving her a quick kiss.
"She likes daisies and wildflowers, she likes to hold onto arm more than hand-holding when she walks, she loves the ocean, she likes coffee at sunrise, mom likes boating but prefers big ships because she gets seasick, she loves carnivals but not the rides because of the vertigo, she likes going for drives in a car without a chauffeur." Megan grinned at Afton.
"Mom loves her children and named us all after people from a dream, she loves ice cream and horror movies but get startled easily, she loves action movies. Mom dislikes ostentatious behavior, brand flaunters, extravagant gifts, and society in general. Mom hates liars, fakes, gold diggers, wealth flaunters, degenerates, and all manner of evil or those who would do evil." Megan took a breath.
"Maybe something there will help you in some way. I like you which might help too. Things with my father have been bad for years which will probably help you most." Megan told Afton realizing she knew at least a few things to give him an edge.
"Thank you, Megan. It means a lot to me that you would share all of that with me." Afton told her sincerely.
"Well just know that if you hurt my mom, I will skin you alive and by the way…" Megan made the I will be watching you gesture toward Afton. He laughed aloud.
"Wow, the two of you are a lot alike, I think." Afton told Megan smirking.
"Mom is generally the peacekeeper and is sweet as an angel but when she gets riled or someone threatens us, she becomes something terrifying." Megan shook her head at the memory of her mother losing her temper.