The Mark

Well folks it's time for the half time show and if any one remembers the one from the Mark, you can guess it's going to be a wild ride. A lot is going to happen in this chp as it represents the turning point in the story. It also brings back for the first time some of the old Morgan characters from the first book into the story so you might want to look back at the "family tree" for help. I do hope you enjoy this chp. Write to me and tell me what you think.

Again, this is a story about gay relationships with a SF twist so 1. if you are breaking the law, underage, or just hate gay stuff don't read any further. The World Wide Web is a big place so you can find something else. 2. As this is a SF story everything is a big lie. The story is not based on any real person place thing, or another person's idea. So any similarities are pure chance. 3. Since this story is of my own creation, I have the copyright to it. No other postings, except at nifty, are allowed. Nor is the selling of the story to others permitted. Any questions about the above, please write.

Enjoy

JMH

trandar2002@yahoo.com

The scientists seemed to leave them alone for a few days. A sort of honeymoon period Saul and Kyle called it. During that time Kyle educated Saul in the ways of pleasing and taking pleasure from a man. All the anger and hate that had filled Saul's mind disappeared. He was happy, something he never believed he would truly be. The only things he missed were his children.

By simple accident they recreated the marriage ceremony when Saul convinced Kyle to see what would happen if they both fed at the same time. The results shocked both of them and the researchers when they saw that their eyes were now green.

That ended the honeymoon and more tests were performed. The one good thing that came of it was the return of their cloths. They even brought in the second bed back but by this time Saul and Kyle preferred sharing just one.

"What have the tests results shown?" the head researcher asked.

"Well sir their brain wave patterns are now in synch with each other. They don't have to even try to find out what the other is doing to know it. The blood tests show that both of them are now part of each other genetically. The vampire is producing his own blood and no longer is allergic to sunlight."

"Any weaknesses?"

"No sir, none at all. He appears to be stronger now then before."

"Good, what of the other test subjects?"

Well sir that's the bad news. Taking blood from the "bride" does not seem to have the same effect it once had. After his eyes went green, his blood functions as a poison to any vampire except subject A."

"How many did we loose?"

"Half of them sir. They had all gone in for feeding at the same time so..."

"Mass poisoning is what you're telling me."

"Yes sir."

"Can subject A create more vampires?"

"Yes he can."

"I wonder... What do you think about this, they share their blood together at the same time and their eyes change color, sounds a lot like the bonding ceremony we T's go through. If we kill subject A, that might break the bond, returning the bride back into Mr. Blue Eyes. Then we can keep him away from any other vampire and just pump him for blood."

"Risky sir, none of the vampires subject A has created are able to produce vampires of equal quality. They are rather inferior to be precise."

"But if we give them subject B's blood that should make things better, don't you agree!"

"Yes sir." The research agreed, remembering his last experience where he had disagreed with his boss.

"Good, tomorrow we'll drain subject A dry and kill him. That will allow us to replace the vampires we lost quickly. Good job. Keep me informed.

What both researchers missed in their analysis was that Kyle was more then a blood donor for the government vampires. He was the vampires' father. And like any good parent, he knew exactly what his kids were up to. So it was of no major concern to the researchers that one of their vampire guards was listening in on the conversation. He was just a simple guard, a guard that was now receiving orders from a different chain of command.

Carl had Russ moved to his private quarters where he could work on getting Russ to see things his way. What Carl started with was a childish scorned lover who wanted revenge. By the time he was done with him Russ was as committed in taking over Steward Finances as Carl was of GenCorp. Carl used sex to control Russ, sex that had been stripped of love, leaving only mutual lust. When Russ behaved he was rewarded when he would disagree Carl would ignore him until Russ agreed with everything Carl said. The last thing Carl needed for full control was to have Russ agree for him to be the Tor.

"Why won't you let me be your Tor?" Carl whined as he gave Russ a back massage.

"I've been burned twice, once with Kyle the other with Jacob. I don't trust Tor's."

"But you do trust me don't you. Don't I take care of you? Have I left you like the other's?"

"No, but..."

"But what?"

"I need proof that you'll do anything for me."

"And I will. What is it you want me to do?"

"I want you to kill those that I hate."

"And whom would those be."

"All of them, Jacob, Scott, even my brother. I've heard rumors that Jacob is now sleeping with Hal."

"I hear that they plan to get married." Carl said to goad Russ further."

"Yes! That's why they all deserve to die! They stole my happiness."

"I'll do it but you have to do it with me."

"Deal, I'll enjoy it."

"You must also make me your Tor before we do this, agreed."

"For you Carl, anything. You'll never leave me."

"No, I won't"

After having his talk with Russ, Carl excused himself and went to his office. He hated what he was doing. He was becoming like his father something he had sworn he would never do. He hated it but he felt he had no choice. His father had to be stopped and if that meant selling his soul in the process he was willing to pay the price. He just wished he didn't have to be alone in doing so.

The vampires Kyle had created made up most of the troops stationed on the base and so it wasn't too difficult for them to take it over. Kyle walked down the halls a free man, a grin of pride in his children's achievement showing on his face. Saul, for his part, was still nervous about the whole plan. Getting 50 vampires and themselves away without it being noticed was risky in his books but Kyle reassured him that they would be long gone before anyone on the outside noticed. Because of the secret nature of the base, it was not part of any regular communication set up with the rest of the military. Checkups on the base were made with supply shipments and the last one was today.

Saul also covered his eyes as he watched the troops take their revenge against the researchers. After feeding off them they gave each the blood kiss before locking the scientists up in cells. When the transformation took hold they'd be strong enough to escape but they would be stupid to turn themselves over to the military. They would just become experiments themselves and they knew it.

No, what worried Saul the most was the fact that only three supply trucks arrived today. To move all the men out, it would take five. If the base was being watched by satellite, the two extra trucks leaving would attract attention. That was if the data analysis team were paying attention like they should and that was a big IF.

Kyle though remained in good spirit as the preparations were being made. Kyle had access the government files on known vampire lairs and he was able to locate one to the west in California. It would take two days to get there but then they would be safe.

The last thing that needed to be done was a final feeding of the troops. Because they would have to move in sunlight, the troops needed to be protected against it. Looking over the data it was decided that whatever turned their eyes green was also a poison to other vampires. If Saul could get his eyes to shine blue again, everything would be fine. It took them time but they discovered that if Kyle gave Saul the blood kiss but did not feed, Saul's eye's would turn blue again for a time. So a sucking circle of sorts was formed. Kyle would feed Saul while one of the troops fed just a little off of Saul. Kyle would then take breaks between men to feed off one of them so he wouldn't become too weak.

When all were fed both Kyle and Saul had to be carried into the tuck, exhausted from the experience. When they awoke it was the night of the second day. One of the troops offered his neck to Kyle, which he gladly took. While Kyle could grow his own blood, feeding was still a faster way of recovering. Once he had his fill he began feeding Saul who was still pale.

They had reached a dry valley in the Sierra Mts. when Kyle ordered the trucks to stop.

"They're out there." He said relieved. "Don't fight them." He ordered the troops. "Let them know what you are."

The troops went into a kind of daze and one by one their eyes turned red even Kyle's. Saul though kept his mind closed until he felt a warm and welcoming presence. "My son, My son... you've finally come to me." The voice in his head repeated over and over again.

Saul was overcome by emotions and ran out of the truck to where he knew the voice was. There, at the foot of a hill amongst the dry brush was a man slightly taller and a little older illuminated by the blue glow of his eyes.

Saul stopped a few feet from the man and asked the question, "Are you my father?"

"Yes Saul I am."

Saul ran up and hugged the man. The questions he struggled with being a bride were answered. He was his father's son. The hole in his heart at loosing his family was also partly patched. He belonged again to a family unit.

"Why did I never know about you?"

"That's what your mother wanted. But that's not important now. What's important is that we have finally met and you are back in the Morgan family again.

"Are you ready?" Carl asked Russ.

"Yes Tor."

"You know what we are about to do."

"Yes."

"This is your choice."

"This is my choice."

"Then there's nothing left to say."

"No there's not...You'll be with me, right?"

"Just as I am now." Carl said with a knowing smile.

"Good, I know nothing can go wrong as long as you are with me."

"..."

Russ check again to see if the gun was properly hidden and protected from scan. The biofilm that Carl provided was amazing, it would make the gun look like a part of his body to the detection equipment. Together Carl and he would get revenge for what was done to him. He smiled at Carl as he joined him in the elevator. He got nervous when the elevator stopped once to pick up more people but Carl reassured him that everything would be ok. Carl was a real friend and he was right, the people who just got on got off after three floors.

"They're pretty lazy not using the stairs huh Carl." Russ joked while still in earshot of the others.

"They sure are." Carl agreed.

After the elevator doors closed the people who just got out began laughing. "Poor, crazy Russ Steward, he's now taken to talking to himself."

It was the day of the wedding, two weddings actually. Hal Steward was marrying Jacob Patrick and Scott Keller was taking Chuck Kingston as his husband. The vows had been said, the bond forged and the four had just given their kiss when Russ decided to act. He had chosen the wedding not because all three people he wanted dead would be there but because he wanted a ceremony that symbolized love to be ruined by the darkest of betrayals. He pulled the gun out of its bio-casing and proceeded to fire on the married couples. Carl, safe back at the club, laughed. Everything was going to plan. As Russ's Tor, Carl gained greater access to his mind, enough access to create an illusion of himself in Russ's demented head. Russ believed he was going down in a final fight with his best friend at his side. It would end in Russ's death but not Carl's. With both Russ and Hal and now Jacob out of the picture, Carl, as Russ's Tor would be the sole heir to the controlling shares of Steward Finance. He would in one day become the second most powerful person in the world. His father would now have to treat him as a near equal. He was enjoying the chaos he had caused when he noticed in Russ's vision... a wedding invitation.

This ceremony celebrates the Union of

Hal Steward and Jacob Patrick

and

Scott Keller and Chuck Kingston

May all who come

wish them well!

Two names shot into his mind, Jacob Patrick and Scott Keller. Jacob's name, he remembered, his father told him and showed pictures his old bodyguard. Carl looked again in Russ's eyes and saw a red haired man trying to shield two bodies at once. That was "THE JACOB." The second name, Keller, that was the same last name of the man his father had first fallen in love with and was trick into killing; just as Russ was being trick into killing this Keller. He looked a second time and saw a man that looked nearly identical to the man his father kept preserved and begged forgiveness from and hovering over him was Ryan, Carl's uncle, the one that was suppose to be dead. He was trying to stop the bleeding coming out of Scott's chest. Ryan had been Carl's only friend back at GenCorp headquarters where he was raised. Carl had to stop this for while he was more independent then his brothers were from their father, he still had all of Gordon's childhood memories in his head. He knew he couldn't let another Keller die nor Jacob or his uncle. There was only one thigh he could do...

"Russ!"

"Yes Carl, isn't this fun!" Russ said dementedly

"I'm leaving you."

"What!"

"You're insane and you've let me become insane by following you so I'm leaving."

"But you said we'd always be together!"

"Bye Russ." The illusion said as it made its way to the elevator.

"You bastard, you're just like the other's. Well, then you can die like the other's!" Russ emptied the remainder of his clip at the illusion and watched as the bullets passed right though it and into the elevator door. "You're not here! You were never here! This is a dream, that it, a dream!"

"Good nite Russ." Carl sent in his final message.

A tree that wasn't really there disappeared to show three security guards with their guns primed, they fired and the madness of the day finally ended.

Somewhere in a mountain cave a man felt a sudden pain in his heart, the final remnants of a lost love. He cried but was not alone, another held him as he worked through the pain.

It was a miracle, if situations like this can be called miracles but only one person officially died in the shooting, that being Russ Steward. Scott was in critical condition with a collapsed lung. Jacob escaped with a leg wound but the other two in the wedding party did not fair as well. Both Chuck and Hal received gun shot wounds to the head and were being kept alive by life support. The doctors wanted to move them to the Club's medical facilities at once but GenCorp released a statement saying that their hospital there was off limits. Alex, who had come with Ryan to the wedding and now the highest ranking person present who was still conscious demanded an explanation. GenCorp replied that they would send a rep to explain their position.

It was therefore to the confusion of all except Ryan when the unknown Carl Vassar entered the room.

"Carl! What are you doing here, is Gordon up to no good again." Ryan demanded.

"I'm sorry uncle I'm glad to see you alive but I'm afraid its me that's up to no good."

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked before he was hushed by Carl raising his hand.

"As of twenty minutes ago I was confirmed the sole heir of the stocks owned by Russ Steward."

"What? What game are you playing at nephew?"

"I was his Tor." Carl pulled up his sleeve showing the now fading marks. And therefore controller of his estate."

"And what do you plan to do now that you have 20% of the company." Alex demanded.

"I offer you a deal, in exchange for control of the company my medical staff will save the lives of your wounded."

"That's blackmail!" Ryan shouted "How could you sink so low?"

"Well it's no deal." Alex said defiantly.

"That's not your decision to make."

"I think it is, I'm the most senior man left." Alex scoffed.

"No, the decision is Jacob's, as Hal's husband he now controls his 35% stake during Hal's incapacity."

"He's right," one of the company lawyers, said.

Alex gave the lawyer an angry scowl before turning his attention on Jacob. "Well that's simple, Jacob tell this Vassar to bugger off."

"I...I can't. I can't loose them both, not at the same time. You have my vote Mr. Vassar. You can run the company until Hal and Scott recovers. Now save them!" Jacob decided.

"Done!" and with that three medical teams came rushing into the room.

"You bastard!" Ryan yelled. "You complained how evil your father was but you have sunk lower then him."

"I'm sorry uncle. I wish things could have been different but now I have to tell father the good news. He'll be overjoyed to learn that you are still alive."

"No..."

"Yes uncle I'm afraid so. I have to give him something to weaken his anger over what I did without his knowledge."

Carl made a trip to the Club hospital and hovered around the unconscious Scott. Even with a bullet wound he still had a peaceful look on his face. Carl was beginning to understand why his father fell in love with the first Keller. There was a sense of absolute acceptance and trust in this man. If anyone could love him even with the horrible things he had and will do, this man could.

"Don't hurt him." A voice from behind spoke.

"Oh Jacob its you."

"I said don't hurt him."

"I won't."

"That's what your father believed."

"I'm sorry... I can't escape who I am. His memories, his emotions are inside me. I try to fight them but I just can't."

"That is a sorry excuse. You might not be able to control what you feel but you do have a say in how you react to it. Please, I see how you look at Scott. You're right in thinking that he will give you a second chance but if you fail him, it will crush him. He is also a married man now. Don't try to seduce him."

"His husband might never recover." Carl said off handedly.

"Yes, but that must be Scott's choice. Don't make it for him."

"Speaking of husbands, the facilities and doctors are not skilled enough to take care of them. For any chance at recovery Hal and Chuck need to go to GenCorp headquarters."

"What of Scott?"

"You can guess what will happen if my father sees him. You'll just have to trust that he'll be safer with me."

"I guess so. What of myself?"

"Where do you want to be?"

This was a hard one for Jacob; to stay and make sure that Carl didn't hurt Scott or to protect their husbands and Ryan from Gordon. He knew what Scott would tell him and he knew that is what he needed to do as well. "I'll go with them to GenCorp." He finally said.

"Good, that's where I think you can do the most good."

"I also think you were counting on it, me getting out of your way. So I will tell you again, don't hurt him."

"I'll do my best... you are a good bodyguard."

"One of the best but I was never any good at protecting against your family." Jacob said bitterly.

They didn't stay long at the cave, as the government knew of it. Robert and Chad quickly had the group moved to a more secret location. Saul was finding he loved the idea of having a father, two fathers really; Chad treated Saul as if he were his son as well. Saul also liked how the two of them worked together. Robert was the smooth but serious type while Chad was still rough around the edges but more of a joker. He could tell the two really loved each other even thought they had conflicting personalities.

"So, how are you and Kyle getting along?" Robert asked Saul as they rode in the back of a truck.

"Pretty well, I'm still getting used to him meaning a lot to me. I have never been in this kind of relationship before."

"I bet. It was a big shock for me as well but Chad knew what he wanted and it was me!"

"It feels like drowning sometimes, like I'm loosing myself in the relationship."

"That is also natural. You are no longer "I" but "We" in ways that no normal couple can be. We have complete understanding of each other, we know what we think and feel so there's little room for misunderstanding to poison the relationship. That's what I had with your mother, a lot of love but also a lot of misunderstanding."

"You loved her."

"Yes I did."

"I wish I could of grown up with you as my dad."

"Same here."

"How did you meet Chad?'

"Oh that's a long story."

"We have time."

"All right, but I'll give you the shorten version. My father, your grandfather, had just found out that his dad was dying. He went to take care of him and had me and my brother, Sam, join him there. Sam, at the time was seeing a guy named Michael and he invited him to join us. He turned out to be a vampire. Michael was also a good friend of Chad who also came. Now Chad comes from the Worth Clan and the Worth clan is the official guardian of the Morgan family."

"Guardian?"

"Yes, they are sworn to protect our family. Well, long age there was an incident and the head of the Worth clan was killed protecting the family. To reestablish the bond between family and clan, Chad was given a chance to jump my bones so to speak."

"I guess he succeeded."

"Yes he did, he sent me a few mental pictures of what he wanted to do with me and talked to me in that deep voice of his. Before I knew it we were both naked and I with my butt in the air."

"Yeah, Chad looks like a top."

"He is, but sometimes I get to fuck him, its only fair and while he'll never admit it afterwards he really enjoys it."

"Yeah right, I'm just trying to make a man out of you." Chad weakly defended himself.

"What's that, do you have an itch you need me to scratch. You take my 7 inches well enough." Robert joked.

"You don't have to tell him everything!" Chad said embarrassed.

"He knows who where's the pants in this relationship." Robert whispered in Saul's ear.

"Hey, I heard that!"

"Good, now act you age."

"What, like I'm over 300 years old?"

"Yeah, you don't hear most 300 year old queens talking trash."

"That's cause they're dead...Oooo. I'll keep my mouth shut then." Chad said when he finally got the hint.

"That's good, now tell me son about your family."

Saul told him about his son Kevin, daughter Sally, and wife Beth. He told him about his experience as a child; how his mother Virginia died during the later years of the plague leaving him raised in a military orphanage, how he first was bullied but later became a bully due to his brain implants. He explained his now gone hatred for telepaths and vampires and how that led to his decision not to become an animorph as most troops do. He told his father how he met Beth at an anti-telepath rally and how by their common hatreds they thought the fell in love. The only happiness in his life back then were his children, two bundles of joy who looked at their father as a hero not a defect.

"I'm happy that you had the chance to have children son."

"Thanks Rob... dad."

"It does present a problem though."

"What?"

"Your son, he's five, next year he'll be tested for telepathic gift."

"You're right...Will he have the gift?"

"There hasn't been a Morgan male born yet who hasn't."

"Then why are there so few of us?"

"Because most of us realize our attraction to men before we have kids and back then it was not possible for two men to have children on their own. We've researched the family line as far back as we can go and have found that until your great-grandfather was born there had only been one child who went on to have children of their own for every generation. There might be more of us out there, my aunt had a son...John was his name... but he died before he had children as far as I'm aware.

"So my son will have the gift."

"Yes... how will Beth react to that?"

"It will confuse her and make her angry."

"Will she hurt your son?"

"No, I can never see her doing that but..."

"But what?"

"Back then we talked about having kids we agreed that if any of our children had the gift... there would be no place for them in the family. The child would be sent to a military orphanage. I ... I grew up in one, it makes you tough and cold hearted... I can't see my son's kind heart surviving in such a place."

"Then we'll have to rescue him."

"Take him away from his mother!"

"You said it yourself that she will most likely send him away. Better with one parent then with none."

"But what kind of life can my son have with me on the run."

"Don't worry, we're going to a place where you won't have to move again. It's a safe place. It just doesn't have too many kids."

"Like how many?"

"Like none at the moment but there are plenty of people who have raised families there so they can help."

"Like who?"

"Like the entire Morgan family."

"They all live together?"

"Yeah, it keeps them safer to have all of us under one roof."

"From the government?"

"No, from other vampires. As Kyle told you, you are a bride; the Morgan's are the only family of brides known. After the plague, there are other empaths but none of them seem to be of them same quality. Makes us a rare commodity and like all such things has to be protected."

"Why have there been problems?"

"Not for a long time but we don't want to take chances."

"So how will we get my son?"

"You won't, they'll be looking for you so someone else will get the job."

"Who?"

"Family... we take care of our own."

While Chuck, Will, Hal, and Jacob were sent to GenCorp headquarters James was moved to Carl's private quarters back at the Club. James still had no idea what had really happened that day at the wedding. He also did not know who Carl really was. Carl just posed himself as James's nurse, checking on him all day as he did today.

"How are you doing Mr. Keller?' Carl said with a happy grin.

"Breathing a little better today. Thanks."

"My god he can actually talk today." Carl laughed.

"Yeah, my throat has finally healed after having a tube in it." James said with a goofy grin. His voice was still horse but a least he no longer had to us hand gestures and writing to communicate.

"Well that's good but don't wear yourself out on me."

"Any news on Chuck."

"They're still working on him. Don't worry GenCorp is the best at these things." Carl answered honestly.

"When will I be able to visit them?" Scott asked.

"Hey now wait a minute, we're still working on you. It takes time to recover from being on life support as long as you were. I would bet good money that you couldn't make it out of this room."

"You're most likely right at that." Scott laughed, causing his throat to hurt and leaving him short of breath.

"Now see what has happened. You're going to stay here until I think you're ready and I want no arguing from you." Carl said with the Texas twang he learned in Dallas.

Scott this time didn't even try to talk but just nodded his head that he understood. He looked around the room and was still amazed at what he saw. This was completely different from his last visit to the hospital. The walls, floors, and even the 15-foot ceiling were all done in dark carved wood. His bed was of a lighter colored wood but thick with four iron trimmed wood posts that formed lotus blossoms on the top. The nightstands each had Japanese style lamps in addition to the medical equipment monitoring him. What he didn't know was that Travis Gannon had designed some of the equipment. Learning from what happened to John, Travis built a machine and the drugs that would allow a telepath Alpha to be around an empath Omega without the burns that John suffered. It took longer but did no damage other then a sore throat and being too weak to move much. It was one of the first things Carl had Scott hooked up to. Carl was getting excited since in another week this phase of the treatment would be done and Carl could take on a more hands on approach in seducing Scott but for this one week it was still hands off.

"Ok Scott its time for breakfast and I don't want you to try feeding yourself this time. Last time I had to change the sheets you made such a mess or do you want me to give you another sponge bath."

Scott didn't like being force-fed and he felt uncomfortable being sponge bathed. Even though Carl never said a word indicating it, Scott, due to his empathic gift, knew Carl had the beginnings of a crush on him. It was the excuse Scott used to explain why he never saw another person other then Carl. "That had to be the reason." Scott told himself. "He arranged it with the other nurses that he was the only one to take care of him." Scott just felt nervous with another man besides Chuck and Jacob being interested in him.

"Say Ah now." Carl said with parental seriousness as he brought a spoonful of eggs to Scott's mouth.

James, with an annoyed look, opened his mouth and allowed himself to be spoon fed. Everything went pretty well until the near last spoonful of biscuit in sausage gravy. The tip hit his nose, leaving a drop of gravy on it. This resulted in Scott sneezing, jerking his head deeper into the food, and leaving a big mess of gravy and snot. Carl, out of pure instinct, grabbed a napkin and began cleaning Scott's face and just by accident, the smallest of his finger's grazed the side of Scott's face sending a shot of joy to both of them.

"You're warm." Scott whispered when Carl finished cleaning his face.

"Sorry for touching you." Carl said as he looked down on the ground.

"Why, it felt... it felt good."

"Really?"

"Yes, I don't know why but it made me happy."

"It made me happy too." Carl admitted

"Carl... who are you?" Scott finally asked.

"I'm your nurse." Carl said evasively.

"No Carl. Why are you taking care of me?" Scott said, sensing a lie.

"I wanted to get to know you." Carl said sheepishly. Hell, what was wrong with him, he never lacked a backbone before.

"Why? Not that I mind."

"Because you're an Omega."

"A what?

"Do you know what an Omega is?'

"No."

"An Omega is the highest rank an empath can achieve. There has only been one other ever known."

"Who was that?"

"You're father."

"Jacob?"

"No, you're real father, you're biological father."

"You knew my dad"

"No, but I knew of him, most people who work at GenCorp know of him."

"Why?"

"Your father was an important man to the two top people at GenCorp, Travis Gannon and Gordon Vassar." Carl replied with a bit of bitterness on speaking his father's name.

Scott sensed Carl's anger at his father but didn't know the relationship or the reason so he asked. "You don't like Gordon Vassar, why?

"Many reasons. First, he's psychotic. He turned my father into a drone. Second, he killed your father."

"He did, I...I never knew."

"Jacob never told you?"

"No."

"It was an accident and he was tricked by his own father to do it but he was the one who did it."

"Why did his father trick him?"

"Well, you see his father was not his real father. His real father was Travis Gannon but Mr. Vassar was always jealous of him and wanted him dead. In trying to kill Travis, your father died."

"How?"

"Your father was forming a bond with Travis, it is a dangerous time for both involved. If one of the partners suffer great trauma, it can kill the other. Gordon, when he was just a child, met your father and really liked him, as a father figure and a friend that is. Well Mr. Vassar fooled Gordon into believing that Travis wouldn't let him see John any more. This upset Gordon enough that he had himself augmented so he could force Travis to allow him to see your father."

"Augmented how?'

"He had himself aged into an adult where his telepathic gift would be a match for Travis's."

"Oh..."

"Well as you can imagine there was a fight and Travis was seriously hurt, almost permanently killed."

"You mean there is another form of death other then permanent?"

"With Travis yes, he was physically dead, heart no longer beating and all, but the cells of his body continued to live until the damage was healed. He's still alive but not the same person he once was. But back to your father, he, due to the death of his bond mate, suffered server brain trauma and died."

"I never knew my father ...I now wished that I did." Scott said as a single tear ran down his face.

Carl touched tear so it was drawn up to the tip of his finger before putting it into his mouth. "I don't want you to be sad Scott, it makes me feel the same. I take up your feelings just like I did your tear."

"I'm sorry Carl... I guess that you're also an Alpha."

"Yes I am..."

"So that's why you always want to be near me... like Gordon and Travis did my father?"

"Yes."

Is that why you are falling in love with me?"

"You guessed that?"

"I am an empath."

"Is Travis also you're father?"

"No." Carl said, not wanting to answer more.

"It must be Gordon." Scott thought to himself but didn't speak out loud knowing how uncomfortable that would make Carl. But of course Carl, being a telepath, knew what Scott was thinking.

"..."

"..."

"...I better get going." Carl finally said, breaking the silence.

"Carl, you're a good person, please don't feel uncomfortable." Scott said as Carl got up to leave.

"I only wished it were true." Carl thought to himself as he closed the door.