Page 6 of Beasts

Chapter four

Beyond Understanding

Dressed in my regular clothes, I head downstairs, where I find Hugh has convened a house meeting. I quickly notice that Oliver is conspicuously absent.

“Alright, quiet down, everyone,” Hugh commands, silencing the chatter. With the room’s attention, he begins, “As some of you know, last night was a full moon, and Amelia, out of concern, ended up finding me in the basement.” A wave of murmurs and questions ripple through the room, directed at Seth.

“Relax, it was meant to happen,” Seth says nonchalantly, defusing the tension. Nolan, sitting apart, rolls his eyes at Seth’s casual demeanor.

“A heads-up would’ve been nice,” Nolan mutters, then addresses the room. “Amelia’s staying with us, and it’s only fair she knows the whole truth. Let’s reintroduce ourselves, along with the ‘what’. Then you can head to your lectures.”

The room fills with an air of anticipation as Nolan’s words settle among the fraternity members. One by one, they rise to reveal their true selves, adding layers of complexity to the already intriguing dynamic of the house. Seth, with a confident smirk, stands first. “I’m Seth, and I’m a psychic. But not the gimmicky kind you see in movies. I have genuine foresight – the who, what, and when of future events.”

“That’s... actually pretty cool,” I say, intrigued by the notion of someone who can peek into the future.

Next up is Hugh, who approaches with a friendly smile. “I’m Hugh. As you’ve probably guessed, I’m not your average guy. I’m a gargoyle. I can fly and am nearly indestructible.”

“That’s awesome!” I respond, my mind racing with images of Hugh soaring through the skies.

The triplets, a whirlwind of energy, introduce themselves in unison. “We’re Niles, Richard, and Hendrik – cat shifters. Don’t worry, we’re more playful than dangerous,” they say with a mischievous grin.

Valentine steps forward with a certain allure. “I’m Valentine, an incubus. But don’t worry, I’m not as bad as the legends make us out to be.”

I instinctively retract my hand, recalling our earlier encounter. “That explains the flirting then. Gross, dude.”

Kane, with a calm demeanor, reveals his secret. “I’m Kane, a merman. And yes, I do spend a lot of time in the water.”

Reyes, quiet and introspective, speaks softly. “I’m Reyes, a medium. I can communicate with spirits. It’s not always as spooky as it sounds.”

Finally, Hunter and Byron, who exude an air of mystery, simply nod in greeting. “We’re warlocks,” Hunter says, “Think of us as male witches with our own set of magical abilities.”

Byron adds, “It’s not all cauldrons and spells. We’re more about harnessing natural energies.” The room falls silent as I process this extraordinary information. Each of these individuals, with abilities and identities straight out of a fantasy novel, live under one roof. It’s a testament to the diversity and acceptance within these walls.

“What about you?” Valentine asks, breaking the silence.

“Me? I’m just human,” I reply, feeling oddly ordinary amidst such extraordinary company.

“Amelia,” Nolan interjects, “Val tried to entrance you, and you resisted. Humans can’t do that.”

“Maybe he just had an off day,” I suggest, not convinced myself. The group accepts my explanation with shrugs.

“Can I ask something? Do all kinds of mythological creatures exist?” I ask, curiosity piqued.

“Pretty much,” the triplets answer in unison.

“Even vampires?” I ask, a hint of fear in my voice.

“Yes, vampires too,” Nolan confirms, stepping closer.

“I’m really glad none of you are vampires. I have this irrational fear of them,” I confess, my heartbeat quickening at the thought.

Echo, the fae fairy, looks at me curiously. “Why’s that?”

“It’s a long story, and I don’t want to be late for my lecture,” I deflect, turning to leave. But then I stop, remembering something. “What about Oliver?”

“A hopeless case,” Seth says, startling me with his sudden appearance. “Don’t worry about him. It’s surprising you even know he exists.”

As I head towards the stairs, laughter from last night’s dinner resonates in my memory. Pointing at Kane and Valentine, I can’t help but laugh. “Oh my god, Flounder. I so get it now.”

---