Amethyst Cove Chronicles

The Warehouse

Once the Light Coven mates left, Bart and Jethro started cleaning up the mess made by the half element witch. After the warlocks finished, the two men closed their eyes, then they mentally connected with their newfound brothers and summoned up a portal. Terrance and Flint walked through the wall where the opening materialized.

"Boys, that was a pretty good first outing as the newly formed Dark Coven," Bart said.

The warlock conjured four bourbon glasses and magically filled them with Evan Williams. Then, with a wave of his hand, the amber liquid-filled glasses floated to the other three young men gathered together. The four men smiled and clinked their glasses. Flint and Terrance sat on the couch, cuddled together.

"I'm just curious. You two have been adamant about calling the Light Coven guys f******. Why aren't you doing the same with us?" Terrance asked.

Bart and Jethro looked at each other and giggled. "It's just an act, Terr, just like you and Trent, we're a couple. However, we decided to keep our relationship a secret and put on the facade of being homophobic."

Jethro smirked, and as he kissed his mate, the warlock sneaked his fingers under the hem of Bart's shirt. He lightly tickled the other warlock's belly button rim with his fingertip. Bart instantly jumped and squealed as he buried his face in Jethro's chest. Terrance and Flint looked at each other and giggled at their new brother's cuteness.

"You're sooo gonna pay for that one, tickle fiend." Bart threatened after his giggles subsided.

"You loved every second of it, my evil lover." Jethro kissed Bart's parted lips.

"So, why the act? Are you guys really that ashamed of being together?" Flint asked.

"That's not it at all. We don't want to be held hostage cause of our feelings for one another. Thro and I both believe we're in a stronger position if we don't show our feelings for one another." Bart offered, with Jethro nodding his agreement.

"At least we know the type of power we're up against with the goody-goody witch boys. It'll make our random and sporadic attacks that much better." Jethro said.

The four warlocks continued to congratulate themselves and drink enough liquor to get shitfaced.

The B&B

As they walked back to the house, Ryan kept getting feelings from all his Coven family. The teen was going crazy with the other three guy's conflicting emotions and similar ones. Johnny picked up on Ryan's anxiousness. He also picked up on Kit and Felix's feelings. The Coven's second oldest member shook his head and stopped short, putting his hand up like a stop sign. The scene was like a comedic sketch with Felix running into the back of Johnny, Kit running into Felix, and Ryan running into Kit. Johnny couldn't stop laughing his ass off as he watched the human rear-enders and the pileup.

"What the hell?" Ryan asked before dissolving into boyish giggles.

"You stopped." Kit said before his giggling joined his mate and brother's laughter.

"Johnny caused this," Felix added between his chuckling.

None of the guys could say anything else because they were doubled over laughing. Finally, their laughter subsided, and they composed themselves.

"Guys, we can't wait on the therapy. We need to have a brother/mate bond night." Johnny said.

Kit's ears slightly twitched, and he closed his eyes. The teen let his wolf senses go to work and did a check-in on his brothers and mate, then he did one on himself. He could feel that Johnny's feeling was spot on. Kit smelled and felt the emotions of anxiety, shame, guilt, and powerlessness coming from himself and his Coven mates. Finally, he opened his eyes and gazed deeply into the other three pairs of eyes surrounding him. "John's right. We can't wait." He closed his eyes and let the tears fall.

Ryan gazed at his family and wrapped Kit in his arms. He took a deep breath and nodded his agreement. "My thoughts are that Felix should be with me and Kit with Johnny. Then, we can have some joint time as a united Coven and end the night with our lifemates." Ryan's eyes widened, and he gasped because that was actually the first he'd voiced the words "lifemate."

Kit's eyes widened as he smiled and wagged his tail, hearing his mate use that term. It meant Ryan was one step closer to full acceptance of their being bonded together for life. The teen leaned his head back and kissed his mate's chin. The wolfboy squealed and giggled as he scrunched his neck when Ryan started blowing raspberries on his exposed neck. Kit's giggles were infectious and had the rest of the guys chuckling with him.

"I think that's a great idea." Felix shook his head and wrapped his red-haired boyfriend in his arms. He mirrored his younger brother's actions and blew raspberries on Johnny. However, instead of targeting the teen's neck, the half tickle monster chose to raspberry his lover's pit hollows.

"Liiiixxxxx, you know that ticklllllllleeeeeessssssss." Johnny squealed as he was brought to his knees in hysterics, as he tried but couldn't bring his arms down.

"I love you, babe." Felix smiled and wrapped Johnny in his most loving embrace.

"I love you, Kit." Ryan wiped his and Kit's tears as he did the same thing as his brother.

The couples stayed in their embraces for another few minutes before they separated and left to strengthen the bond with their Coven brother. Ryan and Felix headed to the treehouse. Kit and Johnny headed up to the top of the falls.

Felix and Ryan stood in front of the steps leading up to the wooden structure.

"Alright, Ry. Why'd you choose to be with me and not John or Kit?" Felix asked.

"Because you and I need to work on our bonding, and I don't think we'd be as honest with our mates. You get me open up, and somehow I do the same for you." Ryan smiled and hugged Felix. "We're brothers, both Coven, and family." He paused and gazed into the older man's eyes. "You keep us grounded and are always there to give us advice and love."

Felix wiped his eyes and gave Ryan a bear hug that lifted the teen off the ground. He giggled when his brother squirmed and tried to protest, despite his giggles and a huge smile. The half-witch set his brother back on his feet and kissed his cheek. "You're an awesome little bro, Ry."

The teen smiled and started climbing, he was halfway to the trap door when his older brother's eyes flashed, and an earthen pedestal lifted him up and into the window a couple of seconds before Ryan reached the door.

Ryan glared at his giggling brother in mock disgust. "You're such a damn cheat." The redhead tried his best to keep the facial expression. However, the instant Felix's smile showed up, the teen started cracking up with laughter.

"You're just jealous you didn't think of it sooner, bro." Felix cackled and placed the seventeen-year-old in a headlock and noogied his little brother.

Ryan's squeals pierced the late afternoon air as he wriggled and kicked against the wood floor, trying to escape his brother's hold. Finally, he resorted to drastic measures. Ryan giggled and kneaded the brunet's side with his fingers.

Felix let go of his younger brother and brought his arms down as he doubled over in laughter and wriggled. "Okay, truce, for now, kiddo." Felix and Ryan giggled boyishly and wrapped each other in a loving brotherly embrace. Tears fell from the older witch's eyes and splashed on the teen's hair. "I'm sorry for today, Ry. I don't know what I'd ever do if…"

"What are you apologizing for, Lix?" Ryan gently rubbed Felix's back and kissed his brother's cheek. It made the teen feel proud that he could comfort his older brother. It's usually the other way around.

"I wasn't strong enough to keep you guys safe." Felix sat on the floor, Indian style. "I...I'm not sure I can protect the Coven anymore. I'm pathetic." Tears flowed down the brunet's cheeks as he shared his locked-up feelings with his brother.

Ryan was at a momentary loss. He'd never seen his brother seem so broken and helpless. The half element witch always seemed in control and parental. It was then that the redhead realized that he was seeing Felix as a super witch of sorts. Knowing the half-witch had fears and things that scared him placed him in a more human spotlight. The teen suddenly got an idea of how to help his brother's self-esteem. "Felix, would you let me access your memories from today?" Ryan asked.

Felix dried his tears and looked at the teen. "Umm, I don't think that's a good idea, Ryan. I don't want you to see all that violence."

"I'll be fine, big guy. I want to see why you think you're pathetic and can't be protective anymore." Ryan said as he sat opposite Felix, facing him.

Felix closed his eyes. "Fine."

Ryan took a few deep breaths and held Felix's hands. He closed his eyes and went into his brother's mind. The teen managed to keep his reactions from surfacing as he saw everything that happened to both Felix and Kit. Finally, Ryan gasped and opened his eyes. He looked at his brother with tears in his eyes.

"I told ya, I'm pathetic and can't protect the Cove..."

"Felix, if I ever freakin' hear you call yourself pathetic, weak, or say you're unable to be protective of us again, I'm beating the shit outta you, then getting Johnny and Kit to tickle the hell outta you."

Ryan's outburst made Felix jump and gasp. He'd never heard the teen sound so forceful, and when he saw the seriousness and determination in his brother's eyes, it shook the older witch to his core.

"Do you know what I saw?" Ryan asked with a softer tone.

"Me, getting the shit burned outta me and being tickled into fuckin' submission?" Felix jumped and yelped when Ryan moved quicker than he anticipated and pinned him faceup on the treehouse floor.

Ryan straddled his brother's waist and held his arms down as he stared into the older man's eyes. "No, you freaking scary witch guy." He paused and giggled. "I saw you, fighting as much as you could to keep Kit from being killed. You exhausted yourself. Even to the point of helplessness when you infused the chains with your tickle magic."

Felix closed his eyes because he couldn't look into Ryan's intense stare.

"Lix, you're always saying how you feel responsible for our safety. Felix, today, you backed your words with actions. You did everything you could to save our Pup." Ryan paused and wiped his eyes. "You saved Johnny and me too. You're one of the strongest witches I've met." He paused again. "The entire Coven did something we're hesitant or scared about. You, me, and Kit all had our ticklishness used against us and were tickle tortured."

Felix gasped and wrapped his arms around Ryan. His eyes grew darker. "Who tortured you?" His voice was low and growling.

Ryan shook his head and smiled at his brother's instant protection mode. "Umm, do you realize what you just did, big bro? The instant you heard I was tickle tortured, you were ready to protect me, no matter what." He giggled. "Back down, tickle monster. I'm fine, and it was my ex-boyfriend, Terrance, and his mate Flint."

Despite his red-haired brother's vibrato, Felix could feel his apprehension. Instinctively, the half-witch pulled the teen against his chest, slightly rocked them both side to side, and kissed Ryan's forehead. "You only have to tell me if you want to, but are you truly okay, Ry?"

The redhead cuddled as hard as he could against Felix's muscled chest. He didn't say anything, just slightly nodded his head. "I will be once I talk with Kit. No offense, Lix, but I need to tell him what happened first." Ryan wiped his tears. "You're doing what you do best, bro. Protecting and comforting me when I need it."

Felix smiled and kissed Ryan's cheek. "If I'm breathing, I'm gonna be here for ya, little bro. And, thanks to you and Johnny, I'm not a killer." The two brothers continued to talk and confide in each other.

Johnny and Kit sat on the top of the waterfall. The older teen smiled and wiped his eyes as his brother sat in his lap and cuddled into him. Johnny wasn't a strong guy or a powerful witch, but for some reason, he could feel Kit's belief that he was. The redhead hoped he'd never let his brother down. "So, not the homecoming we thought it'd be, was it, Pup?"

Kit smiled and shook his head. He closed his eyes. He let Johnny's love and protective nature wash over him and cover his soul like a comforting blanket. He raised his head, giggled, and playfully licked Johnny's cheek.

Johnny grunted and playfully glared down at his little wolf brother. "Eeeeww, Kit. I don't know where your tongue's been." The older teen giggled, and his eyes flashed violet as he magically pinned Kit's arms up over his head.

Kit squealed and started squirming as he tried to break his brother's spell. His squeals morphed into boyish giggling and high-pitched laughter when Johnny's fingers wiggled and kneaded his newly exposed armpit hollows. "Joooohhhhnnnnyyyyyy no fair." The teen squealed between his laughter. His feet pushed against the ground, and his ears flexed as his tail wagged, making him look like an adorably ticklish wolf puppy.

Johnny chuckled and ceased his magical tickle assault. He wrapped Kit in his arms and kissed the younger teen's nose. "I missed my little puppy brother." He said as Kit kissed his cheek. "I was so scared for you, Pup." Johnny wiped his eyes. "I never knew how much I needed a brother till I met you after meeting Felix. Then it gets even better when Ry comes along, and now I've got a perfect life with you, Ry and Felix." He paused. "You and Felix have been through hell today. The two of you finally experienced what rage and hatred feel like. Are you okay, baby pup?" Johnny asked as he gently rocked the younger teen in his arms back and forth.

"I think I am. I've never been so scared, and..." Kit paused and sobbed in his brother's muscled chest.

"It's okay, Kit. You're safe and protected. I promise, if at all possible, Felix, Ryan, and I will never let anyone hurt you like that." Johnny paused. "Do you still feel the same about tickling and being tickled? If you don't, you need to tell us, so we can adjust our behavior toward you."

Kit sat up and gazed into Johnny's eyes. He let his wolf side take over and drill into the redhead's soul. Johnny did his best not to flinch or look away. He could feel it wasn't human Kit but his wolf's form assessing his feelings and intentions.

"As long as it's done playfully and loving as you guys have always done, I'll never tire of being the playful ticklish little puppy brother. Kit giggled, then got serious again. "John, you tapped into your dark magic today. I know how frightening that is for you. Are you okay, big bro?"

"Shit, you don't hold back. I think that's probably why Ryan's with Felix right now. He knew that you and I would be more forthright with one another." Johnny paused and deeply inhaled. "I was scared, and after a minute or two, seeing Ryan getting his ass kicked made me get past the fear." The older teen let his tears fall as he laid his head on Kit's shoulder.

Kit smiled and raised Johnny's chin. "Thank you for finding the strength to keep Felix from killing today." He paused. "John, you're not weak. You were a damn mountain for Ryan to lean on today. You're my forever big brother and family. I love you."

Johnny smiled. "I love ya too, baby bro."