Risen (Haunted Series Book 22)

have something that will. Feel free to raid her closet.  Cid
She lifted up the garments, and she smiled as Cid had gotten her size right.  Unfortunately, there was no underwear.  Sabine turned on the shower and stepped out to see if Mia had anything that would fit her.
Cid looked up at the ceiling when he heard the shower.  “Our guest is awake,” he said to Maggie.
The mixed-breed, ghost-seeing dog looked up with interest.
“She’s been here before.  Sabine is Mia’s cousin.  She’s very kind.  You’ll like her.”
“Who will like who?”  Dieter asked, walking to the refrigerator and grabbing the orange juice.
“Maggie will like Sabine.”
“Everyone does.  I take it Sleeping Beauty is awake?” Dieter confirmed.
“I hear the shower running,” Cid said.  “I’m making pancakes. The sausages are on the warmer.” Cid pointed.
“Where’s my parents?  I noticed they didn’t return with Nicholai.”
“According to Jake, who has been communicating with your dad through encrypted emails, the team has determined that there is a threat to human life.  They have met with the Feds and suggested a warning beacon be put out warning boaters from landing there.”
“It won’t work,” Dieter said.  “People just get more curious when challenged by things that say ‘no trespassing’ or ‘entry is forbidden.’  It’s just human nature to not believe a warning sign or a beeping buoy.”
“I see your point.  In that case, maybe they need to address the situation.  I’m not sure Mia wants to take it on though.  She’s been reticent about why not.”
“Mom’s afraid of becoming a demon assassin.  More and more, she seems to be called upon to use her sword instead of her intellect.  She thinks there has got to be a way of communicating with them, directing them to leave the humans alone.”
“Unfortunately, I think it’s in their nature to torment and use us,” Cid said.
“We are pretty easy to manipulate,” Dieter said as he started setting a place at the kitchen island for the three of them.  “Teenagers especially.”
Cid looked over at the tall youth with the haunted brown eyes.  Dieter had been through so much in his young life.  From growing up in a war-torn country, seeing his parents killed during one of the several regime changes, to the death of the man who rescued him by bringing him to the United States, Dieter had experienced more hurt than happiness in his young life.
“You’re very wise for one so young,” Cid said.
Dieter looked down, embarrassed.  “I’m not really.”
“I think you are.  You’re a good mentor for Brian.”
“He doesn’t listen to me,” Dieter argued.  “Lately, all he does is get me into a lot of trouble.”
“I think that as he matures, he will settle down.  I’ve seen his admiration when he talks about you.  You even got him interested in poetry.”
“Don’t mention that fiasco,” Dieter said.  “I’d like to put that behind me, thank you very much.”
“Mike and I felt your poem should have earned you an A.”
“I was very happy with the B.  I wasn’t happy with what happened after I picked up the poetry book A Raven Writes.”
“Why?”
“I think I was manipulated by the gargoyle into bringing the book home.  It opened the door for Hero to enter our lives.”
“Mia said that was fate.  She felt, when she stepped over the threshold of the bookstore, that she should be there.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“It’s true.  Sometimes, it’s not the demons that are using us.  We can be maneuvered by entities of good too,” Cid said.
“Cid, that’s not making me feel better,” Dieter said, slumping down into his chair.
“I think that’s why Mia fought not to go down to the Caribbean.  It’s not that she didn’t want to help Sabine.  She clearly loves and respects her cousin.  It’s the interference of Angelo and Whitney Martin that’s got her back up.”
Sabine breezed in and hugged Dieter first and then gracefully moved around the kitchen island to give Cid a generous hug too.  “It’s so good to see you, gentlemen.”
“How are you feeling?”
“So much better than I did on that boat.  It wasn’t the yacht though.  I’m a good sailor. It was the island,” she said quickly.  “It’s an evil place.  I take it my cousin hasn’t arrived back yet?”
“Looks like they have a problem or two.  Kevin and Fergus are still on the island, and the Feds are circling.  Ted’s worried that the numbskulls will land on the beach.”
“We were warned not to.”
“Who warned you?”
“Actually, they warned Patrick.  You’ll have to talk to Patrick about that.”
“Jake reported that the group thinks that there is someone benefitting by directing people to the island.  And then something on the island eats them.”
“Great, that just put me off my pancakes,” Dieter said, pushing his plate away.
“Eat. You need your energy.  I hear you’re an emerging football star,” Sabine said sweetly.  “I can’t wait to see you play this fall.”
“You’re going to come to one of my games?” Dieter asked, surprised.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been to one yet.  My excuse is my girls.  Until recently, I didn’t want to leave them with a babysitter, and Tauni needs her evenings off too.  My sister-in-law Holly has expressed that she would like to have them once a week.  She is a very brave woman.”
“I imagine they are a handful,” Cid said.  “Brian is running us ragged.”
“Where is he now?” Sabine asked.
“He and Varden are in Wyoming with his grandparents and godparents,” Dieter said.  “They actually begged to have the boys to themselves.”
“Brian and Varden can’t be that bad.”
Cid and Dieter stared at her and nodded their heads.
“Varden isn’t the problem,” Cid clarified.
“Is it the magic?  I know someone who can stifle the magic with a charm,” Sabine offered.  “I had to use one with two