Page 32 of April's Fool (Northarbor Coven Book 2)

Epilogue

Damon

The answer to my question was simple.

War.

We spent the following days picking up the pieces of the coven after Basil’s devastating attack. Parker was constantly on the other end of the phone, waiting for me to say what we needed.

We sent the witches to their own homes. Luckily, very few lived in the new coven house, which we no longer deemed safe. We couldn’t stay in the coven house because the wards weren’t keyed to me, the coven leader. There wasn’t space for them at the club apartment, so I encouraged, okay, threatened, the witches to take their coven friends into their homes. Thankfully, there weren’t many displaced witches.

There wasn’t much of a coven left.

Many of the coven members were in league with Basil. They wanted a return to the old ways, saw Poppy as too progressive with her continued relationship with the Sweetwater pack. It didn’t matter to them that the support of the pack had been beneficial to all. When the elves came, they brought magical teachings long forgotten or even unknown by witches. Their magic was so compatible, they could perform all sorts together they couldn’t alone.

Witches, like so many people, were afraid of what they didn’t understand.

Alongside going to war with a power-hungry witch, I had to rebuild what was left, so when Poppy and Zinna returned, I could give them back this thing. I didn’t want it. All I wanted was time with my family, Mori, next to me.

“Hey, so I’ve got you, Mori, Barr, Oak and Thyme, a new house. I’ll text you the address. It’s clean and safe, so it’s ready when you are.”

Parker had really come through for us, knowing how much we were struggling all living together.

The five of us were still at the club apartment, which, as a coven house, was a bad idea. With so many witches going back and forth, the shifters were uneasy, and Basil knew about it, leaving us open to attack. None of us could sleep soundly there, each taking shifts. It was far too cramped for five grown men, especially when Mori and Barr went full demon. Hela was showing signs of stress being apart from Toth for so long. We needed a better home base.

I was grateful for Barr. He acted as a sort of buffer between Oak and Thyme, the two butting heads more often than not.

Our hellhound friend had waited patiently outside for us. He got to his knees and groveled for forgiveness for being unable to call for help. I felt like shit when I found out he couldn’t work the phone we had given him. We’d left him alone all that time while I was battling with Basil. Anything could have happened to him.

By the time he’d figured it out, the battle was over, and the elves had arrived. Still, he waited where we left him rather than coming inside, just in case. Since then, I’d gotten pretty protective of him. He was ours, part of our family, which just kept growing. No returns. No take backs.

“Okay, we’ll head there with some stuff right now. It’s probably better we keep a low profile around the club just now.”

“Yeah. Okay, I’ve got to go.”

Parker was being cagey. Distracted. I understood Parker was newly mated, however that worked, but I needed his help to navigate this new path I was on. He was so important to me, I couldn’t lose him, especially with everything coming.

I called the others together; we packed and headed for the address Parker had sent, grateful for a new space and the promise of a decent night’s sleep. Oak had taught me several wards I’d need to lay down for the new property. Magic was… becoming easier to use. It was going to take me much longer than what, a week? To get used to such a fundamental change in my life.

Mori. Well, Mori helped. My demon lover was with me for every step of the way. He could have run, gone home to the demon realm, gone to stay with Cody, yet he stuck to my side, supporting me with everything. I couldn’t imagine loving anyone as much as I loved him.

Parker lived up to his genius. He’d given us a picture so Barr could portal to the new house, one on the outskirts of Northarbor, technically still in the city, though much closer to Sweetwater where our allies were.

The house, mansion rather, was large and set far back from the road, making it hidden from view. There had to be at least ten bedrooms, which was perfect, because waiting there in the doorway, were Cody, Toth, Parker and Gregoris, all looking smug. Fuck, I’d missed them all so much, even Gregoris.

“We figured you’d need us for this next part. No more making us hide.” Parker came forward, wrapping me in a hug.

Crushing him to me, I whispered, “I missed you. ”

“Missed you too.” He pulled away, rubbing at his nose. “You smell all spicy now with the magic.”

“Better get used to it. Turns out I can’t give it back.” I shot a mock glare to Thyme, who shrugged.

Mori was in the doorway, squeezing the life out of Cody, before I’d even noticed him move. His arm shot out to grab Toth, who had been inching away. He was made to join the hug, though I thought I saw a ghost of a smile on his taciturn face.

Deciding to let bygones be bygones, I held out a hand for Gregoris to shake. “Welcome to the family. I mean, I said it before, but it means more in person.”

Gregoris gave me a firm handshake and a bro hug. “He’s so happy with you. Fate was kind to us all.”

I looked at Mori. “No, it feels better that he chose me. No fate involved there.” I smiled at my lover, still hugging his sons and talking a mile a minute. “Still, I’m glad you have Parker. He’s one of the best people I know, so I don’t have to tell you, I’ll hunt you down if you harm a hair on his head.”

“Let’s just agree we are both so in love with our men, it’s impossible.”

“Yeah, that.”

Mori

May

My eyes followed my son’s form as Cody worked through the drills Keren and Gregoris were taking him through. I was supposed to be resting, having already done my required workout for the day. I couldn’t help watching my son or keeping an eye on Keren, who I still didn’t trust. With Gregoris there, I doubted he would do anything to put Cody in danger. I just couldn’t risk it.

Like Damon, Cody had lived most of his life as a human, so training was coming harder to him than it was Toth, who had basic fighting skills, or Parker, who had much of the same training as Damon, and also his shifter abilities. Truly, Cody was so kind natured, the thought of harming another didn’t sit well. Time and time again over the last few weeks, I’d impressed the need on Keren for Cody to concentrate on defense physically. His witch magic could do the necessary harm.

My lover and son were both having a crash course magical education. Thankfully, the magic came easier to Cody. Damon, naturally, excelled at it. I’d never seen him fail at anything. He was a wonder to me.

Day after day, we all spent time honing our abilities, just waiting for Basil to strike.

The witch had vanished. There was talk of him joining the Northarbor aviary, the bird pack, or flock, in the city. Northarbor was home to the pride and the aviary, both groups of shifters splitting the territory south of that run by the Sweetwater pack. He and the aviary both held some divisive views. The aviary were against mixed shifter species matings, casting out those who went against them, even with betas who couldn’t reproduce.

How Basil convinced them to protect him, considering his views on shifters, I didn’t know. Didn’t care to. It would all come crashing down around him, then we would strike, taking Basil out for good so the coven could heal, and shifters and demons could be safe again.

There was more at stake than just the coven. I’d realized that when Basil had stooped to dark magic to steal magic from other witches. He was determined to rule, not just the coven, but all witches and more. His words to Damon often repeated in my head. Basil wouldn’t stop until he could control all demons, royal or not.

My home realm, my family, all demonkin were in danger.

“Hey.” Damon leaned against the wall next to me. “You can’t watch him all the time. Come on, you’re exhausted and you stink.” He wrinkled his slightly crooked nose in a teasing manner.

“I do not!” I said incredulously.

“Maybe,” he said, leaning in so he could whisper in my ear, “I just wanted to get you into the shower. Things were interrupted this morning.” He ran his hand suggestively down my chest, sparking heat wherever he touched.

Immediately convinced, I needed no other words. “Let’s go.” I took his hand and practically ran out of the room towards our bedroom.

I was particularly grateful to Thyme for teaching Damon silencing wards, a sort of doorbell alarm, and a number of useful spells when living in a house with two other couples, a couple who were on the brink of giving in, and two single demons. There was little privacy to be had. No one wanted to hear the others having sex, especially as one couple was my sons .

Damon pushed me against the wall of our bedroom and activated the wards. I felt the buzz of the magic travel through me.

“Strip,” he commanded.

Eager to comply, I dropped all my clothes where I stood.

“Go start the shower.” I did as I was told. “Get in, start getting soapy. I want to see you all wet.”

The water was perfect, just the right side of hot. I found the body wash Damon preferred me to use. Something about the scent got him hot and bothered. I ran the slick substance over my body, paying extra attention to my cock, balls, and crack.

“You are so hot. I can’t believe you’re mine.” Damon’s voice filtered through the water and steam. I could no longer see him, yet I felt his presence with every cell of my body. “Be a good boy and let those horns and tail out.”

Just the words “good boy” had my hard cock twitching. Naturally, I did as I was told. Always good for Damon.

Damon entered the shower, pressed his body against mine, and ran his hand down to my dick. “Hmm, knew that would get you hard.” He stroked me, his equally hard length against my thigh. I bent my knees so he could rest against my ass where I wanted him. “Such a good boy. Turn around.”

I turned, gasping as Damon stole a bruising kiss, pressing me against the shower wall. The cold tile felt amazing against my heated skin. Damon set my senses on fire. My hands reached for him, but he pinned them above my head. When he was demanding and bossy like this, Damon made me weak at the knees. I was putty in his hands.

“Mori,” Damon spoke against my neck, setting off a chain reaction. I shivered, our cocks rubbed together, the friction perfect. “Take that tail, wrap it around us both and stroke until we come all over you.”

My eyes closed against my will as I fought back a full body shudder at his words. Damon made me feel like I’d never been with anyone before. Each time he brought out a side of me I hadn’t known about.

Damon groaned and bit my neck as I stroked us. With my hands still held, just my tail doing the work, it felt… I couldn’t quite explain. It was still me getting us off, yet it felt like it wasn’t.

Our bodies moved together, adding to the friction until I couldn’t take it anymore. I moaned his name as I came. I continued stroking until Damon bit my shoulder, muffling his cry of release.

We stayed there for a while, just enjoying the feeling of being close to each other. Every stolen moment was precious .

Eventually, the water cooled. We rinsed off and left the shower.

“Come to bed for a bit. I’ve missed spending time with you,” Damon cajoled.

“Shouldn’t you be training?” I quirked an eyebrow at him, though I still got into bed with him. I rested my head against his chest, thrilled we had this moment of peace.

“Haven’t you heard? I’m quite the prodigy. The elves are going to start training me next week.”

“Any news?”

“Poppy and Zinna are recovering. Whatever Basil did wasn’t permanent. The elves couldn’t get the magic out of the amulet, but slowly their magic is coming back. Probably because it’s like the demon realm.” Long ago, the elves and fae made their own realm by combining their magic so they could flee from persecution from humans. They abandoned the rest of the supernaturals, leaving them to go into hiding. Only in the last century or so had they revealed themselves. Humans had coexisted with them mostly peacefully since.

“They’re staying in Abrocaelum for the time being,” Damon continued. “Sage is so young. They don’t want her in the line of fire again.”

“I understand. As much as I’d like to, I can’t ship Cody off somewhere. He’s an adult with a mate. He can make his own decisions.”

The crux of it was we weren’t being given a choice. Basil had decided Cody was something to hate, not a person who loved with his whole heart. Ironically, if he hadn’t allowed Austin to go after Cody in the first place, none of this would have happened. He created the problem.

“You love him so much. It’s sweet.”

“I love you more.”

“No, you don’t. You love me just as much, just differently. Besides, I wouldn’t want you to love me more than him. The bond you have with him is what drew me to you in the first place. You wear your heart on your sleeve for everyone to see, but share it with only a few. I’m proud to be one of those.”

“Damon,” my voice cracked with emotion. “Whatever comes, I’ll be by your side. The coven, Basil, everything. Seeing you take it on over the last month has been amazing. I’m proud to be yours.”

“Enough sappy talk. You and me, we’re the best dressed couple in the group. Of course, we have to be the ones to lead them.” I could hear his smile. The mood lightened. “You know, I was interested in you as soon as I saw that suit you wore.”

“That right? ”

“Yeah, which reminds me. You still owe me a suit after I got your blood on mine in the orchard.”

I laughed as he intended. We might only have a few times like this before we went to war. I was determined to savor them with Damon, my ex-hitman lover turned High Witch.

Basil didn’t have a chance.

The End

The Northarbor Coven will return in November Reign, release date to be confirmed.