Page 10 of Twilight Echoes (A New Dawn #7)

9

A very slipped from her bedroom suite and made her way down the staircase toward the kitchen where her nose was assaulted with all the wonderful scents that came with visiting her parents.

Bitter brew, cinnamon, maple syrup—not the processed stuff. Fluffy sourdough bread that had to be soaked in egg and baked in the oven. Her mother always stayed up, making that treat for the family when they gathered. Crisp bacon sizzling in the frying pan brought her back to simpler times when she and her sisters were children.

Avery had never wanted for anything and that included love and affection. Her parents were kind and supportive. But they also taught their daughters the value of being strong and independent. Her father had wanted his girls to be able to take care of themselves, not rely on a man. He saw nothing wrong with being traditional. The royal family was full of out-of-date traditions, and they went through the motions of every single one of them. Her family believed it was important to carry on those traditions, even if they were only in ceremonies.

But that didn’t mean Avery and her sisters couldn’t be or do anything they wanted.

Avery rounded the corner into the massive kitchen. Her father stood over the stove, tending to the bacon. The one thing her mother trusted him to do and not screw it up.

“Good morning, Dad,” Avery said as she poured herself a cup of steaming hot coffee. She smiled even though she suspected her cheeks were red. Being with Darrell had been the most natural thing in the world. Even waking up with him in her childhood bed felt normal.

Having wild morning sex in her bathroom didn’t feel strange at all.

Seeing her dad shortly after?

Not so much.

“Where’s Darrell?” her father asked as he placed a few bacon strips on some paper towels.

“Just getting out of the shower. He’ll be down in a minute.” That’s two sentences she never thought she’d say.

To her father.

In her parents’ home.

Heat flushed from her head to her toes.

“How are you feeling this morning?”

She burned her throat as she swallowed the scalding liquid, trying to cover a cough. “Just peachy.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Your mother and I were getting worried because you didn’t answer our messages.” He plopped a piece of bacon in his mouth and smiled. “Darrell was kind enough to, but it would have been nice to hear from my child.”

She’d seen Darrell’s text and it hadn’t said much. Only that they were awake and would be down shortly.

“Want to talk about it?” her father asked.

Sometimes coming from a close-knit family sucked. She remembered when her sister Amanda had moved in with Jackson so they could protect each other from black magic. Her father had the nerve to bet how long it would take before they were sleeping together.

He won that bet. But it hadn’t been a fair wager. He had more information than her and the rest of her sisters. Had they known about the imprinting, they might not have believed it would have taken longer, if never.

“I do not.”

The oven timer went off. She grabbed the mitts and pulled out the French toast bake, setting it on the counter. It needed a few minutes to cool, and then she’d dig in. Her mother wouldn’t expect anyone to wait. Not on a morning like today.

“Darrell didn’t seem interested in discussing it either. I suppose it’s possible that the two of you were so preoccupied that you missed the double moon?” Her father waggled his brows. “When your mother and I were a young couple, we would?—”

“Oh my God. Daddy. I just can’t with you sometimes.” She covered her ears. “I don’t want to hear about my parents.”

“How do you think you came into this world?” He leaned against the sink, taking his mug from the counter, and lifted it to his lips.

“Not the point.” She shook her head, sucking in a deep breath. “How does this happen so fast? In the normal world, it would take a woman a few weeks before she knew. Not a few minutes later.”

“This is written in the stars.”

“Yeah, well, everything else happening to Darrell and his pack is not.” She opened the cupboard, grabbed a plate, and heaved a very large portion of carbs onto her plate. Normally, she wouldn’t dare eat like this right before the start of a new ballet.

But what difference did it make now.

“Nope. That’s black magic and someone’s evil will run amuck.”

“It’s so unfair and incredibly difficult to handle.” She set her plate aside and sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “One minute I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. The next I’m dying inside. It’s overwhelming, and as soon as I think I’ve processed it, my mind goes bonkers and my emotions run wild.” She swiped her cheeks. “And then Darrell starts in on the doom and gloom and wants to talk about what if he’s not here when… when… I can’t even say it.”

“Come here.” Her father held out his strong arms, and she succumbed to the need to be daddy’s little girl, even if only for a few precious minutes. He kissed the top of her head as he held her close. “I know this isn’t what you wanted right now. But are you going to look me in the eye and tell me that you didn’t want your soulmate to be Darrell? That someday you didn’t want him to return so you could fall in love, get married, and have a family.”

She couldn’t lie to her father. Not even if she wanted to. “Well, no.”

“Darrell’s scared. I suspect he feels as though he failed his father. Is failing as the alpha of his pack.” Her father tipped her chin. “And failing you. Add in the fact that right now, he’s technically dying and you’re pregnant. Well, that’s a lot for a young man to take on. He needs you and your strength. But he wants to be your rock. He’s an honorable man and feels as though it’s his responsibility to take care of you. To protect you. And his family. Him worrying that he might not be here to watch his children grow up is very real for him.”

“It’s very real for me too, Daddy.”

“I know, sweetheart.”

She bit back the sob that threatened to roar from deep in her throat. Last night had changed her life forever. She’d given herself completely to Darrell. Nothing could change that, and she didn’t want to. “I don’t want to let him down, and I want to be there for him, but I can’t listen to him talk about it or make provisions for him not being around.”

“If today doesn’t go well, you might have to.” Her father squeezed her biceps.

Footsteps echoed from down the hallway.

“I need to go get changed,” her father said, stepping around her. “Eat some breakfast. I’ll be back down in about fifteen.”

He greeted Darrell with a nod. “Good morning, son.”

“Sir,” Darrell said.

Her father laughed. “Keep calling me that, and I’ll turn you into a toad.”

“Then Avery can kiss me, and I’ll turn into a prince,” Darrell said as he puffed out his chest and smiled with pride.

“That’s only if I turn you into a frog,” her father said, handing Darrell a covered mug. “I’m guessing that you’re a cream and sugar kind of guy.”

“What gave me away?” Darrell sipped his coffee, looping his free arm around her waist. Their hips bumped. Being around him sent her heart racing. As comfortable as she was in his arms, this raw energy rattled her nerves, making her a bit self-conscious.

Or maybe it was the smirk on her father’s face.

“I just know these things.”

“I see.” Darrell smiled as if he and her father had some running private joke between them. “When do we leave?”

“Twenty-five minutes.” Her father waved his hand. “I’ve got some news we’ll talk about in the car. Gabe is coming with us.”

“Where’s Trask?” Darrell asked.

“Dealing with some magical recon.” Her father waved his hand over his head. “Now eat.”

Darrell wasted no time helping himself. “This smells delicious.”

“It’s fattening too.” She snagged her plate and coffee and eased into a chair at the table. She dug her fork into the food and pushed a massive bite into her mouth. The rich flavors melted into her mouth. Her mother loaded so much syrup into the stuff that she didn’t need to add more.

But that didn’t stop Darrell from doing it. “Well, you do need the extra calories.”

She cocked her head and glared.

He lowered his gaze just as her mother waltzed into the room with all the style and grace that made her one of the prettiest ladies in all the world. Avery had always admired her mom and the way she carried herself in any situation.

“Good morning,” her mom said. “How’s my baby?” She cupped Avery’s chin and kissed her cheek. “Based on the two full moons last night, I’d say you two had a wonderful evening.”

“Mother, please,” Avery mumbled.

Her mom batted her nose. “Don’t mother me.” She patted Darrell on the shoulder. “Can I get you anything else, son?”

“No. Thank you. And this is absolutely scrumptious, Mrs.—”

“Don’t you dare. I’m either Annabell or Mom or even Grandma to you. Whichever you prefer.”

Avery groaned. It was never going to stop.

“Yes, ma’am,” Darrell said.

Her mother waggled her finger. “Nope. That doesn’t work either.”

“I’ll work on it.” Darrell laughed.

“Avery, honey. Where’s your phone?” Her mother pulled a mug from the counter and poured a cup of coffee.

“In my pocket, why?” Avery picked at her food.

“Please call your sisters. Especially Amanda. I think she’s a little lonely up there in Vermont and is wondering when you and Darrell will move there. Being pregnant and away from her family, even though she has the Fergusons and everyone else there, I’m sure she’s looking forward to sharing this experience with her little sister.”

Avery shoved her plate aside and dropped her head to the table with a thud.

“Oh, and I thought I’d put two cribs in your suite. Would you two like to pick them out, or should I deal with that myself?” her mother asked.

“I’m not having this conversation now,” Avery muttered.

“Okay. I’ll do it. No worries.” Her mom waved her hand. “I best go help your father.”

“Tell me when she’s gone, please.” Being able to communicate with Darrell through her mind was one good thing that came out of all this. Well, there were others, but until the spell was lifted, she wasn’t going to deal with most of it.

“She’s gone.” Darrell tapped her shoulder. “Look at this.” He shoved his phone in her face.

“Oh God. You too?” She stared at an image of a couple of cribs.

“No. My mom.” He laughed.

Avery pointed toward the hallway. “I will not be like that with my children.”

“Yes, you will. And personally, I love it. We both have great parents.” He raked his fingers through his thick shoulder-length hair. “I miss my dad.”

She palmed his cheek. “Can I ask you a weird question?”

“Of course.”

“How much time will our kids spend as wolves?”

“As babies, more than half their time. It’s easier to teach them the ways of being a wolf. Not to mention they will enjoy their wolf form more. They can run and play, versus being helpless in their human form.” He leaned forward. “And it will save us—you—money in diapers because they will be housebroken.”

She cupped his face, squeezing his cheek. “Don’t you ever speak to me like that again. I will not do this alone. It is not me. It will always be us.”

“Yes, dear,” he said.

“Keep saying that.” She released his face. “Because I will always wear the tights in this family.”

“Perhaps, but remember, I look damn good in them too.”

She cracked a smile. “Yeah, you do.”

Her father stuck his head in the kitchen. “All right, you two. Time to roll.”

“We just need to do these dishes,” she said.

“Your mother will deal with those.” He wiggled his index finger. “Time’s wasting. Let’s go.”

She followed her father to the front of the house, her fingers locked with Darrell’s, her fairy dust coating his skin like an old sweater. It looked good on him, but he needed his aura to be restored so she could have hers back and her fairy dust didn’t have to constantly be put in use.

Her father opened the back door of the family limo. “Gabe, this is Darrell.”

Darrell settled into the seat, and she made sure she sat next to him, forcing her father to sit next to his cousin, Gabe.

“Nice to meet you.” Darrell extended his hand. “Thanks for helping me and my pack.”

“It’s unorthodox for you to come with us, but after seeing the double moon last night, I understand why.” Gabe was a few years younger than her father, but his position in the coven and on the council put him on equal footing. No one outranked either of them, and they worked together like a well-oiled machine. They almost always agreed on how to deal with anything coven-related, and there hadn’t been a time when Gabe hadn’t been by her father’s side. They were more like brothers in every way.

Not to mention, Gabe was her Wizard Guardian, which was like a godfather. His wife, Jasmine, had been named her Witch Guardian.

“I’d like for that just once not to be the topic of today’s discussion,” Avery said.

“I’m with her on that,” Darrell said as he tried to pull his hand away from her grip, which she’d be damned if she’d allow to happen.

“Well, the good news is that Merlin, the head wizard of the Witches of the Willows, seems to be willing to cooperate.” Gabe handed everyone a piece of paper. “But the bad news is that the Wilcox family has disappeared as well as their family’s Book of Shadows, which was never registered. According to Merlin, the Wilcoxes come from a line that never practiced.”

“That’s impossible,” her father said. “All bloodlines have black magic. Mine and Trask’s are the strongest, but there isn’t a family that doesn’t have one. Now, I suppose it’s possible that it was never passed down to the head of the family.”

“But then it should have been reported missing at some point, right?” Avery asked. There was a lot she didn’t know about the inner dealings of witch covens and the laws regarding any magic. However, she did know that all black magic was required by law to be registered with the council and if a book, especially a locked book, went missing, and the coven didn’t report it, everyone in their clan could be stripped of all their powers. Most wizards wouldn’t risk that.

“Merlin is only thirty and took over a few months ago,” Gabe said, tapping the paper. “The coven has been in disarray for years without proper leadership.”

“Holy shit,” Darrell said. “This says that Regan’s father, Viner, was the head wizard when we think the spell was cast.”

Gabe nodded. “He went missing two weeks later. Since then, they have been through four leaders.”

“I’ve spoken with Merlin, and he’s a distant relative of Viner’s, and the reason they have had such a large turnover is partly due to three deaths,” her father said.

“What did they die of?” Darrell asked, leaning forward.

Avery held her breath, waiting for the blow that she knew deep in the pit of her stomach was coming.

“They don’t know, but the symptoms present like early aging,” her father admitted. “Many want to leave the coven.”

“So they know something is hinky,” Avery said under her breath, staring out the window as the limo turned off the highway and onto a busy road not far from Orange County where most of the Witches of the Willows coven was located.

Being a royal meant her life decisions had to be above reproach. Everything she did was under the microscope of her coven council, but also the governing council, the one that Gabe and her father headed. She couldn’t get a tattoo, even an approved one, without everyone needing to know.

“But they never reported anything,” she whispered.

“Actually, that’s not true. When Merlin took over ten days ago, he contacted the council,” Gabe said. “And requested a formal inquisition. It’s the only reason why we know so much now.”

“So, why will we meet with him if he doesn’t know where the book is or where the Wilcox family disappeared to?” Darrell asked what she had been thinking.

“Because he’s been working on a spell that will snap their Book of Shadows back to where it was locked. Trask gave him the necessary tools. That’s what he was doing this morning. If Merlin can do that, we can trace where it came from and, hopefully, unlock the spells and find a reversal,” her father said.

“We can work with this,” she whispered, knowing it was a long shot, but it was better than no shot.

“We’re searching for a needle in a haystack,” Darrell muttered. “We need to find the source. The exact spell. I don’t need to be a witch to know without that, my pack, you, and me are toast.”

“I know you’re frustrated, son,” her father said, leaning forward. “But we bought ourselves three days. Before tossing in the towel or thinking the worst, we need to start with what we know and can use. The Witches of the Willows are willing to work with us without Gabe and me forcing them. This is good because we can trust their magic.”

“Are you sure about that?” Darrell asked behind tight lips. “Because they seem pretty damn unstable to me.”

“No,” her father said, reaching out, resting his hand on her knee, knowing she needed a douse of his strength. “Merlin is leading them in a positive direction. I had the pleasure of teaching him a few years ago, and he’s a good wizard with good intentions. And Trask was with him last night and into the early hours of this morning.”

“Where is Trask now?” Darrell asked.

“He’s needed elsewhere,” her father said. “But he’s watching. We know what we’re doing.”

“Trust my dad,” she whispered with her chin on Darrell’s shoulder.

Darrell turned his head and met her gaze. “I trust your father absolutely. But anyone related to the witch who did this to us, not only do I distrust, but I want the curse to stick with them when we’re wiped clean of it.”