She sat across from her dad at the kitchen table, a place where they shared meals, where she’d grown up doing her homework and gossiping with Macy and Diana. Where her father had helped her with algebra and led her through some basic water-casting magic.
Home. Safety.
She took a deep breath and let it out, appreciating a sense of much-needed calm.
Her father cast a spell using golden light, warm energy that poured around her and through her, settling the raw bands where her magic had tangled with Orion’s. Her dad stared into her eyes. “Relax, Kaia, keep breathing, in and out, nice and slow. Stare into my eyes. It’s okay.”
She listened and allowed herself to trust, something that knucklehead of a vampire would never do.
Her dad frowned. “Let me in.”
She pushed out every thought but love and tranquility, allowing herself to float in the sea of her mind. Her consciousness provided a raft, and she lay upon it, drifting in happier times, memories of Orion she’d keep to herself, but the image of his smiling face and deep-red eyes didn’t make her sad this time, but happy.
After some time, her father pulled away, and she blinked at him, still smiling. “Am I okay?”
He exchanged a look with Diana, then with Macy.
“What?”
“Your spellwork is good, Kaia. Really good. You broke Orion from your mother wholly. There’s no residual of Sabine in you either.”
“But?”
He blew out a breath.
“What Dad is trying to say,” Macy cut in. “Is that your tie to Orion and Sabine is clean. But your magic has changed.”
“Changed?”
Grand Mage Will Dunwich stared at his daughter with pride and worry. “Kaia, you’re in the process of Becoming. Your magic is larger than it was.”
“Wait. Becoming? Becoming what?”
“That’s the bazillion dollar question,” Macy said then glanced down at her cell phone. “Shoot. I have to go. House meeting.” She kissed her mom and dad on the cheek. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
Will glared. “Yes, you will.”
Kaia had missed the interplay, but she saw the speed with which Macy darted from the house, heard the vehicle start and race away, and knew Macy was in trouble for something.
Her father turned to her. “Bad enough Macy’s mated to one death-bringer. Now how about you tell me about the one one you saved, and don’t leave anything out.”
Kaia wasn’t ready. “Dad, I’m so tired. Can we do this tomorrow? It’s been a stressful week.”
Diana cut in. “Sure we can, honey. Let’s get you settled into your room.” She led Kaia to the guest room she used when she visited. Her old room upstairs, down the hall from her parents’. “Get some rest.” Diana paused. “And try to come up with a better excuse for the vampire marker that’s a heartbeat from declaring a bonding. I’ll try to talk your father down from the ledge I’m sure he’s ready to leap off of.” She kissed Kaia on the forehead then left the room, shutting the door behind her.
Marker? Bonding? Too tired to deal with anything anymore, Kaia slid out of her clothes and under the covers.
And slept like the dead, her heart seeking the beat of the vampire who no longer slept by her side.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
Orion wasn’t surprised that they waited until Macy returned to start the meeting. He’d been able to shower and change into clean clothes, which did nothing to appease him.
A frothing rage continued to boil, and he’d need to get it out lest it fester and turn into an anger that wouldn’t stop.
Ignoring Rolf, Kraft, and Khent, he paced in the living room of the main floor, only relenting in his anger when Smoky—no,Shadow,he sensed the kitten now wanted to be called—bounded over to him and rubbed his tiny head over every part of Orion he could reach. Adoring the tiny creature, Orion would call him whatever he wanted.
“At leastsomeonemissed me,” he directed to the draugr who shrugged and stood on his hands, upside-down, his blond hair kissing the floor, while Fara entered the room and stared in awe at Rolf’s command over his own body.
