Page 7 of Bound By the Moon

“Evan, listen to her.” Natalia offered, and he shuthis mouth and listened, finally.

“When she touched me, the skin on skin contact helda tingling sensation.” I stopped rubbing my hands together, anddropped them to my sides, not wanting to call any more attention tothe weirdness.

“What?” Evan looked as puzzled as I felt.

“I was not jerking back in fear as you suggested. Ijust didn’t know if that tingling was a good or bad thing. Not thatit matters that I had a weird reaction to your mate’s touch,because we will get to the bottom of that and figure out why. Now,I am simply concerned about your nature, and the manner in whichyou feel justified to speak to me. I won’t be talked down to forerring on the side of caution, Evan. Clearly, something is going onwith Natalia, and it affected me physically, which means itprobably did with my daughter as well, only she can’t tell us aboutit yet.” This snapped him back to full attention.

In fact, I now had everyone’s attention with thatstatement, and Mikael finally started to look worried. “I don’tknow what it means, or if it’s even anything to get all worked upover yet. The fact remains that none of us know what is going on,and until we do, it’s best that she stays with my mom. I am sendingyou to her, because she can calm people without having to touchthem. You have no clue if Natalia’s gifts might also cause harm, asthey seemingly did magic on the plants you described. If it looksor feels like something is off, my mom may be the only person herewho can help control that. At least, until we can get a witch inhere who might have seen this kind of thing before.”

“Okay, fine.” Evan relented, as he took one lastlook at Willow. I get it.”

“Now, I just needed to warn my parents that you’recoming, so give me a moment to contact them, please.”

***

INFLUX OF MAGIC

“Serena, I know you’re busy over there, but we couldreally use your input on this one.”

“It’s fine,” Serena’s voice came through warmly onthe phone. “I believe Avery was already planning a trip to visityour pack and trade information on the disappearances and murders.I suppose it will be as good a time as any for him to do that, andfor me to check into what’s going on with Natalia.” Serena pausedfor a moment before continuing. “You say you felt a tinglingsensation when she touched you?”

“Yes, I did, but only where our skin came intodirect contact.”

“And the glowing light coming from her, was itsomewhat like what you saw when you mated with Mikael? Or was itsomething else altogether?”

“Hmm,” I thought for a moment. “Now that you mentionit, I suppose it was a lot like that light.” When Serena saidnothing I continued on, “does that mean something to you? Shewasn’t doing some weird bonding thing with my daughter wasshe?”

“I don’t think her light has anything to do withbonding, Jess. No need to worry just yet, we’ll see what it allmeans when I get back there.”

~*~

A few hours after I spoke with Serena she wasknocking on my front door with Avery Daniels in tow. I opened thedoor, looking from one to the other. I noticed how close they stoodto one another before I moved out of the way and invited theminside. “Avery, I figured you would be doing business with myfather while you were here.”

“I do plan to see your father, but I thought I wouldcome and give my congratulations to you and Mikael first.” Hefiddled with something he had behind his back then. When I glanceddown quizzically, he grinned and handed me a beautiful pink giftbag. “Annalise sends her regards, and told me if I didn’t bringthis, she’d never speak to me again.”

I laughed as I took the bag from Avery, and peekedinside. His youngest daughter was as thoughtful as they come. Therewere a myriad of baby supplies inside, as well as a mobile to hangabove her crib. I took the mobile out and marveled at the detailthat went into making it. This was clearly no store bought piece.It looked almost like a dream catcher, but dangling from the endsof each webbed circle were tiny little wolves. “Did she makethis?”

“She did,” Avery beamed with pride as I continued toinspect each little wolf. The one at the bottom of the mobile wascompletely white.

“This is absolutely gorgeous.” My words were nothingmore than a whisper as I continued to marvel at the workmanshipthat went into the piece.

“Annalise will be ecstatic to know how much youappreciated the work that went into it.” Serena offered as shebrushed past me to go seat herself in the living room.

“I’m sorry, where are my manners? Please, come in.”I offered Avery. “Sierra is actually upstairs right now with Willowand baby Jack. I can have her bring them down though.”

“Actually, this is where I run off to join yourfather on all of our joint business matters, although I’m sure wewill have to get together before I head back home later. I think,judging from what your father has mentioned that you should be inthe loop on what is happening with our two packs.” He searched myface to see if I understood what he was talking about, so I nodded.I did, indeed. All the girls who were being abducted and drainedwere similar to me in appearance. Avery scanned behind me then, forSerena, before continuing. “Let me know when you’re done here, orif you need to stay longer, and I will try to coordinate myschedule with that.” His eyes lingered on her a little longer thanthey used to, and when I turned to see her reaction, I could havesworn I saw a blush flush out across her high cheek bones.

I saw Avery out and came to sit with Serena. “Youknow, if he’s headed to my family’s house, we should have gone withhim. Evan and Natalia are staying there for now. I thought it bestto have my mom keep watch on her, just in case.”

“That was smart. I wanted to be able to talk to youabout everything you witnessed first before we speak to them. I’drather not be taken by surprise.”

“Speaking of surprises…” I questioned, and whenSerena didn’t bite, I added, “what’s going on with you andAvery?”

“There’s nothing going on with Avery and I.”

“Mhmm…”

Serena tossed a sharp look my way that meant Ineeded to drop the subject, but her cheeks did all the talking forher. The blush had grown as she said his name. She opted for aquick subject change instead of trying to persuade me though. “Thatmobile is a truly exquisite work of art, is it not?”

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