Page 27 of Twilight Echoes
Avery kicked off her shoes, tucking her feet up under her butt, and stared across the room where Darrell stood by the bar, nursing a beer, while deep in conversation with her father, Jackson, and Trask, who decided to spend the night.
Darrell’s confession had caught her off guard. She’d spent years pining after him yet was unable to bring herself to approach him, even when she had more than one opportunity over the years.
What would a man of Darrell’s status see in a scrawny teenager?
Of course, she had a bigger confession she should make. But what would he think about that? No. She couldn’t tell him. He’d think she was not only crazy, but she’d probably scare him off.
“What’s going on, dear?” Her mother sat in the middle of the sofa between Avery and her sister. “I can tell when something is bothering you.” Her mother had always been her biggest cheerleader in life. Her mom had style and grace and a heart of gold. As a human, she came from wealth and power, so it hadn’t been difficult for her to ease into the role of the wife of one of the most powerful wizards in all the covens on Earth.
As a fairy, her mother didn’t yield any power at all. A few specks of dust here and there. They had all wondered if it would grow stronger as the girls came into their fairy side, but that had yet to happen.
And according to Trask, it might never happen.
“I’m overwhelmed.” Avery swirled her wineglass, watching the dark-red liquid hug the sides. “I have so many conflicting emotions, and I can’t sort through them all.” Not to mention she was keeping a secret from her mate.
God, that sounded so weird, even in her mind.
“That’s why you two need to spend time together. When I first met your father, I didn’t understand how I could be in love so fast and so deep in a matter of days.” Her mother had been dating someone else when her parents first got together, even though her father tells the story of how he’d been in love with her since she was ten. And perhaps that was true. Their relationship in the beginning had caused quite a scandal in both their worlds, but they were the happiest couple Avery had ever seen, and both believed in the concept of soulmates, always telling their girls when they found the one they were meant to be with, they’d know.
Avery no longer questioned whether or not she was Darrell’s mate. She felt that deep in her core. She knew it to be fact. Not only did she accept it, but she welcomed it.
How that happened in a few days, she had no idea.
“Amanda and Jackson struggled with it, too. They didn’t have that sharp connection because of Aunt Alley’s blocking spell,” her sister Arianna said.
Amanda was three months pregnant, but out of fear for her safety, no one thought she should leave the farm. The place was a damn fortress, even though it didn’t look like it. But Trask, Dayton, and other paranormal beings had created a protectiveshell around the farm. No one was getting in, or out, unless invited to do so.
“I’ve accepted him,” Avery said. “We all know I’ve had a crush on him forever, so it’s not that.”
“Then what’s troubling you, dear?” her mother asked.
Avery had never focused on the idea of having a family. Or even getting married. That concept was so far off in the future that she couldn’t even wrap her brain around the idea. She’d been so driven regarding her dreams, especially after Darrell had moved to the West Coast, that even dating hadn’t been something she had much of a desire to do. All that mattered was being the best ballerina she could for as long as it lasted.
But hearing about Darrell’s father and the rest of his pack made that seem trivial now.
“I’m worried about Darrell,” Avery said. Her entire life, she’d been told there was only one man for her, and she now believed that person was Darrell. Her parents never, not once, made fun of her obsession with him over the years. Actually, if she allowed herself to really think about it, they encouraged her to meet him every time they went to one of his shows. It was as if they knew, but that wasn’t true.
“We all are,” her mother said with a soft, yet strong voice that commanded everyone around her to listen. “But your father made some headway tonight. We’ll get the answers we need and reverse this horrible spell.”
“Mom is right. There is no way Daddy’s going to let this happen. Neither is Trask. Too much is at stake. For all of us,” Arianna said, leaning forward, resting her hands on her lap. “But that only scratches the surface of what’s really eating at you right now, isn’t it, Twinkle Toes?”
“I hate it when everyone calls me that,” Avery muttered.
If her father and Trask couldn’t reverse or banish the spell, Darrell could die and potentially soon, as in months or even weeks.
Avery glanced toward Darrell. Their gazes locked. Her breath hitched as they shared a long intense moment.
Living without him would be worse than anything she could imagine.
Not being able to make love to him, if only once, would be just as bad.
“Are you okay?”Darrell’s voice bounced in her brain like a ball hitting a wall.
“I must be crazy.”
“You’re not nuts. As my mate, we can project to each other this way,”Darrell projected.“And you’ll be able to speak to Amanda like this. And Jackson, as well as other wolves.”
“Can he hear us right now?”
