Becoming Ruby

by Brandi Bell

  "I don't know, Mom, I just worry about what this means for Grady and me."

  "If it is meant to be, the Goddess will make it so."

  "Ok, I’ll give and let Goddess then."

  "I love you sweetie, you want to get dinner with your dear old mom?"

  "I’ll always want to get dinner with you. I love you too. Thank you for being here."

  "Jade, I’ll always come for you, no matter what."

  We walked to a cafe that Fiona had told Mom about and sat and ate dinner. We chatted about everything and nothing at all and by the time we headed back to the hotel I felt more myself than I had in a while. We barely made it back to my room and it was Ruby's turn.

  Epilogue

  When I opened my eyes I sat on a plane. Grady was on one side of me and Elias was on the other. I looked around and Liam was sitting with my mom and Fiona on the other side of the aisle.

  "Hey, baby, sorry to spring the ride home on you. Your mom insisted we needed to get back. She won't tell anyone what's going on though."

  I looked over at my mom and she looked ten years older. I knew there was no way she was going to talk to me while we were on the plane, but hopefully when we landed she would feel like confiding in me.

  "Are we ok now, Grady?"

  "We’re more than ok, Jade, I’m sorry I walked out on you yesterday. It took me a bit to accept what we just learned. Even if it is you, me, and Seamus in a relationship I can handle that. But Seamus will have to learn that Ruby has her own harem of guys."

  "Why are you assuming that he’s going to be a part of my life already. I already told him no, twice. Why do you think I’m going to change my mind?"

  "Because I want you to be happy, and from what I have read those who don't accept the bond end up miserable."

  "Oh."

  "Hi, Jade, it's nice to see you back and safe," Elias said from my other side. I jumped forgetting he was there.

  "Hi, Elias, it's nice to be back, and nice to see you too."

  He gave me a toothy grin then put on a pair of headphones.

  "When we get back home, I want to do bad, bad things to you," Grady whispered in my ear.

  "Who's home?"

  "Whichever one is closest to the airport?"

  "Sounds like a deal to me, but I want to find out what is going on with my Mom first."

  "I hope she’ll talk to you."

  "Me too."

  We rode in silence until the message came on to buckle our seat belt. I had never been on a plane before, so I was getting nervous about the landing. Grady grabbed my hand like he sensed just what I needed.

  He leaned over to my ear, “Have you heard of a witch's bond?"

  I gasped. Now that he said it, I could feel him too. How could I have bonds with more than one guy? I needed to push that out of my head and focus on my Mom. She was my priority once we landed.

  I was so caught up in thinking about bonds that I missed the plane landing and found out I was nervous for nothing. I gave Grady my address and asked him to meet me there, I wanted to ride home with my Mom. We gathered our luggage and got into the car that was waiting for us.

  "Now, Mom, can you please tell me why we rushed home so quickly that I didn't have a warning?"

  "Jade, it's your Dad. He had a spell cast on him, and we have to break it before it becomes permanent."

  "What kind of spell?"

  "He’s in an endless dream.

  Acknowledgments

  Nikki, thank you for all of you help. You seriously rock.

  Autumn, thanks for listening to me freak out. I am glad we are friends.

  Mila, thank you for your support and help. You’re encouragement helped get me here.

  Kelly and Amy, thank you for being honest and answering all of my questions.

  Anyone else that I forgot, I appreciate you as well!!

  About Brandi Bell

  Brandi Bell has always escaped to the fantasy worlds that books provided, so having the opportunity to create her own was a dream come true. She lives in the real world with her husband, son, and two great danes. When she’s not writing she is usually found reading or cooking something new.