Snow Magic: Tales of the Were (Were-Fey Love Story Book 2)

by Bianca D'Arc

  Something deep inside Evie had known that he wasn’t really dead all along. Some instinct had kept her alive and allowed their son to be born and grow into a formidable man.

  Ray drew Evie close once again and hugged her to his side. “It’s okay, Evie. I understand.” He would forgive her anything. Absolutely anything. All that mattered was that they were together again now. The past was over, as she’d said. Now was all that mattered.

  “I didn’t,” Josh admitted. “Not really.” He looked significantly at Deena. “Not until I found my own mate and realized what it must’ve cost you to even think about my father.” He was talking directly to his mother now, with Ray and Deena as witnesses. “I get it, Mom. I do.”

  Tears were running down Evie’s cheeks as she left Ray’s side to hug their son. Josh was a head taller than his mother, his bulk making Evie look small and delicate by contrast. That their son was a behemoth like his father warmed Ray’s heart, though he would’ve been happy no matter what Josh looked like. The fact that Ray had a child of any kind was still sort of mind-blowing.

  Ray watched mother and son, thinking again about how much he’d missed. He glanced over at Deena and found her watching him with compassion in her sparkling eyes. She had a kind spirit that shone clear in her aura. A woman of immense power, she was also one with a generous heart. Josh had been blessed with such a mate, and Ray looked forward to getting to know his new daughter-in-law better as time marched on. If the Goddess allowed.

  Though, after so many years away from his family, he prayed the Mother of All would see fit to let him be here for them now. He’d missed so much.

  “Shall we go back to the house? It’s warmer inside,” Deena invited as Josh and Evie broke apart.

  “It’s balmy here compared to where we just left,” Ray assured her, glad to leave the emotional stuff behind for a few minutes and think about more mundane things.

  Evie walked with Josh as they headed back toward the farmhouse. She understood that it would take time for father and son to be comfortable around one another. It was both painful and joyful to watch them trying to figure out where they stood with each other so early in this new relationship. She’d always wanted Josh to know his father but had never really thought it possible.

  This—seeing them together, finally—was a dream come true for Evie. She sent a little prayer skyward that their relationship would only improve and grow deeper the longer they knew each other.

  Deena told Ray about the farm as they approached the big white house. Evie could feel the joy in the structure. Some houses just felt happy, and this one definitely had that vibe going on. Due, she was sure, to the happy couple who now lived there.

  The fact that Josh had, in essence, moved to Pennsylvania permanently to be with his mate was something Evie was still trying to sort out in her own mind. She understood why it would be much harder for Deena to relocate than Josh. It only made sense that Josh be the one to change locations. Deena was, after all, a priestess given watch over a sacred site.

  The standing stones they had just left might not be as tall or impressive as the monoliths in North Dakota, but they were every bit as powerful and needful of protection. Deena watched over these stones as Fred was the caretaker of the striped stone circle in his territory. Such caretakers didn’t just up and move when the mood struck them.

  Also, Deena had to be near the stones and within the safety of the borders and wards of her farm because of her link with the Goddess. She was a strong priestess with a special gift that needed to be protected, which is why she didn’t get out much, and couldn’t stray far from her home.

  The fact that Sir Duncan had been coming to the farm to train Josh in the ways of Knighthood was telling. If such a powerful and important personage as a fey Knight of the Light was adjusting his schedule to be in rural Pennsylvania, then Deena’s need to be here trumped the usual arrangement of the student traveling to meet the teacher and not vice versa.

  The house welcomed them as it had the first time Evie had seen it. She imagined that the house that had been mostly empty until now was rejoicing in all the new people and relationships under its protective roof. If homes had a personality—which Evie believed they did—this one was definitely happy. And getting happier with each new person it sheltered under its roof.

  There were still a few days until the Winter Solstice, which meant that Evie and Ray still had a day or two with Josh and Deena before Deena’s relatives started arriving to celebrate the holiday with her. That was another telling thing. Deena’s family traveled to her—and apparently did so all the time. Evie hadn’t once heard Deena talk about going to visit her family. Only of them coming to see her.

  “I can introduce you to the animals tomorrow, if you like,” Deena told Ray. “They’re as much part of my family as the rest of the tribe that’s due to arrive in a couple of days. I hope you won’t be overwhelmed by them.” Deena laughed, and Evie noticed Ray looking slightly uncomfortable.

  She’d always known him to be a social animal, but he’d been out of circulation for a long time. Evie supposed Ray would take a bit of time to get used to being around people again, but luckily, the members of Deena’s family were well acquainted with magic and the need for secrecy.

  They also knew about fey. After all, Deena’s great-grandmother many times over was fey.

  “Isn’t your great-grandmother coming for the holiday?” Evie asked. She hadn’t wanted to pry for particulars before, but now that Ray was back, it seemed less rude somehow to ask for more detail.

  Deena shrugged as she invited them to sit by gesturing toward the couch in the large living room. “I’m never sure if she’ll be able to make it or not, but she said she’d try. She wants to meet Josh.”

  Deena’s smile for Josh was full of love, and Evie was happy to see it. She knew her son was fully committed to the young priestess, and it was good to know that, even if Deena wasn’t were and therefore might not feel the same deep bond that Evie and Josh felt when their wolves saw their mates, Deena was nonetheless deeply in love with Josh. It shone in her eyes and her words every time she spoke of Josh, which warmed Evie’s heart.

  Evie sat on the couch, Ray beside her. She took his hand and placed their entwined fingers on his knee. “I only ask because I was wondering if Ray would have some fey company or if he’d be the odd man out.”

  “Oh! Don’t worry about that. My family is all half-fey, and some manifest the fey magic more than others. There are a few married-in shifters and human mages, of course, but all my blood relations carry fey magic. You won’t stand out too much, Sir Rayburne.”

  “Just Ray, please, or Dad, if you prefer.” Ray gave a quirky smile as he seemed to try out the term. “I’ll have to get used to that, but I really do like the sound of it,” he mused.

  “I suspect Duncan will be along tomorrow or the next day,” Josh put in after a moment’s silence had passed, charged with emotion on Ray’s part. “He had something to do in New York but promised he’d be back as soon as he could,” Josh told Ray.

  “That’s good,” Ray said. “I’d enjoy a chance to talk more with him. Everything has changed so much since I was last here. It’s good to have a few touchstones to remind me that I’m not a stranger in a strange land.” Ray squeezed Evie’s hand and smiled at her.

  “Everything else may change,” she whispered to him, leaning in to kiss his cheek, “but my love remains constant.”

  He returned her kiss with one of his own. “Same here,” he told her before withdrawing. “But let’s not embarrass the younger generation.” He chuckled, and they all laughed.

  They ate together as a family that night. Deena had prepared a delicious meal, which Josh helped with by firing up what looked like a new grill on the back porch. Werewolves were carnivores, and Evie was glad of the rare steaks her son grilled for them, though Deena didn’t partake, and Ray only ate a human-sized portion.

  Evie and Ray shared the guest room that night, and she was happy to ha
ve access to her suitcases once again. Finally, she could get to her new clothes—not the discards she’d relegated to the cabin. They’d have to do some shopping for Ray, but for now, he was getting by with Josh’s old stuff that had been at the cabin.

  The next morning, Evie slept in. Ray was long gone by the time she woke up, and after a quick shower and change into one of the nice outfits she’d brought for her trip, she went to look for him. She found him in the farmyard with Josh, doing some kind of martial art with sticks in their hands.

  No. Not sticks. Swords. Sticks that represented swords, at least. They weren’t practicing with live steel or the magical glowing swords Evie had seen Ray wield during the battle, but she recognized some of the moves. Ray was teaching Josh a sword form in slow motion.

  Evie just stood quietly and watched the moment of bonding between father and son.

  Until a car drove up the gravel driveway.

  As the dust cloud blew away, a man emerged from the sleek silver car. It was Duncan, Knight of the Light and brother in arms to Ray, and now Josh. Evie held her breath, wondering what would happen next.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Ray recognized the feel of Duncan’s power before he even saw his face. Duncan had returned, as promised.

  Ray put down the sticks, which had stood in for the swords he favored, and strode forward to meet Duncan, who was emerging from the slickest car Ray had ever seen. It looked like a spaceship, but then again, styles had been quite different the last time Ray had been in the mortal realm. He had a lot of catching up to do as far as human technology went. But that was for later.

  Duncan spoke first. “Good to see you again, my friend. How goes it here?”

  “Well enough,” Ray replied. He’d thought of quite a few questions he wanted to ask Duncan since their last brief meeting in North Dakota. “I’ve been wondering. The last I heard, long ago, nobody knew where you were, and the worst was feared. What happened to you back then? You just disappeared. Long before I made my own abrupt exit.” Ray placed one hand on Duncan’s back.

  “I was trapped in faerie, much like you,” Duncan explained.

  Ray frowned. “We’ll have to compare notes so nothing of the kind ever happens to either of us—or anyone else we know—again.”

  They walked slowly away from the car and back toward the barnyard where Ray had been checking what his son knew about sword work. Little, as it turned out, but Josh showed every sign of being a good student, and he wasn’t too old to learn. If he applied himself, he’d be a credible swordsman in time. Ray would make sure of it.

  Duncan chuckled as he caught sight of the matching sticks still in Josh’s hands. “Teaching him your impossible two-sword form?”

  Ray gave his friend a mock-insulted look. “It’s not impossible for me.”

  “Of course not, you’re a freak!”

  Ray’s laugh boomed out, surprising himself, as well as the onlookers. It felt so good to be with a friend and equal again. Someone who could call him on his bullshit and laugh with him at their shared past. The dual swords he affected had often been a bone of contention between them, in a friendly way.

  It took dedication to master the off-hand so that there was no weakness in the two-sword approach. Ray had spent decades perfecting his form and working to make himself as ambidextrous as possible. No other Knight he knew of used the dual swords, but Ray was just conceited enough to consider it his signature style, and he hoped—pride made him hope—that his son might take after him and follow the same path, in time.

  “I’ve been teaching Josh single-sword styles, like any normal person,” Duncan went on in the face of Ray’s laughter.

  Ray relented. “As well you should,” he agreed magnanimously. “The sword set is something it will take him years to master, but I just wanted to see if he might have the aptitude.”

  “And does he?” They came to a stop, facing Josh, who was watching them with a very interested gaze. The boy missed nothing, which made Ray proud all over again.

  “He’s strong enough on both sides. Close to ambidextrous now. I think it’ll come to him even easier than it did to me,” Ray admitted, beaming.

  “Surely, you jest,” Duncan protested, but he was smiling while he did so.

  Josh stepped forward, offering his right hand for Duncan to shake in greeting. “As a wolf, I don’t favor either set of paws,” he said, winking as he grinned.

  “Damn and blast. Are you telling me your wolf side is already ambidextrous?” Duncan asked, pretending to huff.

  “That’s about the size of it. I’ve used my right as a human mostly so I could just fit in with the rest of the world.”

  “That’s cheating. Isn’t it?” Duncan asked, seeking support for his contention and finding none. Ray just shook his head, enjoying the friendly banter.

  They talked of simple things for a while until Deena and Evie left them alone for a bit. Then, the serious talk began. Talk of warfare, weaponry, training and skill.

  Stars, how he’d missed this. The camaraderie of his brother Knights was something Ray had always enjoyed. Not that there ever were many Knights at a given time. Unless they were fey, they didn’t last. Ray had befriended, then mourned, more of his brethren than he cared to count over the centuries, but it was good to see Duncan again. And it was good to know that Ray’s son would share in this special legacy.

  For though Josh was half-shifter, he was also half-fey, with a power greater than Ray had honestly expected. It was very likely his son would have a greatly extended lifespan, barring death in battle or misadventure. Ray was glad of that. He’d buried too many of his brother Knights. The sorrow would be even greater—though it was always bad to lose someone—if Josh perished too soon in this dangerous calling.

  Which was why Ray vowed to train Josh to be the very best he possibly could be. Ray would have to have a serious talk with Evie soon about logistics. It was pretty clear that Josh was going to be based here for the time being. Ray felt he would have to find a way to be here—in rural Pennsylvania, of all places—as well.

  Duncan, Ray and Josh spent the day together, discovering what Josh already knew and the areas he would need to work on. They broke for lunch when the ladies brought a feast of sandwiches and juice out to them, but otherwise, they worked the day through. Deena meandered around the yard a bit, working with her animals, but though the alpacas kept eyeing the trio of men exercising in the barnyard, none of Deena’s creatures interfered.

  Ray saw Evie sneaking around in wolf form at least twice. She’d probably wanted to check the boundaries of Deena’s farm for herself, which was a sensible thing to do. She probably also wanted to spy on her mate and son a bit, which Ray didn’t mind at all. He did his best to hide his little grin when he sensed her presence, preferring to let her think she could sneak around unseen—at least for the moment. He’d pounce on her later. When they got a moment alone.

  The men washed up as the sun began to descend and made their way indoors. Duncan was given the use of another guest room that lay ready for the arrival of Deena’s family. They weren’t expected to start arriving until tomorrow, so the room was available for Duncan, which was just as well. The three men had put in a full day’s work, and each needed a shower before showing up for dinner.

  In Ray’s case, he spent a few stolen moments in the warm downpour with his mate, reacquainting himself with shower sex. Truly one of the great conveniences of this realm. Warm water maintained without the use of magic and the slippery skin of his perfect mate. Life didn’t get much better than that.

  Understandably, Evie and Ray were the last to arrive in the dining room, but nobody said anything. A few looks passed among them until Evie blushed and Ray pulled her into his side, telling the rest of them to cut it out. Laughter ensued, and all was right with the world as Evie joined in, smiling through her embarrassment.

  Duncan joined them for the meal, offering a few bottles of wine he’d brought with him in the slinky sports car he’d driven down f
rom New York City. Ray took a sip and thought he sensed a familiar flavor.

  “Don’t tell me Maxwell is still making wine.” Ray reached for the bottle in the center of the table, turning it around so he could see the label.

  “His winery is one of the best,” Duncan confirmed. “He’s won all sorts of awards.”

  “No kidding.” Ray shook his head, surprised. “He still in California?”

  Duncan nodded. “Napa Valley. He and a few of his friends have turned it into a wine-making capital to rival some parts of Europe.”

  “The deuce you say,” Ray scoffed, but took another sip. “He hasn’t lost his touch. In fact, this is better than his earlier vintages.”

  “Took him a century to get the grapes just right,” Duncan said, nodding.

  “A century?” Deena asked, her eyes wide. “Is he fey?”

  Duncan nearly choked but regained his composure easily. “Sorry. No. He’s a bloodletter. Good guy, for all that he drinks only blood…and wine.”

  “Bloodletter?” Deena looked confused for a moment until the term seemed to click in her mind. “You mean, one of the world’s top vintners is a vampire?”

  “They don’t like that word,” Duncan told her gently, “but yes. Atticus Maxwell is a vampire and a force for good…and excellent wine. I’ve known him a long time. As has the friend I’m currently house-sitting for. Dante is another vampire, as you call them. But he’s on his honeymoon with his werewolf mate.”

  Ray realized the implications of what Duncan was saying, even if the others didn’t. That the races were beginning to inter-mix again could mean dire things for the world at large. For the past few centuries, since the defeat of Elspeth, the magical races had stayed mostly to themselves. Bloodletters didn’t mix with shifters and never with fey. Drinking shifter blood made the average vampire incredibly powerful. Fey blood was even more dangerous, imparting massive amounts of magical energy to a being that was already very strong.