Bewitched by Three
Amber lived the first twenty years of her life with her mother and the man she had thought was her father. The life she had known was nothing more than a series of penances for wrongs that she couldn’t understand. Heartbroken and scared, Amber begins a journey to find her family that she had no idea existed in a place called Justine Falls. There she meets three men, Nathaniel, Markus, and Parker, who are convinced she’s their destiny.
They bring her into their world that opens her eyes to not only being a Witch but a woman who no longer has to be ashamed of her body or the overwhelming passion she feels for them. For the first time in her life Amber finds acceptance, but there are secrets that threaten to destroy her new life. Will she be able to face the truth and still be able to return to the men she loves or will she succumb to the darkness that waits for her?
Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal
Length: 36,658 words
BEWITCHED BY THREE
Kalissa Alexander
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
BEWITCHED BY THREE
Copyright ©2014 by Kalissa Alexander
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63258-721-3
First E-book Publication: December 2014
Cover design by Les Byerley
All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
About the Author
BEWITCHED BY THREE
KALISSA ALEXANDER
Copyright © 2014
Chapter One
Amber finished setting the dinner table with the china her grandmother had insisted needed washing before being placed on the table. She had even polished the silverware and inspected the glasses to make sure they were sparkling. She knew her grandmother wanted her first dinner with her new family to be perfect.
Nana had said this was her home now. For the first time in her life she knew who she was and why she had always felt different. She knew this family that she was about to meet would love her for who she was and not try make her into what they thought she should be, like her mother and father had tried so hard to do.
“Amber.” She heard her grandmother’s voice calling her from the front room. “A car just pulled up.”
Amber took a deep breath as she smoothed her dress and then made her way through the house to where her grandmother waited for her.
“You mean they didn’t fly here on their brooms?”
“A sense of humor is a wonderful quality, however,” her grandmother reprimanded her affectionately as she squeezed her hand. “Being a Witch is not a laughing matter.”
“Sorry. I meant no disrespect. I’m just nervous, and being told I’m a Witch is still something I’m trying to come to terms with.”
“I understand. There’s so much you need to learn. But for now, just try and relax and know that being a Witch is a gift you’ll learn to cherish just as your family already cherishes you. You have nothing to be nervous about.”
The first person through the front door was a man that looked like Nana. Same kind eyes and round face. He was husky and not much over five foot nine. His hair was gray and thinning. He smiled when he saw Amber.
“Your Uncle Pete could really use a hug,” he said with a kind smile, holding his arms open. Amber melted into them, surprising herself since she was usually shy when she first met someone. The first to pull away, he held her at arm’s length. “Damn, Nana wasn’t kidding when she said you were beautiful. Welcome to the family, Amber.”
“Thank you.” She smiled, feeling slightly awkward. She wondered if she would ever be comfortable receiving compliments. It helped that she knew they were heartfelt.
By the time she had been introduced to the rest of her aunts, uncles, and cousins, she had been hugged and kissed more than she ever had been in her life. It was overwhelming but wonderful all at the same time, making her more than a little emotional. She felt tears beginning to form when a girl close to her own age that had been introduced to her as her cousin Mardi, pulled her away from the gathering and out the front door onto the porch.
“I’m just going to give Amber a chance to catch her breath for a minute if it’s okay with all of you,” she called back over her shoulder before she motioned to Amber to sit down on one of the wooden chairs.
Once they were seated, Amber looked expectantly at the pretty young girl with big brown inquisitive eyes and long dark hair that she wore in a braid down her back.
“They can be a bit much, but you’ll
get used to them,” she said with laughter in her eyes.
“I think I love them already,” she said, realizing that it was true.
How much has Nana told you about us?” Mardi asked, her entire demeanor alight with excitement.
“You mean,” Amber asked cautiously, “about your open-minded view of marriage or the fact that you’re Witches?”
Mardi laughed. “Good. Nana said she was going to have the talk with you.”
“She did, and I have to say it was a lot to take in. I’m still trying to understand how it can be true.”
“You mean the part about us being Witches, or the fact that we don’t believe in just one partner?”
“Both, but mostly that I’m a Witch.”
“You came back just in time.”
“What do you mean?” Amber asked.
“Your twentieth birthday is when your powers begin to show themselves. Didn’t Nana tell you that?”
“No. I don’t think so. But that could be why my mother and father couldn’t stand the sight of me anymore.”
“How horrible for you,” Mardi said quietly, her eyes full of compassion. To grow up with parents who refused to help you develop and understand what it means to be a Witch is so cruel.”
“I don’t feel much like a Witch. I mean, I’m still not exactly sure what it means. Nana said it would take some time for me to fully understand.”
“I guess that’s true. I mean, I’ve always known and was encouraged to explore my feelings, but you were never given that chance.”
Amber heard her name and Mardi’s being called.
“We have to get back to the others,” Mardi said as she stood up. “Don’t worry about what you don’t know. We’ll all help you.”
She hesitated before walking back into the house and gave Amber a quick hug. “I’ll help you, Amber. I promise.”
She smiled at Mardi gratefully as happiness swelled within her for all the possibilities that now lay in front of her. She still couldn’t believe how drastically her life had changed. She promised herself that she would do everything in her power to be worthy of the love that now surrounded her. She followed Mardi back inside where everyone was waiting for them.
The adults were all crowded around the large table in the dining room, and those who couldn’t fit were seated in the kitchen. Amber found herself next to Mardi, who whispered, “You’re in for a real treat. No one can roast a turkey the way Nana does, not even my mother, and her stuffing is to die for.”
Amber had to agree as she enjoyed the moist turkey and delicious bread stuffing. There was an abundance of food and it was being consumed at record speeds. She sat quietly and listened to her aunts, uncles, and cousins discuss the spring crops between second helpings of everything put before them. She didn’t know what they were talking about, but she didn’t mind. She was just happy to be a part of this family. She was also grateful they weren’t plying her with questions. Nana had probably told them to go easy on her.
When it appeared no one could take another bite, hergrandmother brought out her birthday cake that was three layers of chocolate with vanilla frosting. Twenty candles had been placed among the lavender and pink roses that adorned the top. They all sang and clapped as she blew out her candles.
After the cake had been cut and only crumbs remained, the men excused themselves from the table to settle into the living room while the women gathered in the kitchen to continue chatting and to help Nana. She and Mardi cleared the table and were awaiting further instructions when Nana said, “Why don’t you two skedaddle? There’s plenty of us to do the cleaning up.”
“Come on, Amber, let’s get out of here before they change their minds, Mardi whispered. “I have an idea. It’ll be fun.”
Amber wasn’t sure what kind of fun Mardi was referring to since her life up until now had not included fun. However, she was anxious to find out what Mardi had planned and ran out the back door behind her and into the night air.
They walked through the woods under a blanket of stars that were magnificent. The night had always been her favorite time. She had loved lying on her bed, her pillow propped on the windowsill while she looked up into the sky and enjoyed the peacefulness the darkness brought to her. When it stormed, she was in heaven. The gusts of wind and pelting rain coupled with lightning and thunder had not scared her but made her feel alive. She felt that way now.
“I told my friends that we would meet them at the pond after dinner. You’ll like them.”
“How did you know we’d be able to get away?”
“I knew Nana would never put you to work doing dishes at your first family dinner. And since we’re around the same age, I figured I’d be the one to entertain you.”
“Who are your friends?”
“Kate, Lea, and Sherry. They’re anxious to meet you.”
“I guess they’re Witches, too.”
“Of course. Everyone in Justine Falls is a Witch or they wouldn’t be living here.”
An entire town full of Witches. It was mind boggling. “How many Witches are there in Justine Falls?”
“I think there’s over 15,000.”
“Then it’s like a regular town.”
“Yes, it’s a regular town,” she said with a giggle. “It has stores, restaurants, a movie theater, and schools. However, the high school is its pride and joy. We go there for six years instead of four like the Outsiders. It’s like a college campus. We learn what every other kid learns in school, except we have classes in Witchcraft even though we don’t realize our full potential until we turn twenty and our genetics kick in.”
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to catch up,” Amber said with a sigh. “It might be too late for me.”
“It’s not too late for you. Don’t ever say that.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Nana knows. She said you might need more time, but that your abilities are strong.”
“So, you think you can teach me to be a Witch?”
“You already know how. It’s just a matter of helping you remember what your parents suppressed in you for years. It won’t be as hard as you think. And my friends have promised to help, too.”
The young women that Mardi was referring to were already at the pond sitting around a small fire. They looked up as she and Mardi approached.
A thin girl with long, dark hair to her waist stood up first. “Hey, Mardi.” Then turning to Amber, she said, “Hi, Amber. I’m Lea.”
Amber smiled and took the girl’s outstretched hand. The other two stood up and introduced themselves before they all sat back down around the fire. All three were attractive. Kate had blonde, curly, long hair. She was a bit on the plump side with big blue eyes and a ready smile. Sherry, who was Lea’s twin, was identical to her sister, except her hair had been dyed with streaks of blonde.
Mardi smiled. “I told Amber she was officially enrolled in Witching 101.”
“When Mardi told us about you, we were shocked,” Sherry spoke up first. “It’s pretty awesome that you came back after being away so long.”
Amber felt a surge of happiness run through her. They accepted her. They didn’t think she was weird. She wanted to hug them.
“We can feel your happiness,” Mardi said, squeezing Amber’s shoulder. “The first thing you need to know is that we can feel each other’s feelings when we allow ourselves to be unguarded. You don’t know how to guard your feelings yet, so you’re going to be very easy to read. I like feeling your joy, fear, and honesty all wrapped up in a neat little package. It’s refreshing.”
“Will I ever be able to feel yours?”
“Yes, if I want you to. But I’ve had years to learn what techniques to use to keep my private feelings private. Outsiders can’t hide their feelings from us, but we can’t go around with our feelings exposed to our own kind all the time. Everyone needs privacy. Besides, it would drive us all crazy.”
“I want to know everything,” she said excitedly.
Mardi rea
ched over and took Amber’s hand in hers. “Are you ready to feel what’s it’s like to fly?”
Her thoughts immediately went back to the broom comment she had made to her grandmother. She had been kidding, but by the look on the faces of Mardi and her friends, they were very serious. Fear gripped her, but with it came an excitement that was even greater. “How?”
Mardi clapped her hands. “I knew your desire to feel what it’s like would outweigh your fear.”
Mardi grabbed one hand and Lea the other as they began twirling her with them in a circle. Seconds later her feet were dangling into nothingness as they gently glided upward into the night sky. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it might come out of her chest. She could see Kate and Sherry treading air slightly ahead of them before they propelled themselves even higher over the trees.
“This is awesome,” Amber breathed, not able to believe what was happening to her. Her skin tingled from the caress of the wind that whipped around her like an old friend she had been missing for a long time. She had never felt such freedom. She couldn’t wait to be able to do this on her own.
“Flying on your own is even better,” Lea told her as she gripped Amber’s hand a little tighter.
She could see the lights of her grandmother’s house below her. Beyond were the lights of Justine Falls. How, she wondered, could her mother have turned her back on something so wonderful?
Amber tensed as she spotted dark shadows blotting the sky ahead of them. Could there be birds that big? Would they attack them? Mardi and Lea didn’t appear unnerved as the shadows loomed closer. However, Sherry and Kate joined them and they immediately went into a holding pattern with Amber at the center.
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