Winter Fire (Witchling Series)

by Ford, Lizzy

  “She’s worth waiting for,” Decker said. His eyes found Summer in the crowd, and his irritation softened into tenderness.

  Beck’s fit of laughter trickled off.

  “If Morgan can put up with you long enough, you might find out what that’s like,” Decker said. “She’s not like the normal girls you date.”

  “I know that much,” Beck agreed. “I don’t want anything serious. I can’t afford it right now.”

  “Right.” Decker rolled his eyes.

  “Damn. I shouldn’t have asked her out tonight,” Beck murmured.

  “Why did you?”

  Beck grappled with an answer that made sense.

  The flash of her red hair down the boardwalk drew his attention. One look at her reminded him why. Not even the newest arrival – a tall, blonde girl – captured or held his attention like Morgan did. There was something more than physical attraction between them and had been since the day they met, a realization that startled him.

  Beck shook his head. “I feel like I had to. Like, she’s already … mine.”

  “Good luck with all that,” Decker replied. “The last thing you need is her stirring things up with Dawn or distracting you from the Light.”

  “I know that. I’ll keep my distance. Somehow.”

  “No, I mean, good luck, because if it’s like it is with Summer and me, you’ve got no choice. You have to learn to juggle her and the rest of life.”

  “Like you’ve managed to do that!” Beck said sarcastically, aware of how naturally conflicted Decker was about everything in life.

  “I haven’t yet, but I’m working on it,” Decker retorted. “She’s the only part of my world that makes sense.”

  Beck knew as much. Summer stabilized Decker and his world. The bond between them was beyond anything Beck ever witnessed, outside of the relationship between their parents. Yet, no part of Beck welcomed such a relationship in his life. At least, not until he was standing on his own two feet, capable of protecting her, without a laundry list of issues weighing him down.

  “I don’t need that,” he murmured. “I guess I should fix it now. I can say something came up and send her home in your car.”

  “Whatever. You’re too nice.”

  Sometimes, Beck wished he could be more like Decker and react without restraint. Instead, Beck tried to do what he thought was the best for the Light.

  “Besides, you’re not about to ruin my date night,” Decker added.

  “Yeah.” Beck’s thoughts were elsewhere, mainly on how he was going to let Morgan down easy.

  “I’ll text you later.” Decker moved away, attention on his Summer.

  Beck watched the crowd part for his twin, whose Dark power was felt even by normal humans. Beck’s magick drew people to him while Decker’s repelled them.

  He rested his hands against the cold railing in front of him then leaned over it to see the lights rippling in the water. The sound of the river bumping against the dock, combined with the mesmerizing dance of the lights reflected in the water, soothed him some. He roused himself after a few minutes, the night chill sinking into him. His thoughts went first to Morgan to warm him and then to the bonfire. He knew which one he wanted; he also knew which one he’d end up going to.

  Beck debated on what to do about Morgan. The timing for a girlfriend - let alone finding his counterbalance – was awful. Morgan was sweet and sensitive. She deserved better than to be drawn into his drama, especially if she had already been hurt by someone. He didn’t trust himself getting serious with any girl. Maybe after the baby was born or he had dealt with his issues, he’d consider asking Morgan out again.

  If he could keep away and didn’t end up inviting her on any more dates.

  “What is wrong with me?” he muttered, irritated that his judgment failed him again this night. He straightened suddenly. “Speaking of crappy decisions …”

  Beck sensed Dawn. He took in his surroundings with a sharp gaze, seeking out the Dark girl. It was also to give him time to avoid her, if possible. There were mutual restraining orders that mandated they have no contact, though she was able to break court orders at will while he got slammed the one time he sought her out. His father warned him to stay on the high road. Beck resigned himself to being the better person, because his unborn daughter was at risk. Dawn was using the baby as a tool to manipulate everyone, and there was nothing she wouldn’t risk to keep the advantage on her side.

  The idea she might hurt her own baby out of revenge had crossed Beck’s mind more than once over the past few weeks. It made him sick – and overly cautious about giving Dawn a reason to do anything of the sort.

  She was easy to spot. Tall, lithe, beautiful. Dawn was blonde with the bone structure and body of a natural born model. She drew attention wherever she went. He fell for her the first time they met at the witchling boarding school three years before, not even caring that she dated his twin first. Or cheated on both of them more than once. Their on-again, off-again relationship wasn’t healthy, he knew now. He had done his own part to make it dysfunctional by dating and sleeping around during their constant, periodic breakups.

  Any affection for her died with Tanya. The only emotions he felt towards her now were anger and regret.

  Beck glanced around to see where Morgan was, not about to drag the girl into this mess. She was far down the boardwalk, walking with Summer and Decker. Satisfied she wasn’t in danger, he pushed away from the railing and crossed his arms, waiting for Dawn to find him.

  There was no other reason she just happened to be there at the same time he was. He knew very well that she had someone at the Light campus feeding her information about what he did. He’d told a few guys at dinner he was coming here tonight, though he left out with whom.

  Her movements traced by Darkness, Dawn spotted him and moved through the crowd to reach him. Her stomach was showing the signs of being in her second trimester, though she still wore the tight, designer clothing she was known for. Her hair was up in a bun, her chiseled features done up in makeup.

  “You didn’t answer my text,” she started out, stopping in front of him.

  “We have court orders requiring us not to contact one another,” he reminded her.

  She ignored him. “If you had, I would’ve told you what the lawyers are bringing up tomorrow.”

  “I’ll find out tomorrow.”

  “What is wrong with you, Beck?” she demanded. “Don’t you care about any of this?”

  He sighed. At one point, he had born through the verbal barrage he knew was her way of trying to manipulate him out of guilt. After everything she had done to those he loved, she had the nerve to accuse him of not caring?

  “It’s not like we’re having a daughter together or something,” Dawn snapped. “You act like you care in front of the judge and then you totally ignore me.”

  “Because that judge told me to,” he said with patience he didn’t feel. “You were there. You heard him.”

  “You’re making more excuses for not doing what you should. As usual. I thought you’d learn a few things, but you were born to be irresponsible.”

  Beck clamped his mouth shut. He drew a deep breath. She was right about him being irresponsible. It was how he ended up here.

  “Anyway, daddy’s attorneys are seeking full custody.”

  “I’ll let the lawyers figure that out,” he said. “But we both know that won’t happen.”

  “The courts up here almost always rule in the mother’s favor.”

  “Almost,” Beck pointed out. He stopped himself from saying more, suspecting she wanted him to slip up so she could run to her lawyers and say he was being a dick.

  But god it was hard! As long as she kept her anger focused on him and didn’t threaten any more Light witchlings, he was able to bear the brunt of her craziness. In fact, he made himself that deal recently. He was sacrificing himself for the Light witchlings.

  She was an air element, and her Dark magick flared in the air around he
r. She wasn’t able to do anything to him, even intimidate him. The Master of Light was beyond the reach for Dark witchlings to hurt. Even if they could, they wouldn’t try. Decker’s rampage of killing Dark and Light witchlings left the witchling society as a whole far more respectful of the Laws of Magick.

  Dawn was at the top of Decker’s list. Beck suspected his twin had told her as much with his normal candidness.

  “I didn’t see you at Tanya’s funeral,” she said.

  Beck blinked, not expecting her to mention the girl she helped kill. Dawn’s mood changed so fast, he wasn’t sure how to react.

  “I really am sorry for what happened,” Dawn said, sadness on her pretty face. “I didn’t know Alexa was going to kill her.”

  He said nothing, tense. He had seen exactly how Dawn contributed to Tanya’s death through the magick of her memories -- that is, before he was forced to claim the soul of the dead girl. Accessing the memories of a dead Light witchling was another of his gifts as the Light Master, a fact Dawn didn’t know.

  “You know I’ve always loved you, Beck,” she continued. “I got jealous. Yes, I wanted Tanya kidnapped, but it was meant just to scare her off. Like a joke. Nothing more.”

  “I read what you said in the police reports,” he managed.

  “Then you know I’d never hurt anyone.”

  “Unless you wanted to hurt me through them. You said as much a few weeks ago.”

  “I was upset. I mean, it isn’t fair that you get to go off and sleep around while I’m stuck with a kid.”

  “You can’t hurt others, Dawn,” he said, his protective instinct kicking in, despite his own angst at confronting her. “Your issue is with me, not with innocent people like Tanya.”

  Surprise crossed her features at his calm, firm tone. He’d had this discussion with his twin at one point, too, when Decker started killing Light witchlings. Beck’s personal life – and his duty to the Light and the witchlings – were two different matters.

  “Oh now you try to do the right thing,” she said, recovering. “Where was that trait when I first told you about the baby? You know it’s your fault you’re dragging her into this court mess. All you had to do was give us a second chance.”

  Never. He vowed silently. “You chose to go Dark,” he reminded her. “A Light master can’t be with a Dark girl.”

  “Then you’ll be with no one, Beck.” Dawn’s blue eyes flared, and red crept up her face. “If you won’t even put your daughter first, you shouldn’t be with any woman. You’ll never understand how to treat someone right. Maybe I did Tanya a favor by taking her away from you.”

  “You will. Not. Hurt. Witchlings.” His normal depths of control were slipping with the idea that Dawn had killed his girlfriend out of spite and thought herself in the right. It went against everything he believed in, as both a human being and the Master of Light.

  “I meant the kidnapping part,” Dawn added. “Alexa hurt her.”

  “Both are offenses to the Light.”

  “Did you ever love me?”

  Beck wanted to scream. He turned away from her and leaned against the railing, closing his eyes to gather his patience.

  “Even if you didn’t or don’t, can you love your own daughter?”

  “Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I will do whatever it takes to protect her and give her a good life.”

  “Hmmm. But not the woman who’s carrying her,” Dawn observed. “You’re some piece of work, Beck. Maybe they should call you the Selective Protector of Light.”

  God, Light, Great Spirit, whoever is out there, give me strength. Beck gripped the railing harder.

  “Stop. Now.” The third voice made him jerk.

  No, Morgan! He cried silently.

  Chapter Seven

  Morgan stopped mid-sentence and cocked her head to the side, sensing something she didn’t like. At all.

  Pain. It wasn’t hers, but it was strong. Strangely so. It stirred her fire magick in a way that left her agitated.

  “You okay?” Summer asked with a curious look.

  “Yeah.” Morgan glanced over her shoulder thoughtfully, towards where they’d left Beck.

  “No, Morgan,” Decker spoke just as her eyes settled on the tall blonde standing with Beck near a dock.

  Morgan looked at the eighteen-year-old Master of Dark, who was tense, despite having one arm around Summer. He reminded her of Connor, except he was surrounded by shadows that made her want to edge away. The couple looked so comfortable, so natural together. She felt a pang of yearning; would she ever be able to trust someone as much as they seemed to trust one another?

  “I have to go,” she said. “It was nice to meet you.” She turned and started back towards Beck.

  “Morgan, be careful,” Summer called, worry in her voice.

  Morgan was too distracted to respond. She couldn’t remember ever feeling someone else’s pain so strongly. And his? She’d been thinking of ways to tell him she couldn’t go on another date with him, while also keeping an eye on him to help Connor with his trial and fulfill her promise to the bigfoot.

  She didn’t know how to do both. Right now, she wasn’t able to think more about it, not with her fire’s need to transform pain to something that left her in peace.

  Beck’s appearance was calm while the Dark girl’s was angry. The look on his face was hard, his eyes intense, and not in a way Morgan ever wanted him to look at her. Morgan almost stopped, familiar fear fluttering through her.

  She didn’t know him. Like, really know him. What if his niceness was a front?

  His pain was real.

  “Stop it, Morgan. Not everyone is a bad guy,” she lectured herself quietly, her step quickening once again. As she drew near, Beck turned away. His agitation was as clear as his attempt to control it.

  Morgan didn’t think twice about interfering in their conversation. The Dark girl was the worst kind of person – a bully. Morgan’s fire magick stirred for a different reason when she was close enough to hear them talking. Fire wanted to take Dawn, to destroy the cold, Dark shadows around her.

  Dawn was hurting Beck in a way Morgan recognized intimately. She almost let her magick loose, but stopped herself, aware of the Light Laws Amber had taught them and the warning the bigfoot gave her about obeying them.

  “You’re some piece of work, Beck,” Dawn was saying. “Maybe they should call you the Selective Protector of Light.”

  More pain. And anger.

  “Stop. Now,” Morgan commanded.

  Beck went rigid at her voice while Dawn glanced over her shoulder at Morgan. Uninterested, the blonde’s attention returned to Beck.

  Morgan wasn’t about to be ignored, not with her fire burning through her blood. She circled the two and planted herself between Dawn, who looked quizzical, and Beck, who went suddenly pale.

  “Leave him alone,” Morgan said in the firm tone her self-defense instructor had taught her.

  Dawn appeared startled, then laughed. “You have a guard dog now, Beck?”

  “He needs one with people like you around.”

  That got the arrogant girl’s attention. The blonde glared at her, smile fading.

  “Morgan,” Beck said, hushed. “You –“

  “Wait a minute,” Dawn interjected. “You’re with this … girl?” Her gaze swept over Morgan.

  Morgan crossed her arms. She didn’t care at all what the bitch before her thought of her; she knew how to weather through people like this.

  “Oh, no,” Beck said quickly. “She’s just a new girl at school. Besides, you know I only go for blondes.”

  His words stung. The blonde girl seemed to be trying to decide if Beck was telling the truth or not. Though it hurt, Morgan didn’t dwell on Beck’s hasty declaration.

  “Yeah,” Dawn said. She looked hard at Morgan. “This is between us. Go for a walk or something.”

  “Absolutely not,” Morgan replied. “He’s my ride, and we’re leaving now.”

  “Stupid little bitch
,” Dawn said with a cunning smile. “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”

  Morgan recognized the glow in her gaze. She’d spent the past four years in fear of it, hiding from the man who beat her when his mood turned sour. She hated that look and hated more that someone like Beck was on the receiving end of it.

  The bigfoot was right. Beck didn’t just need help. He needed rescuing.

  With her fire magick sizzling off the ends of her hair and clothing, Morgan drew closer to Dawn.

  “I know what you are,” she said slowly. “You’re a coward with the ability to use magick to hurt those you can’t control.”

  Fire flared around Morgan, edging her body in yellow and orange flames. Heat and warmth whipped through her. Dawn took a quick step back.

  “You’re a bully who preys on the fear and pain of others,” Morgan continued. Her flames stretched towards Dawn, who inched away. “Stay away from Beck.”

  “Beck is mine. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him.” Dawn was both angry and uncertain, eyeing the flames that licked too closely to her.

  “Not anymore,” Morgan said calmly.

  There was a fury and crazy gleam in Dawn’s eyes.

  Morgan felt Beck grip her shoulder, and the earth’s calming, gentle power swept through her. Her magick yielded to the Master of Light at once, the flames dying instantly. Morgan was expecting the cowardly bully to act and wasn’t surprised that Dawn waited until her magick was subdued to do so.

  The blonde stepped forward one more time with a hand raised to slap her, and Morgan braced herself for the blow, unwilling to back down.

  Beck snatched Dawn’s hand before it reached her.

  “Stop,” Beck ordered in a hard voice. “Both of you.”

  Dawn looked up at him in consternation then yanked her hand back.

  “If you don’t want another Tanya on your hands, you’ll dump the guard dog,” Dawn hissed at him. She whirled and strode away into the crowd.

  Morgan waited until she was gone then shifted away from Beck. He took her arm and pulled her to face him, gripping both of her arms. The tension of his body scared her. He wasn’t hurting her, but she didn’t want him touching her, not when he was so upset.