Aurora’s Coven: The Lost Coven | Book 1

by K. A Knight

  - AURORA -

  Drawing my power back in was harder than I thought it would be. Each time the darkness seeps out, it grows and fights back. It refuses to be locked away. I shiver as pulling my power back from each area of my body is like pulling on tar. It starts with my toes and works its way up my legs until it reaches my centre. I take a breather, then start on my arms. Once I manage to pull it back, the darkness swirling in my centre is all that remains, and I close my eyes.

  Taking a deep breath, I cajole it back. When it continues to swirl, I wrestle it back. Pain tears through me as it fights to stay. My knees drop to the unforgiving floor, the cold, dirty tiles jarring my bones, but I continue dragging it back in, afraid if I let go it will never go back. The pain worsens until my whole body is sensitised and screaming at me in agony. Fire licks over my whole body, and I grit my teeth to stop the scream from bursting out.

  After what seems like hours but could be minutes, I slowly come back to my body. Gasping for air, my body curls into the fetal position on the floor. I rub my head against the cool tile and concentrate on breathing. The sweat on my forehead cools, and my heart rate slows down, my body weak like after a beating.

  After a while, I work to push into a sitting position, but my arm collapses beneath me, sending me sprawling. A bone-weary tiredness sets in. I knew I would be tired, but this is a whole other level of tiredness.

  After several more attempts, I manage to sit and then stand. I wobble on my tired legs but manage to stay up by grabbing the sink. I feel like a deer on ice or like I just took a good pounding. I know which I would prefer. I spray water on my face and stay there for a moment, my hair dangling around my eyes, obscuring the light. A wiggling at the door handle makes me stand up straighter, gripping the sink until my knuckles turn white. I stare at the door in confusion in my tired state. My head whirls again. Shit, am I power-drunk? A hysterical laugh worms out of me, and my teeth snap together to try to stop it.

  Banging sounds on the door, and I drag my feet to unlock it. When did I lock it? Tom stands in the doorway, fists clenched at his side and his face beet red. He opens his mouth to say something but stops and takes a good look at me. He swears and grabs my arms to steady me. A giggle bursts out of me, followed by a sob.

  “Language,” I say in a high-pitched voice that makes him hesitate.

  “I don’t know what you did, kid, but you are out of it. I’ll close up and take you home.” I shake my head rapidly and get dizzy, falling forward until Tom catches me.

  “C’mon, kid, stay here for a second while I grab my stuff.” He leans me against the wall outside the bathroom, and when he’s sure I won’t fall again, he walks away, peeking over his shoulder every now and again. He stops when voices sound from around the corner, and I gulp a laugh down at the panic on his face. I should be scared for some reason, but everything’s hilarious in my power-drunk state.

  He swears and rushes down the hall to stand in front of me. “They must have felt it or seen the guy run out of here. What do you want me to do?” I don’t like the frown on his face. I lean forward and try to wipe it away with my fingers. It makes him swear again. Giggling to myself, I almost slip down the wall.

  “Thomas, what’s going on,” says a smooth silky voice from behind him. It’s direct and strong like someone used to giving orders. Tom turns, blocking me with his large body.

  “Huh, nothing just wanted a piss,” he mutters. I lean forward putting my cheek on his back and laugh.

  “You’re a bad liar, Tommy.” Giggles make my words sound weird, which makes me laugh harder.

  Silence rains until someone whispers, “Tommy!? Sunny, that you?” comes a hesitant voice.

  “That’s me,” I sing-song.

  Tom swears again and turns to glare at me, revealing three of the awesome foursome. Ezra’s deep stare probes into me even as Ben runs his eyes over me in concern. The last guy stares at Tom in question.

  “She drunk?” Ezra mutters.

  I laugh again and fall forward. Before Tom can react, Ben catches me around the waist. I laugh hysterically, imagining him dressed in silver shining armour.

  “My hero.”

  Ben snorts out a laugh and stares down at me. “Sunshine, if I knew all I had to do to get you in my arms was get you drunk, I would have been here sooner.” His laugh is contagious, so I join in.

  Tom and the other guy talk in hushed whispers as Ezra tries to block my view of them. His eyes bore down into me as intense as ever. Ben wraps his arms more securely around my waist and leans his head against my hair, trying to talk to me. Their scents mix together creating a delicious mix that has me a little flustered.

  “Hush, Benny, adults are talking,” I try to say seriously. A startled laugh bursts out of him, and his body shudders behind me with the force of it.

  “Sunny, damn.” I peer up at Ezra and snicker.

  “Hi, Giant” He raises his eyebrow at me. I move my head, trying to peer around him to Tom. He steps closer, using his width to block more of my view.

  “You’re so wide, I bet you would make a good wind blocker or blanket.” I laugh again, imagining him curled around Ben. Ben laughs with me, and even Ezra cracks a small smile.

  “Shh, Sunny, don’t poke the beast,” Ben mutters to me still laughing.

  I try to turn and glare at him in indignation, but I can’t manage it. “Beast, that’s mean, Benny. Apologise right now.” I struggle to cross my arms because his arms around me make it impossible. Ezra’s grin turns full-blown as he widens his stance and stares at Ben.

  “Yeah, Benny, apologise,” he mocks.

  Ben huffs in my hair.

  “Fine. Sorry, Aurora, for calling the green giant over here a beast.” I turn and try to slap his chest but miss and fall. Ezra and Ben grab me at the same time, and I laugh hysterically.

  I wonder if he’s big everywhere

  It goes silent, and Ezra peers at me in astonishment. Wait... did I say that out loud?

  “Yes,” Ben chokes out.

  Well, okay then, I guess my filter is broken.

  “Would you like to see?” Ezra leans into me and winks.

  I blink trying to remember what we were talking about, and when I do, I giggle at him.

  “Sure, get it out, then.”

  Ben sucks in a breath, and Ezra’s smile widens until he shows teeth.

  The muttering from behind Ezra stops, and Tom and the other guy come around and eyeball us.

  “Okay, we have to get Aurora home. One of you pick her up.” The leader guy directs them like soldiers.

  “I can walk. I’m not a kid!” I shout. He turns to me, and the heat in his eyes sears through me. He ogles me up and down slowly, leaving a trail of heat that even in my tired, crazy state sends my hormones spinning.

  “I’m aware of that, more than you know. Now, let one of them pick you up.” He quirks an eyebrow. Seriously, why can everyone do that? It’s impressive.

  I swallow, but before I can answer, Ezra picks me up bridal style. He grips my thighs and back and smirks down at me.

  “Hi, green giant,” I say tiredly.

  He groans, “Don’t start calling me that.”

  Ben laughs next to me, and the other guy’s lips curl at the side.

  “I can call you what I want. I have nicknames for everyone,” I declare with a pointed finger in the air. Ben laughs quietly, propped up against the wall. Tom sighs and rubs his forehead.

  “Really, can I ask what they are?” The stranger steps closer. I realise his eyes are amber, and I can’t seem to stop myself from replying.

  “Well, he’s Benny,” I point at the laughing guy, then I swing my arm to Tom, “and he’s Tommy.”

  “Hmm, I’m noticing a pattern.” His strange eyes sparkle with laughter. I waggle my finger at him.

  “Hush, I’m not done.” I wait until he nods for me to continue, and with a serious expression, I pat Ezra’s chest. “This here is green giant or, urm, maybe stalker.” My face lights up as I shout,
“O.M.G., no, I know! Cupcake!” I dissolve in laughter. Ezra’s chest rumbles behind me, and I rub my cheek against it. The silence stretches before everyone bursts out laughing.

  “Cupcake?” Benny wipes tears away from his eyes.

  I nod vigorously. “Yup, ’cause his hair is curly and soft like frosting on the top.” This makes perfect sense to me, but everyone else just laughs. I frown at them all.

  Amber-eyes controls his chuckling enough to question me. “And me?”

  “Hmm.” I eye him seriously as I try to decide. I look at everything from his tanned skin to his controlled, wavy brown hair. I tap my chin in thought.

  “Tiger!” I declare proudly.

  A small smile graces his face as he leans until his head is close to mine. He smells of the forest, earthy, and it has me imagining the trees that I find solace in.

  “Guess that makes you my kitten right now,” he whispers to me. He leans back, and a serious expression crosses his face. Eww—wait, what?

  “Okay, let’s get her home, shall we?” He claps to grab everyone’s attention.

  Grumbling rumbles from Ben and Ezra, but we start walking. My hyper buzz wears off, and my head droops in exhaustion. Before we hit the back door, Tom stops us. He stares down at me fondly.

  “Get some rest, kid. Let them look after you.” He kisses my forehead, and I swear he whispers, “Trust them,” but I can’t be sure.

  I snuggle farther into my giant—no, not my giant, the giant, right, just the giant’s chest—and close my eyes.

  Next time I open them, I’m curled up on his lap in the backseat of a car. I lift my head to gaze around blearily. I try to reach up to rub my eyes when I realise my hand is in someone else’s, Ben’s. My eyes raise to his, but he stares out of the window with a faraway expression on his face. He rubs between my thumb and finger gently, almost like he doesn’t realise he’s doing it. Gently, a hand pushes my head back to the chest I leaned on.

  “Sleep,” rumbles out from beneath me. With a sigh, my eyes shutter again.

  “Kitten, we need your keys,” comes a quiet command.

  Blinking back the sleep in my eyes, I crack them open. We aren’t moving anymore, yet I’m still curled up on Ezra’s lap. My heavy head rises up toward the open door to find Amber-eyes peering back.

  “Pocket,” I croak out. Fighting to wake myself, my hand moves to help just to fall back to my side because my limbs are deadweight, and I slip under again. Hands gently pull my keys out of my pocket, but I don’t bother lifting my head again.

  I tiredly slide into the waiting darkness as someone carries me inside.

  Barking and growling wakes me momentarily as Nev tries to get to me. Huh, guess we’re inside.

  “Nev, heel,” I whisper as loudly as I can.

  The barking stops, and a low whining breaks my heart.

  “Shh, boy, she’s going to be okay. She’s just really tired and a bit out of it,” Ben comforts Nev, and my heart melts a little.

  “C’mon, Half-pint, let’s get you to bed.” As he speaks, Ezra moves my hair with his hand.

  I let me head drop back to his chest. We move again, but I make no effort to open my eyes. Softness meets my legs and back as I’m set gently down on a bed. I snuggle into the covers as my head pounds, and a groan slips out.

  “No.” I grab onto the closest thing to me. Muscle clenches under my arm, and the bed dips next to me. I sigh happily and let myself fall asleep.

  - DARKNESS -

  I stand in the shadows of the trees as the large witch carries the girl towards her house. Excitement fills me. I’ve found who I was searching for. I watch closely as he and the other two witches head inside, and I lean back on the tree behind me.

  The forest’s noise dies as they realise a bigger predator stands in their midst. Finally, after all this time, the one is within my sights. Surprised that who I’ve been hunting is strong, my mind drifts to earlier.

  The pull grabbed me from miles away, like a black hole opening up and sucking in everything in its path, and I was helpless to stop it. The power—so much power—called to me, whispered of my evil deeds. It was in my head, exploring and learning. Once I realised, I shut my mind down and followed it to a bar in the middle of the little town I’m in. Lucky, I got lucky. A couple of months ago I sensed a similar pull, but I only reached the general area before it cut off.

  I hunted through the towns and villages searching for it, searching for her. After a while, I grew frustrated and bored. Then, I discovered a witch, a strong male one. Also pulled to this area. I grabbed him impulsively to see if it would draw the one I was hunting. Instead they came. Tilting my head in consideration, I realise she must know them, at least enough to trust them. Interesting. Maybe the one I have might be useful after all. Lights flicker on in the house as I contemplate my next steps. I need to get her away from them. One witch I can handle, but three or four together would be hard even for me—especially if they’re bonded.

  I’ll wait until the time is right. I settle deeper into the trees, the darkness accepting me. I might even pay a visit to the one I have locked away to keep me entertained.

  - ALEXANDER -

  I hesitate at the door of Aurora’s room as she grabs Ezra’s arm. He sits down next to her and strokes her hair away from her face. His face softens. He continues to stare at her, and I can’t help but do the same.

  Striding into the room, I don’t stop until I’m next to her on the bed. Deeply asleep, she curls around Ezra’s arm. Her beautiful features have softened, and her body’s relaxed. She shifts closer to Ezra while his thumb strokes over her cheekbone. He doesn’t even bother glancing up, even though he knows I’m here. I stare at the woman that I can’t seem to get out of my head for as long as I dare. Damn, if I wasn’t happy she gave me a nickname earlier. I was right with mine, too—she’s a kitten all right. All claws and hissing until you get to know her, then she’s soft and cute. I snort to myself, not cute—beautiful, sexy, but definitely not cute.

  “What are we going to do?” Ezra whispers without breaking eye contact with her.

  I rub my eyes tiredly. Questions run rampart in my head, but none we will get answers to tonight.

  “I don’t know,” I whisper back.

  Ezra’s head snaps up with surprise. Okay, even I’ll admit this is a new one for me, I’m usually in charge and unwavering. I make it my focus to find out as much as possible so we never have to face our mistakes again. But this little girl has turned me upside down, and my unwavering focus slips.

  “We need to know what we’re dealing with. Why is she hiding? What happened earlier, what her powers are...” I trail off in thought.

  Ezra nods.

  “I’ll ring Jason to find out if his search for a missing witch has turned anything up.” I stop as she shifts. My fingers press to my lips and point to the door. Ezra nods and leans down to kiss her forehead before heading out the door and downstairs to where Ben’s trying to comfort her dog. I lean forward and move a stray curl out of her face. I turn around, intending to join them as I flick off the lights. As I reach the door to leave, she whimpers, making me hesitate. She does it again, and before I realise it, I stride over to her.

  I sit next to her and grab her hand as she lets out a low moan.

  “Shh, Kitten, I’m here. Nothing is going to happen to you. Whatever you are running from, whoever...” I hesitate and stroke her cheek. “I will help you, if you let me.”

  Her plump red mouth parts, and she whispers something I can’t hear. I lean closer until my ear meets her lips, she breathes out the words which shoot straight to my heart, “Please, they can’t know, can’t find me.”

  I pull back a little and wait to see if she’ll say anything else. I can’t help but stare; up close it’s obvious how stunning she is—a soft heart-shaped face, high cheekbones, red lips, and dark eyebrows.

  “I won’t let them,” I whisper, unsure where it comes from but knowing I would throw myself in front of a spell for this m
ysterious woman. My heart skips a beat when a small smile curls her luscious lips.

  11

  - AURORA -

  Cold seeps into my bones. My body aches, and my mouth is dry like I’ve run miles. My tired head swivels, and my eyes squint around the room. Chilled, unrelenting stone surrounds me. Chains rattle, and my eyes drift down in shock. Hands, way bigger than mine, lay bound by silver manacles connected to the floor. They barely move, and the skin is red raw from chaffing.

  Okay, what the hell? Where am I? My heart races, more confused than ever. Without realising, I step forward, peering closer at the walls. Scratches mark the stone as does dried blood. I blink and do a three-sixty turn. When my eyes fall on the centre of the room, I gasp in horror and fall back a step.

  A man sits on a wooden chair, his hands bound like mine were moments ago. His head hangs down, silver hair obscuring his face. Carvings mark the hardwood seat, and I find myself stepping closer to get a better look. When the man moves, my legs freeze.

  His head slowly rises, and time stands still. My body locks in place as his heart-breaking face lifts into the light. A cut still seeping blood runs from his eyebrow to his cheek, yet all I can think is he is the most perfect man I’ve ever laid eyes on. Eyes swirling like a tornado, high sharp cheekbones, lush cupid-bowed mouth. He reminds me of one of the fey my mother used to tell me about. His eyes focus, and I barely move, wondering if he can see me.

  He winces and eyes the room. Confused, I step closer, and when he doesn’t react, I realise he can’t. Crushing disappointment fills me, and I can’t figure out why. All I know is I want to feel those stormy eyes lock with mine, to fill me. I step closer again, my feet scraping against the stone flooring, and his eyes snap to me.

  I see everything, all that he tries to hide from the world—his anger, his hate, his loneliness, and most importantly, his determination.

  “Who’s there?” His voice cracks from disuse. I wave my hand in question, but he makes no move. Just to be sure, I do a little dance. Nope, nothing.