His father? He had called Avery his son. The words sent him into a mental vortex. He had assumed that the other siren would be his sibling, but his father. The man in front of him was an unadulterated contrast to his adoptive father, physically and in essence. His dad may have been scary and deadly but not dangerous to him or others who had not hurt an innocent life. He could look at his dad and see the kindness and love in his eyes despite everything he had been through in his life, it was those things that made him as powerful a leader as he was. But his birth father, this siren, didn’t have that aspect to him. His face may have been warm and inviting and eerily like Avery’s, his voice may have had a soothing and calming tone, but his eyes…they were cold and dead. It was like someone took Avery and replaced his eyes with doll’s eyes. The older siren stood there smiling at his son. The smile sent chills and shivers down Avery’s back, the man’s lips had parted, his cheeks lifted, hi
He opens his eyes finding himself in his own bed. He is dry and in different clothes. His windows are closed with the shudders blocking the light. He felt much better, he supposed having a sea siren submerged under the river would do the trick. He turned to his side with his head still on his soft fluffy pillow. Mike and Brooks sat on his day bed in front of his large arched window. He had made sure that he got the best room in the house when the three of them moved in. He even had the two walk in closets one of them served as a mini library for their hunting books. He reached out for his cell phone, it lay on his bedside table next to the lamps Mike had gotten him as a birthday gift. It was still on the charger where he had left it. He swiped his fingers across the screen to see what time it was, the sun was still out so it could have been any time before 8 PM. It was 9 AM. That made no sense, how could it have been 9 AM? He had spoken to Harley that morning just after 9 AM.
She had fallen asleep. It was all she could do. He was gone. He was gone and not coming back. She had cried herself to sleep. Mourning was physically draining, even for werewolves. Stormy had asked to be left alone with his body. She kneeled next to him the entire night and day. She couldn’t separate herself from him. He had been her best friend; the first man she had ever loved. Shiloh was dead. She laid down next to him curled up against his side. He was cold. She looked at him and she could have sworn she saw his chest moving like he was breathing. She knew it was all in her head. The color in his face had drained, he was pale and stiff.She had no idea how long she had been in the basement with him. She was in Avery’s safe room. She didn’t know how he had managed to do it but he had made the room virtually sound proof, he used it whenever his siren side was feeling on edge. She used the safe room to separate herself from the tension and drama of what was
Avery’s scream was piercing and ground shaking. Everyone turned to look at him. Brooks, Bea, and Kit were broken out of Val’s hold on them. The viburnum circle around Avery began to shake but held its shape. The group watched the siren convulsing on the ground. The wolves had to cover their ears from the strength of the siren’s scream.Val lifted himself from the river glaring at Wren. Wren and Rei watched the older siren try to shake the dirty water from the river off of him. Wren may have been a beta wolf but Val was a siren, and he knew she was no match for him. He stomped up to the werewolf leaving wet footprints along the way and swung at her backhanded. The hit was loud, Rei flinched just from seeing it. Wren fell backwards almost landing in the fire. Pain shot through her head, Val had a strong arm. She shook her head trying to clear the pain. Val turned his attention to Rei again. Rei took a step back.Mike ran towards the viburnum circle agai
The walk back to the house was silent. The group was surrounded by nothing but the darkness and rustling of the grass they trotted through. Inside Roz didn’t want to reach the house. If she reached the house it would mean that everything was really over, and Rei was really gone. How was she going to tell her parents and the council? She held on to her brother’s arm the entire way. Being so close to him comforted her through everything that was happening. She wasn’t aware that her brother was doing his best to drain the negative energy from her.Avery was trying to adapt to his newfound powers. Every second since Val’s death he discovered new abilities. The abilities had always been there, adding Val’s powers to his own allowed him to tap into them without a hassle. He felt everything that his sister was feeling but kept his face stern not to let her know that.“What are we going to do with Rei, Shiloh, and Ivy?” Bea asked turni
"Are you ready?" Roz asked handing her brother Avery his bag. It was a gift she had given him when he turned fifteen, but it wasn't until recently that he began using it. He hadn’t really had a reason to. It wasn't his fault though, most parents don't let their kids carry around loaded weapons, their parents were no different even if they were hunters. He opened it and began equipping the knives inside into their holsters strapped all around his upper body. She looked herself over in the reflection of her SUV. Her hair seemed more golden in the midafternoon light, it made her smile. She pulled it tightly into a ponytail. She was not going to let it get in her way this time. When she was happy w9ith how it looked he started to arm herself as well. She had parked behind a large dumpster to make sure nobody saw them. Pulling out a bunch of weapons in broad daylight was not well accepted by most normal people. "Everything needs to go smoothly." She lectured tugging on her jacket, leather
The two young hunters arrived home by midmorning the next day. Their first solo hunt had gone well and nobody had died. Their mother had been worried and tried to stop it every step of the way. So it was no surprise that she was waiting for them at the door when they arrived. The elevator door had barely opened completely before she bombarded them with questions and looked each of them over to make sure they had all of their limbs. She pulled them into a hug, Avery had to hold the elevator door open, since she hadn't let them step out yet."Hey Mom," He said smiling. He couldn't blame her for worrying, it is what mothers do after all. Their maid Stacey came into the room and took their bags."Thanks Stace." Roz said pulling her jacket off, which Stacey also took. She disappeared with their bags, headed to the laundry room surely. "Where is Dad?" Roz asked flopping down on the couch. He mother smacked the back of her head when she put her feet on the coffee table."He is in his office
Avery wasn't as nervous as he thought he would be approaching the top of the stairs. If anything he was agitated. He was angry that he had to be there, the closer he got to the main floor the more angry he became. They were just steps away from the light still hidden in the shadows and they could hear their father still rambling on about them. Usually they liked hearing about how proud he was about them, what kid wouldn't like that, but still Avery was just agitated beyond belief."Why are you breathing so hard?" Roz asked tugging on his hand. Her voice broke him out of his angry reverie. Then it was all gone, as if it had never been there, as if it wasn't his anger to begin with. It was a relief if anything, he knew he had to check into these weird mood swings he kept going through. Finally their father motioned to them holding his arm out to the top of the stairs as some grand gesture. They both took a deep breath and stepped into the light. They moved in unison, but only because th
Everybody was already seated when the three of them arrived. Their mother looked at them sternly and motioned for them to sit along with the rest of the kids. There was three seats open at the table set for thirteen. One seat was between the Cruz sisters and the Makis, the other two were between Max and Kit, of course they would do this. Flo hurriedly sat next Kit and gave Avery a shy smile. This was another one of their tests to see if Avery would avoid them or face them head on. He sat next to Flo smiling at the whole table. He wasn't going down without a fight."Kid's table." He said pulling his chair up. Roz sat in the remaining chair directly across from him."How does it feel to be sitting at this table with all of us children, Mr. and Mrs. Best hunters?" Max asked already trying to agitate them."It's Miss you idiot." Roz snapped from across the table. "Besides someone has to make sure the troubled children are being watched over." Max sourly smiled at her. The Battalignas may