Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“Touch him and die! He is MINE!” my Drake’s voice thundered in the Headmistress’s office, making everyone around me wince. Even Avery’s father jerked back, a look of panic in his eyes.
“Enough, Santiago—call back your Drake!” Headmistress Nightworthy said sharply. “No one is taking Avery anywhere.”
I heard the ring of truth in her voice and so did my Drake. He backed off—but only slightly. He was still glaring at Avery’s father through my eyes and I could feel his rage, ready to overflow if anyone threatened our beloved l’lorna.
Avery’s father was glaring right back, though.
“This is outrageous! I can’t believe you’re allowing this!” he shouted at the Headmistress. “How dare you let anyone keep me from taking my child!”
“I’m not a child anymore, father. And I don’t want to go with you.” Avery spoke in a calm, measured voice but his tone was ice cold. “In fact, I never want to see you again. If you can’t accept me for who I am, then we’re through. Saint and I are Blood-Bonded now and we’re going to stay together. That’s ‘normal’ enough for me.”
“You don’t know what’s good for you!” Avery’s father stabbed a finger at him. “You’re too young to know what you really want!”
“I know I want Saint and he wants me,” Avery said coolly and squeezed my hand again. “And I know you’re never going to separate us.”
“You must see reason, Mr. Connor,” Headmistress Nightworthy said to Avery’s father. “No magic on Earth or in the Realm or the Sky Lands can separate a Drake from his l’lorna. Just as nothing but death can break a Blood-Bond. You must accept your son as he is or cut ties with him. There is no ‘fixing’ him now. This situation is not changeable.”
“I don’t accept that!” Avery’s father raged. He glared at her. “And if you won’t let me take him, then I’m withdrawing his tuition.”
“That’s fine,” the Headmistress said calmly. “I am prepared to offer Avery and anyone else whose parents have disowned them due to their sexual orientation a full scholarship. We do not discriminate here at Nocturne.”
At last it seemed that Avery’s father knew he was beaten. He gave Avery one last, hate-filled look.
“Last chance, Avery,” he said. “Come with me now and let me fix you or you’re dead to me.”
I could see the pain in my Bond-mate’s eyes but he lifted his chin defiantly.
“Then I guess you have no son and I have no father,” he said clearly. “I was always closer to Mom, anyway.”
I could tell he was trying to be flippant but I knew how deeply his father’s disapproval cut him. I knew it because I had felt it myself, from my own Sire. Why did they hate us just for being different—for something we could not change—something we were born with?
I didn’t know and I heard my Drake roaring mournfully within me. It is painful to lose the family you were born into—to be cast aside and disavowed. It was a pain that I and my Bond-mate both knew well.
I only wished I could make it less for him.
44
AVERY
As my father stalked out of the office, Saint squeezed my hand comfortingly.
“Never mind, Corazon,” he murmured to me. “Both of us are fatherless now, but at least we still have each other.”
I’m not ashamed to say there were tears in my eyes as I hugged him.
“We have each other,” I repeated and felt the Blood-Bond between us swell with comfort and love.
“And you have us.” Megan put a hand on my shoulder and then she and Kaitlyn and Emma were hugging us both as we hugged each other.
“Family isn’t always the one you’re born into,” I heard Megan saying. “Sometimes the best family is the one you find along the way. I’m so glad we all found each other!”
As she spoke, Griffon and Bran and Lachlan and Ari linked arms and surrounded the girls in yet another layer of hugs. I could feel the magical energy rising around me. The feeling of Drake and Nocturne and Sister and Fae power all mingling together, mixed together with love.
Even little Jalli, who had been hiding behind Ari all this time, joined in. Her chimelings, Jelly Belly, Sweet Tooth, and Spike as well as Kaitlyn’s Mr. Seahorse went flying in a circle around our heads, chiming with their bell-like voices as though proclaiming the love our coven had for each other and our determination to stay together. It was clear they didn’t fear Saint anymore now that the curse had been lifted from his Drake.
When we finally pulled apart, I expected that Headmistress Nightworthy would be angry with us. So I was surprised to see her dabbing at her eyes with an old-fashioned looking lace embroidered handkerchief.
She saw us watching and cleared her throat.
“I want it to be clear that I do not condone your actions of the night before,” she said to us, trying and failing to look stern. “But I have to say that the energy I’m feeling now between you all—this is the true spirit of Nocturne. This is why I continue to stay here, to guide young people in their formative years.” She dabbed at her eyes again and the handkerchief came away red. (Of course, being a Nocturne herself, she cried blood tears.)