Fate Changer (The Lost Witch Trilogy #3) (28 page)

It took a half an hour to calm Zane down as she wrapped him in comforting energy and love.

“We’re free Zane. We can go anywhere we want. We can do anything we want to. We can stay or we can go and there’s no one to stop us,” she said leaning against his chest with a happy smile on her face.

Zane kissed her head and nodded. “Looks like it. Everyone’s taking off now. They wanted to wait around and make sure you were okay and to say good bye.”

Sarah sat up, her eyes wide. “Wait! What about Jenny and Teresa? Are they okay?” she asked, feeling sick again.

Zane smiled and nodded his head. “They’re both fine. It was a little crowded and noisy here so they went back to the other house with Lash. They’re coming over later so you can see them for yourself,” he promised.

Sarah grinned and kissed Zane’s chin. “I never thought this day would come.”

Zane smiled and nodded, rubbing a stray tear off her cheek. “You’re safe now.”

Sarah’s smile faded and she looked down at Zane’s hand, clasping hers. “What about my father? What happened to him? And um, what exactly happened to Charles?” she asked softly.

Zane’s face turned hard and he looked away for a moment. “Race is no longer a witch Sarah. His power was taken from him. I drove him to the airport early this morning. I told him that it would be a very smart idea if he stayed far away from you from now on. He agreed.
After a while
.”

Sarah sighed in relief. She didn’t condone anything her father had done, but she was glad to know that he was still alive. Maybe he could even have a normal life now, magic free
and
daughter free.

“
And Charles
?”

Zane’s eyes turned cold and metallic and Sarah shivered. “Charles will never hurt you again,” he swore softly and Sarah decided not to push it.

They talked for a few more minutes and then left the kitchen to say good bye to their new friends. Miranda left with her little ones with promises to keep in touch. She was soon followed by Ethan, the two sisters and the other witches. Jericho was the last to leave. He pulled Sarah in for a big hug, ignoring Zane’s warning look.

“Sarah, my offer still stands. I’d make you the most amazing boyfriend ever. Did I mention I can play the guitar?” he asked, grinning as Zane growled low in his throat.

Sarah laughed and pushed him away. “Jericho, I don’t think we were meant to be together. Sorry. But I have a very strong feeling that your adventures are just beginning,” she said, not sounding sorry at all.

Jericho winced, putting his hand over his heart and shaking his head. “I might just come back and try to change your mind someday,” he said sounding halfway serious.

Zane sighed loudly and crossed his arms over his chest. “And I might just have to kick
your
. . . ,” he said but was interrupted by Agnes putting her hand over his mouth.

Jericho laughed, kissed Agnes and Gretchen on their cheeks and then was gone with a cheerful wave.

Zane watched the blue truck disappear down the road and smiled a little. “I actually like him,” he said with a surprised laugh. “He’s good in a fight, that’s for sure,” he said and then turned and walked back in the house.

Agnes and Gretchen followed behind Zane, leaving Sarah to stand alone on the porch. She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned against the wooden railing. She felt a cool salty breeze whisper through her hair and she smiled. “I survived Grandmother, just like you wanted me to,” she whispered to the wind.

A low hum of laughter danced away in the trees and she grinned. She glanced back at the house and then jumped over the railing and down onto the gravel path. She grinned as she ran around the house and down to the beach. She hadn’t been running in far too long. She hit the sandy beach and ran as fast as she could before leaping into the air. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes as the wind joined her. She was flying. She was free.

Chapter 24 – New Beginnings

Eight Months Later

Sarah frowned as Lash shut the trunk of the car. “I still don’t get why you and Jenny have to go to college all the way across the country. Why California?”

Lash leaned his hip against the car and crossed his powerful arms over his chest. “It almost sounds as if you’re going to miss me,” he said with a soft smile around his lips.

Sarah kicked a stray rock and pouted. “I will. I’ll miss you like crazy Lash,” she said honestly, hoping she wouldn’t start crying.

Lash looked at her with a trace of sadness in his eyes. “I
have
to leave Sarah. I still love you. I can’t get over you if I’m with you every day,” he said standing up and moving to stand in front of her.

Sarah winced and looked up into Lash’s blue eyes. “But I thought that you and Jenny . . .” she said lamely, looking away.

Lash took her hand in his and pulled her into his arms slowly. “Yeah, I’m working on it. Which is another reason I need to leave. I want to give this thing we have a fair shot and seeing you every day kind of messes that up inside my head.”

Sarah swallowed, feeling horrible. “I’m so sorry Lash. I don’t know what to say,” she said leaning her head against his chest.

Lash kissed the top of her head and then laid his check against her. “You don’t have to say anything,” he murmured.

Sarah shook her head and pulled away so she could look into his eyes. “You’re my dearest friend. Please, someday . . . , please come back. When you can.”

Lash nodded his head and leaned down and kissed her very softly and very gently on the lips before letting her go for the last time.

Sarah heard the slam of the front door and looked up to see Jenny and her mom coming toward them with smiles of excitement.

Jenny ran the last few feet and jumped into Lash’s arms. “I can’t believe we’re going to California!” she squealed. Lash smiled and hugged her tightly before setting her down.

Teresa giggled, clapping her hands in front of her. “I want to see Hollywood first and then we can go to Disneyland.”

Sarah grinned at the happy mother and daughter as Agnes, Gretchen and Zane came down the stairs to say good bye too.

Lash hugged Agnes and Gretchen and shook Zane’s hand firmly, before pounding him on the back in an excuse for a hug.

“I’m going to miss having you around Lash,” Zane said.

Lash grinned and glanced at Sarah. “You might see me again someday. You never know.”

Sarah sniffed sadly and moved to hug her cousin. “Jenny, call me as soon as you get there. I want to hear all about your apartment and your classes and everything.”

Jenny nodded and hugged her back. “I promise I will. And you all will have to fly out to visit us as often as possible.”

Sarah nodded her head but looked at Lash who was staring at her sadly. Everyone hugged each other one last time and then they were gone.

Sarah let a few tears fall as she waved good bye and felt Zane move behind her, hugging her comfortingly.

“So I guess you heard everything Lash said then, huh?” Sarah said.

Zane smiled into her hair and nodded. “You know it’s not my fault. I just happen to be able to hear everything you’re thinking most of the time. Please note my restraint in not running outside and punching him for kissing you.”

Sarah looked up and smiled at Zane’s teasing, bright eyes. “Thank you. Your restraint is noted and appreciated,” she said and then closed her eyes as a wave of pain washed through her. “Why does my heart hurt so much for Lash but at the same time, I’m completely in love with you?” she asked.

Zane moved her hair out of the way and kissed her neck gently, making a shiver shoot down her nerve endings. “Because you have a good, warm loving heart. But you’re right. You are completely in love with me. So the best thing to do now would be to wish Lash and Jenny luck and focus all of those beautiful warm emotions on me,” he said with a grin.

Sarah smiled and turned around in his arms so she could twine her arms around his neck. “I guess I could try,” she said teasingly.

Zane narrowed his silver eyes at her and kissed her lightly. “What if I made it worth your while?”

Sarah sighed dramatically. “I don’t know. It would take something kind of huge Zane.”

Zane grinned down at her and pulled her closer. “How does a private little wedding on the beach sound? I might even throw in a honeymoon to Australia if you’re nice and say yes the first time I ask.”

Sarah laughed and pulled out of Zane’s arms. “Was that a proposal?”

Zane knelt down in front of her and pulled a ring out of his pocket, holding it up to her. “No, this is. Will you marry me Sarah and be my bride?”

Sarah felt all the air leave her lungs as her hands went to her mouth in shock. Zane was looking up at her with eyes, melting with love and in his hand was the most beautiful, silver engagement ring she had ever seen.

“I picked an emerald to match your eyes,” Zane said slowly standing up.

Sarah couldn’t stop staring at the ring as she shook her head in wonder. “That’s for me?” she whispered foolishly.

Zane laughed and pulled her hand away from her mouth as he slipped the ring onto her ring finger. “You’re kind of supposed to say yes right about now,” he prompted her gently.

Sarah’s eyes went wide as she looked at Zane’s ring on her finger and then she smiled as she took a deep breath of joy. “
Yes!
” she yelled as she threw herself into Zane’s arms.

Zane caught her in his arms, laughing with happiness as they turned in circles, slowly rising in the air.

Sarah pulled Zane’s face down to hers and kissed him as her energy wrapped around them, sending them higher. Zane brought her in closer and deepened the kiss, letting all of his love and yearning and emotions fill her. Sarah felt their power mesh and multiply as she kissed Zane back with all the passion she felt for him turning his hair a bright, white blond.

A few minutes later, Gretchen and Agnes came out onto the front porch and smiled as they began to slowly descend back to earth.

Agnes pulled Gretchen back into the house. “This is no place for us dear. We’ll congratulate those two later,” she said with a wink.

Gretchen nodded her head as she grinned at her son and her future daughter-in-law. “Let’s start making that wedding cake. Fast,” she said with a laugh.

When Sarah finally let go of Zane long enough to look at her ring again, she shook her head in awe. “Who would have thought that a weird little freak like me could end up so happy and so in love?”

Zane frowned and cradled her face in his hands. “You’re no freak, Sarah. You’re a miracle. You’re
my
miracle,” he said as he kissed her softly.

Sarah sighed and closed her eyes as the sun began to dip in the sky. “And you’re mine” she whispered as they walked down to the beach to plan their wedding.

Sarah yelled outside for everyone to come in for dinner. She placed the salad on the table and tweaked the roses Zane had bought her that afternoon. She leaned over to smell their fragrance and smiled softly and then walked over to the French doors leading out to the back deck. She shaded her eyes from the sun and laughed as she saw Zane walking toward the house with their little boy James on his shoulders. His bright wild giggles could be heard over the sound of the ocean. Cassandra and Rayne ran past their father holding shells and other treasures in their hands, their long blond hair flowing behind them. Sarah grinned at the picture they made and then ran to meet her family, gathering her daughter’s up in her arms and standing up to kiss her son on the cheek. Lastly, she stared up into her husband’s bright silver eyes and leaned in to kiss him. His warmth wrapped around them all and their happiness spread out like the sun, touching everything with light.

Sneak Peak Book 1 in the Taming The Wolf Trilogy, Werewolf Dreams

Chapter 1 – Summer Vacation

Ava hopped out of her father’s army green jeep and stared around the depressing little valley. She pulled her long, wavy dark blond hair back and twisted it into a knot. She winced at what she saw. Nothing but trees, abandoned vacation cottages and a small lake. If there was ever a setting for a horror movie, this was it. This was how she was going to spend her last summer before college? Ugh. She sighed and then smiled quickly as her father glanced at her suspiciously.

“Ava? Something wrong?” he asked.

Harry Paskell didn’t look like the typical single father. He looked like he was only about ten years older than her when in fact he was forty-three. He wore a white button up shirt open at the neck with tan cargo shorts. His high tech running shoes were his only nod to his wealth. Everything else screamed poor college student. His dark, golden brown hair waved back from his forehead, showing a handsome, austere face that her friends assured her was gorgeous.

Ava tried to smooth out her features but her dad was on to her. He’d always been able to sense even her slightest change in mood. It was kind of annoying. Being a teenage girl with a dad who could practically read her mind was awkward to say the least.

“Well, you said that we’d be spending the summer together and helping your friend Tobias investigate a crime. This isn’t what I pictured in my head. When you said Canada, I was thinking ski resort. You know, with um . . .
people
. There’s no one here,” she said, pointing at the eerily quiet valley.

Harry grimaced and glanced behind him. “It is a little deserted feeling. It’s called Wolf Song Lake. It’s named for all the wolves that populate this area. I spent a lot of time here as a boy,” he said wistfully as he shaded his eyes.

Ava glanced at the lake curiously now. Her father never talked about his childhood or his past.
Interesting
. She glanced around curiously. “Wolf Song Lake. What a pretty name for such a creepy place. I’d love to see a real wolf in the wild. Remember those dreams I used to have all the time when I was a kid about that beautiful light brown wolf running wild?”