Chapter 23
Sammy
The crowd was small, but they were mine. The dragons were due to arrive in about twenty minutes. We’d had our coven meeting, and now I was officially being inducted as the coven high priestess.
The magic in the forest was absolutely electric as the women I’d known as a young girl surrounded me.
They were diminished, aged, and fewer, but I had hoped that in a short time I’d be able to bolster them and help them regain their former power and glory.
If nothing else, they’d have a home and comfort.
And safety. Never again would they fear slaughter. Not with my dragons at our backs and our magic in our hearts.
Olivia stepped forward and beamed at me. “Samantha Black. Step forward.”
Livvie’s and Roxy’s hands slipped from mine as I moved to my place in the center of the circle.
The coven had chosen Olivia to perform the ceremony that would link my magic to the coven’s and theirs to mine.
My power would help them if they were in times of need and I’d be able to draw on theirs as well.
It wasn’t a full power share, but it would make all of us safer.
“Samantha, you are being charged with the responsibility of the Bluewater Coven High Priestess. What say you?” Olivia asked in a deep, formal voice.
“I accept,” I said, my voice loud and proud.
“Samantha, you have consistently looked out for those around you, putting yourself in danger to keep your friends and family safe. You show qualities that prove you are the right person to lead. Furthermore, it is your destiny to lead us, protect us, teach us, and learn from us. What say you?”
She narrowed her eyes at me as I sucked in a deep breath and answered. “I accept.” My voice wasn’t as loud this time, as I was a little choked up from the sweet things Olivia said about me.
The older woman, my friend, stepped forward and slowly went down onto one knee. “I offer you my power and my friendship, my obedience and my support.” A sliver of her power tickled into me gently, soft and warm just like Olivia was.
“I accept,” I said. The words were old and traditional. It was the power share that was the real ceremony. “And I appreciate.”
Turning to the woman beside her, another older woman I remembered from my days with the coven, I smiled and fought tears as she repeated the same words. Her magic hit me harder, brassier, and I recalled this lady to be exactly that. Loud and unashamed, a real room-filler.
One by one, I went around the circle, doubling back so that the last two were Livvie, who had become my best friend in a very short amount of time, and my only living family, Roxy.
She was the last to go, and when we finished, I pulled her to her feet. She pulled the woman beside her up. And so on around the circle until Livvie was being brought up.
“Let it be,” I said, joining hands with the women.
When they repeated the words, “Let it be,” the magic blossomed in me. I had to let it out, which was a signal to the dragons. Lifting our hands up, I pushed the magic into the sky in a display of fireworks big, bright, and loud enough to make even Gandalf proud.
The dragons raced over the treetops around us and out toward the water, weaving around our combined magic and flying through the sparking fireworks.
Skye and all the human mates came out of the house then, leading the children out to see the fireworks, and the witches scattered, grabbing children and food and generally having a blast.
Anthony’s father landed near the witches and shifted into his skin. “Who wants a ride?” he roared.
Mostly the children took him up on it, with Anthony’s mother helping get them on his back, but a few of the younger witches shuffled forward shyly and asked if it was allowed.
They laughed and helped them up, showing where they could hold on, then we all laughed as the women squealed as they raced over the water.
Blaze put his arms around me. “I’m so proud of you. I never imagined I would be destined to be with someone as amazing as you.”
Puffing out my chest, I patted his cheek over my shoulder. “I am pretty fabulous, aren’t I?” With a wave of my other hand, I created more and bigger fireworks, enjoying all the oohs and aahs from the spectators.
The celebration went on. I was pretty sure the entire clan had come, and each of them stopped by to wish me well and congratulate me.
I’d figured I’d be introducing the witches to the dragons, but Livvie, Olivia, and Roxy had taken that upon themselves, so I was able to walk with Blaze hand-in-hand and observe.
Jace raced by, after his son, who had streaked past us wearing nothing but his birthday suit.
“Get back here!” Jace yelled. “There are ladies present!” The little boy’s bobs and bits just bounced merrily as he squealed and outran his father, or at least, he tried to.
As Jace scooped him up, Briana shook her head.
“You better not get mad. He’s you made over.
” She handed Jace a small pair of shorts for the boy as their older daughter, Hayden, giggled.
Kaylee walked by, then, distracting me from Jace and Briana and their littles.
She was pregnant again and just starting to waddle.
She had a dark expression on her face as she scanned the skies.
“You better get your ass down here, Porter, and pamper me.” She caught me looking at her and shrugged.
“He knocked me up again, he gets to baby me.”
“You know pixies are known for having multiples, right?” I called over to her.
Kaylee froze and turned back. “Can it, Sammy. I partly blame you for all this, too.”
Grinning broadly, I gladly took that blame. Porter landed and shifted, then scooped Kaylee up into his arms, kissing her with the most contented expression on his face. “You bellowed?” he asked.
Kaylee’s face softened as she looked at her mate. “I swear, you do something to my mind, Porter Reed. If I wasn’t already knocked up, I swear I’d let you put a baby in me.”
He laughed long and hard as he walked away with his mate in his arms, toward the children, one of which was theirs. One more person glad they’d come to Bluewater.
I turned to find Blaze, but instead my gaze landed on Wayne and Bianca. She was looking at the big group of children and at Porter trying to round up his little girl without putting Kaylee down. “Do you think it’d be fun to do that?” Bianca asked.
Wayne nodded. “Yeah, I’d love to have a baby some day.” He sipped his beer and looked around, unconcerned, but I saw exactly what was coming.
“Good,” Bianca said. “I went to the doctor yesterday.”
Sputtering and choking, Wayne nearly dropped his beer. “Yeah? And?”
Bianca beamed and nodded. “We are!” She grabbed his hand and pressed it to her still-flat belly. “I’m eight weeks.”
“Thank you,” he said in a choked-up voice. “For choosing me.” He pulled Bee up into his arms and spun her around as he kissed her, his bottle hitting the ground, forgotten.
I waved my hand and moved it over to a table where Toby sat with Liza. She was literally about to pop with their baby. He kept asking her if she was okay. She nodded. “I’m fine.” But her winces and the way she kept shifting said otherwise.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Toby asked, his voice laced with worry.
Liza shrugged. “I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about contractions until they’re like four minutes apart, anyway.”
All the blood drained from Toby’s face. “What?” he whispered. “Are you having contractions?”
“I think so,” Liza said sheepishly. “I thought it was gas at first, but the pain keeps coming and going.”
Toby jumped up and scooped Liza into her arms. Jace and Briana helped usher them to Toby’s truck as the gathered crowd watched and shouted well wishes.
I would’ve done the same, but I knew what the outcome would be.
I’d had a very clear vision about their little family and it was going to be a rough delivery, but a very happy outcome.
I didn’t envy Liza the next twenty-four hours, though.
As the truck rumbled down the driveway and everyone returned to the party, Wes sat beside Livvie, their little baby asleep on her shoulder.
She’d given birth just a few weeks before.
I hadn’t totally expected her to participate in today’s festivities, but she seemed to be doing great with having a tiny baby at home.
I had to admit, the little guy was really cute, even if he did look like a wrinkled old man. But then, all newborns did.
Wes brushed Livvie’s hair off of her shoulder and then pressed a kiss to the little guy’s head. “I’m so glad I came here,” he whispered.
I was glad for them, too.
Anthony walked up beside me and sucked in a deep breath. “Did you ever imagine we’d become this? Our little clan, now dragons and witches, pixies and humans.”
I had to laugh, because I had seen it coming. Skye walked up to join Anthony and watch as their twins and toddler ran around like crazy with the other children from the clan. “Nope,” I said, lying through my teeth. “I never would’ve imagined.”
Anthony laughed as Blaze walked up to my other side and slipped his hand through mine as my little sister streaked by, chasing some child or another. I’d learn all their names as they grew.
Peace settled over me like I’d never known. Love filled my heart, and appreciation followed. I’d known what was coming, but if it weren’t for fate, none of it would’ve worked out like this. All I’d done was tweak things here and there.
This was perfect. Bluewater had become something surreal.
Bluewater was home.