Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
An hour later…
Evie jerked up in bed. Pain detonated in her head, acute and crushing. She fell back to wait until it passed. This wasn’t the normal headache after dream walking into something more powerful than expected. This was…
Oh. Dear. Lord.
She remembered.
Every. Freaking. Thing.
Dom. Domini Tavlin. That night he decided she needed to forget him played like a bad drama rerun in her head.
Centuries of memories crashed back in a rush. She gripped her head and moaned.
Something shifted on the bed next to her. A crop of curly black hair peeked out of the top of the comforter. Two small hands pulled it down.
“Lyra, what did you do?”
The five-year-old pursed her lips. Her cerulean eyes glittered in a way that indicated she’d done something mischievous, but not evil.
The child liked to be playful and silly, but never cruel.
“Auntie Cora sent me a message before bed. She said I needed to help you with your bad dream and break the shining rock. She told me some words that I said and then it broke.” She grinned proudly.
“How did Cora send you this message?”
“On my phone.”
“Of course she used your phone.” Which wasn’t actually hooked up to get service, but magical beings still seemed able to communicate with Lyra on it. “Naturally, you believed it was her. What if it had been from someone else?”
Lyra shrugged. “We did a video chat. She was right. Who was the magic demon fighter you protected? He was helping my brothers, I think. His magic seemed like mine. Is he my father?”
Yes. Somehow, knowing for sure made everything a hundred times worse. She’d only suspected yesterday. Now…
Dom’s words from long ago filtered through her head. “I don’t want children. There’s a prophecy that will force me to destroy my own child. Best way to avoid that nightmare is to have none.”
There was no greater risk to Lyra than Dom.
“Was it?” Lyra persisted. “He had a lot of hair. Sort of like me.” She tugged at the long curly waves that went down her back. Evie hadn’t ever wanted to cut the incredible curls.
“He did have great hair.” Dom’s hair had grown out a lot since she’d last seen him.
Gray strands now wove through the black, which was new.
He probably hadn’t taken the time to get a cut.
He also looked more gaunt and far more haunted.
So did she. She cleared her throat and tried to focus her blurry vision on Lyra. “We have to be careful of him.”
“You punched the demon who was trying to suck out his insides. That means you like him. You only do crazy things like that for people you care about.”
Evie pushed off the covers, surprised to find herself wet from sweat. She forced herself to speak in a cheery voice. “Happy birthday. Are you ready for your big day?”
Lyra’s head bobbed.
“I’m going to take a shower. Go get dressed and meet me downstairs for breakfast.”
“Can I wear the birthday dress yet?”
“Of course. Which one?” She massaged her forehead. “How about you pick one for the day and one for the party tonight?”
Lyra bounded off the bed and jogged away, likely to get one of the lacy princess dresses that she’d been trying to wear for weeks.
Evie gripped her head, which pounded with each breath. The trek to the bathroom involved three stumbles and a lot of wall support.
Damn you, Dom. How dare you make me forget you?
Some demon tried to steal his soul last night. What did he think he was doing, lurking about and trying to protect her sons from things like that? Demons were her sons’ specialty, not Dom’s. The fact he still cared to protect them…
She managed to shut the bathroom door and lock it before doubling over and moaning.
“How could you do this to me…to us?” She screamed and raked her hand through everything on the counter. Bottles and makeup and brushes flew everywhere. The mess made her feel better for about five seconds.
He stole her memories and kept them for six years!
This explained why she often saw Dom in her dreams. Until today, he’d been misty and nebulous.
She’d thought him the fantasy depiction of her “ideal” male.
Now it made sense why she had zero interest in anyone else on the full moon.
Since Lyra had been born, even though the full moon wreaked havoc on her body, other males didn’t work.
She’d tried twice to find physical relief with a partner only for it to end in disaster.
The touch of a male triggered so much revulsion that she couldn’t manage more than one light kiss before wanting to vomit.
A bonded lycan female couldn’t stand the touch of anyone but her soul-bonded mate.
Not good.
He didn’t know about Lyra. Would he hurt her? Kill her?
Never in the past had he hurt her or her children. Could she bet on his intentions once he saw how vibrant and unpolluted Lyra was?
She shouldn’t risk it.
She texted Roman, who’d already sent her two texts. They all must remember Dom now.
Evie: Don’t act on what you remember. We will discuss the next step. Do not make contact.
The arrow spun like he was typing but nothing came through.
She phoned him.
“Um, hey, Mom.” Stress laced Roman’s tone.
“You remember him, right?”
“Yes.” The word was drawn out as if it had two syllables.
“Do not approach him. Do not text him. You will tell the others to do nothing until we make a plan.”
“Huh…about that…”
“What did you do?”
“I might’ve knocked on his door at his place in Valencia until he answered. Figured he was there. It was close to where we were last night and he was there…”
“You did what?”
“Yeah.”
“When did you do this?”
“Just now. Look, I didn’t know you wanted me to stay away from him. That place was on my way to you. I’m leaving it now.”
“What exactly did he say?”
“He seemed cranky. I think he wished I’d been you.”
“I’ll bet he did.”
“I can’t believe you and he…and then you had Lyra…”
“We are way beyond you getting your balls in a wad over who I chose to have relations with. Did you tell him about Lyra?”
“No.”
“This is critical. Are you one hundred percent sure you didn’t think about her or mention her?”
“Yes.”
“What exactly did you talk about?”
“I asked him what he’d done and why I now remember.”
“Did he tell you?”
“He hugged me.” He cleared his throat and said hoarsely, “Mom, that scary, crazy mage hugged me. He said he did it to keep us safe, but now that we remember we aren’t safe from some other crazy mages.
He threatened me if I didn’t stop pounding on his door.
He even cracked a burst of lightning so close that I felt static electricity shoot up my ass.
Then he told me to get to you. To protect you. Why are you worried about Lyra?”
“He might be dangerous to her. I’m not sure. He doesn’t know about her. We’ll talk more when everyone’s here later. Don’t be followed.”
“He doesn’t need to follow me like some human spy. If he wants to find us or you, he will. He can poof to wherever he wants.”
“It’s not that simple. There are rules to his movement. But I wasn’t talking about him following you. If he’s worried about crazy mages, then watch your six.”
“Lyra is in danger?”
“Yes. Later.” She hung up.
Her phone lit up with texts. The only one that made her smile was Flynn.
Flynn: Figuring you got your memory back too. Let me know if I need to dig a hole for Dom. I’m all in on that one.
She had only one person she needed to text.
Evie: Did you know about this amnesia spell for the past SIX years?
Cora: I picked up that he cast it the first time I asked something about him and none of you remembered. What made me go along was Lyra.
Evie: Did you shield her from him somehow?
Cora: There’s a prophecy.
Evie: I know. Now that I remember I know.
Cora: She’s a unique and special child. I’d do anything to protect her.
Evie: Thank you. I’ll see you later.
A half hour later while standing just outside the kitchen, she heard Lyra say, “I wish you could be my father.”
“Teacup, have I not always been here for you?” Efrem asked.
“Yes. Mom has been so sad for as long as I can remember. I used to wish you’d mate her so she could be happier. I thought if you did, it’d fix her.”
“Do you think she needs fixing?”
“She’s missing a big piece of her heart. I found the piece last night. Then I tried helping him so he can fix her.”
“You tried by doing what? And to whom?”
“After Mom saved him last night in her dreams, I broke the stone.”
“Tell me more about this stone and the man in her dreams.” She recognized Efrem’s tone as one meant to lull the other person into divulging their secrets, but beneath the sweetness lurked a viciousness to find the source of whatever intended to hurt Evie.
Annddd…that was her cue. “Good morning.”
Efrem started in an flash of guilt that transformed to concern.
She gave him a double eyebrow raise.
Efrem asked in a deadly calm tone, “I was working on that project you requested yesterday, but it seems this morning I recall pertinent details that make its completion moot. Do you remember those now too?”
“Yes.” As she sat down, she picked up Lyra to hug her. Her little one wrapped her arms around her neck and dropped her head on her chest. “Darling, it was dangerous to do what you did. I’ve told you I don’t know if I can protect you in that state.”
“I know. I’m pretty strong, though. I broke that thing, didn’t I?”
“You did.”
“His power felt warm to me. No, that’s not the right word.
” She sat up straight and twirled the end of her hair around a finger, a habit Evie wished she’d stop.
It damaged the ends and caused so many knots.
“Felt like I knew it.” She rested her head against Evie’s chest again. “He was so bright. Like the sun.”
“The stone was bright.”
“No, it was him. It was as if he was filled with the sun’s light from the inside. He was sad. And alone. He lost his family, I think.”
“You’re going to let me sort out what’s going on with him.” She bopped Lyra playfully on the nose. “Are we ready to get this birthday started? Why aren’t you in one of your special dresses?”