Under His Spell (Book 1 of the Avec Series)

Chapter Seven

   Esmy's first birthday

    The party is over and Merideth is slowly putting the gifts away from her daughter's first party. She smiles as she looks over the living room, balloons, and streamers covering the entire room.  Mitchell is sitting in the recliner, he still is unhappy that he was, in his words, cursed with a female, but he manages to hide it well around other people. 

    There's a gentle knock on their front door, he gets up to answer it. In the doorway, two females are standing there as the sun is setting in the sky. He blinks, thinking it's the sun in his eyes because they both appear to be glowing, it was either that or the alcohol was working quicker than usual. One a light golden glow, that is slowly fading in the evening. The other is illuminated by almost a white silver glow that is gradually growing stronger as the moon rises in the sky. 

    It took all the women's power to visit together today, but they knew it must be done. They looked at Mitchell with a glaring disappointment. They really didn't care for the man that fathered Esmerelda.

    "Mitchell," the golden-toned one began, "We are so disappointed in you, you're daughter is not a curse but a blessing. And we are here to bestow our gifts to her." Herema's tone condescending and a little angry. Selene placed a hand on her friend as if to comfort her. Herema's hand reached out to hand Mitchell the gift for Esmerelda. A small box wrapped in golden paper, tucked inside a small necklace on a dainty chain. The charm on the chain looked like a stick with a hat. Selene was next, handing him a similar box with a delicate bracelet with an owl on it. "Mitchell, your daughter is a blessing, not a curse. Do not continue on this path of destruction for you or her. It will only end in your demise. She needs a protector."

    Mitchell stared at the women as they left as suddenly as they had appeared. He stood there shaking his head in confusion. The alcohol really was working overtime, today. Then said to himself, all women think babies are blessings, there is nothing special about this baby. He shut the door as Merideth came up to him, touching his shoulder. She could feel the disgust emanating from his tense body. He hands her the gifts for his daughter, " Here these are for your child." He stated emphasizing the last two words. He really didn't want anything to do with her. 

    "Where are you going?" she asked as he was grabbing his jacket and shoes. Looking outside she could see the ending of the eclipse that she watched from her daughter's bedroom window.

    "To the bar," he growled as he walked out the door. He needed to get away from this house, and the craziness that just happened. 

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    Esmy's celebration

        Bodhi's green eyes got as big as platters staring at the magnificent white owl on the stage. He couldn't stop looking at her. All of the sudden his aunt's words are starting to hum in his ears. At least he thinks it's his aunt's voice. All he could hear was owl and witch over and over in his mind. 

    He attempted to head towards Esmy and her friend, stopping when the shifters realize the prince of the witches has made an appearance at their celebration. The murmurs from them all were slowly beginning to intensify to a low roar. He sees that they are joined by a young man and another woman older, looking oddly similar to Esmerelda's features, the elder having darker hair and the shocked expression that was shared among most of the clan. How could they not? They just saw the purest white owl in existence. The young man joining them causes a slow mix of emotions to rise in Bodhi's stomach like bile. Bitter and leaving a foul after taste. He wanted to go over there and put space between them even though he had no idea who that was. He felt like Esmy was he to protect and take care of. The last thought caused Bodhi to pause. Protect her?

        Esmy seems to not understand what is going on. She has shifted before so she knows what her owl looks like. Esmerelda reaches her mother and friend who is staring at her in awe. Sherry looks like her friend, " Why didn't you give me some kind of heads up?" her tone indicating slight hurt. Esmy gave her friend a puzzled look. 

    "What is everyone going on about?"

    "Holy s**t, you don't know do you?" realization hitting Sherry. She turned to Esmy's mother who was now looking pekid. Her mother just quietly rambling something about more time. While she looked around, if Esmy has changed into a white owl, she truly is the blessed one and her fated one must be nearby.

    "Mom, what's going on? You know my owl is a barn owl. Soft brown and cute just like yours. What are they going on about? And who is the prince of the witches? I thought he wouldn't want to be here. You know to soil his hands with our auras," Esmy said to her mother. Her confusion increasing as she continues to hear the voices in the crowd. First talking about her and then the fact that the prince of the witches has graced us with his presence. And just who would that be she thought to herself. 

    Jared interrupted Esmy's thoughts and questions, "I have your answers, Esmy." He informed her as he reached for his camera. He was the only one that had any inkling of what may happen tonight so he had the presence of mind to open his phone and start to video Esmy's shift. Quickly she snatched the phone from Jared's hand and watched in amazement as she saw the video likeness of herself transform from human into the white owl with silver-tipped wings. The phone fell from her hands as she sank to the ground slowly letting the voices fade and the darkness overwhelms her. The last thought she had, God damn it, I am nobody special. Then the blackness took over. 

        "Esmy!!" Merideth shouted as she watched her daughter fall to the ground in a dead faint. That was the only word Bodhi needed to hear before he pushing himself through the crowd. Causing many of the night shifters to growl at him, for not only touching them but pushing them out of the way. Many of them thinking that he was the cause of Esmy's fall. Some of them knowing their past was very protective over them. They never really trusted Mitchell, they had seen the after-effects of his drunken beatings on Merideth. So seeing someone they didn't know pushing them away made them angry.

    Merideth looked at the young man forcing his way into the crowd to reach her daughter and a shiver of fear ran down her spine. Who does this man think he is, running to my daughter like a maniac? She thought to herself as the protective nature of her took over. She needn't shift to her owl because, before her sat a fox with striking red fur and a Tasmanian devil. What the hell? Jared's family are devils? They formed a protective barrier around Esmy as the Elders came running. Suddenly there was a whisper in Merideth's ear. "Don't fret, my lovely child, he is safe for her." came the calming feminine whisper. An immediate quiet came over the entire clan like they all heard the whisper, that seems to have come from above. 

    Merideth let the mysterious young man near her daughter. All of the clan was whispering.