Under His Spell (Book 1 of the Avec Series)

Chapter Two

(Seventeen Years Later)

 Esmy groaned as the alarm went off pulling her from her dreams. The sun was shining a little too cheerfully through her blue and grey curtains causing the clear pieces of glass on the owl-shaped dream catcher to dance on her grey and black accent rug. Today she was thankful for her alarm clock because this wasn't one of her favorite memories to relive. She got out of bed and went to the bathroom to shower to wash away the terrible thoughts running through her mind. 

    Soon enough the sweet smells of warm cinnamon rolls and bacon were filling the air. She made her way to the kitchen and smiled at her mother. Her hair graying but still a beautiful shade of auburn, her warm brown eyes that could be either pleasing to look at, or dangerously dark if you messed with her daughter. There was a small sprinkling of freckles that danced across Merideth's nose that resembled a constellation. Esmy loved her mother, she has always protected her and made sure she was well taken care of.  She got her away from that terrible man that fathered her. Those are the memories she chooses to remember during her waking moments, how strong her mother is. 

    "Good morning momma, " Esmy said as she pecked her mother on the cheek. Sneaking a piece of the bacon setting on the plate beside the stove.

    "Good morning my little Esmy,  I saw that," she said with a smile as turned back to the stove to flip the bacon. Esmy could hardly contain her eye roll as her mother called her "little". At five foot six, she was hardly little and was probably three inches taller than her mother. That wasn't the only difference too. Esmy's hair was silvery white, and she had piercing grey eyes with a porcelain skin tone. 

    "We have plans for your birthday tonight. We will be going to visit the clan. Be ready at 6:30", her mother reminded her. 

    "I know, mom. This morning, though, I am going to Avec village to shop. Do you want anything? I'll be meeting Sherry here and we will be heading out there," she said as she took the heaping plate of bacon, eggs, and cinnamon rolls from her mother with a smile. Something was telling her she needed to go to the little sea side village and the perfect excuse is her birthday. 

    "No, I don't need anything from there, sweetie. Thank you though. I just want you to be careful. No going into the magic shops, cover your aura, and make sure you don't shift." She reminded her daughter, remembering the last village they visited and Esmy forgot to cover her aura. It made for a really bad time getting out and explaining that one. 

    "I know mom," Esmy said grimacing at the shared memory. What a disaster! The clan had to help them move. She knows they are getting tired of having to do that, but they still help them to keep them safe from the man that donated the sperm to give her life. That man is nothing but a bad joke. Amazingly every time they moved, her friends' families would too. When she was younger she just thought was neat, now she knows it's for their protection. 

    As for the not shifting part, well, that was going to be easy. When they go to the clan celebration for her birthday, that will be when she shifts officially. Although, she does remember when she shifted accidentally, practically giving her mother a small heart attack. She chuckled at the memory.

*********flashback****

     "Esmy, where are you?" Merideth called out looking for her daughter. At ten years old she was beginning to be quite the mischief-maker. All Merideth heard was a soft who who. 

    "What the hell?" Merideth said a small soft brown barn owl flitted off of the branch of the oak tree above her head. The owl hadn't been there earlier today, and none of her family is due in. The whole side of both Merideth's and Mitchell's families are owls. And it definitely isn't that waste of space, this one is too small. Her thoughts darkening at the thought of her estranged husband finding them.

    The grey eyes of the owl telling Merideth that this little owlet was indeed her daughter. "How in the world did you shift, young lady. You're not old enough. But you sure a beautiful little owl aren't you." Merideth said smiling softly at her daughter. Well, sweetie you truly are blessed by the goddess if you can shift this early in life, she thought to herself. She scooped up Esmerelda and carried her into their small house, now let's get you back to human form before a real human decides you need rescuing and tries to take you to a rehab." She said to her daughter, knowing if that were to happen her daughter may forget how to be a human and remain an owl for the rest of her life. 

******** end flash back*********

    Merideth looked at her daughter as she was also remembered that escapade. Chasing a fledgling owl around the house, dropping feathers among other things as she tried and failed to change back.

    "That took you almost three hours to shift back! We had feathers all over the house for weeks! You kept partially shifting then going back!" she giggled with her daughter. Esmy was just thankful her mother didn't remind her of the poop she made while she was an owl. How embarrassing that was! She thought she would never live that down. 

    Ping, ping, Esmy's phone went off. She looked down and saw it was her good friend Sherry. 

    "Where are you? I'm waiting outside, and do I smell your mom's famous cinnamon rolls?" she texted. 

    Esmy smiled at the last part. Everyone loved her mother's cinnamon rolls. How could she blame them? Her mother's cinnamon rolls were to die for! Between the gooey doughy warmth of the soft bread-like roll to the cinnamon brown sugar goodness filling the swirls and the decadent cream cheese icing, no one could resist this manna from heaven. She texted,  "Be right out."

    "Cool, and bring me one of those cinnamon rolls! Your mother is a baking goddess!" she texted back.

    "Hey mom, can I take a few of the cinnamon rolls for the road? Sherry is waiting outside and would like one, she said she can smell them from outside," she said as she was laughing at the thought of her best friend standing outside drooling for the baked pastry.

    "Of course, and tell Sherry not to be a stranger, and come in next time," Merideth said with a huge grin as she handed Esmy two of the largest cinnamon rolls in the batch wrapped in some wax paper.