Nightmares (The Coven, Book 1)

by Erica Stevens

  She couldn’t understand why her parents were both so good looking, while she was so… well, not ugly, not even average. She was confident enough to know she was pretty, but she certainly didn’t possess the almost inhuman vitality her parents oozed.

  Her mother gave her a strained smile that Avery refused to return as she inspected the kitchen. The walls were a warm, creamy yellow. The rays of the sun and color from the crystals in every window shone off the green, marble counters. The plants, flowers, and herbs hanging from every nook and cranny overflowed their pots. Hanging heavily on the air, the scent of the numerous herbs was pleasant, but it was impossible to distinguish one from another.

  “I’m going for a walk on the beach,” Avery said.

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t like some tea? It’s a special herbal mix that will help you relax.”

  “I told you, I don’t like tea.” Avery crossed the room to the French doors and threw them open. She inhaled the fresh, sea-tinted air. “I’ll be back soon.”

  She shut the doors behind her and stalked across the large porch to the stairs leading down to the beach. In her eagerness to be on the shore, Avery ran down them, away from the house and her mother. The flow of the ocean called to the marrow of her bones and drew her onward. Knowing it would soothe some of the tension in her, she craved being near the water.

  When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she broke into a sprint. Sand filled her sneakers, but she kept going until her legs ached, sweat coated her body, and her lungs labored for breath. She was glad she’d put on shorts and a tank top this morning as she ran until it became impossible for her to continue.

  Pausing at the edge of the water, she bent over and rested her hands on her knees as she inhaled fresh air into her tortured lungs. When she could breathe again, she pulled off her sand-laden sneakers and socks before tossing them aside and wading into the sea. The cool water felt wonderful against her heated skin as it lapped around her ankles and calves.

  Walking through the surf, she avoided the shells and rocks littering the ocean floor. Seaweed coiled around her legs and tickled her skin, but she ignored it as the water eased her anxiety over being there. Her fingers skimmed over the water as she stopped to stare at the distant horizon while the life within the water pulsed around her.

  Beneath the ocean’s unfathomable depths, she sensed the numerous creatures swimming through it. The ebb and flow of the sea hummed through her bloodstream and weaved its way into her soul until she felt connected to the water and all the life it harbored. Over the years, she’d experienced a similar sensation when she was in the ocean but nothing as strong as this.

  A breaking wave sprayed water into her face, and she sputtered as the salt burned her eyes and broke the connection. You’re being stupid, she scolded herself. Your mother, with her crystals and herbal tea, has rattled your brain.

  Licking her lips, she tasted the familiar salt on them before tearing her gaze away from the distant horizon and continuing down the beach. From around the end of a rock jetty, she watched as a group of teenagers materialized. Their movements were graceful, and their laughter floated on the summer air. Two of the guys pushed each other playfully back and forth.

  They looked so comfortable with each other that panic seized her and a clammy sweat covered her body. She wouldn’t consider herself shy, but she wasn’t outgoing either. Her friends had been the same core group for years, and she liked it that way.

  Turning in the water, she focused on the horizon as she pretended she hadn’t seen them. A wave of homesickness tore through her as she thought of Lila, Tina, and Karen, the friends she’d been forced to leave at home. She blinked against the tears filling her eyes before closing them and praying this group would walk past her. Her ears strained to hear them, but their conversation had died.

  Where are they? Why are they so quiet?

  “Hey, you!” a boy called out. “What are you doing here?”

  CHAPTER 3

  Avery’s heart slammed against her ribs. They hadn’t walked by, and now she had to face them. Even worse, she had to talk to them!

  Swallowing heavily, she inhaled a deep breath for courage before turning toward them. The group had stopped only ten feet away from her. One boy stood slightly in front of the others, and she assumed he was the one who called to her.

  “I was… ah… I was taking a walk,” she replied, wiping her sweaty palms on her cutoff shorts.

  “This is a private beach,” a tall, graceful girl with golden hair replied crisply.

  “I know.” Avery raised her hand and pointed at her mother’s distant Victorian. “My mother lives there.”

  Their gazes followed her finger before they turned back to her. Like her parents, they all had bright eyes and luminescent skin. Was everyone born on this island naturally radiant? Did the island itself have something to do with their almost inhuman vitality?

  What is in the water around here?

  “Really?” a short, voluptuous girl asked as she bounced on her toes.

  “Yes,” Avery replied.

  One of the guys glanced at the house, and a smile played across his full mouth. “Julie did her part.”

  His words caused Avery to do a double take as confusion spun through her. What part did my mother do?

  “Would you like to join us?” the short girl asked.

  Avery stared at her in disbelief. Was she really asking her to join them? Yes, the girl was, and she expected an answer. “Sure,” Avery said, astounding herself with the response.

  She had planned to say no, but for some reason, the agreement popped out of her mouth. There was something about this group, something she couldn’t quite place that drew her to them. It was too late to take her agreement back. Unwilling to look like an idiot, Avery waded through the water to the shore.

  Their inquisitive gazes caused her self-consciousness to grow. She worried they would realize she wasn’t beautiful, confident, and graceful, and would change their minds about hanging out with her.

  “I’m Rosie,” the short girl said.

  Avery raised her head to meet Rosie’s large, sky blue eyes. With her chubby cheeks, button nose, and a smattering of reddish freckles, Rosie was cute and possessed an aura of warmth. Avery got the impression Rosie rarely stood still as she hopped from foot to foot and her short, strawberry blonde hair bounced against her shoulders.

  “Avery,” she replied shyly.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Avery. This is Alex.” Rosie waved a hand at the tall boy who first called out to her.

  Avery had only meant to glance at him, but shock kept her eyes riveted on him. He was the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. He smiled as he nodded at her. At six-foot-tall, Alex was lean in build, and his almost white-blond hair was a striking contrast to his onyx eyes. His features looked as if someone had taken a piece of marble and carved the perfect man.

  “This is Sandra,” Rosie said.

  Tall and slender, Sandra had golden blonde hair flowing to her waist and emerald green eyes that surveyed Avery with arrogant disdain. Her features, from her high cheekbones to her slender nose and full lips, were beautiful.

  “This is Isla,” Rosie continued.

  Isla was about four inches shorter than Avery’s five-six height. She had a dancer’s build and pixie-like features. She wasn’t beautiful like Sandra but pretty in an exotic way as her coffee-colored hair fell in thick waves to her knees, and her impossibly golden eyes held a provocative slant.

  “This is Mario,” Rosie continued.

  Mario met Avery’s inquisitive gaze with laughter in his forest green eyes. Tall and slender, Mario’s dark, wavy brown hair hung around his handsome, olive-skinned face. His features lacked Alex’s perfection, but he was attractive in a good-natured, cheerful way. Avery couldn’t resist his charming smile and smiled shyly in return.

  “This is Eric.”

  Avery moved her gaze over to a boy of average height with curly, fiery red hair. His lips curved into a smile
that lit his reddish-brown eyes. The colors swirled together in a combination the likes of which she’d never seen before. Good-looking, there was something open and appealing about him.

  “This is Shawn,” Rosie said, waving at the final member of the group.

  Gold flecks broke the deep brown of Shawn’s eyes as he frowned at her. The gold in his eyes matched the streaks of natural, blond highlights in his brown hair. He had the muscular build of a quarterback and was handsome in what many would consider the classic, all-American sense.

  “Landon and Reid are waiting for us,” Rosie said. “I know they’ll love to meet you!”

  “Of course they will,” Sandra drawled as she studied Avery with a raised eyebrow and contemptuous smile.

  “How old are you?” Isla asked.

  Avery lifted her head to look at them again. “Seventeen.”

  They nodded in unison as they seemed to confirm something silently. “So are we,” Rosie said.

  “All of you?” Avery blurted. They appeared so much older and self-assured than she felt.

  “All of us,” Rosie confirmed. “Come on, we’ll introduce you to Landon and Reid. You’ll love them.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Sitting on the beach, Avery watched as the others settled around her. Smiling warmly at everyone, Landon stood at the head of the circle they’d formed. She didn’t have Sandra’s perfect beauty, but she possessed a natural, delicate loveliness that would turn heads.

  Landon’s deep auburn hair hung to the middle of her back, and the luminous blue-green of her eyes reminded Avery of the sea on a sunny day. Tall and lithe, Landon carried herself with effortless grace.

  Standing next to her, Reid was focused on Landon. Rosie had informed her they were twins. A few inches over six feet, Reid was lean in build, but his well-defined muscles flexed beneath his form-fitting, black T-shirt. His chestnut hair was more brown than red, and his silver eyes reflected the flames of the fire. His masculine good looks weren’t as perfect as Alex’s, but they were every bit as mesmerizing.

  When he turned his impossibly silver eyes to Avery, a strange jolt ran through her. She blushed when she realized he’d caught her staring at him. His eyes crinkled as he smiled at her, and his handsome face lit up.

  Feeling silly and stupid, she fiddled with the shoelaces of the sneakers she’d retrieved before walking with the others to this area of the beach. A protective wall of boulders partially encircled them, and Landon and Reid had been sitting on two of the rocks, waiting for the others when they arrived. Behind Avery, the ocean lapped against the shore as the sun sank beneath the horizon.

  With the easy way they all interacted with each other, it was clear they’d all been friends for a long time. Avery felt out of place amongst them, but she was grateful for their company. Plus, they gave her an excuse to avoid her mother.

  “Everyone,” Landon said, drawing her attention. “Let’s welcome Avery to our group.”

  Avery jumped when nine pairs of inhumanly bright eyes swung toward her.

  “We’re finally complete,” Eric said.

  “This is going to be a great year!” Mario declared.

  “When did you move here?” Rosie asked her.

  Avery frowned at her; she had no idea what they were talking about. “I didn’t move here.”

  They all exchanged confused glances before Alex spoke. “Didn’t Julie Miller bring you here?”

  So, her mother had kept her dad’s last name after they divorced; Avery hadn’t known that until now. “Yes, but I’m only here for July. Then, I’m going home.”

  “You didn’t move in with your mom?” Reid inquired.

  “No,” Avery answered. “I was forced to come and stay with her.”

  They glanced at one another again.

  “Why didn’t you come before now?” Isla demanded.

  Avery didn’t know why it changed, but the air about the group was beginning to feel vaguely hostile. Avery cursed herself for being too much of a wimp to deal with her mother; she never should have come here. She didn’t know these people.

  Sure, they were her age, but that didn’t mean anything. For all she knew, they were all a part of some crazy teen cult her parents had decided to sacrifice her to. It sounded ridiculous, but a chill tiptoed across her spine at the possibility.

  “My mother didn’t want to see me until now,” she answered. Even if it was the truth, she hated the words as they came out of her mouth. She’d spent years trying to pretend her mother’s abandonment didn’t bother her, but it did. “And I have no idea why she suddenly wants to see me now.”

  “You don’t know,” Landon whispered.

  “Know what?” Avery asked.

  “I knew she wasn’t one of us!” Sandra declared.

  “Of course she is,” Reid said, glaring at Sandra. “Look at who her parents are. She is definitely one of us, but for some reason, her parents never told her the truth.”

  “Told me the truth about what?” Avery demanded. “What are you talking about?”

  “She’s of no help to us,” Shawn stated, somehow looking bored while the others appeared increasingly annoyed. “It’s a good thing we didn’t tell her anything.”

  Landon studied Avery before speaking. “She is one of us. She drew you to her today.”

  “She did not,” Sandra said, folding her arms over her chest.

  Landon turned to Sandra. “Then why did you take the long way here today? You never do.”

  Sandra stared defiantly back. “We felt like it.”

  “No,” Alex interjected. “Rosie suggested walking around the cove instead of coming straight down the road because she felt there was something we should see, and we all agreed. You can’t deny that, Sandra.”

  “It doesn’t matter what Rosie might or might not have felt. She’s leaving in a month; we can’t accomplish anything in a month,” Sandra said.

  “Maybe she’ll stay,” Rosie said hopefully. “Once she realizes everything.”

  Avery’s neck ached from all the bouncing her head was doing between them. Confused and disoriented by their conversation, she hated that they were discussing her as if she wasn’t there.

  “Um, hello,” she said, cutting into their debate about her life. “I don’t plan on staying any longer than a month. You may know my mother, but I don’t, and you don’t know my dad. You have no idea what that woman has done to us, so whatever you’re talking about, forget it because I’m leaving this island as soon as I can. Actually, I’m leaving now.”

  Avery launched to her feet and strode away from them without looking back. When she felt their inhuman eyes boring into her back, she realized she might have made a mistake; predators tended to spring when their prey was in motion. Convinced one of them might pounce on her back like a velociraptor if she did, she resisted breaking into a run.

  “Wait!” Landon called after her. “Let us explain!”

  Avery ignored her as she stalked down the beach, picking up speed with every step. When a hand grasped her arm, Avery cried out and spun to smack it away.

  “Easy,” Reid soothed as his fingers rubbed her bare flesh.

  She didn’t want to be anywhere near them anymore, but his touch caused a tingle to race over her flesh. Avery struggled to breathe as her heart raced with anticipation, but she had no idea what she was anticipating. She should be terrified of him; instead, she found her eyes briefly dropping to his mouth.

  “I won’t hurt you.” He released her and stepped away. “None of us will.”

  She wrapped her arms around herself and surreptitiously rubbed the place where his hand had been while the rest of the group approached to stand behind Reid. Their eyes shone like cat’s eyes in the night surrounding them.

  “We understand you don’t know what’s going on here, and we didn’t mean to scare you. You should talk to your mother,” Landon said.

  Avery edged away from them as she lifted her chin. “I don’t talk to my mother. We have nothing to say to each other
.”

  Reid and Landon exchanged a worried glance; Sandra smirked.

  CHAPTER 5

  “I told you!” Sandra declared. “She isn’t one of us!”

  Reid stepped closer to Avery as he leveled Sandra with a withering glare. “That’s enough,” he said in a tone that could have frozen fire.

  When Sandra strode toward her, Reid stepped further in front of Avery. “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “It’s easy enough to solve this,” Sandra said. “If she has the birthmark, then she’s one of us. If not, she’s an outsider.”

  Avery resisted shoving her hands into her armpits to keep them hidden, but she was afraid the move might give her away. A birthmark. She had one of those, as did her dad. Hers was in a different location than her dad’s and was on her left wrist, her dominant hand, whereas his was on his right wrist, but they were nearly identical. She believed it was something she’d inherited from him. Unlike her dad though, she had another mark on her left hip whereas her dad only had the one.

  How did these strange-ass freaks know anything about her birthmarks?

  “Let me see your wrist,” Sandra demanded.

  “Let me see your wrist!” Avery snapped.

  Sandra snorted and tossed back her golden hair before thrusting out her right wrist. Avery barely managed to keep her mouth closed when she spotted the birthmark there. A deep brown color, it looked more like a tattoo than a birthmark, but she knew what it was. She’d seen it on her dad’s wrist, and her own, numerous times over the years.

  Her mind spun as she tried to process what was happening. She might live another hundred years and still not fully grasp everything she was seeing and hearing tonight.

  “What is that?” Avery asked, knowing full well it was a birthmark as it was nearly identical to both of hers.

  It was Reid who replied as he turned his right wrist over and held it before her. In the middle of his wrist, and about an inch in diameter, was a circle with eight lines leading toward an intricate knot in the center. “The circle with the spokes is the Wheel of the Year. The wheel indicates that the calendar doesn’t stop, then start up again, but moves from day to day without end.