Winter's Awakening (Light Coven Chronicles Book 1)

by Alessandra Jay

  I whisper back at him, “It was. Was that your girlfriend with you?” His eyes get big as he slowly shakes his head, “No. I don’t have a girlfriend. What about you, Scarlet? Is there a man lucky enough to be yours?” The way he said my name gave me chills all over my body. I shiver and close my eyes for a second, savoring the sound. When I open them, he’s a step closer to me. The smell of apples wafts from his flawless body. I tilt my head back and look up into his eyes, as I answer him slowly by shaking my head no. He gives me the smirk that makes my knees weak, and I literally almost fall into him.

  The oven sings its song, signaling that it’s ready, and I'm snapped out of his trance. I slowly turn my head towards the stove to see that the water is boiling. “Um, I have to get back to the pasta,” I say much slower than I intended to. He nods his head, and I regrettably turn away. As I get further away from Evan, it feels like I'm stepping out of a fog. If that’s how it’s going to be whenever I get near him, then this can be dangerous. We sit in comfortable silence for a few minutes, and when he’s done with the bread, he comes over to stand by me.

  Curious, he inquires, “So business management?” I smile and nod my head. “Yes. I want to open my own bakery.” His eyebrows shoot up, and he looks genuinely intrigued. “A bakery? Does that mean you're a baker, as well as a cook?” He says as he points to the dinner. Confidently, I reply, “I'm a much better baker than I am a cook. I learned it all from my uncle. He’s lived with us for as long as I can remember.” Evan gently grabs the spoon out of my hand and takes over stirring the pasta. “I’ll finish dinner. It would be an honor to taste one of your desserts.”

  “Are you sure?” I say, surprised. And when I'm convinced that he knows what he’s doing, I turn towards the pantry. With much confidence I ask, “Any special requests? Do you have a favorite? Chocolate? Fruit?” Very swiftly he says, “I'm sure anything you make will be my favorite, Scarlet. But I am a sucker for peanut butter.” I reach the pantry door and put my hand on the knob to steady myself. He said my name again, and I feel my heart palpitating. In the next second, he’s right in front of me. So close, that this time I do lose my footing, before he catches me by my elbows.

  He continues to whisper, “Are you okay, love?” Hearing him just say the word “love” is enough to burst my heart completely. I numbly nod my head and walk into the pantry as he walks back to continue with dinner. I take a deep breath and refocus back to the dessert. I really want to impress him so I decide on making peanut butter filled eclairs. With my arms full, I bring everything to the island. I begin prepping all my measurements and dump them into the bowl. Evan inquires, “No recipe?” I look up confidently and I shake my head. “Nope. It’s all in here,” I tap my head. He looks at me in awe and I notice the twinkle in his eye.

  “Dion and the Belmonts, huh?” He randomly asks, remembering my shower concert from earlier. That alone turns my cheeks a shade of red. A shy smile surfaces, as I begin to think of Dimitri introducing me to his favorite music. I was hooked as soon as I heard the classic melodies and can talk about that type of music all day. So I easily respond, “Dion's a favorite of mine.” I look up to see that Evan is looking utterly surprised. Afraid of his reaction, I ask, “Not a fan?” But he quickly answers, “Oh, I love doo-wop. Johnny Tillotson is my favorite. You know, I'm quite amazed right now. Girls your age don't usually listen to that type of music.” Now I probably look as surprised as he did. I can’t believe he actually knows what I'm talking about.

  Stunned, I reply, “Wow. I'm equally as amazed.” He knowingly nods his head and says, “Interesting. We will definitely have to continue this conversation. Dinner is ready.” My mouth waters from hearing him announce dinner but I definitely need a moment to collect myself after being alone with him. “You guys start. I'm just going to throw these in the oven. I’ll be right out.” He leaves me with his irresistible signature smirk, causing my cheeks to turn red all over again. I throw the piped eclair dough into the oven and prepare the peanut butter filling, as fast as I can. Then quickly I wash my hands, so I can join everyone.

  Walking through the doors into the dining room was eerily comforting. Everyone else served themselves and had started eating, but Evan’s plate is empty. He smiles as he notices my confusion and simply says, “I was waiting for you.” I smile back at him as I take my seat and say, “you're going to love dessert.” He gives me a wink, causing my heart to flutter, and digs into the first dinner we made together.

  Chapter 8

  Dreamland

  Evan

  The simple fact that I'm here right now, witnessing this fascinating mortal bake me something special has me alluringly content. She is graceful in her surroundings, as she swiftly pours the ingredients into each other, mixing them like she’s done it a million times. I could watch her move around the kitchen all day. When I first walked in here, I could have sworn that I felt new power. It was only for a regrettably fast second. It felt pure and unique, as well as addicting. I wanted to feel more of it desperately. When the feeling went away, I eagerly searched both Scarlet and Charlie for magic, but I didn't feel a thing. I also smelled mint and lavender, which when they're mixed together and casted on, it makes a calming elixir. But the lavender could have been from Scarlet. When I bumped into her after she got out of the shower, I smelled lavender on her sweet soft skin. It was heavenly.

  I'm beginning to believe more and more that I'm going to lose myself in this girl. When I heard her singing in the shower, it was enchanting. It’s as if I was hearing her smooth voice echoing in my mind. I'm guessing that if I bring it up, she’ll blush, knowing I heard her in the shower. But that’s what I want. Seeing her cheeks turn rose red fills me with more desire than I'm used to. “Dion and the Belmonts, huh?” I surprise her. Right on cue, Scarlet’s cheeks heat up, causing my heart to race. She looks like she’s in deep thought. When she answered my question, my interest in her piqued even more. The craziest part is that’s also my preferred music, along with the blues. But as much as I would like to continue our conversation, I have to put it on hold. Dinner is ready, and I want to show her that I know how to work the kitchen, as well.

  I wait for Scarlet to finish her baking, before serving myself dinner. She shouldn't have to eat alone, when she’s the one who basically prepared this meal for us. I want her to know that I will always be courteous and respectful. And the look on her face when she noticed I waited for her was completely worth it. Dinner was delicious, and it was oddly comfortable. It was as if we have all known each other for years. Everyone clicked like puzzle pieces. Scarlet lightly says, “Dinner was delicious, Evan. Thank you for taking over.”

  I momentarily go into slow motion as I savor the way she said my name. And before I could respond to her, Mackenzie unhooked her tongue from Derek's mouth to cut in. “Wait. You actually let someone else cook dinner?” Scarlet laughs, and it’s an even sweeter sound than her voice. She attempts to defend herself and replies, “Evan cooked dinner so he could try one of my desserts.” Scarlet shakes her head, and I'm still awestruck over the way my name sounds coming out of her plush mouth. Get a hold of yourself, Evan. She asks me, “Would you like to try them now?” I numbly nod and follow her through the kitchen doors.

  She smiles, and hands me a square tray of the most mouthwatering eclairs that I have ever seen. Even the smell is making me want to drool. I can’t help myself, as I lift one up to my mouth. Taking that first bite was euphoric. The warm peanut butter in the middle of the chocolate, glazed dough makes it that much more savory. I shove the other half in my mouth and am already reaching for another one, when Scarlet turns around and catches me. Immediately, I stuff it in my mouth, and my eyes roll to the back of my head. She giggles, and her cheeks flush.

  Through stuffed mouth and all, I say, “These are the most amazing eclairs I have ever had in my entire life.” I say this with big eyes and nods for extra effect. It’s true. Of all the years that I’ve walked this earth, I’ve never tasted anything so delicious. She
knowingly laughs some more and tries one herself. Scarlet nods her in agreement and says, “These are my uncle’s favorite. I thought you might like them.” I put my tray down and take her hands in mine, completely under her spell.

  “It’s delicious.” I say, while looking deep into her eyes. She stares up at me, the smell of lavender on her feather-soft skin, making me want to touch her. I could be this close to her all day. I can’t stop myself from staring. She looks so incredibly delicate. Her eyes are beautiful and vibrant, a shade away from silver. I’ve never seen eyes like hers. My spine bursts into an electric warmth, and I feel the need to get closer to her. I pull her hands towards me, closer to my body. She sucks in a surprised breath and holds it in. And as I let go of one of her hands, I softly lift her chin up towards my face.

  With a whisper, I gently remind her, “Breathe, Scarlet.” Her eyelashes flutter, and she breathes out, leaving behind a peanut buttery scent. I can’t stop myself. Like a magnet, I bend down and place my lips on hers. The moment our lips touch, I feel the goosebumps rising all the way down my body. She pushes her lips closer to mine, and the goosebumps flow down to my toes, covering me completely. We both shiver at the same time, causing us to break apart to stare at each other. She’s not a caster, and yet I can feel her soul responding to mine. It’s never been known for a caster and a mortal to have connected souls. There’s more to her than the eye can see, and I want to find out. No. I need to find out.

  The hunger in her eyes is evident. She looks at my lips and sucks in her bottom one, clearly wanting more. And that’s enough for me to gently pull her back onto my lips. The first set of moans from her had me dizzy. I attempted to go in for a deeper kiss, but even I knew this was going too fast. She stumbles as she pulls away and says, “I’m sorry. I’ve never...this is my first time kissing anyone,” she shyly stutters. I walk up to her and fit my fingers around hers. “Don't apologize. I'm the one who needs to say sorry, and I am. But I don't regret it. You're just so breathtaking. I shouldn't have kissed you. But I’m glad I did.” I try to console her. She relaxes her shoulders and quietly admits, “I know what you mean.”

  We’re standing inches apart in an intense stare, when the kitchen doors swing open and Scarlet and I quickly untangle ourselves from each other. We guiltily stand apart, as if being caught doing something wrong. Maybe we were. We have only just met. Mackenzie places her hands on her hips and, through an amused smile, she asks, “Dessert?” Scarlet points to the tray of eclairs that I placed down on the counter, and Mackenzie saunters over to them, staring at us the entire time. She grabs them and turns to walk away. But before she leaves, she turns her head around. “In case y’all forgot, we’re in college. Where there are no parents. Y’all don’t have to look like ya got caught murderin’ someone.” She snickers and walks out, leaving us alone to catch our breaths and our hearts.

  Scarlet

  That was more embarrassing than I ever thought it would be. I’ve never been caught with a boy because I’ve never been with one before. Instantly, I turn my head at the same time he does, and once our eyes meet, we instantly pull towards each other again. He takes my hand and pulls me in for a very intimate hug. He smells so much like apples, so clean and mouthwatering. I lift my head up to look at him, and he softly touches his lips to mine. It’s a sweet and delicate kiss, but it’s just as incredible as the kiss before.

  With a serious but gentle look on his face, he softly says, “I know we just met, but I promise I'm not the type of guy who does things like this. It feels different with you, though. And I know you feel it, too. I would love to spend time with you, alone, without my cousins around.” He is so right, I do feel the same. Quickly agreeing, I reply, “I would love to.” He bends down and gives me another soft kiss, but I want more. I get on my tip toes, and mimic his kiss.

  With a sly smirk, he says, “Not that I don’t want to keep kissing you, but if I know my cousins, I know they are tearing up those eclairs. Two just wasn't enough. I need more.” Turning away, proud of myself, I open the microwave and pull out the Tupperware full of eclairs I saved just for him. His eyes are huge, and he has a smile plastered on his face. I giggle and pop one in my mouth. Then Evan takes one and moans his approval. He puts down the Tupperware and grabs me by my waist, twirling me around so fast that my feet are swinging behind me. I lift my feet and hook them together so he’s holding me up. He quickly stops twirling, and we watch each other intensely as we try to catch our breaths. Softly putting me down, Evan takes my face in his hands, kissing me again. With difficulty, we peel our lips off of each other and rejoin the group.

  Evan was right. The guys really did tear up the dessert. There were only two eclairs left. Evan grabbed them both and handed one to me. Derek looked at me and pointed to the empty tray, gushing, “These were the best eclairs I’ve ever had. I think they're my new favorite.” Evan softly says, “That’s exactly what I said.” With all of us stuffed and drowsy on new passions, you can tell no one wanted the night to end. And before we said our goodbyes, we each privately hung out with our guys. Evan and I stepped out onto the balcony. Evan says, “If it’s okay with you, I would really love to pick you up from work tomorrow,” I nod my head rapidly and we kiss until our lips are numb. We exchange numbers and make our way to the door where the others are waiting. Evan gives me one last kiss and slowly walks out, back to his dorm.

  Mack smacks Derek on the butt and says, “Sweet dreams, boys.” She closes the door, and we all walk to the couch like zombies. At the same time, we fall back onto it. “Oh, heavens.” Mack says quietly. “Seriously.” Charlie agrees. I can’t even reply. My brain is doing so many twists and turns that I can’t think straight. Mack says, “We have a lot to clean up. Let’s talk while we clean, then I'm hittin’ the sack.” Charlie and I agree and begin our tasks. I can’t stop thinking about Evan. His smell, his lips, his kiss, his voice. My mind is so focused on him that I didn't even see Charlie in front of me. She stopped before the kitchen doors, and I ran right into her back. Mack shakes her head and laughs as she makes her way to the sink to get ready to wash. Turning her head to us, she says, “So who's spillin’ the beans first?” She wiggles her eyebrows.

  ***

  Thirty minutes later and we’re all exhausted and ready for sleep. My bed is so cozy that I feel the sleep taking over almost instantly. I bring my hands to my lips, remembering Evan’s on mine. Did we move too fast? I hope he doesn't think so. A small smile forms as my eyes get heavier and heavier, falling asleep with a full heart. But not even that is enough to prepare me for the nightmare that came as soon as my eyes closed.

  Where am I? What happened to my bed? I can see the enormous moon clearly, and the stars are sparkling like diamonds in the night sky. It’s dark out, and I'm shivering. Not because it’s cold, but because I know that I'm about to die. I see a woman at the mouth of a cliff a few feet away, and her arms are raised above her head as she faces the moon. Her hair is flowing crazily in the wind behind her as she recites an incantation. She looks beautiful yet so terrifying, so menacing. I can feel the darkness in her heart and soul.

  My wrists are tied in front of me, and my ankles are bound together in shackles. I don’t know why my heart feels like it’s broken, but the feeling is overwhelming. I know I’ve given up because my body just sags with no strength left, not even to pick my head up. I can feel every labored breath that I take. But why would anyone want to kidnap me? I'm nobody special. I have no magic. Why me?

  A loud clap comes from the woman and I shakily get to my knees and try to stand up, when the ground around me starts to tremble. I can feel the panic starting to rise inside of me as I fall on my back. I try to roll out of the way of the trembling ground but I lose my balance when I hear a hideous cackle come from the left of me, but there’s no time to look over. I’ve rolled as much as the thick chains would allow. Now I have leaves and twigs stuck in my hair and skin, and my clothes are covered in dirt.

  I'm in so much pain from rolling over jagged
stones and twigs that I stop and lay still. I feel the pain so vividly that for a moment, it didn't feel like a dream. I stare up at the enormous moon, and I beg it to wake me up. Although I know I have no power, in the predicament that I'm in, I have nothing to lose. So I give it all I’ve got. The woman screams something towards me in a strange language. I rolled once more, so I'm on my stomach, so I can find this woman and beg for my life. But before I could lift my head off the ground, it trembles beneath me, and caves in all around me, burying me alive. The last thing I remember is being swallowed into blackness and the taste of dirt in my mouth. I let the darkness have me. My mourning heart breaks, as I close my eyes and let death take me away.

  I wake up coughing, as if I'm trying to get air back into my lungs. When I finally catch my breath, I bring my hand up to my heart to try and console the devastation. I know I just had a nightmare, but it felt so lucid. Even though it was a dream, I actually felt the binding on my wrists and the shackles around my ankles. Why did it feel so real, and why do I still feel broken-hearted? I hear a loud crash come from somewhere in my room, instantly causing me to scream. Shakily reaching over to turn the light on, I quickly look around. My desk chair is lying on its side in the corner by my closet. How did it get all the way over there? Was somebody in here?

  Nothing else seems to be out of place. Still, I look around the room, filled with paranoia. From the terror, I’m keenly aware of the pain my body is in, and I look down at my sore wrists; they are red from the binding I was in from my nightmare. The skin around my ankles are raw, where they were bound with the iron shackles. Charlie and Mackenzie burst through my door, alarmed, and they seem to be armed. Charlie has one of her books, and Mackenzie has a baseball bat. A baseball bat is good but a book? I couldn't hold back the snicker. Both girls look at me with bewilderment in their tired eyes.