by C. W. Gray
Leo’s growl reverberated through the truck, and Ravenpaw and Flufflepuff started growling too.
“Settle down, you three,” Sonny ordered with a laugh. “It gets better, I promise. So, Myrtle took me to a big celebration in one of the city parks. There was a bonfire and plenty of food and dancing. I was having so much fun, but Myrtle asked me if I wanted to see something special. She led me deeper into the trees and we found a fairy ring of white mushrooms.”
Leo gave him a surprised look. “Really? Us kids always looked for those during our summers at the farm, but we’ve never seen any.”
“They’re usually rare, but if you look closely, you can find them on Litha. Myrtle said the Summer Solstice was a special time for fairies and other Fae folk.”
“I always wanted to meet one of the Fae,” Leo mused. “I saw a fairy once. She was a cute little bit, and Niels went to school with one of the Fae. He said the man was a bit standoffish.”
Sonny shrugged. “I think they’re just more comfortable in their own kingdom. Myrtle said there’s a colony that lives in Haverdell, but that’s the only one she knows about. Of course, fairies live all over, but they don’t like cities, so I never see any.”
Leo gave him a wry look. “I interrupted your story. Sorry.”
Sonny laughed. “I almost forgot. So, Myrtle showed me the fairy ring, then she took out a bag of sugary treats and set them around the ring. A few moments later, fairies started pouring from the ring. They were so beautiful and colorful with their gorgeous little wings. They went right for the candy and devoured it.”
“Wow,” Leo whispered. “How many did you see?”
“Over thirty before I lost count.” Sonny closed his eyes, and he could picture them all perfectly. “When they finished the candy, they flew to Myrtle and me. They were curious, so they played in our hair and clothes. They danced around us like butterflies, so Myrtle and I stood and danced too. We laughed so hard, and the fairies laughed too. It was the best Litha I’ve ever had.”
“That sounds…” Leo’s voice trailed off. “I want that for our kids. I want us to take them to the farm for Litha, and I want them to meet fairies and dance with them.”
Sonny swallowed the lump in his throat. “I want that too.” He patted Fluff’s paw when it poked out of the carrier again. “You and me, we’re going to be good parents. We have your parents and grandparents for good examples, and my parents and grandparents for bad examples.”
“We have Myrtle too,” Leo whispered. “I’m glad you were assigned to her when you were a kid.”
“I don’t know where I’d be without her.” Sonny watched the suburbs fade into farmland and thick forests. “We’ll love our baby, honey bear. The rest we can figure out, but that’s the most important thing.”
Leo kissed the top of his head. “As long as I have you with me, I’m happy.”
The rest of the drive went quickly. Sonny had been to Leo’s grandparents’ home several times now, but he could never quite get used to the wildness of the area. I’m definitely a city witch.
When they pulled into Janine and Ronald’s long driveway, Sonny sat up straighter and looked around. “Why are there vehicles lining the driveway? It looks busier than Christmas time. Wait. Is that Aaron and Gemma’s car?” He turned to look at Leo, excitement building. “What’s going on?”
Leo put the truck in park and turned to give him a smug look. “Did you really think our friends and family wouldn’t be here for our baby’s Litha scrying? Myrtle even brought her sister Hester.”
Sonny jumped when people started pouring out of the large farm house. He grinned as he recognized all the Rocchi family members as well as his own friends. Devin and Tilisha waved from where they sat with one of Leo’s lion shifter friends.
Burkhart opened the passenger side door and took the cat carrier. “There’s my two favorite sweethearts.”
“He’s talking to the cats, isn’t he?” Sonny asked wryly.
Leo snorted. “Need you ask?”
Rosemarie filled the open space when Burkhart backed up. Leo’s sister grinned and pulled Sonny out of the car and into her arms. “I’m going to be the best aunt this baby ever had. That’s the truth right there.”
Sonny laughed when she scooped him up and carried him toward the house. “I can walk, Rose. Sheesh.”
Janine’s weathered face lit up when she saw him. “Oh, Sonny. I’m so happy for you and Leo. Wait until you see what I have for the baby.”
“Love you, Grandma,” he called out as Rosemarie carried him into the house.
He heard Myrtle’s cackle before he saw her. His mentor and her sister, Hester, had Aaron and Gemma between them at the kitchen table. Several of Leo’s aunts, uncles, and cousins sat around it and watched as the witches instructed them on making Litha wreathes.
Aaron held his daughter, Wendy, in his lap and grinned at Sonny. He wiggled his nose, making Sonny smile. When Wendy did the same thing, Sonny couldn’t help but laugh.
“Use the citrine and jasper in your charm, Oscar,” Myrtle said, pointing to a wreath Leo’s uncle was making. “That will help your cattle production for the year if you hang it in your barn.”
A second later, his mentor looked up and saw him. Her smile stretched wide and she winked.
How could I have doubted her? How could I have doubted any of them? Sonny’s eyes watered, and he quickly wiped them on Rosemarie’s shoulder. This is how Litha is supposed to be.
Chapter 28
The next morning, Leo woke up slowly, frowning as he patted Sonny’s empty spot. Ravenpaw slept on Sonny’s pillow, but Leo’s mate and Flufflepuff weren’t where they were supposed to be.
Leo grumbled as he sat up. “Ravenpaw, where did those two go?”
Ravenpaw opened one eye, stared at him a moment, then closed it.
Leo sniffed. “I see how it is.”
The door slammed open as he was buttoning his pants. Burkhart stomped into the room, expression furious. “We have a problem.”
Leo froze. “Sonny?”
Thorwald pushed in behind Burkhart. “He’s fine. Grandma took him and Aaron for a walk in the woods.”
Leo let the tension drain from his shoulders. “Thank the Goddess. What the fuck, Burkhart? You almost gave me a heart attack.”
“Sonny’s parents are here.” Burkhart snarled. “They brought a few witches with them and are saying things that make me want to tear their heads off.”
Leo growled. “Thorwald, please go make sure Sonny stays in the woods. I’m going to kick some ass.”
Thorwald nodded and spun around, running from the room.
Burkhart threw Leo a shirt and followed him from the house, Ravenpaw stalking behind them.
A crowd of people were gathered in front of the farm house. Leo recognized Cynthia Thornton, Sonny’s mom. The man beside her had Sonny’s chin. Travis, Sonny’s dad.
“We demand to speak with Somerset,” Cynthia said, shoulders back and nose in the air. “This disgusting display of insolence has gone too far. It’s one thing to mate a shifter, but another to bring abominations into this world. We won’t let it happen.”
Several witches stood behind her, arms crossed and faces hard.
The group of Rocchi bears and their friends teemed with agitation, snarls and growls breaking free. Rosemarie’s mate, Kate, held a very angry rabbit shifter in her arms. Gemma wiggled, trying to get down to attack the witches, though Leo wasn’t sure what she thought she could do.
This is going to be bad, Leo thought, even as he fought his own anger.
“I told you they were pieces of shit, didn’t I, Hester?” Myrtle said, cracking her knuckles. “I’m going to enjoy this, Cynthia.”
Hester grinned, wrinkled face full of joy. “I haven’t been in a good fight in a while. This should be fun.”
Travis cleared his throat. “Somerset cannot have these children.”
These children? Leo frowned. Could the man see far enough into their future to see all of h
is and Sonny’s kids?
“We have representation from the Witches Council with us, Myrtle. You and your sister shouldn’t interfere.” Travis glared at all the others. “None of you should interfere. This is a family matter.”
“Family?” Jesse asked, voice hard. Katrin and he moved forward, hands already shifting into paws. “You come to our home and call my grandchild an abomination and dare order us around? You aren’t Sonny’s family. We are.”
A few of Leo’s family members shifted to their bear forms and moved forward to stand with Jesse and Katrin. Leo barely fought back his own shift. Need a voice to solve this, he told his bear.
“We have the Witches Council’s approval,” Travis said again, voice cracking as he backed up. “I did the scrying and have seen the little beasts. They aren’t even witches.”
Fuck being sensible. Leo growled and pushed to the front of the crowd, Burkhart behind him. “This is your last chance to get the fuck out of here. Litha scryings are sacred. Even I know that. That you did one without our permission is against the rules. Isn’t it, Myrtle?”
“Yep,” Myrtle said, a wicked smile on her face. “I’m the only one they’ve given permission to, dick breath. You fucked up.”
“Our rules are none of your concern, bear,” Travis said, eyes narrowing.
The ground rumbled beneath the two groups, and Leo fought to keep his footing, his heart beating fast. Earthquake? Here?
A deep voice boomed from behind Leo. “Enough.”
Leo turned. His grandpa and another man threaded through the crowd of bears. The man with Ronald looked ancient, but Leo could feel the power coming from him.
“Councilmen Blackwood,” Travis said, mouth hanging open. “What are you doing here?”
The older man frowned and held up the bottle of beer he carried. “I came to celebrate young Somerset and his mate’s first child. I was invited here for the scrying. I certainly don’t recall the Council giving you any sort of support in harassing your son. In fact, we were rather disgusted by your bigotry.” He stared at one of the men beside Travis. “You work for Councilman Winters, don’t you?”
The man gave Blackwood a tentative nod. “My mentor is offering his personal support to Thorton and his wife. I’ve been ordered to see that Somerset Thorton doesn’t give birth after mating a beast.”
More of Leo’s relatives shifted. Burkhart’s hands on his shoulders steadied Leo enough to not shift and maul the disgusting man threatening his mate.
“As different as each species is, we are one people,” Blackwood said, eyes hard. “You dare to impose your own ignorant bigotry on a young witch you’ve callously disowned? Over my smoldering corpse.”
Movement at the edge of the woods caught his eye, and Leo turned when someone screamed his name. Sonny and Thorwald came from the woods at a run.
Sonny raced toward him, standing out in his rainbow-colored tennis shoes, denim overall shorts, and bright t-shirt. A baby rabbit shifter rode in the front pocket of the overalls. Aaron’s daughter looked completely unconcerned about whatever was terrifying Sonny.
Sonny almost tripped but caught himself, making Leo growl. “Leo, save us!”
His nerves on edge, Leo shifted, his clothes shredding around him as he roared and ran to his mate.
Sonny threw an arm around Leo’s neck and buried his face in Leo’s fur. “Janine brought us to a fucking gnome village, Leo. There were thousands of them. We’re lucky we escaped with our lives.”
“I didn’t know he could run that fast.” Thorwald sounded shocked. He stood panting behind Sonny. “I’m sorry, Leo. I tried to keep him away.”
More people came from the wooded walking path—Janine, Aaron, and several gnomes, and they didn’t exactly look like they were about to murder one another.
“You were right, Janine. The poor dear is petrified,” a familiar gnome said.
Leo waved a paw at Maddel. The older gnome was a nice woman who happened to be one of his grandma’s best friends. She was only about six inches tall and walked beside Flufflepuff, hand stroking along the cat’s side.
“There weren’t thousands of gnomes, Sonny,” Aaron said, face red from laughing as he stumbled behind Janine. “There were like forty or something. They tried to give you a cake.”
Hmm, cake?
Sonny glared at him. “You’re thinking about that cake, aren’t you?”
Leo shook his head.
Wendy wiggled her nose and reached out to sniff Leo’s ear.
Maddel patted Sonny’s shoe. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. You’ll get to know us and see that we’re not bad at all.”
“Unhand my Sonny, gnome.” Myrtle stomped over.
Hester chuckled as she followed her sister. “Please tell me you’re not still mad about that gnome that kicked your ass when you were six. You deserved it, Myrtle.”
“Gnomes are more dangerous than they look,” Myrtle said, scowling. She pulled Sonny into her arms. “Who is she?”
Maddel nodded and introduced herself. “I see we’ll need more than cake here.”
Leo nuzzled Sonny’s face and his mate sighed. “No, Maddel. I’m sorry I ran screaming. I should know that Janine wouldn’t be friends with a murderous monster.”
Myrtle snorted. “How much do we really know about Janine?”
Leo’s grandma frowned and waved toward the two groups. “Why does it look like there’s about to be a war on my front lawn?”
Sonny finally seemed to notice his parents, and the color drained from his face. “What are they doing here?”
Myrtle turned Sonny and pushed him into Janine’s arms. “You hold him a moment. I have some witches to hex.”
Leo growled and walked beside her as the two groups faced off.
Blackwood watched him with a smile. “Your love for you mate is obvious, Leo. Thank you for letting me attend this scrying.” He turned to the gathered witches. “Now, I would like to get back to my beer, and Ronald here challenged me to a game of checkers. We don’t have time for party crashers.” He held his hands out to Myrtle and Hester. “Would you two lovely witches help me?”
Hester took one of his hands and Myrtle the other. The three witches closed their eyes, and Leo’s fur stood on end as Blackwood’s powerful aura grew stronger. He couldn’t see the magic surrounding the three witches, but he could feel it.
He could also see the results.
The earth beneath Sonny’s parents and their allies rumbled and moved, reshaping into a large hand. Cynthia and a few of the others screamed as they fell down, but Travis and many of the others tossed spells toward the earthen hand, though it did no good.
The hand picked the witches up and closed into a fist before moving and cutting a path across his grandparents’ yard, dirt churning beneath it. Grandma isn’t going to like that.
When it reached the very edge of the driveway, the fist stopped and the dirt shifted again, changing into a hardened earth box with breathing holes.
Leo could barely hear the witches inside, screaming and tossing spells toward their prison.
Blackwood’s eyes opened. “There. That will keep them in place until the proper authorities arrive to take them away. At the very least, they were trespassing, but we heard Travis and Cynthia’s threats.”
Myrtle scowled and let go of his hand. “Should have turned the fuckers into crickets and let the chickens have them.”
Hester’s eyes narrowed. “Agreed.”
Blackwood gave the two sisters an amused look. “Sometimes, making a public example of them does more good. Do you think Somerset and his bear are the only interspecies mates that need the public support of the Witches Council?”
Sonny and the others approached, and Leo huffed out a laugh when he noticed Maddel was riding Ravenpaw. He hadn’t even noticed their cat going to Sonny.
Sonny’s eyes were sad as he watched the earthen box. “What did they say?”
Leo shifted, unconcerned with his nudity, and pulled Sonny into his arms. “Does it
matter? Remember what you told me about Litha? It’s a time to let the past go and look toward the future. Those people aren’t your parents. Myrtle is. They aren’t your family. We are.” He gave Sonny a gentle kiss. “Let’s forget those assholes exist and get to our celebration.”
Sonny gave him a slow smile. “That’s a good idea.” He looked over his shoulder. “Let go of the past, Myrtle. Gnomes aren’t so bad. That cake looked really good.”
Myrtle scowled. “Don’t sass me, Somerset. You being pregnant doesn’t mean I can’t turn your skin purple and your hair orange.”
Sonny gave her a horrified look. “I wouldn’t match at all.”
The old witch smiled smugly. “Exactly.”
Chapter 29
Sonny was a bit tired after his morning run for his life. He leaned back against a tree and watched as Thorwald and some of the Rocchi cousins got the bonfire going. The bear shifters joked as they tossed wood in, bodies already loose limbed from the beer they’d been drinking. Fortunately, Niels was there to supervise so no one ended up in the fire.
Tilisha and her family worked with some of the other guests to hang strings of summer flowers from the low branches of the trees in the clearing they had chosen for the celebration. Mugwort for divination, wisteria for harmony and peace, and verbena to bring us closer to the God and Goddess.
Ravenpaw was a short distance away, playing with the gnomes. Sonny had been shocked to find out that gnomes were very good with animals. They had fallen in love with Ravenpaw and Flufflepuff and were currently making flower crowns for his cats. Gnomes really aren’t that bad, he thought, fighting the wiggle of doubt that filled his mind. Janine trusts them.
Gemma was still in her rabbit form. She hadn’t moved from Sonny’s side all morning, which made him think his parents’ threats had been particularly nasty.
She curled against him, head pressed to his abdomen. Wendy sprawled over her with her chubby bunny butt pointed toward the sky.
Aaron bumped his shoulder. “Look at your bear, Sonny.”
