“Sure, but I want a kiss first.” Jack offered her his cheek.
She gave him a long peck as she grabbed the card out of his hand. “Thank you!”
“You’re welcome, baby girl.”
Kaley popped her hip to one side, the card firmly in her hand. “Can I go upstairs?” she asked Cole.
“Sure, but we’re having lunch in a few minutes.” Normally, he’d make her stay and talk to her grandfather, but Cole needed some time alone with him.
“Okay, I won’t be long.” With that, she scampered back to her room to fill her iPhone with new music.
“Thanks, Dad. That was nice of you.” Cole shut the front door.
“I don’t see that kid enough since you’ve moved.”
“You know it’s just temporary. We’ll be back as soon as I get this place fixed up and sold.”
Jack looked around. “I might be dead before then.”
“Dad, please.”
His father took a hard look at the stacks of paper still filling the dining room. “You’ve got your work cut out for you, that much I know.”
“It’s well underway, I promise.” But Cole hadn’t contacted his father to talk about the house. There would be plenty of time for that topic at lunch when their conversation would have to be tempered for Kaley’s ears. “Let’s go out on the porch so we can talk.”
“Sure.” Jack nodded, his face serious. “After you.”
Cole led his father out to the back, and when they were both settled in, he went silent for a moment trying to find the right words. But what those were, he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he needed answers. “Why didn’t you tell me what I am? What we are? I know you’re the same thing I am. Kaley can see it in our auras.”
“Right to it, then.” Jack took a deep breath. “Yes, we’re both familiars. Your mother and I kept the truth from you for many reasons. But your safety and personal happiness were paramount.”
Cole’s brow furrowed. “Was I in some kind of danger?”
“It was a distinct possibility.”
“Why don’t you just start from the beginning?”
Jack glanced at his son, then out beyond the porch to the overgrown backyard. “What you need to know is that your mother, may she rest in peace, was a witch. And I was her familiar.”
Cole stared at his father. “Mom was a witch?”
Jack nodded.
“But you raised me not to believe in any of that.”
“Which was part of keeping you safe.”
None of it made any sense, but Cole hoped that would change. A thousand questions flew into his head, but he tucked them away for later and let his father talk. “Go on.”
“We made the decision to shield you from the truth around the time you were three. A very aggressive witch in your mother’s coven made it plain that she wanted me for her familiar. Now, granted, it doesn’t work that way. A witch and a familiar must be a bonded pair for the connection to reach its full power and remain that way, but a lot of witches think they can circumvent the natural bonding with magic. Anyway, this woman took it upon herself to interfere with our lives and our marriage.”
Jack sighed. “It was mildly annoying at first. We didn’t pay much attention to it, really. In fact, it became something of an inside joke between us.” A faint smile played on his lips. “Whenever anything bad happened, we blamed it on Zarina. Paper cut? Must be Zarina. Rained-out picnic? Zarina had cast a weather spell. Milk spoiled before we could use it all? More of Zarina’s dirty tricks.”
The smile disappeared. “Then your mother became very sick, very fast. Couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, and the doctors couldn’t diagnose her. So she called a few trusted members of the coven. It took a complicated discovery spell but they found the reason for her illness. She’d been placed under a hex. And Zarina had cast it.”
“The coven must have done something. Punished her.”
“They did. The ACW stripped Zarina of her magic for five years, but the damage was done. Your once fierce mother was afraid. Not so much for herself as for you and me. We left Portland and moved to North Carolina. Your mother refused to join another coven for fear there would be a new Zarina and that you would be the target this time. After a while, she stopped practicing altogether. We both agreed that you should be raised as normally as possible.”
“Because of that one incident?”
Jack shook his head. “It wasn’t one incident. Covens all over the country were reporting similar events. Human familiars had become something of a status symbol after it was revealed that the head of the ACW had one.”
“What is that?”
“The American Council of Witches.” Jack let out a breath. “I knew if you moved into this house, something like this would happen. Did you find some of your uncle’s things? Is that how you figured it out?”
“No. I…met someone.”
Jack gave him a hard look. “Explain.”
Cole told him what had happened when he and Pandora had touched, about the visions he’d had, and how she’d seen him shift.
Jack frowned and swore softly. “This is Lila all over again.”
“No, it’s not. Don’t compare Pandora to her.” Anger stormed through Cole at that accusation, instantly needing to protect Pandora. Then he hesitated at what his father had just revealed. “You and Mom knew Lila was a witch?”
“Yes, we did. In the beginning, your mother wanted to confront her and run her off, but then it became clear you weren’t going to bond. We made the decision to let things run their course so long as Lila didn’t seem like she was resorting to any kind of black magic. We figured she’d give up at some point, which she did.”
“Lila had to know the truth about you two, though. She said she could read auras.”
“She knew exactly what we were. But your mother made it very plain that if she said a word, or used any kind of magic to influence you, Lila would find herself hauled before the ACW. That seemed to do the trick.”
“I’m surprised Mom didn’t make her leave.” Cole couldn’t remember his mother ever being afraid to stand up to anyone.
“She would have. Except that we fell in love with Kaley the same way you did. For her sake, we held our tongues many, many times. And then it didn’t matter anymore.”
The memory of Maxine Van Zant’s death put them both in a somber mood.
After a long pause, Jack’s smile returned. “Kaley was the only good thing to come out of that marriage.”
“That’s for damn sure,” Cole agreed. They sat quietly for several minutes. Then Cole looked at his father. “So you know that Kaley’s a witch obviously.”
Jack nodded. “I do. And I wish your mother was still alive to help her out now that she’s thirteen and will be coming into her power soon. Poor kid. She’s going to need someone to guide her through this.”
Which brought them back to Pandora. “A mentor. I know. Dad, my…friend has already agreed to help her find one. She comes from a family of witches. That’s where Kaley and I are going tonight. To their house for dinner.”
Anger filled Jack’s eyes. “You’re making a mistake. You don’t know this woman. You don’t know what witches can be like. They look at a familiar and they see an opportunity.”
“Pandora is nothing like that. I doubt her family is that way either.”
“How do you know?”
“I’m a good judge of character.”
“Lila says otherwise.”
Cole sighed in frustration. “Pandora had no idea what I was when we met. In fact, she didn’t even like me. She liked Kaley. I was just”—he shrugged—”the bothersome muggle who didn’t believe his daughter was a witch.”
“But she warmed right up to you after she figured out what you were, am I right?”
Sort of. He scowled. “That’s not how it happened.”
“Then tell me.”
“I told her if she helped me with Kaley, I’d give her the listing when I put the house up for sale.” At h
is father’s curious expression, Cole added, “She’s a real estate agent.”
Jack’s grimace hardened. “Even better.”
“You have no reason to have an issue with her. You haven’t met her.”
“I know witches.”
“Are you saying Mom wasn’t trustworthy?”
Jack’s face softened. “She was the best woman I’ve ever known. She changed my life for the better. She was…my other half. Emotionally. Spiritually. Physically.” He closed his eyes. “I have never stopped missing her.”
Cole gentled his voice. “And how do you know Pandora isn’t that person for me?”
Jack took a few breaths before answering. “Are you in love with her?”
“It’s too early to say anything like that. I’ve only begun to get to know her. But I do feel drawn to her in a way that’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. Do you think that means we’re connected?”
“Just because she’s a witch and you’re a familiar? Maybe. Maybe not.”
“Are you saying she’s not the one I’m supposed to be with?”
“I’m not saying anything about it one way or the other. Listen…” Jack twisted in his chair to face Cole a little more. “It’s our fault you’re not prepared for this, so for that, I apologize, but I’ll tell you now the only thing you need to know. The relationship between a witch and a familiar benefits both sides, but it can hurt both sides too.”
Cole doubted that was the only thing he needed to know about being a familiar. He had more questions than he could count. “How so?”
“If you bond with a woman you aren’t emotionally compatible with, you will be miserable the rest of your days. It can be soul sucking.”
“Doesn’t seem to me like I have much choice in whether or not we bond.”
“Sure you do. Keep things slow, get to know her as a person first.” Jack glanced toward the door. “But most of all, you can keep it in your pants.”
“Dad.”
“I’m serious. Sleeping with her is what seals the bond. But the closer you get to her, the more difficult it will become to resist the temptation. Your inner spirits will start to crave each other. I don’t know what it’s like from the witch side, but for a familiar, the witch becomes your sole focus. You’ll think about her constantly. Dream about her. Find ways to be near her.”
Cole tried not to react. That was sort of already happening. “Good to know. But what about everything else involved in being a familiar? What can you tell me about that? Do all human familiars shift into an animal form? Do you? Are you a raven?”
“Yes, I’m a raven. All the men in our family have been. Familiars are almost always men. And all familiars have an animal form.”
Well, that was some information. Cole tried for a little more. “What changes when you’re bonded? How do even know if you are bonded? Is it automatic if you sleep together?”
Jack shook his head. “I’m not going to tell you anything else. Not yet. All you need to know is these next few weeks will be critical. You’ve got to keep your distance.”
The fact that his father wasn’t willing to help him fully understand what it meant to be a familiar came as no surprise to Cole. Not after years of being told nothing. “Keeping my distance is going to be pretty hard to do considering she’s promised to help Kaley and assist me with the renovation of this house. Not to mention the dinner with her family tonight.”
Jack cut his hand through the air. “Cancel.”
“No. It would be rude, and who else am I going to get to help Kaley? I can control myself.”
“You think that now, but—”
The porch door opened, and Kaley popped out. “I’m, like, starving.”
Cole stood. “Then you can help me with the sandwiches.”
Jack got up as well. “I’m serious. You should get out of it.”
“Get out of what?” Kaley asked.
“Dad, for the last time, I’m not doing that.” Cole put his hand on Kaley’s shoulder and aimed her back inside. “It’s nothing, sweetheart.”
Jack followed them. “What your father meant to say is I’m going to dinner with you tonight.”
“You are?” Kaley turned, her eyes lit up. “That’s awesome. I didn’t know Miss Williams invited you too.”
“She didn’t,” Cole muttered.
“Not yet, but she will. And she’ll be happy about it too.” Jack took a seat at the table and winked at Kaley. “Especially if you and I go into town after lunch and get a fancy dessert to bring from the bakery I passed on the way in.”
Cole shook his head as he pulled sandwich fixings from the fridge. He loved his father and generally understood where the man was coming from, but this was too much.
He shut the fridge door, arms full, and headed for the counter. His father and Kaley were laughing about something. If Jack didn’t want to teach Cole how to be a familiar, he could deal with that. If Jack tried to ruin things between him and Pandora, Cole could deal with that too. But if Kaley ended up hurt because of Jack’s meddling, that was something else entirely.
Cole’s mind was made up. He set out slices of bread and started building the sandwiches. “Forget it, Dad. I’m putting my foot down. I’m not going to impose on Pandora and her family that way. I’d be happy to introduce you to her, but dinner tonight is about Kaley and getting her a support system.”
He could feel his father’s gaze on him. “Cole, you need to rethink this.”
“No, I don’t.” Cole scraped mayonnaise out of the jar. “The decision’s made.” He glanced over his shoulder. Kaley looked upset.
He immediately felt like a heel. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
Her mouth pulled down at the corners. “Why are you and Grandpa fighting? Why can’t he come to dinner?”
“Honey, Miss Williams invited us. It’s not polite to assume we can bring someone else without asking.”
“So let’s ask her.”
Jack nodded. “The kid’s got a point.”
Cole sighed. Being in the middle was a hard place, but he needed to take a stand. His parents had made decisions about his upbringing that were affecting him in some tough ways. Now he was the parent and the decisions were up to him. He would not let his father jeopardize Kaley’s future. She would grow up knowing everything she needed to know about who she was. “Next time Grandpa’s in town, we’ll have a cookout and invite everyone over, okay, Kaley?”
She crossed her arms and slumped in her chair. “Yeah, okay, but I still don’t see why we can’t ask Pan—Miss Williams if Grandpa can come.”
“Because it’s short notice and impolite. End of discussion.” Let Kaley be mad at him. It was easier than explaining that her grandfather might interfere with her chances at getting the witch tutoring she needed.
She let out an enormous sigh.
Cole went back to making sandwiches. Maybe he wasn’t going to win any Father of the Year awards, but he’d bet good money she’d forget all about Jack not being there once they got to dinner.
Pandora arrived at Cole’s promptly at six thirty, dressed a little nicer than usual for Saturday-night family dinner. She’d started to put on her usual jeans and cute tee, then realized Cole had seen her mostly in ratty tank tops and gym shorts. That had been impetus enough to slip into white ankle pants and a turquoise wrap top that showed off her assets and made her skin glow.
Pumpkin had given her the side eye for white pants after Labor Day, but what did cats know about fashion? Plus, states below the Mason-Dixon Line weren’t under the same rules when it came to wearing white. Heat and humidity had a way of negating those things.
She parked her sedan and walked to the front door, the click of her strappy high-heeled sandals accompanying her. She knocked and stood back to wait, but Cole answered quickly.
He looked…dreamy. He wore dark jeans with a pale blue and white checked shirt rolled up to show off his hard forearms. His hair was neatly combed, and his face was freshly shaved, revealing the ch
iseled line of his jaw.
She was definitely hot for teacher.
He stepped outside and shut the door behind him, but not before she heard laughter from inside. “I’m really sorry.”
“About?”
“Kaley’s in a mood. I thought she would have shaken it by now, but she’s holding a grudge. Hard.”
“Really? Because I could have sworn I heard her laughing just now. What happened? You didn’t try to convince her witches aren’t real again, did you?”
“No, I’m past that, I promise.” He glanced back at the house as he adjusted his glasses. “It’s just…my father is here, and he tried to invite himself to dinner tonight, but I told him no. Now Kaley thinks I’m being mean.”
“You kind of are.”
“What?”
She shrugged. “Bring him. It’s no big deal. These dinners are very fluid. We’re constantly bringing friends at the last minute.”
“But you don’t even know him. In fact, your family doesn’t know us.”
“But I know you and Kaley, and after tonight that’ll all be moot anyway.”
He sighed.
“Okay, seriously, what’s up? Do you not like your dad or something?” Her eyes widened a bit. “Did you have a big fight over your parents not telling you about your true nature?”
“No. Not exactly.” Cole closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. “I’m worried he’s going to cause problems with your family. And you. He’s convinced you’re after me only for what I can do for you.”
“You mean because you’re a familiar.”
Cole nodded. “He’s also convinced you’re going to lure me to bed to bond with me as fast as you can.”
“Yes, I’m a regular seductress.” Pandora rolled her lips in, but snorted in laughter anyway. “As if.”
One of Cole’s inky brows lifted over the rim of his glasses. “Have you seen yourself in this outfit?” His gaze traveled down to her cleavage and lingered. “It’s pretty seductive from where I’m standing.”
She crossed her arms, realized that only hefted her chest higher, and then uncrossed them. “I was trying to look nice.”
“Nice?” He raked a hand through his hair. “You look”—he swallowed—”edible.”
The Professor Woos The Witch (Nocturne Falls Book 4) Page 9
