A Werewolf, A Vampire, and A Fae Walk Into A Bar (Book 1 of The Last Witch Series)

"You'd never," AJ says, sitting up and stretching. "That's bullshit and you know it."

"But how can we be sure," I ask. "Maybe my mother was right about one thing. This power is dangerous. Unnatural." I've never feared myself, what I'm capable of, and it's not a good feeling. Darius clears his throat. "I have an idea. Wait just a moment."

With vampire speed he disappears from the room and reappears a moment later holding something I'd entirely forgotten about.

It's the star that brought these men to me. The rock I pulled from the wall just before Rain arrived. I inch forward to look at it, wondering if my magic is causing my eyes to play tricks on me. "It's glowing the same color as my skin." Darius nods. "It's been glowing since you got your powers back. Maybe it can help you control them until we think of something more permanent."

He offers the rock to me and I reach out nervously to take it. I don't know what to expect, but the moment I wrap my hand around it, I feel a shift inside myself, a settling. Light from my skin pours into the star until my body stops glowing and I return to normal. "How do you feel?" Rune asks, passing Rain to Zev to come kneel before me. He peers into my eyes, studies my palm, takes my pulse.

"A bit better," I say with relief. "Not so dizzy or out of control."

"Try setting the star aside," Rune suggests.

My eyes widen. "What if I hurt you?"

"I'll be alright and Zev won't let anything happen to Rain. But we need to see what we're dealing with."

I nod and carefully set the star on the ground and then release my hand from it. The moment I do, power rushes back into me like a tidal wave. My hands blaze with lightning and the dresser near me explodes in shards of wood. Quickly, I grab the star and hold it to my chest, my breathing rapid, my body practically buzzing.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Once again the star absorbs the excess power and I feel myself stabilize.

Rune reaches for my hand to help me stand.

With one hand clutching the star, I give my other to him and let him pull me up.

"It would appear she needs to be in physical contact--"

"With the star to control her magic, yeah," AJ cuts Rune off, not needing the play by play. "We were literally all here watching, Elfie."

Before the two can get into one of their sibling spats, I interrupt. "Okay, so I'm a magical bomb about to explode and all of your kingdoms are coming for my kid. What about you three l ask, looking at each of them "The pledge you made is broken. I broke it." I glance at Darius who holds my gaze with his. "Will you go home? Take your rightful places and help them?"

"We are not working with our kingdoms," Zev says.

Rune nods. "We have taken a new pledge."

"What kind of pledge?" I ask.

Darius takes my hand in his, speaking directly into my mind. We are yours, Bernie. Yours and Rain's. We will each lay down our lives for you if we must. Forever.

I suck in a breath, unsure what to believe. But then he pulls up his sleeve and shows me a tattoo he didn't have before. A triangle with a star in the middle. Rune and Zev have the same marking on their arms. And then I notice my own arm--it has a matching symbol. "We are bound to you," Rune says. "And we will do whatever we must to protect you."

So many emotions flood me. After nearly losing my child, watching my grandmother die, watching my mother die, worrying the men I've come to care for would betray me, and now being filled with so much magic I can't control, I don't know what to do or think, but I know what I feel. For the first time in a long time. I feel hope.

Darius caresses my cheek. "We will find a way to keep both you and Rain safe. You have my oath."

I stare into the glowing full moon that casts its silver light over the water, breaking through the surrounding fog and giving a soft glow to the night sky. It's peaceful. A peace I don't think I've ever felt before.

"Shall we?" Rune says, extending his hand to guide me.

I turn and look at the handsome fae, his expression genuine and understanding. Zev and Darius stand behind him, both wearing tailored black suits, as is Rune. Dashing as ever, but now in a more formal, earthly way.

Darius' mind brushes mine lightly,

and I feel his emotions. A steady calm mingled with great tenderness. This is a new thing between us that started after he fed on me. I can't say that I mind. Now, it's as if we can touch each other even when we aren't together. It's a comfort I never imagined I would find so valuable.

Darius stays with me as I extend my hand and give it to Rune. Under the light of the moon, my skin is glowing, and not in the way people said it glowed while I was pregnant, which still think was bullshit since I was red and sweaty through most of it. No, my skin very literally glows these days, a soft amber hue flowing through my pores, even when I'm holding the star. Darius will need to feed on me again soon, or I'll never be able to leave the house.

And just as intimately, I feel the wave of a wild, primal connection when I look at Zev. We still haven't talked about what he meant when he called me his mate, though I have ideas. And the thought of it, while slightly terrifying, also heals something in my heart I didn't know was broken.

I look forward to exploring these complex emotions with each of the men in my life, once things get back to normal.

Or whatever normal now looks like for me.