The Witching Moon: The Witches of Redwood Falls - Book 1 by Janelle Daniels
When all of her calls went straight to voice mail, Poppy knew Drake’s phone was off. On the night of the full moon, she dialed his number one last time, hoping that she’d finally be able to speak with him, to tell him how much she loved him.
Voice mail.
She lowered the phone to the table, breathing deeply. This was out of her hands now. She done everything she could. He wouldn’t pick up his phone, and his parents didn’t know where he’d gone. She had to accept it. It was over.
Her heart ached for him. He’d left, but she still needed him.
It all started at Cloch Chroí and that was where it would end. She gathered items slowly, her movements calm as she prepared herself.
The moon was low in the sky, but it was bright enough to light her path without a flashlight. An animal rustled in the brush beside her, but her steps remained steady. An owl called out somewhere in the distance, but she didn’t answer. Life had gone on for all these creatures, just as her own would once the night ended. But it would never be the same.
Not without Drake.
Fog sifted through the stones, moonlight reflected in its depths. It was an image straight out of a horror film, but it didn’t frighten her. She’d woven through the stones too many times as a child to let it bother her. They were a part of her.
She walked to the center of the stones, drawing her circle. Sending up a prayer of gratitude, she poured out the love and the heartache she’d experienced. Even though she’d lost it all, she’d known love. She’d always be grateful for that.
“Send my words in the air, that he may know how I care…”
Stepping from the shadows, Drake entered the stone circle. “I heard.”
“Drake?” she gasped, wiping tears from her eyes. “You’re here?”
He didn’t answer, only stepped closer to her. “Let me in.” He eyed her circle.
He didn’t need to come in. She could easily come out. She wanted to. All she could think about what racing into his arms, about pouring her heart out to him. “It’s okay. I’ll close it.”
“I don’t think so. I need to come in.”
She didn’t know why he was pushing for it, but she didn’t care. If it meant that much to him, she’d open it for him. She’d give him anything.
Chanting, she reached out of the circle, grasping his hand before pulling him in.
Light arced from the ring, swallowing the forest. Her hair shot into the air as wind tunneled through the circle. Power surged around them, through them. And she knew.
It was from him.
“How?” She searched his eyes.
“I don’t know.” He lifted the back of her hand to his lips, brushing a tender kiss there. “But I suspected as much after the last spell we did together.”
He’d had magic all along. “I don’t understand.” But she didn’t need to. She didn’t care. All she cared about was that he was here. With her. The prophecy didn’t matter. None of it did. “You came back,” she whispered.
He wiped a tear from her cheek. “I’ll always come back.”
Her eyes scrunched closed. “I thought you’d gone for good. I thought I’d lost you.”
“Did it matter?”
“Of course!” She stilled his hand, wanting his full attention on what she was saying. “It will always matter. I don’t care about the prophecy. I didn’t care whether or not you had magic. I needed you. You are my mate because I choose you. Because I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I determine my own fate.” She shuddered. “I thought it was too late.”
“It’s never too late.”
“If you’d come tomorrow it would’ve been.”
He laughed softly before sobering. “But I’m here now.”
The air was still in the circle as if waiting for her answer. “I love you, Drake.” When relief flooded his eyes, she couldn’t hold her feelings back any longer. “I love you so much. I need you. I choose you. Now and forever. I accept you as my friend, my mate, and my love. No matter how much I put you through, you still wanted me, still fought for me. And even when it hurt you, you stepped aside and gave me what I needed. I’ve been selfish.” He tried to cut in but she pressed her fingers to his lips. He kissed them, but remained silent. “I have. I’ve been selfish. I was so focused on what I needed, who I needed, when I needed them. I put myself first, but that’s over now. You come first in my life. Now it’s us. If you accept me, I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life loving you and working to make you happy.”
“You finished?”
Before she could answer, his arms dove around her, pulling her into his body. His mouth captured hers, tasting of possession, of longing, and her whole body responded in kind. She couldn’t get enough, couldn’t get close enough. She wanted to melt straight into him so that they never parted again.
“I love you, Poppy,” he whispered between kisses. “It’s only always been you for me. I love you.” Her chin shook as they kissed again, but her heart lightened. She hadn’t lost him. “I need you with me, always. I want you in my life. I want to help you make shampoo and cook witch’s brew on the stove until the house reeks.” She laughed. “I want to make love to you, I want to watch you wake with the sun, I want to raise a family with you, and I want to grow old with you.” Her chest fluttered as his words weaved a spell over her heart. “I accept you.”
Wind tunneled through the circle, slamming through them before dissipating once more.
“It’s done.” She viewed the silent woods in awe. This circle was sacred, special, and it was respected. But this was the first time she’d felt bone deep reverence within it.
They were joined. Never to be parted from one another. Drake gathered her up in his arms, and she closed her eyes, tilting her face toward the sky. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He notched her chin up with his finger. His eyes searched hers. “You haven’t answered my question.”
“Which question?”
“The one I didn’t get to ask before the wind almost took us out.”
She bit her lip. “Oh, that one.”
“Will you marry me, Poppy?”
“Yes. Oh, yes.” She threaded her hands through his hair, pulling him down for a kiss. “Always yes.”
He kissed her until her head spun. She closed the circle, giving a final blessing before wrapping her arm around him. She was ready to go home.
Before they started down the path he asked, “You aren’t going to change your mind if another guy with magic comes into town are you?”
“No way. You’re the only one for me.”
“So, can I know the prophecy now?”
She hesitated. It didn’t matter what the prophecy said. She’d made her choice and he was her mate. Still, he had a right to know.
She told him the rest of it.
He laughed so hard it echoed through the trees.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s so funny?”
When he caught his breath, he wiped a tear from his eye. “Sweetheart, I could have eased your mind long ago had you told me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Marked by the moon. Do you know what that means?”
She shook her head. “Does that mean something to you?” It was the only part of the prophecy she hadn’t understood.
He grinned before lifting his shirt. Just above the waist of his jeans was a crescent birthmark. “The moon,” she breathed.
“My father has it. My grandfather too. It’s passed down from father to son.”
Her mouth fell open. “It must be linked with your line.”
He shrugged the shirt back down. “We’ll have to find out. But that makes sense.”
Laughter floated from her lips. And just like that, everything made sense. All the years of preparation, of worrying about who her mate was, had been for nothing. Because he’d been by her side the whole time.
The prophecy was true. Her mate had claimed her at Cloch Chroí.
Fate had guided
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