Haunted Covenant (Dying Covenant Trilogy Book 1)

  HAUNTED COVENANT

  DYING COVENANT TRILOGY BOOK ONE

  AMANDA M. LEE

  WINCHESTERSHAW PUBLICATIONS

  Copyright © 2017 by Amanda M. Lee

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  CONTENTS

  Prologue

  1. One

  2. Two

  3. Three

  4. Four

  5. Five

  6. Six

  7. Seven

  8. Eight

  9. Nine

  10. Ten

  11. Eleven

  12. Twelve

  13. Thirteen

  14. Fourteen

  15. Fifteen

  16. Sixteen

  17. Seventeen

  18. Eighteen

  19. Nineteen

  20. Twenty

  21. Twenty-One

  22. Twenty-Two

  23. Twenty-Three

  24. Twenty-Four

  25. Twenty-Five

  26. Twenty-Six

  27. Twenty-Seven

  28. Twenty-Eight

  29. Twenty-Nine

  30. Thirty

  Mailing List

  About the Author

  Books by Amanda M. Lee

  PROLOGUE

  “I hate you!”

  “I know.” My husband (although we hadn’t been married long enough for that to really sink in) Aric Winters pressed a cold cloth to my forehead to wipe away the sweat, keeping his face placid even though I’d hurled every curse word in my vocabulary his way over the course of the past ten hours. He refused to let me pick a fight – which is what I really wanted.

  “I’m not joking,” I said, cringing as another jolt of pain coursed through me. Considering the fact that I felt as if I was being ripped apart from the inside every two minutes or so, it was a minor pain in comparison. “You’re the devil.”

  Aric is one of those guys who is either unflappable or borders on freaking out given what feels like constant upheavals in our lives. I thought he would be a mess when it came time for this one – the big one – but he refused to let me bait him. “I know, baby.” Aric pushed a strand of my soaked hair from my face and smiled. “We still haven’t picked a name. Do you want to focus on that or keep complaining?”

  Was he kidding? “I want to keep complaining.”

  “That’s what I figured.”

  I rolled my eyes so hard I thought I might flip over and fall off of the medical bed. We were in a small mid-Michigan clinic, one that catered to wolves and other paranormal beings about to give birth. I wanted to go to a hospital – hey, I am not one of those women who think martyrdom while giving birth is a good thing. I’d rather have the drugs – but that was vetoed quickly. I had no say in the matter. Because I’m a mage, my husband a wolf, and the huge devil child growing inside of me appeared to have powers within the womb, we couldn’t risk it.

  “How are we doing in here?” The chipper nurse – who I guessed was a wolf but didn’t really care enough to talk to her to find out – pasted a bright smile on her face as she walked back in to my birthing room. “Are the contractions getting closer?”

  My name is Zoe Lake. I’m a magical mage, a witty conversationalist, an absolute beast in the morning and I’m about to give birth to what I’m sure will be the worst-behaved child in the world. I should know because I had the title until this point. I can put up with a lot. Unnaturally upbeat nurses are where I draw the line, though.

  “Get out!”

  Aric blew out a long-suffering sigh and forced a smile for the nurse’s benefit. “She doesn’t mean that. She’s just uncomfortable.”

  Uncomfortable? I couldn’t help but wonder how he would feel if he had to pass a tennis ball through his … well, you know. That’s essentially the comparison we’re working on here, folks. “Don’t apologize for me.”

  “It’s okay,” the nurse said, flashing Aric a flirty smile. “This is normal.”

  “Don’t look at him that way,” I snapped. “He’s married. This is his fault.” I gestured toward my huge stomach and then groaned as another contraction overwhelmed me. “This is definitely his fault. I’ll never be thin again.”

  “Not all of that is my fault,” Aric countered, but I could see the concern etched across his chiseled features. “You’re the one who insisted on Ice Cream Thursdays and Fast Food Fridays. I thought we should be eating healthier, but you said the baby didn’t like that idea.”

  “She doesn’t!” Tears flooded down my cheeks as I rolled to the side and buried my face in the pillow. “That’s it. Take me to the hospital. I don’t care if she comes in a big ball of light and we have to put memory spells on everyone there. I want the drugs … and I want them now.”

  “Isn’t there something you can give her?” Aric asked, rubbing my back. I knew he was trying to comfort me, but I wanted to take that hand and punch his face with it.

  “That’s not an option.” Ophelia Harmon, the clinic’s midwife, strode into the room as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “We cannot risk this baby doing something so big we can’t cover it up. That would make you targets. Do you want that?”

  “No.” Aric’s brown eyes were somber. “She’s in so much pain, though.”

  “People have been giving birth since the dawn of man,” Ophelia pointed out. “I think this one is just a drama queen.”

  Well, she wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t faking this time, though. “Oh, puh-leez! We’ve been targets for ten freaking years. Take me to the hospital.”

  “That’s not allowable, Mrs. Winters.”

  Yeah, that did it. I lashed out with my magic, forcing Aric to cover my face as I shattered the mirror on the wall, sending glass shards in thirty different directions. “My name is Lake-Winters!”

  “Okay, you need to chill,” Aric said, brushing the glass off the blanket and fixing me a dark look. “I know you’re in pain, but … .”

  I grabbed his hand and squeezed as hard as I could. Even though he was a tough guy, I was strong enough to make him grimace. “Do you want to see how much pain I’m in?”

  “Not particularly,” Aric grumbled, ripping his hand from mine and shaking his head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do for you.”

  “I know.” I burst into tears as soon as I uttered the words and covered my face out of shame. I couldn’t control my emotions any more than I could control the pain. For someone who always controls everything, there was no getting around it – this was the worst day of my life.

  “Oh, Zoe, it’s okay,” Aric said, brushing his lips against my forehead. “This will be over soon and then we’ll have a baby.”

  “A baby we have no idea how to take care of,” I reminded him, hating how pitiful I sounded. “I didn’t even take care of my dolls when I was a kid. I thought they were too much work, so I left them outside to die slow, painful deaths.”

  Aric chuckled. “Well, we won’t have that option,” he said. “We’ll figure it out. I bet most parents feel this way at the beginning.”

  “Yes, but most parents don’t know their child is going to be horrible,” I said. “Do you know what a rotten kid I was?”

  “Your parents say that’s an exaggeration.”

  “They only say that now because they want to spoil their granddaughter. They know it’s the only grandchild they’ll have,” I argued. “They don’t mean it. Time fades things like that.”
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  “You keep referring to the baby as a ‘she,’” Aric said, locking gazes with me. “Did you find out when I wasn’t around? I thought we agreed to wait for the birth so we could be surprised together.”

  “I don’t know,” I said, making a petulant face as my stomach quaked. “I just … know.”

  “How?” I couldn’t decide if Aric was genuinely curious or simply wanted me to focus on something else so I didn’t keep picking at him.

  “I can … feel … her emotions sometimes,” I admitted, rubbing my cheek. “She can sense us. She’s been watching our shared memories, although I’m not sure she understands what she’s seeing.”

  “That’s still cool,” Aric said. “I think a little girl will be fun.”

  “It’s not a boy, though,” I pointed out. “You won’t have anyone to carry on your name. We agreed we could only have the one in case … .” I left it hanging. We both knew the “in case.” In case crazy people decided they needed a magical child to hurt us … or blackmail us … or simply boost their own power. A child like this – one with limitless potential – could be a powerful weapon. Aric and I agreed we couldn’t split our attention. We had to focus on the one child, no matter the gender. I couldn’t help but worry he would eventually change his mind, though.

  “Zoe, I do not care about that,” Aric said, grabbing the back of my neck and forcing me to look at him. “I am thrilled with a girl. She’s going to be beautiful … and strong … and unbelievably mouthy. Just like her mother.”

  An odd lump formed in my throat and I couldn’t speak, so I merely blinked back tears and nodded.

  “What are we going to name her?” Aric asked, focusing the conversation on something else. “I still like the name Samantha. We can call her Sami for short.”

  “After all of this pain I think we should give her a horrible name as punishment,” I countered. “I’m leaning toward Gertrude … or Agnes … or how about Rutabaga? I’ve heard celebrities name their kids after fruit. Let’s name her Rutabaga.”

  “We’ll wait until after she’s here to make that decision,” Aric said. “Speaking of that … .” He turned toward Ophelia and raised an eyebrow. “How much longer?”

  “Soon,” Ophelia said, moving toward the end of the bed so she could position herself on the stool there. The light above the bed shimmered as the room briefly shook. “Are you doing that?”

  I shook my head. I’d felt the flutter ripple through me, though. I knew exactly who was doing it.

  “I think it’s probably very soon,” Ophelia said, nudging my knees up. “Are you ready to start pushing?”

  I frowned. Ever since getting pregnant I’d learned to cede some of my rigid control when it came to barriers, but I wasn’t sure I could take her sitting down there and staring at my private parts for an extended length of time. “Can’t you just … I don’t know … lure her out?”

  “Lure?” Ophelia looked dubious. “She’s not going to crawl out. You have to push her out.”

  “Try chocolate,” Aric suggested. “That works when I want to bribe Zoe into doing something.”

  I made a face. “I don’t want to push. I’m tired. Just … pull her out or something.”

  “Stop being difficult,” Ophelia chided. “You have four grandparents waiting in the lobby to see this baby. There are a couple of friends out there, too. Do you want to disappoint them?”

  “I honestly don’t care,” I replied. “If they think it’s so great, well, they can have the baby. I’m done.”

  “You can’t be done.”

  “Oh, I can be done,” I intoned. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want a baby. I was iffy about it when I found out I was pregnant. Now I’m sure this baby is going to be a total jerk. I don’t want her.”

  Aric pressed his lips together to keep from laughing as he slipped onto the bed behind me and pushed me forward so he could make himself comfortable and get me into a more labor-friendly position. “You want her,” he said. “We both want her.”

  “Nope. I’ve changed my mind.” I can be pouty and obstinate when I want to be. “Oh, oh, oh.” Something shifted inside of me. No, really. The pain was enough to make me scream. “Ow, ow, ow! Get her out!”

  “Get her out right now,” Aric barked, gripping my shoulders. “Her entire body just seized up. Get her out.”

  “This is normal.”

  “It’s not normal for us,” Aric shot back. “This is my wife, and she’s in pain. Do something!”

  “It’s already happening on its own.” Ophelia looked taken aback by Aric’s tone as the light over the bed flickered and the floor shook. “Oh, my. This baby is powerful!”

  “We’ve noticed,” Aric said dryly. “Get her out.”

  “Aren’t you excited?” Ophelia asked, snapping latex gloves into place and resting her hands on her knees. “You could be the father of the most powerful baby ever.”

  “I’m excited to see my child,” Aric clarified. “I’m already married to the most powerful woman I’ve ever known. This is a child. It’s not about the magic.”

  Ophelia was instantly contrite. “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant. Of course you’re excited for the baby. It’s just … look at that.”

  The light above the bed swayed back and forth as the flickering became more insistent.

  “I’ve seen the lightshow before,” Aric said, his tone even. “It’s time to see the baby.”

  I nodded as I bit my lip, screaming again as a powerful contraction ripped through me.

  “Here she comes,” Ophelia said, getting into position. “She’s coming fast. I might’ve been wrong about your wife being a drama queen.”

  “See,” I sputtered. “I’m not making up how much this hurts.”

  “Baby, I know it hurts,” Aric said. “I also know that as soon as you rest up after this you can heal yourself. I know you’re tired. I know you’re worried. I know you’re terrified about what’s to come.

  “I believe we can do anything as long as we’re together, though,” he continued. “This is just another adventure.”

  I couldn’t stop the tears. “And what if she’s like me?”

  “I’ll be thrilled to have two of you.”

  “Aric!” I gasped as I gripped his hand and pitched forward, something inside tearing loose – and not in a physical way. I could feel the baby shift, but the magic escaping with her was off the charts.

  “Here she comes,” Ophelia cooed. “I’ve got her.”

  I sobbed as the pain retreated, a light smattering of glittery air particles floating above me before finally winking out. The baby’s first breath of outside oxygen was accompanied by the screech to end all screeches as Ophelia cleaned her off and wrapped her in a pink blanket.

  “She’s definitely like you,” Aric said, laughing as a tear slid down his cheek.

  Ophelia handed her over, placing her gently on my chest as the baby wailed with righteous indignation at her new world. “You were right about her being a girl.”

  I nodded, marveling at the tiny baby – my baby.

  “The grandparents heard the crying and want to come in,” the nurse announced as she poked her head through the door. “What should I tell them?”

  “Tell them that mother, father and baby are doing well, and they’ll be allowed to visit in ten minutes,” Ophelia said, her smile enigmatic as she glanced at us. “For now, I think they need a few minutes alone.”

  Ophelia followed the nurse out of the room, leaving the three of us to our new reality.

  “Look at how small she is,” Aric marveled, picking up a tiny foot.

  “Look how dark her hair is,” I said, gesturing at the mass of black hair that covered her head. “She looks like you.”

  “That kind of makes me sad,” Aric said. “I envisioned a little blond girl or a dark-haired boy. You know, mini versions of us. I guess that sounds narcissistic, huh?”

  “I wouldn’t know. I’m too narcissistic to notice.”

  “God, she�
��s perfect, Zoe.” Aric kissed my temple and ran his hand over the baby’s back, his touch calming her and causing an almost immediate cessation of the wailing. “I can’t believe she’s here.”

  “Me either,” I admitted. “I thought I was going to be one of those women who die in childbirth.”

  “That’s not funny,” Aric muttered.

  “Too soon?”

  “You’re going to be in big trouble for saying that … but not until after you’re feeling better, because now that I’ve seen a human being come out of you I think I’m going to have to spoil you forever.”

  I snorted, smiling as the baby made an unhappy face at being disturbed. She was unbelievably small and vulnerable. The mere idea of keeping her safe temporarily overwhelmed me. “We’re going to totally screw her up. You realize that, right?”

  “I realize that our family just got bigger and so did our hearts,” Aric replied. “The rest is … gravy.”

  “Gravy?”

  “It’s just another part of our adventure, Zoe,” Aric said. “I, for one, intend to enjoy every second of it.”

  ONE

  TWELVE YEARS LATER

  “Y ou are the love of my life. Have I ever told you that?”

  Aric flashed a roguish smile as he approached me in the backyard. It was early in the afternoon and I was cleaning the area around our bonfire pit for a birthday party later that evening. Twelve-year-old girls were invading my peaceful abode. Ten of them. Blech. What? I hate cleaning, and pre-teen girls have to be one of the top signs of the apocalypse. I’m not making it up.

  “What do you want?” I asked, narrowing my eyes suspiciously as my husband settled his well-muscled frame on one of the benches next to the fire pit. He was almost forty-two – in fact his birthday was a month away – but he was still ridiculously handsome. The only way you could tell he was in his forties instead of thirties was the slight hint of graying hair at his temples. I thought it made him look distinguished. He, on the other hand, tried to pull out the hairs when he thought I wasn’t looking. I also caught him eyeing hair dye when we were in the market last week.