Page 36 of November Reign
“He knows I would have thrown him a lavish Halloween gala if he had asked. I’d give him the world if I could. It wasn’t what he wanted. Damon is bored, and a bored Damon is dangerous. He wanted the thrill of breaking the rules, of nearly being caught.”
Mori understood Damon well and loved him for all of it.
“I shouldn’t have called him a child. He just gets under my skin.”
“Siblings do that, so I hear. Please talk to him and put this matter to bed. We need the coven to move forward if we have any chance of ending this war withBasil. If you work together, maybe you can find a way for Oak to come home.”
Mori left me soon after, Hela following behind him. I paced my room, uncertain how to go about putting things right with Damon. I knew I had to say sorry. While most of what I said was the truth, I could have put it better, too focused on hurting someone to ease my own pain.
My stomach gave a pitiful growl. Lunch had long since passed. An idea hit. I would make a treat for Damon to go along with dinner for everyone. Cookies were a perfect peace offering.
When I got to the kitchen, I was startled to find Damon there, pots bubbling away and something delicious in the oven.
“Hey,” he said calmly when he heard my approach. “Thought I’d make dinner since you’re the one who cooks most. Give you a night off.”
“Um, thanks. Look, about earlier—“
“I’m sorry,” he interrupted. “About vanishing. About Oak. I know it’s shitty to say I don’t want this and just drop it all on you all the time. The book chose me.”
I took a seat at the counter and watched him stir things with confidence. Damon looked at home in the kitchen. A skill he’d been hiding from us.
“It did. You can be a great High Witch.”
“No, I can’t, because you’re right. I hate my magic. Or at least I used to.” He gave a wry smile. “I’m learning to love it slowly, but the coven… things that night could have ended horribly. People could have died because I was frustrated.”
“Doesn’t mean I should have said what I did. You were right. Oak had to go until we can prove he’s not on Basil’s side. We can’t have him here near the grimoire when it’s the one thing Basil wants. I just… I was angry at you for hurting Barr, for going off where I couldn’t protect you, for not even calling.”
Maybe that was what hurt the most. His text apologies were fine, but that’s all we were given. I felt like an afterthought instead of anyone important to Damon.
“Yeah, I’m sorry for that.”
“We’ve… we never bonded as brothers. I always get the feeling you see Parker as a brother, but not me. And I guess that hurts me. I want to be your family, Damon.”
He looked horrified for a moment. Was it that bad being my family? True, my track record was poor withmy relatives, but I thought Damon could be a fresh start.
“This is going to sound shitty, but bear with me.” I was relieved to see some of Damon’s spark back. “I don’t see you as a brother.” He put the spoon he was holding down to concentrate on me. “When I think back to the stories you’ve told me about my mom, how you were by her side… I don’t see you as a brother because when I look at you, I see my dad.”
Talk about a shot to the heart! My eyes filled with tears. I finally saw myself the way he did. All the stories I’d told him of us playing at the park, reading at bedtime, me learning how to change diapers. Yeah, I could see how I was more like a parent.
“Damon… I’m… fuck!” I swiped away my tears. “Being your dad would be an honor.”
He picked up the spoon and waved me away, his eyes glistening. “Help me set the table? We can start fresh tomorrow, okay?”
Unable to help myself, I jumped from my seat, and rounded the counter to pull him into a bone-crushing hug. I felt wetness from his tears on my shirt as he buried his face against my shoulder.
“I’ve loved you since before you were born, so no matter what you want to call me, I’ll answer. Being your dad would be a dream come true.”
Damon could only nod. Maybe he wasn’t ready to spill his feelings. That was okay. The gift he had given me was worth more than anything.
Alone
Oak
To be honest, Ithought it would take him less time to find me.
Soon after finding a decent hotel to hole up in, I sent Thyme a text letting him know I was safe, and the basics of my plan: I was going to lure Basil out.
Nearly a week went by, a full week where my reputation within the coven was slandered because of my prior relationship with Basil. If I’d known he was evil, I would never have slept with him, no matter how cute I thought he was. Strangely enough, I had principles then, and still had them. If the coven wanted to think the worst of me, then fuck them.
