“Okay, what reassurances do we have that he won’t… you know”—Brea shrugged—“come back again?”
Jess shut the book. “Because I won’t make the same mistake my mother made.” Jess smiled. “There’s a page in here on how to call him. My mother started the process that night, years ago. She just never finished it. A Hecate must slumber along Thanatos. Not just any mortal like Misty, but a witch, like me.” Jess looked over at Misty. “It was one of the reasons she kept presenting herself to us, breaking free from her prison. Calling for help. And another reason Thanatos was able to break through the slumber. Even though it took him twenty-some years.”
“So,” Xtina said after a moment of silence. “It was either you or your mother?”
Jess nodded, looking down at the book as the cover once more faded before her eyes. She ran her hand over the worn leather. “I’m breaking the cycle.”
“How?” Jacob asked.
She glanced up with a smile. “We’re having a son. Hecates don’t have sons. Only daughters.”
His smile was bright and fast. “A son?” He glanced to Xtina, who smiled and nodded.
“I’m never wrong about these things,” she added.
Jacob grabbed Jess up into a hug as everyone around them laughed.
A month later…
Jess stood behind the counter at the Coffee Corner and smiled when the group of people she loved the most walked in.
“Hey, can you take a break?” Jacob asked.
Jess looked over at Tilly, who smiled and nodded. “Go, I’ve got this.”
Jess moved around the counter and let Jacob tug her towards the back booth.
“So, we got all our stuff moved into the lake house, finally.” In the past few days, they had settled her dad into Jacob’s house and Misty into her old apartment.
“Wow, all that stuff moved in one day?” She glanced down at her watch and realized she only had an hour left before she could clock out.
“Well, we had help.” Jacob smiled. “Of course, we have a lot of unpacking to do, but I figure we have the rest of our lives to get that done.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
Her father and Misty sat across from them in the booth.
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay in the apartment?” Larry asked. “You’re going to have a lot of adjusting to do.” Her father had been trying to convince Misty to move in with him, but she was thinking Misty was holding out for a ring and a proposal. She knew her father wouldn’t hold out too much longer before giving that to her.
Misty laughed. “I feel completely confident that I’ll be fine.” She smiled as Larry’s arm wrapped around her shoulder. “But you can come by and check up on me on occasion if you want.”
It still made Jess smile when she saw how happy her father was with Misty.
“It’s like no time has passed at all.” Larry sighed. “You’re still as beautiful as you were the day I met you.”
“Larry.” Misty blushed.
“So,” Jacob broke in, “here comes the rest of our moving crew.” He nodded out the window.
Jess looked out and smiled when she saw Xtina, Mike, Brea, and Ethan walking towards them.
Ethan was wearing the same uniform Jacob wore to work. He was the newest member on Hidden Creek’s ever growing police force.
“Oh, look, Rose is here too.”
“Yeah, she had a vet checkup. The babies are due in less than a month, and Mike is a nervous wreck.” Jacob laughed as Mike leaned down and kissed Rose on the top of the head.
When the group of four walked into the shop, she waved them over to their booth.
They sat at the table across from them, Rose at Mike’s feet.
“So?” Xtina looked at Jacob. “Did you tell her?”
Jess turned to Jacob. “Tell me what?” Jacob’s smile faltered. “What?” she said again.
“Jacob’s agreed to take Tulip and Thorn.”
“Tulip and Thorn?” Jess tilted her head. “Who are Tulip and Thorn?”
Xtina smiled. “Numbers two and three.” She nodded to Rose. “Rose’s puppies.”
Jess turned to Jacob and sighed. “What?” he said. “I figured since we have such a big place now…”
Jess laughed. “Tulip and Thorn?”
“I had nothing to do with their names.” He shrugged. “Talk to your freaky friend who likes to name dogs after flowers.”
Xtina laughed. “I told you, they like to name themselves.”
Jess smiled and turned to Ethan and Brea. “I suppose you are getting one too?”
“We were lucky to get Lily, number four.” Brea smiled.
Her eyes turned to her father. “You?”
“Buttercup.” He smiled. “Number five.”
“Who has number one?”
“Daisy.” Xtina smiled. “Mike’s parents agreed to take her.”
“Four girls and one boy?” Jess asked.
“No, five girls and one boy. We’re keeping Jasmine, number six, the runt, for ourselves. Rose wants to keep her around.” Mike smiled.
“So, it’s settled then.” Jess smiled. “We’re all one big happy family.”
She laid her hand on her still-flat stomach and knew that her son would be the first Hecate in a new generation, with a new mission. He would stand strong, surrounded by people who loved him, and learn to protect the world against evil.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
THE BECKONING
PRINT ISBN: 978-1-942896-87-6
DIGITAL ISBN: 978-1-942896-78-4
Copyright © 2017 Jill Sanders
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
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Other books by Jill Sanders
The Pride Series
Finding Pride
Returning Pride
Lasting Pride
Serving Pride
Red Hot Christmas
My Sweet Valentine
Return To Me
Rescue Me
The Secret Series
Secret Seduction
Secret Pleasure
Secret Guardian
Secret Passions
Secret Identity
Secret Sauce
The West Series
Loving Lauren
Taming Alex
Holding Haley
Missy’s Moment
Breaking Travis
Roping Ryan
Wild Bride
Corey’s Catch
Tessa’s Turn
The Grayton Series
Last Resort
Someday Beach
Rip Current
In Too Deep
Swept Away
Lucky Series
Unlucky In Love
Sweet Resolve
Best of Luck
Silver Cove Series
Silver Lining
French Kiss
Entangled Series – Paranormal Romance
The Awakening
The Beckoning
The Ascension
St. Helena Vineyard Kindle Worlds
Where I Belong
For a complete list of books: http://jillsanders.com
About the Author
Jill Sanders is The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Pride Series, Secret Series, West Series, Grayton Series, Lucky Series, Silver Cove, and Entangled Paranormal Romance Series. She continues to lure new readers with her sweet and sexy stories. Her books are available in every English-speaking country and in audiobooks as well as being translated into Ge
rman and French.
Born as an identical twin to a large family, she was raised in the Pacific Northwest and later relocated to Colorado for college and a successful IT career before discovering her talent as a writer. She now makes her home along the Emerald Coast in Florida where she enjoys the beach, hiking, swimming, wine tasting, and of course writing.
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