Daughter of Stars and Nightmares (The Eternal Bond Saga book 1)

Eternal Bonds

Havenswood December 21st

When Alex returned to the mansion with Ren and Felicia, the bodies were gone. To make sure no one could use the house again they burned it to the ground.

It had been four days since they defeated Thorsen and returned home and in that time Julia and Alex hadn't really talked. The awkwardness between them over the fact that she was Beatrix's reincarnation had grown enormous, and they were both avoiding each other.

Julia had forgiven her mother for the part she played in all of it. Rosalie promised she would tell Julia everything she knew when she had fully recovered. According to Edrys that was still months away. The wound Rosalie had received was very slow to heal and the wolfsbane wouldn't completely leave her system for another month.

Julia sat on the front porch the swing chair under a thick blanket, rocking back and forth staring into space. Now that she could use magic her dark faerie side had vanished; along with it the unearthly silver eyes. She figured it had something to do with what Beatrix did to her. Although her eyes hadn't changed back to hazel, they were now a blue-grey.

So much had changed since she ran off to Europe. It was only supposed to have been a fun trip to celebrate the start of her last year of high school; yet it had turned into much more. She had her eyes pried wide open and was forced to grow up at lightning speed in the few months since she first met Alex on the streets in Paris. Even though she had suffered great pain and loss, she wouldn't change any of it.

She was stronger, finally knowing and understanding the truth behind who she was. It was now a question of figuring who she needed to become from here on out that was proving hard. Julia was still very conflictedas to whether the feelings she had were her own or Beatrix's. Julia knew the steps she needed to take to resolve her anxiety. She was just scared to sit down and talk her feelings out with Alex.

Ren walked up to Julia on the porch and sat down next to her on the swing chair pulling her into his arms. She relaxed into him and rested her head against his shoulder. "You know this whole avoidance thing you and fang-boy are doing right now is not helping either of you. One of you two needs to grow a pair and tell the other what's on your mind. Because the last time I checked not even dark faerie-witch cross bloods can read minds, let alone the rest of us supernatural folk."

She sighed. "I know you're right. But I'm terrified, Ren. What if he only loves me because I look like her? I have so many questions bouncing around my mind it feels like it will explode. And it doesn't help that I desperately miss him."

"Tell him all of this. It's the only way you two will make it. And for what it's worth, I know he's crazy about you, Jules." He pulled them both up on their feet. "Now come inside."

When Ren pushed Julia inside, she was greeted by Alex standing in the living room holding up a cupcake with a single candle on it.

Ren squeezed her shoulders. "Surprise."

Julia turned and looked at Ren. "Thank you."

Ren gave her a grin. "Happy birthday, Julia. Now I'll leave you two alone but just so you know Ella, Abby, Kuro, Felicia and Edrys will be coming over in a few hours to celebrate your birthday." He gave them a wink and a wicked grin. "So behave yourselves while I'm gone." Then he turned and walked out the front door.

Julia walked over to Alex, he held up the cupcake and said, "Make a wish."

She smiled and blew out the candle then took the cupcake and set it on the coffee table. They sat on the couch and silence painfully stretched out between them. Julia stole a secretive glance from underneath her lashes at Alex.