All in a Day's Work



 

  Book six of the Avery Clavens series

  Amber Lynn

 

  Copyright © 2015 Amber Lynn

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

  Author’s note

  A bittersweet note

  This is it. The last Avery Claven’s book in this story arc. I think part of the reason I delayed it for two and a half years is because I really don’t want it to be over.

  I know by the end of this book I’m going to be a blubbering mess. It’s an accepted fact and I just hope I’m able to explain it to my husband. Like Aisling told Nate in the last book, “It’s a girl thing, you wouldn’t understand.”

  As I’ve said, there are ideas in my head for more stories, and as I wrote this there was definitely a future plot that came out of it, but it will probably be a little while before I can get to them. I have three book threes and a new paranormal romance in the queue, so for now, this is going to be it for Avery.

  There are a lot of people I’d love to thank for their support from the very first book. Most of them are people who have commented or followed me, so I don’t know their real names for sure, but I want to let every person who has taken the time to follow or comment know that I’ve noticed and it means the world to me. You are why I keep writing, and this book is dedicated to you.

  Amber

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  CHAPTER 1

  Is it time to fight yet?

  I was having an “it’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times” moment. Two weeks had passed since my wedding, and there was a part of me that couldn’t be happier. Committing myself to Nate always made me happy, a thought I wouldn’t have thought possible prior to getting my memories back.

  The fact that I’d just had the eggs containing my children removed from the warm home my body made for them dimmed my joy just a little. Okay, little was the wrong word, but the more I thought about how pissed I was, the more I wanted to start punching everyone around me.

  It was for their safety. I knew it, and they knew it, but none of us liked it. The communication between us had just opened up. Nate and I decided that as soon as we were able to talk to them, it was time to make sure they were safe, so we could take care of a little unfinished business.

  Malphas had been quiet, even though his army of warlocks was getting awfully cozy in Iowa, as Malphas had told us they would. My hope was that they’d fallen off the face of the world, but I knew that wasn’t a possibility. My family meant the end of warlocks according to a stupid piece of paper that everyone believed to be true, and that spelled trouble for their leader.

  “I know it hurts, but they aren’t in danger in the incubator. And just think, you don’t have to worry about getting as big as a house.” Nate held my hand as we gazed in the incubator he’d mentioned.

  The procedure to remove them had only taken a few minutes. A doctor came in, sawed up my belly and took them out. She was nice enough to put a few stitches in to make sure my guts didn’t spill out while I healed, which had already happened.

  “It’s what we planned, and I know we don’t have a choice since you couldn’t keep your hands to yourself on our honeymoon, but it still feels like I have a huge hole inside me now. Since they’re out, I know they won’t be going back in.”

  “If I recall correctly, it wasn’t my hands that had the issue, but I’ll let you blame me if it makes you feel better,” Nate said as he squeezed my hand.

  “Of course it does. I have to blame someone for not having any control that night and I’m sure as heck not going to blame myself.”

  Nate chuckled and leaned in to kiss my neck. “It was the best wedding night we’ve ever had, as far as I’m concerned. I know I’ve said that about all of them, but I felt even closer to you this time.”

  With my memories back, I knew what he said was the truth. We’d never had a dull honeymoon, but we were both a little different since the last one. He’d lived with the fear of never seeing me again, and I’d lived years not know who I really was.

  Those things changed us. In my estimation it was for the better. There was no chance we’d ever find ourselves parted again, thanks to a little spell I’d said, but we’d finally both found out what it was like to fear.

  Living your whole life, especially one that spanned millions of years, without fearing a single thing makes you overlook how precious life really is. We saw it every day as we observed humans, but without the mind-crippling terror that comes when you think of losing someone you love, I don’t believe we were ever really living.

  Every unique had come to understand that fear, and I thought we were better for it. It didn’t make us happier, but it made us a little more human, which wasn’t as awful as it sounded.

  “It’s probably best we don’t get into what made it so great right now. We have a demon and his minions to track down.” I didn’t want to stop staring at our eggs, but I knew I had work to do.

  “I’m pretty sure he can wait. It’s not like he’s done anything since he crashed our wedding. As far as I’ve heard, he hasn’t even been spotted since then.”

  I turned to look at Nate. We were alone in the room, so for once we didn’t have any interference from outside forces. My mother had tried to power her way in with us, but I’d been adamant that it was a moment we needed to be alone.

  “Doesn’t that scare you even more than anything else? He’s had more than enough time to set a trap that we won’t expect.”

  “Have you seen anything particular that indicates that?” Nate brushed a few strands of hair away from my face.

  “No, after my forced trip into the future, I haven’t seen a lot of anything. I’m only going by what I’ve seen in the past, and that’s more than likely changed.”

  “That’s got to be a good thing. You haven’t always blocked when you’ve thought about that moment by a tree, so I know why you did everything you did and why you’re trying so hard to make sure everyone knows you can take care of yourself.”

  I’d assumed as much. I was good at blocking, but I wasn’t always thinking about it when it came to Nate. Being soulmates, we were meant to share everything, even when we knew certain things would hurt.

  “I don’t know that I’d call it a good thing. I want to see an outcome I can live with, and so far nothing I’ve seen makes me feel good about the fight.”

  “What about the time missing from your memories? Do you think there’s a clue we’re missing from that month?”

  Nate attempted to pull me out of the room, but I stood my ground for a second, not quite ready to leave what would soon become a nursery. There were so many things we needed to do before the kids were born, and looking around the room that had once been my side of our bedroom suite, it looked so empty.

  We’d moved my bed and other furniture out for the incubator. We hadn’t had time to repaint or put in any baby furniture. Standing there, I really wished we had. If the room didn’t look semi-steril
e, it might have been easier to leave it.

  “Who’s on guard duty first?” I asked, delaying the inevitable.

  “Trey and Sean, but you already know that. Let’s go figure out if we can find where Malphas is and get this over with so we can come back and stare at the kids.”

  He pulled again and I allowed it for a few steps. “How scared are you that things won’t work out how we want them to?”

  He’d been so careful to hide his thoughts on the subject that I wanted to hear exactly where he stood. There was no denying I was afraid, even though I did my best to pretend otherwise.

  “I hide my thoughts on the subject because I’m not afraid, and I know you’d find that strange.”

  “How’s that possible? If you know everything I’ve seen, you know things can go really wrong, really fast.”

  Looking in his eyes, I didn’t see a lick of fear, and that boggled my mind. I was able to function with the level I felt, but I had to consciously put it to the back of my mind all the time. If I started thinking about it, my mind drifted to try to come up with ways to prevent the havoc I felt coming.

  “I know you don’t think so, but I’ve learned to believe Eva when she says something. I’m surprised you haven’t after your little trip to the future.”

  Shock plastered on my face, I stared at him. I was fairly certain I’d heard him wrong.

  “Care to repeat that?”

  He smiled, revealing his perfect rows of teeth. “I’ll do that if I can get you heading towards the dining room. If you can pick your jaw up off the ground, that would also be nice.”

  I stepped with him as he moved towards the door again. I looked one more time over my shoulder to make sure nothing had changed in the incubator. The three chicken egg sized, yellowish eggs remained undisturbed.

  I’d said enough spells and dripped blood all over the room while I said them to keep everyone without my permission out, but I didn’t trust Malphas, or the fighting ability of anyone who was going to be keeping guard.

  It put me in a tough situation. I had to leave in order to ensure they remained safe, but I didn’t trust their safety while I was gone. Seeing the doorframe as I walked through it, I took a deep breath and turned my head forward.

  “They’ll be fine. Malphas will be so worried about keeping track of what you’re doing that he won’t try anything here. Plus, between your protection and Eva’s assurances, I think the kids will be fine.”

  “What’s up with your sudden love for Eva? You do recall every time you found us together in the past she was causing trouble.”

  We walked by the two werewolves, who were huddled at the top of the stairs, trying to give us some privacy while we were in the nursery. It was nice of them, but I wanted them glued to the door.

  “No need to say anything,” Trey said. “I know that look and we’re on our way.”

  The duo practically ran to the door we’d exited. It wasn’t enough for them to just sit outside the door. I wanted whoever was on guard duty to have their eyes glued to the incubator.

  “You have them trained so well.” Nate drew me in close while we walked down the stairs. “And I’m pretty sure you’re the only person who actually hates Eva, which surprises me since you remember her now.”

  “She doesn’t hate me, Nate,” the she-devil herself said as we rounded the corner to the dining room. “She hates that I know more about what’s going on than she does. Your wife has always had the need to know everything.”

  “Well, I know that’s true. Avery needs reminded about that line you’ve been repeating over and over the past few weeks. I’d like for her to stop hyperventilating before we start the conversation.”

  I took my seat at the table and glared at my husband. “I’m breathing just fine, thank you very much.”

  “I think it’s her brain that’s doing the hyperventilating. She still doesn’t realize time for certain people is irrelevant. She’s been given chances to see the fact firsthand, but some people are just a little more hard-headed than others.”

  Eva climbed into Liam’s lap as she spoke and I vomited a little in my mouth. I knew they had a happily ever after in their future, but I still wanted better for my berserker buddy.

  “Let’s not worry about what you guys claim is an issue, and start talking about making a move. Where are we going?”

  No one immediately jumped to tell me what I wanted to know. The table was full, with leaders from every faction who planned on sending troops with us. Most of those leaders were talkers, and I didn’t feel comforted by the fact that no one was speaking up.

  “Are we supposed to say congratulations about the babies now, or should we wait until they hatch?” Brad asked. His words were tentative from his position six seats down the table to my right.

  Nate and I sat at the head of the table, with Freddie directly to my right. Joseph was to Nate’s left and the rest of the first quarter of the table was filled with the people closest to us.

  “It’s probably best to wait,” I suggested. “When we can hold them in our arms is probably the best time for congratulations.”

  “But you are able to communicate with them, right?” Frannie asked. She was sitting with Gary and his father.

  “Yes, they’re all healthy and fine up in their new warm environment. In case anyone was wondering, the surgery to remove them went fine and the scars are already healed. They’re currently still in eggs about the size of a chicken’s, so there isn’t a whole lot to see,” I explained.

  “And can you tell which one is the oracle?” Seth, the tiger leader, asked.

  “That’s something to figure out when they’re older, if any of them happen to be the oracle the prophecy speaks of. It could be a future child for all we know.” I didn’t want any pressure on my peanut-sized children, so I thought it best to wait for them to prove who and what they were on their own.

  “If you guys don’t mind, the way we’ve had to go about protecting our children is a little bit of a sensitive subject. No one wants to have their babies put in an incubator because it isn’t safe for them to be carried normally,” Nate chided. “Let’s focus on what plans need to be made.”

  “Good idea,” Joseph said, taking over. “Right now it seems everyone is in a small town called Orange City for some annual celebration they have going on there. I shouldn’t say everyone, but that’s where we’ve picked up the most activity. I highly doubt the warlocks are enjoying the festivities, but they’ve been moving around to either populous cities or places where they can blend in.”

  I was happy to hear we were getting to the action. I wasn’t sure why Malphas had picked a location in the middle of the country, but I was game to follow him anywhere to get things over with.

  “And do we know if there are only warlocks there?” I asked. Joseph hadn’t mentioned demons, which could’ve been a good thing, but I really didn’t feel like going on a wild goose chase.

  “I’m sure you already know this, but demons are really good about hiding themselves. We don’t have anyone who can pick them up without some magical assistance.”

  Joseph was correct that I knew how slimy and slippery demons could be, but I’d thought someone would’ve unearthed some relic stashed away somewhere to help with that problem. If they hadn’t, they should’ve interrupted my honeymoon so I could’ve made something.

  “Okay, I guess that means the sooner we leave, the better. Am I correct in thinking we’ve moved a good portion of our troops to the area already?”

  “That is correct, dollface,” Kyle said as he rubbed his hands together. He was as eager as I was to get on with the show.

  “Can you give me a location to plop us in at?” I wasn’t chancing getting on an airplane. Even if the jet we usually used was under our control, I couldn’t trust the runways to be cleared for landing and takeoff.

  “With almost everyone in this room going, it’s probably best to not land right in the middle of town,” Vinnie said, bringing up a map on his phone. “
Land us here.”

  The place he pointed to wasn’t anything more than a cornfield on a satellite image. From what I knew about Iowa, there were a lot of cornfields around, but I could get us to that particular one.

  “Here goes nothing,” I said as I pricked my finger for a spell.