Jace: Hidden Realms of Silver Lake (Four Sisters of Fate Book 5) Read online

  Jace

  Hidden Realms of Silver Lake

  The Four Sisters of Fate

  Book 5

  Vella Day

  Jace

  Copyright © 2019 by Vella Day

  Kindle Edition

  www.velladay.com

  [email protected]

  Cover Art by Jaycee DeLorenzo

  Edited by Rebecca Cartee and Carol Adcock-Bezzo

  Published in the United States of America

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-941835-39-5

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief questions embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are 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.

  When a shy, erratic teleporting witch from Earth meets a hot dragon shifter from Tarradon, trouble and fun ensue.

  When wealthy construction owner Jace Sanders meets his business partner’s deliciously sexy nanny from Earth, his life is turned upside down. Jace can’t believe he’s met his mate—and his perfect match. The problem is that Ivy Woodson is from Earth and he’s from a Tarradon, a completely different realm. To say she is out of her element would be an understatement.

  Convince her to stay, his friends suggest. Easy, right? Hardly. Jace has always had his pick of women. After all, he’s rich, successful, and rather charming, or so people say. But from the moment Ivy arrives, things go awry.

  Jace knows she’s the one for him, while Ivy can’t believe the handsome dragon shifter would ever want her. What will he have to do to convince her life on Tarradon—with him—is for her?

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About the Book

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Other Books by the Author

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  “Izzy, you have to help me. Please.” Ivy Woodson worked hard not to sound desperate, but she suspected she failed. Royally.

  Bothering her mentor had been the last thing she wanted to do, but when Ivy had teleported to a gas station instead of to a fellow Wendayan’s house, she’d freaked—and so had the lady pumping gas.

  If Ivy hadn’t decided to make the friend she was planning to visit some cookies, she wouldn’t have been late in the first place and wouldn’t have needed to teleport.

  Crap. Either Ivy had to give up ever learning how to control her powers, or she had to figure out a way to harness them. That was where Isadora Berta came in. She just might be one of the most powerful Wendayans in all of Tennessee. She could help.

  “Calm down, Ivy. Tell me what happened,” Izzy said in her usual soothing voice.

  Ivy tightened her grip on the phone. “Clara and I were going to practice some of our skills at her house. Even you said we needed to. Well, I was running late—a chronic issue with me as you know—and I thought what the heck? I would just teleport to her house instead of driving there. Practice makes perfect, right?”

  “Perfect practice makes perfect,” Izzy shot back.

  “That’s all well and good except that I’m not so great with perfection.”

  “Ivy. Don’t be so hard on yourself. What did you do exactly?”

  “I kind of didn’t land where I pictured.”

  “Oh, no. Did anyone see you?” Izzy sucked in an audible breath.

  While ordinary humans were aware there were witches, they basically dismissed them as kooks. Seeing someone appear out of thin air would have really freaked a person out. Ivy would have been run out of town for sure if people learned of her unusual abilities.

  “Kind of. There was one lady at the gas pump. Because it was dark, I was able to play it if off like she imagined seeing me appear out of nowhere. I think she bought it.”

  “Oh, Ivy. That could have been a disaster.”

  “I know. Needless to say, I walked the rest of the way to Clara’s house. I didn’t dare try again for fear I’d end up inside a store or something.” With the lights blazing.

  “I am so sorry. Since you seem quite rattled, do you want to come over and talk about it? Maybe I can help you with your powers of concentration.”

  Izzy had just had a second baby and probably didn’t need to be giving magic lessons to an apprentice. Other than her friend Clara, Ivy might be the only other Wendayan whose skills were this raw. The temptation however for Izzy’s needed help was too great. “You aren’t busy?”

  She was at Clara’s right now, and her friend agreed that Ivy needed Izzy’s help more.

  “For you? No. Rye is here, and he can watch the kids if they fuss.”

  “Thank you. I’ll be there in a flash.”

  “I suggest you don’t—”

  Knowing what she was about to say, Ivy disconnected. Driving at night wasn’t her best talent either, which was why she really needed to learn to teleport. Concentrating hard, she focused on Izzy and Rye’s house. A second later, she was inside.

  I did it!

  “Hey, Ivy,” Rye said. “Izzy’s in the living room.”

  Shit. She’d landed in the baby’s room. “Hi, Rye. Sorry.”

  He chuckled, and then returned to changing his daughter’s diaper.

  As if she’d meant to stop in there first, Ivy walked into the living room. Izzy looked up and smiled. “You teleported.”

  She couldn’t tell if Izzy was angry or just frustrated with her for chancing another mishap. “I did, but I concentrated real hard this time.”

  “I take it you planned to go to the baby’s room?” Thankfully, one corner of her lip lifted into a half smile.

  Ivy never lied. “No. You see? That’s my problem. I need some serious help.”

  “Perhaps you could practice teleporting from room to room in your house. It might hone your skills.”

  About the only thing Izzy couldn’t do was teleport, but she seemed to understand having abilities very well. “I’ve tried that, but sometimes I’ve landed outside.” Actually, more than just a few times. Goddess, she was a mess.

  Izzy stood. “Let’s get something to drink. I have an idea.”

  If anyone could figure it out, it would be Izzy Berta. “Did you have this kind of problem when you were learning to harness your talents?” Ivy asked.

  She followed Izzy to the kitchen. “Not in regard to teleporting, since I never had that talent, but I did fail to grow a plant or part water the first billion times I tried. It takes practice. Lots of it.”

  Ivy slid onto the stool at the counter. “I’ve not met one Wendayan who struggles like I do. I feel so out of place here.”

  Izzy reached out and cupped Ivy’s hand. “You’ll figure it out. How about your other skills? Are they sharp?”

  “Like my ability to do spells?”

  “Yes.”

  “I can’t even remember the last time I performed one. Simple spells are easy, but I don’t have anyone to practice the more complicated ones on. I mean, would you try if it meant you could mess up?”

 
“Ivy, you aren’t that bad.”

  “I don’t want to take any chances. You know how freaked out the people around here get if they suspect anyone wields any kind of power.”

  Izzy smiled. “I do.” She fixed them some coffee and then placed the cup in front of Ivy.

  Just then, the door to the baby’s room opened, and Rye came out carrying Charlene. The baby was waving her arms and cooing. Ivy’s heart melted at the domestic sight.

  “Someone wanted to say goodnight,” Rye said to Izzy.

  Her generous host smiled and lifted the baby from Rye’s arms. “Come here, you.”

  The kisses and hugs had the baby settling down in no time. What Ivy wouldn’t give to have one of her own. Of course, that meant finding a man first, and unless some understanding warlock flew into town, she probably would be single for a long time. No human mate would want her.

  After Izzy finished fussing over the baby, Rye returned their child to the bedroom. Izzy faced her. “I believe I know who can help you.”

  “Who?”

  “Someone powerful. I’ll contact her and try to set up a meeting for tomorrow. Does that work for you?”

  Because Ivy hadn’t been able to land a teaching job yet, she was free. “Absolutely.”

  “Give me a sec,” Izzy said. She headed down the hall. When she returned, Izzy was smiling. “It’s all set.”

  Her mentor was a miracle worker. “Thank you so much.” She hugged Izzy.

  “Rye will drive you home.”

  Ivy was about to argue, but she did need to be more cautious.

  When Izzy called around eleven the next morning, she said that Ophelia would meet her at Izzy’s old house.

  “Ophelia? The most amazing witch in all of Silver Lake?” Ivy had heard stories about the old lady, though she had never met her.

  Izzy laughed. “Yes. She has helped many who live here. When I told her briefly about your plight, she said she had just the solution.”

  “That’s too good to be true.”

  “It often is.” Izzy’s baby fussed in the background. “Hey, listen, I need to go.”

  “Of course, and thank you for everything.”

  Ivy hung up. If she had to be at Izzy’s former house in an hour, she needed to eat and then clean up. She absolutely didn’t want to be late for something this important. Ivy also couldn’t afford to teleport to the wrong spot, which meant she would drive and even leave early to be sure of getting there on time. Not that there was much traffic in Silver Lake, but she didn’t want to take any chances.

  To her delight, she arrived with a few minutes to spare. After slipping out of the car, she walked toward Izzy’s cute yellow former house. Not only did Izzy use it occasionally, her mom used it for special healing sessions, which was why the family hadn’t sold it.

  Ivy didn’t spot Ophelia, but she was confident the elderly lady would show up. Just as Ivy neared the house, the front door opened. Oh, my. Ophelia was already there. While she’d seen this powerful woman from afar, she was even old looking this close up. However, the sparkle in her eyes indicated she was quite sharp.

  “Come in, Ivy.”

  She stepped inside. A couple of times Izzy had suggested she and Clara meet in her old house for training. Ivy often remarked how the soft colors were so relaxing. “Thank you for taking the time to see me.”

  Ophelia waved a hand. “Nonsense. I’m happy to help. Izzy tells me your ability to teleport is a bit, shall we say, erratic.”

  “That’s a polite way of putting it.”

  Ophelia smiled. “I also hear that you feel a bit out of place in Silver Lake. After all, there aren’t many Wendayans who can teleport.”

  Many? She thought she was the only one. “No. There aren’t, but then I haven’t interacted with many of my kind.” Clara and Izzy were the exceptions.

  “Have a seat, please. I may have a solution, but it will involve a bit of travel.”

  This was even better than she could have hoped for. “I love to travel.”

  “Let me tell you about it before you decide. I have four granddaughters, all of whom have recently found their mates. Long story short, they are either about to give birth or just did. Poppy, the youngest, would love to have some help in the house with the baby.”

  While Ivy was thrilled to be offered a job, she thought she’d come for help with her crazy powers. “I love children, but right now, I’m not sure I’m safe around a young child. I mean, I might attempt to enter the baby’s room and land someplace else.”

  Ophelia waved a hand. “The house is small. You won’t need to teleport, but don’t worry, I’ll have Poppy help you hone your abilities. All of my granddaughters are teleporting experts.”

  “For real?” Excitement raced up her spine.

  “Yes. Now let me give you the details.”

  Jace Sanders was working in downtown Plux today to check on the wiring at the soon-to-be finished hotel his construction company was building. Now that his partner/best friend, Slade LaMont, was in Edendale enjoying the life of being a new dad, Jace was in charge of making sure the hotel finished on time. The funny thing was that Jace had never had any aspirations of running LaMont Construction by himself. But hell, as soon as Slade had found Poppy, his friend was a goner. Jace saw first-hand how once a shifter found his mate, there was nothing he could do, other than be with her.

  While Jace was happy for his best friend, the workload in Plux was insane. Sure, he had hired a great assistant in Tanner McCarson, but it wasn’t the same as when he and Slade worked together. They’d been friends forever and had developed a rhythm on how to handle every situation.

  Speaking of working together, there was Tanner now, striding toward him, looking like a man on a mission. He stepped around the wallboard that was stacked up in the middle of the yet-to-be tiled floor and waved his clipboard. “Wiring is done,” Tanner said as he made a show of checking off a box on his to-do list.

  “That’s great. I’ll call the inspector and let him know we’re ready for him.”

  “I can do that for you if you want.”

  He really liked this man. “That would be great.” It was one less thing he’d have to attend to, and Jace had a long list of items he had to take care of. Before he could ask about any issues Tanner had come across, his phone rang. “I need to take this. It’s Slade.”

  “Got it. I’ll take a look at how the plumbing is progressing.”

  Jace did love efficiency, and Tanner had it in spades. “Great. And thanks.”

  Jace stepped to a quieter place to talk. “Hey, what’s up?”

  “Just wondering if you’d like to come over this weekend? You haven’t met the baby yet.”

  His son, Brody, must be a few weeks old by now. While Jace was thrilled for Slade, it meant his partner had less time to write up contracts for new projects at their Edendale branch of the firm. From what he could tell, there was a ton of building that needed to be done in the city.

  Not only that, the realm of Tarradon was a big place, and Slade had said he wanted to have at least one office in each of the four provinces. “We’re in the middle of this construction, you know.”

  “And I’m sorry about that. I realize I dropped the ball on you, but Poppy is a persuasive woman.”

  Jace laughed. “I know what kind of persuasion you’re talking about. Tanner should be able to handle everything for a few days. How about I come Friday after work?”

  “Perfect. Poppy and I look forward to seeing you.”

  “Sounds good.”

  Ivy was nervous. Okay, she was petrified. Just because Izzy had let it slip one time about this other realm called Tarradon, it didn’t mean that Ivy wanted to move there. She sucked at meeting new people. The only plus side was that everyone was aware of shifters in Tarradon—unlike on Earth—and were comfortable with people having powers.

  The old Wendayan clasped Ivy’s arm. “Stop worrying. You’ll fit right in.”

  Could she read minds or what? Ivy clutched
her suitcase tight. “I hope so.”

  Ophelia pulled something out of her pocket. “Once I create the portal to this other realm, just step through it. A man by the name of Jamison Sinclair will meet you. He will take you to my granddaughters.”

  “How long will this trip take?”

  Ophelia smiled. “You’ll be there in a blink of an eye.”

  Ivy didn’t believe it, but she did trust Ophelia not to lead her astray. This might be Ivy’s only chance to learn how to manage her powers.

  The old Wendayan swung her arm around in a circle three times to the right and then two times to the left. Ivy expected her to chant or something, but apparently whatever was in her hand did the trick, because a portal appeared. Wow.

  With her head held high, Ivy stepped through it, ready to face a new world.

  Chapter Two

  Just hang on, he’d said. I won’t drop you.

  While Mr. Sinclair had not let her plummet to her death, Ivy would have appreciated a little more warning that he was about to shift into a fifteen-foot dragon. She was used to men and women changing shape into ordinary looking animals—like bears and wolves—but this flying behemoth wasn’t like any animal she had seen before. Ivy was just thankful he didn’t shoot fire at her, though to be honest she wasn’t sure a dragon shifter could.

  The best thing about the trip was that because it was evening, she couldn’t see many details of his dragon head. That might have scared her too much if she had seen it.

  While Mr. Sinclair had held her gently, and their trip hadn’t taken long, her heart had almost leapt out of her chest several times when he swooped downward. She had been convinced more than once that he’d lose control and crash.

  After a few minutes of him flying in a straight line however, Ivy settled down enough to almost enjoy the view. Flying over some large town had been quite amazing. At first, she thought they might stop there, but he continued past the bright lights and the city noise to a rather desolate area. He then landed in a field in the back of what looked like a house attached to a shop at one end of a field and a second, well-lit home on the other. To the side was some building-in-progress.