Caged in Darkness, Page 5

5: Hidden for a reason

  Fifth Entry: Day Terrors

  Shopping had been more enjoyable than expected, but I wasn’t fooling myself that I would enjoy tomorrow. Part of me resented Maye for putting me in a position that I would need to go back to my parents’ house. However, she had given me so much that I knew I would find the courage.

  Savannah

  Izzy dropped me home after a quick dinner and I immediately took to my room. I could hear sounds coming from Ash’s room, but his door was shut. Not wanting to disturb him, I choose to closet myself in my bedroom.

  My bedroom was fairly bland for a teenage girl. I didn’t see the point to decorating a room that was literally just a cube I slept in. The headboard of my twin size bed rested against the far wall. A nightstand stood to the left side of the bed with a small lamp and alarm clock on top. A dresser hid behind an overly large bookcase overflowing with books. To the right of my bed was a small walk in closet that was mostly empty. On the opposite side of the room was a large bay window that opened up onto a miniature terrace. Not surprisingly, the terrace was my favorite spot and housed some patio furniture and a tiny space heater for brisk nights

  Maye and Ash thought that my room represented my need to remain apart from the family and they altered it slightly to make it seem more lived in. The picture frames of my friends and family were placed on my dresser by Ash and the flowery quilt with matching drapes had been Maye’s addition. I came home one day from a hike through the woods to find the surprises in my room. Each time I saw their personal touches; I couldn’t help but think that they were symbols of love and the only items I cherished.

  My bedspread was twisted, as I moved to the Carrie Underwood song on my MP3 player. I was lying on my belly, attempting to write a biography on Marie Antoinette. It would be more interesting if it was a biography about Carrie, but I had a feeling my history teacher wouldn’t be too happy with that.

  I looked up to find Maye peeking through the doorway with a smile on her face; her wrinkles in stark contrast to her emerald eyes. They were not to be outdone by the crease between her eyebrows, which announced the impending serious conversation.

  “How was your day, darling?” She moved forward to sit on the edge of my bed, while I put my pen down.

  “Which part do you want to hear about first, the part when I am fairly sure I flunked my calculus test, or when Izzy brought us to a gothic clothing store to torture us, and we ended up loving it?”

  Maye let loose a startling laugh, “Please tell me, you are not going to begin coating your eyes in black coal and walking around looking like a corpse.” When I didn’t say anything she raised her eyes in a disbelieving stare.

  “Well, I did buy clothes, but they’re not exactly the typical gothic look. I think you would approve and they actually suit me.” I shrugged, as I pushed my homework aside. “Is that really why you came up here?”

  Maye chuckled, “You’re too smart for me; you always were.” She sighed. “I am assuming you saw the text I sent you earlier today?” I was silent, but nodded in ascent. “Good. I found a buyer for your parents’ home, but I think that we need to make a visit to the house before we sell it.”

  “Why? It’s not like I want anything that belonged to them!” My anger began bubbling up and Maye looked around in surprise to see my furniture shaking in response. “That house is supposed to be, what…a legacy from them? It’s a legacy I want nothing to do with.” I ground my teeth, and sat up to look at Maye. I tried to calm my anger and saw the furniture’s shaking dwindle to miniature spasms.

  “Child, I am not bringing you there for your parents’ legacy. I am bringing you there for your ancestral legacy. You shouldn’t turn your back on your ancestors just because your parents took a dark path.” Maye fixated me with a stern look, and shook her head in disappointment. “You of all people should know not to judge someone by who they are related to. Your line is filled with extraordinary witches who have passed down heirlooms that belong to you.”

  “Couldn’t you just go and bring me back whatever you think I should have?” Silence greeted my question, and I hesitantly began to explain, “I’m not sure I can face that place again. I don’t know what it will do to me. Please don’t ask me to do this.” My head bowed in personal shame at admitting my weakness.

  “Darling, I will be with you. Your parents are gone; they can’t hurt you. All that is left to bring you pain are the memories. If you face those, you’ll be free. You can’t spend the rest of your life hiding from yourself; always afraid that your memories will incapacitate you, and they will if you continue to bury them.” She gripped my hand, while her eyes flowed with a river of emotion.

  “Why do I need to face the memories in that house? They already plague me every night in my dreams? I can’t escape them.”

  Maye looked disappointed, “Sweetheart, you know I love you, and part of loving someone means that sometimes you need to save them from their self. You are not confronting the memories in your dreams. The nightmares are your minds attempt at repressing demons that refuse to leave.”

  “Okay, okay. You win, but before I agree to go, you have to promise me one thing. If I want to leave, we leave. I’ll face my demons, but on my terms.”

  “Agreed.” She smiled and kissed my forehead. “If you were strong enough to become the woman you are, after being subjected to such evil, you can overcome any obstacle.” She walked slowly from the room and closed the door behind her.

  Her faith in me was eternal. I never knew unconditional love and support until I came here. Maye and Ash had given me more than a home; they took my fractured soul and somehow pieced it back together. The damage was still done, but now I knew I could survive. I wouldn’t fail them.

  My body became overwhelmingly lethargic. It was as though the stress that had built up over the course of a lifetime was suddenly slamming down on my shoulders, and forcing me to kneel before the memories. My eyes drifted shut and I passed into a dark sleep filled with nightmares. My mind swam with blurry images of my parents committing horrendous acts, and switched to visions of red eyes following me as I ran for safety. I continuously turned and each time I was confronted with a new image that left me whimpering beneath the sheets. I was becoming fitful, when something cool grazed my cheek. A soothing sound quieted me into a restful sleep and I was at peace.

  I woke to the sound of my alarm clock indicating that it was 8 o’clock. It felt much earlier. The sun shone through the glass, which made my room look larger than it actually was. I opened the bay windows to step onto the terrace. The rush of damp morning air refreshed me, but I couldn’t tarry long. I could see a storm coming in and did not want to be caught on the terrace in a downpour.

  The terrace connected to Ash’s room, and I looked over to see his window open. He must have been out earlier. We met here most mornings. We rarely spoke, but instead sat in warm silence. It was my favorite part of the day. He never pressured me to talk and understood that I needed those moments.

  I followed my weekend morning routine; showered, brushed my teeth, threw my hair into a messy bun, and replaced my robe with a pair of jeans and a billowy t-shirt. Before leaving my room, I opened the dirty clothes hamper and pulled my money and student ID from the jeans I wore the day before.

  I walked into the kitchen to be confronted by the obnoxious odor of burnt cinnamon rolls, cooling on the stove top. Ash bent over them and poked each with a fork, as if testing to see if it would move.

  I cleared my throat and he angled his head away from the rolls to greet me with a slight smile.

  “I think I killed them.” He nodded towards the charred remains of his attempt at breakfast.

  “I think that’s a safe assumption. I vote don’t risk it.”

  Ash folded the rolls into a paper towel and threw it into the trash with a thud. I sat on the counter and grabbed the glass of milk abandoned there.

  Ash arched his right eyebrow, “Feeling lazy this morning? I guess that means, I am s
etting out everything for breakfast?” He sighed, and flashed a sarcastic smile. “Since you’re drinking my glass of milk, I suppose I have to make do with a can of orange juice, since that was our last clean glass?”

  “Mmmm… good milk.” I smacked my lips. “You could always do the dishes and have a glass of milk too.” He walked over to where I sat, and placed his hands on either side of my waist.

  “Or I could take back what is rightfully mine and you could do the dishes.” He made a grab for the milk and I artfully pulled my hand holding the glass as far away from him as I could.

  “Fine. You get the darn milk.” His arms were back in their original position and he stared directly into my eyes, while I brought the milk back to my lips to take another sip.

  Guilt rushed over me. I smiled and hesitantly offered the glass to his lips. He took a sip. His mouth quirked into a half smile.

  “You’re too easy. Keep the milk; I poured it for you anyways.”

  Laughing, I swatted at his back with the kitchen towel that lay on the counter. He began combing the cabinets for assorted boxes of cereal, bowls and sugar. I watched as he placed them on the table in the connecting family dining room, and added fruit, nuts, and bread to the mix.

  “Hope you’re okay with dry cereal?” He didn’t glance up to see my nod.

  Pushing myself off the counter, and moving around it I ran directly into Ash on his way back into the kitchen. Our feet tangled and before I knew it, I was plunging towards the antique tile. Ash grasped my waist with one hand and my hip with the other. He held me in a position that mimicked the type of dip couples generally did at the end of a dance.

  “Klutz.” He kissed the tip of my nose, and pulled me back to stand before him, but I was dizzy from the movement and fell against him.

  Ash’s eyes widened, as my body molded to his. I quickly sucked in my breath. My face angled upwards and his lowered. Our noses grazed one another’s in an Eskimo kiss. We stood still, his breath gently brushing my lips, and I noticed that he had specks of brown in his green eyes.

  He straightened suddenly, and pulled my body away from his. My confusion greeted his detached stance, and noticing he moved closer. His hand, which had been holding my upper arm, slid upwards to pull the part of my t-shirt that covered my shoulder, to the side. He then leaned forward and placed a small kiss on the exposed skin between my shoulder and neck.

  His breath grazed my earlobe, “As I said, klutz.” He laughed awkwardly and went back to sit at the table.

  I didn’t know what was wrong with my body, but I felt warm. My spine was tingling from when he had kissed my nape, and my chest felt weighted down.

  I vaguely wondered what Ash had meant to get from the kitchen, as I moved to sit across from him at the wobbly table. Before I could ask, Maye entered in her normal bubbly mood.

  “Morning!” She stopped at the counter and poured her morning cup of coffee, took a testing sip, while gazing at us over the rim of the mug. “Did I interrupt something?” Her eyebrow arched in a way that always reminded me of Ash.

  Ash quickly responded, “Nope.” He shoved the last bite of Frosted Flakes into his mouth and moved to bring his empty bowl to the kitchen sink.

  I grabbed an apple, from the bowl of fresh fruit Ash placed on the table earlier and watched as he leaned back against the sink behind Maye.

  “What were you two chatting about then? The room feels positively frigid.” She feigned a shiver.

  “I believe we were talking about how I am a klutz and Ash is bull headed, or something like that.” I jumped up from the table and walked to the dining room side of the counter. I looked at Ash innocently, expecting him to comment, but he didn’t. Instead, he looked away and began to leave.

  I frowned at his back, but he stopped in the veil between the kitchen and the hallway leading to the front of the house. He looked over his shoulder and said, “I promised Griffin I’d meet up with him and I’m already late. See ya later.” Ash then looked me directly in the eyes and disappeared into the hallway.

  “Bye!” Maye and I shouted in sync.

  “What was that about?” I asked Maye, though I don’t know why I thought she would have the answer.

  “You tell me. I wasn’t the one in here talking to him. Did you sleep well?”

  “At first, no. Later I did though.” I polished off my apple and addressed the elephant in the room. “What time are we leaving?”

  Maye paused between sips. “We are going to leave as soon as I finish my cup of coffee. Be a dear and fetch my shoes. The black flats with the little swirls on the side.”

  I headed to the room in search of her flats. While sorting through the debris of shoes tossed haphazardly into a pile at the back of Maye’s closest, I came across an album.

  On the cover of the album was the name “Cross”, which was my line. I opened the album to the first page to find a family tree, which dated back to the original members. When I continued to turn, the family tree was replaced by drawings, then portraits, and eventually pictures of people. I grabbed the album and the shoes.

  After placing the album beneath the covers of my bed, I jogged downstairs to greet Maye. She was waiting at the door with her car keys in her hand and a large tote over her shoulder.

  “Good, you found them!” She beamed and sat to place the shoes on her feet.

  Our ride to my parents’ estate was riddled with silence. Too many emotions overwhelmed me and Maye seemed tense. It wasn’t long before we pulled up in front of the house. I sat still in the seat after the car went silent and built the courage to go inside.

  Ash

  I climbed into my SUV, but didn’t put the car in drive. I looked out the windshield at my house. When Savannah fell against me it had been difficult to pull away. Our noses touched and I felt a pounding need to close the space between our lips. I wanted to taste her.

  I shook my head; trying to wipe the thoughts from my mind. When she first came to live with us, I was protective of her, but over the years we had become closer. She began to eclipse everything in my world, which is why I needed to stop these kinds of thoughts.

  Last night, I woke to Savannah’s nightly screaming, but it was worse than usual. In response, I tried to quiet her. She had been in a deep, fitful sleep and remained unaware of my presence when I slipped into her room.

  Careful not to wake her, I eased myself onto the bed and her restless movements quieted. I held her face, smoothed her cheek with my thumb, and sang lightly in her ear. Savannah curled her body around mine.

  I felt strange being in her bed when she wasn’t aware I was there, and tried to detach myself, but she pulled me in closer. I laid on my back with her legs tangled in mine, and her head resting on my chest. Her smooth legs twitched, and I gently eased her shoulder away, but she lifted her head.

  “Ash.” Her eyes were mere slits. I paused in the hope that she would fall back to sleep. “Ash…”

  “It’s me.”

  “Mmmm… stay.” Her voice was barely audible, as she grazed her lips against mine and her head fell back against the pillow into a deep sleep.

  I don’t think she remembered her actions from last night, but considering my reaction to the memory, my body did. I spent most of the night calming her with my presence and voice. However, at dawn I managed to remove myself and get back to my room. It had been a painful night. I winced at the memory.

  My best friend, Griffin was usually the one who had the heightened sex drive. Lately, mine had kicked into high gear when I was around Savannah. It was beginning to worry me. Maybe Griffin was right and I needed to get laid, but I was never one of those guys who had casual hook ups.

  Groaning, I pulled out of the driveway. If there was ever a good time to visit Isis, it was now. Somehow, the relief that she would provide, left a bitter taste in my mouth. Instead, I turned my car towards the preserve. Maybe a walk would clear my head.

 

  Savannah

  I mimicked Ma
ye’s foot placement towards the deceptively plain house. The lower section of the house was multicolored stone and the upper portion was painted light yellow. A wraparound porch gave the home a Victorian air. The grounds were unkempt from neglect over the years, but the house was still beautiful. It stood calm against the suburban storm raging around it. The thunder screamed across the sky slapping the clouds into a heated turmoil that flew towards the south.

  I wasn’t surprised my parents’ estate took this long to sell. From the outside it looked like an ideal family home. However, its history was not conducive towards “baby making” and family holiday dinners.

  My mother and father had been discovered on the property; their lifeless forms frozen solid against the kitchen tile. Horrified expressions were taped across their features, and strange markings left angry welts against their flesh. Maye kept this information from me until she felt I was strong enough.

  The police came to the house to investigate my parents’ deaths and found the answer to serial vanishings in the area. In the basement, the police found a giant freezer filled with vials of blood from each of my parents’ victims. The police found evidence they considered proof of their involvement in a cult. The world pronounced my parents, as participants in a serial killing spree, encouraged by a satanic cult. They were considered the greatest mass murders the state had ever seen. That was one point I completely agreed with. This house was not a home to build happy memories, but a museum echoing the nightmares of my past.

  Maye pulled a key from the chain around her neck and opened the front door. I stepped forward, prepared to enter when the faint smell of sandalwood incense wafted through the opening to tease my memories.

  The door opened into a dark foyer with a small den to the right and a large dining room to the left. I thought that once I was inside, the panic would consume me, but instead I felt detached. I couldn’t hear the younger version of me screaming in horror or my parents’ victims begging for mercy. The house was barren, and I was vacant of emotion. My parents had taken everything from me. They hadn’t even left me enough to react to the destruction of my innocence.

  The den was where my cage had been kept; it was gone now. Most of the furniture had been sold, but a few items remained. The books were still housed in wall sized bookcases, my parents’ altar was still in the dining room, and a rocking chair leaned in the far corner of their library. These were the only pieces of evidence that someone had lived here.

  “I’m going to look around in the basement. I am sure you would rather not go in there.” Maye cupped my cheek with her palm and looked me in the eyes. “If it gets to be too much for you shout out for me. I’ll understand.”

  I nodded. “I think I’ll be okay. Um, what kind of items should I be looking for?” I bit my lip and gazed around in puzzlement.

  “Just follow your instincts. Your blood will lead you to what is rightly yours. Don’t worry about the books. I’m going to have them transferred to the Meadow Falls library in the morning.”

  I watched Maye’s retreating back, as she opened a door and descended towards the basement. The idea of her being in that torture chamber gave me the chills. Maye was the essence of everything my parents had not been. The idea of someone I love entering a place filled with such hate, did not sit well with me.

  She wanted me to follow my instincts, but there weren’t any to be had. I considered what to do first. I could go room to room, floor to floor, or just randomly pick rooms until I had seen them all. One thing was for sure, the kitchen would be my last stop. I wouldn’t be able to look at the tile without imagining my parents’ blood flowing between the cracks. Though their deaths did not haunt me; I had enough death to last a lifetime.

  Turning right, I entered the den. It was a bland room with wooden floors. I could make out the scratch marks my nails had left on the finish, and shivered. From what I remembered of this room, there wasn’t anything special about it. Now, without any furniture to give it a lived in air, it was even drearier. Trailing my fingers across the dusty drapes, I followed the length of the walls all the way around until I approached the library door. Maye had said not to worry about the books, but in truth the library was the only room I had fond memories of.

  Before my parents became the embodiment of evil, my mother occasionally had a maternal side. The memories were faint, but I remembered her reading to me beside the fireplace. As I aged, my mother’s mental state deteriorated and her chaotic mood swings came more often. Eventually, her sanity was completely immersed in evil, and there was no sign of the mother who taught me to read.

  The rocking chair we used to curl up on was in the corner now. The fireplace was dead, and the floor contained scorch marks. I sat down on the burgundy rocking chair. My horrible memories crashed down around me. The tears came quickly and drifted down my cheeks to land on the velvet chair. Not wanting to stain the velvet, I leaned forward to bury my face in my hands and let forth a keening cry. It was the cry of a wounded animal, a woman who just buried her child, and a little one who lost their first pet. It was a cry from my wounded soul.

  My breath came in pants, as I tried to stifle my tears. Brushing the salty moisture from my flesh, I looked down at the rug beneath the chair. When I leaned forward, my only thought was to save the chairs fabric, but I hadn’t noticed the rug enough to protect it. The strange thing was that I didn’t remember seeing the rug, until after my tears fell onto it. A memory teased my mind and I vaguely recalled learning about the royal lines among witches.

  There were ten royal families who were the first witches. The Cross family was one of the most powerful of the royals. Maye had told me during one of my lessons that the royal lines had learned to protect their secrets by ensuring that only one of theirs could find them. They used blood, sweat, saliva, and…tears to do this.

  I pulled the chair toward the middle of the room and knelt beside the rug. From a distance the rug looked Persian, but up close it was more like pixels that didn’t quite blend together. It was like looking at a photograph so closely that it no longer resembles a picture, just fragments of random colors.

  I half expected my fingers to pass straight through the rug, but they felt solid wood when I touched it. There was a board on top of the real floor that was half an inch high, and camouflaged by the rug. Why would my parents go through this much trouble to hide something and yet make it so obvious that it was there?

  The board wasn’t difficult to pry away, and once it was removed from the space, it looked like an ordinary board. In its place was a tiny indentation in the floor. It revealed a small lever resembling an elongated door knob. I didn’t hesitate; I reached to pull the lever, and the bookcase against the wall, glided forward and to the left. It left a hole that was barely big enough for an adult to fit through.

  I vaguely wondered if finding this lever had been the type of instinctual feelings Maye had talked of. The secret pathway was jet-black. It was difficult to imagine light ever being held within its walls.

  Thanks to modern technology, I was able to use my cell phone as a flashlight. After I tugged the phone from the pocket of my jeans the pathway lit up. It revealed a narrow hallway. Cobwebs and I imagined spiders, hovered around as I moved forward.

  Pointing my cell phone towards the back wall, I kept my right hand on the wall to make sure I didn’t miss a turn and to brush the webs from my face. I could still feel the silk graze my neck and shoulders. After about 300 feet, I felt a draft graze my bare arms. The source of the draft was a small rectangular room. It resembled an attic in an ancient house, with cobwebs connecting various artifacts that were layered in dust and the occasional sheet draped furniture.

  A five foot long metal chest sat in the middle of the room, and when I tried to open it I found that it needed a key. A bar similar to a ballet barre connected two walls, and was filled with garments and bizarre robes. Some of the clothing looked like it was from the Renaissance period.

  From a bookcase, I pulled out a leather bo
und text with torn pages that were literally falling apart at the seams. Sifting through it, I discovered it was journal from an ancestor of mine. In fact, all of the books looked like journals from various ancestors.

  In a vanity, I discovered antique jewelry with strange symbols inscribed on them. I touched a necklace with a ruby stone at its center. It felt as though someone had warmed it with their breath. The other jewelry was similar. Some burned at my touch, others were icy, and one of the rings made me lightheaded. I found a choker necklace with a pentacle dangling from it. The pentacle was inset with small blue sapphires. When I placed the choker around my neck, my body became infused with warmth. A bracelet with the Triquetra dangling from it caught my eye, and was soon attached to my wrist.

  A table layered with strange items was placed next to the vanity. There was a bowl, ink, stamps with designs I had never seen before, a small stick shaped object, and a bone with a needle attached to it. I made a mental note to ask Maye about the items later.

  I looked around, and even though my cell lit up some of the room, darkness had begun to ingest the light. Shadows danced across the walls and vines slithered up my legs. I could smell my parents’ taint here and yet I was drawn to this place.

  In the corner nearest to the entryway, was a box that resembled a casket the size of a china doll. Unlike a casket, it was made entirely of clear quartz with a large bloodstone imbedded on the lid.

  The light shown on the casket and I watched as gray smoke shifted within. When I drew the light away, the shifting became more furious, but calmed when I brought my cell phone next to it. I noticed inscriptions carved into the quartz and the bloodstone. They looked similar to Egyptian hieroglyphs, but I was almost certain they were something entirely different.

  I began to trace the inscriptions, but felt I felt a feathery touch against my other hand. I thought little of it, but shook my hand. The feeling persisted. I looked down to find a coffee colored spider with extremely long legs crawling across the back of my hand. I screamed and shook my hand furiously. In my attempt to get away I slipped, landing hard on the quartz box; the lid slid off.

  Smoke swelled from the container and encased the surrounding area; effectively shielding half of the room. It lightened to a mist and ascended to the ceiling, where it spread to sheath the plaster. It made the room look like an upside down haunted house. I turned to run from the room, but hands grasped my shoulders in a viselike grip.

  A shriek tore through my vocal cords when the hands pulled me back against a solid chest. The fog evaporated and I noticed the darkness surrounding me. This darkness had texture and twitched frequently. A harsh breath blew against my ear. The hands tightened and I began to worry they might crush my bones.

  “Let me go!” The hands fell away from my flesh, but the body didn’t move.

  “All you needed to do was ask.” The voice was deep with a slight edge and it sent tingles up my spine.

  Before I could lose my courage, I spun around. I stood in shock at what I saw; and I don’t say what lightly. Backing away from the thing in front of me; my back hit the wall. I was trapped.

  The room was crammed with its sheer size. Before me was the body of a man with enormous wings, and strange eyes. In the dark they glowed with amber light.

  Without wings he still would have overpowered the room. Abnormally tall with a strong torso, he was intimidating. His wings folded outward in a crescent shape that surrounded me. He was clothed in a pair of black dress pants, but his chest and feet were bare.

  He moved like a bird; twitching and bunching his shoulders. His head angled back and forth to watch me, and as he did, his biceps tightened. His dark hair was chin length and concealed most of his face. His mouth was wide in a disturbing smile that displayed his perfectly white teeth; the upper and lower canines sharpened to fine points.

  “Please, don’t hurt me.” I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping that when I opened them, he would be gone. My hands clenched into fists and I opened my eyes.

  It was chuckling. While closing the distance between us, his wings spread out to blanket the wall behind me. He sniffed the air around my face and paused to stare into my eyes.

  “I smell you.” He growled.

  His growl deepened and he barred his teeth in an angry snarl. “I smell your power.” I watched, while his pupils dilated until they pushed away all traces of color. His hand reached for my neck, but when it came into contact my skin he let out a sound of anguish as his palm smoldered.

  His face changed then. One moment he was divinely beautiful and seconds later I watched as his veins blackened to a cryptic maze of inscriptions across his body. I recognized him as a predator and felt something pulse from within him. I was fairly sure that made me the prey.

  In that moment, while he was distracted by his burning hand, I made my move. I reached across to his wing, and pulled feathers, while pushing with all my strength to get past him. I toppled furniture behind me as I ran. When I reached the library, I pulled the lever to close the passage and screamed for Maye at the top of my lungs.

  Liam

  I spent my childhood bowing to my mother’s every whim. As teenager, I grew a pair and rebelled against her. The last straw had been when my mother’s domination over every aspect of my father’s life, led to him abandoning us.

  When I turned 18, I moved out and took a year off from school. At 19, I was home schooling myself to make up my last year of high school. My education began my escape from my mother. There were some members of the coven I couldn’t bring myself to shun. My aunt who had taken over my dark arts training was one of them.

  I had some anxiety about my mother’s request involving the witch prodigy. I wasn’t sure how to make someone fall in love with me; my specialty was convincing women to fall into bed with me. I wasn’t anxious to try that with the Cross girl.

  My mother had a skewed view of the world and the people in it. She thought that whatever she wanted was hers for the taking, but didn’t understand that it was merely that way within the coven.

  Most witches were born into a coven and it became their only choice. However, the Cross girl was descended from a royal line. The Cross family was known for splitting hairs where magic was concerned. They had been the founding members of both the Sacred Moon and Meadow Falls covens. This gave the Cross girl an advantage because she could choose her destiny. Her blood flowed towards two separate paths and it was her choice that would decide which vein to clamp. Once in place, it was unlikely that she could remove the clot and regain that choice.

  My earlier assumptions involving the Cross girl, Savannah were wrong. My mother provided all the information I would need to insert myself into Savannah’s life, but given her childhood I wasn’t confident in my skills. She was raised to despise black magic. She would probably choose to be initiated into the coven who took her in. I didn’t see how I could pull her away from her family within a few weeks. It would be better for her if she stayed far away from my mother’s manipulations.

  I reached my apartment door to find that it was unlocked, which wasn’t a surprise. I opened the door to reveal the three women I enjoyed earlier that morning. They were in a similar state to the one I left them in; barely clothed and tangled in sheets on the living room floor.

  That morning they begged me to stay. Considering their current activities, they obviously found adequate comfort in each other. It was a sight most men would salivate over, but had begun to bore me lately. They didn’t look up, when I tossed my jacket on the couch and walked past them towards the bedroom.

  I unbuttoned and tugged off my shirt as I walked into the room, and directly into the closet.

  “I wasn’t sure you would make it past them. I almost found them too tempting to pass up, myself.” A familiar voice sounded from my room.

  My shirt still off, I peeked my head around the door and smiled at the sight that greeted me. On the bed lay a seductive creature. Ordinarily, I limited my bed partners to ordinary humans, but occ
asionally found myself making exceptions.

  Kali was one female I couldn’t help giving in to. She was wild, impulsive, and a Hellhound. She wasn’t the distorted perception of a Hellhound that humans had, but an actual Hellhound. Most of her race was extinct, but there were five left; five gorgeous, powerful, and terrifying females.

  Death itself created the Hellhounds from tainted souls. They were the guardians of the afterlife, the takers of souls, and the dispensers of justice. In the case of a wicked soul, who escaped death, the Hellhounds would embark on the “Wild Hunt.” Their punishment was far worse than the sentences death would distribute.

  Hellhounds could shift at will into enormous beasts that resembled a wolf or dog, but far more terrifying. They were considered harbingers of death and could visit it upon a person merely by meeting their eyes.

  “Another five minutes and I would have given up waiting for you.” She said, while playing with the necklace that hung between her breasts.

  “If I knew you were waiting for me, I would have been back sooner.”

  “Then why are you standing all the way over there? It’s cold in here. I think I need you to warm me up.” She purred, and turned onto her belly facing me.

  I looked her over; she was wearing a black lace corset with a matching garter belt, and a g-string. Her blazing red hair hung down in a mass of waves. I cursed my slowness, and strode to the bed.

  Smiling, Kali sat up and kneeled at the edge of the mattress. “Mmmm… I missed you.” She said, and grabbed me by the waist band, and pulled me on top of her.

  Savannah

  I fidgeted in the rocking chair, waiting for Maye to return from the passageway. I shouldn’t have let her go in there alone, but I couldn’t bring myself to go back. The idea of it sent chills across my spine.

  “Darling, there isn’t anyone in there.”

  Maye stared at me in pity. I knew the look, because she wore it whenever she referenced my past.

  “I know what I saw. It was this thing, it had wings, and…”

  “Oh sweetie, I know you think you saw something. It’s not that I don’t believe you, I just think that it was a hallucination.” She moved to brush my hair with her fingers. “The stress of being in this place has probably gotten to you and I doubt you slept well last night. It is completely normal to think you saw something that wasn’t really there, under these circumstances.”

  I thought about Maye’s logic and it made sense. If there had been something in the passageway, Maye would have seen it too. I did have heightened emotions and we did just talk about me facing my demons… Could I really have imagined it all? I felt foolish and I knew my face showed this.

  “Do you want me to get the items from the room? I could call Ash and have the boys come get them.”

  “Yeah… I think Ash should do it. I don’t want to go back there and I don’t want you to hurt your back.” I paused. “I’m sorry if I scared you. This place gives me the creeps. I’ll be happy once it’s sold and I never have to come here again.”

  Maye giggled; a bizarre sound coming from a robust middle aged woman. “I say that we take the rest of the afternoon and make a girl day of it.” She winked.

  “Oh, no. Not more shopping, please say you don’t want to shop. Please, please, please…”

  “I was thinking more along the lines of a spa day. What do you think? We could go see a movie after…” Her voice trailed off. I realized she was offering the girl day because it was something she needed, not because she felt sorry for me.

  “If I must.” I gave her an exaggerated sigh. “To be pampered for an entire afternoon, I shall positively die of it.” Holding my hand to my forehead, I pretended to faint. I opened one eye to see Maye beaming in happiness. I would endure anything for her.

  6: Magnetized

  Sixth Entry: Facing my Demons

  Visiting my parents’ estate was an experience I was glad to be done with. The more I thought about the man with wings in the passageway, the more I realized I was stupid to think it was real. Of course, my mind could make up something horrific when under that much strain.

  Ash picked up the things from the passageway and everything else that I couldn’t carry. He put most of it in the attic and I planned to get a better look at the collection of items soon.

  I’m beginning to worry about Ash. He was cold towards me this afternoon and he has never been that way. Did I do something wrong?

  Savannah

  Izzy and Willow came by my house to get ready before the bonfire. That’s usually how it worked out. Willows house was cramped with too many family members. Izzy lived in an apartment that was considered a two bedroom, but really her room was closer to a walk in closet.

  The bonfire was little more than an annoyance on my attention radar, but was obviously socially significant to Izzy. It wasn’t that she necessarily wanted to “socialize” at the bonfire, but she wanted to broadcast to the general population that her antisocial behavior was a personal choice, not a sentence to social leprosy.

  I had misgivings about being around those who were not part of the coven, while this close to my ascension. I knew that the closer I was, the more dangerous I became. My gift would gradually become uncontrollable, as I approached my 16th birthday.

  If my emotions became chaotic, my gift would inevitably follow. I had nightmares the bonfire would turn into a real life Carrie remake and I would star as the psychotic witch who destroys everyone in a fiery rage. I knew this was unlikely, but it didn’t stop me from worrying.

  I would be a landmine hidden beneath the teenage population, awaiting an unwary shadow to make a wrong step, in the unending pursuit of impressing the teenage socialites that were the cafeteria one crowd. That wrong step could result in an explosion of my power and could have seriously terrible consequences.

  It was times like this that I regretted keeping my other life separate from Izzy. She wasn’t a witch, but she was my friend and someone who I thought would understand.

  I put the finishing touches on my makeup and stared in the mirror. Izzy and Willow were getting ready in the bedroom, but I wanted to be alone. I was feeling nervous about going out looking like this; especially when my gifts were acting up.

  I groaned at my appearance. I chose to leave my hair down for once and let it dry naturally. Loose curls hung down my back with wild abandon. I rarely wore make up, but Izzy taught me some techniques. I gave my eyes the smoky gray look, added some highlights to my cheeks, and the barest amounts of pink lip-gloss. I didn’t need foundation or mascara.

  I wore a burgundy mini dress with a sweetheart neckline, a tapered waist, and a slightly flared skirt. The bell sleeves hung loose, and my back was completely bare down to the very bottom. I felt exposed. Izzy forced me to buy a bra that linked in front, but was backless and strapless. The cups were sticky, and I personally thought that calling it a bra was an insult to actual bras. Still, it gave me the merest sense of coverage and I was thankful for any. Izzy tried to convince me to buy a pair of strappy stilettos but I told her she was insane. Instead, I wore a pair of gray flats. I didn’t need heels with my height and I wasn’t sure I would be able to walk in them.

  Sucking in my breath, I stepped out of the bathroom. Willow giggled on the floor pointing at Izzy, who did not look happy. Considering her outfit, I had a difficult time containing my own laughter.

  “Oh. My. God!” I was trying to be nice. I really was, but I couldn’t contain my laughter. Izzy, the queen of fashion or at least, gothic fashion was wearing an outfit that a clown wouldn’t be caught dead wearing.

  Izzy’s mom had this irritating, but funny way of adjusting Izzy’s clothing. She thought she was encouraging her daughter’s unique sense of style, but really her creations were ridiculous. Izzy, couldn’t bring herself to tell her mom that she hated the adjustments, and instead wore them. Talk about unconditional love.

  “Hm. Yeah, I am pretty sure that is the worst one yet!” I shouted.


  Izzy had a pained expression on her face. Her dress, which was originally beautiful, now looked like an 80’s prom dress designed for a corpse. It combined gray lace, bright pink tulle, and a tie die torso.

  “Please tell me, I can wear something of yours!” Izzy begged.

  I immediately felt guilty when I saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn’t wait for my answer, but took the dress off and threw it into the backpack she brought it in.

  “Yeah, but you might want to spill some paint on that dress. That way you have a future excuse not to wear it.”

  “Paint would be an improvement.” Willow said. She then jumped up and started combing through my closet. She pulled out a pair of black shorts with suspenders attached, and a cropped top sewed to the suspenders. It was a cute outfit, which was the only reason why I had made an exception to my midriff rule.

  Izzy grabbed it, shrugged, and climbed right into the outfit. The suspenders rested on the outer edges of her breasts and the shorts ended at mid thigh. The fit was entirely different on her than it was on me. The midriff looked cuter; because she had her naval pierced with a filigree black rose hanging from a small white gold chain. She looked adorable, and I knew there was no way I could wear that outfit after seeing her in it. She was made for it. Willow wore a black satin pencil skirt with a white blouse and a black vest. In short, we all looked vastly different than normal.

  “You should wear a different necklace. I don’t think the blue stones look right with the dress you’re wearing.” Willow lifted the pentacle hanging from my neck. I flinched; worried that it would burn her. It didn’t really burn the winged man because he was a figment of my imagination that had been produced by massive amounts of stress.

  “I like it.” The truth was that even though I realized my encounter at my parents’ estate was a hallucination, I couldn’t bring myself to take off the necklace. In my hallucination, the necklace had protected me, hadn’t it?

  Ash

  I spent the day avoiding Savannah at all costs. I could hear her through the walls and it was tearing me up inside to not be with her. I couldn’t risk being alone with her again after I almost kissed her. What if I lost my will and gave in? It could result in the greatest sacrifice of my life, because she is the one person I could not live without. Savannah saw me as a brother, and if I wanted to keep her I would have to treat her as a brother would.

  It was a relief to go to the bonfire. The group of people who went to these types of parties didn’t appeal to Savannah, which made it more appealing to me.

  “Hey, Ash!” Griffin piled out of a jeep with three other guys from the coven and Isis.

  Most of the people at the bonfire were from school, but sometimes the older coven members came out of boredom. I sat alone by the fire. My irritability turned everyone else away. Griffin left the others and took the seat on the log next to me.

  “Hey.” I spoke in a monotone and looked to the side to see Griffin shift uncomfortably.

  Griffin and I were raised together. We had been through some extreme circumstances, and when my parents died he understood in a way no one could expect a four year old to. Most people didn’t understand our friendship and why I would want to be friends with someone so crude. However, he was different when we were alone. Savannah thought he was a jerk. I couldn’t blame her, but until she came along, he was my only family besides Maye. Now Savannah superseded that relationship.

  Griffin cleared his throat. “Sorry, about yesterday. I shouldn’t have egged Isis on. You still mad?”

  “No, not mad. It was a stupid thing to do though. It could have had some serious consequences.” I looked across the fire to see Savannah climbing out of Izzy’s car and was dumbstruck.

  “Yeah.” Griffin saw me staring across the fire and followed my line of vision to see Savannah.

  “What’s she doing here?” He sounded tired.

  “No clue.”

  “Whatever. See ya.” He stood suddenly and walked over to the others from the coven.

  Savannah neared the bonfire and I was completely transfixed. Ordinarily, she preferred to be invisible in a gathering. It looked like she intended something entirely different tonight. She walked with her head held high and a determined gleam to her eyes.

  I groaned. It was difficult enough being around her, but now every guy in the vicinity would be tempted. How could I play the over protective brother, when I was one of the hormonal guys she needed protection from?

  Savannah stopped at the bonfire and waved when she saw me. That was when I began to feel the pressure in the air. My ears popped the way they do on an airplane, and my skin prickled. Aggression built until I saw what was causing my dominant nature to heighten. The feeling steadied to an even platform.

  Someone stood against the dark section of the woods behind clustered groups of teens. I couldn’t see his face, but he was watching Savannah. When she walked his head turned to follow. I didn’t like that his eyes were stalking her. My territorial instincts were kicking into high gear, and Savannah was definitely mine.

  Liam

  I hadn’t seen the Cross girl before, but my mother gave me a sock she owned as an infant. It allowed me to sense her when she was near. She had a distinct aura that was nearly as tempting as her appearance.

  I came to the bonfire expecting to be bored, feigning interest in a teenage girl, who possessed gifts she didn’t understand. Instead, I saw a natural beauty whose power bent around her as she moved. It was doubtful she was aware of using her gift, but I could see it.

  Her gift met mine in a dance of wills. My power spun around her curling through the air. It was a game of seduction I would dominate.

  Savannah’s head twitched to the side and looked around. It seemed that she could sense me when I felt her push back. She did not even flinch at the use of power. It was as though her power had a mind of its own. Mine embraced her’s in a waltz. I was strong and possessive. Her dance was one of grace and sensuality.

  She walked towards her friends, but her body began to sway. She could feel it too, but didn’t yet understand what it was.

  Savannah

  The feeling I experienced earlier in the kitchen was back, and making me dizzy. Did other witches feel this when they approached their ascension?

  It began as a fluttering in my stomach, tingled down my spine, then warmth that built in my chest and spread to the rest of my body.

  The feeling was slightly different that it had been earlier. It came in waves like the flowing of the sea over sand. If I was the sand, what was the sea?

  I noticed him. He was hidden behind people and trees. His eyes were invasive and didn’t flinch at my gaze. Willow and Izzy misted from my mind as I walked towards him. He had blond hair and dark eyes. He was taller than me and toned.

  I walked and stopped in confusion. The feeling was stronger now and my body began to answer its call. Lips parted and my body swayed in a secret rhythm. He moved away from the trees, planting himself directly in front of me. He had met me halfway, but looked confused by his actions.

  He didn’t seem in control, as his hand reached out to trail along my neck towards the neckline of my dress. I didn’t stop him; couldn’t stop him. I yearned for him and when he touched me I craved him. My eyes felt weighted, while my body was magnetized.

  “Who are you?” I whispered, softly. Energy pulsed between us, but halted at my voice.

  The energy pulled away. Silently, I called to it. I begged it to stay and when it refused, I tried to capture it. It was an internal match that I lost.

  His eyes were wide and somewhat frightened. Why was he afraid?

  The expression disappeared. “Liam.”

  “Huh?” I couldn’t process what he was saying, but I was fairly sure I just made an idiot of myself.

  Smiling, he repeated his name. Then cleared his voice and said “You’re from the Meadow Falls coven, right?”

  He knew about witches? “How?”

&n
bsp; His eyes lit upon the area behind me and a domineering smile gained ground on his face.

  Air movement halted, sound stopped, and time stood still. A low growl filled the air behind me and I spun to see Ash’s teeth barred. He took an offensive stance and pulled me behind him. His fangs showed, but I didn’t think anyone besides us could see.

  Liam stood straight. He didn’t give ground or attempt to take it. He stared Ash in the eyes without a single flinch, but when he looked at me something exploded from Ash.

  To the naked eye, they looked like two guys fighting over a girl. However, as a witch I saw something different. Ash’s aura heightened to red flames and consumed Liam. In response, Liam threw up a shield of gold. While their gifts silently battled their bodies clashed.

  Ash snapped his fangs at Liam, and Liam landed a blow to Ash’s gut. I cried out at the sight of blood splattering to the ground. Punches flew at such a fast pace that I lost track of who threw them. Liam moved backwards and crouched defensively. I don’t think they were aware of my presence any longer. Eventually, the battle moved towards the woods; away from the others.

  “What’s going on?” Willow whispered in my ear.

  I had been so focused on the fight between Ash and Liam that I wasn’t aware of Izzy and Willow’s approach.

  “I don’t know. One minute I am talking to Liam and the next Ash is here attacking him. What should I do?” My worried stare reached for Willow’s.

  Izzy tugged on my arm to pull me into the woods. “One thing I know for certain, you don’t get between two dogs fighting over the same piece of meat.”

  “Huh? First off, that comparison is unfair; they are not dogs. Secondly, they’re not fighting over a piece of meat!”

  I could see the fight taking place deeper in the woods, but couldn’t tell if either of them was badly injured. Panic started to build in my chest and I ran forward with Izzy and Willow following. We stopped at the edge of the clearing where the battle continued.

  “You’re the meat.” Izzy said, out of the corner of her mouth.

  I turned to face Izzy’s assessing stare and turned to look at Willow. Her hand covered her mouth in horror, but the look in her eyes told me that she agreed with Izzy.

  “Just stay away from her!” Ash spoke before Liam kicked the back of his knee. Ash’s knee buckled and he reciprocated with a flare of magic that caught Liam’s shoulder in a fiery smolder.

  Liam held his shoulder with a grimace, while panting from exhaustion.

  “Do you have a claim to her?” Liam spoke from the opposing side of the clearing, while Ash stood. “I think she’s a big girl and is smart enough to make her own decisions about who to be around. Why don’t you ask her what she wants?”

  Ash’s face was twisted in anger until he heard the last of what Liam said. He had the wisdom to look ashamed when he stared me in the eyes.

  “Ash, I was just talking to him. I’ve never met him before and he’s right, you should trust me to make my own decisions.” I felt a strong urge to wrap my arms around Ash to comfort him. The light bruising across his jaw and the blood trickling down the side of his mouth made me queasy. I couldn’t bear for him to be in pain, but I didn’t want him to think that I supported his actions.

  “I trust you. I just…” Ash made a sound of irritation with a pained expression. He lowered his voice and said, “I didn’t like it, okay? I’m sorry. I don’t know why I acted so strongly. It was like I couldn’t fight off the anger and it overwhelmed me. I couldn’t help but give in to it.”

  Ash slowly approached me and reached out his hand to hold my cheek. I turned my head away at the cold touch of his fingers.

  I looked up to see Liam leaning against a tree. He was bent forward slightly, as though he couldn’t bear to stand straight. His right hand held his stomach and he stared directly into my eyes.

  “I don’t know about you guys, but I think we should get out of here. Someone might have called the cops when the saw you fighting.” Willow glanced back at the trail we came through.

  It made sense that we should leave. It didn’t matter if the cops showed up or not. The guys looked terrible and needed to be cleaned up.

  “Can one of you drive Ash home?” I ignored Ash and looked to Willow and Izzy for their agreement.

  “I can drive myself.” Ash’s eyes blazed in anger. It was one of his most telling traits. I always knew what he was feeling by looking into his eyes.

  “No, you can’t. After what you did, I don’t trust your judgment. You are not driving and that’s final!” I crossed my arms and dared him to argue. I watched as he swallowed back his anger.

  “Why don’t you drive me then? You can drive my car. Besides we live in the same house.”

  “I’m going to take Liam home. I don’t think he’s in shape to drive either and I certainly don’t trust you to take him home. Considering your behavior tonight, he’s more likely to end up in a hospital somewhere than home.”

  “I don’t want you alone with him.” Ash whispered in my ear. “He feels wrong. I can’t pinpoint it, but he’s off. Please, don’t go with him.”

  Ash gave me a pleading look that almost made me give in, but then I saw Liam and felt responsible for the pain Ash caused him. I steeled myself against the softening that Ash invoked in me and refused to give in.

  After a few moments of silence, we could hear branches splinter. I had a flash of cops rushing into the clearing and handcuffing Liam and Ash.

  Instead of cops, it was Griffin. He took in our group and the injuries that Ash and Liam had sustained. I watched as his eyes fixated on the bruise spreading across Ash’s cheek. His teeth ground and he looked at me with an accusing stare. He blamed me for the fight. Did he think I had some mind control over Ash’s actions?

  “I don’t mind taking him home, if that’s what he wants.” Izzy turned to Ash with a questioning look.

  “Yes. It’s what he wants.” I spoke to Izzy, but stared at Ash. His eyes flared for a moment before dying down. He stared me down and finally looked at Izzy and nodded.

  Willow breathed a sigh of relief, looked at me in pity, and followed to the car. Ash paused before following. When he reached the edge of the clearing, he turned to look at Liam.

  “Hurt her and I will hunt you down. Got it?”

  “I would never dream of it. Though it’s tempting just to see you try.” His bruised lip quirked in a half smile.

  When Ash moved forward, Griffin grabbed his arm to pull him back.

  “It’s not worth it man. He’s just egging you on. Let it go.” Ash allowed Griffin to pull him away, but shouted back to me. “Make sure you’re home at a decent hour. I don’t want to have to bail him out of jail when he makes good on his promise!”

  I rolled my eyes towards Liam. He remained silent as I looked him over. I wasn’t particularly sure I wanted to be alone with him, but I felt that I was responsible for the situation he found himself in.

  “I take it you want to drive?” He remained across the clearing.

  “Do you think I just told Ash those things to sound pretty? If I let you drive then there is really no point to me seeing you home safely.” I crossed my arms and attempted the stare Maye used on me whenever she thought I wasn’t using common sense.

  “Well princess, how do you plan to get home once you take me to my apartment? Have you thought that far?”

  “Of course I have!” I turned in anger to walk quickly towards the cars. I didn’t have the faintest clue how I was going to get home from his place. I still had some money left over from the shopping spree, but I had no idea if it would cover a taxi. I couldn’t take his car, because then I would need to return it. Obviously, calling Ash to pick me up would be a bad idea and Izzy needed to be home before curfew.

  “No clue, huh?” Liam startled me when he spoke at my shoulder.

  “No clue about what?” Play dumb…just play dumb and he will let it go. That’s what other teenage girls did, right? <
br />
  “I’m not going to make it that easy, princess.” He smiled, and jangled his keys in front of my eyes. I grabbed them and decided I was not going to point out that I only had my driver’s permit.

  “Stop calling me princess. Where’s your car?” I stopped at the edge of the woods and looked over the assorted cars in front of me. I looked at him and back at the cars. I knew which one was his the moment I set eyes on it. Figures, that he would drive something black and sleek.

  “It’s the mustang.”

  I couldn’t stop myself from snorting at the ridiculous car. Okay, not so ridiculous, because I was dying to drive it, but it was kind of cliché that he would own a car like that.

  “Did you just snort at my car?” His brows raised in mock surprise.

  “Just get in the damn car.” The interior was just as divine as the exterior. Sleek with buttons I was afraid to touch, since I didn’t know what they would do.

  “You see that little metal thing dangling from the chain? That’s the key. It’s what you use to start the car…”

  He was really starting to tick me off. I looked over at him and waited for him to make his next remark. I had the keys and there was no way I was going to drive home a pompous jerk. He could just drive himself!

  “Jeez, it’s like an iceberg in here! You need to lighten up, princess. I’m just teasing you.”

  There was that smile again. That arrogant smile he seemed to think would make everyone bow to his superiority. He was infuriating.

  “If you don’t stop calling me princess this car isn’t going anywhere.” I crossed my arms and leaned back in the seat with the car keys clenched tightly in my fist.

  Liam threw up his hands in mock defeat. “Okay, okay! You win, Savannah.”

  When he said my name, his voice deepened to a seductive huskiness that made me shiver. I suddenly wished he would go back to calling me princess. I could deal with irritation, but I didn’t want to embarrass myself because my body was seduced by the tone of his voice. Seriously, I thought that only happened in the movies. I was not one of those girls. Was I?

  “Whatever.” Then engine roared to life. “Where do you live?”