Huntress Claimed

by M K Masterson

  “Um, excuse me, ma'am. We are looking for Cinquefoil and Dittany of Crete.”

  The lady looked up. She smiled, kindly with very sculpted features. Her brown wavy hair fell over her shoulders. She was tall and really thin wearing a light fabric purple floral strapless dress that flowed with movement and the hint of a breeze.

  “Cinquefoil and Dittany of Crete, hm?” Her light hazel eyes viewed us suspiciously. “It sounds like you guys may be doing some sort of trance spell." Her kind, but knowing smile never faded, and her voice was sweet and soft with a slight French accent.

  “More or less,” Meredith shrugged.

  “You know how to use it?” She questioned, raising a thin light brown brow.

  “She knows,” Nate answered confidently for Meredith.

  She evaluated us once more and then proceeded to the back. Soon after, she returned with two sandwich size bags; one with a grayish looking herb, the other a browner herb. Both were marked with white labels; the brown looking one was the Dittany of Crete, the other Cinquefoil. She placed both the bags on the counter, resting a hand on each, peering at us intently.

  “If you use a trance spell, you are aware of the consequences?” She questioned.

  “Unfortunately, I am well aware of the consequences,” I rolled my eyes.

  “How much?” Meredith asked, eagerly.

  The woman studied us before she spoke. “Nothing this time.”

  Our eyes widened in surprise.

  “Are you sure?” Meredith inquired.

  The clerk smiled kindly at her. “Think of it as a ‘welcome home’ gift for the Salicis Anima Coven.”

  Meredith was taken back as her face flushed and she grinned nervously.

  “Thank you,” she whispered modestly, and the woman handed her the bags.

  “Don’t be a stranger. You’re Coven has much to catch up on,” the woman responded, still smiling kindly. Before we turned around, she caught my eye. “Don’t be a stranger either, Venatrix .”

  “Thanks,” I mumbled hesitantly, and she nodded in response.

  We turned around and walked timidly out of the store, not sure what to make of our trip.

  Neither of us said anything on the way home. We were all still in our own little worlds, contemplating what just had happened. Meredith seemed to glow as if she felt at home. Nate was worrying his bottom lip between his teeth, lost in his own thoughts. For myself, I was uneasy about how much that woman knew about Meredith and me, and what type of spell we might be doing based on the ingredients. I guessed it was her job, but it still made me feel awkward that she gave all that to Meredith for free. Everything has a price, and I was concerned about what she might ask of us later.

  Nate pulled into Meredith’s driveway, and we all got out quietly. Being that it was close to midnight, I am pretty sure we were all more than a little tired. I knew I was. I was about ready to drop when we walked into Meredith’s house.

  We walked more like zombies to the family room and plopped down onto three long couches. Ms. Weber didn't mind when the guys crashed at Meredith's house. She just had one rule: that we all sleep in the family room. Ms. Weber wouldn't be surprised to see Nate when she got home since he used to come over all the time in the past year and stay over. But she was always grateful that we followed her rule.

  I was so happy that my couch already had a blanket on it. As I looked around, the u-shape couch formation, the other two did as well. I pulled the throw around me, ready to drift off when I heard Nate murmur.

  “Mere, don’t forget to set the alarm on your phone.”

  She mumbled something back that I took as an "mm-hmm."

  I was out before my head hit the cushion. It was a peaceful and deep sleep that I didn’t need Flora’s help. I didn’t remember dreaming, and there was no crossing over or no nightmares. Just the sounds of my snoring.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  I was grateful that Meredith remembered that I got up early on school days. Although, I really wasn’t happy when she chucked her phone at me as it was beeping. It hit my back as I had been sleeping on my stomach. There was a good chance that she had probably been yelling my name, but since I was so out of it and my face was buried so deep in the cushion, I probably hadn’t heard her.

  I turned to the side, snatched the phone and looked at the time. I groaned. It was indeed time to get up and to head home to at least grab my bookbag since I had left it there. Perhaps I would have enough time for a shower.

  I reset the alarm for a much later time for Meredith. Nate would probably sleep until the last possible minute. And then I zombied my way home.

  When I got home, I walked silently into the house. I was not sure what I would find with regards to Sera. I highly doubted she was still in her bed sleeping, but I did find it slightly alarming when I opened the door to the house without a sound, to see her crashed on the couch. Poor woman. This was not going to be easy on either of us. She was always going to be worrying, and I would always be coming home late on some death mission. Even if this time it wasn’t a death mission.

  I tried to make my steps heavy, walking over to her, remembering what Meredith had said about how creepy my silent footsteps were. I didn’t want to scare Sera half-to-death. Her eyebrows twitched, but she was still soundlessly asleep.

  “Sera,” I whispered, bending down and touching her shoulder.

  She opened her eyes with a start and focused on my face.

  “What time is it?” She brought her wrist up to her face to see the time from her watch, her eyes squinting to focus clearly.

  “It’s almost six.”

  She sat up and rubbed at her eyes.

  “Why are you sleeping on the couch?”

  “I was worried about you walking home in the morning,” she murmured raspy from sleep.

  “So you spent the night out here?”

  "Not originally." She looked away. "I had a nightmare about something attacking you, and I couldn't get back to sleep.

  I sat down next to her and wrapped my arms around her, putting my chin on her shoulder.

  “We can’t keep worrying each other,” I murmured.

  “I know.” She sighed. “We could establish some rules.”

  I raised my eyebrows in disbelief as I peered at her. “Like what? A night or morning curfew? ‘You can only hunt the Scelesti until ten, then you have to be home.’ Yeah, because evil will definitely understand that.”

  “Your sarcasm isn’t appreciated,” she snarled at me.

  I unwrapped myself from around her, and just leaned against her. She patted my head. We were both silent for a period of time. I knew she wanted me to be a regular teenage girl with typical rules, but it was not going to happen.

  “We are going to have to think of something,” she mumbled, as she got up and disappeared around the corner to the kitchen. Probably to put the coffee on.

  “We’ll think of something,” I called to her, as I headed toward my own wing of the house to get ready for school.

  After getting a shower, even if it was quick, and putting on clean clothes, I felt like a new person. I had finally woken up and felt energized. This energy was relatively new. Usually, after a lack of sleep, I would still be exhausted. I wondered if it was the Venatrix part of me finally kicking in.

  I walked into the kitchen to see Sera drinking her coffee. I didn't get quite a "hello," but more of a nod and a small smile. On the counter, I saw two black, Samsung flip phones.

  “That was some quick thinking,” I mentioned, motioning to the phones.

  “It was actually Finn’s idea yesterday while you were out. He’s the one to thank.” She took another sip of her coffee.

  “So, he got us those?”

  She nodded. “They are good for phone calls and texting. That’s it. No fancy features. My number is already programmed in. Yours, I put on a label on the back of it.”

  I took the cell phone that she pointed to as mine and put it in my back jean pocket.

  “Yo
u call me for everything,” she demanded. “After a hunt. Walking home. Getting from point A to point B. Everything and especially anything weird. Do you understand?”

  She put down her empty coffee cup and stared at me, expecting an answer.

  "Yes, ma'am." I hugged her, and she hugged me back.

  “We’ll get through this,” she breathed into my hair.

  “We will.” I let go of the hug and grabbed my bookbag. “You ready?”

  She shook her head. "No. I'm moving a little slow this morning. You go ahead. We can try the communication thing, and you can call me when you get to school."

  The corner of my lips turned into a half smile. Sera gave me a bagged lunch that she had been thoughtful enough to pack for me. I unzipped my bookbag, placing it inside, and then zipped it back up. I turned to leave.

  “I love you,” I shouted as I headed for the door.

  “Love you too,” she shouted back before I left the house.

  ✽✽✽

  My dark mornings didn’t seem so dark to me anymore. It was like dusk. Dusk in the evening, dusk in the morning. It was nice that I did not have to jump at every shadow. I had even seemed to pick up some residual energy from the dark, which would make sense if I was hunting those that were nocturnal. But this morning, unusually dark black clouds covered the entire sky, not even showing any signs of the sun coming up. Almost as if the clouds had changed day into night. Suddenly a sick feeling squirmed into my stomach as I remembered the prophecy. Day into night. Time was not on my side.

  I finally admitted to myself that I did feel a little better with Meredith and Nate as part of my team, even if it made me feel guilty for possibly putting them in danger. Not only that, but I felt like I was taking Nate away from his life. He had a girlfriend, who knew nothing about this world (even though I dreamt that she had turned into a vampire). I knew they both would help out regardless and probably stick to my side like glue. But I got the impression that at times he probably wished for a normal life.

  I was the first student to arrive at the school like usual, and I made sure to text Sera that I had gotten to school fine. I had saved our table in the cafeteria, away from everyone in a dark corner across from the pop machines. I spent quite a bit of time waiting in the cafeteria for Nate, Meredith, and possibly Jesse to arrive. Nate and Meredith finally appeared with several other students, but Jesse was still a no-show. I was hoping we could all fill him in, and maybe get something out of him about Ajax.

  Meredith and Nate were slow in their approach and looked absolutely exhausted. I, feeling energized, grinned at their sluggishness.

  “Did you take a look at those clouds, Caden?” Meredith asked me groggily as she placed her book bag on our table.

  The smile immediately fell from my face. “Yeah,” I sighed. “It might be getting close to that time.”

  “Or you girls might be reading too much into it. It is Ohio after all and weather during the fall is bound to be unpredictable,” Nate replied almost as groggily as Meredith. Early morning didn’t seem to be anyone’s favorite.

  I shrugged. “No one has officially issued a challenge with me yet. So maybe you’re right.”

  But deep down I felt it getting closer, and I had planned on training and fighting until the time came. That would be all the experience I would have.

  “Anyone hear anything about Jesse or Ajax?” I asked.

  Nate shook his head, but Meredith scowled.

  “Probably laying low. Ajax actually got a phone and texted me this morning, warning me to get out of town because he believed something bad was going to go down.” She looked at me guiltily. “I told him that you were officially outed. Sorry for breaking your secret.”

  "It's fine. Ajax knew anyway,” I said. I wasn’t upset. Besides the ley-line, I had had minimal contact with him over the past several months anyway.

  “We could use their help though,” Nate suggested.

  “That’s what I texted him,” Meredith confirmed.

  “And?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “No response.”

  I touched her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

  She shrugged.

  “Not to switch subjects, but speaking about texting, Sera and I got cell phones.”

  “So, Sera caved into the 21st century too, huh?” Meredith questioned, ambling toward the pop machine to get her early morning caffeine dosage. She gingerly pushed the button for Dr. Pepper and didn’t even bother covering up how tired she was, as she slowly bent down to pick up the can.

  “Yeah,” I responded, studying her.

  To the outward observer, they would believe that she was "dressed" up today. But in the secret girl code, Meredith's dress was actually a sign that she was so exhausted that she threw something on. Her flowy green and grey-shaded dress was made out of comfortable jersey material; fitted in the bodice and then had several different layers that ruffled to her knees. Her charcoal boots covered the rest of the skin space, and her curly thick hair was left down and untamed. It was a crafty and beautiful look, but to someone like me, it meant that she didn't have to put much thought into it. Which meant she was tired.

  “Why are you so tired?” I glanced at Nate.

  He had tried to fool the casual observer too in his "designer" black sweatpants that cuffed at the knee and became skinnier toward the ankle. His top was also on the fashionable side, a black heathered T-shirt. His outfit was supposed to look like an effort, except Nate didn't wear sweatpants. He didn't really do "soft," and that's what his sweatpants and T-shirt were. Soft, cozy, and comfortable. And his black and blue hair was actual bedhead.

  “Both of you? I mean, I know we got back late, but you guys should have gotten enough sleep to at least get through the day.”

  Nate sighed, placing his bookbag next to Meredith’s and following her example with the pop machine.

  “I knew she was going to notice,” Nate mumbled, his back to me, pressing the button for another Dr. Pepper.

  Meredith groaned audibly and sat on the table next to me.

  “Do you really have to be that observant, Caden?” She scowled at me and then continued. “After you fell asleep, Nate and I were throwing ideas back and forth. You were so tired that you didn’t hear us. Eventually, we couldn’t sleep and decided to do some researching of your challenge and all the politics involved.”

  “Did you guys find anything new?”

  Nate popped his tab on his can and listened to it fizz.

  “Nope,” he said, bringing the pop can to his lips.

  “It’s the same old thing. The Scelesti will issue the challenge to the Venatrix Malorum. It will be a fight to the death against the one who initiated the challenge and only the Venatrix Malorum. No other can interfere. Winner takes all.”

  “Physically interfere,” Nate pointed his pop can toward us, correcting Meredith.

  “Right. Physically interfere,” Meredith nodded.

  “So, I take it that the word physically is what is tripping you guys up?” I smirked at them.

  “Mere has an idea, which is another reason why she is set on doing the Astral Projection spell.”

  “Do I get to know this idea?”

  Both shook their heads, and my stomach sank. This was going to be trouble. I knew it. I could smell it. They were going to be in over their heads.

  “Just know that we’ll be sticking to you like glue,” Meredith responded, grabbing my arm and leaning against me. Nate shuffled in front of me.

  “That goes for me too,” he whispered. His deep hazel gaze fixed on my eyes with intense determination.

  I felt goosebumps rise on my arms and my heart thumped hard against my chest. The heat burned throughout my body by Nate's intensity. What one look could do. I knew he felt what I was and I wanted to be embarrassed, but he knew how I had felt about him for so many years. This wouldn't be anything new. I just didn't mention anything about it, knowing it would probably make him uncomfortable.

  Guys, I mentally sig
hed. If the Scelesti didn’t’ kill me, the guys would be dragging me to hell following my hormones.

  ✽✽✽

  After an uneventful school day, I waited in the cafeteria for Nate to join me. He was going to walk over with me to meet up with Zane since Sera had a staff meeting after school that she couldn't get out of. She was going to meet us at Underhill afterward. She wasn't thrilled, and if there wasn't a penalty for missing the meeting, she would be there. She was tempted to say screw it but realized that she needed the job to put food on the table and pay bills. I also reminded her that we had cell phones now and I would text her every chance I got.

  Nate's parents were still in the dark about a vampire staying at Underhill. And in truth, the fact that Underhill was basically a Fae Safe House, which Nate didn’t really know about either. He had just told them that he was going with me to train, and gave them the address. We knew eventually both his parents and Meredith’s mom were going to have to be let in on all the secrets. But for now, this seemed to be the easiest way to deal with it.

  Meredith was going to work on the ingredients for the spell and be over later. I had given her directions to Underhill in Science. And Jesse still hadn’t shown up to school, making Meredith more pissed than I had ever seen her. I heard her mutter the word “cowards” a few times with a certain “f-word” before it. She wasn't one to swear, so adding the "f-word" was beyond just being "pissed."

  After waiting for a good ten minutes, Nate still hadn’t shown up. Even if he had met up with Korina, he had never been late when it was important. So, I walked off to locate him. I found him in the band room, the one place I knew instinctively he would be. He was slouched over in a chair. This situation had Korina written all over it. I felt my anger rise to an almost uncontrollable level.

  “Nate, what’s going on?” I tried to make my words soft and concerned, but I even heard the edge in them. I didn’t know why I bothered to contain my anger anyway, Nate could just feel it.