The Forbidden

by Cheyenne McCray

  Varying shades of amethyst clothing draped Moondust’s petite figure. A peasant blouse was tucked into a loose flowing skirt that reached the tops of her sandaled feet. She wore her platinum-gray hair pinned up with a Celtic-knot pin, and wore only silver and amethyst jewelry, including the pentagram that glittered at her throat.

  Victor leaned forward, one meaty hand braced on the couch arm, and opened his mouth to speak.

  Moondust held her slender hand up, silencing him with just that gesture. “Hear them out, Victor.”

  He scowled, but snapped his jaws shut and leaned back in his chair. His entire posture remained rigid, and by the look in his eyes, Silver knew this wasn’t going to be easy.

  She started by explaining almost everything in detail that had occurred over the past four days, leaving out the parts about how she had been drawn to the dark.

  Has it only been four days that all of this has occurred?

  She started with the Pagan witch rituals and slayings, and her participation with the PSF when she’d led them to the crime scenes. She told Victor and Moondust about Hawk coming to warn her about the demons; the vision of the warlocks calling up the Fomorii from Underworld; the demons attacking the D’Anu and the witches being taken away.

  Silver continued to explain about summoning Hawk; their rescue of the three witches; and finishing with the summoning of the ten additional D’Danann last night.

  When Silver finished, she studied her father, trying to read his expression. “I won’t sit by and wait for them to attack again, Father. Next time it could be you or Mother, not to mention all of the witches here, under my protection. I will do what I have to in order to guard my own.”

  Victor eyed her steadily. “Even sorcery?”

  “No.” Silver shook her head, her hair sliding over her shoulders with the movement. “Never.”

  “You summoned these warriors.” Victor gestured toward Hawk. Her father’s eyes and voice were hard, cold. “Warriors kill, child. Warriors mean death to any they face and best in battle. That is not our way. That you would bring forth any agents of death is gray magic.”

  “Enough.” Hawk surged to his feet, gripping the hilt of his sheathed sword with one hand. “You have no idea the power the Fomorii command, what they will do to your people, to your world.”

  Silver had never seen Hawk look as furious as he did at that moment. “You are only tools or food to them,” he said. “That is their way. They must either be eliminated or returned to exile. There are no other choices.”

  “Then they must be sent away, not murdered.” Victor rose to his feet and clasped Moondust’s hand, drawing her up beside him. “We have reservations at a hotel in Union Square.”

  His features hardened even more. “We will return tomorrow to determine how to banish the beasts back to where they came from. We will do it in the D’Anu way, with white witchcraft. We will not kill them.”

  Hawk clenched his jaw and remained where he stood, but Silver went after her parents as Victor led Moondust to the door.

  “Please don’t leave the shop,” Silver begged. “It’s too dangerous out there in the streets.” She placed her hand on her mother’s arm. “Stay here. We—we need you here. There are so few of us—”

  Her voice broke.

  Moondust moved away from her husband and Silver, and stepped back to speak quietly with Hawk. Silver stared at her father, hoping for some change in his expression, some warmth.

  “Father, please. I want to keep you safe from the Fomorii.”

  “Nonsense.” Victor jerked the door open so hard the hinges loosened and the door rattled. “If there is any call to, I will protect your mother and myself. Moondust!”

  Silver stood straighter. Clenched her hands at her sides. “You don’t understand. The demons are deadly. They have no regard for human or witch life.”

  “No, young witch. You don’t understand.” Victor’s glower would have razed a skyscraper even as he took his wife’s hand. “I know all of that and more, and I still choose white magic. I still choose the D’Anu way. If I die, then it’s my time, and I’ll damned well die principled and—and clean."

  That last word struck Silver like a slap. Her head actually jerked and she took a step back. She turned away from her father in helpless disgust.

  Moondust stroked a lock of Silver’s hair away from her cheek. “We’ll be fine, sweetheart. I’m sure your father will figure out how to rid the city of these vermin.

  “Blessed be, Hawk,” Moondust said with a serene smile before she followed Victor out the door.

  Silver bit her lower lip as the door shut with a loud thump behind her parents. She suddenly felt exhausted, her body aching from the past few days. She might be a witch, but she could still feel tired and drained.

  Hawk came up behind her and drew her back to his chest “They’ll be all right,” he murmured as he kissed the top of her head. “Both your parents are powerful witches.”

  “My mother isn’t D’Anu. Just father.” Silver sank against him, allowing his strength to seep into her. “And my Coven wasn’t safe.”

  Hawk turned her in his arms and pressed his lips to hers, silencing her. His kiss was warm, tender, and sent that now familiar thrill throughout her body.

  When he raised his head, he smiled.

  She could barely breathe, much less return his smile.

  “After we brought you home, my comrades and I discussed working out a plan.” He twisted his finger in one of her long curls. “We’ll draw the Fomorii out. We will find a way to send them back to Underworld.”

  She sighed.

  “No matter what, you have me,” Hawk said. Silver could only bury her face against his chest, drinking in his scent, enjoying the feel of his arms around her. At that moment, in his strong embrace, it was easy to imagine everything would be all right.

  A sudden intense sensation in the depths of her gut, of something desperately wrong, screamed to her that she was dreaming. Things were not going to be all right. They were about to get far worse.

  The feeling was so strong that Silver pushed Hawk away. Stumbled to her kitchen.

  “Silver?” he called behind her, but she couldn’t answer. Her thoughts were flying, telling her that she had to find out what was wrong, before it was too late.

  When she reached her cabinet, she snatched her scrying cauldron, set it on the floor, filled it with water from the jug, and dropped to her knees. Trembling, her eyes focused on the rippling water.

  Vaguely, in the background she could hear Hawk’s voice, the concern in his tone. Felt his hand on her shoulder. But she was already fixed on the vision as the fog rose up to unfold before her. His voice faded until she was gone from the room and completely into the vision, as if she were there, witnessing everything that was happening.

  Darkwolf held the stone eye in his hand, his eyes closed, as if communicating with the eye.

  Silver’s gaze lingered over him. She noticed his lashes. So long and black against the light tan of his skin. The angular cut of his jaw, the cleft in his chin. He was so handsome, so striking, and yet he cut an imposing figure that caused something strange to swirl in Silver’s belly.

  When Darkwolf opened his eyes, their blackness burned with fire, and Silver felt as if he were looking directly at her, as if he knew she was watching him commune with the stone eye.

  He turned to a man and commanded him to arrange to have a taxi near a certain business within the hour. To station a man across the street with a phone to give the signal.

  The warlock priest uttered the address, and Silver’s skin chilled. It’s the address to the shop.

  Panic crawled up her throat. Was this scene happening now, or had time already passed?

  That vision faded. Other figures emerged from the mist, their forms growing stronger, fuller.

  Mother and Father!

  Victor and Moondust Ashcroft exited through the front door of Silver’s shop. He didn’t even spare a glance for Eric—who was manning th
e front register.

  Victor slammed the door shut, causing the warding bells to jangle like an earthquake had just unsettled them. He cast a quick warding on the door with a flick of his fingers. He spotted a man across the street talking on a cell phone, but other than that, the street was silent

  And then everything happened so quickly, Silver’s head spun from the speed of the vision.

  Victor raised his head and started down the street, Moondust in tow. He practically dragged his wife along the steep hill, his face still red with fury.

  Moondust jerked her hand from his and stopped on the sidewalk. Victor turned to her. When he saw her disapproving expression, he hung his head in shame. “I am sorry, my dearest. I shouldn’t take my anger out on you.”

  She propped her hands on her slim hips, her jewelry glittering in what sunlight made it through the fog. “Silver is old enough to make her own choices. She is doing what she thinks is right.”

  Moondust’s uncharacteristic frown deepened. “I don’t believe for a moment she would turn to the dark side of magic. In your heart you know that’s true. You love Silver and you should let her know it, rather than stomping around like a deranged hippopotamus.”

  “You’re right.” He heaved a heavy sigh. “I love my little witch, and I should have told her so. I will tomorrow.”

  “You might consider telling her the truth, too.” Moondust moved closer to him and cupped his cheek. “It’s time for her to know. It will explain much to her.”

  “That’s why I’m afraid to tell her,” Victor said, his shoulders slumping slightly before turning his attention to the street.

  A yellow cab crested the hill and he muttered a quick thanks to the Ancestors for the taxi appearing on this deserted street just when they needed it. “We’ll discuss everything further once we reach our hotel,” he said to Moondust as he signaled to the taxi and it slowed.

  She held back, frowning, like something didn’t feel right to her. She visibly shivered, as if a haunt slithered along her spine.

  Inside the vision, Silver tried to cry out to her parents. “No. Something’s wrong!”

  The cabbie jumped out of the car. He had a quick grin behind a dark beard, and looked like most other cabbies she’d seen. He opened the back door. A man in a tailored suit sat in the cab, and when Victor asked, “Is it all right with you?” the man replied, “I don’t mind sharing the cab. Not at all.”

  Moondust sniffed the air, as if catching the scent of something foul. She cast one last nervous glance back to Silver’s shop, then slid inside the taxi. Victor followed, hefting in his bulk, squeezing his wife between himself and the other man in the back seat.

  The moment her parents were in the cab, the driver whipped a syringe out of his pants pocket and in a flash jammed the needle into Victor’s neck.

  Silver screamed and Moondust jerked her head up.

  As Victor collapsed against Moondust, she cried out. Brought her hands together to perform a spell. Before she could do anything, the other man in the car stuck a syringe into Moondust’s neck. Her eyes fluttered shut. Her body went limp.

  “No!” Silver screamed. “No, no, no!”

  The next thing she knew she was in Hawk’s arms, but she was fighting to free herself.

  “They’ve taken Mother and Father.” She finally pushed herself from Hawk, frantic, her heart pounding like crazy. “We’ve got to help them!”

  Before Hawk could stop her, Silver bolted from the kitchen.

  Hawk cursed beneath his breath. He shouted to alert the other D’Danann warriors they were needed. By the time Silver and Hawk had pounded down the stairs, Garrett, Keir, and Sher were waiting at the front door of the shop.

  Damn the gods, the rest must still be on Rhiannon’s foster parents’ houseboat.

  Hawk cast a glance at Eric, who tossed his dark hair out of his face. He watched the four D’Danann and Silver exit out the door with a curious expression on his face.

  “What’s wrong?” Eric called after them, but no one paused even a second to respond.

  “A cab. Just down this street.” Silver’s terror rose as she pointed in the direction she had seen the cab travel in her vision. It wasn’t there now. She started running. “You know, a yellow car with a sign—a thing on top.”

  Hawk’s voice was a growl. “We will meet them at the demon lair before the Fomorii have a chance to take your parents inside.”

  He gave her a quick look, concern and anger twisting within him at the same time. “Get back into your store, where you’ll be safe.”

  Silver clenched her fists. “I am going to go, with or without you.”

  “No,” Hawk said flatly. This time he was in control, he was making the decisions. Without waiting for a response, he unfurled his wings and ordered the other three D’Danann to follow him.

  In seconds the four warriors pushed their bodies into the sky, pumping their wings, leaving a panic-stricken Silver behind.

  “Bless it!” Silver cried as she jogged down the street, trying to follow the four.

  The D’Danann were too swift, and as much as she wished to, she couldn’t sprout wings like they could. And unfortunately, unlike mythical witches, she couldn’t ride a broom.

  Silver stopped and whirled around. Her breathing came hard and fast from running down the steep street. A mixture of emotions raged through her. Fear for her parents. Fear for Hawk. Fear for all the D’Danann.

  And a deep sense of foreboding...something in addition to her parents’ abduction.

  She hurried to the shop. She had to get to her car, but she hadn’t brought her keys down with her. When she reached it, she felt as if a lava rock weighted her belly, hot and heavy.

  Warding bells tinkled when she pushed open Moon Song’s door and hurried inside. She wanted to zap the bells for sounding so damn cheerful.

  A customer stood at the counter, and Silver barely noticed that Eric was absent from his post at the register. He had probably darted into the storeroom to get something for the customer.

  Her boot steps were heavy as she hurried toward the kitchen. She was thankful there were only a couple of customers in the shop. She ignored their curious looks and pushed her way behind the café counter and through the kitchen door.

  The scent of patchouli incense rose above the smells of fresh baked cornbread and homemade chili. No doubt Cassia had chosen that scent for protection.

  Cassia’s back was to the door and she started when the door slammed behind Silver. The apprentice jumped and black stones tumbled out of her hands and onto the kitchen floor. She quickly scrambled to gather the stones. “I can get them,” she said when Silver stooped beside her.

  “What in the goddess’s name?” Silver’s hand trembled as she picked up a smooth black hematite stone and held it in her palm. A gold rune was cut into its surface. “What are you doing with these?” she asked as her gaze rose to meet Cassia’s. “Who made them?”

  The witch paused for a heartbeat, licked her lips, and raised her chin. “I was reading my rune stones. I created them.”

  Silver blinked. Cassia was supposed to be a young apprentice. She shouldn’t know how to read rune stones yet, much less have the power to make a set of her own. Not until she had served at least her twenty years and one day as an apprentice. Only then would she be an Adept. “You what?”

  The witch’s words tumbled over one another like leaves over grass as Silver stared at her. “I know I have much to explain, but now is not the time.”

  “You’re an Adept?” The fiery rock in Silver’s belly grew heavier and hotter as she tried to absorb Cassia’s words. “How can I trust you—you’re not who I thought you were, are you?”

  Cassia straightened and visibly changed. Her features looked more confident, her shoulders back, her hands relaxed. “Trust me. I’m here to help.”

  At this moment, Silver didn’t even trust her senses, much less blindly trust Cassia. Those same senses had failed to know the witch was an Adept. Or was Cassia even a
witch?

  But why then had her parents allowed her to come from the Massachusetts Coven to work with Silver? Why had Janis allowed it? Why had they all brushed off Silver’s concerns?

  Demons...my parents being taken…my father talking about telling me the truth...Cassia being an Adept... What is going on here?

  Too many mysteries. Too many threads to unwind.

  Silver ground her teeth and clenched her fist around the rune stone she held. ‘Tell me who you are. What you are.”

  Cassia sighed and let the rest of the rune stones tumble onto the countertop. “I can’t.”

  “Yes you can!” Silver shouted, all her anger, her fury, her fear for her parents combining into one ball of energy that caused her hair to rise from her scalp and her fingertips to crackle.

  Cassia shook her head, almost sadly. “It is up to your parents to tell you.”

  “My parents?” Silver almost screamed. “Then leave!” She slammed the rune stone she held onto the countertop next to the others scattered across its surface.

  Silver started toward the stairs, to hurry to her apartment for her car keys.

  But a gasp from Cassia brought Silver’s attention to her and the rune stones. Silver’s heart thudded as the witch studied them.

  “Things are not going as planned,” Cassia said in a fearful tone.

  She turned totally away from Silver and ran one finger lightly over the stones. “I told them not to leave the shop.”

  It took everything Silver had not to shake the witch, or whatever she was. “What in the goddess’s name are you talking about?”

  Cassia turned back to Silver. Suddenly she could see wisdom beyond wisdom in Cassia’s blue eyes. Eyes that almost seemed to glow.

  “You have many choices to make, Silver Ashcroft,” Cassia said in a strange voice that was as if not her own. “One of them is to choose whether or not I am to leave, or to remain at your side. If I were not here to help, I could have hurt you long ago.”

  Silver studied those incredible eyes that had a new familiarity to them.

  “My family or Janis would never have let you near me if they didn’t trust you.” The words left Silver in a rush. “You’ve done me no harm that I know of. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. For now.”