by Cara E Holt
His answer is to smirk and then utter the words “Revelare”
Suddenly the trees in front of us part to reveal a massive, arched entrance to a hedge maze. Its walls are so high, I cannot see how far it stretches.
“How did I not know this was here?”
He grins as he hands me two daggers. “This is something only seniors know of. It’s used as part of the training for those who want to be guardians.”
I twist the daggers in my hands. “Why do I need daggers to find my way through a maze?”
He smiles. “Because this is no ordinary maze Latimer. There are diversions and traps throughout that you will need to get past. Do you want to work as a team or see which one of can get to the centre first?”
“Come on, you likely know every inch of this maze so going against you would hardly be fair.”
He shrugs, the challenge clear in his eyes. “Tell you what; I’ll give you a head start of five minutes.”
“Deal.” I hold up my daggers and ready myself to go.
“Three, two, one, Go!” He shouts, and I run full throttle into the maze and take the first right turning. I take two more rights and then a left and come out into a long stretch of maze that goes on for about a quarter of a mile with no turn off. A growling sound from behind me stops me dead in my tracks. I backward flip and daggers raised, turn to face the creature. Crouched down, looking me dead in the eye, with its huge sharp teeth snarling, is a hellhound. I had studied these recently in my supernatural creature’s class. They were mighty fast and strong, and no fire spells would work against them because they were born from the flames of hell. They could be kept at bay by devils shoestring and salt, but unfortunately they were not things I carried around in my pockets, maybe I needed to start doing so. Water spells worked best with Hellhounds. I drop my daggers into my belt as they would be useless in this fight, only angel blades or an iron knife could kill a hellhound. I look to my right at the torchlight that hangs over the maze and lights its path. I smile as I realise it is made of iron.
“Configurare.” I command, as I picture the iron torch taking the shape of a whip. The iron softens and loses its shape and moulds into the rope of a whip, grabbing it I wind it around my wrist.
“Fetch doggy.”
The hound growls a deep thundering noise and scratches at the ground as it prepares itself to pounce. Faster than a human could blink, it moves with death defying speed through the maze, straight towards me. I raise the whip above my head and start to spin it in the air, as it gets within reach, I lash out and hit it on its front right leg. Instantly where it hits, the flesh singes and burns and the hellhound whimpers. I pull the whip back and lash again this time hitting it on its back, creating a huge gash. The creature is now almost upon me, and I know I have less than a second to deal the final blow. Throwing the whip behind me, I use all my strength to throw it outwards and it wraps itself around the creature’s neck and I whip it off its feet and up into the air. The creature snarls and tries frantically to free itself.
I examine it closely as it hangs at my pleasure. “Bad doggy. Time to send you back where you belong.” With a flick of my wrist the whip tightens and with a loud popping sound the hound disappears in a cloud of black smoke.
An opening in this endless stretch of the maze appears to my left and I step through, grabbing my daggers, readying myself for my next challenge.
“Where’s my little butterfly?”
“Grandma?” I know that voice anywhere, and it belongs to my beloved grandma who left this mortal earth five years ago.
“Where are you poppet? Grandma misses you.”
I follow the voice, winding around a left turn and then a right, until I come into an opening where my grandma is stood. It looks just like her. Her Grey hair is knotted in a bun at the back of her neck, and her glasses are perched on the end of her dainty nose. I was no fool though, and I know that this is not my grandma, but a shape shifter demon. Shape shifter demons unfortunately for them had a distinctive feature, and that was the rancid rotting smell that emanated from them. To kill them you needed to remove the head. The best thing to do with one of these creatures was to play along, to let them think they had you fooled, and then attack when they think they have you within their grasp.
“Grandma, how are you here?” I slowly walk towards the creature, looking at it with wonder as if I cannot believe my grandma is standing here before me.
The demon smiles and holds out its arms. “I have missed you butterfly. Come give grandma a hug.”
Smiling, I walk towards her. “I have missed you too grandma.” I am stood in front of her now, within reaching distance. “Tell me grandma, when was the last time you took a bath because you really do reek?” Grinning, I grab my daggers and slice down in a crossed attack and slice the demons head clear from its body. The heads rolls across the ground.
“Incendere.” The creatures head sets alight, and the flames burn black as it disintegrates to ashes. “Two down.”
The maze continues on for a few minutes until I turn a corner and come to a halt. A Gorgon stands with its back to me. Gorgons where what humans would understand to be a creature like that of Medusa. Look them in their eyes and you would turn to stone in an instant.
“Caecum a me.” I command as the creature begins to turn at the sound of my voice. “Cogitatio.” A large mirror appears in my hands and as the creature faces me it cries out as it realises it mistake and it stares at its own reflection. Starting at her feet she begins to turn to stone, she lashes out with her clawed fingers but unable to move she cannot reach me and quickly is turned fully to stone. I take the mirror and place it in her outstretched arms. “There you go, you can look at yourself forever now.”
My next test is to take down a riddler demon, which I am only able to pass if I solve his riddle. I have always been quite good with riddles as my dad would play ‘riddle me this’ with me when I was younger. I must be nearing the centre of the maze soon and I up my guard knowing that the hardest challenge will likely be the one stopping me from getting to the centre. Sure enough I take a left turn and stop dead in my tracks when I see what is stopping me moving forward. A Hydra. Damn if there was one thing I feared it was snakes, I hated them and this one, well it was your worst nightmare as it had nine heads. Often people would try to defeat these creatures by taking off one of their heads, but that would prove fatal as for each head removed, another two would grow back in its place. The trick was to burn the neck of where the head had been severed, to stop two more growing back there. The creature rises up and all nine heads eye me like prey, hissing and baring their fangs.
“Ignis.” I command and fire immediately flames from my left hand. “Crescere.” I command and my dagger immediately grows and becomes a sharp and heavy sword, one capable of removing the head of a snake. Defeating this creature proves no easy task, and at one point it manages to catch my arms with one of its fangs, which immediately makes me nauseous and light-headed. There are two heads left and the creature, knowing it is fighting for its life is throwing everything it can at me. By the time I remove and cauterise the last head, I am exhausted and covered in snake blood and sweat. With a smile of relief I enter the centre of the maze where a grand statue of the mother goddess takes up centre spot in a large pond. Wiping my brow I take a seat on the low wall around the pond but jump when I see movement from the corner of my eye.
“You took your time.” Drayce is sitting hands behind his head on a stone bench over in the corner. He looks as immaculate as he did when I left him at the entrance to the maze. Standing, he casually walks towards me, not taking his eyes off me. He reaches for my hand and pulls me up and flush against him. “You look good all sweaty and bloody. It kind of turns me on.”
Trying to steady my erratic heart, I offer him an eye roll. “Anyone ever told you you’re weird Black?”
He bobs his head side-to-side. “Once or twice.” He leans in and gently runs his lips along mine. “Can I kiss you now?”
I smile against his lips as I drive my dagger up into his chest cavity and blood spurts from his mouth and onto my face. “Nice try. The Drayce Black I know would never ask if he could kiss someone. He would take what he wanted.” The shifter demon howls as its life leaves it, and it falls to the floor at my feet. Applause pulls my attention from the dead demon. Drayce stands leaning against the maze walls with a lazy grin on his face.
“I’m impressed Latimer. Looks like you know me better than I thought.”
I grin. “Oh I have you all figured out Black.”
“Really?” He grins wickedly as he walks towards me with purpose in his eyes. He reaches around my waist and pulls me flush against him, taking my breath away. “So what am I going to do next?”
Steadying my breath, I look him straight in the eyes. “You’re going to lean in and look like you are about to kiss me, and then at the very last second you will pull away and walk off.”
“Looks like you don’t know me that well after all.” He gives me a sexy half smile as he leans in and catches my lips in a toe- curling, demanding kiss. I think I whimper against his lips, at least that is the sound I think I hear, as I lose all sense and reasoning and kiss him back, like my life depends on it. Drayce Black tastes like sin and heaven all at the same time. Kissing him was like falling to my death, and being brought back to life again. Drayce Black could kill you with his sharp words but breathe life into you with his skilled and demanding lips.
Drayce pulls back and catches his breath. “You really do look good all bloody and fierce little raven.”
“I’ll bear that in mind next time I go out on the pull.” I reply with a half-smile.
He cocks a brow. “Next time huh? There is no next time for you Latimer, you’re mine now remember. No other witch will ever touch these lips.” He tells me firmly as he runs his thumb along my bottom lip. “No other witch will ever know what it feels like to runs their hands through your hair.” He gently grabs my hair in his hand and tilts my head. “And no other witch will ever see you moan in pleasure.”
I roll my eyes, even though my heart is pounding ten to the dozen in my chest. “Possessive asshole, aren’t you?”
He studies me as he tilts my head even further back. “I covet and protect what is mine. You may have me down as entitled and arrogant and I don’t deny I am all of those things, but know this Elara Latimer, you are mine and when I make something mine, no one gets to take it away from me.”
I gulp, as I soak in his words. The female in me was swooning at his possessiveness. He chuckles. “Don’t tell me I have rendered that smart mouth speechless?”
“Know this Drayce Black, no one owns me, but I’ll play nice and let you think that you do.”
Drayce tips his head back and laughs. “I’ll have fun proving you wrong Latimer.”
Grinning, I step back from him and start to walk backwards. “Let the games begin then Black.”
I know challenging Drayce Black was likely not a smart move on my part, but I couldn’t resist it. He pressed my buttons and I could not help but react. I had a feeling I may regret the challenge I laid down here in the days to come.
I enter our dorm room with Norah close behind me and yelp at what I see.
“Holy sage.” Norah says as she stares openly at him.
“Hey.” He greets casually, as he continues to move about the kitchen in nothing but a very tight pair of white Calvin’s, that leave nothing to the imagination.
“What are you doing?” I command, trying not to ogle every inch of him or rush over there and climb him like a tree.
He looks up at me confused and holds up a knife. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m making a sandwich.”
“Could you do not do it wearing some clothes?” I ask, gesturing with my hands at his near-naked body.
“Yeah, you might accidentally chop something off.” Norah sniggers as she continues to eye my fiancé like he is her next meal.
He walks over to me with his plate in his hand and stops in front of me and pulls me against him, and make no mistake I can feel every inch of him. He leans in and rubs his stubble against my cheek.
“What’s the matter baby? You struggling to resist me?”
I cough and clear my suddenly dry throat. “Please go get some clothes on while Norah is here.”
Grinning and winking, he drops a quick kiss on my lips and slaps me on the arse before walking away to the bedroom, giving me a fine view of his pert arse.
“Mother of all things Wiccan! How do you tear yourself out of his bed? I would just want to walk around with his dick constantly inside me.” Norah sighs as he goes out of sight.
“That would be a bit awkward around school.” I chuckle and she joins me laughing.
“Seriously though girl, how do you cope? I mean he is fine with a capital F.”
I throw myself down on the sofa with a sigh. “Trust me he has his faults, plenty of them.”
She plonks herself beside me and nudges me in the arm. “Who cares about his faults when he has a body like that?”
I shake my head. “You are insatiable.”
She folds her legs under her and pokes me with a finger in the arm. “Where did you disappear to when you should have been in history class?”
“It’s rude to poke.” I tell her, poking her back in her arm. “I needed some time out so Drayce took me somewhere to let off some steam.”
Norah wiggles her eyebrows. “Did you try out the sex swing in the woods?”
“There’s a sex swing in the academy woods?!”
Norah rolls her eyes. “Well of course there is. Although you should always use a cleansing spell before you use it, as well, it gets well used.”
I make a gagging expression with my mouth. “I think I’ll pass on the sex swing thanks. No, he took me to this place that only seniors can use. If I tell you, you have to swear not to tell anyone.”
She holds out her little finger. “I’ll pinkie swear.”
I wrap my finger around hers and then proceed to tell her about the amazing maze and the challenges I faced in there.
“Girl that sounds exhausting. My idea of letting lose is going getting drunk on nightshade and having hot sex with a werewolf.”
“Well it was fun, and it was just what I needed.” I reply firmly.
She bobs her head. “Good for you. Looks like Drayce really does know what you need.”
She was right. Drayce knew that would give me the escape I needed. It allowed me to put aside all my fears and worries and to forget about them for a short time.
Norah leaves a short while later saying she needs to get ready for the rendezvous she has arranged with a witch from house Aether. She really was like the female version of Xan; in fact those two would be a good match.
Not being able to help wondering where Drayce is, I make my way to the bedroom and find him lazing on his bed reading a book, still sat in those lucky Calvin’s and nothing else.
“Is there a reason you are walking around in your underwear today?” I ask him, leaning against the door frame, not trusting myself to go anywhere nearer to him.
He looks up from his book and pops a shoulder. “This is how I usually dress around my dorms. Why what’s the issue? Does my body affect you?”
Feigning indifference, I shake my head. “Not at all, wear what you want. It’s your dorm room.” I look at the book in his hands. “What are you reading? I didn’t have Drayce Black down as a reader.”
He beckons me with his head. “Come and see.”
With my heart pounding, I cross the room and sit down on the bed beside him.
“It’s a book about curses. I was hoping there might be something in here about how to remove the curse on my family.”
I lean in, suddenly interested. “Have you found anything useful?”
He sighs as he rests one hand behind his head, that flexes the taut muscles across his chest. “Yes and no. As we know curses are hard to break. The book is kind of like a journ
al of one of the most famous and acclaimed seers on the Wiccan council and there is a bit where she talks of the lifting of the curse.”
I lean in more, my arm pressing against his. “Read it to me.”
“When the Dragon finds and gives his heart to the blessed moon of the king of gods then the centuries old curse will be lifted, and a new dawn of Wiccan powerhouse will be born.”
“Cryptic. Why do Seers always prophesize in riddles?” I look at the spine of the book and you can tell this book is centuries old. “Where did you get this book from? It doesn’t look like something you can buy in a bookstore?”
He chews on his lip. “Black market. I bought it off a goblin.”
“That was brave.” I reply. Goblins were fickle creatures who were not to be trusted and trading with them was risky, as they would often try to deceive and trick you.
“I wanted this book, so I was willing to take the risk. Beside his request was not that great.”
“What did he ask for?”
Drayce furrows his brow. “Weirdly he asked for a lock of hair from my first-born child.” My surprise must show on my face. “Exactly, it seemed too small a price for such an old book.”
“What if you don’t have any children?” I ask him. His response is to grin confidently.
“Trust me my sperm is ripe and strong, as you will one day find out.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes at him again. “Quit talking about your sperm and tell me more about this book.” I demand, turning my attention back to the book in his hand but still feeling his eyes on me.
“There isn’t much more written. The next chapter goes on to talk of a witch whose soul would be held in limbo and re-birthed centuries later.”
I nod. “So these riddles, the words always have other meanings, so we should start with the dragon.”
He nods chewing on his lip. “My name means Dragon.”
“Really?” I ask in surprise. I had not known that.
