Evernight

by Michelle Areaux

  I cringed thinking about the Witches adjusting our weather. They were able to get into my mind and now control the weather? It was like they were trying to control the world.

  Looking up, something that looked like recognition crossed Maddox’s face. “I felt the same pull too,” he said, agreeing with Asher.

  I think we all were in shock as we heard Maddox and Asher almost bond over something they had both shared.

  “Where did you run to?” Asher asked, completely blind to our stunned faces.

  “The east side of the forest,” Maddox answered.

  “I ran on the northern side,” Asher added.

  Both boys just nodded in understanding and then turned to face the rest of us.

  “What?” Maddox asked, as something hard hit the cellar doors.

  We all looked up and waited, for what I am not sure of. I held onto my mom and dad for support as we huddled together.

  “If we make it out of this alive, I am making it my mission to stop the Witches,” I said, through clenched teeth.

  “Agreed,” both Maddox and Asher said in unison.

  We sat there for another twenty minutes, listening as it sounded as though the world around us was exploding. When the wind stopped, and no sounds were left to be heard, we climbed out of the cellar and into the twilight of morning. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon and provided just enough light for us to see around the yard.

  A few trees were snapped in half and our front porch sustained some damage leaving our railing shattered. A black shutter that used to frame the left side of our kitchen window now lay in the middle of our driveway. Glancing over at Maddox’s house, I noticed his roof was missing patches of shingles and a tree lay across their porch. The other half still standing next to their house. As we inspected the damage, it was clear that this tornado could have been far worse than what it was. We were lucky to be alive and to have our houses still standing. My dad and the guys drove through town and noted only minor damage to stores with broken windows and doors and most houses were left standing like ours. It was in the aftermath of a storm that you could finally see the light, and it was shining brightly on me. Almost like a spotlight. I had to take this storm and turn it into a positive force to keep me fighting against the Witches. I didn’t’ have a choice; it was fight or flight time and I wasn’t’ about to run away.

  Chapter 12

  After the tornado, the town went to work cleaning up and moving on. Shady Oaks was still standing and would flourish none-the-less. Disturbed by what Asher had said, my dad had contacted the Vampires Council and asked them to arrive earlier than previously planned. I was sitting in my room fixing my hair when I heard my phone chime, alerting me of a text message.

  Melanie: Hey Elle. I have you in a group chat with Laura.

  Laura: Hey!

  Me: Hey guys!

  It was nice to hear from my friends. I had been nervous since the tornado and with the Vampires Council arriving soon, I needed something normal in my life.

  Melanie: Elle, we are going to come to get you today. The movie theatre has a cool new Vampires movie playing. It’s like one of the only places open after the freaky tornado hit.

  Laura: Yes, I am dying to see hot Vampires!

  I almost laughed to myself. Here they wanted to go watch a fictional movie about hot teenage Vampires, and I was literally living out the storyline of the film. Only, I could never tell them that. Just thinking about all the secrets, I had to keep reminding me of the dreadful situation I was in. While movies ended and could be manipulated to play out anyway the writers wanted, my life wasn’t part of a script. My destiny wasn’t going to give me a heads up on my final outcome. Wishing more than anything I could go with them, I quickly thought of a lie that would work for now.

  Me: This stinks. I would love to go see a movie with you all, but I have to help clean up around the house. The tornado tore up our porch.

  At least that wasn’t a big lie. I did have to help clean up this morning, but I couldn’t tell my best friends that I was blowing them off to hang out with real Vampires today.

  Laura: No! We haven’t hung out in forever.

  Melanie: You owe us, Elle. But I guess we understand. We will come to kidnap you soon.

  Me: I’m really sorry. I will text you all later. Enjoy the hot Vampires.

  I wanted to text back for them to just come and kidnap me now, but I knew I couldn’t. Just as I placed my phone on my bed, I heard my parents calling me downstairs.

  I hurried and met my parents in the living room. Together, we walked out to our cellar which only hours earlier had been our shelter from the raging tornado that tore through Shady Oaks. Now, it was about to be another type of protection for us as another storm was slowly brewing between the Shifters and Witches.

  “The Vampires Council will be here at any moment,” my dad noted, as Jim closed the heavy metal doors to the cellar.

  “I feel like we are about to meet with a snake charmer,” Maddox said, as he shuddered.

  “Stop it, the Vampires Council have been nothing but helpful to us,” I scolded.

  “No bickering,” my dad yelled, the same way he used to when Maddox and I were children and we would argue over our toys.

  My dad had called an emergency meeting with the council after I confessed to my dreams and the pack discovered a Witch had been watching me. This wasn’t a fairytale or some odd children’s myth. We were living in a nightmare that I just couldn’t wake from. I needed to be part of this meeting and while my dad really didn’t approve, he allowed me anyway. Only, this time he took necessary precautions. Holding the meeting in the confines of our cellar was one of those precautions. We were underground and contained by thick, metal walls and members of the pack were waiting outside, observing our surroundings.

  I felt the air shift the moment they arrived. The Vampires knocked on the door and my dad opened, allowing them entrance into our secret layer. As my dad began to close the doors, Vincent stopped him.

  “We have another visitor attending, she is right behind me,” his velvety voice said.

  “We didn’t agree on any visitors,” my dad said, his voice showing disdain for this sudden change of events.

  I felt everyone in the room grow tense, especially Maddox and Asher who were standing next to me, guarding me against any intruder.

  “I invited one of the Witches from the coven that the rogue Witches left,” Vincent stated, like this was common news.

  “A Witch?” Jim yelled, “This isn’t what we agreed on.”

  Voices began to echo all around me as a commotion stirred.

  “Silence,” my dad bellowed and everyone around us grew quiet. “Vincent, please explain yourself before my pack turns on you,” dad stated, glaring at Vincent like he had just betrayed his trust. Which I guess, in some ways he had.

  Vincent stood tall, not the least bit frightened by the threat from my dad or the glaring stares from the pack surrounding him. “I met with the coven yesterday. They, too, want the rogue Witches found and destroyed. They have lived quietly and peacefully among the humans and Shifters for decades. These rogue Witches could bring unwanted attention to them, too. Please, hear what they have to say,” Vincent pleaded with us.

  We all looked to my dad, anxiously waiting for his response. After what felt like forever, my dad finally replied. “We will hear what the Witches have to say. But, if you brought them here with any malice intent, we will destroy you all,” my dad stated. The words were spoken loud and clear.

  Vincent nodded his head and then waved behind him for the Witches to enter.

  I held my breath as I waited for them to enter. I wasn’t sure what I had expected-- green faces, pointy noses, cackling laughter. Instead, I was greeted by three beautiful women who looked more like models than the Witches I have seen in fairytales and movies.

  Walking into the room, I saw the men all stare, almost mesmerized by their beauty. “This is Eliza,” Vincent began, as he pointe
d to a tall, slender woman with long silver hair and emerald green eyes. “This is Angelica,” he continued, as he motioned toward another woman with shoulder length brown hair and matching chocolate colored eyes. She was shorter than Eliza, but still slender and a great height. “Finally, this is Careen,” he added, as he pointed to a blonde woman with long, wavy hair that reached her waist and light blue eyes that reminded me of the sky. The women walked into the small space with confidence and power exuding from them. I couldn’t help but stare at their grander and I could see how they could cast spells on humans; just their looks alone could hypnotize anyone.

  “Welcome,” my father said, his face stoic and lacking expression. I was proud that he wasn’t gawking at these women like the rest of the men in the room. My dad loved my mom and I knew even the Witches’ beauty couldn’t match my mom’s in his eyes.

  Looking to my side, I spotted Maddox practically drooling over the women while Asher kept his gaze focused on me. My heart drummed loudly in my chest as I knew Asher didn’t need to look at the women, his eyes were only for me. I loved him a little bit more at that moment.

  “Thank you for accepting us into your…” Eliza began, but trailed off as she searched for the right word to describe this space.

  “This is a cellar. A place where many Shifters have shifted for the first time. It is soundproof and secure from any outside forces,” my dad added.

  Nodding, Eliza seemed to approve of his explanation. “We thank you regardless. Vincent explained to us your worry with the rogue Witches. We wanted to share more information with you and relieve your worry of us,” she began.

  My dad motioned for them to take a seat in one of the many chairs brought down to the cellar for the meeting. As everyone began to sit, the room grew quiet. As much as we hated to be in this situation, any news these Witches could provide us, could be helpful in our understanding and attack tactics.

  Turning to Angelica, Eliza smiled and waved her hands, motioning for her to begin. “We have been part of the Shady Oaks Coven for over a hundred years,” she began. “We have lived modestly with our family, undetected by the humans. We are able to transform our appearances when needed, so no one has suspected that we aren’t just generations of families who have lived in a house passed down from the previous generation. Anyway, my cousin and her grandmother have always been selfish. They were that way all our lives. Once we learned of our powers at the age of sixteen, my cousin Laney and our grandmother Loraine began to use theirs unfairly. Our coven has existed under the belief that we only use our powers and spells for good or when we are faced with danger. We never intentionally hurt humans or other creatures such as yourselves. Our mother was killed fifty-years-ago by a Hunter,” she paused and shuddered at the memory.

  I couldn’t help myself as I reached out my hand and patted hers. I could see the grief she was feeling at the loss of her mother to the hands of a Hunter. I had been in the danger of a Hunter once, I knew the sorrow and anger they could bring. Looking up, Angelica smiled at me as she took in my comfort.

  Continuing, she sighed. “Once our mother was gone, Loraine, my grandmother, and Laney, my cousin, decided it was their time to take control and lead our coven. At first, my sisters Eliza and Careen and myself were so stricken with grief, we allowed the shift in power. Everything seemed to run as usual until they began to use their powers against the wishes of our coven. Each coven follows the orders of their element given to them from the five elements: earth, wind, fire, water, and nature. For example, one coven uses fire as their source for power while another might call on wind for theirs. They began to hurt innocent humans, especially men by luring them to our coven then robbing them and erasing their memories. These poor men would wonder out of our home, lost and unsure of where to go. They left their families, jobs, and lives; unsure of who or what they were. We pleaded with them to stop, but they refused to listen to our pleas. Laney enjoyed the power and the money; she craved it. She stole from anyone she could and eventually eyes began to roam to our mysterious house. Our grandmother, Lorraine, refused to stop Laney. She argued Laney had lost her mother as an infant and needed this power to make her feel needed. It didn’t’ seem to matter that we had also lost our mother, too. Eliza tried to explain to our grandmother that she was only aiding in Laney’s destructive behavior and hindering her from growing and using her powers and spells for good as they were intended. Our words fell on deaf ears. Our grandmother chose Laney over us and it broke our hearts. We finally told them they had to leave our coven; we refused to aid and facilitate their evil ways. We know Witches get a bad complex in modern movies and classic fairytales, but we really do want to live peacefully. We didn’t’ ask for the powers granted to us, but we strive to use them for good not evil. Once Laney and our grandmother left, we began to hear stories from other covens of their destructive behavior. They had moved from robbing men to stealing powers of other creatures. Killing anyone who tried to stop them. When we learned of the powers possessed by the new Shifter,” she said, making eye contact with me, “We knew it was only a matter of time before Laney and grandmother sought her out. We have spoken several times with the Vampires Council and asked them to warn you. We were afraid to come to you ourselves, fearing you wouldn’t believe that we cut ties with them. But now, we see Laney and grandmother have found your pack.”

  She finished speaking and we all sat in silence, digesting her story and trying to understand it all.

  I felt myself shudder as I realized Laney must be the Witch Jim spotted watching me the night of the party.

  “What powers do they possess?” Maddox asked, locking eyes with Eliza.

  Careen stood, inhaling a deep breath before she began speaking. “Laney has gained so much power, I am unsure of what all she is capable of. However, I do know she has the power to get into the minds of humans. Using fear to lure them into her hands and give her whatever she wants.”

  “Could she get into a person’s dreams?” I asked, not realizing the words had slipped past my lips until my own voice startled me.

  My dad turned and watched me, fear taking over his expression. Even though I asked the question, I was sure I already knew the answer.

  Careen only nodded yes. From the way she was eyeing me, she must know that I had experienced Laney’s wrath myself.

  “Why do you ask?” Eliza asked, standing, too, and closing the space between us. They towered over me, concern reading on their expressions.

  Sighing, I knew I had to tell them about my dreams. They were here to help, and I needed to tell them as much as I could.

  “The last few weeks I have been experiencing terrible nightmares. I am running through the forest and someone is chasing after me. I hear voices calling my name, but I never see who it is. This last dream I had, Asher was in my room as I napped in the afternoon. He heard the voices calling to me, outside of my dream,” I said, pausing to gauge their reactions. All three of the women looked at me with horrified expressions and my heart sank. It was Laney, I just knew it.

  “What else?” Careen prompted, urging me to continue.

  “I had a party a few nights ago to celebrate my seventeenth birthday. Jim, a member of our pack, spotted her, but couldn’t make out her features. She’s after me, isn’t she?” I asked again, already fearing the answer I already knew.

  “Yes. Once the news of your powers and your defeat over the Huntress spread, Laney became intrigued. She believes if she can kill you and capture your powers, she will become more powerful than all of the Witches around. Unfortunately, she is correct. If she is to gain your powers, she could destroy all of the other covens and possibly the humans,” Eliza finished, her head falling almost in defeat.

  “I need to know what she looks like,” I pleaded.

  The women turned to my dad and he nodded, granting them permission to continue.

  “Laney isn’t exactly pretty,” Eliza began. “She has always been jealous of our features. She has light brown hair, almost the color of di
rt and sand mixed together. She has squinty brown eyes and isn’t lean or tall, instead, she carries a hefty amount of weight around her stomach and thighs. She has a few snaggly teeth and terrible breath. The only way she has ever been able to gain the attention of men is by using spells to make her appear beautiful in their eyes. Honestly, her physical appearances aren’t what make her ugly, it’s her selfish and greedy personality. She has no problem using people to gain what she wants.”

  “What about your grandmother?” I asked.

  “Grandmother has short, silver hair. She looks like an older version of Eliza,” Angelica pointed out. “Our grandmother was once a sweet and loving woman. However, everything changed when our aunt, Laney’s mom died. Something snapped in grandmother’s mind and she began to lose focus of right and wrong. She allowed Laney to turn into the evil monster she is today. It hurts our hearts to know she chose our cousin over us, but she made her choice and now we have to make ours to protect our family and our coven,” Angelica finished.

  Asher was holding my hand tightly and I hadn’t noticed his touch until he squeezed my hand. I turned and looked at him, a forced smile on his face. I knew he was worried about me, but he was trying to keep a brave face for me. I smiled at him, knowing I appreciated his comfort.

  “This is all very helpful,” my dad said, as he stood. “We appreciate Vincent bringing you to us tonight. Now that we understand these Witches and their intent, my pack can now devise a plan to protect Elle and fight them when needed,” dad said, slowly turning his head to look at me. His eyes were full of regret and worry, and I hated to see my proud and strong dad look so scared.

  “How do we stop them?” Maddox asked, not waiting his turn to speak. In meetings such as these, there was a system in place. Leaders of the pack always spoke first, then granted others permission to speak. Maddox, however, never followed the rules.