What a Witch

by Colleen S. Myers

  What a Witch

  A Blood Series Novella

  Colleen S. Myers

  Contents

  Foreword

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  About the Author

  What a Witch! © 2018 Colleen S. Myers

  * * *

  All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Foreword

  What a Witch

  Surviving’s hard

  * * *

  After the Madness wiped out the world, you would think things couldn’t get much worse, but they could. The vampires came and wiped out my coven, my home. Now my sister and I are running for our lives.

  Luckily, there are other covens. Yet entering the Columbus coven comes with a price, one I must pay if I hope to protect my sister and my people.

  1

  Pretty sure the lady at the bar was a bitch with a w. Her black hair was tightly curled and well-kept, which was a clue in itself in this day and age. She did have some dirt on her, but it looked like it was for show. Not ground in like mine was after the past couple of weeks I’d had. Plus, she sat there with no fear of her surroundings. Her shoulders weren’t tense. She didn’t scan the environment for danger, stay on guard. She was cool as a cucumber.

  Fear was second nature to me. I couldn’t imagine not feeling it, not since the Madness, the day half the world died.

  I was lucky. My coven survived relatively intact because of our magic and my family’s anal-retentive planning. The humans nearby were not so lucky. Most of them were herded into vast walled cities. The rest scattered and formed these small shanty towns like the one we were currently occupying. Abandoned buildings barely held together by weeds and dirt with no electricity, dirty water, and a whole lot of mold. It felt like the wild west all over again. I imagined a tumbleweed rolling in the street. Da da da. My lips twitched for a second then resumed their natural frown.

  People knew to be afraid now, but this lady was not scared. Therefore, she had to have a reason to not be afraid. Something that gave her an edge.

  She had to be a witch. Exactly what I’d been searching for these past few weeks.

  But how to approach her?

  I wiped my fingers on my t-shirt and brushed away any obvious dirt before noticing that that only seemed to make the stains spread. I finger-combed my hair and untangled a few knots, smoothing the black strands. I don’t know why I bothered; neither my clothes nor my appearance would impress her. Heck, she looked better than I did with a red plaid flannel shirt and skin-tight blue jeans. Plus, she was clean. I don’t remember what it felt like to be clean anymore.

  I squared my shoulders. I could do this. I had to. Josie needed me to do this. We needed a teacher. Ever since our daddy disappeared and the coven fell, we’d wandered the wastes, but Josie’s power was growing unstable. I needed help in controlling her and it. If the vampires knew we were so strong, they would be after us in a heartbeat because we were a threat.

  I’d also heard they started to round up witches just like they’d taken the humans. Our blood was toxic to them, but I guess it had its uses somehow, otherwise why did they attack us and take out magic users? What were they doing to them?

  Shuddering, I shook out my fingers and forced in a deep breath.

  I could do this.

  With faltering steps, I dodged a grimy old guy who somehow managed to balance on two legs of his chair while holding a bottle and still attempted to grope me.

  My target kept her head down and drank from the battered coffee mug in front of her. Her hair covered her face, so I couldn’t tell if she saw me coming.

  I started to feel pressure in my sinuses.

  Maybe this was a bad idea.

  What was I thinking?

  This lady could hurt me.

  I froze.

  Seriously, what was I thinking? I was definitely not a shrinking violet to let fear hold me back. It only fueled me. Why would I hesitate? What was wrong with me?

  I took one step back and then another, stumbling into the table I’d avoided earlier with the friendly balancing drunk guy.

  “Hello there, pretty lady,” he slurred.

  I threw myself sideways and slammed into the wall this time.

  He cackled and his chair hit the ground. I glared at him and he backed down, hands in the air.

  My nose started to itch, eyes water. Not from his smell, though that was awful too, old man and rot, but from the pressure. What was happening to me?

  Why was I doing this? Why did I want to see the lady? What a silly idea.

  I must leave.

  Of course.

  I flipped around and took a few more faltering steps toward the door before Josie’s hair flashed in the corner of my eye. Light brown and full of curls. Maybe a few less now that she was getting close to ten, but still wavy enough to twine around my finger like my mom’s.

  That was why I was going to see the lady; I had to do this for her, Josie, my sister.

  The pressure eased. I focused on Josie, noting she needed a bath more than I did. She’d been crying; white patches around her eyes gave her away.

  I curled my hands. We needed a witch. I made a lousy teacher. I needed to do this for Josie, for me. We needed help. We had magic, but couldn't use it. It could protect us or be a bull’s eye for our enemies. We’d laid low for years, but Josie was older now and harder to miss. She would be a beautiful girl unlike me, much prettier than me.

  I had to keep her safe. I promised my parents I would keep her safe.

  My hands curled tighter as I fought the witch’s spell. Nothing else could account for my sudden panic. I didn’t panic like this, I planned. This was not real. I concentrated on my breathing and turned back to the bar. The witch remained sitting there sipping her drink, but now she turned enough so I could see her eyes. She had this little smirk that made me want to smack it off her face. She knew what she was doing. This was a test.

  I could do this.

  Step by step I fought. My muscles tense, I pushed through the pain so I could see her.

  As soon as I got close enough, I addressed her.

  “Let the compulsion go.”

  The words felt dragged out of me, my throat raw. Something dripped down onto my lip. I licked. Copper. Blood.

  Gross.

  My target, the witch, twirled her mug, appearing to be studying the color of the liquid. This close I could see words on the glass. “Witch, please.”

  Hah.

  Ow.

  Another wave of pressure hit. My body bowed but I refus
ed to break.

  No.

  Josie.

  This will not work, you witch.

  I pushed back and her drink flew out of her hand to splash on the counter.

  The lady turned to me with a grin and tilted her head in acknowledgement. “Very nice.”

  The pressure did not ease.

  “Let me go.” I gritted through closed teeth.

  My muscles relaxed but the air around me thickened. It felt like a giant boa constrictor wound around my chest and stole my breath. My vision started to flicker and bright lights started to flash in the corners of my eyes.

  “No.”

  Before I could say anything more, I heard a high scream. “Elle!”

  Josie stood beside me, hands clenched, hair fluffed out, and eyes changing. Yellow magic flaring in its depths.

  My stomach dropped.

  No, not here. She would bring the whole place down around our ears.

  I couldn't get the words out, the pressure too much for me. My legs gave out, and I fell to my knees.

  Josie levitated up and her voice deepened. “Release.”

  And like that I fell flat on my face.

  Damn it.

  I rubbed at the blood beneath my nose and pushed up to my knees.

  Josie.

  The witch clapped her hands and waved her hand toward the door. The men in the room filed out single file.

  In five seconds flat it was just me, Josie, and the witch. Who I now knew definitively was a bitch with a w.

  My chest hurt, but damned if I would let her get near my sister. I staggered in front of Josie and glared at her.

  “I have to say, that was impressive, young ones, but unnecessary,” she drawled in a light voice with a northeastern tone. “What do you want? Why are you outside your coven?”

  Now that she asked the question, I didn’t want to talk to her. This might not have been the brightest idea.

  Josie’s hand touched the small of my back, reminding me she was there, her support unanimous as always.

  For her.

  “Our coven fell.” I hesitated when she didn’t reply, and my word diarrhea took over. “The vampires got through our spells somehow. They had to have done it on purpose. It was some sort of round up and attack. Most of our mages were taken or killed. We got away and have been hiding ever since.”

  The lady turned on her stool, facing us fully for the first time.

  Her skin was smooth and coffee-colored, her eyes darker than mine, almost black. Her clothes were better made than they appeared. Armor lined the inside of her shirt. A metal chain link collar covered her neck under the plaid. At her left hip, she carried a dark knife while a stick of some sort adorned her right. A leather satchel crossed her chest, with some fuzzy dice hanging from the zipper.

  Bad ass.

  I cleared my voice. “We are seeking sanctuary.”

  She tilted her head and looked us over. “Why? You look competent enough.”

  I knew she didn't see much. Whereas Josie was bright and sparkling with her bright blue eyes and shiny brown hair, I was dark and nondescript. My dad called me his wee sparrow. Quiet, with my dad’s brown eyes and short black hair. Josie had Mom’s Swedish genes. Plus, Josie was only ten, and she was almost taller than me at twenty. It was downright embarrassing.

  “Josie’s magic is getting stronger, and I don’t know how to teach her. Plus, I heard the vampires talking about needing witches.” I took a deep breath. These last words grated. “We need help.”

  The witch stood and stalked toward the door. “Follow me.”

  Josie glanced at me with a furrow at her brow. “El?”

  I smoothed the skin between her eyebrows and bopped her on the nose. “It’s okay, bug.”

  I’d started this, I sought this woman out. But still, before we went anywhere, I needed to know something.

  “What is your name?” Names had power; they could be used to cast spells, call on power and aid. If she gave us her name, it made us safer. I could fight her. Given she was older, at least in her thirties, and a practicing witch, she had to know that.

  I held my breath waiting for her response.

  The lady tapped her foot and contemplated us, her words slow and deliberate. “I am Marta. And you are?”

  My breath wheezed out. She told us. “I am Elle and this is my little sister. Josie. Nice to meet you.”

  I had to lock my knees to keep from curtsying. What was wrong with me?

  Marta laughed and inclined her head. “Nice to meet you as well. Are you ready to follow me now?”

  “Yes.”

  There was no getting around this. We had to go. We had to learn to survive and to do that, we needed magic.

  2

  The witch led us out of town, her power evident.

  People didn't notice us. Men and women scurried out of the way without fuss. No catcalls or inquiring looks. No glances at all. I still felt wildly exposed, walking down the street plain as day, something I would normally never do, not in this day and age, but I figured we were safe.

  Josie pressed in close to my side, most likely feeling the same thing. I put my hand on her shoulder and kept walking.

  Damn, her head was almost on level with mine! I remember when she was little.

  My heart twisted. I’d been ten myself when she was born. Mom called Josie her miracle baby because Mom was in her forties when she had her. I thought she was a miracle too. I had an older brother, but he never really wanted to hang out with me. Josie on the other hand was mine. I squeezed her shoulder, and she smiled up at me.

  We walked for about twenty minutes. Habit forced me to look behind us for stragglers or stalkers, but no one followed us down the road.

  This far out of town the pavement barely held back the woods. Grass grew wild up to and into the cracks in the road, and branches scattered across the surface, snapping under our feet. Nothing had driven down this road in years. The dust remained undisturbed. Peaceful and calm, creepy almost.

  I worried we’d taken a wrong turn, but then around the next bend a large wrought iron gate blocked the road. The pattern on the metal was oddly compelling. I found myself drifting toward it and tracing a c that led to a sideways Y; my hands heated.

  The witch, Marta, slapped my hand away. “No conjuring here, young lady. Save that for your testing.”

  Testing? Josie and I peeked at each other. I raised my shoulders and hugged her even tighter to my side.

  We could do this. We had to.

  The witch pushed open the gate. My ears popped when I passed through the magic boundary. The breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding whooshed out.

  I’d expected something grand to spread out in a wave before me, glamour maybe, but nope, more road. It was kind of a letdown, even though the difference between inside and out was notable.

  The road inside was smooth and paved. Green lush trees grew straight in the air, almost gloating over the forest outside. I smelled the different in the air. It felt brighter, lighter, happier, less post-apocalyptic.

  Weird.

  “Will you two hurry up?” the witch said with a bite and set off down the road at a brisk pace. Josie held on to my side.

  Twenty minute later we came upon a circle, a cul-de-sac I guess. Inside the circle was a huge fire pit with a tepee of burnt wood. Outward from the circle, pristine cookie cutter homes extended in an arc. I could see five right off the cul de sac with another row of homes behind the front, most likely expanding out.

  The same structure as our own coven. My heart twisted.

  Home.

  I’d been young and just starting my true magical training when the Madness occurred, but I did remember that the woods helped feed our magic. Magic was elemental. Spells called upon the land for power. All covens were surrounded by forests which grew exceedingly well no matter the climate.

  I took a deep breath, drawing in the scent of grass and fire. My shoulders eased. Tension I didn't know I carried - and some that I did - f
ell off my shoulders.

  Josie spun in a circle next to me with her arms out. I’d forgotten what the magic felt like. Free, happy-

  Marta clapped her hands. “Stop gawking already. Follow me.”

  She led us to one of the nearest homes right off the center. Much bigger than all the others, it loomed over the neighborhood, all dark shutters and glass. It could’ve even been scary but it wasn’t. The open porch that circled the building opened the house up to exploration. I could see myself sitting on the porch swing, basking in the land.

  “Who lives here?”

  “I do, of course,” Marta replied with an eye roll. She mounted the front steps and entered the double front doors.

  “Alone?” Josie asked.

  I could have imagined it, but I swore Marta’s shoulders tensed. “My family died during the Madness.”

  Josie moved up next to her and took her hand. “That is how my mommy died too.”

  Marta’s hand drifted to touch the top of Josie’s head.

  I held my breath just in case.

  “Not due to the Madness. There was a bad mage that tried to steal someone’s magic from round these parts. My mother died as a result.”

  “Stealing magic is bad.”

  I grinned at Josie’s innocence.

  Marta took her words at face value. “It is.”

  She pointed to the left doors. “There. Wait for me there.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Are you two hungry?”

  Josie whimpered. Both of us were starved. It’d been days since I scrounged a full meal. My daddy taught us a lot of things, but out on the road you didn't have a garden, and it wasn’t exactly safe to walk around exploring.