Tales of Aradia The Last Witch Volume

by Jones, L. A.

  "Not fair!" the last one protested loudly. "Why does he get to check out the high school?"

  "Because the last time you did, you ended up killing the entire cheerleading squad!" Dunc argued.

  Korrigan looked at him sourly. "Hey they were cheerleaders it's not like you can't replace 'em!"

  "Either way Korrigan," the medium one interrupted, "We have no time to argue so get going!"

  "Whatever you say Tavis," Korrigan muttered.

  However, it was as Korrigan was making his way towards town that he decided to take a detour and spy on Dax and Aradia. He could not really explain it, but he felt drawn to Aradia. Hearing her laugh made him wonder what she sounded like when she screamed. A crude smile crossed his lips as he followed her intoxicating smell. It was not strong, but the smell definitely was not like any other hidden woman he had ever smelled before. It excited him in ways he could not describe and followed as it wafted from where a big yellow manor stood.

  Dax and Aradia were in Dax's room where he was showing off his CD and book collection. Aradia, however, was more interested at looking at the truth of the vampire lore in Dax's bedroom: namely Dax's coffin, his blood filled mini- fridge, and his wide collection of suntan lotion.

  "Can you turn into a bat?" Aradia finally asked him.

  "Yeah," Dax said nodding.

  Aradia was amazed. "Can you do it now?"

  Dax shook his head. "I can only do it at night."

  "Why?" Aradia asked.

  "Oh yeah, like I am an expert in why vampires do the things we do!" Dax snapped slamming one of his books back onto the shelf.

  Aradia looked at him stunned and asked, "What? What did I say?"

  Dax wheeled around in annoyance. "You keep forgetting that I never wanted to be a vampire, Aradia. More importantly, my mother was killed by a vampire so I hardly like to brag about being one of them!”

  Aradia hung her head in chastisement, but Dax put two fingers to her chin and raised her up.

  "Hey I am sorry Rai of sunshine, I did not mean to snap," Dax apologized.

  "It's okay," Aradia murmured. "I should be more sensitive about these things."

  Dax just grunted, and nodded.

  He then looked past her to see one of his CD's misfiled. It was as he went towards it when Aradia looked over his room once again.

  "Dax," she observed, "There's no bed!"

  Dax glanced back at her, and then went to the bathroom to pick up some towels. After he dropped them in the laundry basket in the bathroom, he glanced down at his hands, and decided to wash them.

  It was as he was washing his hands when he explained to Aradia, "I don't need a bed. I have a coffin remember?"

  "But then how do you have sex?" Aradia asked awkwardly.

  Dax's eyes grew wide, he instantly shut off the water, and side stepped to look at Aradia in disbelief. "What?"

  "If you don't have a bed," Aradia said slowly. "Then how do you have sex?"

  Dax still stared at her in disbelief, not daring to respond.

  "I mean," Aradia, continued knowing she should shut up, but could not stop herself. "Can vampires have sex? If not, it's really no big deal."

  "Whoa whoa wait a minute," Dax said raising his hands in front of him. "We can have sex believe me."

  "If not it would explain why some of you are mean," Aradia pondered.

  Dax laughed. "No Aradia, we can have sex..."

  "You do it in your coffin?" Aradia asked disbelievingly.

  "Good heavens no! We just well..." he stopped himself.

  "What?" Aradia asked.

  "Aradia," he began, "There are many things I am willing to share with you, but my sex life is not one of them!"

  He walked past her yet again while she added, "So you do have a sex life?"

  Dax looked back at her and muttered, "And they say boys are obsessed about sex."

  He then noticed a book lying under his work desk. He walked past Aradia, and bent down to retrieve it.

  "I am a virgin Dax," Aradia said as he did this, "All virgin girls think about sex not all the time but they do."

  The thud that she heard was Dax accidentally hitting his head on his desk drawer.

  As he straightened up, Dax looked back at her to say, "What?"

  Aradia just shrugged as if she did not want to say what she had just said again.

  "You’re a virgin?" Dax asked while moving slowly towards her.

  "You make it sound like a bad thing," Aradia muttered.

  Dax just shook his head in disbelief, running his fingers through his hair.

  "Why would you..." he began.

  "I am not saying I am ashamed. I am just curious that's all," Aradia responded sounding a bit offended.

  "You know what curiosity did to the cat," Dax remarked.

  Aradia groaned. "God, if I had a dollar for every time I heard that phrase and made a joke about it..."

  "You would probably have enough to buy a year's supply of condoms," Dax joked.

  Aradia glared at him venomously.

  Seeing the look on her face, Dax made apologize quickly. "I am sorry it's just this kind of talk is sort of sudden..." He trailed off but then added in a panicked voice, "Dear God, you don't want me to be your first do you?"

  "No, if you doubt your sexual ability that much," Aradia muttered.

  Now Dax looked offended as he said, "Aradia, what's this all about?"

  "I am sorry Dax," Aradia said, "I didn't mean to have this conversation with you I just...well you know how I talk and everything."

  Dax eventually laughed and said, "Look let's just save this conversation for another day okay?”

  Aradia smiled, and nodded.

  It was as the pair of them were making their way through the forest hand in hand that Aradia noticed something. Aradia thought it was probably just her imagination, but she swore she could see a young man watching them. He was tall, pale-skinned, with a straight, narrow, and pointed face with long red hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was wearing black leather pants and matching jacket over a light blue buttoned down shirt. However, it was not the fact that he was watching them that scared Aradia; it was the look that he was giving her. It was filled with intense hunger, perverse desire, and the crudeness she saw in his smile warned her of the foul thoughts that probably flowed through his mind like a river.

  "Dax, do you see him?" Aradia said tugging on Dax's jacket.

  Dax looked around. Although he gave no indication that he seen anyone, he did not dismiss Aradia's observation. Instead, he scooped Aradia into his arms, leapt into the sky, and out of sight.

  Chapter Sixteen

  "Well this certainly sucks!" Aradia spat out bitterly. "I mean I go through all this trouble to try to promote amelioration, and they don't even give me a chance!"

  After all, she concluded to herself, she had committed no crimes by throwing the parties but apparently none of the other hidden leaders saw it that way. After learning about the nature of her parties, the alpha wolves of Roy's pack and all the others in Salem had forbidden him and any of the other werewolves to go to any more. Ironically, the vampire clan leaders followed the werewolves’ example by forbidding all the vampires of Salem to go as well. Tristan's father: the current seelie fae king followed both of their leads too. All this Tristan had explained to Aradia with a bit too much relish in his words. Either way, Aradia was practically seeing red by the time she went to the SilverMoon diner. After stuffing her face full of burgers and fries, Aradia's bad mood did not lift. A few seconds passed before Aradia looked around to all the faces staring at her. Some with anxiety, and one with casual indifference.

  "Told you it wouldn’t work love,” Dax said calmly while flipping a page in his book.

  “Oh bite me Dax," Aradia snapped.

  He looked at her with a sexually intrigued look, which was interrupted once Roy said, "Oh c'mon it was not a total loss. I mean like you said Rai-Rai you got the ball rolling about other hiddens being okay with each other. Maybe tha
t's enough."

  "You think so?" Aradia asked sarcastically.

  She then spied a vampire she knew from her math class at the counter and said, "See that girl over there? She told me she thinks you're hot!"

  Roy spun around eagerly, but once he saw the girl he turned back to Aradia in disgust.

  "Oh gross a vampire," he said, "Please!"

  Aradia then gave him a sarcastic look until it finally occurred to Roy that he had been set up for that.

  He sighed and said, "Okay so maybe things have not changed dramatically but..."

  "But nothing Roy," Aradia stated firmly, "The point is if I am going to change anything the parties are going to have to continue!"

  "Oh yeah?" said Al, "And how are you planning to do that?"

  Aradia looked up at him, and saw a flyer posted on the SilverMoon diner bulletin board.

  "What?" Al demanded.

  He then peered over her shoulder to see what she was clutching, only to dismiss it with a wave of his hand. "It’s just a flyer for our monthly battle of the bands."

  "Battle of the bands?" Aradia repeated.

  "It's just some stupid ritual or tradition the werewolves have every month," Dax explained to her already sounding irritated at Aradia's refusal to give up.

  Aradia then raised her eyes from the flier and widened like petals from a flower about to bloom.

  "You want to what?” Dax cried out.

  Aradia and Dax had stayed after hours while Roy and his brothers cleaned up in the darkened diner. By that time, Aradia had already worked out her plan to perfection.

  "I said I want to open up a secret night club to keep the parties going to help promote amelioration amongst the hidden," Aradia said smiling.

  Dax and Roy just stared at her, completely stunned.

  Al in contrast remarked sarcastically, “Oh? You do? Do you? How do you plan to open a night club with no money hmm? Rob banks?"

  D snorted and amazingly Aradia did as well.

  She said, "No Al, even better I plan to find an abandoned or vacant space with lots of room and use it for free! Since Dax's father works for the zoning board, I can find out first hand when and where certain places have been closed and can be used. "

  They all stared at her as she rushed on. "I will have Everrett be the DJ which he will do for free as well if I ask him real nice, with my powers I can clean the place up no problem, and as for school work I will do my projects and stuff early. In case I sleep through anything my friends in class will hook me up with the stuff I missed."

  "What about food?" Al said, "You can't have places to party without food!"

  "The food will be free!"

  "Oh and how do you plan to do that?" Al folded his arms.

  "You are going to make it for me," said Aradia.

  After a long stunned silence, Al, D, and Roy burst out laughing.

  "Like hell!" Al finally said, "We are not going to make food for your illegal raves for free!"

  "Who said for free?" Aradia teased.

  The brothers all suddenly stopped laughing while Aradia rushed on. "Think about it Al, D, Roy. Nightclubs attract women like flies to sugar especially beautiful women so Al you will have plenty of action. As for you D, Rhonda is going to be there, and all you and Al have to do is just show up with food. The rest of the night you can do whatever you want."

  The twins stood still, thinking about it while Roy said, "What about me?"

  "Please Roy, will you help me?" Aradia asked pouting her lips, and looking as innocent as Bambi. "It's really important to me you know."

  Roy didn't even pause. "Okay, I will do it."

  Aradia had to suppress a triumphant grin, but then she turned to Dax. "What about you?"

  Dax glanced at her from his casual pose leaning against the door.

  He sighed and said, "Hey you already how I feel about all this."

  Aradia's face fell.

  "But then again you also know if this is something that you want to do, I will help you without any hesitation,"

  She brightened as soon as Dax said this.

  "One request though," Al said holding up his hand. "Can this wait until after the battle of the bands?"

  Dax groaned. "Why? Everyone knows it's rigged so it's hardly a battle or even a contest. I mean every year your father holds it at your diner, with your food, and your equipment and you, his sons, always perform last and therefore always win! Proving without a doubt the battle of the bands is rigged!"

  Al and D began to advance towards Dax, but Aradia stopped them by waving her hands and saying, "Yeah, yeah it can wait until then."

  Al nodded and said, "Good. You are going to be there though right?"

  Aradia had been caught off guard, but she too nodded her consent.

  "Great," said Al smiling, "Wait until you hear Roy sing. He's incredible! And on his guitar as well!"

  "Huh?" Aradia stared past him towards Roy. "Roy-boy, I did not know you were in a band."

  Roy just shrugged sheepishly.

  As she climbed into his car on the night of the battle of the bands, Dax glanced over to see what Aradia was wearing. He then let out a low whistle.

  She had parted her long red hair to the side so it would fall on her face like a runway models. She wore black leggings with black slouchy boots, a short-sleeved shirt with an exotic design, and on top of all this, she wore a tan fake fur lined coat. She wore simplistic make-up, and a fake diamond choker sparkled from her neck.

  "It's funny," Dax remarked. "But you never look this good on our dates."

  Aradia shook her head. "It's not a date, Dax. Roy is doing a show in front of lots of people including our peers and I owe it to him to look good."

  Dax merely grunted.

  As they drove, neither one of them spoke, until finally Dax asked, "So will I be picking you up or is Roy driving you home?"

  "Roy's driving me," Aradia responded without missing a beat.

  After one quick glance, he noticed something in her expression. "You don't look too happy about it."

  Aradia said nothing.

  "It's just" she finally managed to say, "The thing about Roy is he's a bit... too much in touch with his animal side.”

  "Meaning?" Dax implied.

  "Well, when we are together like hugging and stuff. He just can't seem to keep his hands off me," Aradia explained.

  Dax stared at her, and asked rhetorically. "Should I be hearing this?"

  Aradia sighed and said, "It's nothing Dax. It is just...well...I can only hope that Roy really does understand the basic concept of the word: no. Which basically means knock it off or so help me, I will rip off your fingernails one by one. Best friend or not!"

  It was as they were parking when Dax turned to grasp Aradia's hand. "Has he ever hurt you?"

  He forced Aradia to look at him, but she could not and tried to hang her head. Dax gripped the steering wheel, and almost instantly, Aradia could hear the crunching of plastic.

  "Hey, hey," Aradia said placing both of her hands on the sides of his face, and looking him square in the eye. "Calm down Dax. You of all people know I can take care of myself and don't worry if things get messy I know what to do and who to depend on."

  Dax sighed wearily as he took both of her hands in his. "I know how you like your independence Aradia, and I like being able to give it to you. The sad truth is though, you are going to have to either get wise to how dangerous the world is or at least let me help you fight your battles."

  Aradia sighed, and hugged Dax.

  "You are awesome you know that don't you?" she finally murmured.

  Although Aradia was enjoying being in his arms, she knew that unless she tore herself away from him quickly, she would never be able to leave Dax's side. However, as she began to get out she noticed Dax's seat beat was still fastened.

  "Aren't you coming?" Aradia asked.

  Dax chuckled dryly. "I can’t. Remember? I am vampire and the battle of the bands is strictly a 'werewolf only' event. In other wor
ds, I am not allowed in."

  Aradia gritted her teeth. Once again, intolerance, and prejudice reared its ugly head in the hidden world and continued to interfere with her life. With one last lingering peck on his cheek, she got out of the car, and started walking to the back of the diner. Aradia only paused and turned only for a second to gaze at Dax as he drove away, longingly.

  Round tables had been set up, and concert equipment from lighting to speakers were seen everywhere. There was a stage where a band was currently finishing its song. A few playful jokesters heckled the band, and booed them as they winded down. However, Aradia paid them no mind, and as soon as she saw an empty table in the middle, she plopped down it's chair.

  She felt like her timing must have been perfect because no sooner had she sat down when the announcer came on stage who after cracking a few jokes introduced Roy's band known hilariously as the Werewolves. Aradia then saw Roy, Al, and D incredibly even Johnny and Robbie who played the tambourine and electric keyboard come up on to the stage. After taking a few moments of adjusting the equipment, Roy stepped up to the mike with his guitar in his hand, D on his bass guitar, and Al on his drums.

  Roy quickly scanned the crowd, as soon as he caught Aradia's eye he smiled and began to strum on his guitar. The first song they did was a rendition of Found Out About You by Gin Blossoms. Aradia was amazed to see how they followed the song, and tune to perfection even little Johnny and Robbie. As Roy began to sing, Aradia felt entranced the entire time he stared at her. Although the song was about a woman cheating, the way Roy sang, and looked at Aradia even the way he formed his lips when he annunciated words like "you" made Aradia sigh with desire. She smiled, and looked up at him dreamily. After a few other songs, Roy showed off his guitar skills and Al did fancy tricks while he played on his drums. Then they finally walked off the stage amidst the cheering and clapping crowd.

  Aradia jumped, and clapped louder than the other as Roy got off the stage to wipe his face with a cloth.