A Witch's Destiny

by E. J. Bennett

  “Sex! With who?” Amy now sounded serious.

  “Mom? Do you really think I would tell you that?”

  “You need to tell me what is going on with you. It’s for your own good. Amy’s cheeks had taken on a hint of red. Divina decided that it wasn’t the right time to tell her mother that she wasn’t exactly a virgin.

  “It’s just that I feel there is a part of me I don’t know, a part of me that must have been taken from me or something I just . . .”

  Amy was indecisive, was this the perfect time for her to tell her daughter the truth? No, she hesitated. I wouldn’t expose her to any form of danger, not now, not now.

  “Pumpkin, I know how you feel, it’s going to be alright. You’re just thinking too much. Every young adult feels this way at some point. Nothing like Lycans or vampire’s exist . . .”

  “Buh . . .”

  “Shuush . . . don’t say any anymore. That’s all for tonight” She answered conclusively.

  Divina wouldn’t take no for an answer, she needed to find out who she was. If she was something more than a simple college student. She had always had a feeling she didn’t belong. However that feeling had become consuming.

  Her phone buzzed. She huffed and glanced at the screen. A message from Melissa. She gazed back at her mum who had busied herself putting the groceries away. She knew she wouldn’t get anywhere with her. She was just as stubborn as she was. Plus Divina knew when not to push.

  Ring me!

  Melissa’s message was clear. Divina moved into the sitting room out of her mother’s ear shot.

  “Hey!” Melissa practically yelled into the phone. She had picked up on the first ring.

  “Hay,”

  “Why didn’t you ring me! I have left so many messages. How is your Pa?”

  “I don’t know, he wasn’t himself, it was wired really,”

  “Oh, I hope he gets well soon, give him my love,”

  “Listen Melissa, I can’t thank you enough. Thank you, thank you. You saved my ass,”

  “Wow, what did I do?” Melissa laughed.

  “Cleaning up, after the party,”

  “Oh, I can’t take all the credit. I spent most of that time, staring at one lush arse,” Divina had to laugh, but she was also hit with a hint of jealousy.

  “So your man Mr. Steel gave you a hand,”

  “On, he did most of the work,” Divina would have to thank him personally. A smile crept onto her face. She needed to see him in person. Put an end to her dreams. He wasn’t hers and never would be. Even though that thought did send a shot of sadness through her heart.

  Why do I feel this way? She asked herself as she said her goodbye and ended the call. She didn’t even know the man. Plus one look and he looked like a complete jerk. She could do without the drama.

  Chapter 4

  The next day, she decided to get some fresh air in the woods alone. She loved being around nature and listening to the sounds of wildlife. Upon the floor lied trees of yesteryears, ripped from the roots during storms. She made her way to Melissa’s temporary hideout. A place which had become hers too, countless summer holidays was spent in the woods. Those were her childhood days, when she believed in fairytales and hoped a prince would ride by on his white horse and sweep her away. She laughed at the memory. How young and naive she was back then. So trusting and sweet.

  The hardships of life had changed her. Love didn’t last. She had learned that from her parents. Constant fights and screaming matches were something she would rather do without. She didn’t see the point in love if it didn’t last. Why would anyone want to put themselves through so much heartache? Yet wasn’t that what she was doing. Fantasying and dreaming about a complete stranger and love? Shaking her head she sighed. She really had to pull herself together.

  She filled her lungs with a deep breath of air from the fresh morning forest, instantly she felt better. This particular place had something magical about it. She couldn’t just say what it was. The smell was freshly organic, the sweet sounds of the birds which pervaded her senses filling her thoughts with the oneness of nature.

  The aged beautiful trees around, the cave, and the skyscrapers of different trees, it all added to the magic, surreal feel of the place. She could hear the scurrying squirrels in search for food and the bristles of wispy moss. The twigs crunched under her feet while she made her way through the carpeted path. Shooting and soothing was the peace of the morning. The forest was alive, with prey and predators’ alike rising from their slumber to begin their daily routine of survival.

  Each sound was distinct and she could separate each one from the other. On her right a snake disappeared behind some bushes.

  She wasn’t afraid like many she knew. To her all nature was beautiful and held an air of mystery.

  She thought about going for a swim in the river. It’s shimmering surface looked inviting. She laughed as she remembered all the times she and Melissa had spent in the very same river pretending to be mermaids.

  The river was a slice of mellow harmony amid the fragrant leaves. It flowed like time, always onwards, always towards its destiny.

  She thought about her future. Was becoming a doctor really what she wanted to do? When she had first signed up for collage she was positive that is where her destiny laid. Now she wasn’t so sure.

  She felt like there was more she had to do with her life. But what? It was only the start of the summer and it had left her confused.

  No longer did she know what she wanted to do with her life.

  She glanced at the lake again and smiled. The hands of fate would lead her down the path she was to take.

  Divina undressed herself exposing her stunning body. She knew she had a great figure. One of the perks from collage was the gym. She loved to keep in shape and feel her muscles burn and ache from pushing them to their limits.

  She felt better as she entered the water. She welcomed the kiss of coolness and watched the water ripple and swirl around her. It seemed like the soothing liquid was washing all her worries away. Her head was light, void of worries in this world. Even her over active mind ceased its questions and thoughts.

  No voice could be heard, only the running stream and the creaking of the branches swayed by the gentle wind. She traced her hair with the cold water. She took some laps forward and backward. There was nothing as good as a refreshing swim within the utopia of nature. She felt whole and alive, the sun shone on her bare skin and she basked in the heat.

  Divina hadn’t enjoyed her swim in the river for long when she heard the rustle of the forest floor, like someone was coming towards the river! Not now, she was naked and exposed.

  Quickly she made her way out of the water grabbed her clothes and hastily put them on. It was a struggle with her wet skin and her clothes stuck to her like a second skin. It happened during her quick rush. Her leg brushed against a sharp stone. She was just putting her sneakers on, when she felt a swift whiff of wind pass by her. Divina raised her eyes up just in time to see Melissa’s property staring at her.

  “Am very sorry for . . .”

  Divina was shocked,

  “I didn’t see you coming,”

  “Erm I , I just came from that angle, it’s very possible you wouldn’t see me coming.” He replied.

  Divina could now understand why Melissa’s property was all Melissa could think of at the party. He was quite cool and hot when close. He wore a pendant which Divina thought was for something more than ornamental use. Scenes from her first dream found its way to her mind. She had seen that pedant.

  His shoulders were truly broad. Easily she was distracted and the pendent vanished from her thoughts. The way his muscles rippled under his white t-shirt, made her weak at the knees. Her hot sensual dream, it played like a movie in her mind. Gulping she tore her eyes away from his body completely aware of the blush that had reddened her cheeks.

  “What are you doing here?” She asked defensively. Annoyed from the fact that he had interrupted her refreshin
g swim, and embarrassed by the feeling of desire/lust running through her she had snapped at him.

  “Just getting some fresh air in the woods, are you alright?”

  “I am Divina by the way,”

  “I know, Kane Steel,”

  Divina bent down to nurse her wound, it wasn’t a brutal injury but the pain had lasted longer than it should be. It stung like crazy as the wind blow on the open wound.

  “Hey! You got to help me home. I don’t think I can walk perfectly” Divina didn’t receive any response. She looked up and just as Kane Steel had appeared he had disappeared.

  Kane Steel got home as soon as he could. He needed to get away from her. To every other person except the vampire clan and other Lycans, his father had just bought the cursed mansion which was in the middle of the woods.

  But the truth was that he had bought the mansion and the person referred to as Kane’s father was his young nephew.

  He walked into the hall way in a swift pace, Kane hadn’t taken more than a few dozen steps when he scented another Lycan.

  It should never happen, Lycan’s are rear breed and they keep a long distance from each other. Two Lycan’s within twenty miles could only lead to a battle of supremacy. But this asshole was a lycan in his territory.

  “Come on, your son of a bitch” Kane shouted. This asshole had some cheek letting himself into his home.

  Anger welled inside him along with the instinct to fight and protect his territory.

  He flexed his hands at his sides, his weight balanced on the two balls of his feet, ready for a fight. Then Kane saw it come around the corner at the far end of the hall with a raucous snarl. In split seconds, he launched himself forward with a massive swipe which would have taken Kane’s throat and a part of him if he hadn’t dove and rolled.

  The fight between a Lycan and another Lycan wasn’t to death because they could not kill each other except one who possessed the wrathvamp- the enchanted sword which could kill any mythical creature with the smallest cut, it was until one surrenders. Even the chopping off of one’s head did not work. The body would search for the head, coming known as zombies. It was a curse of their kind. To live eternity as a beast, he got to his feet in one swift move. Kane took quick steps backward this Lycan was definitely a saber wielder. He was almost six feet tall, bald-headed and built like a WWE superstar. He looked juiced up, hungry for blood. Which he couldn’t get, Kane had to think fast. That bastard could turn around and bite him.

  A bite from another Lycan was serious. He would be crippled in pain for days and become delirious with a high fever.

  Most Lycans were horrible looking it was a curse that had been placed on his kind, somehow his pack had escaped that fate. Some had said it was the fact that his father was the alpha of all alphas’ that had saved them. Kane wasn’t sure why.

  He transformed into his animal form, his fangs and claws rising like the moon in the night. Then his opponent switched the saber in his hand to the other hand while he prepared his left hand into a meaty fist. He swung a blow at Kane with much more speed than Kane expected. The punch landed on Kane’s jaw, it should have sent him to the floor if he hadn’t crashed into the wall. He heard the crack of plaster and anger surged through him from the damage caused.

  The crash kept him on his feet although he hurt his head badly. Good move, it’s time to end this shit. The evil beast who was having the upper hand started to grin, definitely he thought this would be easy for him.

  Kane brought his left leg around swiftly and knocked the knife from his hand and nailed the beast in the ribs with a formidable sidekick. The Lycan quickly recovered and drove his shoulder into Kane’s middle completely knocking the wind out of his lungs. Both Lycans hit the floor with a crunching thud, each grappling for the upper hand, landing punches which would have killed a human in an instant. The bastard must have been bigger, but Kane had enough experience and speed. In seconds Kane had the other Lycan pinned face down on the floor. Kane trapped his neck in his hands and squeezed it with all his strength. The deadly beast continued to struggle but he couldn’t last more than fifty heartbeats.

  “Take the nearest exit you bastard,” Kane roared. He transformed back to his human form and pulled the unconscious beast to the yard. He was sure when the moon came out, it would have found its way out of town.

  Kane made his way to his library, stacks of old books with rumpled edges which smelt of age occupied the shelves from left to right. A small table and a chair were at the centre. Kane found a special kind of solace in the pages of a book, any book. In his former life he had been a professor of geophysics. But he left all that to find the enchantress who had the wrathvamp, the only threat to his life.

  Chapter 5

  Divina didn’t bother getting back into the river. Her injured foot would only cause her more trouble. She started limping slowly back to the trail which led back home, she had to treat her injury before any infection could get to her.

  She had been walking around for almost an hour at a slow pace and she was already weak. Counting her steps didn’t help any way but it had served its purpose to some extent.

  Her mind was far from reality to the extent that she had missed the trail which would take her to the field which was behind Pa’s house. She had wandered so far away that she couldn’t really say where she was.

  Divina noticed that she was now in the middle of thick long trees without leaves. This was far from the woods she knew.

  Not sure of where she was she became terrified but her determination to find her way home kept her moving. The next five minutes was spent wandering around the woods until she found a castle up front. She was familiar with the rumor that the castle was inhabited by demons and spirits. Anyone that entered never returned. But someone had bought it and must be living there. It didn’t look dingy or scary as they claimed it to be. It looked like the place had been renovated recently with new roof tiles and glistening windows.

  Maybe she could get some help and find her way home. Besides there was a car parked outside it would be very easy for her to get home. It had no gate or fence. She walked up to the door and just as she was about to knock, someone pushed open the door. Surprised at whoever must have done that, the answer was right in front of her. The handsome guy with his dark hair and seductive eyes was definitely no-one else than Kane. His eyes diving into hers like he was trying to get to know her inner thoughts.

  She shifted on her feet uncomfortable with the way he was looking at her.

  What now? He thought Humans can’t just stay away from danger

  “Uhm . . . Hello” Divina tried to muster a few words.

  “Yeah, what do you want now?” Kane sounded very rude. Divina flashed him a glare.

  “Just a little help that’s all,” Divina could pick out the offensive tone that was laced with heat.

  Before Divina could say anything else. Kane had slammed the door on her, made use of his super speed to get an antiseptic bottle, cotton and some bandages.

  Although it was hard to find items like that in the house because its inhabitants never made use of them for any reason, Kane was able to ransack the house in split seconds and was at the door with the items.

  The urge for blood had now gotten so strong. His dark pupil’s morphed into a red color.

  A thick line of deep blood circled around his eyes, which spread to his eye lids and which almost enveloped his face. Quickly he turned back to hide his face from Divina.

  “Hey, what’s going on?” Divina asked still very confused.

  Kane dropped the items and pushed them with the back of his heel to her. It was very easy for him to do so because all first aid items were placed in an old dusty basket.

  “You really need to get that cleaned up,” Kane spoke with urgency in his voice. And shut the door again.

  Humans! They can never stay away from danger. Naïve souls. He thought as he ran back to the back of the house, far away from Divina as possible until she had wrapped her injury neat
ly. Even though he could smell her blood then, the urge would have subsided. Somehow when he was around her, he could feel something he couldn’t explain.

  Not like butterflies in his stomach, his heart didn’t skip whenever he saw her, it was something more than that, like they were destined to be together but a mirage of problems and impossibilities stood between them.

  “She is still out there,” Kane looked up to see his nephew leaning against the doorframe. To look at them both you would say that Byrd was older than Kane. He had a more mature look to him.

  “You could have helped areole,”

  “With the girl or snooping Lycan?” Kane gritted his teeth.

  “Both!” he snapped.

  What a jerk! Divina thought as she dressed her injury. After taking good care of her injured leg she contemplated on knocking on the door or walking back home. Then she remembered that she couldn’t really find her way home except through his help. Her knuckles hit the door in two quick knocks.

  This time it wasn’t Kane who answered the door. Divina couldn’t get her eyes off the person who showed up. Okay, he wasn’t her type, but certainly he was a piece of eye candy. A rugged breed of a male having a complete set of bulging muscles, tattoos and faded scars. Divina could only guess where he had gotten the scars and the hardships of life he had faced.

  Divina’s body was reaching supernova levels of heat in an embarrassing, shocking, completely unforgivable act of pretence. The person standing before her now had hard, sleekly muscled physique attested to what she could have called an athletic lifestyle. His body was more than what she could imagine.

  Even his forearms were marked by ropey muscles and lean lines of sinew.

  Accentuating this look was his dark body hair lying flat against the deep, sun-darkened color of his skin.

  Without a doubt, he was the most masculine, athletic person Divina had ever seen. His features couldn’t hide the truth that he belonged there, to the wild, rugged terrain of the forest where the house was situated. As Divina watched him, he flexed his big hands at his sides on purpose of cause. Like he was working out a cramp, his arms rigid, herculean biceps stretched the seams of his white T-shirt. That T-shirt was just a transparent glass for Divina to see through. It was like a fierce wave of tension originated from him, blasting against her face like a hot wind or a cold rush of air in the snow. She was both hot and cold at the same time. It was uncanny and not quite right.