by R. J. Rogers
Glancing to Ella’s reflection in the mirror, I see she is blushing but beaming with pride at the same time. “Eh, just a hobby, Al. Just a hobby.”
There is a knock at the door and Ella spins to answer it, her Dorothy dress billowing out around her as she does so and her ruby red shoes sparkling as she runs across the floor to the door. “Be right there.” A moment later the dressing room door is opened, and my mother is standing in the threshold; arms clasped in front of her chest, with her right foot tapping and the most aggravated icy glare being passed between both Ella and me.
“I thought I told you to be at the stairwell at 7 p.m. Alina? Not 7:01, why must you push me so?” Beth’s words come out sharply.
“What are you talking about mother? It is just now 7,” I state as I pull my cell out from my satin blue satchel. “Do not give me lip, Alina! I expect you at the top of the stairs in two minutes.” Mother then turns in a huff and storms away from us. We giggle despite her anger and then arm in arm, we waltz to the staircase.
Ella gets to the bottom of the staircase before the lights go dark and the music is suddenly turned off. I am next blinded for a moment by a bright white light as it shines on my face. A spot light is slowly being dimmed so I can make my way down the steps. Once the lighting is perfect and a classical version of the birthday theme is echoing from the large speakers propped up next to the D.J. booth, I descend.
As I take the last step, the D.J. announces my ‘arrival’. From the sound of the clapping hands, I’m pretty sure the entire Association community is here. I hear a few whistles, hoots and hollers and know immediately where most of the Academy students are sitting. Before I can make my way over to them though, a cart is wheeled out in front of me, a three-tiered cake of different shades of blue and lit with 18 blazing candles sits upon the cart. Everyone sings ‘Happy Birthday’ to me and then I close my eyes, make a wish and blow the candles out.
Everyone gathers around to congratulate or wish me happy birthday and then the music begins to trickle through the speakers at a moderate volume, tables have been placed strategically away from the D.J. booth leaving that vacant area to be used as the dance floor. I am seated where everyone will be able to look at me. Nothing like being the center of attention… and everyone follows me as they all start sitting so that the dinner may begin.
Once the food has been consumed, the cake devoured, and the plates have been removed; the music gets turned up and pulsates, shaking the speaks with vibrations. Now the bash truly feels like a party! The dancing commences, and I do a father daughter dance with my dad before everyone else gathers on the dance floor. There may or may not have been some spiked punch passed around and ever so slowly the adults begin to relocate to other areas of the Grand Hall while we stay and enjoy ourselves as we laugh and dance around.
It is hedging towards the midnight hour and I have yet to find Dominic and that isn’t for a lack of me trying! However, among the seas of masks and costumes, my efforts are moot. Sighing deeply, I watch as Ella and Joe couple together as my favorite song, Don’t Cry by Emarosa, begins to flow through the speakers and I find myself wishing I had someone to slow-dance with.
A sad smile crosses my lips and I decide to walk off the floor. I will not allow myself to be depressed at my own party. Deciding to just sit this one out, I go to leave the floor but then I feel a tap from behind me on my shoulder. I spin on my heel to see someone dressed in black from head to toe, Zorro stands before me with a black mask that sits around his eyes and a cape that billows out behind him when he moves and a black hat upon his head. Tilting my head, I look into the most mesmerizing silver-blue eyes; they captivate me, heart and soul.
Smiling I whisper, “Nic?”
Dominic takes his hat off, causing his hair to become disheveled, falling into his eyes and briefly appearing sinister but then swoops into a low bow instead. Standing back up he quickly places his hat back on his head, so no one will be able to figure out who I’m talking to and then smiles; “Hey,” he whispers back before taking my hand and spinning me away from him. Throwing my head back as the laughter escapes my mouth from the unexpected gesture, I gasp as he then pulls me back in, close to his chest.
Thankfully I am wearing elbow length gloves so that none of my flesh is exposed and able to contact his skin. Giving me a quick kiss on the cheek, he then proceeds to twirl me around a majority of the ballroom and I continue to giggle the whole time he does so. He spins me until we are out of eyesight, shrouded in darkness from all of the other party-goers.
We are swaying rhythmically to the music but in an unlit area of the ballroom far enough from the rest of the crowd that we are essentially invisible to those around us.
Slowly we still our movements. No longer moving, I raise my hand and remove the mask from his face. Gazing longingly into each other’s eyes, our heads ever so slowly inching closer and closer to one another; I’ve been waiting two whole days to be kissed by him again.
Just as our lips touch blinding pain envelopes me! Screaming, I double over, gripping my stomach. Crouching down, trying to ease the pressure, the agony that is tearing through me, I suck in air and look to Dominic for help. Reaching a hand out so that he can help me stand back up, I see blue flames radiating off of me. My eyes go wide in shock and horror.
I hear him through my pain, a hint of excitement in his voice. “I knew it was you! Damn, we’ve got to get you out of here before anyone sees you starting to transition,” He says as though he is speaking to himself. Realizing he is doing so, he focuses on me; “Shh, shh, Alina I need you to listen to me right now. I need you to calm down.” Nic then places his hand against my cheek in a gentle caress. As I stare into his eyes, I can physically feel my nerves calming and I actually watch the blue flames dissipate, like he is absorbing the flames into himself.
I want to question him as to what he is doing, but it is like my energy has totally disappeared. Dominic scoops me up, cradling me to his chest and asks if there’s a side door we can leave through without being seen by anyone. Nodding, I lift my hand ever so slightly and point to a dark corner just beyond where we are standing.
Nic quickly carries me down the dark passage way. Barging through the exit doors, he swiftly makes his way down the steps and out to the parking-lot. Dominic looks around not sure what his next move should be.
I can tell he has made a decision because I feel him begin to walk again. After a minute or two he stops, and I manage to open my eyes enough to see him stand me against a green Jeep Renegade. Dominic rummages through his pockets looking for his car keys. Just as I go to place my hand on his arm because I don’t think I’ll be able to stand for much longer, he retrieves them from his left pant pocket. Finally, in hand, he pushes a button to unlock the doors and then wrapping my arm around his shoulders, he allows me to lean on him while he helps me into the passenger side door.
Hearing the engine start up, I press my head to the passenger side window and manage to ask; “Where are we going to go? Should I go to the hospital?” But before he can respond, my eyes slip shut and I pass out against the cool glass.
~
“Has anyone seen Alina? I can’t seem to find her anywhere.” Beth Hopkins begins to question the party-goers. She walks through the thinning crowd looking over heads trying to spot her daughter.
Seeing Ella standing near the drink table, she makes her way briskly over to her daughter’s friend. “Ella darling,” Mrs. Hopkins says in her sweetly fake voice. “Do you know by chance where Alina might be?’
“Um, no Mrs. Hopkins. I haven’t seen her in quite a while, actually” Ella says as she sits her drink on the table to look around for Alina herself. She raises and eyebrow in concern. “If I do see her, I’ll let her know you’re looking for her.” As an afterthought she adds; “did you try her cell? She always has it with her.”
With a tight-lipped smile, Mrs. Hopkins pats Ella on her arm and says; “Okay dear. Thank you.” Walking away from her, Beth pulls out her cell and tries
ringing Alina. In a dark corner of the Grand Hall, it rings. Swiftly her heels click across the marbled floor to where a soft blue light breaks up the darkness. Swooping downward, Mrs. Hopkins picks up Alina’s phone and searches the room once more. “Where in the world is that child?”
After a half hour of opening doors and walking the corridors, Beth concluded that Alina was missing. Locating her husband, she spoke her fear; “James, she’s gone. I think we need to go to the President and tell him of our situation.”
In his stern but gentle voice James responds in turn, “Don’t you think you’re being a bit dramatic dear? Maybe she went off with friends and she’ll be home tomorrow.”
“Ugh,” Beth exclaimed in a huff, throwing her arms up toward the sky in frustration. “James, if she left the party, Ella would have left with her. They never go anywhere without the other by their side and not only that, I found her phone abandoned off in a corner on the floor. And with rumors of witches being near, I don’t understand why you’re not more concerned! What if she’s been kidnapped? I can’t explain this feeling I have but it isn’t a good one. I just know she is no longer on the island.”
Chapter11
I am jostled awake as I feel the car being turned on to a very bumpy dirt road. Glancing to the brightly lit numbers on the car radio, I see that we have only been on the road for an hour and a half, give or take a few minutes. Turning my head, I give Dominic a questioning look.
We drive down a gravel drive that circles around a stone fountain which is sporadically spitting out colored hues of water. Being pitch black outside, the building we have come to park in front of is merely a towering outline in the darkness. From the outside, it doesn’t look as though there are any lights on in the entire building either, giving the place a more ominous, almost haunting feeling, making me all the more nervous. Glancing over to Dominic where he is currently sitting in the driver’s seat I ask; “Where are we? What is this place?”
Before he answers I see him take several deep breaths in and out as though he himself, is nervous about something. What he could possibly be nervous about is beyond my comprehension but has me worrying my bottom lip. Dominic takes my hand in his as he turns his body towards mine.
“Alina I’ve been keeping a huge secret from you that I haven’t wanted to keep from the very first moment I laid eyes on you, but I wasn’t allowed to tell you for fear of compromising my mission that I was assigned. What I’m about to divulge to you will be unfathomable, maybe even incomprehensible for you to believe.”
He closes his eyes for a second, takes another deep breath and plunges into his tale; “I’m sort of afraid when I do tell you, that you’ll end up jumping out of the car and run away screaming, never wanting to speak to me again, but before I begin I want to ask you a question. Have you ever heard the term soul mate before?”
I shake my head no before actually saying it; “no. Should I have heard of it?”
He shakes his head no, “where I come from, we are taught about soul mates at a very young age. It is part of our belief system.”
“Um, okay… Dominic I’ve got to tell you I’m a bit confused. What does this soul mate word have to do with why we are currently sitting in front of an abandoned warehouse?”
Nic chuckles nervously before continuing on; “before I tell you, I want you to know that all those times you felt energy surge between us, saw sparks ignite when we touched, and the white-blue chord try to bind us, our souls were trying to unite, to become one. We are two halves of one incomplete soul and whenever we are around each other, our souls are trying to unify.” He locks his hand in mine and without hesitation says; “So right here, right now, I am declaring my love for you. I want you to know that I have loved you from the very first moment our eyes locked. I love you more than you will probably ever know.”
I am a whirlpool of confusion and emotions now. Having been stunned momentarily into silence while my brain processes what he just said to me, I stare at him opened mouth. He loves me! He really said he loves me. I knew he felt all that crap at the same time as me. But, now what? My mind is overwhelmed but then I think about what he said at the start of this bizarre conversation as well. Mission. He said he was assigned a mission, was I his mission? And if so why? So, is he saying he loves me because he thinks I will be more willing to listen to him? Or does he really truly love me? God, I’m more confused now than ever before!
Before I can question my thoughts out loud though, Dominic takes one more deep breath and plunges head on with the rest of his confession. “I am not a witch hunter from another academy but in all actuality, I am truly a genuine witch.”
Shocked by his statement, I laugh nervously, “wh-what are you talking about Nic?” I ask in disbelief. “If this is your idea of a joke, I can tell you it’s not a very funny one.” I try to read his face in search of humor but not even a glint of it sparkles in his eyes.
“I can assure you Ali, darlin’; this is no joke. I am part of the Silver Heart Coven and I was sent on a mission to find you and bring you here. I didn’t know that the one I was searching for was going to be my soul mate as well.”
“How is that even possible. Witches are not able to enter the Black Sun Academy.” I glance out the window trying to see the building. I feel my mind trying to shut down, hedging toward shock.
“Al, Ali look at me.” I can hear him say my name, feel him trying to urge my face away from the window but I can’t bear to bring myself to look at Dominic right at this moment. So instead I stare at the wooden double doors that are the entrance to the building I still have no name for.
Slowly I see light begin to spill out onto the stone steps leading into whatever is beyond. As the door is pulled open wide from the inside, I see a silhouette breaking up the light. A hand is waving for us to come in.
I hear the driver’s door open and close and then Dominic is opening my door. He offers me his hand which I take ever so hesitantly before he gently pulls me out of the car. As he shuts the car door behind me, I swear I can hear waves crash against a shore somewhere not too far away and begin to wonder if we have even left Nahant, MA., and this is just some weird, insane trick being played on me. He interlocks his fingers with mine squeezing my hand, trying to show his support. Only one way to find out for sure what is really going on I guess, I think to myself and then allow Nic to take my hand and lead me up the stairs.
From the outside I would have bet money we were entering a warehouse. However, upon entering I realize I would have definitely lost that bet. The interior gives the appearance and feel of a church. I try to question Nic but as I begin to speak, a voice behind us sounds; making me jump and twirl around to see who is standing just feet away from us.
“Dominic, so glad to see you are returned.” Nic nods his head in acknowledgement before replying; “High Priestess, allow me to apologize for the late hour. I wasn’t expecting us to be travelling today.”
The High Priestess waves her hand in the air dismissing his statement; “nonsense Dominic, what is time compared to the preciousness you have brought home to us? Alina, my dear sweet girl; I would like to welcome you to the Church of Covens. We hope you will consider this a safe haven, maybe even your home, dear.”
I smile timidly towards her and glance to Nic. “How does she know my name,” I try to whisper but it must have been an unsuccessful whisper because I hear the High Priestess chuckle heartily and answer instead. “Oh, dear child, we know everything there is possibly to know about you. You are our rescuer, our savior after all.”
I stare dumbfounded at this powerful presence who is smiling very endearingly back at me. That word savior has me freaking out. What the hell is she talking about; savior! I think to myself. Just then a movement catches my eyes. Someone very familiar has just walked by us. “Ms. H.?” What the…?
Glancing over her shoulder, Ms. Harris smiles widely at me. “Alina!” She expresses shock but happiness at seeing me here. “Oh, I just knew you were the one.”
&nb
sp; I shut my mouth having realized it has fallen open in surprise at seeing her here. “What are you doing here? And where is here?”
She chuckles and walks back up to me, wrapping her arms around me in a very heart felt hug. “I am an associate of the Silver Heart Coven dear. I would love to be able to talk with you now, but at this moment I’ve got to dash off. I will meet up with you tomorrow and we will chat.” I nod and watch as she quickly makes her way in the opposite direction from the way we are headed. “Um, would someone please tell me where I am?” I ask exasperated, throwing my arms up in the air in frustration.
Dominic looks at me with a raised eyebrow, “what do you mean? Ms. H. just told you where we are.” He looks at me baffled.
I sigh dramatically. How is he not comprehending what I am asking? “Are we still in Nahant or a different town? Heck for all I know you’ve taken me across state lines!” I nearly shriek.
High Priestess comes over to me and places a hand upon my shoulder. My emotions immediately calm and I look to her curiously. I wonder what kind of magic she possesses. “Dear, you are in Cape Cod.”
“Thank you,” I respond. For some reason, knowing I’m only an hour and a half away from home puts my mind at ease. Not that it matters if I am what these people say I am. I will never be able to go home again.
An hour later I am officially considered a resident of the Church of Covens. I have been set up with my own apartment if it can be called that. From my view I would constitute it as more of a prison cell. There is one lone window, surrounded by four grey dull walls. A full-sized bed sits near one wall with a closet directly across from it.
Neatly folded on the bed is a white comforter with sheet and pillow resting on top. I sigh to myself, what were you expecting Al; the Ritz Carlton? At least I don’t have to worry about anyone here finding out what’s happening to me and then trying to kill me!
