The Witch's Chalice

by Melania Tolan

  I stifled a shudder because I had seen the silver cord. Even now with closed eyes, I could see the gleaming thread extending between me and the crone.

  “That is all for now. You must go and get your rest before tonight. Make sure you take your vial.”

  That’s it? She’s just going to dismiss me after that bombshell?

  “But I have questions.”

  “And I don’t have the answers, child. We will meet again, but right now, you must focus on the cord that binds you to your lover. Seal the deal and do it soon.”

  There was no point in arguing with Satra, for once the woman had made up her mind, there was no swaying it. I nodded and thanked her again before leaving the tent.

  The wolves escorted me back to the mountain, and I gave Ari’s wolf form a big hug. He licked the side of my face. Something about him made me feel right again. He could tear me into pieces within seconds, but his eyes had the softness of a kind soul.

  Traian waited for me inside the common room.

  His upper lip curled into a sneer, nostrils flaring. “Who touched you?”

  “Oh, get over yourself.” I waved my hand.

  When we entered our quarters, he had me against the wall. “You don’t understand how possessive strigoi are. Every time you walk through that gate, you smell of all kinds of creatures. I don’t like it.”

  ‘Creatures’. There’s that word again.

  I took a deep breath, mostly to calm myself, and caught a familiar scent. Ah, so that is what jealousy smells like. I’d picked up on the scent before, mostly when he was in a foul mood.

  I calmly placed both hands on his chest. “I will always smell like everything, because that is who I am. It will only get worse, I’m afraid.” I met his gaze. “But only one person has my heart, and that’s you.” Oh yes, strigoi are possessive.

  Traian press his lips to mine for a brief second. “Let’s get that dog smell off of you, then.”

  He led me into the bathroom, where a warm bath waited for me. However, he did not stay in the room while I soaked and didn’t see him the rest of the night.

  That morning, it felt good to lay down in my coffin and close my eyes. Storm snuggled in between my arms and tucked her little head underneath my chin. Next to my head, I placed the four vials of potions I had: healing, protection, connection, and passion. I should probably start using these to see if they work.

  Next to them, tucked in a side pocket, was the file. I pulled it out and looked at the newspaper clippings. Most were in foreign languages. Some looked French, others Spanish, German, and some type of Asian.

  “That’s it, I need to start learning other languages,” I muttered to Storm.

  She patted my cheek with her paw.

  The three English clips told of various shops and cafés owned by Eva Constantine. There were no photos in the entire file except the one with my grandmother and the gypsy women. Apparently, Eva had opened businesses throughout the world…card shops, florists, boutiques, bookstores, and coffee shops.

  But why?

  I went back to the photo and stared at the image of my grandmother. It was slightly blurry, but I could make out the silver cross hanging from her neck. As I drifted off to sleep, my free hand found the same cross hooked on Storm’s collar.

  Chapter 18

  When I woke, Traian was attending to other duties and couldn’t come to see me. Padrick also never showed up, so I went outside on the cliff ledge and did the evening Tai Chi routine alone. I also practiced channeling the energy into my palm and pointing at a specific object. I started with small rocks and sticks. I could use my electric energy to move them about three inches above the ground for a few seconds.

  Wind swirled around me in greeting. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I felt a cool embrace before she moved on down the mountain. However, nothing could distract me from the pressing thoughts raging inside my head.

  Satra had told me to “seal the deal” with Traian. Did she mean sex? There was nothing I wanted more, but how could I, when my hands exploded every time we touched? Unless we do it in the crystal cave near the rhodochrosite. And then I remembered the passion potion Satra had made for me. I still hadn’t used any of the potions. Maybe it was time.

  Back down in my room, I brought out the four vials and set them on the garden wall around my coffin. I uncorked the healing potion that was meant to help calm my powers. I let two drops fall on my tongue and braced myself for the nasty taste, but it was surprisingly tolerable. A tingling calm rippled through my body.

  Next, I sampled the protection potion. That one had a tangy flavor. I waited for the little zing of energy I’d felt with the healing one. When it came, it was less subtle then the previous.

  I didn’t need the connection potion tonight, but I held the bottle of passion for a moment. I didn’t need desire, I had plenty of fire. But Satra had said this was more about protecting me and my lover from any surge of power within my body.

  I didn’t know if I’d get lucky tonight, but I’d sure as hell make sure I was prepared and ready.

  This potion tasted like cinnamon and clove and reminded me of Christmas. I savored the flavors as I changed into a black, floor-length dress and brushed my hair. With this done, I remembered I’d wanted to look for Grandma’s diary, which meant I needed to find Traian, since he knew where it was.

  He was waiting for me by the lake outside our quarters, pacing nervously. He appeared slightly relieved to see me, then ran a hand through his hair, before proceeding to kneel.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, all thoughts about the journal vanishing.

  Traian opened a little box, and inside was a ring made of a piece of rhodochrosite.

  “It’s beautiful.” I caught my breath. “Oh, my goodness, thank you.” I took the ring and put it on my hand, and then I stopped. “Wait…are you proposing to me?”

  “No. Just giving you a gift.”

  “Why kneel, then?” I said.

  He stood up and looked a little flustered. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  I stifled a giggle. “Thank you for the ring.”

  “You're welcome.” He gave me a brief smile.

  He wouldn't stop wiggling around. I finally placed both hands on his shoulders to make him stop. And then I reached on my tippy toes and kissed him. His arms were around me instantly, as his tongue dove into my mouth. Then he pulled away.

  “Not here,” he whispered, and picked me up.

  I wrapped my legs around his torso as we raced through the labyrinth of tunnels to the little crack in the wall, wiggling through the opening until we made it to the crystal cave. He set me down when we reached the familiar orange-red stone. To my surprise, there was a cozy hole inside the spire that hadn’t been there before.

  Just big enough for two people to lay inside very close.

  “Oh—”

  That was all I could say, because his mouth was on mine once again.

  He pressed my back against the crystal pillar, as we tore each other's clothes off. It felt good to shred the shirt off Traian and rip his jeans away. We were completely naked within seconds. I pulled off the leather band that kept his hair tied, and his black locks fell around his pale face and past his broad shoulders. I was finally seeing the man I craved in his full glory.

  He stepped back, his wings spreading behind him. His black eyes, raging with need, met mine. “I haven’t been with a woman in a long time.”

  “What about a man?” I half-joked.

  Traian’s mouth twisted in a grimace. “That’s not funny. Men are not my preference.” The muscles in his jaw twitched, and he dropped his gaze.

  I regretted saying anything when I realized why he had reacted that way. I could feel Traian’s pain like an old injury that hadn’t quite healed, and I was pretty sure who had caused it.

  That asshole tortured him in more ways than one.

  If I ever saw Octavian, I would rip his penis off his body and feed it to the bears.

 
I took a step forward and held my hand out. “I’ve never been with anyone before. Let’s not think about the past or the future. Right now is all we have, so let’s enjoy it to the fullest.”

  I didn’t say ‘I’m sorry he hurt you’ or anything comforting, because I had no idea what kind of pain had been inflicted upon him. I didn’t understand what he’d been through, so pretending I did felt wrong. All I had to offer was the love that sprouted from every cell of my body when I looked at him or when he touched me. Sure, I’d been hurt plenty myself, but this wasn’t a ‘who’s experienced more pain’ match.

  I waited for him to respond. The silence between us stretched.

  Is he having second thoughts? And what are we doing here?

  Cool fingers slid across my open palm, clasping my wrist.

  “You don’t know how long I’ve desired this.” Traian pulled me to him until our bare skin touched.

  “Oh, I think I have an idea.” My voice sounded breathless, even though I didn’t need to breathe.

  With the hand not clasping my wrist, he traced the outline of my face, his fingers trailing lower, to my chest. When his fingertip touched the silver tattoo, the energy inside me changed vibrations, becoming a slow, deep, pulsating force that resonated down to my bone marrow.

  He followed the branches of the tree down to the roots to the place I hadn’t been touched before. Fire ignited inside my core as his fingers explored further. We moved closer to the rhodochrosite spire. He pulled me inside the little nook, where plush, red blankets awaited. There was just enough room for us.

  Traian shifted his body and made sure I was comfortable. The velvety material beneath me felt so soft against my skin. I took in his glowing, pale body and lean muscles, broad shoulders and delicious ripple of abs, which led down to a very excited appendage of his body.

  My eyes went back to his face, and I realized I was a little nervous.

  This is it. Me and him, finally together.

  This act was important to defeating our enemy lurking in the south. But I didn't care about that right now. All I wanted was him, to feel him inside me. I'd waited a long time for this.

  His hands went to my face and cradled my head. “Don't be nervous, my love. I will be gentle with you.”

  “You don't have to be gentle anymore. I'm tougher now than I was weeks ago.” I lifted my head and kissed him. “Please enjoy yourself, too. This is about you as much as it is about me. This is about us.”

  He kissed my forehead, my cheeks, my lips, and then raised his head.

  “Yet you are so delicate. You are new to this, so I will take my time to make sure you're comfortable and satisfied.”

  And that was the last of our conversation. What happened next was nothing short of magical. No potion, spell, film, or book could bottle up that experience, only my mind. I would never forget the way he made me feel, the look in his eyes, or all the sensations he sent through my body. I would remember forever how his body molded against mine and fit inside me. I never wanted the moment to end.

  Alas, our afterglow bliss ended abruptly, when Traian’s spine straightened, and the muscles in his face contracted. He closed his eyes and growled.

  “What’s wrong?” I wanted to touch his shoulder, but dared not. Did I do something?

  Traian’s black eyes contained tiny specks of red when he opened them. “He’s here.”

  “Who?” I gulped, already knowing the answer before it came.

  “Octavian.”

  Chapter 19

  The man stood at the center of the common room and scolded me with his eyes. Instead of crumbling at his gaze, I tightened my muscles and lifted my chin.

  I scanned Octavian, from his balding, tattooed head to the studded slippers hiding his toes. We hadn’t been officially introduced, but I had little doubt that the rotund man standing near the fire pit was the legendary baddie.

  His pale skin matched the snow outside the cave. His nose crooked away from his face like a mangled branch from an old stump. The sparkling cloak he wore had gems of every color of the rainbow and then some. From the sides of the dazzling robe, his arms came together in a prayerful pose. Golden rings adorned each finger with glistening jewels.

  He looked very impressive, but I wasn't impressed. In fact, he irked me. I didn’t like his haughty attitude, nor the way he made everyone in the room feel. I didn't care if he was the famed, powerful, wicked villain everyone feared, or that he could probably kill me in one second. I simply didn't like him and considered blasting him with some electricity. But common sense won.

  He watched me like a hawk.

  “Well, I finally get to meet the troublemaker.” He snapped his fingers, and armed men surrounded Traian and me. “Arrest her and bring her forward for her execution.”

  I should be afraid. I should be very afraid. Arrest and execution were not what I had planned for today. Wait, execution for what?

  Traian stepped away from me, and two men pointed guns at my back and pushed me forward until I came within an arm’s reach of Octavian. I resisted the urge to meet Traian’s eyes and buried the sense of betrayal I felt, even though he’d told me before we left the crystal cave what was going to happen when we arrived.

  He’d wanted to run away with me, but I had refused. I wasn’t going to let the rest of the coven take the brunt of punishment for us. Octavian had come here for me. I’d heard enough stories of his dealings with the magical community to know that running away would only lead to the torture and death of people I now cared about.

  “So, you are the little rebel that killed my most trusted associate.” Octavian’s voice had a little too much glee for my liking.

  I probably should have kept my mouth shut and just listened, but I couldn't help myself. “I'm sorry, who is this person that I supposedly killed?”

  It happened so fast that I had a hard time wrapping my brain around it. The back of his hand hit my jaw so hard, the smack echoed through the vast cavern. As my focus returned to his despicable face, I spit out the blood that had pooled in my mouth, right onto his white, jeweled cloak.

  I could tell that Traian did not appreciate my reaction. Nor did Octavian’s guards, as evident by the butt of a gun coming down on my neck, but the pain didn't last long.

  I straightened up and met Octavian's gaze. “I don't know what you're talking about. But if you’re going to kill me, just get it over with, please.”

  His fingers came to my throat.

  My hands clasped his wrist, but nothing happened, there was no buzzing in my palms. My powers were gone. So was my strigoi strength.

  I started questioning why I had taken the potion. That was a terrible idea.

  “Do not speak to me, you floundering rodent. You will pay for your crime. But first, as tradition dictates, I must take your blood.” The jovial tone that had been there moments before had vanished.

  One hand came to my shoulder and tilted my neck back. Sharp teeth dug into my vein. I could feel the viscous blood flowing from my body into Octavian's mouth. He gulped down multiple mouthfuls of my blood, then suddenly pushed me aside.

  I dropped to my knees, as five guns pointed at my head. I didn't dare move.

  Octavian backed up until he sat on one of the sofas. His eyes were wide, and crimson blood dripped from his mouth as he gazed at me in shock.

  “It can't be,” he whispered, his eyes glazing as if he was seeing something in the distance, even though they stared straight at me.

  Nobody moved or said a peep.

  Octavian trembled and brought both hands to his face. “It's impossible.” He looked around the room until he found Traian. “Come here, my boy.” He waved him over.

  Traian approached him cautiously.

  “You created her, did you not?”

  Traian nodded.

  “Yes, of course you did. I saw it. But her human ancestry…did you know?”

  Traian shook his head. “Know what, master?”

  Octavian leapt onto Traian and dug into h
is throat. He took a gulp of blood and then backed off. I watched the wound on Traian's neck seal back up and the skin return to what it had looked like moments before he’d been bitten.

  “Well, well, well,” Octavian slowly mused. “This is fascinating indeed.” He turned to Traian and put his hand on his shoulder. “Of all people to choose to turn, you had to pick my daughter.”

  Traian glanced at me and then turned back to Octavian. “I don't understand.”

  “I know. It's a miracle.” Octavian cupped Traian's face and kissed his forehead. “This is marvelous indeed.”

  Octavian came over and stood next to me. He waved the soldiers away and knelt in front of me, taking my hands in his. “You are my daughter. I don't know how it's possible, but you are my own flesh and blood.”

  I had no idea what he was talking about. I blinked and said nothing.

  “Oh, my girl, she must not have told you. Your mother, that fiery redhead. The gift of sight, yes, I do remember her. She came to me. I thought she was just another human to enjoy bedding in my travels. She tasted so good. Most humans do when they have a magical gift.” Octavian licked his lips. “But I never saw her after that. This is not unusual, as they don't know who I am or that I have taken their blood. She was just another human. But she wasn't, was she, now?”

  My mind raced a million miles a minute. My mother slept with this beast? I tried to reach back as far as my memories would go. The fact was that I'd never met my father. My mother never talked about him, except to say that he was a one-night stand and she’d never seen him again. That's all I remembered. Did my mother actually sleep with a vampire, not knowing it?

  That explained why she had become such a devout Christian. Maybe she had a shady past I didn't know about and had tried to atone of her sins.

  Suddenly I felt guilty for not actually knowing my mother better. My entire life had been about all my illnesses and her taking care of me. Occasionally, she’d told me stories about her childhood and typical family vacations: going camping, playing in the woods, going to the beach, and visiting Disneyland. But none of her stories were detailed or very specific. All this time, my mother had been holding back.