The next morning, Lily left the house before Jany even woke up. She still could not face her. Though it had all been a dream— no, a nightmare—she felt as if she'd betrayed Jany in the worst way she could betray a lover, especially because at first she'd liked it. Feeling sick just thinking about it, she scribbled a vague note about inventory at the store and left after feeding the cats. She knew Jany's murder trial was coming up in just a couple of days, and so she would probably not even give last night a second thought. She stopped for coffee and a croissant before heading to the hospital.
"Hi, Judith," Lily said as she approached Mandy's room. "I'm surprised to see you here this early."
"I could say the same to you." Judith held up a braided cord. "This is for Mandy. It is a healing necklace."
"Is she conscious yet?"
"I'm afraid not," said a nurse behind them. "And visiting hours aren't until nine."
"May I just leave this in her room? I promise not to stay."
The nurse eyed the rope suspiciously, then seemed to think it okay. "You can go in for a minute, but not both of you."
"I'll wait here," Lily said as Judith went into the room.
Judith returned just seconds later. She smiled at the nurse. "Thanks." She turned to Lily. "Are you okay? You seem wiped out."
"Is it that obvious? Judith, can we go somewhere to talk? I needed to see Mandy, but I think you can help me too."
"Let's go to my house."
They walked silently to Judith's car. "I'll drive you back into town later."
Once at her place, Judith made coffee and set out some muffins. Taking their cups to the garden, they sat in lawn chairs under a large oak. Lily leaned back in her chair with a long sigh. Judith waited, giving Lily her space.
"How are you feeling these days? Any morning sickness?" Lily asked.
"Nothing that a spell or two couldn't take care of. Thanks for asking." Judith smiled. "But I don't think my pregnancy is what you want to talk about."
"You're right." Lily didn't know quite how to begin. How do you tell someone you were raped in a dream? Even someone who believed in mystical powers? Not ready yet, Lily said instead, "You have a lovely garden. I like your use of color. It is so peaceful here."
"That was my intention. That, and to make a haven for birds and butterflies." Judith laughed. "I'm the only one in the coven without a cat. Jacquelyn thinks it's sacrilegious."
"She just wants to guilt-trip you into taking one of her kittens. I swear, if she doesn't have her cat spayed, I'm going to take the poor thing in myself."
Judith touched Lily's arm. "Tell me what's bothering you. You're frightened about something."
"What can you tell me about Kathy?"
If Judith was surprised, she didn't show it. "What do you want to know? She joined our coven about five years ago." She hesitated but a moment. "I personally don't trust her. She brings negative energy to our midst. Destructive energy. But it wasn't always so."
"I don't understand much about your craft, but I know my mother was a witch and it seems I too have some powers. Untapped powers, as Mandy would say, but powers nevertheless."
"Yes, she has spoken of it. Is that what you need to talk to her about?"
Lily played nervously with a napkin. "This is difficult for me. I can't even talk to Jany about it."
"Anything you tell me will remain between us. You have my solemn oath on that. Does it have to do with Kathy?"
Lily started crying, the tears trickling down her cheeks. "She frightens me, and I think she has cast a spell on me. I had a dream last night, a vivid dream. It was so real, and yet when I woke, there was nothing to indicate it had happened."
"What was the dream about?" Judith asked as she handed Lily a tissue. She touched Lily's hand ever so lightly.
"I thought... I thought Jany was making love to me." She looked at Judith, pleading for understanding. "It was dark, the moon was covered. And when it was all over, after I climaxed, the moon came out and I saw her. It was Kathy, and she had made love to me. No, she had sex with me. Violent sex."
The blood drained from Judith's face. "Oh Goddess, you must have been terrified."
"It was horrible. I've never had feelings for Kathy in any way. Could she have made me dream of her? Is there such a thing?" She got up from her chair to pace. "Am I somehow responsible?"
"Of course not. No one is responsible for their dreams." She frowned. "And yes, there is such a spell but it's heavily frowned upon. Most practicing Wiccans would never use their powers in such a way. If Kathy did indeed do this, the coven will need to address the matter, but Mandy, as high priestess, normally would be the one to call such a meeting."
"Mandy warned me about Kathy." She whirled around to face Judith again. "Oh my god, do you think Kathy could have had something to do with Mandy's accident?"
"I don't like to think so, but I cannot be sure. I'm so sorry for all of this." Her eyes shone with unshed tears.
"I just hate to think my dream was some kind of unconscious desire on my part." Lily sat back down.
Judith took both of Lily's hands in hers. She looked deep into Lily's eyes. "I tell you again, you are not responsible."
Lily smiled, beginning to feel reassured that she had not betrayed Jany in any way. On impulse, she said, "This may sound crazy, but do you think you could teach me your craft? My craft? I'd like to be part of your coven. Is that possible?"
"You would be welcome. As a dedicant, you would need to study the craft for a year and a day. Because of her relationship with your mother, Mandy should be your teacher, but I will gladly take her place until she can teach you herself."
Lily hugged Judith tight. "Thank you so much. I will be a dedicated pupil."
"Rebekah, your mother, would be pleased. Let's have our first lesson be a simple protection spell. But I must tell you that while such a spell might make you feel more secure, it does not make you invincible." She rose, taking Lily's hand to lead her into the house. "Let's gather our ingredients, shall we?"
Walking to her car after Judith dropped her back at the hospital, Lily couldn't help but feel the spot on her forehead where she'd anointed herself with oil. She did indeed feel more secure, but she couldn't help wonder if much of the feeling was psychological. She wanted to believe in the power of witchcraft, but it was still so new to her. And she shuddered again to think of what Kathy was capable of doing with her witchcraft.
She put the key in the lock and suddenly felt the hairs on her head prickle. Glancing behind her, she saw Kathy approaching. A sudden panic overcame her, but then she remembered the chant. "I stand here in your guardian light. Empower this oil with your might. Protection from harm is what I ask; please accept this as your task," she said quietly as she touched her forehead, tracing a pentagram into the oil. She felt a calm descend upon her as she turned to face Kathy.
"Hello, Lily. Have you been to see Mandy?"
"Yes, but she is still in a coma."
"Terrible thing. She's usually so careful." Kathy looked at her closely. "And how about you, Lily? How are you doing?"
Was it Lily's imagination or was Kathy's smile a bit predatory? "I'm just fine. Slept like a baby last night. That always makes for a good day, don't you think?"
The smile left Kathy's face. "Glad to hear that. I thought you looked a little tired. Guess I was wrong."
More outwardly calm than she felt, Lily got into her car. "Guess so. You have a good day, Kathy."
That night, Lily was almost afraid to go to sleep. Very quietly, trying not to attract Jany's attention, she traced the protective symbol on her forehead and joined her lover in bed. The sound of Jany's breathing was relaxing, and she felt the pull of something safe and warm as she dozed off.
"Lily, my child."
Lily looked up to see the image of a woman she only knew from photographs. "Mother?" She felt the gentle caress of fingers along her cheek.
"I am here with you, like I've a
lways been."
"Always? Even when daddy took me away?"
Rebekah smiled. "Even then. It was me who guided you. Let you experience what could be."
"I should have known."
"You did, for you are my daughter, born of my womb and descended down through a long line of Wiccans. We have suffered, and we have rejoiced. It is time now, Lily, that you take your rightful place."
Rebekah's form seemed to glow with light—an aura of colors in gold and purple and the blue of the ocean. The radiance enveloped Lily, drawing her into its warmth and protection, before fading away.
As Rebekah vanished slowly into the night, Lily murmured, "I love you, Mother."
"What did you say, sweetheart?"
Lily snuggled into Jany's strong arms. "I said, I love you."
And then she felt something cool and hard in her hand. Gently pulling out of Jany's grasp, she held the object up to the illumination of the moon. It was a pentacle on a silver chain. She slipped it over her neck and immediately felt a warm presence surround her.
"Thank you, mother," she whispered.
Chapter 8
"I need to tell you something," Lily said to Jany a few days later as they prepared for an afternoon at the beach. She stuffed beach towels and suntan lotion into a large straw tote.
"You're having an affair."
Lily's eyes got big as she stared at Jany. "What?"
"Only kidding, my love. Don't look so shocked."
"You've . . . You've never said anything like that to me before. Do you think I'm having an affair?"
"Of course not. Now, tell me what you wanted to say."
Lily hesitated, still a little shaken by Jany's joke. "I've asked to join Mandy's coven, and they have accepted me. I will be learning the craft from Judith."
"Your mother would be pleased."
"You don't mind?"
Jany took Lily into her arms and kissed her long and deep. "Why would I mind?" she asked when she finally ended the kiss. She touched the tip of Lily's nose. "Will you learn the Samantha twitch?"
Lily laughed. "Silly girl. No, my dear, it takes more than a wiggly nose to make things happen in real life. But I have to admit I finally feel like I know who I am." She pulled out of Jany's arms and sat on the edge of the bed, pushing Lucifer out of the way as she did so. "I didn't realize that I didn't feel complete, whole. And I'm not talking about my relationship with you."
"I know that. Can you tell me something though? What's going on between you and Kathy?"
Lily felt her heart leap into her throat. "Nothing. Why?"
"I just get a funny feeling. Every place we've gone recently it seems like she's there, and I don't like the way she looks at you. And you seem very uncomfortable in her presence."
"Mandy thinks Kathy has a thing for me. It does make me uncomfortable."
"I thought she had a thing for Tara."
Lily laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "Perhaps, but Tara is happily with Rhiannon now. I think Kathy's just jealous that you have me and she doesn't." She put her arms around Jany's neck and kissed her. "And I'm awfully glad of that."
Jany kissed her back, then pulled away, a pensive look on her face. "Kathy's always been a bit on the edge. All through school she never had many friends. Kept mostly to herself. Some people were afraid of her. We knew she had abilities." She stood up to lean against the dresser and seemed lost in thought. "I remember one time," she continued, "we were in biology class together. The teacher reprimanded her in front of the class—I can't even remember what for—but the wind came up suddenly and all our papers blew off the desks. It was almost comical the way they scattered, like someone had switched on a huge fan. And then the thirty-gallon fish tank just shattered, sending water and fish and little divers all over."
"You think Kathy did it?"
"I know she did. Her eyes had turned all black, and the look on her face ... Well, it was one I'd seen before, and many times after I might add. She has telekinetic powers, on that I'd bet a month's salary."
Lily gathered up the tote and her sunglasses. "I don't want to talk about her anymore."
Jany took her arm to prevent her from leaving the room. "She's not done anything to hurt you?"
Lily felt a momentary flash of anger as she remembered what had been done to her. "No." If Kathy had been responsible for the dream, then Judith or Mandy would find out. Regardless, a dream was just a dream.
Jany ran her hands down over Lily's body, across the swell of her breasts and hips. Her mouth was warm against Lily's neck. Lily could feel herself responding. "Let's go back to bed," Jany whispered into her ear.
"Yes," Lily breathed, wanting to banish the memory of the dream once and for all.
Almost frantically, she stripped off her clothes and then Jany's. They fell naked to the bed, their kisses frenzied as if they hadn't seen each other in weeks. Their hands roamed over each other's body, feeling swells and curves and soft skin. Lily pushed Jany against the mattress, kissing her mouth and neck and breasts, down across her stomach to her thighs, pushing her legs apart as she explored with her fingers and then her tongue. Jany moaned, resisting little the role reversal. She was already wet and eager; they both were. Lily slid between Jany's legs, opening them wider with her shoulders as she trailed her fingers across Jany's breasts, tweaking hardened nipples, before continuing down her sides to her hips. She alternately licked and sucked Jany's swollen clit and lips, dipping her fingers deep inside her, feeling the grip of Jany's muscles as she tensed.
"Lily," Jany said, almost in a whisper. "Yes."
Lily moaned deep in her throat, savoring Jany's womanhood and inhaling the scent of her. She couldn't get enough as she felt Jany's vaginal walls clench around her fingers, once, twice, again. Jany arched against her, breathing out a long sigh. "Lily," she said again as she tried to wiggle away.
Pleased with herself, Lily acquiesced to Jany's wishes and withdrew her fingers. She licked Jany's skin, enjoying the hint of salt. She slid upward, liking the way their slick bodies squished together. "I love the way you taste," she said, and smiled as Jany blushed.
"And I love to make you moan," Jany said as she flipped Lily onto her back and without warning pushed her fingers deep inside her.
Lily did indeed moan, thrusting her hips upward so Jany's fingers went deeper. When Jany took one nipple into her mouth and then the other, Lily pushed her downward, not wanting to wait. Jany laughed as she obliged. She added her mouth and tongue to her fingers, driving Lily crazy with desire. Their bodies rocked together, pushing and thrusting, both of them moaning now. Lily grabbed hold of the headboard as her body readied for climax. She cried out Jany's name again and again as one orgasm and then another coursed through her body, a rhythmic tide that swelled along with the sound of the ocean waves crashing against the sand.
Beneath their open window, Kathy stood, rigid with jealousy and anger, fingers clenching and unclenching. The wind died down like air sucked out of a room, and an eerie calm descended. In the room upstairs, the moans didn't stop. "Jany," a voice called out. "Oh dear god—" Day became night as the sun was obliterated by ever-darkening clouds. With a roar the wind came back as the clouds unleashed a torrent of rain. Lightning stabbed the earth with crackling fury, the boom of thunder rattling windows and sending flocks of blackbirds soaring into the roiling sky.
And from the open window, the cries of passion didn't stop. Kathy watched the window before raising her arms, stepping away only as a bolt of lightning struck a tree and set it ablaze, seemingly immune to the rain. The flames leapt from branch to branch until they licked the sides of the house. Only then did the sound of passion change to fear.
Smiling, Kathy walked away, ignoring the hiss of water fighting fire. It didn't matter now.
Sitting on the sidewalk as if waiting for her was Mandy's black and white cat. She leaned down and whispered into its ear, then scratched its head. Tail twitching, the animal walked in the dire
ction of town.
"Was that the scariest damn storm we've ever had, or what?" Blossom said to Lily as Lily browsed the bookshelf at the store.
Lily shivered at the memory of it, and the near miss they'd had as the tree burned outside their bedroom window. It was no ordinary storm, of that she was certain. And unlike previous sudden squalls, this one had lasted the rest of the day and into the night. She pulled out one of the new arrivals—The Heart of Wicca: Wise Words from a Crone on the Path—and flipped through the pages. "Yeah, it was pretty bad," she said.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say it was the remnants of some hurricane. Even the weather forecasters can't explain it."
"Oh, come on, Blossom, you know the reason why they can't explain it."
Blossom looked at her innocently. "What do you think is the reason?"
"Witchcraft, of course."
The door slammed open. Startled, Lily dropped her book as Sage rushed into the room. "Did you see the headlines today?"
"Not yet. What is it?"
Sage pumped her fist and whooped. "The Navy's pulling out!"
Lily and Blossom ran over and snatched the paper away. "A Navy spokesman today confirmed that the ships conducting tests off the Delaware coast will be leaving the area within the week," Lily read out loud.
"That's excellent," Blossom said, while Sage nodded in unison. "You should be so proud. Wait till Jany hears."
Lily scanned the rest of the article. "Listen to this—The Navy further went on to say that the recent protest rally in Rehoboth Beach played no part in their decision to abort the mission."
Sage laughed. "Of course they're gonna say that. You can be confident your rally did play a part."
Lily hugged them both. "With a little help from my magickal friends."
"Okay, I'll admit we in the coven have been conjuring up those daily rainstorms, but something as big and dangerous as the one the other day? Nope, not us."
Bell, Book and Dyke - New Exploits of Magical Lesbians Page 6
