“That could be very helpful. How do you do it?” Blake asked, totally amazed by his beautiful witch.
Rowan smiled at his gaze, blushed a bit, and then continued. “We will need a photo of your father or something personal of his, so that Darby and I can picture him. You and your brother can just visualize him in your minds, but since we’ve never met him, having the picture will help us concentrate on him. With the four of us, and maybe Harry, it might be able to work.”
“Harry?” said Blake and Devon in stereo. “The cat?” Blake continued.
“Yes, the cat! When you don’t have a coven, the more energy and focus you can get, the better. Besides, Harry will be involved in another spell later. He will be our personal James Bond. Harry is always around, inside and out - lurking in the bushes or what not. No one would think that Harry was informing us of a stranger,” Rowan explained.
“How does that work?” Devon asked.
“Well, we’ll all stand in a circle and concentrate on him and when the spell is complete, if in the next couple of days Harry sees something or someone out of the ordinary around here, he’ll let us know,” Rowan told him.
“How?” Blake asked.
“It can happen in many ways, a feeling, a mental image, I’m not really sure how it will manifest itself, but just be very aware of your feelings or thoughts. We will all feel it at the same time so if you are unsure of something, ask one of us if we feel it too. If we all have felt it, it was probably Harry trying to let us know something is up,” Rowan explained.
“That’s cool. I had no idea. When can we start?” Blake asked.
“Well, I will make a list of things I’ll need and we can get started this evening. It’s a very good time for this. I was checking my moon charts last night and the moon is in its waxing phase tonight,” Rowan said.
“What’s a waxing phase? Is that when it’s getting bigger or smaller? I can never remember the difference between waxing and waning,” Blake asked.
“Waxing is when the moon is getting bigger, so it is gaining in strength. Because we are in June, we are also dealing with the Honey Moon. This is an opportune time to cast the problem solving spell, if we have time, and that should help us all in figuring out how to solve this issue with Paine,” Rowan explained.
Darby spread out a piece of black velvet fabric and a bunch of different stones in front of Blake. She said to him, “I would like you and Devon to look over these and see if any of them intrigue you. I know it seems odd, but think of it as something your body craves, something it needs. Often you will crave red meat if your body needs iron, or maybe milk if it needs vitamin D or Calcium. Often we don’t do anything about these cravings, but it is a way that our body tells us what it needs. It’s the same with the stones. Your mind will point you towards the stone or stones that it feels it needs. Pick it up and see if you feel any connection to it – a vibration or a warmth. If you find one or more, keep them in your pocket. They can add to your strengths, and help you with your weaknesses. I also have some charm bags together that we can use. These will give you some added protection, power, and psychic abilities.” Darby handed the tiny pouches to each of them. “Hopefully, the psychic one will help us all connect better, especially since Rowan and I are still learning.”
“What’s in them?” Devon asked.
“Well, lets see: cinquefoil, barberry root, black haw, pennyroyal, celery seed, and hemite for power; eyebright, mandrake, hibiscus, mugwort, moonstone, and clear quartz for added psychic powers; and clove, juniper berries, nettles leaf, Solomon’s seal root, St. John’s wort, belladonna, agate, and citrine for protection,” Darby answered.
“All that in these little things? Sweet! Thanks, Darby,” Blake said.
“I can’t have anything happening to any of us. You’re my family now, you and your brother, as much as Rowan is,” Darby said and grabbed Devon’s hand.
“Here is a list of things I’m going to need for tonight,” Rowan said as she set the list on the coffee table.
“Great. You need to do some preparations, right Rowan?” Darby asked.
“Yes, a few things,” Rowan said.
“Devon, would you be willing to go and get the things Rowan needs for tonight?” Darby asked, looking at him. She continued, “I think everything on the list can be picked up at the bookstore. Don’t tell Allison who you are. The less she knows, the safer she is.”
“Absolutely. I’ll also try and find a picture next door,” Devon added.
“Be careful. I really think it’s best if you hop the fence and go in the back. Paine’s men may be watching the front.” She tossed him her keys. “I know it’s not as nice as your car, but they could be watching. We need to be very careful from now on. My car is in the garage. You can get in it without going outside. The garage opener is on the visor. After this, no more separating, okay? We are safer together - as a team.”
“Good thinking!” Devon said.
Darby turned to him and hugged him very tight, “Please be careful, I can’t live without you!”
“I promise.” He kissed her forehead.
“Blake, while he is doing that, can we practice?”
“Definitely. Lets do it,” Blake said, then turned to Rowan and pulled her close, hugging her tightly and kissing the top of her head. “If you need me, we will be in the back yard. You yell and I will be here before you finish.”
“I’ll be fine,” Rowan smiled.
“Promise me!” Blake pushed.
“I promise,” Rowan said.
“Okay, Darby let’s go,” Blake said.
Darby followed him to the backyard. “So what do I need to do?” Darby asked.
“You need to think about what you were thinking about when you felt the force peak in you. From what I gathered from what you told us, it was that you were angry,” Blake explained.
“Yes – shock, sadness, and then anger,” Darby remembered.
“Okay, so now I want you to focus on Devon. On losing him, having him lying at your feet, and dying. Focus that anger, frustration, and sadness. Then open your eyes and put up your hand towards me, like you want to stop me from advancing towards you. Visualize a bubble around you or a wall in front of you that would prevent anything from penetrating it. I’m going to stand across the yard. When you are ready, open your eyes and tell me with your mind. Might as well kill two birds with one stone, right?” Blake said and then chuckled.
“Sure…okay,” she said and closed her eyes. She could hear Blake head away from her. She thought about the Van Helsing guy, Max. She thought about him aiming the crossbow at Devon, the crossbow arrow sailing in slow motion towards him, and the terror of losing him that washed over her. She tried to lock on to that feeling. Then she tried to send the message that she was ready, but it was hard to juggle both and still hold the emotion of the fear and anger. She opened her eyes and held up her hand, towards Blake.
She tried to visualize a bubble around her and sent the energy of the emotion into it. She felt it as it washed over her and then out and around her.
Blake took a step forward, felt nothing, and took another step. He could feel the electricity in the air, the tension, but no wall or pushing force. He took another step forward and said to her, “Picture me as Max; I’m coming to kill Devon and you will never, never be with him again.” He could feel the tension increase. He continued, “Extend the field towards me. I’m Max. I’ve just killed Devon and I’m coming after you now.”
That’s when he felt the force push towards him. He pushed at it with his hands. It felt rubbery, not solid, but it definitely would slow him down. He said, “Good, now, I’m coming after Rowan!”
That’s when the rubbery field went solid and bumped him back a good two steps or more. “Great, hold that feeling; remember this in your mind. When you’re in trouble think about this, what you’re doing right now. Imagine this and if you can, extend your bubble to people you want in your bubble. Wow, you’re a natural. Okay, now. Slowly release the e
nergy – imagine Devon sitting up and he’s okay and relax.” The crackling of the energy subsided as the wall against him dissipated.
“Oh, boy…I feel weird,” Darby said. Then everything went gray and she could hear Blake talking to her, but it was like listening to an adult character in a Peanuts cartoon. “Whaaa waaaaaWaWaaaaWaaaaawa!” is all she heard. It was his voice, but it was getting farther and farther away and then there was nothing.
Chapter 10
Darby woke up on the grass. Every thing was terribly bright and there was Blake over her, saying something, but she couldn’t understand. Suddenly, she could hear Devon’s voice clear as a bell.
“Darby,” he said. He sounded like he was in a small room, his voice echoing all around. “Darby, it’s me. Can you hear me? Darby, it’s me, Devon. Wake up, Darby!”
“Devon, Devon, hold me!” she said and then everything came into focus. She could see his face and Blake’s too. Blake looked worried and overwhelmed with horrible guilt and shock. Darby looked at Blake and raised her hand to his face. “It’s okay, Blake. I’m all right. You didn’t do anything wrong. I guess I just got kind of wiped out.”
She knew Devon was distraught. She didn’t even have to see him; she could feel it. She looked up at him and said, “Truly, it’s not his fault. Everything is fine. I’ve just never exercised my mind like that. Can you help me up now?” Darby asked.
“Are you sure you are okay?” Devon pushed.
“Yes, yes, I’m okay.”
“Let me help you,” Blake said.
“No, I’ll do it,” Devon said sternly and Blake shrank at his tone.
“Now you just stop that right now. You apologize to your brother, right now. I mean it,” Darby demanded.
“You’re right. I’m sorry, Blake,” Devon said. “I just…”
“No problem – I’m not sure what I would do if it had been Rowan – I get it.”
“All right now!” Darby said as they sat down on the couch in the living room. She latched on to Devon and kissed him, “Thank you!” Then she whispered, “I love you!”
“What happened?” Rowan asked.
“I don’t know. I guess it was just like maybe using a muscle you don’t normally use. I just overdid it - just not used to it.”
“Do you feel okay right now?” Rowan asked.
“Yeah, I’m good,” she said. She also sent out a thought to Devon. I’m okay, but please stay close to me; I feel stronger when you are touching me.
I’m not leaving you – ever – I promise, he said to her with his mind.
Blake said as he sat down, “She’s amazing…she put up a wall I don’t think an elephant could have charged through. I asked her to try to extend it, to make her bubble bigger to include more than just herself, but I think it just was just too much, too soon. I’m so sorry, Darby.”
“Please, Blake. Don’t be sorry. We need to know where we stand – what I’m capable of, and it worked. I feel now, that if I have to, I can protect all of you.”
“But at what cost?” Devon argued.
“Oh, come on, Devon. If I can keep all four of us out of harm’s way for a few minutes and all that it costs is that I pass out for a couple of minutes? Well, I think it’s worth it. I was in no danger, just a little exhausted. With practice, it will get better.”
“I guess, as long as you were in no danger,” said Devon.
“That’s right…okay, Rowan, you are up! Are we ready?” Darby said.
“I think so. The sun has gone down, so I think now would be a good time to start. I think we should try for the summoning first,” Rowan said.
Rowan handed the pink candle to Blake along with a small pocketknife. “I need you to carve your father’s name into the candle for me.”
“Okay,” Blake replied.
Rowan handed the other three white candles and two small pocketknives to Darby and Devon. “I need you two to carve ‘spiritual realm’ into the white candles.”
“No problem,” Darby said, handing one candle and a knife to Devon.
Harry decided too much fun was being had without him, plus those candles looked like they might be fun to roll off the table. He settled in on the couch next to Darby and watched everyone working together.
After that, Rowan anointed all the candlesticks in sandalwood oil and rolled them in lavender. She lit a piece of charcoal and placed it in a bowl with some rosemary incense. The four candles were placed in a circle on the coffee table.
Rowan asked, “Do you have the personal object or picture of your father?”
Devon pulled a picture out of his back pocket and handed it to Rowan who set it in the middle of the table and lit the pink candle.
She said, “Here shines Nathaniel Bloomington before me, in divine glory bathed in an aura of love. I request your presence in the here and now for we seek to communicate with you.”
Then she lit the three white candles around the pink candle in the form of a triangle, with one on top and two below. She continued:
“Power of witches’ rise
Course unseen across the skies
Come to us, who call you near
Come to us and settle here
Blood to blood, I summon thee
Blood to blood, return to me
Nathaniel Bloomington, your sons do seek
To stop the havoc Terrence Paine now wreaks.”
All four of them concentrated on the picture of Nathaniel Bloomington. After a few minutes the candles flickered and there in front of them, above the four candles on the coffee table, they saw a distortion that quickly grew stronger and brighter. After a second or two, a face appeared amongst the fog that hovered above them.
Rowan nodded at Devon.
“Dad? It’s Devon. Blake is here too. Can you hear us?”
The face in the fog seemed to get clearer and nodded towards Devon.
“Dad? Terrence Paine is,” Devon paused, “is trying to kill us.”
Blake interrupted, ”Dad, he nearly killed Devon two nights ago.”
The fog stirred and seemed agitated.
“Dad,” Devon said, “Can you tell us why he is trying to kill us? Why he killed you and mom?”
“Is there some way we can stop him?” Blake added.
The apparition hovered and stirred. Then it seemed to become more distinct. Slowly, a very handsome man with his sons’ smile appeared from the fog. He looked at Devon and then turned to Blake. The pride in his eyes was endless.
“My boys - such strong men you have become. Your mother and I have missed you both so much. We are so proud of you both.”
“Dad, I don’t know how much time we have. We need to talk to you about Terrence Paine. Why is he trying to kill us? Is there anything we can do? Is there anything you can tell us?” Devon said.
“Terrence Paine was an aristocrat I had worked with in Maine in the 1950s. He and his wife had a son who was born with a congenital heart defect. He was told the boy would die before his thirteenth birthday. At the time, medically, there was nothing much that could be done. He somehow came to know that I was a vampire – I’m not sure how? He came to me and begged me to turn his son, but I explained to him that given his son’s declining health, that the transformation itself would most definitely kill the boy. Not to mention that turning a human was not an exact science – many things could go wrong. There was the added difficulty that I had never turned a human and wasn’t sure exactly how to do it. I also explained to him that the boy he knew would not necessarily be the boy he would become. I knew Terrence could not handle a young made-vampire. I felt I would be dooming him to his own death. I had to refuse him and he did not take it well.
“He went mad with a fury I’ve never seen among men. A year later his son died and the night after they lay him in his grave, Terrence Paine showed up on our doorstep once more. You and your brother were, thankfully, away visiting your Uncle Dominic in Connecticut when he came. Catching us off guard, he staked me in the chest, leaving me paralyzed
from the wood, and he whispered in my ear that he would find and kill you boys, as I had surely killed his, then beheaded me before I was able to warn your mother. Terrence Paine found her in bed and beheaded her in her sleep.
“Now you say he has attempted to kill Devon? I’m so sorry, boys. I always had hoped after killing your mother and me, that his revenge would have been quenched. Apparently, I underestimated the man’s capacity for vengeance.”
“It’s not your fault, Dad. You had no way of knowing what he would do! Can you think of any way we can defeat him? A weakness? Information? Something we can use against him? Anything you can remember that might help?” Devon said.
“I’m sorry, boys, I barely knew the man. I wish I could help more,” he said with great disappointment.
“It’s all right,” Devon said. “You’ve told us a lot more than we knew this morning. We do have some assets in these two beautiful sister witches. I can’t speak for Blake, but I would like you to meet someone who has become my whole life in just a matter of days and I hope to be lucky enough to spend the rest of my life with her. Dad, this is Darby O’Rielly.” He bent down to take Darby’s hand to stand her beside him.
Nathaniel bowed towards Darby and smiled.
Blake stood up at that and said, “And Dad, this is Rowan O’Rielly. She’s become very important to me. They’re very powerful witches, both in their own special ways and we hope that with their powers and our strength, we can overthrow Terrence Paine and his thugs.”
Nathaniel turned towards Rowan and bowed a greeting to her. “I’m honored to meet you, Darby and Rowan. I can sense that you both care for my boys almost as much as their mother and I do. They are lucky indeed. I wish, though, that you hadn’t been drawn into this mess with Mr. Paine.”
Darby spoke, “The honor is ours, sir!” She looked at Rowan and back at Mr. Bloomington. “I think I speak for my sister as well, in saying we feel truly blessed to have found these two gentle and kind souls in your sons. Both are very different from the other, but both are loving and honorable, just the same. It reflects a great compliment to you and your wife, in who you both are and how you raised your sons. They are gifts we both treasure and thanks can only be given to you, their parents, so thank you, Mr. Bloomington and please extend our thanks to your wife!” She bowed her head to him and Rowan did the same.
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