by Nikki Landis
Who was stupid enough to trust the fate of an entire town on one impetuous young witch?
Not everyone agreed it made sense. Just ask Kayde.
He joined our group yesterday.
The arrogant newcomer didn’t make a good first impression.
That was when I decided that I needed a small break from the men who were constantly in my personal space. Finding anywhere other than my bathroom proved nearly impossible.
Gypsy interrupted my thoughts as she appeared in my doorway, a small frown lingering on her face as she quickly scanned the room. Her petite frame flopped down next to me when she noticed I was alone. The bed bounced as she rolled over dramatically. “You’re nothing but trouble, ya know.” Her smirk was proof she was only joking but I already knew this was true.
“I know, babe,” I agreed. “I’ll be surprised if I make it through Samhain.”
She laughed lightly. “You’re sort of a magnet for bullshit.” Gyps patted my arm in mock sympathy. “At least you’re cute. And hey, family sticks together no matter what.”
Sticking my tongue out at her, I swatted her on the ass. “Watch that sass,” I warned, chuckling at her expression.
“Where’s your sexy harem? I haven’t seen any of the guys in at least a couple of hours.”
They were close. I could sense their auras and willingness to give me space. Maybe that was a little too obvious the last time I yelled it from the doorway. Exactly three hours and twenty-nine minutes ago. We all needed a few moments to make sense of last night’s little showdown. “I sent them all away after the cemetery.”
She arched a brow.
“And after I could barely take a shower without them breathing down my neck.”
“I see. Which one annoyed you the most?” She propped herself on her elbows and watched me with interest. Gypsy enjoyed my drama filled life entirely too much.
Sighing, I lay on my back and avoided her direct gaze. “Damian was getting on my nerves.”
“Well, that’s sort of a given,” she blurted, giggling. “At least he’s hot.”
“Yeah,” I answered quietly.
“That’s not the only reason, is it?”
Bringing up Kayde and his nasty attitude wasn’t worth my time even if my thoughts lingered on why he was such an asshole. I knew him all of five minutes when he shoved me away and yelled right in my face. No, I wasn’t weak or offended. Okay, maybe slightly offended but I wanted to know what his problem was and why he needed to be here. This was Aunt Gwen’s fault.
“Cass?” Gypsy leaned over and I caught another frown as she nibbled on her lower lip in worry when I didn’t answer. “You alright?”
I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the bed. “I think I just need some fresh air.”
She nodded. “Why don’t you take a walk? I’ll catch up with you in a few minutes, but don’t go far on your own, okay?”
If I didn’t already know she was concerned, this proved it. “I know, Gyps. Love ya, sweets.”
“You too, hot stuff.”
Falling leaves slowly drifted down from their perch high up in the air. A colorful combination of fiery red, warm amber, vivid yellow, and brown. Towering oaks surrounded the path as I walked, catching the few minutes of solitude I was able to snatch. There hadn’t been much time to process the events of the last few days. My experiences of the last forty-eight hours in particular pushed me forward on a journey I wasn’t sure I was equipped to handle. Last night proved Mystic Hallows was under a new and dangerous threat. Jadis was nothing more than a pawn, but her death left me feeling uneasy.
Leaves crunched under my boots as I wiggled my fingers, watching as the swirling leaves circled my body and followed my command to dance in the cool air. Late morning sunshine penetrated the dense forest but didn’t lend much warmth. I shivered as the temperature seemed to drop.
Crisp autumn air settled in the wind as I enjoyed the early morning quiet. No one was around when I left. Relieved to find a chance to gather my thoughts without Damian’s constant presence in my mind, I left eagerly.
The path I followed led straight ahead, one I often walked in the past. The familiar scent of fall engulfed my senses. Breathing deeply, I inhaled as my shoulders relaxed. In the distance, I could see a shadowy figure coming from the other end of the path. Must be Gypsy. She said she’d meet me during my walk.
The closer I got, the more I realized the figure wasn’t Gypsy. A tall and broad-shouldered man hidden within the folds of a dark, floor-length robe stood and appeared not to notice my approach. The belt at his narrow waist fell almost to the ground. His head was lowered as I drew near, his palms flat together in front of him as if he were praying. I thought it was odd but didn’t sense anything malevolent.
An altar appeared in front of him out of nowhere as I nearly stumbled. He grasped a chicken roughly around the neck that squawked and flapped its wings rapidly. Neither were present a few seconds before this moment. A sharp knife manifested in his hand as he sliced across the creature’s throat, the body twitching as blood gushed from the wound and dripped down the bright white feathers, staining them crimson. Blood sacrifice. Voodoo? I wasn’t sure, but this wasn’t a Salem witch.
Who or what was responsible for such a black magic?
On the back of the wind I heard whispers, secret murmurings that echoed a viciously malevolent intent and wicked power. My head began to ache almost immediately as the man faded in and out. His broad muscular frame shimmered as if he was transparent – one half on each side of the veil. Impossible. No human could accomplish such a feat. No witch possessed such power.
As if to prove me wrong, he disappeared completely.
Only the blood was left behind.
Shit.
I opened my mouth to call out when suddenly all light was extinguished. No sunlight. No moon. Nothing.
Worse, my body was stuck in place. I couldn’t move. My muscles didn’t obey the commands of my mind. Panic bloomed in my chest as I closed my eyes and called to the only person who may hear me. For some reason, I knew that yelling was futile. The desperate words filled my thoughts as I reached out.
‘Help me, Damian!’
Sinister laughter echoed in the darkness.
Trapped, I began to tremble with the knowledge that I was totally vulnerable and completely on my own. Shocking waves of pain pushed in as my shields were simultaneously attacked from every angle. Falling to my knees, I cried out against the onslaught.
The presence was back. The same evil, heavy, and oppressive aura that had been in Mystic Hallows since the first day of Samhain. Jadis was only a puppet.
True evil entered through the tear in the veil.
I wasn’t alone.
It was here.
Legend says when two souls are meant to be together the devil will find ways to keep them apart, but . . . what if it isn’t only two souls . . . and is five instead?
Chapter 1
October 4th, present time.
Voices echoed like faded wind chimes in the swirling vortex of my mind.
“Cassie!”
“Sweetheart, where are you?”
“Our little Raven is in danger.”
“Cassandra!”
“Answer us, pet!”
I was lost in a tunnel that spiraled downward in a kaleidoscope of colors – each more brilliant and blinding than the last. Flashes of white light burst in sporadically and I closed my eyes against the sudden barrage. Falling through the air, I had the distinct memory of watching Alice in Wonderland with Gypsy as Alice fell through the rabbit hole in a terrible television production of the beloved book. How particularly uneventful my own trip had become compared to her wondrous adventures.
I landed with a thump on the cold and unforgiving ground, holding back the moan that wanted to release from my chest. The soil was frozen solid as I stood up and brushed the fade dust from my jeans. It didn’t take a genius to figure out where I had been sent.
The Ether.
In witch
lore, the Ether was the place where dreams and reality collided. A separate or alternate plane that could access the past, present, or future. Not to be confused with the fade which was ‘the inbetween’ or ‘upside down’ as others had referred to it. The fade was home to the veil that kept the spirit world from encroaching upon the mortal (or human) realm.
I’d already breached the fade on the way here. Luckily for me I wasn’t stuck in limbo and forced to fight my way back to my realm. Unfortunately, my luck took a turn for the worse when I hopped an express ride to the Ether.
Flicking my fingers, I chanted a small protection spell and then added one of my favorite illumination ones right after. “Lumos.” Alright, so I stole the word from Harry Potter, but it worked surprisingly well. Actually, all witches got a kick out of the fact that Harry and his friends used spells and incantations that were real.
I was obviously not happy to be entering the Ether. Cautious, I made my way through the pitch-black void and hoped I could find a door to enter home. Since this plane was a combination of reality and fantasy it was possible to find ‘doors’ or loopholes to return to the mortal realm. It was tricky. These didn’t exist where you would normally think.
Lost in thought, I rammed right into a waist high object that resembled a wooden dresser with spiked protrusions. One of the spikes jammed my leg at my knee. Rubbing the sore spot, I decided the worst part about the Ether was that it was so black you couldn’t see a damn thing. My Lumos wasn’t working as well as I hoped since it kept flickering in and out, coinciding with the moment I ran into the dresser.
The darkness of the Ether was home to all manner of supernatural creatures and entities. These were mostly conjured from dreams and nightmares, but there was one creature that terrified me above all others – the Thrall. While in the Ether you were hunted by Thrall. They were relentless in their pursuit.
Cruel, monstrous creatures bound to this plane only by their desire for living flesh and souls. Hunched backs and abnormally long limbs, they galloped about like wild horses. Thrall skin was tough like animal hide and slightly damp. Maybe they were more like sharks since rows of razor-sharp teeth could be seen from their grotesquely wide mouths. One bite and the Thrall would be able to track you . . . even into the mortal realm.
Yeah, I take that back. The worst part of the Ether was the Thrall.
I stuck to the path I was on and kept walking, knowing that stopping wasn’t an option. The more I moved, the easier it was to keep my scent from attracting the Thrall. Hoping to confuse them, I would occasionally dart in and out of buildings and circle around trees.
This wasn’t my first trip to the Ether. I’d been here recently but it hadn’t been long. When the rogue witch attacked and slammed against my shields I was disoriented. Lost in the darkness, only Gabriel’s voice had brought me back. He led me into the light where I regained consciousness. Previous to that moment, I had been here several times throughout my childhood.
Witches were often transported to the Ether in our dreams. Our power was attractive and combined with our ability to shadow walk between the realms – we were vulnerable to being displaced. These visits were usually brief but could be terrifying, especially if the Thrall or other beasts attacked.
Today was a different circumstance. I wasn’t here because of a nightmare. The rogue witch sent me here. I wasn’t sure if I was meant to suffer, become frightened, or remain trapped in here forever. The latter wasn’t really possible. The Thrall would devour me first.
Talk about a nasty way to go. Eaten alive wasn’t my idea of a good time.
The path ahead kept veering off to the left and right, but I walked straight, certain these other options were meant to confuse and disorient me. One thing I knew about the Ether, the extra paths were always worse than the one you were on.
A dim light seemed to surface and hover in the distance above a towering and gnarled tree, the base so wide you could fit a house inside the massive structure. Low hanging branches swayed without a breeze and held dangling objects in their grasp. As I approached the tree, I noticed the hanging objects were actually people dressed all in black.
Witches.
Salem witches to be precise. The original thirteen.
Shocked, I lifted my hands to blast the ropes from the twisted branches, horrified when the bodies of the witches began to twitch and convulse. Their mouths foamed as their eyes rolled back in their heads. Each one reached outward as if begging for my help.
This was no ordinary tree.
Gallows Hill was famous for its mass amount of deaths that included the Salem Witch Trials.
This hit too close to home. One of these women was my ancestor and the rest were sisters – witch bloodlines that were as close as real family. My heart ached in my chest as I realized there was nothing I could do. I was witnessing the past, not the present or future.
I could never save the original Salem witches.
Their sacrifice had already been paid.
Rustling in the leaves and a low rumble that shook the ground were my first indication that I wasn’t alone. Screeches filled the air followed by a weird clicking sound. The low light behind the tree that illuminated the Salem witches moments ago was gone.
I was plunged back into total darkness.
Click, click, click.
Silence followed.
I turned to the right, veering off the path even when I knew it was a mistake. Not that it mattered. Unless I summoned another spell for light I couldn’t see anyway. At this point, I knew my chances of survival were greatly increased by remaining in the dark.
Click, click.
Shit! The Thrall were following and tracking me, communicating with those irritating clicks.
I entered an empty building and felt my way along the wall, moving from room to room until I found the back door and crept outside once more. The process repeated several times as I fought against the urge to run.
Click. Click.
Screeching tore through the air as I felt something heavy jump on my back and knock me to the ground. I reached behind me to push the creature away but met the sharp pointy teeth of a gaping mouth. My flailing arms couldn’t reach the demon from this angle. I screamed as the Thrall chomped down on my shoulder. Pain immediately radiated throughout my arm and down to my fingers, spreading up across my neck and back.
I slammed my body backward onto the ground and dislodged the demonic creature before I scrambled to my feet and started running. Weakened to the point of exhaustion, I stumbled and bumped into trees and objects in an effort to outrun the Thrall.
A flashing light lit up the darkness as a large group of birds cawed and scattered while I ran straight through them, flying upward in surprise as their black wings spread out in an inky display. I caught a glimpse of their silky feathers briefly as the light continued to pulse. Dozens of ravens formed a conspiracy in the sky and then turned, swooping down in quick succession.
I thought they were coming for me, but I was mistaken.
The ravens flew after the Thrall and astonishingly, they ensured my escape.
My body began to feel stronger and it occurred to me that my Aunt Gwen and Gypsy were probably performing a locator spell. If they could lock onto my aura, then they could bring me to one of those ‘realm doors’. It was risky since the Thrall were attracted to the light and the ‘break’ in the Ether wall.
I only had a few seconds.
Jumping into the body of water ahead as it began to ripple without any wind, I knew Gypsy and Aunt Gwen awaited me on the other side with my Cosan.
Time to find out if I was right.
Chapter 2
‘Welcome back, pet.’
Of all the voices to hear first, why did it have to be Damian?
‘I’m wounded, little Raven.’
He wasn’t. I didn’t think the vampire had feelings at all.
“Sweetheart, can you hear us?” Gabriel’s anxious voice was close to my head. It was then that I realized I was bei
ng cradled in a pair of strong arms and the musky scent of virile male filled my senses.
Just the man I needed to see. “Gabe?”
Mumbling echoed in my head from the vampire which I ignored.
“Oh, thank the ancestors,” Gypsy blurted.
Blinking, the room came slowly into focus. “I’m not in the Ether anymore.” Relief flooded my system.
“Oh, Cassie,” Ryder’s voice was filled with compassion. He picked up my free hand and squeezed. “Angel, we’ve been so worried.”
My eyes scanned the room as all three men, my aunt, and Gypsy stared at me in concern. The newest addition was thankfully absent.
“The rogue witch attacked,” I explained, wincing as pain throbbed along my neck and shoulder. “I wasn’t sure what was happening until I ended up in the Ether.”
“The realm of dreams and nightmares,” Gypsy whispered. “You’re lucky we could find you. I hate that place.”
My aunt agreed.
“These attacks are a problem,” Damian interjected.
“We’ve got bigger problems,” Ryder added, his voice catching. “Cassie’s been bitten.”
“Bitten?” Damian frowned, clearly not knowing everything. I wondered briefly if he would contradict me. He didn’t.
“I don’t see a bite,” Gabriel added.
“You wouldn’t. I can only see because I walk in the shadows and pass through the fade. As a spirit walker, I’m able to view what can only be seen in other realms or by creatures of the dark.”
“How do we heal her?” Gabe asked.
“That’s a bit tricky.” Gypsy shook her head. “This is bad.”
“Bad? You think?” Damian asked with his trademark sarcasm. ‘You’re hurt, precious.’
I scoffed. ‘Glad you just now noticed.’
He shrugged but I caught the concerned look he sent in my direction. Damian wasn’t faking his worry but that was only because of his obligation to the Cosan, not because he cared about his little witch problem.
‘Right, precious.’ His defensive tone wasn’t all that convincing.
