by P. K. Brent
Witch of the Western Gate: Dragon's Gift
Copyright © 2011 by P.K. Brent
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews. Published by Redleaf Cottage Publishing, redleafcottage.com
The Witch of the Western Gate: Dragon's Gift
By: P. K. Brent, pkbrent.com
For Richard,
May you always find dragons.
A special thank you to Sabrina Caine,
for designing the cover.
Chapter 1
"Holy smokes, it's a dragon!" Indeed a small turquoise dragon the size of a beagle, gazed at up at Blue, with large golden eyes. The dragon tried scuttling up the basement stairs, hissing and flapping frantically, but Blue blocked its way and shooed it back with a broom. Then the dragon dodged behind an old wooden crate. In the dim light of the cistern room, under her grandparent's farmhouse, Blue found it difficult to see. She poked at the dragon with the broom until it backed hissing into the crate, dragging its left wing. Blue grabbed a roll of duct tape off the nearby workbench and secured a few boards in place on the crate, trapping the dragon inside.
When Blue first heard a noise in the cistern room she had thought it was caused by raccoons, then maybe by a hissing goose. To find a dragon was certainly surprising. She could tell from its webbed feet and the steam coming from its nose, that it was a water dragon, so it could attack with either frost, steam or boiling water, but it had not.
"Be quiet," Blue said to the dragon. One of Blue's powers was the rare ability to communicate with animals, though she could only do it when she was calm. She closed her eyes and touched the dragon's mind, so that he knew her intention was only to heal then release him again. The dragon stared at Blue knowingly and calmed down. Carefully Blue carried the crate up the stairs then across the icy driveway to Grandpa Lou's SUV and stowed it in the back, and covered it with a blanket. It was dusk now, even though it was only 5:00 p.m. on a Friday in February. "We're leaving soon, little dragon. I'll attend to your wing as soon as I can. So be quiet. I don't want Ivy to see you."
Since Ivy had no paranormal talents, and disliked anything "weird," she didn't know that her female relatives in Lockport were witches. As if that was not bad enough, Blue's father was a sorcerer, and Grandpa Lou a werewolf. Blue closed the door to the rusted old Ford escape and rubbed a spot of dirt off the logo on the door -- "Buggyman Pest Exterminator." Blue loved her job, working part-time for Grandpa Lou, exterminating pests, especially since not all the pests were insects and critters. Some were of the paranormal type. Blue finished a few chores and then reentered her grandparent's house.
"I have something for you girls," said Grandma Lily, to Blue and her cousin Ivy. Ivy had been texting, complaining to her downstate New York friends, the entire time Blue had been working.
“These are really cute,” said Blue, as she and Ivy examined the outfits Grandma Lily had made for them.
"I made something else too, matching bags. I'll go get them.
“You must be insane to say these are cute, as if I would actually wear this!” hissed Ivy to Blue.
“Keep your voice down,” Blue hissed back. "She's coming right back, and she put a lot of effort into making these. I think they’re nice.”
“You would,” Ivy retorted.
Grandma Violet had made for them both patchwork jumpers. They had intricate hand worked smocking down the front and a ruffle across the bottom. Blue’s was blue, peach, and green. Ivy’s was lavender, yellow, and pink.
“How do your jumpers fit?” Grandma Violet called from the next room, rustling in to check.
“Perfectly Grandma,” Blue replied, glaring at Ivy.
Ivy pulled hers over her head. “Mine fits great too Grandma,” she replied, not to be outdone by Blue. “This will be terrific for my first day at my new school on Monday.” Ivy turned an angelic expression to Grandma Violet. Blue's eyes opened wide in amazement at Ivy’s skill in lying. The fact that Ivy was also tall, slim, gorgeous, blond, and athletic was just so irritating. Blue felt even more awkward about her curves. Little did Blue know that Ivy was equally annoyed about being flat chested and Ivy, with her wavy blond hair, envied Blue's poker straight copper-colored hair.
“There are matching bags too girls. I made a bag for Stella also. Blue, you can take it to her." The bags were ample round patchwork bags lined in matching denim, that closed on a drawstring. Ivy’s had a light blue denim lining, Blue’s lined in lavender and Stella's in burgundy.
“I actually kind of like the bag,” Ivy mused, after Grandma Violet left the room. This will give a funky, bohemian edge to my black jeans outfit.” Blue was relieved that Ivy liked something. She also was sure that Ivy was never going to wear Grandma Lily’s home sewn outfit -- ever.
There was not much Ivy liked since moving from Manhattan to Lockport in rural upstate western New York. Ivy and her father, Basil Stone, and her stepmother Elizabeth, had just relocated. Ivy would start at Lockport High School on Monday. Blue felt sorry for Ivy having to change high schools in the middle of sophomore year. She also was puzzled about why Uncle Basil was moving his family in such a hurry. Uncle Basil was giving up his partnership in a prestigious New York City law firm, where he was partner, to practice small town law in rural Lockport. It made no sense.
“Who is that?” asked Ivy, pointing out the window. Blue looked to see two trotting horses pulling a sleigh over the snow along the edge of Grandma Lily’s backyard where the yard ended and fields began. The February snow drifted heavily where the cold winds had haphazardly left it. A young man with honey blond hair was riding bareback on one of the horses. Stella sat in front of him, laughing, fingers curled deep into the horse's mane. Two dark-haired young men were in the sleigh. Despite the cold, none of the boys wore winter coats or hats, just light hoodies, as though they didn't feel the cold at all. Even from a distance, it was clear that they were all exceptionally handsome.
"You know who that is, Ivy, Grandma's neighbors, the Mantooth boys. Stella's with them too. They picked her up after school today so she could practice a dance routine with Rafe. It's for our upcoming All-County choral recital and play. We're doing the play 'Into the Woods' too."
“That is THE Rafe you're always palling around with?” asked Lily in an amazed tone. “Belladonna Louisa, you have been holding out on me! No wonder you spend so much time at Grandma Lily’s.” Blue flushed. She greatly disliked her given name, which thankfully had evolved over time from Belladonna Louisa to Bella-Lou to just plain Blue. That’s what she went by now – Blue McChesney. Whenever a teacher called out her entire name, it was an occasion for embarrassment. All of Blue's family members were named after plants and some of the names were unusual or exotic. Belladonna was a particularly odd name because it referred to a poisonous plant in the nightshade family, as if there were not already enough rumours about Blue and her family.
“Yes, that is THE Rafe,” replied Blue, in a slightly mocking tone. “Why are you so surprised?”
“Well, because he’s gorgeous,” replied Lily, making no effort to hide what she was thinking which went something along the lines of how could such a handsome young man spend so much time with Blue.
"You've seen him before, while visiting he
re, over the years," replied Blue.
“No, not recently and rarely up close, or maybe I never noticed him before," replied Ivy. "He seems different now, maybe because he's older. So, are you two an item, or is he with Stella?” asked Ivy.
“No, it’s not like that,” replied Blue. She had been trying hard not to think about her relationship with Rafe. She and Rafe had been close friends as long as she could remember. There were photos of them as babies and toddlers together. Recently there was tension between them and Blue knew it was all her fault. But to call attention to this new energy she felt whenever they were together was a risk that Blue did not want to take. It could cost her Rafe's friendship. Rafe and his family were werewolves, so it was nice to spend time with someone who understood what it was like to have paranormal abilities, and who knew what it was like to hide these abilities from mainstream people.
“The other two are gorgeous too! Now, I want the entire scoop on all three of them,” demanded Lily. “Names, ages, occupations, hobbies, likes, dislikes, love life – everything.”
"What for?" asked Blue. "You've never liked anyone you met around here before anyway."
"Considering how hot they are, I could make an exception for one of them," replied Ivy. Blue rolled her eyes. A few years ago, Ivy couldn't stand the Mantooth boys and here she was now calling them "hot" and "gorgeous."
“How can you say that when you don't even know what they are like or which one best suits your personality?" asked Blue.
"The details are unimportant. The important thing is being seen with someone gorgeous." replied Ivy. Blue rolled her eyes.
"Besides, doesn't it bother you that today is Valentine's Day and neither of us has a boyfriend to send us cards and candy? I haven't had such a bad Valentine's Day since fifth grade."
Blue ignored Ivy's last comment. Secretly she was sad that it was Valentine's Day and Rafe hadn't sent her so much as a joking card. He had pelted her with a heart-shaped snowball earlier, but that didn't count, or did it?
"Well, the oldest one is Brando. He was holding the horse's reins. He graduated from high school last year and just started college. He's studying Criminal Justice and works part-time as an intern for the Sheriff's department. Then there is Rafe, who was sitting in the sleigh. He is our age and in our grade. He’s my best friend, along with Stella."
"Yes, I recognize Rafe," replied Ivy. "I've never seen Brando around before though, probably because he's older than us. Who is the new one?"
"Their cousin Talon was riding on the appaloosa horse with Stella. He's from Canada and he came to live with them in December. His primary language is Quebecois."
"What is Quebecois," asked Ivy. "I never heard of it."
"It's French, the type they speak in Quebec. Not the same as Parisian French but similar. Talon moved her to spend time with his cousins and to improve his English. He also speaks a little Mohawk, since his father is part St. Regis Valley Mohawk. Many people around here have some Indian blood. Anyone who's lived along the border for three or four generations usually does. In fact, we both probably do from Grandpa Lou."
"Brando and Rafe have dark hair. Talon's is lighter, almost a dark honey blonde," commented Ivy.
"Yes," replied Blue, "and their eyes are different. Brando and Rafe have grey eyes and Talon's are dark brown. Why all the interest?” asked Blue. “You've always ignored them before.”
“I will make a point of knowing them all now,” replied Ivy. “Starting Monday, my first day of school here, I'll check them out." Blue laughed, “Sorry to disappoint you, but they are in the Starpoint school district, out in the farmlands. We go to Lockport High in the city of Lockport."
"Lockport's a city?" Ivy snorted in disgust.
Blue ignored Ivy's last remark.
"Lockport high school is close by our houses. It's so convenient; we can walk back and forth. We can stay late whenever we want, no problem. I just tell Aunt Violet if my Dad's out of town working. I walk past her Grey Owl Shoppe every afternoon, so often I visit her on my walk home from school.” Aunt Violet was the eldest daughter of Grandma Lily and Grandpa Lou. She worked mornings and sometimes overnight as a visiting nurse and owned the "Grey Owl Shoppe" a tea and cookies, herbs, gifts, and charms shop located in a small building she owned on Main Street in Lockport. She lived upstairs in an apartment above her store.
"I bet you also like to stop in and eat some of Aunt Violet's great cookies too. I can see you plowing through those!" Ivy laughed.
Blue sucked in her stomach in annoyance, at the reference to her weight, which she had started to watch.
"I'm not so fat as you make out Ivy. Actually, I'm just a tiny bit chubby. I am starting to watch my weight carefully too."
"I suppose," yawned Ivy.
"Anyway, about the Grew Owl Shoppe. I stop by there a lot to help Aunt Violet with odd jobs."
Ivy spent half of every summer in Lockport plus made holiday visits with her parents, but barely socialized with Blue, let alone any of Blue’s friends, and never offered to help her grandparents or Aunt Violet. It was clear that Ivy considered herself to be far above her rural relatives.
When visiting, Ivy and her parents lived in a luxury penthouse apartment on the top floor of the one and only office building in Lockport. This building at one time was a masonic lodge, but it fell into disrepair and then Uncle Basil bought it and restored it. Few people knew that Basil Stone owned it. Uncle Basil liked to keep a low profile. Last summer he started converting a large suite for his law office, which now was conveniently located on the first floor of the building. He would be opening his law firm in Lockport within a few days. Businesses of various types were on the various floors, including a florist, tax accountant, dentist, and optician. But it made no sense why Uncle Basil would give up his downstate law practice, uproot a reluctant Aunt Elizabeth and hysterical Ivy, and move to upstate western New York. Clearly he was up to something.
“Haven’t you had time to dredge up a boyfriend yet, Ivy? With all the time you spend at the country club?”
"What passes for a country club out here in the backwoods," snorted Ivy. “I know a couple girls in our class, and a few boys, but none so handsome as your friends. The kids I met are all pretty dismal actually.”
Despite herself, Blue was impressed with Ivy dismissing the creme de la creme of Lockport high school society as "dismal." None of the popular kids wanted anything to do with Blue and the feeling was mutual.
Back when she was younger, Blue used to make inappropriate comments, like blurting out things that would happen in the future, or touching someone to heal a cut. The kids never forgot, so now Blue had the label of "weird" and "witch" for life. Plus there were all the stories about Grandma Lily.
“So we walk to school? Every day?” asked Ivy.
“Yes, every day. It's not a far walk. You’re only three blocks from the high school. I’m six blocks away. If you want, my friend Stella and I will stop for you on our way Monday."
“OK," replied Ivy, her voice wavering. Blue felt sorry for Ivy having to enter a new school, and thought that Ivy's discomfort was caused by trepidation. Little did she guess that Ivy simply did not want to be seen with Blue and Stella. “Sure, stop by,” said Ivy.
“Who is this Stella person, anyway? I saw her with Rafe and the boys a minute ago, riding on the horse with Talon. Why did Grandma make her a bag too? Is that the same black girl I’ve seen you walking with to Aunt Violet's shop?” Blue recalled that Ivy could see much of the street life in Lockport from her penthouse windows, especially since she had a telescope.
"Why do you bother watching us when it's clear that me, my life, my friends, Lockport, and all of upstate NY and Canada are far beneath you?"
Ivy sighed, "There's nothing else to do around here."
“Stella is merely my closest girlfriend," replied Blue. "She lives across the street from me. Grandma Lily is friends with her too.”
“The only thing across the street from the McChesney House is tha
t funeral home,” replied Ivy.
"Her family runs the funeral home," replied Blue
"Eeeeeeew!" Ivy snorted in disgust. “You mean she lives in a funeral home?”
“Yes,” replied Blue. “It’s no big deal. The ‘beloved guests’ are down in the basement, either in a prep room or freezer.
“IT IS A FUNERAL HOME!” Ivy exploded. “Prep rooms? Freezers? Gick! You know, dead people?”
“So?” replied Blue. "It’s a part of life and Stella’s family gives a unique service to grieving families and helps them deal with loss. No way was Blue going to mention that Stella often had conversations with the "guests" that enabled her to help the living with real problems, like if there was a will, and where was the key to the safety deposit box. Stella would just act as though the deceased had mentioned it in conversation before they actually passed or she had found a note in their pocket. People thought it odd but accepted the explanation.
"I don't see how anyone can actually live in a funeral home," insisted Ivy.
"It works out fine," replied Blue. "They have a very comfortable home. The "beloved guests," are in the basement. The viewing rooms are on the ground floor. Then there is the family living area on the second and third floors and even a renovated attic that Stella has all to herself. It's a huge mansion with a finished basement, very comfortable, really.”
Blue was not about to mention that Stella had inherited her family’s talent of talking to ghosts, and seeing if a dead person's soul was still there or not. Even the least psychic members of Stella's family could tell if a soul was still with the body. That's why they had gravitated toward the funerary business in the first place. On top of the ordinary family talents, Stella was also a necromancer. Necromancers could command the dead and could raise bodies that would follow her commands. Stella's grandmother had been a necromancer also, and a close friend of Grandma Lily's, but had died when Stella was eleven. Unfortunately, Stella's family could not help her with all the special problems that went along with being a necromancer. They just told Stella to keep her powers hidden or it would cause problems. Someone might kidnap her in order to make use of her gifts. They insisted that Stella wear the black onyx ring left by her Grandmother, since it would block out the ghosts who were always trying to contact her. Stella felt that her family, although meaning well, was trying to make her block out her gifts. Now that Stella was older, it was time for her to come into her full powers, and Grandma Lily was trying to find a necromancer to train her."
