by Martha Woods
* * *
Calla led Tessa to her suitcase. Veronica followed, hands in her pockets, pretending not to be interested. The witch dug around in her belongings before coming up with a cloth bound book. It looked old and worn with age. When she cracked it open, Veronica could see the years of handwritten words on the pages. The handwriting would change every so often.
“This is my family’s grimoire. It is how we keep track of our blood lines, our tales, and the such,” Calla said as she flipped through the pages. She was clearly searching for something in particular. “There we are.”
She turned the book around and handed it to Tessa. Veronica peered over her shoulder to read it. Written across the page in a slanted cursive writing was a prophecy.
There will be a child, not born of love but of a night of magic. She shall be of two Clans, the Firehaven brought back into the flame. It is her blood that shall bring the Calder to a power never seen before. With this power they will rule over the world with fire and brimstone.
“I don’t like the sound of this,” Veronica said. She rubbed her hand over her face, thinking back to how she’d once asked Tessa to leave for her brother’s sake. Why couldn’t she have done that?
Because, Veronica told herself, then she’d already be in the hands of the Calder. Then they’d all be screwed.
“With my blood?” Tessa’s voice cracked. The book shook in her hands. She looked like she was about two seconds from throwing it across the room.
Calla nodded. “I think they mean to sacrifice you. By killing you they claim a power greater than has ever been seen before.”
“Were the Calder to get their hands on a power like that then they would be unstoppable,” Veronica said. “As it is, they’re already natural born killers. We must keep you away from them, not only for my brother’s sake, but for the world’s sake.”
“Fire and brimstone definitely does not sound good,” Tessa attempted to make light of what she’d just learned. Veronica laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“Fire and brimstone?” Veronica mused aloud. “Where is that pesky demon when you need her? Are the Calder born from demons? Will Tessa’s blood give them the full power of a demon in hell?”
Calla’s face turned as white as a sheet. It was one thing to have a lesser demon bouncing around in a teenager’s body, but to have a full demon walking the streets of any city felt terrifying.
“I do not know if they were ever demons. What we’ve been able to surmise, the Calder were the product of women creating pacts with demons and devils for power. I think that Tessa’s sacrifice will tear a hole in the veil so that they can claim the full power of that pact all at once.”
“So you’re saying that this...gift comes from a dark place?” Tessa asked, staring down at the book in her hands. “You’re telling me that my ability to read minds came from a demon pact?”
“My power came from the same place as yours,” Calla reminded her. “At this point, it no longer matters where the power once came from. Now, it is about what you do with your power. I have chosen to use mine for the better of my people. At least, I had. Now, I use it to protect you.”
Tessa nodded. “Would you mind if I borrowed your grimoire?”
Calla hesitated before nodding.
Tessa turned to leave, but hesitated in the doorway. She looked up to Veronica. Her eyes were so full of emotions that Veronica couldn’t pick out a single one. She hugged the grimoire close to her chest.
“I think it’s high time that I become something that they fear.” Veronica could hear Tessa swallow hard after she spoke. “I’ve forced this… part of myself down for so long that I’m afraid I’ll never find it, but I will. I will for you, for Kristian. For him I’d destroy myself.”
Veronica felt the weight of her words and it left a heaviness in her own heart. She hoped to the stars and back that it wouldn’t have to come to that, but the heaviness warned her that it just might.
“You’re not that bad of a person,” Calla called out to Tessa. “I was worried that your Calder lineage would have festered inside of you; that you’d be rotten. Instead, I’m… I’m happy that I pledged my life to you.”
Tessa smiled and despite her tight lips, Veronica could see the hope in Tessa’s eyes.
* * *
Kristian was extremely uneasy about Veronica moving out at first. Then, when she told him that she’d only be moving to one of the lower suites, for now, he calmed down. He worried for her. He was her big brother and while he hadn’t always been able to take care of her, he tried to. He would just have to deal when she visited the Valley house every once in awhile.
Calla slept in Veronica’s room. It wasn’t as awkward as she thought it would be. Calla spent much of active time during the day, leaving junk food bags around the house and DVD cases in piles near the TV. Veronica suspected that Charley was to blame for a good deal of the mess since Tessa was nearly nocturnal with Kristian while she studied Calla’s grimoire, but it made the place feel more like a home.
It made it easier to ignore the dark cloud looming in their future. There were high stakes on all sides and while they had new help and a budding super witch under their roof, there was no promise that they’d all make it out of this alive...or undead.
Morgan took her by the hand, dragging her up to the roof. The last time that she’d been there had been to yell at Ally. She hadn’t know about Ally’s relationship with Ryan. She had lost her lover to the witches and Veronica had only thought of her brother. Now, Morgan held her hand as they stood on the edge of the building. There was another building, a leap away.
Both she and Kristian suddenly had so much to lose. The Calder had threatened them all of their undead lives, but there had never been a threat like this before. If the Calder were able to get their hands on Tessa, then there would be an even greater danger ahead of them. Not only that, but she believed that it would destroy a part of her brother like Serena had. She couldn’t afford to put Kristian at risk like that. She hadn’t been there to prevent Serena from happening and she couldn’t keep him away from Tessa now.
They had to keep Tessa safe at all costs.
He looked to her and smiled. It was the dangerous, predatory smile that she loved. It meant that the hunt was on. She would catch herself a Calder witch tonight. The whole flock should fear her for this was her family and she would protect it at all costs.
* * *
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