Earth Fire (The Cross-Worlds Coven Series Book 2)

by Phil Stern

  Incensed, Sharra’s companions then pulled out handguns and promptly fired some type of irradiated rounds at the house. But Tiffany merely walked out of the haze, bullets harmlessly bouncing off what appeared to be some shield around her body. Out of nowhere, huge birds and a vicious dog appeared, killing another of Sharra’s friends.

  Then other girls showed up, all with the same green stones Tiffany always wore. No one seemed particularly disturbed by the dead body lying in the parking area.

  But it was the flying that really got him. Somehow Tiffany had leapt up, high over the news trucks, and sailed majestically through the air. This had been accomplished without devices or obvious support of any kind. All the experts swore that the tape hadn’t been doctored in any way.

  “Witches In Mobile!” was the custom graphic pasted all over the television screen. Other stations had even more lurid takes on the whole thing. Tiffany’s face, and those of the other women involved, were plastered over every paper and news site worldwide. It was the biggest story in a decade, and interest only kept growing.

  Yet everything about the entire affair was still a complete mystery! First of all, no one could identify anyone involved. Even the two dead women, with the aid of every forensic technique known to modern science, were still Jane Doe One and Jane Doe Two. Blake himself might be the only law enforcement officer in the country who knew about Tiffany and her friends, but that little tidbit had been firmly kept to himself.

  Indeed, the only real lead was some bizarre incident the night before, where the attacking group had been jailed following a routine traffic stop. Apparently they’d been released the next day, after somehow coming up with fake ID’s in jail. (The local sheriff had already resigned over that one.) An hour later they’d shown up at the Davis home in Mobile, with tragic results.

  Another minor clue was that one of the dead women seemed to have been a heavy drug user. But even that was a dead end. So far, no one had identified the exact narcotic involved.

  Hell, even the birds had everyone stumped! Nature experts had already declared them an entirely new species. Some people even swore the dog magically appeared out of thin air! But surely it just ran out from underneath the house, right? After all, where else could it have come from?

  Leaning forward, hands against his unshaven cheeks, Blake watched the montage of images from Mobile yet again. No, it just didn’t make sense! Tiffany wasn’t a witch. She couldn’t be! Tiffany was a loving, sweet woman, who cared about others more than anyone he’d ever known. How was it possible.

  A key slid into the lock on the apartment entrance, confidently twisting it open. Hand sliding over to his automatic handgun on a side table, Blake intently studied the door. At this point he didn’t know what was going on.

  Hardly believing his eyes, Blake watched his beloved slip into the apartment, carefully closing the door behind her. In a sleek business suit, with short skirt and high heels, Tiffany’s face was covered by large, dark sunglasses. As usual, the green stone hung on a necklace around her neck.

  “Tiffany!” he managed to croak, staring up at her in wonder. “Are you hurt? What the hell is going on?”

  “Blake!” Sweeping off her glasses, he once again beheld her loving, deep eyes. “I’ve missed you so much!”

  Lurching up, the gun forgotten, Blake hugged her long and hard, fervently kissing Tiffany’s neck and shoulders. Then, moving up to her lips, hands around her tight waist, Blake realized he would love this woman forever, no matter what the truth.

  “Hey!” Finally disentangling herself, Tiffany stepped back, wiping away a tear. “Listen, we need to talk.”

  “Yes, we do.” Retreating a step as well, he numbly indicated the television. “It’s all over the news, Tiff.”

  “I know.” Snapping her fingers, the television clicked off, seemingly of its own accord. “Come here. Let’s sit down.”

  They both sank down on the couch, holding hands. A purring Merlin, momentarily displaced, curled up again a little further down on the cushions.

  “So, you weren’t kidding,” Blake hesitantly began. “The other day, when you said you were a sorceress.”

  “No, I wasn’t.” Leaning forward, she held his eye. “My love, I’m so sorry. I should have told you much sooner.”

  Rubbing his forehead, he sighed. “Tiffany, there’s no record of you anywhere. Or any of those girls with you. The government has no idea who you are.”

  “Blake, that doesn’t…”

  “A worldwide arrest warrant has been issued for you and everyone else who was there!”

  Tiffany gave a dismissive shake of her head. “No one will recognize me. A simple spell subtly alters my features when I’m out and about, unless I want to be noticed. I’m in no danger.”

  “A simple spell,” he repeated. “I can’t believe this!”

  “I know.” Smiling, Tiffany caressed his cheek. “I’m so sorry, my love. There’s so much I have to tell you. Things that you deserve to know.”

  “All right, I’m listening.” Bravely sitting up, Blake nodded. “That is, if Tiffany is really your name.”

  “Yes, my name is Tiffany Smith,” she laughed. “Originally, I’m from Dytha, a dimension about two hundred years technologically ahead of Earth.”

  “A dimension?” Eyes wide, Blake slowly shook his head. “Like, another world?”

  “Yes,” she confirmed. “My Coven regularly visits about fifty worlds. There are hundreds more we have yet to fully explore.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “We use our earth stones to access powers this dimension has no conscious awareness of. What you would call magic.”

  “Are you serious?” Eyes wide, he looked down at her earth stone. “That thing is magical?”

  “Yes.” Smiling, Tiffany touched her stone, causing a glass of water to form within a blaze of earth fire on the coffee table beside them. “Very much so.”

  Sitting back, the astounded young man watched the sorceress take a dainty sip of water, then hold it out to him.

  “Want some?” she asked. “It’s pretty good.”

  “No, thank you.” It almost appeared as if Blake was in physical pain. “So why have you been keeping all of this secret?”

  “My love, we have to. Up until now, no one on Earth even knew of our existence.”

  “But…” Helplessly trailing off, he stared at her once more. “But this is all so new. You, in a way, are completely new!”

  “Really?” Frowning, she looked away. “That’s not good.”

  “Well, I mean…”

  “Hey, some things are new. But most of it…you, me, us…is still the same.” Solemnly, the beautiful brunette shook her head. “When we’re here together, living as a couple, that’s all exactly as it was. Nothing’s changed. I’m the same person you’ve come to know and love this past year.”

  “You are?”

  “Yes,” she persisted, firmly taking both of his hands. “When we go out to the movies on Saturday night, or take a trip, or just stay in and relax. That’s not fake. I’m real, and we’re real! That hasn’t changed.”

  “Tiff, come on!” Anxiously jumping up, he stood in the middle of the living room. “I saw you kill those girls down in Mobile! They’re your enemies, right?”

  “Well, kind of. Actually, I’ve secured a temporary truce…

  “But why are you at war? What have they done? How does…”

  “Shhh. Relax.” Rising herself, Tiffany held up a hand. “Yes, there’s still much to explain. And I can answer every question, just not all at once.”

  “All right, answer me this first.” Arms crossed, he studied her worried face. “Witches are bad, right?”

  Tiffany considered. “Some are, sure.”

  “But not you.”

  “No.”

  “Ever?” he pressed,

  Catching her breath, Tiffany hesitated. How much did he really want to know? “Well, listen. Sometimes we have to do things. It’s like, uh…”
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  “Oh, I get it.” His gaze hardening, Blake looked down at her. “Sometimes, in these other worlds, you really are a witch.”

  Hurt, Tiffany briefly looked away. “That’s not nice.”

  “Oh, come on!” Stalking off a few steps, Blake then whipped back around, pointing an accusatory finger at her. “Don’t act like I’m being an asshole here! Here you’ve been lying all this time…”

  “I’ve been under cover! That’s not lying!”

  “Of course it is! What, are you crazy?”

  “No, I’m not!” Stamping high-heeled foot, Tiffany tried to remain calm. “Look, I understand how bizarre this all must seem. But you just don’t understand.”

  “Under cover…” Trailing off, Blake ran a hand over his face. “This is too much.”

  “And what do you mean by ‘being a witch?’” Frowning, Tiffany advanced a step. “What kind of lurid things are you imagining?” Yet even as she spoke an image of the dead Prefect, felled by her own hand, came to mind.

  A long moment went by. “I don’t know!” Throwing out his arms, Blake groaned. “Look, I saw you kill those other girls…”

  “They were our enemies, Blake! And if you watch closely, I was only acting in self-defense!”

  “Really? With a laser rifle?”

  “Well, that was different,” she mumbled. “We don’t normally do that.”

  “Oh, yeah? So what do you normally do?”

  Pausing, she suddenly found herself at a loss. “We, uh, help people. ”

  “How? By shooting them?”

  “I just told you!” Looking around their cozy living room, so achingly familiar yet now oddly different, everything seemed to spin about. “That’s not what we normally do!”

  Rolling his eyes, Blake now let out a deep breath. “You know, I was thinking. That Norine was a witch too, right?”

  “Yeah.” Tiffany bent down to pet Merlin, who was now twirling about her feet. At least he was still nice.

  “And she was really forward!” Blake continued. “Like, she was a really promiscuous woman.”

  “Promiscuous?” Nearly laughing, Tiffany nevertheless saw where this was all going. “Someone’s been watching too many old movies.”

  “You know what I’m saying.”

  “Do I?” Eyes narrowing, Tiffany now straightened up, arms folded. “Maybe you’re just so hard to resist.”

  “Look, all I’m saying…”

  “But you and Norine didn’t do anything, right?”

  “No, of course not!” he nearly shouted. “Can’t you just listen to me here? I’m trying to make a point!”

  “Fine.” Belying her sinking heart, Tiffany’s hands were now firmly planted on her hips. “What’s your point?”

  His face suffused with pain, standing before a large bookcase, Blake’s whole body now sagged. “Well, uh, were you…” he hesitantly continued. “I mean…”

  “Listen to me very carefully.” Tiffany resisted the urge to rush over and smother her wonderful man in love and kisses. This was something he needed to understand fully, on every level. “I’ve told you. I’ve been completely loyal to you since we’ve met.”

  “Well, you’ve told me a lot of things, many of which aren’t true,” he persisted. “How do I know…”

  “Blake…” her own voice trailing off, she felt a single tear escape one eye. “Yes, I’ve lied to you. Deceived you. To a great extent I’ve created an alternate reality that I’ve asked you to live in! I did it for the best of reasons, but it wasn’t right. And for that, I’m sorry.”

  “You’re telling me the truth now?” His face now suffused with hope, Blake clearly wanted to believe her. “No more lies.”

  “No. No more lies.” Now slowly approaching him, Tiffany put her hands on Blake’s shoulders, looking up into his strong gaze. “I’ve been absolutely loyal to you since we met. And the lies are over. Never again, about anything. I promise.”

  A long moment went by, Blake’s breathing gradually slowing. “Okay, I get that,” he finally said. “But I’m guessing that witches…”

  “I prefer sorceress.”

  “All right. I’m betting that being a sorceress is a pretty wild ride.” Now very still, Blake deliberately searched her face. “If, uh, you know what I mean.”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “You’re not?” he prodded.

  “Not really.” Unintimidated, she raised an eyebrow. “What are you asking me?”

  For a moment neither one spoke. Stepping back, Blake then sadly turned around and walked to the edge of their small kitchen. Passing a weary hand over his face, the police detective simply stood there, his back still to her.

  A full minute went by, neither one of them moving. Finally, Tiffany slowly approached her tortured lover, putting a light hand on his shoulder.

  “Yes, it was very, very wild ride,” she softly began. “But you’ve saved me from that life! I was so angry at men, at the world. At myself! I traveled the universe, but I had no real home, no base. And then I met you.”

  Slowly turning about, he looked into her deep, brown eyes.

  “Now this is my home,” Tiffany continued. “Blake, you give me so much! We’re not even supposed to form exclusive relationships like this. The other girls look down on me for it.”

  “Really?” Bemused, he smiled. “There’s something bad about all this?”

  “To them. Not to me,” she firmly added. “The fact is that everyone I’ve ever been close to has wound up failing me. First my father, then my mother, and now my Coven. Even my sister! You, Blake, are my rock. I’m sorry I’ve lied to you. But know that this is the life I want, with you. Whatever else changes, I want this to be the same, forever.”

  “Tiffany, I was so scared!” His entire demeanor shifting, a tear escaped one eye. “You just disappeared, and then…”

  Pulling Blake close, she kissed him, long and deep. Time falling away, they simply lived within each other’s embrace, reveling in their renewed bond.

  “We’re real, and always have been.” Finally leaning back, Tiffany put a gentle hand on his chest. “And now that you know, we’re more real than ever.”

  “Yes,” he breathed. “I feel it too.”

  Bursting into tears, both young lovers simply stood there, tightly holding one another. The tension palpably receding, Blake and Tiffany were soon laughing and smiling once more.

  “So now that everything’s out in the open,” he finally said, “you can show me all the hot spots in other, uh…”

  “Dimensions,” she supplied. “Eventually, maybe. There’s so much I have to tell you first. There’s a lot to prepare for.”

  “Oh, sure,” Blake agreed. “But I mean, there must be some advantages to having a magical girlfriend, right?”

  “There are!” Smiling, Tiffany slid her hand up his back, leaning in close to whisper directly in Blake’s ear. “But I think you’ll find that the best magic is shared right here at home.”

  Giggling, Tiffany pushed Blake towards the bedroom. The door firmly closing behind the two humans, Merlin was left alone.

  Back up on the couch, the cat luxuriously stretched out. Tiffany and Blake were okay, he thought, when they weren’t wrapped up in their own problems. But it’s too bad the one they called Caylee wasn’t here.

  Of all the people Merlin had ever met, she was the only one who actually knew how to talk to him.

  *****

  Across the street, a tall, brunette young woman moodily watched the light go out in Tiffany’s bedroom. Head turned up into a light rain, she was seemingly impervious to the water running freely down her face and neck. Soon, the girl’s blouse was soaked, a light skirt clinging uneasily about her legs.

  “Are you all right, miss?” A young policeman wandered over, appreciatively looking her up and down. “Is anything the matter?”

  “No!” Valensa snapped, inflicting him with a disdainful glance. “I’m fine!” Turning about, she angrily stalked off through the evening crowd.<
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  Wow, that’s some intense chick, the policeman thought. And that odd necklace. It wasn’t like those wacky girls down in Mobile, was it? No, it couldn’t be. Shaking his head, the cop moved off.

  Purposefully striding down the rough pavement, Valensa tried to calm her racing thoughts. Once more, her long-lost sister had left a wide swath of destruction in her wake. The ruby coven within the Confederacy had been temporarily disbursed, Claire herself wounded and beaten. Retreating to the home base in Vanington, the Coven Leader was once more marshaling her forces.

  But Valensa wasn’t like those Confederate addicts anyway! Why on Zarth, or any other dimension, had Claire assigned her there? It didn’t make any sense.

  Nor, for that matter, did Tiffany’s claims that Claire wanted her dead. Obviously, the elder Smith sister had only been trying to scare her. More proof, if indeed any was still needed, of Tiffany’s overall immorality.

  Still, she needed to lay low for awhile. Things were still pretty tense. And even if Claire wasn’t trying to actively kill her, Valensa definitely needed to get back in her good graces. Maybe score some personal victory against those Haven harlots? And what better place to do that than Earth, the most coveted dimension in the universe?

  Not to mention that Tiffany had a home here. But as Valensa herself well knew, homes were fragile things, subject to all kinds of disruption. The possibilities were endless.

  Starting with the boyfriend. There wasn’t a man alive that Valensa couldn’t distract! What would Tiffany say if she took Blake away from her? Just think of how angry she would be!

  Smiling, the younger Smith sister turned a corner and hailed a cab, considering all the wonderful ways to make everyone, in both this and every other dimension, finally take her seriously.

  You have just finished the second book in

  The Cross-Worlds Coven Series

  The adventure continues in Book Three,

  Rivals

  Just click the cover above, or search for “Rivals Phil Stern” in the Kindle store.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR