The twin terrors were not wrong to sing that song. Luke and Sadie spent a lot of time kissing. There was something about the summer nights that made them ache to be close to each other. Sadie even dreamed about being in Luke’s arms when they were apart, although she was very strict about where he put his hands when his arms were wrapped around her. “Luke…” she would warn when his hands would stray from her waist.
“I can’t help it,” he would groan. “You’re delicious.”
And Sadie would laugh as he held her tight and showered her with kisses.
Luke was lucky. He found out that Sadie had grown up with absolutely no physical affection from her aunt and uncle. Not one hug or kiss from either of them. She was not used to being touched in any manner whatsoever, but around Luke she felt so cherished she spontaneously responded with unrestrained affection. In private, of course.
While Luke was with Sadie, she stopped losing time, and having Luke as a constant companion was a balm to Sadie’s lonely existence. She had grown up alone and never had any friends. Her aunt Liora had forbidden it.
“You are too good for them folk, Sadie,” she would say.
But she never felt lucky at all.
Sadie was not often home anymore, but she did not want her aunt to get suspicious, so she was very careful not to act any different in front of her. Since Luke was not welcome to call or visit the Kellar residence, he had gotten her a cell phone so that they could keep in touch. At first Sadie had refused.
“I can’t pay for this and I don’t feel right taking this from you,” she had said firmly, handing it back to Luke when he tried to give it to her.
“Sadie, think about it. I can’t call your house. The standing order is to shoot me on sight. I doubt you’ll be able to call me whenever you feel like it on your aunt’s line. What are you going to do? Walk over to the manor every time you want to talk to me? To the library? What about if I need you? Do I have to risk my life with your aunt and ring the doorbell, or better yet, get caught sneaking around the back of your house?”
Sadie just stared at him.
“Suppose Liora has the Sheriff arrest me and put me in jail? I’m too weak to do time,” Luke wheedled, looking at her with his sweet eyes. “Not to mention my poor mother…”
Sadie laughed at that, and took the phone. If nothing else, Sadie was very practical. Luke had been counting on that.
Hannah
Hannah Farmer had always been good friends with Luke Barrington. Her father was on the town council so she had often visited the manor, and she and Luke had grown up together. Their friendship was casual and easygoing. Luke was fun and great to talk to. He was down to earth, unlike his brothers who tended to be a bit dark and mysterious, and a bit frightening in Hannah’s opinion. Hannah and Luke had spent a lot more time together than usual this year. With her editing the school newspaper and Luke doing yearbook, they often collaborated on both publications. By mid-year Hannah was completely in love with Luke. She wrote his initials over her books and spent a lot of her time daydreaming about what she would do if she ever got him alone. The frustrating thing was that he didn’t seem to notice.
Hannah had tried casually pumping his best friend, Dean Croft, for information. They were sitting at the picnic tables during lunch period a few weeks before school broke for the summer, so she gave it a shot. “Luke is such a cutie. I’m surprised he’s not dating anyone.”
Dean had shrugged carelessly. “Luke likes everyone. Never mentioned a specific girl…” Dean trailed off. Hannah looked and saw Nathalie Parker waving and heading toward them.
Well, well, well…Hannah thought…his best friend. Now we know the specific girl Dean likes.
Nathalie was attractive, with long brown hair and green eyes. She had just the right number of freckles to make her slender face pretty but not spotty. She had a wide smile and was gorgeous when she was tanned. And she was nice! Everyone loved Nathalie, even Hannah.
Nathalie kissed Dean on the forehead before sitting down and unpacking her lunch, not even noticing that Dean had practically fainted with pleasure.
Hannah smiled and turned to quiz Nathalie. She was a straight shooter, smart and forthright. If anyone would answer her question honestly, it would be her, and she’d be discreet about it.
“Nat, why do you think Luke is not dating anyone? Dean and I were just discussing what a cutie he is.”
Nathalie looked at Hannah briefly before answering. Hannah squirmed a bit, but then Nathalie nodded and answered.
“Well, my first guess is that no one seems to have caught his attention,” she answered truthfully.
Phew, Hannah thought to herself. No love interest.
“Or, maybe the person he likes is so secret he never lets on. Luke is friendly but very private,” Nathalie said thoughtfully.
“I never thought of that.” Hannah said truthfully. “Thanks Nathalie.”
“Sure,” she said easily, smiling. She unwrapped her sandwich and automatically gave half of it to Dean, who ate it in two bites.
“Hungry?” Nathalie had laughed, turning back to her food.
“Oh yeah,” Dean had said, staring at Nathalie with a very hungry expression.
Hannah had shivered and excused herself. She hoped Luke would look at her like that one day. In fact, she would ensure that he did.
Hannah’s summer job was to write local articles for The Barrington Bugle, mostly once the fair commenced in August, but also during the summer to publish announcements about the fair and ensure the townsfolk were ready for the three months of chaos that is the Barrington Harvest Festival. Hannah had called up the hotels in Limerick to get a pulse on what their occupancy rates were from August to the end of October, and most hotels were fully booked for the three months in question. The job was fun, and Hannah loved being a reporter. She also loved the fact that the newspaper office was only a few buildings down from the library, so she saw Luke constantly. At least she had until lately.
In the last few weeks he had been preoccupied and unavailable. When Hannah had asked Liz, she had been noncommittal. “He’s helping someone with a research project,” she had responded vaguely.
Then Hannah had seen Luke across the square attempting to cajole Sadie Kellar into The Fry Diner. She couldn’t hear what they were saying but she saw Sadie laugh and then saw Luke grab her hand and pull her into the restaurant. Hannah had stood outside the newspaper office, still as a statue, while a small sick feeling developed in her stomach. Sadie Kellar? Sadie? The Ice Witch? The cold, unfeeling girl that spoke to no one? Impossible. Hannah’s thoughts rioted around her head. Impossible that sweet Luke could like her. She was incapable of love. She never even smiled. But she had laughed…
Hannah was in agony. She wanted to race over to the diner and see what was happening, but she didn’t.
Impossible, she thought to herself again, taking calming breaths and rationalizing with herself. Everyone laughs around Luke. But still, a niggle of doubt wormed into her heart. Why are they having lunch together?
A few days later she was feeling better. She had seen Luke a few times in the evenings and on the weekend. He seemed like his normal self and didn’t seem to be talking about anything, or anyone, special.
Hannah was standing outside The Bugle’s offices when she saw Sadie Kellar turn the corner into Town Circle from South Road. She stood rooted in place as Sadie swept by the library and headed towards her. Sadie looked different. Rather than her pale self she seemed radiant. Her pale skin seemed whiter and her lips were as red as blood. Her long black hair shimmered and twisted down her back as if it were alive. Her purple eyes were glowing. Actually, all of Sadie seemed to be glowing somehow. She was utterly dazzling.
Sadie passed by Hannah and reached out to brush the hair from Hannah’s forehead before she could react. Startled Hannah stepped back, but Sadie just laughed and kept going. Sadie had whispered something under her breath but for the life of her, Hannah had no idea what it meant. It didn’t sound lik
e English. She watched Sadie make her way around Town Circle and end up back in front of the library where Luke had been standing, watching her. Hannah observed the two of them with a sinking feeling. Sadie was looking at Luke very familiarly, but Luke was frowning. Possessiveness and jealousy, Hannah thought to herself. Those were the emotions on Luke’s face. Her Luke. He was obviously not happy with what he had just seen. Hannah had a growing suspicion that something was going on between the two of them, especially when Sadie fell into his arms and then they both went into the library together.
Jealousy and anger rolled through her. Luke obviously felt something for the little tramp. Hannah looked around and noticed that Sadie’s behaviour had caused quite a stir. At that moment the editor of The Barrington Bugle appeared, looking around him.
“What’s all the commotion about?” he asked Hannah curiously. Hannah could almost see the reporter in him sensing some sort of story. If he had been a rat, his nose and whiskers would be twitching.
“Sadie Kellar just, well, danced her way around Town Circle and flirted with just about everyone,” including me, she thought angrily to herself.
“Really? A Kellar did that? Well, that’s very interesting, especially since they’re such a cold bunch.” He turned to look at Hannah. “Why don’t you write a piece on young Miss Sadie. They say her ancestor, Willow, was irresistible. Perhaps she’s feeling the same way? Coming out of her shell, eh?” He chortled and rubbed his hands together. “Interview her. It would be a good attraction piece for the festival.”
But Hannah had another idea. Instead, she wrote a short letter to the editor, and started her campaign to get Luke back and turn the town against Sadie.
THE BARRINGTON BUGLE – THURSDAY, JULY 25
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
Earlier this week I watched Sadie Kellar prance around Town Circle, flirt with (and touch) all the boys and cause quite a stir during an otherwise normal and quiet Monday morning.
Sadie may be related to the witch who brought shame and fear to this town, but that doesn’t mean her “celebrity status” gives her the right to act like that. Who does she think she is? It was inappropriate and embarrassing to watch. Where are her guardians? Her behaviour was just shameless.
-Anonymous
THE BARRINGTON BUGLE – SUNDAY, JULY 28
Letters to the Editor
Dear Ed,
In response to Anonymous’ comments about Sadie Kellar in Thursday’s paper, we just have one response. Sadie Kellar’s HOT. She can dance the circle anytime she wants.
-The Shop Boys
Hannah grit her teeth as she read the paper. Unbelievable! Always thinking with their dicks. This wasn’t over.
Sadie’s reaction to the letter was more fear and embarrassment than anger. “Who would write this? Why does anyone care about what I do?” she asked Luke. She was fretting because she couldn’t remember the events of the day. She already knew of the “circle dance” from Luke, who had filled her in. What else did I do?
Luke was perplexed himself and had no answer, only a theory.
After the response from the Shop Boys, printed a few days later, Sadie and Luke agreed to go with his theory. “Obviously a very jealous girlfriend.”
Bethiah
Beth entered the small apartment she was living in over Clara’s shop in Barrington’s Town Circle. She was arriving from her day job at the candy factory where she worked. It was a summer student job and according to the townsfolk of Barrington, that’s all she was. But Beth was much more than that.
She locked the door behind her and walked to the living room window, which overlooked Town Circle. From her vantage point she could see most of the circle. It was dusk and everyone was going about his or her own business. The lanterns positioned in front of the shops, around the circle and in between the trees of Center Park had flickered on. The town seemed to be shrouded in a soft luminous radiance. Pretty town, she mused to herself. The town had changed a lot since the last time she’d seen it. She longed to find a man to wander the park with. It was a very romantic setting, and it had been a long time since she’d been courted. Now that she was settled, it was time to remedy that. Beth’s necklace began to glow. It started to get warm with the insistent pulse that powered it.
She ignored the call momentarily while her thoughts ran back to the day’s events. Her frustration rose when she thought of Nathalie. A rival, she thought with dislike, and something like glee. It had been a long time since she’d faced a challenge like this. And Dean…she definitely liked him. Tall, muscular, well built. Pale, but darkly handsome in a vulnerable yet strong way…what’s not to like? And he’s a Croft, she thought. Destroy her rival by stealing her best friend… This could work out beautifully.
Her necklace glowed brighter and hotter, sending a shock into her chest. Beth sighed and turned from the window to the center of the room. It wasn’t large and contained only an old sofa along the back wall. The other wall contained a chair and a long table. In the center of the room the space was bare except for a round carpet placed in the middle. Beth quickly rolled up the carpet and moved it to the side to expose a five-pointed star she had chalked into the wood. On the table near the chair were five black candles, partially burned. She put one at each point of the star and lit them. She sat in the center and took off her necklace, holding it between her hands. She chanted a string of words and the amulet grew extremely hot before seeming to crack open. Light blazed forth from its center, and from the light stepped a being.
“Hello Bethiah,” the demon said casually, looking down at the seated girl. He was over nine feet tall. Muscle rippled throughout his body. His skin was a scorched red ocher. His eyes were yellow and slitted, the pupil running vertically like a cat’s. He had black horns on his head and he exuded cold evil. Beth shivered. Even though Dannerlich was not fully corporeal, even in a semi-solid state he was terrifying. He could still hurt her, and she knew that he wanted to. Like any predator, it was in his eyes every time he looked at her. The desire to rip off her limbs and tear the flesh from her body while he listened to her scream emanated from him. Just for fun, for the hell of it. Thankfully, he needed her. She was safe, for now.
“Nice of you to answer my call so promptly,” Dannerlich said, checking his nails for dirt.
Beth froze. Danner did not have much patience.
“I’m sorry, my lord Danner,” she said submissively, bending forward until her forehead touched the floor. “I was late getting back from the factory…”
“Yes, yes.” Danner said, waving his hand dismissively. He seemed bored. “I want an update.”
“I found a Croft,” she said proudly.
“Well, there are plenty to choose from, it would appear,” Danner said dryly.
“Oh, well…”
“What about the witch?”
“No Kellar works at the factory.”
Danner looked at her impatiently. “Really?” he said sarcastically. “What wonderful detective work you’ve accomplished—NOT.” Danner sighed theatrically and rolled his eyes. “No decent Kellar would work at a candy factory, unless she planned to poison it. Anyway, meeting the descendant is not going to help you at this point. She’s completely clueless, and her power has not manifested yet. You need to meet the one who cast the curse. Willow is here. I can feel her. Even now her power grows exponentially. Her transformation was almost complete before they captured her and put her to death, so she is not just a ghost. She’s a powerful entity to be reckoned with. Soon she will be strong enough.”
Danner stood in a thoughtful pose before putting his hands behind his back and quizzing Beth. “Did you find the Lore Keeper?”
“Not yet.”
“You must, and soon,” he said impatiently.
“Why? What is so important about her?” Beth asked petulantly.
“Or him,” Danner corrected. “For this curse to be set in motion, the players and their roles need to be the same. We have accomplishe
d that. The Lore Keeper notices things, you know, connects the dots. That’s part of the gift. It was the Lore Keeper who blew the whistle on Willow in 1595.”
“I see.”
“Do you see, Beth? Do you? Because this is important. The Lore Keeper is usually pretty smart. She works with The Seer and will work against you to ruin our plans. We can’t let that happen.”
“You keep saying ‘she.’”
“That’s because she was originally a she,” Danner said with exasperation.
“Have you acquired the name of the original Lore Keeper?” Beth asked. “The last name would help pinpoint her.”
“It’s Dame N something. I don’t have it yet. Just find her and contain her,” he said, irritation lacing his tones.
Yeah, yeah. Beth decided to switch topics. “What about The Seer?”
“Like I told you when I sent you here, the Seer is one of the Barrington boys. It was Jacob Barrington who verified the facts for the townsfolk and supported the Lore Keeper’s story. The gift will have been passed down the Barrington line as well. Stay away from them. With Willow back, the power will manifest itself and you’ll be exposed.”
“Too bad. There are like, seven boys or something, and I heard they’re handsome.”
Danner snorted. “I see your penchant for men has stood the test of time. Don’t you worry, my sweet witch, I’ll send you someone to play with. In the meantime, no fooling around, not with those boys anyway. I’ve given you a beautiful body. Use it wisely since the last owner couldn’t.”
Oh, I will, Beth said, looking in the mirror behind her.
Danner laughed. “So vain…now what of the spell we need?”
“I have it.”
“Do you have Elanah’s book?” Danner asked. When Beth glanced at him, interest and anger warred in his face. There was history there.
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