by Ashley McLeo
Evelyn gasped.
Nora, Brigit’s best friend, stood to Evelyn’s right, smiling wickedly.
“Nora? What are you doing here? How did they—?”
But her questions were cut short by Noro, who threw his arms wide in a gesture of grandiosity. “Eve, darling, you’ve met Empusa and Amon, my children. Everyone here has vowed to assist me in our shared goal of bringing the fata to Earth. They are the inner circle of the Acolytes of Hecate, a group of revolutionaries with a vision for a better Earth.”
Holy shit. Nora’s the spy Brigit and my aunts were talking about after Alexandria! An Acolyte of Hecate. A revolutionary for the new world order. It all makes so much sense now! She hardly ever came by Fern Cottage after I broke into her head. She must have thought I saw something that would give her away or that I would peek inside her head. And she’s even been to Terramar! She knew who Lily would risk her life for. She’s the one who gave Lily up. What a bitch.
“Eve darling, each of these Acolytes are familiar with human anatomy, in case you have a negative reaction to our next step in unfolding your potential as humans have in the past. I’m sorry to put you at risk but I feel strongly that this is the only way.”
What the hell was he talking about?
“Empusa, come.”
The vampire moved to face her father, her mouth tight. Stiffly, Empusa extended her arm.
Evelyn watched in horror as Noro’s right limb elongated and sharpened into a sword and swiped a large gash across Empusa’s forearm.
Blood, black as night, poured from the cut.
Amon stepped forward to catch the blood in a juice glass before the wound could stitched itself together.
Oh, hell no. Evelyn fought her gag reflex. He has got to be kidding. But she knew better than that. Noro didn’t joke around, and as Amon approached her with the glass, she knew there was no getting out of it. Even if she vomited the blood back up Noro would continue cutting his children until she drank what he deemed enough.
“Take your juice, princess,” Amon said, yanking Evelyn’s torso up and presenting her with the glass.
“And you’d better not spill a drop,” Empusa hissed, her green eyes narrowed. “My blood is more valuable than gold. Be grateful you get to drink it.”
The pungent scent of metal and something far more ancient swirled below Evelyn’s nostrils as she took the glass. She looked down and a vision of Empusa swam up from the dark liquid. The vampire, looking gorgeous as she stalked a man down a cobblestone street in . . . Spain? Evelyn watched, her throat closing in on itself as Empusa pounced on the man and ripped into his jugular. The scene switched to Empusa running through a jungle with Amon, a panther between them. It changed again, to a nameless modern city with Empusa pressed against a wall by a man who ground his body into her.
“Hurry, witch,” Empusa’s French accent flared and she clenched her fists.
Evelyn’s hands were shaking now. What the hell just happened? Was that me? Or does her blood have magic? Before she had time to get her thoughts straight an ice-cold hand pushed the glass to Evelyn’s face and tipped it into her mouth.
The liquid crawled over her tongue like thick molasses. Evelyn imagined she could feel the lives of thousands of humans in the blood. She closed her eyes and drank faster. With her visual stimuli gone, her taste buds seemed to amplify. Underneath the undeniable tang of blood were hints of cinnamon, clove, sugar, and fennel. Focus on those flavors, Evelyn thought tipping the glass back further.
“You better have enjoyed that, witch, because you won’t be getting any more,” Amon said, his face stony as the last drop disappeared down Evelyn’s throat and he wrenched the empty glass from her hands.
Evelyn wasn’t sure she’d enjoyed it, but she was sure about one thing. Vampires did not like giving up their blood. I wonder . . . Oh!
The temperature of the room shot up twenty degrees. Beads of sweat began forming on Evelyn’s forehead and rolling down her face. Evelyn lowered herself back down onto the freezing table, desperate for relief from the sudden heat overtaking her.
“It’s working. Bind her hands,” Noro commanded and cold metal wrapped around Evelyn’s wrists.
Evelyn’s brows furrowed in confusion and she cranked her neck back to find Noro standing at the head of the table, his face millimeters from her own. Why is he binding my hands now? Like I can do anything with all these people around . . . What the hell?!
Her arms and legs began to tremble and strain against their bindings. The metal chains filled the dungeon with a clattering noise as they pulled and shook against the table. Evelyn’s muscles popped out of her clothing in a way she’d never seen happen despite thousands of hours in the gym and astronomical personal trainer bills. Something in her chest fluttered wildly and she gasped. Am I changing into a vampire? No, that can’t be it, a vampire can’t open a portal—otherwise why would they need me?
“Yesssss,” Noro whispered. His eyes were lighter, more starry than Evelyn had ever seen them. “The blood, it’s working, she is becoming stronger. This is what we’ve been missing the entire time. You are so beautiful, my love.”
Bile climbed up Evelyn’s throat at Noro’s compliment.
Noro glanced around at the circle of faces that awaited his word. “No medical intervention will be necessary. The blood has taken well. We will allow Eve to rest and gain as much strength from Empusa’s blood as she can. I will call you back when she is ready to open her first portal. Until then, leave us.”
A dozen creatures filed out the door, only one of whom turned around. Nora, her eyes full of envy, glared at Evelyn.
What is she jealous about? That I drank vampire blood? That piece of scum can have it.
The door slammed shut and Noro turned his attention back to Evelyn. “If only you could see yourself, my love. One of your traitorous sisters has finally helped our cause. Your fata self has prevailed at last and it’s glorious. You shine with the power you had thousands of years ago before you gave it all up for the greater good and met your end. Please know, my dearest Eve, your death was not in vain. We are still here. Myself and the seven other fata you brought over, one by one, working in the shadows for your father’s mission. Recruiting creatures for our new realm. Populating Earth with creatures who will fight for the fata when the time comes. I know you likely wish to proceed right away now that you are released from your human bindings, but please forgive me for my selfishness. I wanted a few minutes alone with you before we perform the greatest work of our lives.” His arms crept up to cradle Evelyn’s face before moving down her body.
Bound by chains Evelyn could only watch, her mouth open in a silent scream, as Noro levitated off the ground to land his body on top of hers.
Evelyn did not move when they unshackled her.
She was numb. Dead inside from the hours Noro spent touching her, manipulating her body, pushing power into her for his own pleasure while assuring her that next time she would enjoy it more.
“Now that we have coupled, your fata instincts and capabilities are finally free. They will grow stronger as Empusa’s blood strengthens you. Soon, my love, we shall be together like old times.”
Evelyn shuddered as she recalled his words, his body like a cold gel, rushing over her, suffocating her as she lay bound to the table. Whenever Evelyn managed to get enough air into her lungs, she used it to cry out in protest, hoping Noro would listen to her pleas. From the moment he’d landed upon her Evelyn had closed her eyes, but it wasn’t enough to ignore the sensation of Noro’s body on top of her, hollowing her out with a foreign magic.
When Evelyn showed no inclination to rise on her own, hands lifted her from the table.
“Noro wants her here,” Empusa demanded, an evil smile on her lips as she pointed to the center of a circle of Acolytes.
A memory of another day flew through Evelyn’s mind. The day she’d stood in the center of a different circle and called forth a long dead ancestor, surrounded and supported by family and love
. That Samhain night their circle performed the first calling of an ancestor that had worked in over a hundred years. How was that only a month ago? It feels like a lifetime.
“How dare you look so miserable when you’ve been blessed?” A familiar voice whispered in Evelyn’s ear.
Only then did she notice Nora was holding up her right side. A woman Evelyn would have grown up calling an auntie had circumstances been different studied Evelyn’s face with equal parts awe and jealousy. Evelyn let her head fall, unwilling to spare energy for the woman she hated more than any other.
“Any Acolyte would give all their powers to be in your place.” Nora’s tone was accusatory, disbelieving. “A mistress of Noro himself. I’ll never understand why he chose you when he could have so many.”
A mistress of Noro? Oh, hell no. Evelyn would find a way to kill herself before anything of the sort happened again.
Nora and a scrawny wizard carried Evelyn to the center of the circle before removing their support. Outwardly, Evelyn radiated strength. Empusa’s blood had wrought undeniable changes in her body, yet she’d never felt more defeated. She considered allowing herself to collapse to the ground before deciding that was no good either. All that would do is incite them.
So she stood, alone and shivering, in the middle of the room.
The Sisters of Salem
“What part of New York is this?” Lily asked, as the cab pulled to a stop next to a coffee shop. The shop boasted dozens of men growing groomed beards or ironic twirled mustaches and women decorated head to toe with tattoos, donning all black ensembles. There was an old-school record player in the front window next to a mannequin with a unicorn head. It was the most hipster place she’d ever seen.
“Brooklyn,” Selma said, a bemused smile on her face. “It is unrecognizable from when I was here. Younger, trendier, and much cleaner. That place is the same, though.” She pointed to a dingy single family home wedged between two high-end condo complexes.
Yikes. I wonder why the owner didn’t sell to a business or contractor once their home became boxed in by those condo monstrosities.
Aoife paid the cabbie, and they exited following her aunt across the street. Lily slammed into her aunt’s back when she stopped in front of the shabby house.
“Wait. This is the safe house?! But it looks like a shack!” It was impossible to keep the tone of incredulity from her voice. It’s even smaller than Fern Cottage and that’s tight with four people living there and three constant visitors. This coven must be teensy.
“One of the best I’ve been to,” Aoife grinned at Lily’s gaping mouth. “Only supernatural creatures that have been here previously can see the place as it is. Regular humans can’t see it at all. Creatures who have not gained entry see the same rundown home you are seeing.”
“It looks different to you two?” Lily asked.
“Ahh, yes, I forgot about that clever bit of sorcery!” Selma chuckled. “How hideous it looked the first time I saw it, all peeling paint, shattered glass, and rotting wood. I nearly turned away standing at the gate but I’m thankful I didn’t. This is where my life changed for the better. The Sisters of Salem saved me at my lowest low. They took me in and protected me from myself and others. I will be forever grateful. Did you know that they are one of the few covens in the world to accept non-witch members? Now that I am back and well, I may have to inquire.”
Lily cringed as Aoife pushed open the rusty, screechy wrought iron gate. They waited in the yard and Lily tried her best to avoid peeking in the welcoming condo windows next door, opting instead to watch the variety of people traipsing down the sidewalk.
“This city and it’s fecking traffic,” Gwenn grumbled as the rest of their group climbed the stairs to join them. “I’ll be happy to be in the quiet of the safe house.”
Quiet? With all this noise on the streets? Yea right, those walls look like they’d be paper thin.
Aoife rapped on the door and they waited as an ambulance and five police vehicles drove by, sirens blaring.
They waited so long that Lily was about the ask if the Sisters of Salem were in fact expecting them when the door cracked open. Lily peered around Aoife.
No one was there.
“Good day to you, Sisters. We’ve been waiting for you. Especially you, Gingy. Please, come in,” a high-pitched, musical voice rang out of the nothingness.
Aoife chuckled, her eyes firmly on the ground before her. “Aye, good to see you, too, Griselda. How I’ve missed you.”
Lily followed Aoife’s gaze and sucked in her breath. A woman, no more than three feet tall, stood holding the door. Griselda had the general shape of a human yet Lily found she could not place her in any of the few supernatural categories she knew.
Griselda’s long, needle-like nose protruded from a thick, heavyset skull. Her ears, pointed at the tips and bottoms, stuck out inches from her face and reminded Lily of an elf. Griselda turned at Lily’s intake of air and Lily averted her eyes.
Griselda sniggered. “I see one of your young ones is green. You can ask girl. I won’t take offense.”
Lily’s face burned, “I—I’m sorry, I’ve never . . .”
“You’ve never seen another magical creature like me, am I right? Well, you won’t be finding too many that look like me anyhow. Dad was a leprechaun and Ma was an elf. I’m one of a kind.”
“To be fair, Griselda,” Brigit said patting Lily on the shoulder and smiling down at the tiny woman, “Lily hasn’t met many creatures other than witches yet. She’s seen vampires, and a few daemons, though I didn’t have the luxury of standing around and pointing them out at the time. Might we get moving along? We’re in a bit of a hurry to speak with Jane and your council.”
Griselda let out a loud bark of laughter, “Damn vamps, how can anyone go through life not seeing one? I wish I’d been so lucky.” With that she whirled about and led them down a long hallway lined with heavy, dark wood doors.
Lily let her eyes wander, glad to have Griselda’s prickly attention off her. It looks like a wreck outside, but inside it’s a legit mansion. There must be fifteen rooms down this hallway. The aroma of leather, wood polish, and baked bread filled the air, subverting her assumptions further. Lily shook her head in disbelief as they passed doors adorned with crystal doorknobs, chandeliers dripping with crystals that gave off a prismatic effect like a muted disco ball, and gold framed portraits that spoke of wealth and a respect for the past.
“They’re the coven leaders dating back to the time of the Sisters of Salem’s inception. Right after that insane witch hunt in Salem. Most of the real witches in Salem saved themselves before the hunt gained steam. They moved south and settled here. Been here in this very house since 1695,” Griselda said, catching Lily’s questioning gaze as she stopped before a door.
“In this house? But why haven’t you moved? Hasn’t the neighborhood changed a lot?” Lily asked thinking back to Selma’s earlier remark.
A grin grew on Griselda’s wide face, “Everything changes. We like the neighborhood; it keeps us central and is convenient for our members. I’ll admit the house has undergone a few magical remodels and expansions to accommodate our growing numbers and visitors, but other than that this house is perfect. Quiet in here, isn’t it?”
Lily cocked her head. Not a single honking horn or siren met her ears.
“Silencing charm,” Griselda said. “You get good at those in the city. And you can bet we alter the scenery outside our windows. There’s a rotation of landscapes depending on who’s around that day. I prefer the Japanese gardens myself, but Toshi hasn’t been by to indulge me in months.” Griselda glared at Lily as if she had been responsible for keeping Toshi, whoever he was, busy. Lily held up her hands as if to say ‘whoa, you got the wrong girl.’ Griselda turned back around with a snort. “In the end, contractors paid us well to develop the land on either side of the house. The coven couldn’t say no but you’re right to think it would have been awful to look at those hideous condos every day.”
Griselda paused before a door and knocked.
The door opened and a tall, beautiful Indian woman wearing an ornate orange sari stood before them.
“Selma,” the woman exclaimed peering into the hall with her enormous brown eyes and spotting the petite siren in the middle of the group. A smile spread across the woman’s face, raising her cheekbones to unbelievable heights.
Selma shimmied to the front of the line and threw herself at the woman. “Shefali! Girl, it’s been way too long!”
“Indeed it has, sister. We have a lot of catching up to do,” Shefali said, putting an arm around Selma’s shoulders and waving for the rest to follow her through the door.
The room Shefali led them into was larger than the entire outside of the house appeared. Fifty feet wide with fifteen-foot ceilings, the considerable wall space was covered from top to bottom with books of all shapes and sizes. An antique globe dominated the center of the room, surrounded by plush brown leather couches and chairs. A fire burned in a magnificent marble fireplace opposite the door, around which a delegation of seven stood.
“Selma!” two women who looked like sisters cried and rushed over to hug Selma.
Lily held back and watched as Brigit spoke hurriedly to a regal-looking woman with dark thin braids peeking out of a bright head wrap. Aoife, Mary, and Gwenn knelt to hug a tiny creature with a booming voice while Annika and Rena shook hands with a wizened old man who remained seated near the fire.
“It still feels like we know nothing about this world, doesn’t it?” Sara asked, sidling up to Lily.
Lily watched the interactions in the room, conversations flowing, partners changing, hugs exchanged, and hands shook. “I understand that Mom wanted to start us with basic magic and learning how to defend ourselves. Let’s be honest, that part alone took forever. But I can’t help thinking if we knew more people, had more exposure to other creatures, this would be easier.”
“Lil! Sara! Could you come over here?” Rena called from across the room. “I have someone who wants to meet the two of you.”
