Dark Coven

by J. C. Diem

  “She wants us to be a family again,” I explained with an attempt at a smile that failed miserably.

  Her expression became even more grave, if that was possible. “It sounds like she has fixated on you. I fear she won’t give up until she gets what she wants.”

  “Wow, Lexi, you’re so popular,” Kala smirked. Flynn elbowed her in the side hard enough to make her wince.

  “Behave,” Mark admonished them both. “We’ll focus on taking down the vampire after we’ve taken care of the coven.”

  My father nodded his agreement with the plan, but I knew he was more concerned with my welfare than in taking down the six witches. If he even caught a glimpse of my mother, he’d put another bullet through her forehead. This time, he’d follow it up with a stake through the heart. I only hoped that I would be there to hand him a hammer to drive it home.

  ₪₪₪

  Chapter Thirty

  “I hate driving in America,” Beatrice complained. “You people insist on driving on the wrong side of the road. I almost died three times on the way here from the airport. Someone will need to drive me to the closest grocery store. I should be able to find the ingredients I’ll need for both spells there.”

  I’d had the mistaken belief that a spell would involve exotic components rather than something that could be purchased at a supermarket. Sometimes it was good to be wrong. We wouldn’t have to waste time searching for rare ingredients.

  “Agent Garrett, I’m sure you won’t mind being Beatrice’s chauffeur,” Mark said.

  Reece flicked a look at my father and received a nod of acknowledgement that he would watch over me. They both ignored the disgusted look I gave them. Thanks to the training that my team mates had given me, I could now take care of myself to a certain extent. Plus, I was much stronger and faster than any normal human.

  Glumly, I realized that speed and strength hadn’t helped when Talitha had cast a spell on me. She’d had no trouble overpowering me with her black magic. If the pack of dogs hadn’t come to my rescue, I wouldn’t have made it out of Bradbury. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to have someone watching my back after all.

  Reece and the witch were gone for over an hour. Maybe it hadn’t been quite so easy to find everything she needed after all. I knew they were on their way back when I sensed Reece drawing closer. Zeus announced their arrival with a mental picture of the SUV pulling to a stop in the parking lot. He was proving to be an effective guard dog. I sent him a mental pat and sensed him wagging his stumpy tail in delight.

  Beatrice didn’t join us in the parlor, but went directly to her bedroom on the second floor. She had some preparations to make before she could cast the spell. Our hope was that it would draw the coven out of Bradbury long enough for me to enter and search for the talisman.

  Reece entered the parlor and sat on one of the armchairs. While we’d been waiting for the pair to return, I’d filled my father in on what had happened in New Orleans during our hunt for the Zombie King. I had the feeling he was impressed that I was still keeping it together after coming face to face with walking corpses. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that turning into a werewolf had changed me on a fundamental level. While I was still wary of monsters, I was well equipped to deal with them.

  As the sun began to sink from the sky, we shifted to the dining room and pushed two of the tables together. Margaret arrived to take our dinner orders. Beatrice joined us shortly afterwards, looking weary and strained. She gave Margaret her order then sat down. “The spell is ready to be cast,” she said quietly. Two other couples had arrived and were sitting at the tables nearby.

  “What happens next?” Kala asked.

  “We need to wait for full dark then find someplace secluded so I can perform the spell.”

  “Would an abandoned church be suitable?” Mark queried.

  Beatrice nodded and poured a cup of tea from the fresh pot. “That would be perfect. If the ground is still consecrated, it will help to keep away any evil influences.”

  “It’s still holy,” I confirmed. “Katrina wasn’t able to enter the cemetery.”

  “What effect will your spell have?” Mark asked. He also poured a cup of tea and I held my cup out for him to fill it as well. Kala made a face. She was prejudiced against the beverage.

  “It will have three purposes, which is why it took me so long to prepare it,” she explained. “First, it will nullify any harmful hexes that may have been added to the wards. Next, it will trigger the wards in six different places. Hopefully, the coven will investigate each breach, which will split them up as per your plan. Thirdly, the spell will lead them on a merry chase, giving Lexi time to enter the town and search for the source of their power.”

  I was still in the dark about exactly what I’d be looking for. “Do you know what the talisman will look like?”

  “It could be anything,” she replied. “But I expect you’ll know it as soon as you see it. I sense that you have an affinity for magical objects. I doubt you’ll have any problems locating it.”

  Great, now I had an affinity for magical stuff. Kala’s lips twitched in amusement, but she held back her comment at a warning look from Mark. I was growing very tired of being ‘special’.

  We ate our dinner quickly then dispersed to get ready for our mission. I dressed in head to toe black again. It would be crucial for me to remain unseen this time. I was nervous at the idea of entering Bradbury alone, but it was necessary. The others would be following the witches as they chased after the red herrings that Beatrice’s spell would unleash. Once I’d located and destroyed the talisman, the team should be able to move in and finish off the coven members. With the talisman gone, their unholy protection would be lost, leaving them vulnerable.

  Carrying Zeus’s food bowl to the kitchen, I emptied half a can of dog food into it then hid the can at the back of the fridge where I hoped it wouldn’t be discovered. Excited by the prospect of food, Zeus was waiting for me near the backdoor. He gobbled it down and licked the bowl clean then looked up at me hopefully.

  “That’s all you’re getting, greedy guts,” I said fondly and his ears drooped despondently. They perked up again when he heard the others coming. I darted into the kitchen long enough to wash the bowl and spoon. I returned to my room long enough to hide the bowl again.

  We met at the vehicles and Mark motioned for us to gather into a circle. “Philip is going to drive you all to the town line and drop you off at your designated places. I’ll borrow his sedan to take Beatrice to the church. I want you all to listen in on your cell phones while she performs her spell.”

  We all nodded and Mark turned to me. “Beatrice and I will then head for the final two locations. Once I give you the all clear, head straight to the café and try to locate the talisman. Call me the instant that you’ve destroyed it.”

  With the team spread out in a wide circle around the perimeter of the town, our earpieces would be less effective. We were going to rely on our cell phones instead. Reece still disapproved of me going in alone and sent me an anguished look.

  “Lexi will be fine,” Kala said, accurately interpreting his stare. “She has ghosts and a pack of dogs to warn her if any of the witches approaches the café.”

  Reece wasn’t happy about taking the passenger seat rather than the driver’s seat, but he wisely kept silent. He might be an alpha werewolf, but my father was a much older alpha male himself. Reece hadn’t been quite brave enough to stop him when he’d snatched the keys out of his hand. I smirked at the thought of them both living beneath the same roof. Sparks would definitely fly if they were forced to spend too much time together.

  I was already uncomfortable with both of them staying in the B&B. To make matters worse, my father had been given a room on the third floor. I was very glad that he hadn’t been around when we’d renewed our bond. Thankfully, no one had brought that episode up in his presence so far.

  One by one, the agents were dropped off until it was just my dad, Zeus and I
left. I moved up to the front and my furry companion climbed through onto the backseat.

  “Do you think this spell is going to work?” my father asked as we circled towards my designated spot.

  “I hope so, because we’re running short of time. If it doesn’t work, we’ll have to think of something else to get rid of the coven long enough for me to search the place.”

  He knew I was referring to the full moon tomorrow night. “What is it like when you change?” he asked.

  “Painful,” I said and he winced in sympathy. “It was pretty bad the first time, but the process seems to be getting quicker. It doesn’t hurt as much now.” It still wasn’t pleasant having my entire body transform into another shape, even if it was faster now.

  “I’m sorry I allowed Mark to take you to Colorado, sweetheart,” he said.

  I sensed his grief that I was no longer the innocent young girl he’d left to go on his overseas mission. “None of this is your fault,” I said sharply enough for him to glance at me in surprise. “Don’t try to take the blame for something that was out of your control. If I hadn’t agreed to assist Mark, more people would have died. I’d have had that on my conscience forever.” Not that I’d have heard about the Seven Deadly Sinners and the havoc they’d wreaked in Denver.

  I was silent for a moment as I thought back over everything that had happened to me over the past few months. “I’ve always been willing to sacrifice my life to keep others safe.” He acknowledged that statement with a nod. “It was my dream to become a soldier and I still am, in a way. I’m just a supernatural one now instead of a human one.”

  He spared me a quick look then returned his gaze to the road. “I’m always amazed at your maturity, Alexis. You make me proud to be your father.”

  It was rare to receive praise and my eyes filled. I blinked the tears away, hoping he’d always be proud of me and that he’d never be horrified at what I’d become. I sincerely hoped we could end this mission tonight. I wanted him to return to Texas before we were compelled to turn into our animal forms. If he saw me in my altered state, I doubted he’d ever be able to think of me as his little girl ever again.

  Picking up on my morbid thoughts, Zeus leaned over and nudged my shoulder. I turned to pat him and my nose wrinkled at his breath. Partially digested dog food wasn’t the most pleasant smell.

  Reaching the sign that advised we were about to enter Bradbury, my father pulled over to let me out then powered down his window. “Be careful, Lexi. I love you.”

  “I love you, too,” I replied then let Zeus out. We loped over to melt into the trees as my father hopped out and took up his station.

  Mark had advised us all to call him at ten pm. I reached the spot where I would enter town and watched the minute hand of my watch click over. When it did, I made the call. Everyone else called at the same time and he connected us in a conference call. “I take it you’re all in position,” he said and we gave him the affirmative.

  “There are so many lost souls gathered here,” Beatrice said sadly in the background. I assumed the ghosts had assembled at the church to watch over her. I hoped some of them were still in Bradbury to keep their eye on me.

  “You can begin whenever you’re ready,” Mark told her.

  She began to chant in a language that I knew was English, but was so archaic that it sounded foreign. Her voice rose and fell for a couple of minutes then the air in front of me rippled as the ward was activated.

  “That should have triggered the wards,” Beatrice said wearily.

  “It did,” I confirmed. “I saw a ripple in the barrier.”

  “You do have an affinity for magic,” the witch said into Mark’s phone. “Do you sense if it is safe to enter the town?”

  There was only one way to find out for sure, so I stepped across the invisible line. “It’s safe,” I confirmed.

  “Did you even test it or did you just walk through it?” Reece asked. He was on the far side of town, but I was still able to sense his annoyance.

  “Does it matter? I’m still alive, aren’t I?”

  “We’ll discuss this later,” Mark said and I heard his disapproval that I’d risked my life. “Let’s concentrate on the mission. Beatrice and I are about to head to our designated areas. Lexi, head to the café.”

  “Be careful,” my dad warned me then we all hung up. From now on, there would be phone silence until I’d found and destroyed the talisman. If anyone did use their phone, it would be because they’d run into serious trouble.

  ₪₪₪

  Chapter Thirty-One

  With Zeus at my side, I jogged towards the middle of town. He wouldn’t be able to keep up if I sprinted and I wanted to keep him close. His hearing and sense of smell were even sharper than mine. He’d sense the witches before I did.

  Speaking of the devil, the Rottweiler tensed and growled when he heard someone approaching. I darted into an alley and he came unwillingly when I mentally called him. A woman ran past the mouth of the alley a second later. I only caught a glimpse of her pale, intense face. I was pretty sure it was Ophelia. Beatrice’s spell had worked and the coven was investigating the multiple breaches in their wards.

  I followed the alley to the end and cut through the back streets, avoiding the few pedestrians and cars that were on the roads. A pall had fallen over Bradbury. The inhabitants were hunkered in their homes. They sensed that all was not well, but were unsure of the cause. If they had any brains, they’d stay inside until morning. Our mission would either be over by then, or we’d all be screwed.

  Reaching Kate’s Kafé, I wasn’t surprised to see that it was closed. The lights were off and the closed sign was hanging on the door. Zeus was alert and gave no indication that he sensed anyone dangerous nearby. Talitha was off chasing magical shadows, leaving her business and the apartment above it empty.

  We circled around to the back of the building and I checked the door for an alarm. It seemed to be clear, so I rammed it with my shoulder. The door squealed when it burst open and I waited for an alarm to blare. None did, so we entered and I shut the door behind us.

  It was dark, but my eyes adjusted to the lack of light quickly. We were in a short hallway that ended in a T-junction. Walking to the end of the hall, I glanced both ways to see a longer hallway to the right and a set of stairs leading upwards to the left. It made sense that the talisman would be in the apartment upstairs. Talitha wouldn’t want to risk any of her customers stumbling across it. We turned left and started climbing.

  Apart from the clicking sound of Zeus’s claws on the linoleum, the building was silent. At the top of the stairs, we found another long hallway with several doors branching off on each side. All of the doors were open, revealing a bathroom and three bedrooms. The final door at the end opened to a living room.

  I felt a strong surge of power coming from the room and entered with my guard dog at my back. The furniture was inexpensive and unremarkable. In direct contrast to the plainness of the couch and coffee table, disturbing paintings hung on the walls. In each, blue robed figures performed their dark ritual. There were six, one for each of the witches and warlocks.

  For a moment, I wondered if they were the source of the power. Then my gaze was drawn to a bundle of ivory colored sticks. They dangled from a strange wooden chandelier in the center of the room.

  Moving closer, I studied the chandelier and realized it was an inverted pentagram. The sticks hung just low enough for me to be able to reach them. I touched one and it didn’t feel like wood at all. Turning the bundle around, I started back when I saw a small human skull. In horror, I realized that they weren’t sticks at all. The skeleton of a small child had been cleverly pieced together with almost invisible wires.

  Realization dawned that the coven’s talisman was the long dead corpse of the boy who haunted Dawson’s Rest. Sorrow and pity for the boy swelled when I saw that a large section of his skull was missing. Cracks radiated outwards from the wound. It appeared that his head had been bashed in by s
omething, probably a rock.

  The room was empty of other people, yet the hairs on the back of my neck stirred. Zeus’s hackles rose as well. He began growling silently as he sensed danger approaching. Realizing that one of the coven members was about to appear, I reached up to pull the talisman down.

  A cold, male voice spoke in a foreign language and my body locked in place. I was frozen with my hands stretched upwards. They were only a few centimeters away from the talisman. I couldn’t move no matter how hard I strained.

  “I thought I might find you here,” Malachi said. I recognized his voice by now without needing to see his face. He moved to stand in front of me and examined me with a smile that didn’t touch his eyes. “It was clever to attempt to lure us away so you could sneak in here and steal the source of our power. Talitha has been frantic to find you. She has special plans for you, my sweet.”

  I tried to speak, but my vocal cords were just as frozen as the rest of my body. So much for the ghosts appearing to warn me of danger. Even Zeus hadn’t been as much help as I’d hoped. Malachi must have cloaked himself from us both using his witchcraft.

  Growling and snarling savagely, Zeus gathered himself to leap. I silently ordered him not to attack and his snarl changed into a puzzled whine. The warlock would just kill him and then I’d have no possibility of escaping from this trap.

  Ignoring my companion completely, Malachi reached out and took my chin in his hand. “You are a pretty one. I’m going to have some fun with you before my dear sister arrives.” I had a feeling his idea of fun wasn’t the same as mine.

  My stomach was churning in disgust and he’d barely even touched me yet. He stepped in close enough for his chin length dark brown hair to brush my face. As he bent to kiss me, Zeus ignored my order for him not to attack. With a menacing growl, he lunged forward and bit Malachi on the calf.