Just A Little Wicked: A Limited Edition Collection of Magical Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Tales

by Lily Luchesi

  She could feel the power emanating from her though. No wonder he wanted her.

  “Don’t be giving me any trouble,” she said to the child.

  The girl stared up at her, eyes wet with tears.

  “You must be very special. If the master has you in his sights…well, I pity you, child.”

  She reached the road and flagged down a car. The woman who stopped saw the baby and frowned. “What are you doing out here so late with her? Did your car break down?”

  Chastity’s eyes lit up red and the woman immediately slumped in her seat, eyes half closed, as her spell took hold. Humans are so feeble.

  “Look after the child until I return. Keep the engine running,” she said, handing the baby through the window.

  Leaving the woman to it, she returned to the clearing, conjuring up a shovel to dig the graves. She would much rather burn the bodies, but the Dark Prince preferred witches who displeased him to be buried face down in an unmarked grave. Chastity suspected he liked to visit them sometimes. For what reason, she had no idea. It wasn’t her place to question him.

  Huffing and puffing, she picked out a spot and started digging. She double checked the bodies. Twelve graves, this was going to take all night.

  The story continues in Book 1 of the Wayfield Witches

  Out Summer 2021

  The End

  * * *

  About the Author

  USA Today Bestselling Author S. K. Gregory writes urban fantasy, paranormal romance and dark fantasy books. She currently resides in Northern Ireland where she works as an editor.

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  Read More of S. K.’s Books

  Grave Danger

  The Daemon Persuasion Series

  OTHERWORLDLY

  Tales of the Order of the Dragon

  Corinne M Knight

  About Otherworldly

  At the elite Roslyn Academy, the Order of the Dragon cultivates the paranormal creatures most useful to them.

  Jade’s mother abandoned her there when she was a child; the Academy is all she knows. When demonic activity threatens the supernatural campus, she vows to discover the culprit, no matter the cost.

  Ashley Rex, a new student at RA, becomes intrigued by the witch in more ways than one. But could she accept him for what he is, or will his best kept secret destroy him in the end?

  Chapter One

  Roslyn Academy

  Jade walked barefoot down the hallways of Roslyn Academy, dragging her teddy bear behind her. She was dressed in a little Lolita nightgown that came down to her ankles, and her hair was a mass of curls. Anyone who didn’t know any better, seeing her in such a state, would’ve thought that she was a ghost.

  She made her way to the kitchen for a late-night snack, surprised to see that she wasn’t the only one awake at this late hour. The girl turned the handle and opened the door gently, careful not to make a sound.

  The blonde smiled. Her victim had his back to her, making a sandwich on the counter. She walked slowly to him and whispered,

  “I’m a little monster, fear me.”

  Aziel turned to pat her head and laughed. “I was expecting you. You’re the only person apart from me that roams the halls in the middle of the night.” He smiled. “Force of habit, I don’t sleep much these days.” He shrugged.

  “Nightmares again?” Jade asked, pouting. She felt sorry for him and had an idea of how he felt, after battling some demons of her own.

  “You can call them that.”

  “Have you seen anything that can help us with the impending threat?” the girl questioned, hopeful.

  “Unfortunately, no. You know I can’t control what I see in my dreams. Sometimes it is the near future, sometimes it is years away,” he sighed. “It’s all rather annoying. I can do so much more, but I’m limited by this stupid block in my power. If I could find a way to unlock my mind…”

  “That must be vexing. Have you tried focusing on this right before sleep?”

  He nodded. “I don’t know what else to do…”

  “Avery told me before she left that Lucien had been sent here to investigate the demonic activity. She confided in me, hoping that I could get you to find something about it. We need to solve this before Lucien returns to carry on with his investigation.”

  “I’m aware of that,” the boy snapped. “If the Order catches anyone here using black magic and summoning demons, we are done for. They will close the school, erase our memories; end of story. And God knows that I don’t fancy returning to the mundane world.”

  “I don’t think anyone does. They call us freaks of nature, while they kill each other without mercy. They’re boring and predictable,” the girl added.

  Jade looked out the gothic style window that was in the kitchen of Roslyn Academy, into the darkness of the night. This was a place for enhanced humans, for outcasts, for people who didn’t belong in the polite society. That’s what her mother called her once when she caught her using her powers. The woman who gave life to her hated her for who she was.

  Days after the incident, her dear mother shipped her to this damned place. She kept telling herself that it was for her own good, but the reality was much worse.

  It was easier for everybody if she was out of sight.

  Jade took a deep breath and calmed her mind. Getting upset meant that her abilities could get out of control and she didn’t want to put anyone in danger. She was made of raw, unpredictable power. One little slip and she could tear this kitchen apart. No, no. She didn’t want to think about that. Bad things happened when her mind wandered like that.

  The girl’s case was a unique one. She was a descendant of a witches’ bloodline that was traced to the Salem trials. Somehow this woman escaped and managed to make her way to England where she spent the remainder of her days. She had kids, her kids had kids and here we were hundreds of years later.

  Back in the olden days’, witches drew their power from nature, which made them very powerful. Over the years, the connection with the elements was slowly damaged, meaning that all the descendants were less and less able to use the same forces. But that wasn’t Jade’s case. No. She could do anything she wanted, just by thinking about it. And that made her very dangerous. But she needed a mentor, and nobody at the academy was strong enough to help her.

  Aziel looked at Jade and smiled. He pitied her in a way. He was the only one who wasn’t afraid of her, while the rest of the students avoided any encounters with the girl.

  She didn’t look threatening in any way. At five foot five inches, she looked almost like a doll, with curly blonde hair and huge, blue eyes. And the fact that she carried that damned teddy bear everywhere made her look like a child. She loved Japanese Lolita fashion and a full face of makeup; it was her signature look, as she always called it.

  Jade could see the way Aziel looked at her, and she hated when people pitied her. Her lips thinned.

  “I’m going back to my dorm. If you have any ideas of how to fix this problem, you know where to find me.” She turned on her heels and dashed out, her poor teddy being dragged behind her.

  “I wish I did,” Aziel whispered when she was out of earshot. “I know how much this place means to everyone, including you.”

  Chapter Two

  The next morning, Jade woke up to a text from Aziel. The message sounded cryptic.

  11 AM. The Old Mill. Don’t be late, I have a development.

  Without pondering on the situation too much, she rushed to do her makeup.

  She got dressed in a black sleeveless ruffled dress, which was tied at the waist with a steampunk-inspired black leather belt, paired with a pair of white embroidered tights and pink wedge lace-up ankle boots. She covered the whole ensemble with a pink wool layered overcoat and pulled a Chinese oil-paper lavender coloured parasol from a cabinet.

  She took the stairs d
own, walking slowly. Her dorm room was in the attic of the academy, not the choice of most students, but Jade loved it. It was the highest point of the entire place and she had breath-taking views of the English countryside.

  As she made her way to the exit, the students gave way. They didn’t get to see her around very often, but when they did, they made sure to be out of her path. There was one thing she hated more than a bare face, and that was small talk.

  Once outside, the sun caressed the girl’s cheek and she shuddered. She preferred night over day when it came getting things done. Being out and about in the daytime invited the stares of the students, and she hated their pity. They all knew her story and the fact that her mother had abandoned her there.

  Once she reached the mill, she saw Aziel waiting by the door. He looked her up and down from her to toe and shook his head. This was a grave situation and she took her time to do her make-up and put on a coordinated outfit. He sighed, wishing she would take this more seriously.

  “I’m glad you could make it, eventually. I’ve been waiting here for hours,” he said, his voice full of anxiety.

  Jade lifted an eyebrow. She wasn’t used to people talking to her like that, but considering the current circumstances, she was going to overlook his attitude. For now.

  The boy opened the heavy, wooden door of the Old Mill and motioned Jade inside.

  “So, what was this development you couldn’t wait to tell me about?” Jade asked.

  Aziel pointed to a corner into the far end of the room. They both walked slowly. As they approached the place, the girl gasped. There were dozens of candles placed strategically on the floor, various sigils drawn with some sort of black soot and a cracked brass vessel. The text wasn’t a joke…

  The witch gasped.

  “How did you find out about this place?” Jade asked.

  “I took your advice and thought about it harder and it led me to this. I could see the ritual being performed, but I couldn’t see a face, nor hear anything,” he sighed then pointed at the brass vessel. “Whoever did this was planning to capture the demon, but I guess they landed a powerful one. Do you see the sigils surrounding it? It's meant to trap the spirit inside.”

  “How do you know all this?” the girl asked, concerned.

  “You meant to tell me you’ve never paid attention to the Demon Studies class? Well, me neither. I did, however, find a book in the restricted section of the library that was quite interesting, to say the least.”

  Jade stared at the boy, shocked by the revelation.

  Aziel shrugged. “Sometimes I do unexpected things, get over it. We have another problem. I can’t identify the sigils. Since the Head Librarian found out about my trespassing, she locked the book away, apparently in a place only known to her.”

  “We could show it to our teacher…” the girl suggested.

  “Sure thing. And tell him what? That we might have a Prince of Hell on our hands? Like he’s going to believe us. I suggest we sit tight and wait for more visions.”

  There were so many kinds of demons out there. They had to wait for further information before and come up with a good plan. A wrong move and they could end up dead. These creatures weren’t something that could be taken on lightly.

  “Let’s go then. This place gives me the creeps,” Jade shrugged.

  They walked out of the mill and made their way back to the academy, passing a group of girls that seemed overly excited by the appearance of a new boy. The guy appeared to enjoy the attention, smiling at his admirers.

  “I’m going to sit in the shade for a bit and read.” Jade turned to her companion.

  “Suit yourself. I’m going to do more digging; maybe I can come up with an answer anytime soon,” Aziel said and he walked away in the opposite direction.

  “Let me know when you’ve found something,” Jade shouted after him, but he was already out of earshot.

  She decided to sit in the furthest corner of the garden. She took a small blanket and a leather-bound book out of her handbag. Jade loved to sit on the grass and read, under the shade of trees. Nothing in the world compared to this refreshing feeling. She needed to relax and let her mind work on the current situation. They needed a solution, an idea, and fast.

  The girl opened her book and started reading, then someone appeared in front of her. She looked up and spotted the boy from earlier, then proceeded to roll her eyes in protest.

  “Excuse me, did nobody tell you that it is rude to interrupt people when they’re otherwise engaged?” she said, her lips thinning.

  “But I was just standing there, admiring the view. Is there something wrong with that, Miss…?” he smirked.

  “Jade, and no, you weren’t just admiring the view. You were intentionally distracting me from my volume.”

  “Miss Jade. Although I am glad you find me distracting, I wasn’t doing it on purpose.”

  “Just Jade,” she replied. The girl looked at him again and shook her head. “No, I don’t find you distracting, I don’t like rude people.” Her cheeks turned to crimson. She was telling a fib and he knew it. “And who might you be, causing such a fuss with the students today?” She decided to change the subject in the hopes of saving her own skin.

  “I’m the new transfer, As…Ashley Rex. You can call me Ash.”

  She eyed the new guy. He was gorgeous, to say the least. His hair was dark, artfully arranged in a messy hairdo; his eyes the colour of the Aegean Sea and he had the same pallor that Jade’s skin had. Like he never saw the light of day before today. Her eyes stopped on his lips. They were full and a beautiful shade of pink. The young woman gulped.

  “Now that we’ve established who you are, pray tell what’s the reason why you’re bothering me? Haven’t you heard yet? I’m not to be messed with.” She laughed loudly, which attracted the stares of other students.

  “I found it interesting that you weren’t affected by my charms,” he said matter-of-factly. “But, do tell, why I shouldn’t mess with you? Are you royalty or something?”

  Jade smirked. “My powers scare the students. I am too dangerous for the likes of them, and you should avoid me too.”

  She opened her book back up and pretended to read.

  “Aren’t you curious about my powers?” he smirked, thinking that a small show of what he can do would make her interested in talking more with him.

  He summoned a ball of fire in his palm.

  “Wow, that’s nice. So, you’re an elemental witch?” the girl asked, her interest piqued.

  “You could say that.”

  “Fire witches are so rare these days. My powers are based on the Earth element. It’s hard to explain, but I mostly destroy stuff…” she sighed.

  “Earth and fire, north and south, green and red. Complete opposites, yet I am told opposites attract.”

  Jade wanted to say something, a snarky retort, but she thought that would only fuel his insolence. She instead decided to go back to her book and pretend she didn’t hear him.

  “I’ll see you around, little Earth witch.”

  Chapter Three

  The witch thanked the Gods when he finally left. She itched to give him a demonstration of her powers, but she knew that would only lead to trouble. He looked like a cute package wrapped in hazard tape. Would she heed the caution warning?

  Once she was done reading, Jade made her way back to her room. She spent most days alone, waiting for her best friend Avery to return. She was the only one that understood her, and naturally, she missed her friend.

  Avery had asked the Headmaster for permission to visit some relatives, but in reality, she and her boyfriend were searching for someone, for his life depended on it.

  Jade hoped that Avery was safe, wherever she was.

  The Order of the Dragon, the organisation that oversaw the academy, was a group that dealt with supernatural creatures all over Europe. They gathered the ones that complied and killed the ones that couldn’t be controlled and if you were labelled as someone who was gett
ing out of hand, they would send their Knights in for a swift response.

  It was a complete mess, but these were the times. People feared the unknown and gifted. It was easier to shackle those who didn’t pass certain standards.

  As soon as midnight struck, Jade made her way to the kitchen to grab some dinner, expecting to find Aziel there. As she opened the door, she was hit by the smell of food. To her amazement, it wasn’t whom she was expecting to see… With his back to her, Ash was cooking while humming a song she’d never heard before.

  There was a table set for two, with candles, glasses, and a bottle of wine.

  As she entered the kitchen, Ash spotted her and smiled.

  “Ah, you’re here. I was expecting you. Take a seat.” He motioned to the table.

  Jade sat down hesitantly. She wasn’t sure if she could trust him, witch or not. Usually, she was quite good at reading people’s intentions, but not him. He was an enigma.

  “How did you know I’d be here?” she asked puzzled.

  “I did my homework after I met you. You’ll be surprised what people can say with the right persuasion.” He batted his eyelashes.

  She rolled her eyes. It looked like he didn’t need to work hard to make everyone like him. Why did he try so hard with her?

  After he was done cooking, Ash plated the food and placed one serving in front of Jade and one on the other side of the table. Steak with mushroom and cream sauce served with buttered baby potatoes. The meal presentation resembled something that should’ve be on a restaurant menu.

  “I know you’re old enough to drink, so I took the liberty to choose a wine from the cellar.” He smirked.

  “Are you?” Jade snapped.

  “I’m a lot older than you think, much older. I had a peek at your file. Nineteen in a couple of months… It’s a huge step. Any plans for the future yet?”