Meow.
I looked down to see three cats circling my legs as at least four more watched from nearby.
"Yes, you're very cute, but I'm in a battle against the forces of darkness and don't have time for belly rubs. Maybe later, kitties." The cats scattered leaving me to my work.
"What was that?" Ascher asked, holding out a can of pop to me.
"Just talking to the cats."
"Wow! I didn't know you could do that."
"Yes, Ascher I can talk. I'm also fully toilet trained and can tie my own shoes."
"That's not what I meant, Gemma. You were, like, actually talking to them. Like, mewling and growling and stuff."
"Oh, I was not," I said. Then, "Oh, crap, was I?!" Ascher shrugged. "Great, I'm turning into an even bigger freak of nature."
"Gem, we've been over this, we're not freaks- we're special."
"Says one freak to another." Ascher's face grew red as she thrust the pop into my hands.
"Thanks, very much," she said.
"Oh, Ascher, don't be such a baby." Ascher shook her head and high-tailed it out of the room.
"Like it's normal to make fire out of thin air," I muttered. I turned back to the books and scanned the titles. Some were so old that the print had worn of the sides, but I could make out some of them. Vampir, Ancient Vampires, The Alp, Dhamphir, Ghouls, Incubi, Vampires, The Master Vampire, Psychic Vampires, The Orders of the Vampire, The Royal House of Blackthorn, and Lamia. Pulling out one of the newer looking leather-bound books whose title I could pronounce, I scanned the index and found exactly what I was looking for- The Destruction of the Vampire.
Chapter Seven
ASCHER
"Before you girls enter the circle, I want you to be centered," Nana Bruer said.
"Centered?" Gemma prodded.
"Yes, dear. It simply means. 'in the right frame of mind.'" Cyd drew the circle with a piece of white chalk, using a thick string to make the five points of a pentacle, a symbol of witches. Anise sprinkled salt throughout the circle to purify it of negative energy, which Rose then swept away with a regular plastic-handled broom that you might buy in any grocery store.
"Now, take deep breaths and close your eyes." Nana Bruer seemed to sense our discomfort with the idea because she puffed a patient breath through her pursed lips. "Or find something to concentrate on, a focal point."
As we continued to breathe, Anise lit five white candles with a long fireplace match. She touched the flame to a stick of incense, making a sweet scent fill the room. I found myself looking into the flame of the pillar candle nearest to me.
The flame reached upwards and built until it was a foot high. Anise shrieked and moved to snuff the candle, but Nana Bruer grabbed her by the wrist and held her. I could see their movements in my peripheral vision, but my eyes remained on the flame. There was an image I could almost make out, but no, it disappeared. I lowered my eyes and the fire died down until a single flame lapped at the candle wax.
"Are you relaxed?" Nana Bruer asked. I shrugged and looked at Gemma. I doubted that either of us would feel very relaxed when we were about to cast a spell, or stir a cauldron, or whatever else they had in store for us.
"I'm fine," I said, which no one who is really fine every says. Someone once told me that the words I'm fine really mean 'I don't want to talk about it so shut up.' Cyd wiped her palms against each other sending puffs of white chalk into the air like a gymnast about to do the pummel horse. She stepped inside the circle and stood at one of the five points. Nana Bruer followed her and motioned to Gemma to come inside. When I moved to follow Gemma, Anise stepped in front of me and took her place as far away from me as possible. Her anti-warlock kick was starting to get to me. I walked over to the empty spot between Nana Bruer and Cyd.
"Who’s going to close the circle?" Cyd asked.
"I think it might be wise to leave somewhere for any excess magic to go," Nana Bruer replied. Anise sniffed like she found this funny. "We usually draw a full circle to help deflect any negative energies that might happen by, but with so much raw, concentrated magic being called, it's safer to leave somewhere for it to dispel.”
"We also usually wear ceremonial robes like the ones you guys picked out at the store this morning, but I told Gran it would probably freak you guys out," Cyd said. I smiled at her. She'd been right.
"Now, I'll ask Anise to lead us in the invocation of the elements. We'll tell you girls when to join in, but for now just hold hands in the circle and concentrate on our words," Nana Bruer instructed. Anise straightened at the mention of her name.
"We call on the Goddess of light and goodness to bless this circle and aid us in this rite of protection that we are about to perform. With these words let our circle be protected against the dark and all things unexpected," Anise said.
"Chalcedony," Nana Bruer said. "Lead the girls in the calling."
Cyd nodded and turned to Gemma.
"We're gonna go around the circle and say what animal, plant, or element calls to us and why. Then we will ask the Goddess to charge these things with her power so that we can call on them to help protect us. I'll go first to show you. I ask the Goddess to bless the plant ivy to coil around the dark and contain its harm." Anise cleared her throat.
"I call on the Goddess to bless the element of water to help me drown all that is evil and bury it down deep in its waters," Anise said. Nana Bruer fished through her pockets and pulled out four circlets of silver, with smooth-cut blue stones on them.
"I call on the Goddess to bless these rings of the element of Earth- gemstones of Lapis. May the harm intended upon the heads of these four lasses return three-fold to those who might harm them." Nana Bruer winked at me, wrinkles creasing the corners of her slate-blue eyes. "Gemma, you go next, dear." Gemma gave me a wry look.
All eyes turned to me and I bit into my lip. I didn't really go to church all that often. When my dad left, some of the church members were cold to my mother, even interrupting her if she talked with one of their husbands to say hi like she was wrong to do so. Gemma and I had gone to church with our Grandma, but the lady who was meanest to Mommy was now a pastor there. It no longer felt like a place we belonged. Still, I believed in God even though I had my questions.
"Can I, um, ask God to bless stuff?" I asked. Anise started to say something snippy, but Nana Bruer stopped her.
"Do whatever it is you're comfortable with, lass." Then to Anise, "Don’t pester the girls about it." I noticed Cyd was smirking at Anise.
"I call on you…" I said, figuring He knew what I was trying to say. "To bless the element of fire and help it to burn all bad things and keep them far, far away." I looked at Gemma.
"I call on the Goddess to bless all cats and keep them safe and, uh, fill them with the magic to protect themselves and the ones they love," Gemma said.
"That was beautiful, dear," Nana Bruer said. "Thank you Mother for witnessing this rite. May these girls be with your blessing and safe this night. So mote it be"
"So mote it be," Anise and Cyd said together. Gemma and I looked at each other and grinned.
"So mote it be."
Cyd blew out the tall pillar candles within the circle and gave me a small smile.
"Not bad for your first circle," Cyd said.
"So what do we do now?" Gemma asked.
"We find out just how closely Daray is watching your sister."
"And how are we going to do that?" I asked.
"Easy," Cyd said. "We're going dancing."
PART TWO
TWILIGHT
Chapter Eight
GEMMA
A car horn beeped, and we hurried towards the front door. Nana Bruer stood in the entryway, worry creasing her face. I still thought we were out of our element and should maybe leave Daray's capture to the adults, but Anise was the maiden for Ceres Circle
, Nana Bruer's coven and several of the witches targeted had been from sister circles in and around Chicago.
"Now these rings should pr
otect you girls by providing you with a magical barrier if anyone tries to hurt you. They'll give off a small vibration if any danger comes near you, but you should still be vigilant in protecting yourselves."
Cyd wore a sapphire colored turtleneck and light jeans with a star pattern frosted with glitter. I had used black eyeliner to draw a star on her cheekbone and filled it in with silver eye shadow. Her long coppery-red hair hung down her back in tousled waves and she'd used a glitter hairspray that caught the light and made her look like an enchanted fairy.
"We'll be fine, Nan," Cyd said. Anise nodded and played with the material of her purple sweater with thumbholes. A black pleated skirt topped off with fishnets and black army boots made her look both pretty and kick-butt, like both Charlie's and Hell’s Angels started up a club and Anise was their star member. Her hair was down and pulled back by her temples with thick braids.
I wore my own black, bell-sleeved top and borrowed Ascher's jeans and black boots. Ascher had on a black and white top that tied with a ribbon over one shoulder and white dressy pants with white stiletto-sandals. They said the strobe lights would reflect off her clothes and help make it easier to keep any eye on her. Ascher had griped about the sandals, noting her previous encounter with running in them, but they were the only dressy shoes at the Bruers’ that could fit her.
I followed Cyd and Anise outside, my arm protectively wrapped around Ascher’s shoulders. We climbed into a big SUV with the license place "MOMMY" and I noticed a middle-aged red-head behind the wheel.
"Ascher, nice to see you again," red said. I forced a smile and glanced at Ascher who looked tense.
“Hi. This is my sister, Gemma. Gemma, this is Cyd’s mom, Mrs. Bergamot.” I nodded a greeting and bit my lip.
"I still don't know about this," I said. "I mean, don't you think it's kind of stupid using Ascher for bait. What if Daray really is following her?"
"Then it'd be better to find out now and take some precautions," Anise said. "Besides, Ascher doesn't need to be worried. The Warlock Prince is, like, in love with her. He's not going to hurt her or you for that matter," Anise nodded her head to me.
"Well, what about you?" Ascher asked. Anise regarded her for a long time before she answered.
"Cyd and I are trained in judo and I have battle experience with vampires," Anise replied.
"Have you ever killed a vampire?" I asked. Anise cocked her head, her fingers playing with her braid.
"No, not a vampire," Anise said. Ascher and I looked at each other. It was going to be a long night.
Chapter Nine
ASCHER
The "MOMMY" SUV pulled up right in front of Twilight, a club for young witches. I could see the crowd pointing and laughing at the license plate. I bit my lip. Anise hopped out from the front seat and slid open the door. As Cyd emerged, followed by Gemma, hoots and hollers came from the crowd. I frowned and debated whether lightly toasting the boys would be considered an abuse of my powers.
I shut the door behind me and the SUV pulled away, though Jacinth had said she'd be nearby and gave Cyd a cell phone to call her with when we were ready to leave. The line to get in wrapped around the building and I wondered at the number of people. Were there really this many witches?
"More," came Anise's reply. I'd forgotten for the moment that her family was telepathic.
"Geez, that is so creepy. Can you please not invade my thoughts?" I asked. Anise actually looked sheepish for once.
"Sorry, it always gets stronger when I'm nervous. I didn't mean to," she said.
"Come on, Iridian can get us inside."
"Iridian, like, P.J.'s boyfriend, Iridian?" I asked. Cyd frowned. Before rescuing Gemma, I'd learned that P.J., or Persephone Jasmine, as Daray insisted on calling her, was sharing a college apartment with her witch-boyfriend and that Daray was not happy about the arrangement. Walking after Anise in my clumsy stilettos, I cast my gaze around the crowd to make sure Daray wasn't there. As we approached the entrance, I saw a beautiful man with silvery eyes and jet-black hair done up in spikes. He saw Anise and smiled, though he looked surprised.
"Hey, Kiddo. What are you doing here?" He asked.
"Going inside, hopefully," Cyd said.
"I don't know, kid," Iridian said. "It's a seventeen and older crowd."
"We're here about Daray," Anise said. Iridian's happy face turned dark.
"Is he here?"
"We think he might be following Ascher." Iridian's eyes turned to me and his face paled.
"You're Ascher?" he asked. I nodded, feeling like a freak on display as he regarded me with curiosity. "Alright, you're in, but if there's any trouble, you come to me first, do you understand?" We all bobbed our heads like obedient little witches and Iridian moved the black velvet rope aside to let us through. Cries of annoyance came from the crowd as Gemma and Cyd did a little happy-dance, but I was in no mood to celebrate.
"Is P.J. alright?" I asked. Iridian swallowed and balled his fists.
"She's getting stronger. She even insisted on going back to class last week, but… she still wakes up at night screaming. She's had nightmares since then," Iridian said. I felt a tear slide down my cheek before I realized I was crying.
"I'm so sorry it happened…I should have tried to help her, but I had to get my sister and…" Iridian wrapped me in a hug.
"Don't worry about it," he said. He released me and I started after Gemma and the others. "Hey, kid?" I spun on my heel to face him.
"Yeah?"
"Do me a favor?" He asked.
"Anything," I said.
"Stay away from Daray Valerian. I don't know what the Bruer granddaughters have in mind, but the Prince is someone you don't mess with, okay?" I nodded again and caught up with my sister who gave me a questioning look.
"Ask me later," I said, grabbing her wrist and steering her through the entrance.
"We have a warlock to roast."
Chapter Ten
GEMMA
Twilight was larger than Asylum, but not nearly as emo. It was set up with a bar straight ahead and a large section of booths and tables to the right with a staircase leading up to the second floor. Upstairs, there was another bar and area for sitting, with plush velvet couches intermixed with bar stools. To the left of this bar, was a balcony that wrapped around the entire downstairs dance area including a platform where girls writhed and moved to the deep boom of the bass.
A deejay booth lay to the left of the dance floor under a series of screens that hid the shadowed forms of three dancing girls whose movements were like liquid silver. You could sit right next to the shadow screens, but you had to be invited because this private part of the balcony was reserved for parties. I had no trouble getting us into the VIP section. All I did was smile and it was ours.
When we tired of watching the crowd, we decided to go back downstairs and descended the winding staircase from the upstairs level to the entrance area, pushing our way past the groups of people littering the third largest seating area. We made our way onto the packed dance floor.
As we moved to the music, the song abruptly changed and was replaced by the twang of country music. I grimaced and held my hands to my ears. I was not a huge fan of country music. The deejay's voice came pouring over the crowd.
"If there are any requests, please make them and refrain from using telekinesis to change the track." Ascher and I squealed with laughter. It was so cool to be around open magic. It made me feel like I was somewhat normal for the first time in months.
I started moving to the beat of the music, my arms reaching over my head and then forward to grab Ascher and Cyd's hands. We danced together to a pop-princess song that I actually liked. The girl who sang it got a lot of flack for the video being too sexy, but the song was amazing.
Ascher and I turned our backs to each other and laughed at the lyric about sisters. Cyd was keeping up with us and even Anise seemed to be enjoying herself. As I spun on my heel and took a step towards Cyd, I noticed that Ascher had a strange, far away
look on her face.
"You okay?" I shouted. She smiled and nodded, but I could tell something was wrong, I knew my sister.
Chapter Eleven
ASCHER
I was acting as if Daray were watching me. Though I was having fun, I laughed and smiled more like I was trying to prove to him that I was having fun and that his possible presence wouldn't keep me from enjoying myself.
You don't scare me, Daray.
Despite my stubborn thinking, I kept checking the mirrors around us for his reflection and felt my heart stop when I caught the sight of any boy with chin-length dark blonde hair, which was far more common than I thought. Well, better safe than blasted.
While I danced, I kept calling fire to my hand and then practiced pulling it back. Nana Bruer had said I should imagine I was pulling on a rope like in tug-o-war and that I was on the winning team. A new song came on by that bad-boy rapper with every other word bleeped out, but you could still move to it. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of blonde hair. I stopped moving and took a closer look, but it wasn't Daray.
It was a very cute guy with short blonde hair and startlingly beautiful eyes that flashed purple under the strobe lights. I'm not sure what came over me, but I felt like I knew him and that I wanted to dance with him. Keeping in mind that my boldness may be the side-effect of some spell, I gestured to him and curled my finger for him to come over. The cutie actually looked behind him like he thought I was trying to get the attention of someone else. His assumption reminded me so much of my usual shyness.
I smacked Gemma on the back of the arm to tell her I was going to move away from our spot. My sister looked a question at me, but I was already moving towards the shy stranger. He was dressed all in black so he could be a club employee, but I didn't know. Grabbing his hand, I pulled him towards the dance floor. His face reddened until the tips of his ears were pink, but he followed me and when I started to move, his body followed mine. His hands moved to my waist and pulled me close and I looked into his eyes that were the pale lavender of lilacs. A wave of dizziness swept over me and my thoughts turned to Elliot.
Shadowshifter Page 3
