Witch Risen: A Paranormal Adventure (Bad Tom Series Book 2)

by Jill Nojack

I didn't like taking a male body. I discarded it as soon as possible. It didn't survive. Must have been the mummy's curse.

  Fortunately, I had been able to keep my Ab Khr safe from the thief's companions. It allowed me to jump again quickly into something more suitable.

  When I get my lover's heart beating again during the quickening, I'll help him move to his new home in Tom's handsome shell soon after. Will he find me too tame now? I'm in bed by ten after taking my nightly bath in lavender-scented bubbles instead of the blood of my victims. But oh, when we were young! There wasn't a god or a demon who could challenge us.

  I take inventory of my factory-showroom fresh body. It's outrageous, a goddess reduced to inhabiting fragile humans to experience life. Sometimes I wish Ba'al had died with me so that we could have lain together in our tombs. If he'd accompanied me on that journey, maybe I could have been happy to release my essence to the universe.

  Then again, who knows if I'd have wanted to follow him when the time came. It would be fickle of me, but I've certainly had my share of excitement without him.

  Still, it's not like the good old days. There was a time when temples bore my name and thousands came to worship. Now, humans barely believe in gods.

  Being worshiped was a hoot. Being mummified, not so much. At least my handmaiden got it right and put my heart into the Ab Khr before they sealed me into that tomb. I don't know why she stopped there and didn't say the words I'd prepared for her. I was sure she'd do exactly as I told her. Irritatingly enough, once I was dead, there was nothing I could do to make her follow through.

  Two hundred years of darkness—also, not much fun. When I finally did alight back in the world, I definitely wasn't in my carefully chosen, comely body.

  I close the box and lightly rest my hands on top, tracing the symbols. Life, Death, Rebirth. So simple. The secret of my people since the beginning of time.

  That secret will bring my lover back to me once I've finished my preparations and can finally place him into the vessel I prepared for him so long ago. The two of us are going to paint this town red before we're through.

  I put both of the boxes back in the vent and secure the vent cover across the front. Our hearts remain together as they should always have been.

  There, everything I cherish is now safely tucked away until I can obtain what I need from the town choir. How they'll sing to my tune once I get my claws into them again! Here's hoping Natalie obliged me by sampling her tasty, terrible tea. That will make everything go much smoother.

  ***

  I park the girl's car and step out into the gravel parking lot just after the sun sinks under the tree line. Some of the coven members have already gathered near the picnic tables. I walk toward them, and just as my eyes pick her from the crowd, Natalie sinks to the ground, breathing heavily. And she's sweating like the proverbial pig.

  I hurry toward her exactly like that dull Cassie would have done. I hope I'm wearing the right expression of concern, but I'm not sure I'm getting the emotion right. They're such pesky things, emotions.

  "What happened? Is she okay?"

  Gillian has the sad old thing's head cradled in her lap by the time I get there. Robert has a hand on her forehead. "You're burning up!" he says. "It must be that bug that's going around. We'll get you to the hospital. Better safe than sorry. Can you walk?"

  "I think so." Natalie stands, but she's shaky, and Robert puts an arm around her to stabilize her. Gillian props up the other side.

  Natalie looks like she's melting. How fun. "It's so hot in this robe."

  Gillian turns to me. "Don't worry about Natalie, sweetheart," she says, "I'm sure she'll be just fine. The good thing is, there's always another full moon."

  I perform a supportive murmur, but it will be a cold day in Tuat when I give Natalie's safety a moment's attention. The three of them lumber off toward the parking lot. All three of them out of the way? Even better than I'd hoped. The rest of the coven are sheeple, who can only stand and baa without them.

  Then, the other members of the coven begin to follow their leaders. No, that's not in their cards tonight. Time for me to intervene.

  "No wait—we can't just forget about it. I've been so looking forward to being with you all here. Can't we observe the full moon without the leaders?"

  Lydia says, "No priest, no priestess. That puts a kibosh on the ritual, don't you think?"

  But Zelda steps in to follow my lead, just as I'd prepared her to do. Her eyes dart to me and then away as she speaks. "Why can't we? We did it before, remember? Right after Eunice died. Robert was out of town. And Darrin's here. He can provide the male force."

  "No, I'm taking off. I wouldn't feel right without at least one of the designated priests or priestesses," Darrin says.

  There's some shuffling of feet and then a few more voices agree, and the old rooster leads a short line of hens toward the parking lot. But there's still enough of them for my purpose.

  "Well, now what? We're all women here with Darrin leaving. The ritual will be unbalanced."

  I say, "Someone call Kevin. He's usually here, isn't he?"

  Lydia volunteers, "No one really knows why Kevin stopped coming. It was kind of a surprise."

  "Then it's a perfect opportunity to ask him to come back. I'm sure if you ask him to take his father's place, he'd come. Make sure you say it exactly that way." I give that last statement a little magical help, an extra push. It registers on her face as a sudden relaxation of all the small muscles. Her lids droop and her mouth gapes.

  "I could call him," she agrees. Not that she had a choice. "I left my cell in the car, but I'll go get it. You're right that he'd want to help out." She lifts the hem of her robe above her knees and heads toward the parking lot, saying, "Back in a minute."

  That dowdy Maureen gives me unexpected help with the rest of them by reminding them she was hoping for a fertility blessing for her granddaughter. She waves around a stuffed bear she brought to have blessed so that she can later slip it under her daughter's bed. She gets a little choked up when she talks about how long she's waited for grandchildren.

  Some of the others get on the horn to call the rest of the missing coven members.

  It's a nice touch. I wish I'd planned it. Manipulating these stooges is just too easy.

  ***

  When Kevin arrives, as I knew he would when the right carrot was dangled in front of him, I move close and say "Didn't I tell you I'd help you replace your father?"

  He nods. His eyes continue to broadcast mistrust, but the greed for power glints there, too. He takes his place in the circle next to me. "Just don't expect me to handle any of the coven's sacred objects. I still can't touch anything invested with magic. And I can't join hands in the circle if magic is being passed through it."

  My. Interesting. What had Robert done?

  When the other absent witches arrive and all are gathered, "Cassie" speaks in the formal language reserved for ritual. "I have a request for you on this most powerful of nights, brother and sisters of my circle. When Maureen's casting is complete, will you assist me with a blessing? Will you lend me your power?"

  All of them assent.

  Maureen moves to the center of the circle and places the teddy bear on the ground. "This will lie beneath my granddaughter's bed to bring a child to her. I ask your blessing, goddess."

  "We ask your blessing, goddess," the other witches repeat in unison.

  Maureen and Kevin read the blessing together from the paper Maureen provided. As they chant, the wind in the trees blows stronger. Under Cassie's hood, I smirk. This foolish woman has no idea the force she's called on. As Anat, I was known for granting increased fertility to the unhealthy and short-lived women of her time. Imagine what my blessing might do to a healthy twenty-first century woman with plentiful eggs? Such fun.

  The bear shakes and jumps in place in the center of the circle as the chant ends.

  None of the coven has seen that happen before. No one mentions it, but one or two pairs
of eyes dart around the circle seeking reassurance. This fertility ritual is new to them. When most of them were young enough for childbearing, they were bent on avoiding pregnancy, not precipitating it.

  Kevin signals the end of the ritual. "So shall it be."

  After the others echo him, I begin. "I ask your power to draw down the goddess on this, the full moon. Will you lend me your power?"

  They murmur their yeses.

  I move my feet apart to shoulder length and lift my arms toward the moon. "I am the vessel. You are the goddess. I draw you down to inhabit me. Fill me with your beauty and your strength, your wisdom and honor, your humility and courage."

  I initiate a shimmering mist around my borrowed body. It's filmy and vague, but it should be visible to the others in the circle. Also not a typical event for them. Their Goddess's ways are usually much more subtle.

  "Goddess of the desert, goddess Anat, return from the moon and enter your servant. Allow me your gracious presence, O Great Goddess!" I'm hamming it up now, playing to the cheap seats. I know the increasing blue glow around Cassie's body will keep their attention.

  I send the mist swirling and thrusting upward, reaching for the moon. I hear someone gasp as feelers of light grasp for the full, round orb as if it could be captured and kept. Then, abruptly, the light ceases. I pierce the darkness dramatically by projecting a reddish light from this vessel's eyes. I change her hair from brown to midnight black in the glow that now lights her. Simple enough magic for a goddess.

  Every single witch in the circle takes an involuntary step back.

  Time to announce my presence.

  "I am the goddess Anat, drawn down to this girl as she beseeched." I like the ring of that—beseech. A good word no one uses anymore. "I would stay with you and know your coven. Are you worthy of the presence of a goddess?"

  No one moves.

  I look from person to person within the circle, maintaining the hypnotic red glow. As my eyes pass over them, compelling them, each kneels to me and makes a gesture of submission.

  "We are not worthy, goddess. Teach us to be worthy," they chorus.

  Really, it's just too easy.

  Of course, I owe some of it to the moon's pull and the force of the witches in the circle, but no one needs to know that I need them to magnify my power. This body is strong in magic, but it doesn't contain the power of a goddess.

  At my left hand, Kevin kneels and kisses the hem of my robe. I haven't even enchanted him yet. It appears I won't need to. He's always been a servile little runt—even when he was trying to kill me. I need his willing participation anyway. The magic is stronger when the sacrifice is made by choice.

  "I'll do anything you say. I've been waiting all my life for someone with your power to lead me."

  Isn't that just like the sniveling little worm? Show him a little power, and he wants to be the first in line to share. I place my hand on the top of his slick, bald head. "I knew you'd see sense. Now, tell me what your father did to make it impossible for you to touch magic?"

  "I don't know what he did. He put his hand on my back and it tingled a little, but ever since then, I can't touch anything invested with it. It burns like hell. I have to let go right away or I end up blistered."

  "A simple enough thing to undo. Turn around."

  I place my hand at the small of his back and intone a few words, pulling the magical allergy Robert gave his son out of the seat of his magic. The red glow of the magic dissipates when it meets the air.

  "There. I've fixed you. Test it for yourself. Go to Cassie's car and bring me the box hidden under the driver's seat. Quickly!"

  Kevin scampers off. The rest of the witches continue to kneel, their eyes to the ground, still trapped in my thrall.

  When Kevin returns, I tell him, "Go to the center of the circle and place the box before you. Then kneel and await my bidding."

  Kevin does as he's told, silently. Such a ridiculous man. But he has a life essence to offer up, and that is all I need from him.

  I raise my hands to the skies again and begin the chant. As I do, the witches learn it and pick it up so that the light buzzes between and around them.

  Kevin doesn't understand the words the circle chants. They're orderly, but they're nonsense to him. Unlike any language he has ever heard spoken. I intone them with great seriousness. If he understood them, he'd run.

  By the time he realizes his mistake, it will be far too late.

  ***

  The chant takes on a life of its own; I no longer need to lead it. I move into the circle where Kevin sits cross-legged, his eyes on the Ab Khr. I crouch behind him, my hands on his shoulders. I bend my mouth to his ear and whisper to him softly.

  "You see? I told you that, in time, I would give you all the things I promised. Your father's place in the coven, a place in my more indelicate business, and this…" I brush the girl's firm breasts against his back and he leans into them. "It's really too bad you couldn't wait for it." I move my right hand from his shoulder and grasp the ancient pesheskef blade that I shoved into the pocket of my robe before leaving the house. Kevin startles when he feels the cold iron against his neck.

  I press my mouth close to his ear again. "Did you think I didn't know about the poison? That I didn't know every time something extra went into Eunice's tea?" I laugh. He winces at the close, explosive sound.

  "Look, Cassie…Eunice…"

  "Do you really think I'm some ridiculous human? That you could kill me? I allowed it because it served my purpose. I was tired of that shell, and my new one was ready for me."

  "So, you'll show mercy? I was only following in your footsteps, doing what you would do."

  I hate it when he whines.

  "Of course, my lamb. You've always been my favorite."

  He starts to answer, but he chokes on his blood instead as I slice through his throat. I lean in close and whisper, "How's that for mercy?"

  Burble, burble, burble. The sound of my revenge. I watch the golden sparks build slowly at first, flitting like fireflies from Kevin to the Ab Krh, the box that contains my beloved's heart.

  He presses his hands to his neck, attempting to stanch the flow. It does him no good as the blood pulses out between his fingers. His essence becomes the golden light of magic and streams toward the box to quicken Ba'al's silent heart and draw him home.

  Robert helps Natalie into his outsized SUV. Once she's in, Gillian slips in beside her, propping her up.

  I'm under the front bench seat, peering out with my nifty I-see-just-fine-in-the-dark-because-I'm-a-cat eyes. Natalie has pulled her robe up to her knees, and her bare legs glisten with sweat just in front of me.

  Robert steps along quickly to the driver's side, and Gillian starts talking, still tending to Natalie as Robert backs up, just a little too fast, the tires spraying gravel as he goes.

  "Something went wrong. Eunice was trying to convince them to stay as we left. We were stupid not to let everyone in on the plan! Half the coven doesn't even know that's Eunice. Plus, Zelda and her daughter, who we know were loyal to Eunice, showed up. And yes, I know it's the full moon and we always meet on the full moon, but they didn't show at the last one when we didn't invite them." She's addressing me, I know, but cats aren't known for their conversational skills. It's not like I can answer back.

  I go to the window at the side of the van and risk a peek outside, claws dug in to the upholstery. We're well away now. Eunice won't catch me if I shift. I slink into the back and make myself human, then presentable in a t-shirt and jeans, and shuffle back to the front seat, hunched over under the low ceiling.

  "You know her better than we do," Robert says, his eyes darting a glance to the rear view mirror to meet mine, "What do you think she's up to?"

  "My best guess is she needs the coven's power for something she wants to cast."

  Gilly turns to Robert, "That's alarming. We need to go back. We have to keep an eye on her."

  I say, "Drive to the lot near the rental cabins. There'
s a path through the woods back to the clearing from there. It's the shortest way back that will let us avoid being spotted."

  "We need to get Natalie taken care of first," Gillian says.

  She's right. "Robert, pull over. We need to stop Darrin. Gilly, call him and tell him to pull over when he sees us at the side of the road."

  She takes out her cell and makes the call. The conversation is brief. "He's right behind us."

  Robert pulls his SUV as far off the narrow road as he can get it. Natalie's doing worse now. When Darrin pulls his sedan up behind us, I help her to the waiting back seat. He hands her a bottle of water and says, "Don't worry. I've got this." Nat smirks despite the beads of sweat running off her face. Then they're gone.

  Robert pulls a u-ie and heads back toward the road to the campgrounds that we just passed.

  ***

  Gillian and Robert huddle together in the brush. They've taken the best viewing spot for themselves. It's dense enough to provide cover but with enough space to stand comfortably without pine needles and pricker bushes stabbing at every move. I whisper from behind, "Well, what are they doing?"

  "Shush," Gillian says. She motions me closer to look through a break in the branches. Her brow furls and she squints toward the ritual space. "We made a foolish assumption about the need for a high priest and priestess. She's convinced them to stay and honor the full moon without us."

  Looking out to the clearing, I watch with them as Kevin walks in from the direction of the parking lot with a box in his hands. I turn and whisper to Gillian, "That's just like the box I saw before Eunice took Cassie over. Could be the same one." She pats my arm to indicate she heard, her eyes never leaving the event unfolding in front of us.

  Robert moves in closer to Gillian so that he can see, too, and she gives him a coy smile as he presses close to her, sharing her hiding place. He flicks a quick smile back. Why is Robert suddenly hot stuff?

  The wind rises, chasing the branches of the trees, and I stop worrying about what's going on between the other two when the space the witches inhabit begins to swirl with light. Fireflies? No. Magic.