by Jane Hinchey
"No. We need the power of the full moon. Tomorrow night."
On the next floor was a large open space with several pentagrams painted on the floor and workbenches placed around the outside of the room. Large floor cushions were scattered around. The ceiling was painted black with what looked like stars dotted throughout.
"This is where we meet, practice and workshop." Melissa gestured with her arm. "And this is Kathryn, Franny, and Vida."
Three women had been huddled around a bench at the back of the room but looked up when they heard Melissa. They closed the book they'd been hunched over and, smiling, walked toward Georgia, arms outstretched.
"I'm Vida." Vida was all limbs and towered over Georgia by at least a foot. Her hair was twisted on top of her head in a neat bun and she wore pressed jeans complete with a crease down the center of each leg, and a buttoned up soft lemon cardigan. She looked too young to be dressed as a librarian.
"I'm Kathryn." Kathryn looked to be mid-forties, her mousy hair cut in a flattering pixie cut and she dressed like she was the CEO of a very important company, complete with powerful red lipstick that matched her stilettoes.
"I'm Franny." Franny's dreadlocked hair fell to her waist in a riot of color, with feathers and beads woven into it so it clicked and clacked each time she moved her head. She wore jeans with so many tears in them they barely qualified as jeans and a stained T-shirt that had definitely seen better days. Like Tilda downstairs, her feet were bare, but her toenails were all one color. Black.
"Hi." Georgia hugged them all back and prayed she'd remember their names.
"Welcome to the coven." Franny grinned, bouncing from foot to foot.
"I'm in the coven?"
"Not yet. We're holding an initiation ceremony to bring you in, but it's a done deal."
"An initiation ceremony?"
"Nothing to worry about, sweetheart," Melissa wrapped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. "We have to officially bring you into the coven so your magic can merge with ours."
"Okaaaaay. When?"
"Once everyone is here. Tilda will be contacting the rest of the coven now, letting them know you're here."
"So we don't need the full moon for this?"
Melissa shook her head, "No. We draw power from the moon, stars, earth whenever it's needed. We don't abuse our power and we don't channel from other sauces unless we really, really need to. An initiation ceremony doesn't require any of that."
Franny grabbed her hand and smiled in delight. "It's so great you're here. Mel tells us you're a vampire and a witch!"
"I'm guessing that's unusual?"
"It's unheard of. You're unique."
"Oh." Melissa had downplayed the whole witch-vampire thing, especially when Zak had said it was impossible.
"Come and tell me all about it. How did you become a vampire? And this man of yours, Mel tells us he's super-hot." Franny dragged her over to a pile of cushions and Georgia went willingly, sinking down next to the younger woman whose energy and enthusiasm was contagious.
Georgia and Franny spent the next hour exchanging stories. Georgia liked her. Franny told her she was nineteen and in college. She was studying to be a teacher. She'd discovered her magical abilities as a child and her hippy mother had embraced them, encouraging her to use her magic, to let it grow and expand. Franny had joined the coven as soon as she'd turned eighteen, although she'd been a frequent visitor to The Black Cauldron for years, buying ingredients for her spells, joining workshops and just hanging out.
As they'd talked the room had begun to fill up. Georgia counted ten women, plus herself. The full coven was here. Georgia couldn't help the sudden pang of anxiety that shot through her. Her aunt approached and held out a hand. Georgia placed hers in it and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.
"Come. We must prepare." Melissa led her across the room to the stairs leading up. Georgia followed dutifully.
"Prepare how?" she asked when they stepped onto the small landing that held nothing but a closed door. Melissa opened the door and led Georgia into an apartment. This must be where Tilda lived. Georgia remembered her aunt telling her the witch lived above her store.
"You must be cleansed, and wear a robe." Melissa moved into the bathroom and flicked on the bathtub faucet. She withdrew a bag of...something...from her pocket and sprinkled it into the water.
"While you're in the bath, I need you to meditate, to open your chakras."
Georgia nodded. She remembered her aunt talking about chakras before, although admittedly she hadn't paid a whole lot of attention, she'd give it her best shot. If she could get her mind to shut up for five minutes and allow her to meditate.
Melissa left the room, returning a moment later with a white robe. "After your bath, dry yourself and put this on. Nothing else. You must be naked beneath it, no restriction. Leave your hair loose."
"Okay."
Melissa closed the door and Georgia stripped, easing herself into the hot bath. Submerging herself up to her neck, she closed her eyes and did her best to become Zen. She wasn't sure if it worked or not, but Melissa must have sensed something since she soon knocked on the door and told her to get out of the bath and into the robe.
The robe was more of a caftan than a robe, flowing to her wrists and ankles. She opened the door to find Melissa standing waiting, dressed in an identical robe, only black.
"Come." Clasping Georgia's hand she led her back downstairs. Georgia glanced around to see the other women were now clad in the same black robes as her aunt.
"Witches! Please, form a circle," Tilda called out. She stood at one of the pentagrams painted on the floor. Obediently the women took their places, pulling the hoods of their robes up over their heads. "You too, Georgia. Come here by me." Georgia moved to stand next to Tilda, whom she assumed was the leader of the coven. What do you even call the leader? Head witch? She'd have to remember to ask.
"Before we begin, let me introduce you to everyone. I know you've met some of the girls, but clockwise we have Jennifer, Kathryn, Franny, Vida, Karylin, Livy, Roanna, Crista, and Melissa." Georgia smiled weakly. There was no way in hell she was going to remember who was who.
"First we're going to cast a circle," Tilda began. "A circle represents unity, accord, wholeness, and a safe space where we can all find comfort and protection. We call on the four elements—air, fire, water, and earth—and we map them to direction, so air is east, fire is south, water is west, earth is north." Georgia nodded. She recalled her aunt casting the circles for them when they were practicing at the farmhouse.
"When we've finished spell casting, we must release the space. So today we'll cast the circle, welcome you into the coven, and then release the circle. Okay?"
All the witches nodded, so Georgia followed suit. Even though Tilda had explained what was happening, she still didn't truly understand. Franny winked at her and grinned. "Just go along with it," she mouthed. Georgia grinned back and gave a small nod. Okay.
Tilda began. "Hold hands, please." Once everyone had clasped hands she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, blowing it out through her mouth. "Beings of Air, Guardians of the East, Breath of Transformation—Come! Be welcome in this sacred space. We ask that you stand firm to guard and protect, refresh and motivate. Support the magic created here by conveying our wishes on every wind as it reaches across the Earth."
Kathryn spoke next. "Beings of Fire, Guardians of the South, Spark of Creation that banished the darkness—Come! Be welcome in this sacred space. We ask that you stand firm to guard and protect, activate and fulfill. Support the magic created here by conveying our wishes to the sun, the stars, and every beam of light as it embraces the Earth.
Karylin was next. "Beings of Water, Guardians of the West, Rain of Inspiration— Come! Be welcome in this sacred space. We ask that you stand firm to guard and protect, heal and nurture. Support the magic created here by conveying our wishes to dewdrops and waves as they wash across the world."
Then it was Roa
nna. "Being of Earth, Guardians of the North, Soil of Foundation— Come! Be welcome in this sacred space. We ask that you stand firm to guard and protect, mature and provide. Support the magic created here by conveying our wishes to every grain of sand, every bit of loam that is our world."
Tilda spoke once more. "The circle is cast. We are between the worlds, beyond the bounds of time and space where night and day, birth and death, joy and sorrow meet as one."
Georgia wasn't sure what to expect, a gust of wind, a power surge of some sort, a clap of thunder, but absolutely nothing happened. Nothing that she could see, hear, or sense anyway. The witches let go of each other’s hands and Tilda turned to her.
"Georgia, please stand in the center." Tilda handed her a book, already open. "We shall guide you through the ceremony, but you'll see the full instructions on the pages in front of you. Are you ready?"
"I guess." She didn't know, but felt she was in too deep to back out now. Glancing at the book, she scanned the words. Seemed harmless enough, no blood sacrifices, no cutting the heads off chickens. She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out, reading from the book.
"Goddess of the moon, come to me this day." She could hear movement around her, noticed as the witches discreetly placed an altar in front of her with several items on it. They returned to their places in the circle and Georgia continued.
"I am here to consecrate myself in your name." Placing the book on the altar she stood with her arms held up, palms pointing outward.
"We have cast this circle this day to perform the act of dedication of my mind, body and spirit to the Lady, her consort, and to the religion and science of Witchcraft. From this day forward, I will honor and respect both the divine and myself. I will hold two perfect words in my heart: perfect love and perfect trust. I vow to honor the path I have chosen, the divine, and myself."
She raised her right palm outstretched to the ceiling. "I vow to hold the ideology of the Craft in my heart and my mind for the totality of this lifetime and beyond."
She opened her palm toward the floor. "Blessed be my feet; may they always walk the path of the eternal and divine light."
She placed both hands over her heart. "Blessed be my heart that it may beat steady and true. May the warmth of my love spread throughout the galaxy."
Placing her fingertips to her lips she said, "Blessed be my lips that they shall utter truth and purity of mind and soul. May wisdom flow for the benefit of all humankind."
Her hands moved to her lower belly, above her womb. "Blessed be my womb that holds and produces the creation of the human essence. I vow to guide, protect, and teach the children of the world."
Her fingers rose to her forehead. "Blessed be my astral sight, that I may see through the veil of life with the truth of the divine."
She picked up the small silver bell from the altar and rang it seven times. Then she picked up a white cord and wrapped it firmly around her hand. Picking up a small ceremonial knife, she held it in the same hand. "I, Georgia, in the presence of the universe, and my sisters of the coven, do of my own free will and mind, most solemnly swear that I will ever abide by the religion and science of the Craft. From this day I shall honor, respect, and cherish this oath I have taken." With trembling fingers, she unwound the cord and returned it to the altar. Picking up the bell again, she rang it nine times. She picked up a chalice, careful not to spill its contents as her hands continued to shake. Holding the chalice up high, she repeated the words from the book.
"With the partaking of this wine, I take into my body that of the Goddess and seal my oath...forever." She drank half the wine, trying not to grimace, as red wine was not her thing.
She held the chalice aloft again, saying, "Accept this wine as my offering of thanksgiving," then returned it to the altar. She picked up a plate holding a chunk of bread.
"As grain is the bounty of the Goddess, and the eating of it denotes the sacrifice of the Lord and his rebirth, I seal my oath forever as I take into my body that of the consort!" She took a bite of the bread before returning the plate to the altar.
"I wish to thank the Lord and Lady for presiding over this ritual and my sisters welcoming me into this coven. May we together walk within the light, forever." Silence descended and lasted for several heartbeats.
Roanna’s voice in the silence made her jump. "Guardians, Guides, and Ancestors of the North and Earth, we thank you for your presence and protection. Keep us rooted in your rich soil so our spirits grow steadily until we return to your protection again. Hail and farewell."
Karylin was next. "Guardians, Guides, and Ancestors of the West and Water, we thank you for your presence and protection. Keep us flowing ever toward wholeness in body, mind, and spirit until we return to your protection again. Hail and farewell.”
Kathryn spoke up. "Guardians, Guides, and Ancestors of the South and Fire, we thank you for your presence and protection. Keep your fires ever burning within our soul to light up any darkness and drive it away until we return to your protection again. Hail and farewell.”
Then it was back to Tilda. "Guardians, Guides, and Ancestors of the East and Air, we thank you for your presence and protection. Keep your winds blowing fresh with ideas and hopefulness until we return to your protection again. Hail and farewell." Tilda stepped forward. Standing beside Georgia, she clasped her hand. "Great Spirit, thank you for blessing this space. We know that a part of you is always with us, as a still small voice that guides and nurtures. Help us to listen to that voice, to trust it, and trust in our magic. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again."
With the circle open, the witches surrounded her in hugs and congratulations, welcoming her into the fold. The candles were extinguished and the lights turned back on—Georgia hadn't even noticed the candlelight, she'd been so engrossed in the ceremony.
"You did great." Franny hugged her.
"Thanks. Am I meant to feel...different?"
Franny laughed. "Not particularly! It wasn't spell casting as such, just a ceremony to welcome you into the coven. Not every coven does it, and not all witches belong to covens; some choose to work alone."
"Really?" Georgia followed Franny over to where she'd stacked her clothes on top of her bags, averting her eyes when Franny shrugged out of her robe, leaving her naked.
"There's no hard and fast rules. Witchcraft is cool like that. You can take what you want from it."
Georgia excused herself to return to the apartment upstairs and don her own clothes and rebraid her hair. She'd have to ask why they used ceremonial robes, why it was important they had nothing binding on their bodies. She had so much to learn.
Many of the witches dispersed after the ceremony. With jobs to go back to they couldn't hang around. Tilda served up herbal tea, a purple concoction that was truly revolting. Georgia choked it down, not wanting to be rude. Soon it was only Melissa, Tilda, Franny and herself. Georgia crossed to the towering bookcases at the back of the room. They were jammed with a multitude of books—some looked ancient, some looked like they were fresh off the printing press.
"What are you looking for?" Franny asked.
"Nothing in particular," she told her. It was better if the witches didn't know what she was up to, for as welcoming and friendly as they had been, she felt something was a little off, a little dark, a little unwelcoming. She couldn't put her finger on what, exactly, and she didn't know who she could trust. So she kept her mouth shut.
"There's tons of great stuff here," Franny told her, her face bright, her cheeks flushed. "Anything you want to know, just ask. I've got a class in a couple of hours, so I'm going to meditate for a bit, try and settle myself after all the excitement. I still feel wired."
"Nothing to do with all that herbal tea was it?" Georgia teased.
Franny laughed. "Could be, could be." She moved to a spot beneath the window where the sun streamed through, maneuvered a floor cushion and made herself comfortable.
Georgia waited until she was sure Franny had zoned out, then retu
rned to the books. Her aunt and Tilda had returned to the shop downstairs, leaving her alone. It seemed strange that they kept brushing her off when she asked about the spell they were working on, but she’d shrugged it off. She probably wouldn’t understand it anyway.
Running her fingers along the spines of the books, she recalled Melissa telling her to take away another witch's magic was considered dark magic. Black magic. No books leaped out at her proclaiming to be a beginner's guide to black magic, and she guessed she wouldn't find such a book here. Not in plain sight. Instead, she pulled down a selection, three old tombs that looked promising, and three more recent ones. Carrying her haul to a workbench, she settled in, pushing the newer books to one side. She didn't expect to find anything in them; she'd chosen them as a cover in case anyone asked what she was doing.
The three older books she'd chosen had no titles. Their covers appeared to be old leather. One of them had two catches keeping the pages closed, another had a silver pentagram embedded in the cover, and the third was a plain brown cover with no embellishments at all. She chose that one first.
Flipping it open, the smell of old parchment, dust, and—was that lavender?—reached her nose. The pages were yellowed, the writing faint, only just readable. She couldn't begin to guess how old this book might be since it looked hand written. Similar to her aunt’s grimoire, it had diagrams to assist in the identification of various plants, stones, tools for witchcraft.
"You've been engrossed in those books for hours." Her aunt’s voice startled her. Glancing up, Georgia saw it was dark outside. She looked over to where Franny was meditating, only the cushion was empty. She hadn't heard her leave.
"They are fascinating," Georgia admitted. The book with the clasps holding it closed had turned out to be an encyclopedia on all the supernatural creatures. Not only vampires, witches and werewolves, but trolls, fairies, gargoyles, dragons. Creatures she'd never imagined to be real, but according to this book, they all existed. Sadly she'd found nothing that would help her break the hunter’s connection to his magic.
