"It's the moon," I explained. "It's all about the rising of the next full moon." I sat across the kitchen table from Cassie, in her well-appointed apartment above the coffee shop. I hoped my calm face masked the stress rippling through every cell of my body, but that was unlikely. Sister witches feel each other's emotions almost as if they were their own.
Being the oldest of six sisters, I knew this only too well. I loved them all, but the number of feelings we share can be overwhelming at times.
I smiled at Cassie. I know I'm not supposed to have favorites, but I've always felt closest to her even though she's fifteen years younger than me. Sitting close to her gave me some peace. Her heart-shaped face glowed with contentment, and the love in her green eyes slid into my heart.
Plums lay beside Sid, Cassie's black-cat-familiar, on the floor between our feet. The two had known each other for years and seemed content to sleep cuddled-up together.
Outside, dusk ebbed into night. With a howling sound worthy of a horror movie, a northeast wind blew the clouds away from the horizon. Moonlight shone through the window and spilled over my right hand, which lay on top of the table clenching a charm bag.
Cassie put her hand on top of mine. “The Blood Moon rises in three days. Is that what this is all about?”
The touch of her hand warmed my soul. “The Blood Moon is a full eclipse,” I said. “The earth will shadow the sun, and the moon will turn blood red.”
Cassie’s eyes narrowed. “Is this about the Blood Moon prophecies?”
"I'm not sure," I said. "As you know, I'm not fond of folklore. All I know is that something wicked this way cometh."
Cassie smiled at my remark. “The Blood Moon prophecies come from the Christian Bible. Many people believe in them.”
I nodded. “That’s fine for them. But I don’t think biblical prohecies should be taken literally. You know my views. Ancient myths were created by people looking for answers to the wonders of nature. Our ancestors made up stories to explain what happens in our world. Some of them were written down in the bible, some elsewhere. The stories could all be allegorical.”
Cassie’s brows rose. “I agree, but truth is often hidden in myth.”
I frowned.
“So,” she said, “tell me why the Blood Moon terrifies you.”
I squeezed my medicine bag. “I had a vision,” I said.
Cassie rolled her eyes. "Dear Goddess, I hate it when you say that. It never ends well."
“I saw …” I began.
Cassie groaned. "After all, we've gone through with the Lord of Darkness." She paused. "What more could go wrong?" She put her hand on her baby bump, which had grown considerably in the three months since I had seen her.
Of course, many things could go wrong, but she was, and would always be, my kid- sister, and considering her condition, I really didn’t want to jump into that cauldron. I looked at the ceiling for inspiration.
Plums jumped on my lap and mewed. The damn cat was right, of course, I should get to the point.
"It's like this …" Words froze on my tongue as silver mist flowed through the room, and yet another warlock appeared.
I liked this one. A lot, actually. Sanjay Kahn had cocoa-colored skin and tangerine eyes. He was adept at magic, and had a good heart. More importantly, he was my first brother-in-law, the sire of my soon to be born niece, and the husband of Cassie. He gave me a stately bow.
I rose. We hugged, and the warm feeling of family calmed my mood.
Sanjay clicked his fingers and conjured me a mug of coffee, undoubtedly spelled with something wonderful. “Welcome, sister,” he said. His eyes blazed. “You made quite a stir in town challenging wizards. Are you on a mission to make tongues wag?” A mischievous smile broke across his face.
“Donovan talked to you,” I said.
“Of course,” he said. “Along with twenty others.” He sat. “Tell me, Merlina, is the air at your cabin not agreeing with you?”
“I’m fine,” I said through gritted teeth.
His right brow rose. "My dear sister, taking on wizards is not healthy. I recommend against it. I would very much like you to help raise our daughter."
“Stop,” said Cassie waving her hand. “Merlina was just about to explain why she came. Judging by the look in her eyes, I’d say we both need to hear this.”
I looked at the ceiling again. Still no help. “I had a vision …,” I began.
A knock on the door stopped me from saying more. Actually, it was more like pounding. I looked at Cassie.
She shrugged. “I wasn’t expecting anyone, but you never know who will turn up in Mystic Keep.”
I nodded.
As Sanjay opened the door, a gust of cold, autumn air swept into the room. "Hello," he called out as he looked around. No one appeared, and no one answered. On the floor lay a large, brown envelope. He swirled his hand. A mist that smelled of pumpkin spice swelled in the air and descended upon the parcel. A few seconds later, he said, "It seems safe."
As he tucked it inside his cloak, Cassie spoke. "Oh no, you don't. This is my apartment, and that envelope was meant for me. You've already determined it's not toxic. Give it to me."
Sanjay turned to face us. “The packet is safe for me to touch and transport. I need to take it to my laboratory to open it safely.” Without giving us any time to comment, he vanished.
We both stared at the empty space.
“How could you marry a warlock?” I said.
Cassie sighed. “That’s not Sanjay’s usual behavior, but he’s been different lately. He’s become over-protective since I got pregnant. The transition from tough, single warlock to daddy isn’t easy for him.”
“I suppose. But really, why do warlocks need to be so, so …”
“Warlock?” said Sid, Cassie’s black-cat-familiar, who lay stretched out on the floor between us. “Sexy, stubborn, and sexy,” she added.
"Exactly." I laughed. It felt good to be with my sister and Sid. Oh, how I wished that could be the reason for my visit.
Cassie caught my mood change. “Merlina, talk to me,” she said.
I squeezed my charm bag. “Okay. Two nights ago, I had a vision.” The bag heated in my hand. What the hex?
I had come to tell her about my vision, but the soft leather bag grew so hot I had to drop it on the table.
Cassie looked at my hand, which had turned pink. “What’s wrong?”
“I … I don’t know.”
“Merlina?”
I closed my eyes and centered my energy to search for an answer. Before I left home, I placed a potion made of rosemary, a lock of our mother's hair, and three drops of morning dew in my medicine bag. I spelled the concoction with magic to draw the universe's energy to give me strength, protect me from dark forces, and give me clarity of purpose. Clarity of purpose? That had to be it. "Cassie, I'm sorry. I don't think the powers-that-be want me to share the vision with you," I said.
“But, you always share, Merlina.”
I touched the pouch. It felt cool now. “The details of the vision are gruesome, beyond the imagination ….” I swallowed. “It’s probably best your unborn child doesn’t hear it.”
Cassie rubbed her bump. “I can’t help you if I don’t know what you’re up against.”
I firmed my lips. "I'll tell you my intention instead." I checked the medicine bag. It felt cool. That had to be a good sign, right?
"You're beginning to worry me," said Cassie. "First, you challenge wizards, then powerful warlocks, and now you ramble mystical mumbo-jumbo. What happened to my fearless, badass, older sister?"
“Don’t worry about me,” I said. “Worry about all of us. I’m here to protect the town.”
Four
“There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.” ~ George Carlin
As the moon rose higher in the sky, Cassie left for a nap. I decided to self-medicate. I opened a bottle of wine leftover from her wedding, a fine merlot made for the occasion by a local wine
ry. Swirling it in my glass I smelled hints of chocolate and blackberries. I took a sip. My tongue tingled at the rich, complex taste, a pure delight that I will always associate with Cassie’s happy day. I was on my third glass when Cassie joined me. She plunked a large, leather-bound Bible on the table.
"Okay," Cassie said, toasting with a wine glass filled with juice. "According to Google, there are three bible quotes about the Blood Moon."
“Trust me. I know. I’ve read them all for clues,” I said.
"Shush," she said. "I want to read them for myself." She took a swig of her drink and continued. "I'll start with the book of Joel. ‘The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.’” (Joel 2:31) Her eyes glanced over at me. “That’s creepy.”
I yawned. "You know the moon always looks red when there's an eclipse. The storyteller is using a fact to be dramatic."
“Uh-huh,” she said. “It says the moon will be turned into blood.”
“Written by a good storyteller,” I said.
Cassie closed her eyes and chanted a spell. "Book of Wisdom find, another passage about the blood moon. So mote it be."
The pages of the tome flipped, releasing dust into the air, and then stopped abruptly. “Here is a passage from Acts,” Cassie said. “‘The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come:’” (Acts 2:20)
“I read that one too, but it didn’t help. The best one is yet to come,” I said.
"Next," Cassie spoke to the book, and the pages ruffled, making a shuffling sound.
"From the book of Revelation," Cassie said as her eyes scanned the page. "Oh, dear." She put her orange juice down. "This is heavy."
Like steel. I didn’t bother to nod. I had read this passage about the Blood Moon over and over again until I committed it to memory.
Cassie looked back at the text. “It says, ‘And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood…’” (Revelation 6:12)
“And,” I said, “this relates to the book of Mathew, when Jesus said, ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places… Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death … Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.’” (Matthew 24:7-9,29). I took a sip of my wine. “It all has to do with the sixth seal.”
“Help me out here,” Cassie said. “I know we studied the bible in school, but my memory is foggy. What is the sixth seal?”
"The book of Revelations describes the events of the end of time, the judgment of God. John sees the end in a series of visions, which involve a lot of symbolism. In his vision Jesus opens six seals of a scroll. The first four unleash the four horsemen, symbolizing a world leader, war, famine, and death. The sixth unleashes massive natural disasters."
Cassie frowned. “Are you saying the next Blood Moon heralds the end of days?”
“No. At least, not necessarily,” I said. “The book of Revelations fits into the apocalyptic genre stories written at that time. Many scholars believe the prophecies referred to things that happened at that time.”
Cassie bit her lip. "But there are also people who believe it talks about our time."
I nodded. “Always. What can I say? People like doom prophecies.”
“What other Blood Moon divinations have you found?” Cassie asked as she swirled her juice.
“You can swirl it all you want, it won’t turn into wine,” I said.
She laughed.
“I’ve done a bit of research. The Christian prophecies are the most talked about, but some people take them further. They believe a series of four consecutive eclipses, ending in a Blood Moon is the real deal. When that happens, they believe we will reach the end of time as described in the book of Revelations.”
“The apocalypse,” Cassie muttered. “The end of life as we know it.”
I took a pirate’s swig of my wine straight from the bottle and nodded.
A quiet settled between us for a few minutes, the kind shared by love ones. Not demanding or impatient in any way, it flowed over me and through me. I could have bathed in its calm forever.
Cassie straightened her spine. “Did your vision mirror the Christian prophecies?”
The medicine bag warmed in my hand. “No. I wouldn’t say that. It had a modern twist on things.”
"Then why are we talking about them?" She grumbled and swirled her juice. "I wish this was wine, and you would stop talking in riddles."
“The moon has a strong influence over all of us,” I said.
“And the Blood Moon, even more so,” Cassie said. “I get that.”
I shook hair out of my face. “This particular Blood Moon, even more so.”
"Well, I say, bring it on. We've fought many forms of evil. Together we will face whatever comes our way."
I took another swallow. "The scary thing about the moon," I said, "is that it affects every living being on earth. It moves the tides, sets our fertility cycles, and even brings out our lunacy. We dance and perform ceremonies in the light of the full moon. This Blood Moon cannot be underestimated.”
"Then, we should talk with Donovan and his warriors."
I hung my head in my hands. “The warlock?” I said. “He is the answer?”
"Merlina, I think you protest too much. He's just a mage. You've handled many in your time. What do you have against Donavan?"
"It's not him,” I lied. “It's warlocks in general. I remember a time when you felt the same way. They are stubborn, arrogant, and untrustworthy. They love nothing better than breaking all the rules. I need a dependable warrior, not a Peter Pan in a soldier suit."
Cassie sighed. "Warlocks break rules because some need to be broken. As I recall you’ve smashed many in your day.” Her eyes narrowed. “And you're wrong about Donovan O'Reilly. He can be trusted. I've never met a more devoted single dad or a more dedicated sheriff. He yields his powerful magic for good."
“He’s still a warlock.”
Cassie laughed. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you liiiiike him.”
“Oh, please,” I said.
Cassie gave me her cat grin. “I’ll tell him to come over tomorrow.”
Five
“Always remember we are under the same sky, looking at the same moon.” ~ Maxine Lee
The next morning a crimson-red sun broke the horizon, leaving a warm orange glow over the town. The crisp, clean air tingled my skin. It was the kind of dawn one felt nothing in the world could possibly go wrong. But I was always wary of such feelings.
"Merlina," Cassie called from the kitchen.
Hex it. She sensed I was awake. I closed the guest room window that I had been hanging out of, and ran a hand through my hair. I used magic to dim the hangover headache brewing between my eyes and threw on some clothes. "I'll be right out," I yelled back.
On my way, I stopped in front of the vintage dressing table to make sure I hadn’t forgot anything. Sage-green eyes stared back at me. My black hair fell in waves below my breasts. I had looked better in my younger years, but this would do. My jeans hugged my curves, and the Aran sweater I wore looked classy and practical.
Plums, who still lay under the covers, opened one eye. “Must we get up?” he said in my head.
I gave him a look. He crawled out and stretched his long body.
Through the door, I could hear Cassie puttering around in the living room tidying it, as she talked to Sid about his supply of anchovies. The noise of her movement stopped suddenly. “Shit,” she said.
What the hex could be wrong? Cassie almost never swore. It was a thing with her. She claimed anyone who used foul language lacked a useful vocabulary. Could pregnancy be making her more normal? I teleported myself to stand next to her.
"What the hell?" I said, as I moved closer. Tying her shoelaces, he didn't bother to notice me.
Cassie's face was beet red. "I fell on my shoelace," she said.
Donavon, mission accomplished, stood and looked at her. “You know you’re carrying a child?”
She nodded. “I can’t see my feet. I can’t seem to get my shoes on right. I can’t seem to think. I …”
Well, hold my broom, I thought. My always-calm sister was losing it. Why hadn’t I seen how much her pregnancy was affecting her?
Donovan laughed. “Sounds about right to me. Come on. Sit down. Give yourself a break, and tell me why you summoned me.”
The drama pulled me in. Words fell out of my mouth. "Cassie, I'll help you with your shoes anytime. I'll rub your back, and make you calming potions. You name it, I’ll do it."
Cassie’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me. Her whole body emanated the Mama glow. “I know, Merlina,” she said, “but you have other things on your mind.”
Donavan’s Irish-blue eyes took me in. “Oh, no. Don’t tell me, you called me here because of Merlina.” His glance, though hostile, sent an electric current zinging through my system. “I have work to do,” he said.
“Did someone lose their cat?” I asked.
His eyes narrowed. “I have important work to do.”
Plums circled the mage and looked up at him, letting out a low, warning hiss.
“Call off your familiar,” Donovan said.
“His name is Plums,” I said.
The warlock sneered. “Who names a handsome, Siamese after a squishy fruit that gives people the runs?”
Cassie laughed as she lifted her feet onto the ottoman and leaned back. “That would be me,” she said.
At the word handsome, Plums stopped hissing and strutted over to me with his cowboy gait.
3 Reasons To Not Kiss A Warlock: Beware, Bewitched, Bewarlocked (Mystic Keep Universe Book 2) Page 2
