The Coven History

by Lily Luchesi

  “Hello?” he said. He hated the telephone, but Daphne had insisted they all get one just in case.

  “Mate, you have no idea what’s happening!” cried the joyous voice of Michael.

  Caelum chuckled. “Tell me about it. Can we get together? With everybody?”

  “That’s why I was calling! Daphne and I have an announcement! What’s your thing?”

  “Draven and I have one, too. But we’ll be gracious and let you two go first.”

  Michael laughed. “You? Give up the spotlight? I think I might be feeling a bit faint.”

  “Piss off,” Caelum snipped. “So, your place? What time?”

  “Let’s say an hour.”

  Caelum agreed. “That just means I have to get our pet vamplet out of bed before sunset. Wish me luck.”

  He hung up and turned toward Draven, who was pretending to be asleep. Caelum could hear him breathing. “Oh well,” he said aloud. “Fiancé’s asleep, guess I can go grab some garlic bread since he won’t be able to smell it when I get back.”

  Using his vampire speed, Draven sat up and launched the pillow right at Caelum’s head. “I’m marrying a git!”

  Caelum burst into laughter and leapt over to Draven, giving him a warm kiss. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too. Even when you act like a complete arse.”

  An hour later they were on their way to the Smiths’, with Caelum marvelling at how things had changed. In the past decade, he had grown up. His friends had grown up. One set was married, and they were about to announce their engagement. He didn’t feel twenty, he barely felt like he was an adult at all. It was almost frightening.

  And to top it off, Daphne was still insisting that there was some sort of Darkness looming, the same one since their final year of school. Whoever had reformed The Company had started a ball rolling downhill, and he had a funny feeling that they wouldn’t be strong enough to stop it.

  If the humans are right, and the oncoming Millennium brings about the Apocalypse, I might be glad, he thought, unbidden. At least then I won’t have to feel this sense of overwhelming dread I’ve had ever since Riley Stanton was murdered.

  He didn’t talk about it with anyone, but somewhere deep inside he knew that there was something terrible on the horizon. He had no Fraser senses, but the lynx inside of him could feel it. And he was scared of losing everything he had worked so hard to gain.

  Once they got to the Smiths’, Caelum parked his motorcycle on the street and cast a Charm over it so no human cop would give him a ticket. Once inside the small house in London, both of them could plainly see the excitement on both Michael and Daphne’s faces.

  Daphne hugged Caelum and then Draven, but as she pulled away from Draven she squealed. “You’re engaged?”

  “Way to spoil it, Daph,” Caelum said. “I asked him last night.”

  “And I was crazy enough to say yes,” Draven added, smiling.

  Michael hugged them both. “Right on, mates!”

  At that moment, the doorbell rang. Daphne went to get it and in walked Robert and his wife, Fiona. Despite appearing only a few years older than they all were, Caelum couldn’t remember Fiona at school. He knew that she was a distant descendant of Clan Fraser, but her lack of family name and education gave him the creeps.

  “Hello, everyone,” she said politely, giving air kisses to everyone. She reminded Caelum of his mother a little, and that was not a compliment toward her.

  To distract himself, he went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of sparkling wine and placed glasses on a tray. “So, Draven and I are celebrating. What’s your big news?”

  “Wait, what are you celebrating?” Robert asked.

  Draven held his hand out. “I said yes,” he explained. Caelum wrapped an arm around his waist. “We’re getting married.”

  There was another wave of congratulatory remarks, and then Caelum returned his attention to the Smiths. “Come on, you’re killing me with suspense here.”

  Michael pulled Daphne closer and kissed her temple. Maybe his eyes were deceiving him, but Caelum could have sworn she grimaced as he did so.

  Taking a breath, Daphne placed a hand on her stomach and said, “I’m pregnant.”

  There was a beat of shocked silence and then Caelum, of course, broke it with a loud cheer. He raced to Daphne and picked her up in a warm hug, spinning her around. She laughed loudly and held onto him.

  “This is incredible!” He placed her on the ground again and Draven came to give her a hug and congratulate her.

  Robert and Fiona followed suit, but the witch didn’t seem very happy. Caelum hoped it was just his innate dislike of her making him exaggerate the half smile half sneer he thought he saw on her face.

  “So, how far along are you?” Fiona asked.

  Daphne’s eyes widened. “I’m not really sure. I suppose I should see a Medic, but the energy just showed up, so it can’t be more than a few days at most.”

  “I thought us Frasers could sense the energy the day after?” she asked, head cocked.

  Daphne shrugged. “That’s just an old crone’s tale.”

  The group spent a couple of hours at the Smiths’, alternately talking about the baby and the upcoming wedding. But whenever Michael tried to draw Robert out about where he’d been and what he was up to, he never responded. And Fiona was still asking Daphne uncomfortable questions. It upset Caelum, and he could tell that Draven noticed, too. Daphne looked acutely ill at ease.

  As everyone left, Caelum couldn’t contain himself any longer. “Oi, Fiona, way to give Daph the third degree back there. Why didn’t you get some Liar’s Lament while you were at it?”

  She bristled. “I asked because I am a Fraser. I can sense energy. Even foetal energy. And I know that baby is not Michael’s.”

  That stopped the three men in their tracks.

  “I’m sorry — what?” Draven asked.

  Fiona crossed her arms, as if daring anyone to doubt her. “That baby has distinctly Dark energy. There is no way it’s Michael’s.”

  Robert’s silvery eyes shined in the weak moonlight. “And I think we all know who the only person would be with whom she’d cheat on Michael.”

  Of course they knew. Especially Caelum. At once, he and Draven said, “Sinclair.”

  There was a hush over the small group. Caelum, for one, was in shock, and he was sure the others were, too. However, he wasn’t upset. Daphne had told them she felt soul magic between her and Salem. That meant that the two of them had a preternatural connection that could never be severed. It was as close as one could get to the magical version of soulmates.

  “What do we do?” he asked. “I’d hate to tell Mike and upset him and Daphne.”

  “Well, Daphne doesn’t seem like she’s going to tell Salem,” Robert said. “Apparently Michael thinks it’s his. And anyway, it’s better we all pretend we don’t know. And never tell Salem.”

  Draven crossed his arms. “Why?”

  Robert sighed. “Because this baby will have mixed blood. Fraser and Munro. That has never happened before. It’s best the baby never knows about his or her Dark lineage.”

  “Best for whom?” Draven questioned.

  Robert eyed them and said, “All of the magical world.”

  Salem went back to the Coven to continue his Elder work, but he made sure now to stop back at the Lambeth cottage every night. In case Daphne decided to come by again. Despite their less than ideal parting, he knew how much she loved him now. And if she were to see him again, he wouldn’t kick her out this time. He didn’t have enough Light in him to do that. He was far too selfish and he knew it.

  One night, there came a knock on his door and his heart leapt into his throat. Quickly, he went to answer it. But it wasn't Daphne on the other side. It was Robert, carrying a bottle of good scotch.

  “Hey, mate,” he said. “Up for company?”

  Salem nodded. “Can’t stay up too late. I have to teach in the morning.”

  Robert half laug
hed, half scoffed. “Teach. Look how normal you sound.”

  Salem bristled at the subtle insult. “Was that not what we agreed on? I stay and indoctrinate those old enough to understand into The Company?” Not that he had been doing that. The most he had done so far was make a few kids cry because of his harsh tongue.

  Robert nodded. “Yeah, sure. As long as you don’t plan on defecting … again.”

  “And what makes you believe I would do that?”

  His friend handed him a glass and then sipped his own. “The fact that I heard you were with Daphne Fraser. Again.”

  Salem was silent. He didn’t want to admit anything, especially not the real reason for Daphne’s visit: the love potion.

  “Look … she’s dangerous. All of Clan Fraser are. And if you keep letting her ensnare you, you could compromise everything we are doing. Everything. And it could get her killed as well. You don’t want that, do you?”

  “I thought you said death was not in your plans,” Salem said sharply.

  Robert’s eyes widened. “Not me. But you know as well as I do that there are Company members who would happily shed Fraser blood. For her sake if not your own, leave here and go to the Coven. Stay away if you want to keep her alive.”

  Long after Robert left for the night, Salem sat where he was, hating himself more than ever. He knew he was putting Daphne in danger by associating with her again, and here he had been so selfish that he hadn’t cared. He had simply wanted her, and had disregarded all the possible consequences.

  That was a large part of why he didn’t deserve Daphne. He cared far too much for his own emotions and not her wellbeing. As much as he loved her, he had never once done what was best for her. And now he vowed to change. Even if it broke his heart, he would do the one thing that could possibly keep her safe.

  He would leave Lambeth and never return. He would leave Daphne. And while it might hurt the both of them, he knew that any pain was worth her survival.

  It took Daphne three days to be able to make up an excuse to go and see Salem. She told Michael that she had to pick up a book at the PID library, which was across the Thames from Lambeth.

  First she did stop at the PID. She wanted another book about detecting love potions, even after one might have stopped being dosed. As well as the legality of such actions.

  It took a while: the PID library was massive, and she heard that the library at the headquarters in Chicago was triple the size. Eventually, she made it to Lambeth, excited to see Salem and nervous to tell him what was happening.

  She fervently wished that Michael hadn’t found out she was pregnant, but that was something she and Salem could deal with together. Perhaps with Edelstone’s help somehow, since Salem was an Elder now.

  When she approached his house, she noticed that the wards dropped for her, as if they recognised her magic. She stepped up to the front door, where there was an envelope taped to the wood. It bore her name in Salem’s unmistakable spiked cursive.

  Placing the books in her large handbag, she plucked the envelope from the door and opened it. Inside was a letter.

  “My dear Daphne, it pains me to write these words, but I know that I must. For your sake alone.

  “What we shared the other night will be forever burnt into my memory, into my very soul. To know that you still care for me despite my Darkness, despite my affiliation with the other side, fills me with a joy I have never known. In fact, your mere existence fills me with that joy.

  “But what we agreed on should still stand. I am the enemy, whether or not you want to believe it. The amulet I wear is a barrier between you and me. And I have chosen my side: you were born into yours. I cannot rescind my allegiance, any more than you can renounce your name.

  “This, you and I, was never meant to be. So let this note be my heartfelt goodbye. I will always love you, Daphne. Till the end of the world. I hope that you can get away from Smith, that you can find a new slice of happiness in the world. Because all I want is for you to be happy.

  “Yours eternally, Salem”

  Daphne dropped the letter, her fingers going numb from the pain she felt.

  So this is it, then, she thought, willing the hurt tears to stay away. They didn’t listen and dripped down her face anyway. This is how we end. With a letter and knowledge that he chose the Dark over me.

  She wasn’t sure which emotion was the most prevalent: hurt, anger, or disappointment.

  “Go to Hell, Salem Sinclair.”

  Chapter 24

  Daphne’s disappointment didn’t go unnoticed, but lucky for her, she was able to convince Michael that it was a pregnancy mood swing and she would be fine.

  “Oh, like your mood wasn’t already doing loop-de-loops?” he quipped.

  In her current state, she fought the urge to slap him.

  She had to do that often. Now that she knew she wasn’t being given a love potion any longer, her real feelings for Michael resurfaced. Though she no longer detested Caelum as much, and she had always liked Draven, her feelings for Robert were also diminishing. Deep down, she wondered how much of him was still on the side of Darkness as well. She also felt some serious Darkness from Fiona, and she could tell that Caelum and Draven didn’t like her, either.

  One day, Daphne said to Michael, “I want Draven to be the baby’s Godfather.” It had become a custom in the magical world to appoint a Godparent for a baby in case of another war, the baby could be cared for.

  “I was thinking Caelum, but yeah, sure,” Michael agreed.

  Months passed, and while Daphne’s heartache over Salem didn’t ease, she managed to find joy in what she could. Including the baby, and the fact that, at least, the child would be raised by two people who loved them. Because Michael seemed ecstatic to know that he was going to be a father.

  Daphne didn’t regret what she’d done, because he had tricked her into marriage. Though now she was glad he had. She might not love him, but a newspaper story came that made her glad she was married to someone on the side of the Light.

  “A gathering of apprentice magicians in London was abruptly cut short yesterday when a potent potion turned to steam was piped into the cafe where they were gathered. Out of twenty apprentices, six passed away, and fourteen are still in the PID’s hospital, being cared for by Medics.

  “The Company of Clan Munro did not claim the attack, though it is suspected it was perpetrated by at least one, if not more, of their members. The PID and King Edelstone urge anyone with any information about The Company to contact them immediately.

  “So far, the culprit has not been caught, and there were no traces left to follow.”

  Michael read the article and said, “You think it might be Sinclair?”

  She nodded, eyes downcast. “He is clever enough. You know that as well as I.”

  “Bloody psychopath. What you ever wanted with him, Daph, I will never know.”

  On Halloween night, October 31st, Daphne and Michael called a Medic to their home, and little Harley Evelyn Smith was born. Though deep down, Daphne knew that that was not her rightful name, and one day hoped that the little baby could know the man who had given her the jet black hair and onyx eyes others exclaimed over.

  She was a beautiful baby, never cried, and was highly advanced, as most magical children were. She immediately entranced every visitor; even Fiona seemed to be enamoured with the baby.

  “The lass has gorgeous eyes,” she commented. “Which side of the family did they come from?”

  Daphne bristled. “I am not sure. Clan Fraser is vast, and we have people with all sorts of eye colours.”

  For the first year and a half of her life, little Harley was doted on by everyone, especially Draven and Caelum, who were always around. The two had yet to marry, though it was legal for magicians to marry regardless of the gender of their partner.

  Meanwhile, Daphne was becoming closer to Michael. Not because she had to, but because it was safer than trying to prove she had been dosed with a love potion once upon a tim
e. She didn’t want to shake up her world, or Harley’s. Not when Dark attacks were being steadily reported all over the United Kingdom. The baby needed stability in case things got worse.

  Not long before Harley turned two years old, Daphne had another baby, a boy named Nicolas, after her grandfather. And Robert and Fiona also has a baby a few months before: Roger Ainsley.

  “It’s the second generation of magicians,” Caelum said when they were all together. He was holding Nick, as they had taken to calling their son, in his lap, and the baby giggled happily at him. “Never thought about this when I was young.”

  “This one,” Draven said, who was playing with blocks with Harley, “will probably be in school before any of us were.”

  “Her magic is highly advanced,” Robert commented. Fiona was holding Roger to her chest, as he was asleep. “I think she’s going to be quite the prodigy, if given the chance.”

  “We agree,” Daphne said, smiling at her brilliant, beautiful daughter.

  Caelum looked up from under his lashes and said, “She’s brilliant like her parents.”

  At that moment, Daphne knew that he knew. And that perhaps others did as well. Instead of panicking, she sat up straighter and looked him straight in the eye. Despite Caelum’s size, bloodline, and abilities, Daphne was more than confident that she could and would take him on if he tried anything.

  “You’re absolutely right, she is,” she said, keeping her voice even and maintaining eye contact.

  Caelum seemed to get the message, and he dropped his gaze, turning his attention back to Nick.

  It wasn’t until Caelum and Draven were leaving that Daphne was able to confront them. Harley was content with her toys in the living room, and Michael had taken Nick to be changed.

  “You know.”

  Draven and Caelum glanced at each other before nodding.

  “It’s kind of obvious, Daph,” Caelum said. “Why, though? Why did you do it?”

  The whole story was on the tip of her tongue, but she held it and merely shook her head. “It’s a long, long story. But Michael and I do not have the relationship he wishes we do. Let’s leave it at that, shall we?”