Winter's Fall

by Alessandra Jay

  “If it gets the attention away from me, I'm all for it.” I answer him honestly.

  With a small smile, he leads the way out of the room and to the elevators. Casters stop Mack to shake her hand and they even give her pieces of paper with their phone numbers. This is working out in her favor and I couldn't be more pleased. When she finally makes it back to us, she tells us some casters are going to another floor for drinks and karaoke and that she and Derek will be joining them. Hunter and Owen go along, but the rest of us stay together.

  We get to Evan’s living room, where he casts mixed drinks into our hands. We sit there for a while making small talk until the drink starts taking its effect on me. I'm not sure if it’s the mixture of the vision and the movie we saw, but I feel like I'm ready to go on my first mission since I was abducted. Before I let my coven know that I'm eager to get back out there with them, I tell them about my vision and don't leave a single detail out.

  It isn't until I see Chloe cast her notebook, Oliver cast his tablet, and Victoria put up her hair that I know for certain that my mind and heart are fully back in this. I’m ready and excited to go on my very first mission as the leader of the Light Coven.

  Chapter 7

  Warning

  Evan

  I forget sometimes how innocent Scarlet really is. She’s only finished half of the white Russian she’s drinking and she’s already spilling secrets out. Although this particular secret could be crucial to us as a coven. However, my train of thought keeps going back to the fact that she had a personal and intimate encounter with an angel. It’s bringing out a jealousy streak within me that I didn't know existed. In my heart, I know she's mine. She’s my Anima Partem. It’s written in the stars. I know that. She knows that. Every caster knows that.

  Then why am I so uneasy about this particular vision?

  The Divine is of a completely different world. One of purity, peace, and power. So would it be completely out of the question that they have their own destinies? This is a realm I know so little about and it frustrates me. Given that Scarlet’s mother is a Fallen, it can't be too far fetched. I have so many questions. About so many things.

  “Don't we all, lover boy.” Victoria says aloud. I forget her gift is being hypersensitive to mind reading and I raise an eyebrow, giving her a sideways glance, as I politely tell her to stay out of my head. With a snort, she snaps her fingers and her drink is refilled. She sips on it with a look on her face clearly stating she has a secret of her own.

  Scarlet giggles at her tipsy and surprising response, “Let’s go. I'm ready to kick some ass.” Strangely, it’s nice seeing her let loose. She’s been through enough. I know she’s the coven leader and that we should take her orders seriously whenever she gives them, but I think it’s okay for me to step in this time.

  “Why don't we get all the information we can tonight, meet for breakfast in the morning to discuss the plan and fill in Hunter and Owen, then we can kick some ass.” Thankfully she likes the sound of it and falls back onto the couch. Again she startles us by saying something that proves she’s still coherent under all the loopy liquid.

  “So, obviously, Victoria reads minds easily, I get visions, and Evan is a demon hunting god. But I don’t know yet what gifts you two and Owen have?” She asks Chloe and Oliver. Chloe slightly cringes at the question, then lets out the breath she is holding when Oliver starts to speak first.

  “Owen’s gift is thought projection. He can make anyone daydream or dream whatever he wants. My gift is being able to manipulate shadows. I can make them do anything, except kill.” He says, with a slightly egotistical smirk. Then he looks towards Chloe, and his smirk fades. He already knows what her gift is, it seems. Chloe chugs the rest of her drink and summons another one while she answers Scar.

  “I'm a medium. I can connect with the dead or feel if they have passed on to the Divine.” I'm not quite sure why she appears so grim about her gift. It’s a great one and can come in handy. Scarlet jumps out of her seat and falls directly in front of Chloe.

  “Charlie.” Scarlet whispers to her.

  “That is why Chloe is so grim about it.” Victoria mind speaks me. Again reminding me that I'm not fully alone in my own mind.

  “Scar, come on. Why don't we call it a night?” I try to distract her, but she has tunnel vision right now. Chloe nods her head to me and takes Scarlet’s hands in hers.

  “I already tried. I thought it would help to contact her while you were asleep for all that time. But it was as if she passed through to Paradise immediately.” Scarlet was not taking no for an answer.

  “Try again.” At this point Chloe looks like she doesn't know what to do. Should she listen to her friend, her coven leader? Or should she tell her no, for her own good?

  “Scar.” I try again.

  “No, Evan! I want to know for myself.” She says viciously. I take a step back and Scarlet takes Chloe's hands in hers again.

  “Come on, Chloe, please.” With a somber shake of her head, Chloe closes her eyes and instructs Scarlet to do the same. The lights flicker and the air gets cold, but only for a moment.

  “That’s weird.” Chloe mumbles. When she opens her eyes, the temperature returns to normal and Scarlet quickly retracts her hands.

  “What was that?” She asks, clearly spooked. Chloe clears her throat.

  “Well, when a loved one passes on to Paradise, I am usually filled with warmth and assurance in their passing. And I felt that when I first tried to contact Charlie. But now... Now it’s cold and empty. As if she’s no longer in Paradise. I’ve never felt that before.” She brings her hands up to her temples to massage them.

  “Okay. Let’s try again.”

  Shaking her shoulders and straightening her back, Chloe takes Scarlet’s hands and takes a deep breath. With her eyes closed, Scar follows and, just like before, the lights flicker. The temperature drops so low I can see my breath from the cold air. Seconds later, Chloe stands up, frustrated with herself.

  “I'm sorry, Scarlet. It’s not working. She’s not in limbo, she’s not in the inferno, and she’s not in Paradise. It’s as if she never existed.” Scarlet stands and puts her hand on Chloe's shoulder.

  “It’s alright. I'm sorry for pushing you to do it. It was wrong of me. Why don't we call it a night and get some sleep before our mission tomorrow. I had fun tonight.” I can tell what she said helped Chloe, but she still seems frazzled and befuddled. As I walk them out, I ask Victoria to make sure Chloe is okay. I haven't realized how ready I am to be alone with Scar until I close and lock the door.

  “Surprisingly, I'm not as bummed as I thought I would be. I know Charlie is gone. I guess I just wanted some closure. Chloe must be having an off night.” She says it like she’s trying to convince herself. I get why she wanted to try to contact her, but in many cases it only makes things worse. And I’m sure Chloe knows that.

  Scarlet could be right about Chloe being off, but maybe she just isn't meant to speak with Charlie. Chloe's gift can be bittersweet. Although it can be extremely beneficial to speak to the dead, I can only imagine how difficult it is for her to have to determine whether or not the person can handle the truths of the deceased.

  She looks to be an expert at her craft, but tonight it seemed as if she might have seen something. Something she’s never encountered before, even with her proficiency. That is what frightens me. Nothing can ever be simple for Scarlet or this coven.

  “It’s been a long day. I'm sure she’s just tired.” I try to support her, even though I'm partially glad it was unsuccessful.

  “I'm tired myself. But pretty excited about tomorrow. I'm hoping it’s going to be an easy mission, though. I probably should have trained once or twice before throwing myself into a covert mission. I just can’t sit here and continue to do nothing. Charlie's killers are still out there and I need to find them.” Her speech becomes more and more moderate as she lets out a loud and adorable yawn. I scoop her up and carry her the rest of the way to my bedroom.
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  “Tomorrow will be fine. The Light Coven will be untouchable in this mission. With you leading us, we’ll be invincible. For now, let’s go to bed and rest so we can wake up rejuvenated and ready to do some damage.” I watch her beautiful eyes as her blinking becomes slower and slower until, finally, they close.

  As I gently place her underneath the covers, I flick my wrist to cast her pj's on. Then cast the same for myself. As I get into bed I stare up at the ceiling with hundreds of thoughts running through my mind. I'm not tired. but I don't want to leave her side. With so many things filling my head, it’s nearly impossible to get comfortable and get some shuteye.

  What is clear, though, is how desolate the vision Scarlet had makes me feel. I simply think of the feather and will it to my fingers. When it lands in the palm of my hand, my turmoil increases. This feather brings me rage and jealousy. But at the same time, I feel undaunted and harmonious.

  Why would the divine try to contact Scarlet? And why did she feel so connected with that angel?

  I get so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't realize how late it is. I cast the feather away and attempt to get comfortable; just as I close my eyes, Scarlet twitches in her sleep. Turning onto my side to face her, I almost fall off of the bed when I see her eyes are wide open.

  “Scar?” I whisper hesitantly. She doesn't make a sound. It doesn't look like she’s breathing. When I lift my hand to touch her shoulder, I retract it back just as fast. Her body feels cold, like it does when she has a vision.

  Sitting up quickly, I realize she must be dream walking. Just like there are rules for sleep walkers, there are some for casters with gifts like Scar’s. I can’t interfere, or it can have consequences to her upon awakening. Unless I can feel she’s in danger. But by the looks of it, she appears serene. She looks fine.

  I continue to stare at her and tears begin to escape her eyes. Uncertain if they're tears of happiness or sadness, I decide it’s enough evidence of distress for me to intervene. I center my emotions and clear my mind as I focus on Scarlet and her mind.

  “Scar?” I try to connect our minds, which should be easy, since she’s my Anima Partem. But for some reason it’s a lot more difficult. There are barriers on her mind that shouldn’t be there. All at once I begin to panic. I start to slap myself so I can return to a lucid state.

  If I can concentrate hard enough, I should be able to enter her dream walk. I meditate and fall into the hypnotic trance; I feel a power trying to push me out, trying to keep us separated. Then, all of a sudden, Scarlet’s power pulls me in and, in the next second, I’m surrounded by darkness.

  “Scarlet?” I try again, but I get no response. There’s just darkness and silence. Trying to stay calm and hold my emotions together is nearly impossible because I'm feeding off Scarlet’s emotions, since it’s her mind I'm in. And right now I can feel she’s anything but calm. I blink my eyes a few times to try to get a sense of my surroundings and acclimate them to the darkness. When they do, I look down to see I'm standing on a dirt road.

  I step forward to walk in no particular direction. I hear the sound of leaves crunching beneath my feet as they crush from the pressure of my weight. I close my eyes to rely on my other senses to guide me in the direction where I can connect with Scarlet. I now know I'm somewhere outdoors. I feel the wind slightly picking up in speed as the temperature drops. The cool air causes goosebumps to rise on my skin.

  My mind begins to recollect how real dream walking feels. I haven't done this in over a century and it’s all coming back to me why I never liked doing it. I get a strong sense of remorse that Scarlet has to call this curse her caster gift. Stopping my inner thoughts is the strumming of a guitar.

  It sounds far and unreachable, so I stop walking and attempt to listen more intently. It isn't until I recognize the melody that it begins to sound closer and closer. Bach’s Bourree echoes through the cool night. It sounds so beautiful and enchanting that I'm beginning to feel subservient to it. Like I need it to live, to breathe.

  I don't ever want the sound to go away. The more I devote my love to the sound, the louder it gets, the closer it gets. It isn't until I'm standing in front of an enclosure that I realize where I am. To be back here is enough to snap me back to reality or, in this case, Scarlet’s brain pattern.

  I'm standing in front of Scarlet’s cave entrance, which beckons me to enter. I can feel hot electricity make its way down my spine and I have the strongest urge to run inside. The strumming of the guitar begins to pull me into the hypnotic trance again, but I can’t let my emotion towards this special place get to me.

  Taking a deep breath to clear my head, I step through the glamoured entrance. It looks deserted and glum. I haven't even considered how Scarlet would feel coming back here. Would she still feel as strongly linked to it as she did before the abduction? Is she aware that she’s here right now?

  I don't think her mind or her heart will let her believe this is real. Maybe that’s why she was crying in her sleep. The guitar continues its spellbinding harmony as I slowly creep deeper into the cave. But when I get to the door, the music stops and, for a second, I feel devastated that the beautiful tune has ceased.

  I push through the door to see Scarlet sleeping on the futon in the center of the room. She looks ethereal, like a goddess. She looks exactly like she did the night of her ceremonies. Her beauty is enough to put me into a deeper trance than the one I was in when the music was playing.

  “Scarlet.” I whisper numbly, as I cup my palm on her soft velvety cheek. As soon as I touch her, her eyes shoot open, startling me.

  “Evan?” She asks, confusion clear on her innocent face. As if she’s just waking up from a deep slumber, she looks around and takes in her surroundings. When she notices where we are, I see the panic rising in her eyes. But before she can completely freak out, the guitar strums the same alluring song. I watch Scarlet’s body gracefully relax back into a sleep state as I slowly try to find where the music is coming from. And when I do, rage completely takes over every inch of my being.

  Julian Jett sits in the shadows by the bookcase, looking menacing and ready to strike. The skylight casts shadows of the moving leaves across his face, making it seem like he isn't really there. But I know he is, and I want to pummel him into unconsciousness. He knows it’s coming though and all he has to do is say a single word to put me under his spell. As long as he is playing music, he can captivate anyone to his liking. He freezes me in my place as I try with all my might to make a move. As hard as I try to attack him or to say anything to cast me out of his enchantment, nothing works.

  “You are always trying to come between us and this is just unacceptable.” He says clearly. I can tell he is still enamored with Scar. That’s when I come to the realization what his weakness is. It’s her. He can stop me from speaking out loud, but he can’t stop me from mind speaking.

  “She is my Anima Partem, Julian. You will never have the pleasure of calling her yours. No matter how hard you try to trap her, the love we have for each other is too strong and will always defeat your treachery.” The more I talk about Scarlet and I together as one, the faster his strumming gets. I can tell I'm pushing him to his limit. And that’s what I want to achieve.

  “She may be your Anima Partem, but that means nothing to me. You see, I don't follow the laws of the Caster’s Council and I don't believe in their traditions. So your connection with her is nothing but a casualty. The sooner you're out of the picture, the sooner she’ll be mine. I see the game you're playing, Evan White. But I guarantee it won’t work. The Dark Coven is always two steps ahead and I will stop at nothing to get what I want. Scarlet will willingly be my bride.” He says it so cockily that I almost believe him as his words turn my blood to ice.

  “Over my dead body.” Is the last thing I can spit out before he gives me the last piece of his message.

  “That is being arranged. You'll find your answers in the same place where she lost herself.”

  Scarlet and I both wake
up trying to catch our breaths. She bursts into tears as the dream walk catches up to her, but I need her calm so we can discuss what occurred. As I cast tranquility into her, I decide I need it, too. The fury I feel in my soul is the strongest I’ve ever felt and it’s dangerous, for both of us.

  If I don't have a clear and calm head, we won’t be able to solve any of this. So as Scarlet and I let the cast work its magic, we lean back and try to figure it out with smooth clarity. Julian thinks he can break us. As we get calmer we realize he wants us to react through our emotions, and we vow not to let him get that pleasure. We spend the next few hours deciding what to do in the morning.

  We now know what our first mission is going to consist of. The answer to Julian's dumb riddle is the cave. We have to return to the cave if we want to catch the Dark Coven. I watch Scarlet go from pure panic to brave acceptance. She knows she’s going to have to face her former sanctuary and, as hard as that’s going to be, I can see she is ready.

  “As long as I have you, I can conquer the world.” She whispers, as she lets sleep take her again. This time, as I fall asleep with her, it’s me that dreams. I dream of Julian's death. And I can’t help but hope it’s a look into the future and not just a dream.

  Chapter 8

  Mission One

  I wake up feeling energized and eager to start the day. After the dreadful dream walk into Scarlet’s mind, I had my own satisfying dream of ending Julian's existence. It causes me to wake up defensively and ready to do exactly that. I see red whenever I think of him. And now that I know how easy it is for him to get into Scarlet’s mind and control her emotions, the more crucial it is to find him and finish him.

  Scarlet looks shaken, and I don't blame her. Before the dream walk, she was as eager as I was to get out there and get started on our first mission as a full coven. But now that she knows we have to return to the cave, her demeanor has completely changed. She rushed through our shower so she could prepare something for breakfast to calm her nerves. As I make my way downstairs, I hear her singing along to Be My Baby, and I know she was successful and I have my Scarlet back.