“He can be slower to connect sometimes. That’s okay, he’ll come around,” Jeremy said.
“So who were they, exactly?” she asked. “And where was I?”
“They’re our Gods,” Claire said. “Two of them, at least. And you were in a kind of middle place. There are a lot of different places like that, and you can meet all kinds of things.”
“Things?” Emily asked.
“Gods, spirits, elementals, fae, all kinds of beings,” Jeremy chimed in. “There is so much in this world that you haven’t experienced Emily. Just wait.”
Allison had just taken a bite and spoke through her chewing. “It isn’t just spells and powers and magic,” Allison said. “You are going to find yourself in a completely different world. Once you’re connected to the earth and the other realms, which is what happened tonight during your initiation, you’re open to every other kind of energy that’s out there. It’s so fucking wild, dude.” She smiled and licked her fingers.
Jeremy took a sip of wine and his lips were faintly purple. “Even on this realm- this plane we are sitting in right now in this room. Just like most people live among witches without ever knowing, there are a lot of other things out there that walk among us.”
“So am I going to see things now? What do you mean?” Emily asked.
“It is different for everyone, so we can’t really tell you how it is going to be for you,” Claire said.
“Most of the time it is a slow change. But you’re in now, and some of it is just learning about what exists and how we all coexist together.”
“You already had something going on though, before initiation,” Jeremy said. “So things happen change quickly for you. Just be patient and aware. We have a lot to teach you.”
Emily looked at her plate and reached for another cracker, she stopped and turned her hand over to look at her palm, and it looked normal. No sign of a wound. She ran her finger along the lines on her palm and felt nothing out of the ordinary. “So what other things live among us besides witches?”
They all smiled at her and exchanged glances.
“You’ll see,” Jeremy said. “One thing at a time. Let’s just savor tonight and the fact that you’re one of us now.”
Claire headed upstairs to use the bathroom and Jeremy stopped her in the hallway.
“Hey, come in here,” he said, pulling her into his bedroom and closing the door behind them. “You know I am all about you two coupling up. But you can’t get distracted like that during a ritual.”
Claire rolled her eyes. “What are you talking about?” she asked.
He raised his eyebrows at her and said nothing.
She scoffed. “That is one of the reasons I don’t think romantic partners should be in covens together.”
Jeremy looked surprised. “I guess if you can’t push that stuff aside, maybe it wouldn’t work.” His voice sounded serious, but he was smiling at Claire.
“I did just fine,” she said. “There aren’t any other times I’ll have to do that to her again, so it doesn’t matter anyway. Your throat clearing did more to ruin the moment than my mind wandering did.”
“Dude, you were like feeling her up. You didn’t need to focus on her chest so much.”
Claire blushed. “I guess I did get lost for a moment.”
“I don’t think she minded,” Jeremy said. “But if you aren’t going to give it a chance with her, maybe don’t tease her like that.”
“What do you mean?” Claire asked. “I wasn’t teasing her.”
“Maybe you didn’t mean to. But she has feelings for you, and if you’re going to get lost like that, you should probably follow through.” He turned around and left the room, leaving the door open behind him.
Claire didn’t want to admit that he was right. She was completely distracted during the ritual. She never had a hard time staying focused in circle. She had never been distracted by anyone’s body before. She had never experienced the urges that she had as she touched Emily’s body. Maybe she was going to have to rethink her rules about relationships in the coven. She didn’t know if she was going to focus in circle with Emily if she wasn’t going to be able to act on these urges. She was going to have to come up with a plan.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
“SO HAVE YOU told her, or am I going to have to?” Christopher asked.
“I told her,” Karen sighed. “That's why I’m calling you. To tell you that I told her.”
“And how did it go?” Chris asked, sounding pleasantly surprised.
Karen held back her irritation. He knew how it went. “How do you think it went, Chris?”
“Well you shouldn’t have meddled Karen.”
“At least I tried to do something. What have you done for her?”
“I support her. I listen to her. I don’t abandon her by moving to another country," he said.
“I have my own life to lead and I try to make the best decision possible at the time. I can’t please everyone. Especially not you.” Karen was tired of having the same conversation over and over with him.
Chris rolled his eyes. “When did you tell her?”
“Just the other day. She doesn’t want to talk to me now.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” Chris paced back and forth in his kitchen, feeling helpless.
“I need to do something," she said. “I think she is in danger.”
“You have got to be kidding me,” Chris said.
“There are people being murdered. Haven’t you heard about it?” she asked.
“Yes, of course I have. But Karen, this isn’t some little town in Ireland. Unfortunately people are killed sometimes. That doesn’t mean Emily is in danger.”
“But they are killing people she knows. They're killing people she is connected to.”
“What do you mean people she is connected to? Is she in a gang or something?”
“No! She isn’t in a gang!" She stopped and thought about how much she should tell him. She didn’t know how much he already knew, and she didn’t want Emily to get mad at her for meddling again. “Has she not told you about these new friends she has made?”
“Yes, she has. A little. What about them?” he asked nervously.
“They practice magic. Okay? And the murderers are killing people who practice magic.”
“She's practicing magic?” Chris stopped in his tracks and put his hand to his forehead. “Did you get her into this too?”
“No! I didn’t have anything to do with it." She paused and remembered her conversation about the dreams she was having. “Well, maybe I suggested she look into her dreams but..."
“The dreams she was having because of you! This is all on you!” His voice was getting angrier, and it sounded like he was about to hang up on her again.
“But she had the dreams before. I didn’t do anything to give her this ability.”
“Ability? They were taking over her life.”
“But they are visions, Christopher. I didn’t see it when she was little, but now it’s so obvious.” Karen was struggling to keep up with the conversation. She was getting sidetracked. “Listen, please. This was just a part of her, like it was a part of me. It's just finally coming out.”
“Because of what you did.”
“Maybe. Maybe not," she said. “But what’s done is done. And now we just need to focus on keeping her safe.”
“We!?” Chris laughed. “We aren’t going to do anything. I am going to continue to focus on having a good relationship with my daughter. And you are going to do whatever the hell you want, just like always.”
“But you are there with her, can you check in on her and make sure she is okay? Maybe she could stay with you?” she pleaded.
“You need to mind your own business and leave us alone. You've done enough," he said.
“But please.”
“Stop," he interrupted her. “I am finished with this conversation. Thank you for being an adult and telling her yourself. Now leave her alone and let her li
ve her own life.”
The line disconnected. Upset, she put the phone down and looked out her kitchen window. She thought about how far she was from her daughter, and wondered what she could do to help keep her safe. She had unwittingly put a target on her daughter when she had only been trying to help her. She had no idea things were going to go like this. How could she have known? She was terrified. She knew she had made mistakes in her life, but she always tried to do what was best. Perhaps sometimes what had been best for her hadn’t been best for Emily.
Karen picked her phone back up and called Emily. There was no answer. She sighed. She was too far away. She opened an internet browser and she found the most affordable plane ticket. She booked the flight and went to pack a bag.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
THE RADIO PLAYED in the kitchen as the coven drank coffee, ate breakfast, and read on the first floor of the covenstead. The cold wind outside rattled the windows, add added to the feeling of isolation that was brewing inside the house.
“Allison, can you please pick up your underwear?” Tanner said. “None of us feel like stepping over it every time we have to walk into the kitchen.”
“Sure thing, Dad,” Allison said. She walked over and bent down to pick it up. “Can you at least admire the beauty of it?” She held it up to her hips and strutted across the room. “This is one of my nicest pairs.”
“Then you should take better care of it,” Tanner said, rolling his eyes.
“Mmhmm. You know you like it,” Allison mumbled.
Tanner stopped and turned around, glaring at Allison. “You need to stop. Now.”
“Calm down, man. I just think a little fantasizing or something would be good for you.”
“Mind your own business, Allison,” he replied.
“You need to relax,” she said. “And get laid,” she muttered under her breath.
“Allison!” Olivia gasped.
“I am so sick and tired of your constant comments,” Tanner exclaimed. “Not everyone is a pervert like you are.”
“You guys, come on,” Jeremy said calmly, trying to end the argument.
Tanner and Allison ignored him.
“I'm not a pervert,” Allison replied. “I just have a sex drive. Which is much more than you can say for yourself.”
“Fucking shut up!” Claire yelled at Allison. “Can you drop it?”
Tanner’s mouth turned into a tight frown and he approached Allison quickly. “What is with your obsession with my sexuality?” he asked. “Why do you fucking care so much?”
Allison took a deep breath. “Dude, I don’t care about your sexuality. I just think you're a little uptight, and a good lay would do wonders for your personality.”
“You guys,” Olivia said. “They are talking about the killers on the radio.”
He pointed his finger at her and pressed it against her chest. “Mind. Your. Own. Fucking. Business,” he said. “And don’t say another word to me.”
“Whoa dude, calm down.” Allison put her hands up to surrender.
“You GUYS!” Claire shouted. “Shut up!” She turned up the radio.
Police have announced that they have two suspects in custody for the murders and attempted murder in Minneapolis. A man and a woman were taken in for questioning and confessed to the crimes. The metro area has been on edge over the past few weeks as the police searched for clues and shared no leads with the media or the public. The city can finally rest easy now that the suspects are off of the streets. We will share information on the suspects, the charges, and the trial as we learn more.
Allison threw her hands in the air. “Well that is fantastic. I’m outta here.”
“Wait a minute,” Claire said. “We don’t know that they are really the killers.”
“They confessed,” Allison said. “And as much as I love you guys, I can’t stand being cooped up in this house with you people anymore.” Her eyes darted around the room, looking for her belongings that were scattered throughout the house. She started packing up her backpack.
“Yeah,” Tanner said. “That’s all the info I need. I’m going to go home too.”
Olivia quietly stood up and walked towards her bag.
“You too?” Claire asked.
Olivia looked at Claire apologetically and shrugged. “We can’t stay here forever, Claire,” she said. “I think we can trust that things are safe now.”
Claire looked at Jeremy and back at the rest of them. “Last time we relaxed and let our guard down, Jeremy was almost killed.”
“But they actually caught someone this time, Claire,” Jeremy said. He walked over and put his arm around her. “It isn’t like before.”
Claire looked at Emily pleadingly. “What do you think?” she asked her.
Emily frowned. “I think I agree with everyone." She saw Claire’s expression turn cold, and she immediately felt horrible. She wanted to elaborate. “If this isn’t enough news to let us finally relax, what would be?”
“I-I don’t know,” Claire stuttered. “It just seems too sudden.”
Jeremy rubbed Claire’s arms and pulled her in for a hug. “I think we could all use a little break from each other. And I think we are finally safe.”
“Yeah. I mean we were all here to avoid being murdered, but if we stay here any longer I think we’ll murder each other,” Allison said.
Olivia chuckled as she folded her blanked and pushed it into her bag.
“It hasn’t been that bad you guys,” Claire said. “What if it’s not even the real killers in custody?”
The five of them looked at her curiously and said nothing.
“Whatever,” she said. “It’s your choice. I can’t make you stay," she walked up to her bedroom and closed the door.
Jeremy smiled and sat down on the couch. “She’ll be fine,” he said. “She’ll realize that this is for the best.”
The group quickly packed up all of their things and left the house one by one. Emily was the last to go. She pet Eli and gently guided him into his carrier.
Jeremy smiled at her. “It was nice havin’ ya,” he said.
Emily let out a long sigh. “Yeah,” she said. “It was nice staying for a while," she looked up the stairs towards Claire’s bedroom.
“Don’t worry about her,” he said. “She just gets anxious sometimes and over reacts.”
“Maybe she isn’t overreacting,” Emily said.
Jeremy raised his eyebrows. “Maybe,” he said. “But I think you were right about what you said. If this doesn’t let us go back to normal, what will?”
Emily nodded. “Okay, then,” she said. “I’ll talk to you later, I guess.” They hugged and said goodbye. She wished she could have said goodbye to Claire.
Emily carried her bag in one hand and Eli in the other as she walked outside. She wondered if she should have asked for Jeremy or Claire to come to her apartment with her. She hadn’t been back since her door had been vandalized, and she still felt uneasy about going home. She sat in her car and took a deep breath. You’re safe now, she thought. She didn’t believe herself.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
EMILY UNLOCKED HER front door and carried her bags inside. She opened Eli’s kennel and he ran into the living room. He seemed relieved to be home, but Emily was nervous. She knew that they weren’t going to be coming back for her, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still wrong. Maybe it was the initiation. Everything felt just slightly different now, and Claire had told her there would be some new things she would have to get used to. Maybe it was just that.
“You’re safe now," she said to herself out loud. “They aren’t coming back for you anymore.” There was a knock at her door and she jumped. “Fuck." She walked to the front door and nervously looked through the peephole. She saw a delivery man standing in the hallway. Feeling silly, she sighed and opened the door.
“Hello!” The delivery man greeted her with a smile.
“Hi.”
“You have a package h
ere. I tried buzzing but-”
“Oh, yeah," she cut him off, “The buzzer is broken right now." She took the small package from him. “Thanks." She smiled politely and closed the door, locking it immediately. She took a deep breath and reminded herself again to relax. Eli got comfortable on the couch and started bathing himself.
“Well you’re right back at home, aren’t you?” she said.
He looked at her and meowed.
She brought her bags into her small bedroom and began unpacking. She tried to make sense of the various emotions she was feeling. She was relieved to be home. She needed her own space again, and she valued the home she had created. She usually felt safe there, but that feeling had vanished after the attempted break in. Even so, it felt good to put her things back where they belonged. She would feel safe again soon, she thought. But she missed Claire. She had grown used to seeing her every day for the short amount of time she stayed at the covenstead, and she felt like perhaps they were becoming closer. Although it was probably best that she returned home when she did. Even though the dreams about her had been absent while she stayed at the house, she was finding it increasingly difficult to suppress her feelings for Claire. Maybe a break from Claire would do her good. She plugged her phone in on her nightstand, and noticed two missed calls from her mother. She bit her lip and shook her head. She wasn’t ready to tackle the issue with her mom yet. She hadn’t even decided how she felt about it or if she wanted to try and forgive her. Emily showered and changed into a pair of sweats and a baggy shirt. She relaxed on the couch with Eli and before she realized how tired she was, she was asleep.
Emily smelled smoke and she opened her eyes. She was immediately alert as she sat up and realized that she was no longer at home. She looked around and didn’t recognize anything she saw. She was in some large, abandoned building. The ceilings were over twenty feet high, and beams from the ceiling lay scattered on the dirty wooden floor. The air smelled sour and damp, and the cold wind blew a smell of burning wood through the room she stood in. As her eyes adjusted to the moonlight, she saw a broken basketball hoop on the floor near the farthest wall. She was in a gym. This was definitely a new dream, and an unfamiliar feeling of terror filled her gut as she heard Claire’s voice scream her name. The sound echoed all around her and she couldn’t tell which direction it came from. She noticed dark smoke in the far hallway outside of the gym and she ran towards it. The rooms blurred together as more and more smoke filled the hallway.
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