The Witch Prophecy

by Mary Goldberger

  Abella looked her in confusion as her mother asked, “You know about your father, right?”

  A look crossed Abella’s face as she turned to her father, “Yes, you were a witch hunter until you met and fall in love with mom.”

  “I still was a hunter, Abella, even after our marriage,” he told her softly. “Can you accept that I was a hunter?”

  Abella looked at him in shock before she told him sincerely, “I knew, dad, that you were more different than what you showed me. I was hurt to know that you were a witch hunter, but accepted that it was what made you meet mom so if you hadn’t been a witch hunter than you wouldn’t have met mom.”

  He smiled at her pride beaming in his eyes as her mother asked in a soft voice, “Can you accept the fact that the blood of a hunter runs through you as well that of a witch?”

  Abella’s face changed at this question and her eyes sparkled with tears as she asked, “Can I accept that knowing what a hunter does no matter what type of hunter it is?”

  “Oh, honey,” her mother said wanting to reach out and hug her, and she turned her eyes to Abella’s father whose own eyes were glazed with tears.

  “Abella, sweetie, listen to me,” he began. “A hunter can be anyone even those with no skills, but a true hunter knows when to back down to go with their instincts. I may have been a witch hunter, but I never hurt any witch unless I knew that there was no other choice. It was one of the reasons that although I was considered the best, I was also considered a liability.”

  Abella looked at him in astonishment when understanding dawned. “You didn’t follow their rules without question.”

  Her father smiled shaking his head as he answered. “When I was younger, maybe I did to a certain extent, but even then I questioned certain things which led me to believe that not all individuals who carried the blood of a witch were evil. I made sure to do my research and investigate before I made any other judgments of someone who was labeled a witch.”

  He reached out a hand to her letting it hover for a second before he continued, “Being a hunter is based on the person and who they want to protect. Wester only wants the power that he gets from being the best witch hunter as did my father and his grandfather. I just wanted to protect my family from what could harm them and later after I met your mom and we had you, I wanted to protect you from the same individuals that I had spent the early years of my life protecting.”

  As understanding dawned on Abella, her eyes glowed with power and her mother smiled her eyes shining with relief.

  “You have accepted it,” her mother stated getting a smile from her father before turning back Abella. “Abella, now you need to use that and concentrate on one person, the person who you want to see the most.”

  “But…” Abella started shaking her head only to stop when her mom put up a hand.

  “By accepting both your witch blood and hunter blood, you can control your gift,” her mother told her glancing over her shoulder once as a look of fear crossed her face. “You will still need help and this time I will help you, but it will be the last time that your father and I can help you, honey.”

  “Mom, Dad,” Abella said tears sliding down her cheeks.

  “We will always be with you, sweetie, remember that,” her father said.

  “Concentrate, Abella, the blue flame is almost out because of your weaken conditioned,” her mother said urgently.

  Abella took a deep breath flinching as the pain sliced through her and she looked at her mother in surprise as her mother nodded her head.

  She closed her eyes and focused on the person she wanted to see the one that she felt safe with even though he could hurt her more than anyone else has, and as she focused Caden came in to view.

  He was talking with Timothy and Jessa as they walked out of a room, and she said his name on a sigh, “Caden.”

  The room began to spin and she could feel the presence of her parents slip away but she stayed focus on Caden until suddenly she couldn’t think anymore, and her body went limp as her mind lost consciousness although its last thought was of Caden.

  Chapter 27

  The door opened just as Abella lost consciousness and her capturer laughed as she hung limply from the chains still holding her up. He started toward her when suddenly her body began to glow before it disappeared altogether.

  “Boss, what just…” his men said behind him fear running through their voice.

  “Shut up,” he shouted his own fear leaking into his voice which his men sensed as they eased out of the room. Wester didn’t pay attention to the men behind him as he tried to understand what just happened. “She shouldn’t have been able to move much less vanish from the room. Where did she go?”

  Thinking that she didn’t go far, he turned and hurried from the room calling, “Check the grounds. She couldn’t have gone far.”

  The men nodded their head although many looked at each other before they hurried out. They all had the same thing on their minds as how did she just vanish like that? The poison that they were coating the whip with should have weakened her witch powers so where did she get the power to do what she just did?

  They searched the area around the warehouse where they had kept her even going into the town that was forty miles away, but there was no clue to where she disappeared to.

  Caden, Jessa and Timothy had just finished up some work in the office and were heading up to their rooms as Caden thought about Cicely’s words when suddenly he heard his named called, “Caden.”

  He turned a scowl on his face thinking it was Jenna when he stopped as Abella appeared in front of him her eyes opening wide as she said much clear, “Caden!” before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed.

  Caden reached forward and managed to catch her in time before she hit the floor.

  He saw the bruises on her face and his jaw clenched as he lifted her gingerly into his arms. She flinched as his arms closed around her bare back and he tilted her slightly, but before he could see anything Jessa gasped and paled.

  “Caden look at her back,” she whispered, and Timothy saw what his mate had seen first.

  “I will call Dr. Olsen,” Timothy said his face pale as fury darkened his eyes.

  Caden nodded his head black eyes pitch dark in his pale face unable to see her back, but he knew it had to be awful from the looks on Jessa and Timothy’s face.

  “Call Jed and Cicely too,” he told him shortly as he started up the attic stairs as Jessa without having to be told opened the door for him.

  Timothy didn’t waste time as used the pack link to call Dr. Olsen rushing towards the rooms that Jed and Cicely had been given for their use.

  Caden walked over to the bed putting her down slowly but as soon as her back touched the sheet, she arched up against him. Caden swore underneath his breath before he asked Jessa, “Help me turn her over.”

  Jessa nodded her head as she positioned herself on the other side of Abella and they gently turned her over so that her back was fully exposed, but even then she cried out in pain.

  “Damn it,” Caden swore not knowing what to do because no matter how they laid her she was in pain.

  “What did they do to her?” Jessa whispered mournfully looking at her friend’s back where you could see old and new wounds. Abella’s back was a mess with raw flesh and dry blood, and she looked up to see Caden staring down at Abella with rage in his eyes. His hand shook as he reached out a hand to touch her hair eliciting a tiny moan from Abella causing her to jerk slightly with pain.

  Even though she was unconscious tears rolled down her cheeks and Caden felt his wolf howl in anger wanting to find her tormentors and tear them into sheds, but he knew that right now what Abella needed most was his human half.

  Caden let his eyes rove over taking in her bruised and damaged form as the door opened and the others rushed in.

  “Dr. Olsen,” Caden said as they hurried over to the bed.

  “I have some ointment that we can use on the welt
s,” Dr. Olsen told them as he knelt down next to her on the bed. He shook his head at the marks on her back as Jed and Cicely stood near the bed both of their faces blank although both of their eyes were shadowed in fury.

  Jessa came back with the bowl of water and asked as she started wiping off the excess and dried blood, “Why would they do this to her?”

  Dr. Olsen glanced up at her question before his attention was diverted when Cicely remarked quietly, “We may need to do a healing spell because I think she may have some broken bones.”

  Everyone turned to look at her but her eyes were unfocused fixed on Abella. “I think she may have a broken rib,” she continued.

  “Again,” Dr. Olsen murmured turning back to Abella watching as she moaned each time Jessa wiped her back even though she was being as gentle as possible.

  “We need to get her out of those clothes,” Jed said in a controlled voice.

  Jessa put aside the washcloth as she said, “I will go get her something to wear from my room.”

  Caden walked over to his dresser and grabbed a clean shirt from the top drawer tossing it to Jessa who caught it with a stunned look on her face. “Let her wear that,” Caden told her in a tight voice.

  Cicely sat down as Jessa got up and picked up the washcloth murmuring as the washcloth touched Abella’s damaged back.

  “Caden,” Timothy said running up the stairs.

  Caden didn’t glance away from Abella as he said, “What is it?”

  Timothy flinched at his tone of voice but he didn’t begrudge his worry about the woman lying on the bed as he told him, “There is a problem on the northern border. The patrol spotted rogues in the woods.”

  Caden’s head slowly turned to him and he scowled heavily but before he could say anything Jed intervened.

  “Go take care of the pack,” he advised him. “We will take care of Abella until you return.”

  Caden’s scowl deepened but he nodded his head slowly his eyes caressing Abella’s prone form before he turned to Timothy with stormy dark eyes.

  “Let’s go,” he said his voice rough with emotion, and Timothy looked at Jessa before he followed him down the stairs.

  Jessa watched them leave before she turned back to the bed with Caden’s shirt still clutched in her hands.

  “Jessa,” Cicely said quietly looking up from her ministrations and Jessa nodded her head walking back over to the bed.

  “Will the ointment help at all?” Dr. Olsen asked as Cicely and Jessa positioned themselves on either side of Abella.

  “It will,” Jed promised giving him a small smile before returning his attention back to Abella.

  Dr. Olsen watched them for a few minutes before he shook his head slowly and left the room.

  “How is she truly?” Jed asked walking over to stand behind Cicely as she continued wiping her back Jessa sitting on the opposite side smoothing Abella’s hair when she flinched.

  Cicely hesitated briefly to glance up at him and Jed watched a smile cross her face telling him without words that Abella was going to be fine.

  “Physically her body will need time to heal and she is drained of all her energy, but I sense a sort of peace from her,” Cicely told him. “I think she finally came to terms with who she is.”

  Jed looked at her with narrowed eyes before understanding finally dawned on him and he said in astonishment, “I didn’t think…”

  Cicely shook her head looking back down at the woman on the bed and she was about to say something when suddenly she noticed an odor coming from the wounds on her back. Her eyes narrowed when she recognized it and she said in a harsh tone, “That bastard!”

  “What is it?” Jed asked in a worried voice as Jessa looked at her in alarm.

  Cicely answered as she wrung out the towel and stood up. “The whip they used was coated with a poison that weakens witches powers. How they learned about, I wonder because it isn’t widely known and very few witches even know of its existence.”

  Jed’s eyes became mere slits in his face as he listened to Cicely. The poison she was talking about was discovered almost a century ago but as how to cure it was unknown so it was kept as a secret. He wondered how someone found out about it and was thinking about it when Cicely interrupted his thoughts.

  “Whoever made this concoction didn’t have all the ingredients so it is weaker than it would’ve been otherwise,” she told him.

  “Can you cure her?” He asked looking over her shoulder at Abella.

  Cicely nodded her head slowly. “Abella has done a good job of protecting herself, but she didn’t know about the poison so her body is healing slower than normal. I can heal her but she will be out for at least two days until her full strength returns.”

  “What can I do?” Jessa asked as Cicely stood up after her statement.

  “I need to go back to my sanctuary for some things,” she said quietly as Jessa picked back up the washcloth.

  “Help Jessa change Abella and I will go with you,” he told her nodding at Jessa before turning on his heel and leaving the room.

  “Let’s get her clothes off and finish washing her down first,” Cicely said as Jessa nodded her head.

  They worked together silently as Cicely lifted Abella so Jessa could remove the torn shirt including the sports bra that was merely held on her by thin straps. Both ladies flinched as Abella let out a soft moan but they continued removing her clothes and washing her down. They eased the t-shirt over her head and let it fall down settling around her hips both noting that once the material draped her body, she seemed to relax.

  “Lay her on her side,” Cicely said softly as Jessa gave her an astonished look. As they shifted Abella on her side, Cicely explained, “Abella probably senses who’s shirt this belongs to and it is making her feel safe.”

  “Is that possible?” Jessa asked quietly after they had laid Abella on her side and Cicely hovered her hands over Abella for a few minutes mumbling under her breathe words that Jessa couldn’t quite make out.

  “I only helped to mend the broken rib as best as I could but she will still need time for it to heal,” she told Jessa after she stopped mumbling as the door opened again.

  Dr. Olsen came into the room as Jessa pulled the cover over her, and Cicely said, “I need to go get the herbs so I can make a medicine to draw out the poison.”

  Jessa nodded her head as Dr. Olsen said, “What poison?”

  He held a jar of ointment in his hands and Cicely walked over to take it from him before saying, “I will take this with me if it is okay with you, doctor?”

  Dr. Olsen was confused but he nodded his head at her before saying, “Can I offer my services?”

  Cicely hesitated for a second before she nodded her head and walked out of the room. Dr. Olsen shook his head before giving a nod to Jessa and followed after her.

  Jessa listened as their footsteps echoed down the staircase before the door closed behind them. She turned her attention back to Abella whose breathing had finally evened a little since she showed up at the house.

  Her dark hair hung past her shoulders and in need of a good washing but Jessa knew that it would have to wait. She shook her head as she murmured, “You seem to attract trouble, Abella.”

  She shook her head again before getting up from the bed and heading out of the room. At the door, she hesitated for a second before she locked the door behind her and headed for the first floor. She barely made to the stairs when Jenna caught up with her.

  “I heard Caden left to deal with rogues,” Jenna said as Jessa started down the stairs.

  “He did,” Jessa confirmed not saying another word her mind still on her friend and hoping that she would be all right.

  “Maybe I should make sure that he has a good meal when he returns,” Jenna said thoughtfully and Jessa grimaced slightly as they separated at the bottom of the stairs.

  “Anything you make may kill him instead,” she murmured as Jenna disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.

  She sighed throwi
ng a narrowed look in the direction Jenna went before she walked out on to the front porch watching as the sun began to sink down and she recalled Cicely’s words about Abella being able to sense that the shirt belonged to Caden. She shook her head before she started to understand what her words meant earlier that day, and she turned to the door her mind already going through the rooms and which one could accommodate Abella better.

  An hour later, she was in the room she thought would be perfect for Abella’s use getting it ready when Timothy sent a message through the pack link informing them of their return.

  She made it to the door just as it opened letting in Timothy, Javier, and few others from their patrol with Caden being the last one to enter.

  “We didn’t find anything,” Timothy told her giving her a peck on the cheek.

  She frowned at the news watching Caden nod to them before he hurried up the stairs and she said via their link Abella is sleeping.

  Thank you was his only response back as he disappeared up the stairs.

  Jenna walked out of the kitchen and Timothy looked at her with narrowed eyes although he didn’t say a word as he turned to the others and told them, “Go get some rest.”

  “Where is Caden? I made him something to eat,” Jenna said with a smile which all the men ignored as they headed to their rooms.

  She frowned at their reaction before turning to Timothy and said with a disdain, “Where is your Alpha?”

  “He already went to his room,” Timothy said without giving her another look.

  He turned Jessa as they walked away and headed for the office, and she asked him, “Did they leave before you got there?”

  Timothy nodded his head as he told her quietly, “Caden thinks they had been there for some time watching the pack for what purpose he doesn’t know, and he isn’t too happy about that fact.”

  Jessa sighed in frustration before saying, “Now the added frustration of what was done to Abella.”

  Timothy nodded his head and as they entered the office, he murmured, “That’s why we need to help him find out who was spying on our pack.”