I knew that, but hearing her say it didn’t make it hurt any less. They were right. Most days, I was a hairpin trigger looking for a gun. Half-demon and half-witch, what could be more wicked than that? Oh yeah, I was also part werewolf. Good Goddess, I was a mess!
“However, we also know that you are Keith’s soul-mate.” I looked at Katherine and she smiled. “My son will guide you through the changes you are about to face. He will show you how to embrace your inner wolf and that will also teach you to control each individual side of you. But we have no idea when your transformation will begin. And for now, we need to deal with your powers and Samell’s schemes without counting on you being able to shift.”
“Your powers will be bound to your crystal for a probationary period. Whether you choose to help Samell or not, is up to you. He may be able to offer you a way to regain your powers, the choice will be yours. Only you can decide how all of this will end” my mother said.
“I won’t do what he asks. He is nothing to me. I don’t owe him my allegiance. He created this mess that I’ve become and maybe he should suffer my wrath.”
“Selena, there are no guarantees and you cannot promise something that you may not have any control over. Demons will use every trick in the book and you wouldn’t be the first to fall for it” my aunt looked at my mother.
“You don’t believe me. I’m not like him, Aunt Katharine. Sure, by blood he and I are somewhat connected, but that gives me an edge. I see how vile and disgusting they are. I want nothing to do with them or their plans.”
Elizabeth continued on, “The murder charges will be thoroughly investigated and we will rule upon those at a later date if necessary. For now, I need you to show us your crystal.”
I pulled it out from under the collar of my robe and held onto it for dear life. Though I’d known all along this could happen, though I had given up on the craft for a while, I stood there feeling like shit for having my powers taken from me, like a child who was about to have all of her precious belongings stripped from her grasp because she’d misbehaved. Sure, my powers weren’t toys, but I needed them. I refused to cry in front of these people, family or not. I would figure out how to live without my magic, find a way to defeat the demons without them.
I heard my mother’s voice in my mind, “I’m so sorry, Selena.” I saw tears in her eyes and I met them with all of the strength I could muster.
Holding my head high and my chin forward, I knew they were taking my powers but at least I hadn’t been condemned to that awful dungeon. I vowed I would never again disappoint my mother. Never again did I want to see that look on her face. From now on, I wouldn’t let anyone down ever again.
“Do what you must” I said as I let go of the crystal and it lay against the lapels of my robe.
The three of them, my mother, my aunt and my future mother-in-law stood and joined hands in front of me.
My aunt spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “Selena Barnes, daughter of Elena and Samell, you have been found guilty as charged. Your misuse of magic has endangered not only yourself, but all of us. We, the Council of Elders, hereby bind your powers so that you may never harm another living creature. Should you try to regain your powers, you will be brought back here to the dungeons to live out the rest of your days. Do you understand?”
“Yes ma’am. I mean ma’ams.”
My mother wiped a tear away with the sleeve of her sky blue dress. She looked so beautiful and I wished we had had more time together. Time that wasn’t spent with me getting my ass handed to me by Summerland authorities.
Aunt Elizabeth called upon Isis, the goddess of nature and magic. The blessing of Isis was a necessity for any spell cast by a witch. Without such blessing, a witch ran the risk of unnecessary karmic kick-back. If a witch used magic without permission, the consequences were dire. In essence Isis was called upon for guidance and help in all matters whenever any witch needed assistance. She was our counselor, friend and confidante. If we said thank you and praised her, she would continue to be there for whatever we needed. I hoped someday I would find myself back in Isis’s favor. Until then, I would remain on her list of misfit and problematic children.
A strong wind blew out every candle in the room and papers flew all around us. The people in the galley yelled out and there were a few screams as an unseen force entered the room. There were no windows, no sun or moon yet the room lit with every color of the rainbow. Swirls of pastel beams shot out of my body, hovered around the ceiling and combined to make the most brilliant green light I had ever seen. The beam of light bounced around as if confused before slamming into my crystal with enough force to drop me to my knees. Chaos continued all around us as I knelt on the floor panting and gasping, it felt like my very soul was being ripped from my body.
“I’m so sorry!” I wept. “I promise I’ll never mess up again, please just stop!”
The three elders raised their arms to the ceiling and in unison shouted, “So it is. So shall it be!”
I collapsed to the floor full of shame and regret as Katherine approached me and said, “Selena, you will be okay. I promise. This is for the best, dear.” She touched my face before walking away.
For the best? I was about to be pounced on by three demons who wanted my crystal like it was demon meth or something and I was powerless to stop them. These elders had done exactly what those demonic assholes wanted. Now, I would be bait for Roberta, Shawn, Samell and any other demon with a set of balls. Yeah, everything was going to be just damn peachy!
“You will be taken to a room to rest for a bit. Soon, an escort will arrive to take you back to Salem Ridge. I wish we had met under better circumstances, niece. You’re a beautiful, strong woman and I wish you the best of luck.”
The three of them hugged me and my mother whispered ‘I love you, Selena. Trust yourself. The answers are within you. Be safe.”
Hugs and words to placate my broken spirit were all I was given. Not the loving and tender family reunion I had envisioned. What a freaking crock! Weary and beyond exhausted, all I wanted was to go home to Salem Ridge. I needed to get as far away from these people as soon as possible, back to my life and back to my real family.
A new young woman came to lead me away by the hand. I was too depleted of energy to say a word. I reached up to hold my crystal for comfort and it felt repulsive. I couldn’t stand to touch it and I didn’t even want it around my neck. Whatever the binding ceremony had done had changed it. My lifeline to the universe had been severed and it sickened me.
“You must leave it on” the woman said as I attempted to lift it off of my neck. Her eyes held sympathy and I realized that she also had been bound by the Council. “It isn’t so bad, really. You’ll get used to it.”
I really didn’t believe her. She knew nothing about me and I wasn’t there to make friends, sympathetic or not. Her words were useless on me. We weren’t the same and who did she think she was, telling me I would get used to it? Never. Besides, it wasn’t like she had a herd of demonic jerks coming for her or her miniscule abilities. She had no idea what I was going through.
The woman opened yet another wooden door and gestured for me to step inside. “Brightest blessings, Selena. May the Goddess be with you.” She shut the door, leaving me before I could come at her with a snarky comment.
“Same to you” I said to the closed door.
I sat down on a lemon-yellow chaise that reminded me of my hunk of junk Beetle that only a few days prior I had smashed into nothingness. The sight of that simple chaise stabbed my already wounded emotional state and I kicked the ugly piece of furniture as hard as I could. That went well since I wasn’t wearing any shoes!
“Goddess! I’m an idiot!”
I sat on the floor and rubbed my injured foot as I stared at the rosy carpet and walls. I felt so different. Anger and defeat soon diminished and my spirit, though not quite carefree, was a bit lighter somehow and I didn’t understand it. With no idea what I would do when the demons came for me, I kn
ew I had no choice except to let things happen as they would. I wasn’t in control anymore, if I’d ever been to begin with.
My mother’s parting words came back to me and though she wasn’t in the tiny room with me, I questioned aloud, “So the answers are within me, huh Mom? I wish I knew where.”
Of course, there was no reply.
Amaris showed up a short time later and we retraced our steps through Summerland. When we arrived back at the entrance, once again we were surrounded by a swirling violet mist and stepped through hand-in-hand. Amaris and I emerged through the other side and into my hotel room at the Upton House Inn.
She waved goodbye, said nothing and retreated back through the mist. I walked through the suite and to my complete there were someone else’s things in my room! Frilly pink suitcases with their contents spilled littered the floor and bed. Keith and Sterling were gone! I could hear laughter and sounds of pleasure coming from the bathroom, so I ran out of there as fast as my legs would carry me.
Mr. Fisher was at his post at the front desk and I was slightly out of breath when I reached him. “Mr. Fisher, what day is it?”
“Selena, why are you here? And why are you still wearing that robe? It belongs to Upton House. I demand that you remove it post-haste or I will charge you for it and inform the police you’ve stolen it.”
“Forget about the damn robe for one minute! The day Mr. Fisher! What day is it?”
“You shouldn’t be here, Selena. Your fiancé picked up your cat eleven days ago. Shouldn’t you be getting ready for your wedding today?”
“What?”
Hell no! I ran out of that inn before he could dial nine-one-one.
Chapter 26
“KEITH!”
I burst through the door at Tooth & Nail in a blur of pink and fuzzy, like the hounds of hell were after me.
“Selena, you’re back!”
He dropped the box he’d been carrying, glass shattered and liquid seeped onto the polished hard-wood floor. I threw myself into his arms and he showered me with kisses. “Goddess I’ve missed you! Are you okay? Did they take your powers?”
“Yeah and I’m fine. My crystal glows some weird color instead of the blue I had been taught it would be, but no matter. It’s not me I’m worried about.”
“You heard?”
“Shawn has Sterling! Wait, where are all of the customers?”
“Selena, they took Sterling and Kelly!”
“What? Why?”
“Shawn blew into the hotel room right after you left and he jumped me. He disappeared with Sterling before I could even blink. I’m so sorry, kitten. I gathered your belongings and came back here to find the bar was dark and empty. Kelly was just gone. It didn’t take a genius to see Roberta and Shawn took her, too. I’ve had feelers out there trying to find where they’ve been taken. But so far, no luck.”
“Oh, Keith, I’m so sorry.”
“I don’t know what to do or how to help. Where could they have gone?”
“I know exactly where they are. They’re in Hell, Keith. And I’m going to go get them.”
“How Selena? Your powers are gone. I’m coming with you. They can’t kidnap my family and think I won’t kill them for it!””
“It’s me they want. Well, me and my crystal. You can’t come with me, Keith. I love you more than life itself and I would never forgive myself if you were hurt. Shawn hates you and Samell doesn’t want us together. You stay here, stay safe. They took Kelly and Sterling as a guarantee that I would come and deliver the crystal to Samell. They may be rotten bastards but they won’t hurt Kelly and Sterling if I bring them my crystal.”
“Fine. You’re probably right, but I’m not happy about it. I will be right there if you need me. Just yell, understand me? First things first. You cannot go to hell dressed like that. I picked up a few things for you to wear. I hope they fit. It’s just some yoga pants and stuff you can move easily in. Go try them on and I’ll clean this mess up before one of us slips and falls on the glass and whiskey. We’ll discuss what we should do when you’re finished.”
“Thank you for understanding.” I kissed him and tried on the different items he’d purchased for me. He was amazing! Every piece of clothing he’d bought fit me just right. He was the kindest, most thoughtful man I’d ever known and to worry about what I would wear when I returned, even though his own sister had been kidnapped was mind-boggling!
I dressed quicker than I ever had, eager to get back to Keith’s side and I enjoyed the fact that I wasn’t half naked any longer. I returned to the bar room and planted a big kiss on his cheek, “You’re perfect and I love you.” He blushed and shrugged, clearly not accustomed to flattery. To me, that was an even bigger turn-on. He was humble and to be with a man like that was a first for me. Even at such an early stage of our relationship, I couldn’t imagine my life without him. With every fiber of my being, I hoped he truly felt the same about me.
After I offered to help clean up the mess on the floor, which he declined because he didn’t want me to get cut on any of the glass, we went to the kitchen to scrounge up a quick lunch.
Keith and I washed our hands at the large commercial sink, he turned to me and asked “Are you feeling okay? Have you been through any changes yet?”
He walked to the fridge and took out the makings for sandwiches. There was enough food in his arms to feed an army! He must’ve read my thoughts because he smiled and put back a few items before placing the rest on the large, butcher-block table.
“I’m used to making larger portions for all of the customers we have most days. I guess I forgot it was just you and me.” He laughed and said “So, back to our talk. Anything new?”
“No worries. And by anything new, do you mean changes aside from being powerless?” I laughed and shrugged my shoulders when he cast a tender glance my way, “Not that I’ve noticed. I feel normal. Well, as normal as I’ve ever felt, I guess. But I also had no idea eleven days had passed while I was gone. Time, everything is different there. It’s hard to explain.”
He piled roast beef on a bun slathered with mayo and cut it in half for me before he placed it on a plate with some potato chips.
“Let’s finish this conversation out front. You can grab a seat at the bar and I’ll join you. If any customers do decide to stop in, I want to be right there.”
“Sure, sounds like a great idea.”
We walked out front, Keith pulled out a padded barstool for me and I hopped up with ease. He put my sandwich platter in front of me before walking behind the bar, loaded a glass with ice and poured me a soda from the fountain machine.
“Better?”
“Much. Thank you again. You sure know how to take care of a girl.” I took a rather big, unlady-like bite of my sandwich and moaned with delight. I swore everything Keith touched was amazing!
Being with Keith was so easy. I didn’t feel inferior or stupid. He took care of me without making me feel like a child and I wasn’t sure if I could get used to it. But I knew one thing for certain, I didn’t want to mess up our relationship or lose that feeling. I would move Heaven and Hell to keep that man as happy as he made me.
Happiness, true happiness wasn’t something I was used to and Shawn had never done anything for me. Okay, he did but only when it benefitted Shawn and I knew his actions were all lies, so everything he’d actually done for me amounted to nothing in my eyes.
“I missed you, kitten.” Keith leaned in and kissed me softly. His arm wrapped around behind my back as he sat beside me on another stool. For the moment, I was safe.
“Me, too. I just wish we were all here together.”
He cleared his throat, clearly not eager to talk about what we should do. “Do you have a plan? Any idea how to get Kelly and Sterling?”
“Not yet. But I’ve never been great with plans. I figure I’ll just wing it. For now, I just want to enjoy a few moments with you.”
I couldn’t help myself, I shoved my meal aside and planted kisses all over his f
ace before I hopped onto his lap, almost tipping the stool over.
“I’m so sorry, Keith. This whole ordeal is my fault.”
“No it isn’t kitten.” He held my face in his hands and with a lot more confidence than I felt, he said, “We’ll get them back, I promise. Everything will be fine.”
Another round of heavy petting ensued. The man could get me hot and bothered with just a look. Being on his lap was a sure-fire way to fuel the fire. As it was, I’d waited eleven days to be back in his arms and I planned on staying there as long as the fates would allow.
We were suddenly being applauded. “How very, very sweet. Look at the puppy love. The whole room is filled with the stench of it. Makes me sick. You both make me sick.” Roberta stood behind us, examining her claws before mock-vomiting all over the bar floor.
“You bitch!” I flew across the room, charging at her. Keith grabbed me by the tail of my shirt, yanking me backwards, pulling me to his side. I knew it took all of his self-control not to rip Roberta to shreds because we both knew we needed her alive to find Kelly and Sterling.
“Selena no!”
“That’s right, Selena. Be a good girl and listen to your master.”
“Flip you, Roberta!” I squirmed and wiggled to get out of Keith’s grasp so I could slap that smug smirk off the bitch’s face, but he held tight. I was stuck.
“Wolf boy, you better keep your bitch on a leash or her kitty cat will lose another life. He only has five left.”
“Ugh! I’ll kill you, you disgusting demon hag!”
“Takes one to know one” Roberta sang it like an eight year old little girl.
“Real mature.” I hated that child-like voice she used and it irked me to no end when she portrayed herself as an innocent woman instead of the trash-talking-piece-of-shit she really was.
“Roberta,” Keith held me by my waist “what do you want?”
“Why, your bitch’s crystal of course.” With dramatic flair, she rubbed her greedy paws together, almost salivating.
“No way bitch.”
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