Moonshine & Mayhem

by Kathleen Brooks

  Neferu called out the names of their greatest trackers and historians, and the group was gone in a flash. Lauren turned to Slade, then her eyes narrowed. “You know more than you are saying.”

  “What I know is of no consequence in the battle ahead,” Slade answered. Zoey felt the anger flow from him. There was something more he wasn’t telling her, and whatever it was made him angry. “What I do know is we need to unite. Let me call my brothers and have them join us against Alexander.”

  Grand Mistress Lauren nodded her head solemnly. “You have my permission to bring Grand Master Linus here to meet. I believe you may be right, Master Slade. The time has come to reunite Claritase and Tenebris.”

  Slade turned to Zoey, and she could see his eyes were shuttered. He was hiding something from her. “I’ll be back soon. Zoey, no matter what happens—no matter what is said—you have to know that I love you.”

  “Slade,” Zoey whispered, grabbing his hand and pulling him away from the cat ears of Grand Mistress Lauren. “What’s going on?”

  “The time is coming when we have to fight or die. If something happens to me or if somehow you’re taken, you have to fight, and you have to know in your heart that you’re fighting for love.” Slade took her hand, pulled her close, and kissed her quickly. “I’ll be back soon.”

  “Do you promise?”

  Slade grinned, his old self quickly reemerging. “Nothing will keep me away from you.” And then he was gone.

  Zoey heard the town’s emergency tornado siren go off, then she heard Luke’s sirens cruising down the streets with his loudspeaker blaring orders. The evacuation had begun.

  “Don’t worry, Zoey,” Vilma said, patting her arm. “The power you tapped into when you defeated Edan is just the tip of your powers. For this fight, we need to go deeper. Come, you have much to learn and very little time.”

  * * *

  Two hours later, Zoey flopped back, sweat dripping from her forehead. It wasn’t a physical exertion that left her panting, but a mental one. Vilma and Agnes had forced Zoey to look deep within herself to connect with parts of her brain, body, and emotions she’d never used before. It left her energized yet exhausted.

  “There’s so much more to us than even we know. Every witch is different. There’s countless layers upon layers of magic, and the truly powerful know how to strip away each layer to find the core of their power,” Agnes explained.

  Zoey drank the special concoction Vilma gave her and instantly felt rejuvenated. “Where do you think Alexander is keeping the women of Moonshine?”

  “Could be the old distillery warehouse,” Vilma suggested. “It’s up in the woods. It was used to store moonshine during prohibition and then as excess storage for a while afterwards. It’s pretty far from the main distillery, so it’s been empty for thirty years or more.”

  “But you need to let Grand Mistress Lauren worry about that. You need to focus on Alexander and the Tenebris hunters you will have to face before you meet him.” Vilma looked to Agnes then back to Zoey. “We don’t believe in taking others powers. But if you have to, do it.”

  Zoey nodded and jumped as Slade suddenly appeared.

  “Hello, sweetness. You’re practically glowing,” Slade said as he looked her over.

  “It’s called sweat. Do girls you date not sweat?”

  Slade chuckled. “No, it’s not the sweat. It’s your energy. It makes your skin glow and your eyes shine. You’ve tapped into some deeper powers.”

  “Oh,” she said, looking down at her hands. They did seem a little brighter. Not glowing like a light bulb, but glowing like she’d just gotten a manicure. “Do you know how to do that?”

  “Sweetness, I know how to reach layers you never knew existed.”

  “Sweet Goddess,” Vilma murmured as she and Agnes fanned themselves.

  “Where was he five hundred years ago?” Agnes sighed.

  “I was around, but just a stupid young lad then. You wouldn’t have wanted me.” Slade winked.

  “I still don’t know why we never met. I knew so many of the Tenebris back before the troubles,” Agnes said as Zoey saw her brain shifting from lusting to thoughtful.

  Slade shrugged and looked around. “Linus is ready to meet. Where is everyone?”

  “They went to search the area. Hopefully they can find the missing townswomen and get them to safety before Alexander and his minions come after us,” Zoey told him.

  “Why don’t you two find your sisters while Zoey and I have a moment,” Slade said to Vilma and Agnes without taking his eyes from Zoey.

  Zoey heard them sigh a moment before the poofed away.

  “What is it?” Zoey asked. Maybe he was ready to tell her whatever it was he was hiding.

  “I wanted a minute to have you all to myself. I talked to Linus. We have a spy with Alexander, and he said Alexander is angry that the Claritase have evaded him so far. While all of your practicing is necessary, it will lead them to you. I believe tonight is when they will strike.”

  Zoey shivered and Slade wrapped his arms around her.

  “What if I’m not ready? I mean, you all have been practicing your powers for centuries while I’ve only had a month. There’s no way I can defeat Alexander.”

  “Not you, us,” Slade said seriously. “The prophecy says together they will defeat Alexander.”

  “Is that why you—?”

  Slade didn’t let her finish her thought. “No. I fell for you before your powers were even known. I was drawn to you that first night in LA, and you’ve been a part of me ever since. That’s why I wanted to talk to you alone. I love you, Zoey. Obviously the timing isn’t great, but I have you with me now and I want to ask you something.” Slade went down onto his knees and lying across his outstretched hands was an embroidered strip of cloth with a symbol on it. It was of a moon and sun on each side of a flickering flame. “In ancient times, each child born was presented with a symbol of his family when he or she turned five. It combined his parents’ powers with the child’s powers. Later, when a Tenebris and a Claritase fell in love, the man presented the woman a favor with his symbol. If she accepted it, she was agreeing to marry him. So, Zoey Rode Mathers, will you accept me as who I am for now and forever?”

  Zoey felt her eyes go wide as Slade held up a piece of fabric that looked to be hundreds of years old—likely five hundred years old. Her fingers reached out and traced the embroidery as her heart beat wildly. With trembling fingers she gently took the fabric from Slade’s upstretched hands.

  “Yes?” he asked nervously.

  “Yes.” She smiled as Slade gave a whoop of joy, wrapped his large arms around her waist, and when he stood she was looking down on him with her hands on his shoulders as he spun her around. “I love you, Slade.”

  “I love you too. For now and forever.”

  Slade slowly lowered her so that her body slid down his until he could kiss her lips.

  Clapping, sniffles, and cheers broke them apart. The Claritase had returned.

  “A wedding!” Polly cried as she raced toward the couple. “We haven’t had a wedding in four hundred years!”

  Polly wrapped her arms around Zoey and hugged her tight.

  “There’s hope for the future,” Grand Mistress Lauren said with a sniffle to her voice.

  “With your permission of course, Grand Mistress,” Slade said, bowing his head.

  “It is so granted. And if you want to follow tradition, you shall need the blessing of your grand master. Bring Linus to us now. We have much to discuss.”

  Slade turned from the cat and kissed Zoey quickly. “I’ll return in less than a minute. You’ve made me the happiest man in the world.”

  When Slade disappeared, Zoey’s new sisters descended on her. Vilma and Agnes were silently crying tears of joy as the Claritase talked of the old days filled with love and children between the Claritase and Tenebris. As they all wondered if this was a sign of the future, Zoey just hoped she’d live long enough for a wedding.

&nbs
p; 7

  Grand Master Linus knew without a doubt something good had happened to Slade. Slade never smiled, but that’s exactly what he was doing as he rejoined the group of True Tenebris.

  “Is Alexander dead?” Linus asked as everyone gathered around.

  “Not yet, but I have no doubt now, for the Goddess has smiled down on me and given me the blessing of a fiancée. A very special fiancée. With your permission, of course, I hope to marry after we defeat Alexander,” Slade said, bowing his head.

  The room was silent and Slade looked up worriedly. Grand Master Linus and the rest of his brothers were staring at him. “A Claritase bride?” Grand Master Linus asked slowly. It seemed as if all Slade’s brothers leaned forward to make sure they could hear his answer.

  “Yes, she’s part of the Claritase,” Slade answered, suddenly worried his brothers wouldn’t approve of Zoey.

  “After all these years,” Linus’s voice caught as he reached out and grabbed Slade’s shoulder. “A blessing for sure.”

  Slade’s brothers let out a cheer as they celebrated with him. Slade hated to end the first true happy moment they’d had since they went into hiding. “Grand Master, the Claritase wish to meet with you now. My fiancée is there as well.”

  Linus put his hand on Slade’s shoulder and turned to the crowd. “Prepare for war and then a wedding. Tonight we step from the shadows and rejoin with Claritase to defeat Alexander.” Slade’s brothers cheered as Linus gave a nod to indicate he was ready to go.

  Slade envisioned the living room and then they were there. The room was silent as the women stared at Linus. Hundreds of years had gone by since such a high-powered Tenebris and the Grand Mistress of the Claritase were in the same room together.

  “Linus,” Grand Mistress Lauren said. Linus whipped his head around and his eyes widened at the black cat jumping onto a pedestal that was used to hold flowers, but now was a perch for the cat.

  “Lauren, sorry, Grand Mistress,” Linus bowed to her as Slade moved to hold hands with Zoey. “I have missed you.”

  “And I you, my friend.”

  Slade watched as the women surrounding them began to relax. They had been prepared for another attack. Linus looked around as Agnes and Vilma stepped forward with tears in their eyes. “Linus!”

  “Agnes?” Linus looked closely at her and then to Vilma. “Vilma?” And then there was happy chatter, hugs, and nonstop talking as the Claritase embraced the Grand Master of the True Tenebris.

  Finally Linus turned to Slade and Zoey as he beamed with a gigantic smile. “Grand Master, may I present my fiancée, Zoey Rode Mathers.”

  Linus froze with his hand halfway up. “Rode?”

  Grand Mistress Lauren jumped into the conversation. “She’s the daughter of Magnus Rode . . . the very much alive Magnus Rode.”

  Linus spun to Lauren and shook his head. “But Alexander declared him dead. Our spy told us so. They celebrated the end of the Rode family line . . .” Linus looked back and forth between Slade and Zoey, and he could see the wheels turning as he suddenly collapsed on the couch. “The prophecy is true. It wasn’t just theoretical. The Rode line mixed with Slade’s and . . . you’ll be the most powerful couple ever. This makes her The One.”

  “We need to find Magnus Rode. I have some of my best working on finding him,” Grand Mistress Lauren told Linus.

  “What can I do?” he replied.

  “It’s time for Claritase and Tenebris to come together again,” Grand Mistress Lauren said, her voice rising to a rally cry. “It’s time to fulfill the prophecy and to revenge the death of our beloved sisters and brothers. It’s time for the light to defeat the darkness and for good to triumph over evil.”

  Slade looked around the room as everyone cheered.

  “Grand Master Linus, let me take you to our center of operations. Then you can send your men there.” Grand Mistress Lauren hopped off the pedestal and rubbed against his leg.

  “Wait!” Zoey cried, stopping them before they poofed away.

  “Don’t worry, dear. You have my permission to marry. It’s an honor to meet you.”

  Zoey shook her head at Slade’s grand master. “Thank you, but there’s something else. I was talking about the missing women Alexander has taken. We need to find them.”

  “Missing women?” Grand Master Linus asked. Slade filled in the grand master on the local women who had been taken. “Let me check with my men. We will help find them. I swear to it.”

  * * *

  Zoey watched as the room emptied. Everyone headed to the state of the art warehouse that stored the town’s moonshine. They had turned it into their headquarters since it could hold the hundreds of Claritase and Tenebris who were coming from all over the world.

  “I can’t believe this is all real. These are just fairy tales,” Zoey said, mostly to herself.

  Zoey felt Slade put his arm around her. “I know this is a lot for you to take in. I was been born and raised among this, so I never knew anything different. It must be very hard for you to realize there’s a whole other world within your own world.”

  “A whole world that is depending on me.”

  “On us, sweetness. You’re not alone. And I have a feeling you’ve never been alone. Your mother and stepfather, and I’d be willing to bet, your father, have all been watching out for you. And now you have a whole group of women and men who will be standing shoulder to shoulder with you.”

  Zoey leaned her head against Slade’s shoulder. He was right, and with that information she felt her courage grow. “Let’s go find my friends, defeat a villain, get married, and live happily ever after.”

  Zoey linked her hand with Slade’s, and in a blink they were in the upper floor of the moonshine warehouse. One by one, Tenebris were popping up as they were guided to Moonshine Hollow.

  Witches were crying as they hugged old friends they’d thought turned traitor or were presumed dead. It was clear no one knew this faction of Tenebris that opposed Alexander even existed. Zoey felt as if she were in a daze as she was introduced to man after man who shook her hand or even sometimes hugged her and twirled her around.

  Soon, the warehouse was filled. The lower levels contained all the moonshine, but the open attic with the dusty pine plank floors had been turned into a happy reunion. Grand Mistress Lauren and Grand Master Linus stepped to the front as the room grew quiet.

  Zoey should have been paying attention, but she couldn’t focus. She stood next to Slade as he and the rest of them talked around her. Her mind was torn in many directions. At the heart of it she should be focusing on Alexander, but she wasn’t. She was focused on the prospect of actually meeting her father again. Her dream replayed in her head, over and over again. She saw her father bend down and hug her. Jellybean, I’ll love you forever and ever. Did he? Had her father thought about her at all over the years? Would Neferu be able to find him? Would he want to see her again?

  “Sweetness,” Slade whispered to her as he took her hand into his and squeezed it reassuringly, “everything will work out.”

  “I will be organizing the attack with Grand Master Linus and a council of warriors filled with both Tenebris and Claritase.” Zoey heard Lauren say. “However, when the battle begins Master Slade and Mistress Zoey will lead the charge. They must be protected at all costs, for they are the answer to the prophecy and are destined to fight Alexander.”

  “What about the rules of battle?” a Tenebris asked.

  “Don’t assume they’ll fight fair, and be ready to counter black magic. We will have a group of Tenebris and Claritase with containers at the ready. We’ll empty the moonshine if we have to and store the powers in the barrels. But that’s why we are here. There’s a whole storage area with empty containers and we’ll fill them as per our rules of battle. All except Mistress Zoey.”

  “Why not her?” one of the Tenebris asked.

  Grand Mistress Lauren looked at Zoey and somehow knew she wasn’t ready to be outed. Zoey didn’t think she could handle all eye
s on her once again. “Her powers don’t require it.”

  “We found them!” Attention was drawn away from Zoey as her friend Polly yelled as she popped in from looking for the missing women.

  “Where is the rest of your search party?” Grand Mistress Lauren asked worriedly.

  “We found them in the old distillery that Mistresses Agnes and Vilma told us about. We could feel the power of some Tenebris hunters so we pretended to be looking for our lost dog and let them take us easily. Then I came back here to tell you where we are and to be able to transport fighters there. We wanted permission to use our magic to evacuate them.”

  Grand Mistress Lauren thought for a moment and then nodded. “Weave them with a dream spell. Transport them to the jail. Let them think they got drunk on a camping trip. Zoey will notify Mr. Tanner so he can retrieve them.”

  “We’ll go to help get them out quicker,” Agnes and Vilma said in unison.

  “What about the hunters?” Polly asked.

  “They’re combing the town. Three of them were left behind to guard the women—two watching the woods and one interrogating the women one on one. If we move fast enough, we can get everyone out except for the one he’s interviewing.”

  “No!” Zoey shouted. “You can’t leave anyone behind.”

  “I’ll go,” Slade said as others offered to take on the hunters.

  “No. This is my town. These are my friends. I’ll do it,” Zoey said, filled with determination. Agnus and Vilma had said to trust her gut and right now it was telling her this was what she needed to do. She had to protect her town and that included the women who were taken because of her.

  “I’ll go with Samuel, and we’ll handle the two men outside. That way no one can report to Alexander, and that’s three less men who we’ll be fighting later,” Slade said as he looked at a large muscle-bound man who looked like he belonged with the Mountaineers—neatly trimmed thick beard and all.