Embrace The Dawning (The Covenant Series Book 1)

by Betty Shreffler

  “All right, my dear, help me set the candles around you in a circular format. The earth candle sets north, air east, and so on. After you’re finished, sit down on the floor in between the candles.”

  Kayci did as Rosemary instructed while Rosemary lit a bundle of herbs inside of a bowl and then set them in front of Kayci. The smoke puffed out like a campfire that had just been doused with water. Kayci thought she recognized a few scents—lavender, citrus, and cinnamon—but the rest were foreign to her. Rosemary reached out her hand, offering a small glass of thick green liquid. Kayci apprehensively took the tonic from Rosemary’s hand.

  “Bottom’s up,” Kayci jested before quickly swallowing the liquid. She handed the empty glass back to Rosemary.

  Kayci watched as the puffs of smoke filled the air and spread a hazy gray glaze throughout the room. Even Rosemary became difficult to see. She could hear Rosemary though. She was chanting in the distance in what Kayci assumed was Latin. With each breath that Kayci took, she began to feel as though her body was drifting. She even looked down at the floor to ensure she wasn’t actually rising. When she looked back up, she could no longer see Rosemary. It was nothing but thick gray fog. Kayci reached out and touched the floor to see if she was still in the room of Rosemary’s shop. Her fingers pressed down on dry grass. Kayci jerked her hand back in response. Kayci wanted to stand up. She wanted to move about her new surroundings, but she felt stiff. Her legs were heavy, like cement blocks. She steadied herself, realizing she was only an observer.

  The fog cleared slightly only to reveal several women sitting in a large circle. She too was a part of that circle. She looked around at the other women. One had long, loose hair and wore a dress in solid colors, with no makeup and barely any jewelry. Another woman, darker skinned with jet-black hair, had dark paint around her eyes and jewelry that donned her head and neck as though she were an Egyptian princess. Another had a puffy gown that amplified her shoulders and behind. Her hair was pinned up tight, and she wore gold jewelry. There were several other women, but the farther away they were, the more they blended into the night and thick forest behind them.

  In the middle of the women was a small fire. They all stared at it peacefully, as if it gave them quiet serenity. One by one each stood up, held out an object in her hand, kissed it, and then tossed it into the fire. The fire snapped and crackled in response to their objects. Thankfully, they didn’t look to Kayci to do the same. She continued to watch, utterly fascinated. One by one the women stepped back from the fire, taking the seats they once had. Only one woman remained standing. Kayci studied her closely. She had dark hair that fell to her chest in thick waves. A round face displayed large, intelligent brown eyes and a pleasant smile that was directed toward Kayci. Beneath the woman’s cream dress, Kayci noticed she had a similar build to her own body, and as she studied the woman, a strange familiarity overwhelmed her.

  “Katriana?” Kayci murmured.

  The woman smiled approvingly. She slowly glided toward Kayci, seeming to float with every step. The woman leaned down on one knee and outstretched her hand before Kayci. Something small lay inside her palm. It glimmered with every flicker of the fire. Kayci reached up, wanting to touch it and examine it more closely. As Kayci leaned in toward her mother’s hand, her mother brought her head down and blew the item from her hand toward Kayci. The strange item morphed into shimmery flecks of silver that drifted into the air surrounding Kayci. They seemed to dance through the air. Variations of color were cast off the flecks as the firelight hit them. Kayci was mesmerized by the show. She looked back at her mother when she heard her soft muffled voice. Kayci barely made out the words.

  “Embrace the power within you.”

  Kayci could only watch as the shimmery flecks that floated in the air around her began to swirl as if they were caught in a windstorm. Their speed picked up, sparkling more wildly as the firelight reflected off them. Kayci watched in fascination until the flecks stopped abruptly, as if the very wind they floated on had disappeared. As quickly as the flecks stopped, they spread out and then flew right toward her. Her body absorbed them like a dry sponge absorbing water. The flecks disappeared completely, and then she felt it. Pain. Severe pain ripped through her abdomen. She touched her hand to her stomach to stop the pain. Her shoulders slumped, and her back arched forward. She looked to her mother for comfort. Her expression displayed no emotion.

  As quickly as the pain had come, it ended. The pain turned to a warming sensation that began at her core and then evenly spread throughout her body. The warming sensation forced itself through every vein, muscle, and bone. The sensation was more soothing than entering a warm bath with sore muscles. Kayci closed her eyes and let the warmth envelop her. After several moments of feeling the warmth spread over her, she opened her eyes. The warming sensation had settled, now a part of her.

  She looked to her mother and smiled. She felt better physically and mentally than she ever had. It was as if she had new clarity. As if her body had been missing a piece of itself and it was now whole. Her mother tilted her head with a proud smile.

  I love you, she mouthed as her image began to fade.

  Kayci ached with the realization that whatever journey she was on was ending. She reached out to her mother. She saw her mother reach out her own hand in return just before the fog filled Kayci’s sight.

  She blinked her eyes several times as the fog began to clear. She was once again sitting cross-legged on Rosemary’s floor.

  “I saw her, Rosemary. I saw my mother,” Kayci stated feverishly.

  “I thought you may have.”

  Kayci stared at her, puzzled.

  “I heard you say her name.”

  “She was beautiful, Rosemary. Her face, her smile, were so kind. I wish I could have known her.”

  “I know, my dear.”

  Kayci sat there a moment still gathering her composure as Rosemary doused the bundle of herbs and blew out the candles.

  Rosemary looked Kayci over. “Do you feel any different?” she asked gently.

  Kayci did feel different. Quite different. More powerful, if it was possible. She didn’t know how to describe the feeling she felt throughout her body or the innate strength she felt at her core, but she imagined with Rosemary being a witch herself, she probably had an idea.

  “Yes,” Kayci said simply. “Quite different.”

  “Kayci, your eyes are a vibrant gold, yet you are without the amulet. I do believe the amulet may be futile at this point.”

  “How come?”

  “Some of the herbs I used in the spell for the amulet are the very same herbs used in the tonic for the Hanu ritual. If it worked, as I’m sure it did, then your amulet is no longer necessary. Any part of you that needed awakened has been.”

  “Do you think it will do any harm if I still wear it?” Kayci asked casually.

  Rosemary shook her head. “I don’t believe so.”

  Kayci nodded. “That will be nice, not having to rely on it.”

  Kayci stood up and began gathering the candles on the floor to help Rosemary.

  “Bring them to the table, my dear. We might as well test your skills.”

  Rosemary walked to the armoire, pulled a key from her pocket, unlocked a small drawer, then removed a thick leather-bound journal. She brought it to Kayci.

  “Kayci, my dear, I’d like you to have something.”

  Kayci collected the book from Rosemary’s outstretched hand. She opened it and skimmed through the pages full of writing, drawings, pieces of herbs, and many other objects yet to be identified. She looked back at Rosemary, puzzled.

  “I never had a daughter of my own to teach the Craft, so I wrote all my spells down in this journal so I could leave behind some kind of legacy. I believe it was meant for you.”

  Affection warmed Kayci’s gut, along with nervous tension. “Rosemary, this is an amazing gift. You’ve shared a lot of knowledge. Are you sure you want me to have this?”

  Rosemary put her ha
nd over Kayci’s, offering a nurturing touch. “Absolutely, my dear. Now let’s try something that is in there. Set the journal on the table.”

  Kayci did as instructed and then stepped aside to make room for Rosemary.

  “Let’s start with…” Rosemary flipped through a few pages until she found the one she wanted.

  “Ah yes, this one.” Rosemary pointed to the page.

  Kayci read it.

  “Fire spell?”

  Rosemary nodded. “To call on or create fire. I’ll help point you in the right direction for the components. Otherwise, I’m going to let you handle this on your own.”

  “All right,” Kayci responded hesitantly.

  She read the ingredients of the spell to herself.

  “It looks like I’ll need either a carnelian, garnet, or bloodstone.”

  Rosemary nodded. “I have a bloodstone.”

  “I’ll also need cedar, cinnamon, basil, and rosemary.”

  “Follow me.”

  Kayci followed her out into the shop. Rosemary pointed to each of the items and ensured Kayci knew which one was which before they returned to the room. Kayci read the first paragraph and did as instructed by lighting the fire candle, setting the bloodstone aside while she mixed the four herbs together in a bowl. Once finished, she held the bloodstone to the flame of the candle until it became too hot to touch. She then placed the bloodstone into the center of the herbs as instructed, placed both hands over the bowl and its ingredients, and then read the incantation aloud.

  “Let this form take shape. Let the fire be free. Let the flame work through me.”

  Kayci moved her hands to the side and immediately felt foolish when there was no fire, just the herbs and bloodstone.

  Kayci sighed. “Rosemary, I feel foolish. Nothing happened.”

  Rosemary gave a not-so-surprised reassuring smile. “Not to worry, my dear. It is your very first attempt at magic.”

  Rosemary came to her side. “Try again, but this time I’m going to step out of the room. I want you to concentrate only on the task. Don’t feel foolish. Let the power from within do the work. Feel it here.” Rosemary put her hand to her own abdomen. “Then let it out.”

  Kayci sighed before nodding.

  “I know it’s in you, my dear.” Rosemary gave her a motherly touch on the arm before exiting the room.

  Kayci laughed at herself and how strange this all was before committing to the spell once more. Again she held the bloodstone over the fire candle’s flame, and once it was smoldering hot, she dropped it into the herbs. Kayci held her hands over the bowl and its contents, closed her eyes, and focused solely on creating heat. The same warming sensation she had experienced during the ritual coiled in her core. It twisted and bubbled, creating some kind of energy. She focused on that energy and willed it from her core through her chest, arms, and then hands. She said the incantation once more with more determination.

  Kayci’s hands warmed, and then a quick pulse of pressure escaped them. She moved her hands to the side, amazed at the tiny sparks developing in the bowl. The herbs began to burn and create tiny snaps and crackles from the flame. The tiny flames surged upward. She dauntlessly reached into the bowl and touched the bloodstone. She took it into her hand, unconcerned with the blistering heat. She turned the stone in her fingers and watched the red irritation of her skin heal instantly. As she fixated on the stone, a small flame developed from the smoldering herbs that clung to the stone. The flame spread around the stone, apparently reacting to the energy escaping her hand. Kayci watched the flame burn wildly before bringing her other hand up and cupping the stone in both hands. The flame remained steadily burning, captivating her.

  Kayci concentrated on keeping the heat and energy at her hands. Once the flow of energy whipped through her, she dropped the stone into the bowl. She was mesmerized by the fact that the tiny flames remained in her hands. She stared at the amber glow and twisted its tiny flames in her fingers. So distracted by the flickering, Kayci barely noticed Rosemary entering the room.

  “Non possum non credere,” Rosemary muttered.

  The sound of Rosemary’s voice snapped Kayci out of her concentration. She looked at Rosemary and then back at her hands. The little flames had vanished.

  “Did you see that?!” Kayci shrieked.

  Rosemary’s wide eyes returned to normal. She nodded yes.

  “I knew you could do it, my dear.” She smiled pleasantly.

  “That was amazing!”

  “I wouldn’t know.”

  “What do you mean?” Kayci asked, confused, her enthusiasm quickly waning. “That was your spell.”

  “Indeed it was, but the spell is meant to create fire, not to manipulate it. What this means, Kayci, is that you’re a sorceress just as your mother was. You’re able to create and manipulate fire and even withstand fire because of your vampire ability that heals. It’s truly astonishing.”

  Kayci chuckled. “You have that same look as when we first discovered I had vampire blood. Like you just discovered treasured gold.”

  “Not far from it. I feel a sense of pride as the witch chosen to guide you.”

  Kayci leaned in and embraced Rosemary. Rosemary hugged her back tightly.

  “Well, you’re quite the guide and friend.”

  Rosemary smiled, her pride evident.

  Kayci ended the embrace and began cleaning up the items on the table.

  “While I clean up, why don’t you reopen your store? I’ve taken enough of your time and potential customers.”

  Before Rosemary left the room, she turned back to Kayci.

  “Do you mind humoring an old woman?”

  “Sure, what is it?” Kayci asked.

  “What did you see in your vision?”

  Kayci smiled at Rosemary’s curiosity. It was nice to be on the receiving end for once.

  “I saw several women of different ages, cultures, and ethnicities sitting around a small fire in a dense, dark forest. Each of them stood, kissed an object, and then threw it into the fire, then one by one they sat back down. The last one standing was my mother. She had something in her hand that I couldn’t make out, and then she blew it toward me. It morphed into a million tiny pieces and then went into my body. I felt pain, severe pain, and then incredible warmth and energy. It felt as though some kind of energy force had broken free from my very core.”

  “Hmm…” Rosemary sighed.

  “Does that mean something to you?” Kayci asked.

  “The women you saw are your ancestors. I’m pleased to hear they joined in the ritual. Each of them kissing an object before throwing it into the fire symbolizes their support and approval of you, as well as a gift.”

  Kayci’s brows furrowed. “What kind of gift?”

  “It could be anything from good fortune, prosperity, healing, protection, good health. Things of that nature.”

  “Oh. That’s very kind of them and incredible that I was able to see them.”

  “That’s why every witch looks forward to the Hanu ritual.”

  Chapter 15

  Adrian paced across his living room, anxiously awaiting the last of the sun to dip below the horizon. He had strapped a pair of curved blades to the holsters on his back. He wanted the extra weapons tonight. He planned to go back to the suite where Danika had left human bodies to rot and where he and Reece had a brief encounter. Now that the police and detectives had collected what they needed from the crime scene, he could spend time there freely without interruption, in hopes of picking up a blood scent. Afterward he planned on hitting local vampire hotspots in an effort to connect any blood scents he found, as well as to dispatch of Danika’s newest fledgling vampires. Admittedly that wasn’t his prime reason for starting his hunt early. He would be pleased if his obligations didn’t take him too late into the evening. He wanted to see Kayci again.

  Just the thought of their intimacy caused him to swell with arousal. He craved to have more of her. He feared the longer that craving lasted, the worse
his hunger would become. He had no intentions of hurting her, but he had to be careful. He had barely kept himself from ravaging her and indulging too much last night, and the more time he spent craving her, the more his morbid vampire desire would grow.

  The sun finally fell below the horizon. Gray skies streaked with pink and blue was his view when he opened his curtains and pressed the button for the automated ascent of the blinds. His thoughts shifted from desire and frustration with his monstrous vampire tendency to the vampire that caused it.

  Time to hunt.

  ***

  Kayci stared at her phone, going back and forth over whether or not to call Elise. She really missed her and had a lot to share with her. It felt strange to have gone several days without speaking to her when they normally spoke on a daily basis. Ultimately, her excitement got the best of her, and she clicked Elise’s picture on her phone.

  “Kayc! I’m so glad you called! I’ve been so worried about you. How are you?”

  “I’m good, Elise. Real good.”

  “Oh, thank God! And how are you and hot vampy doing?”

  Kayci smiled. “Mmm. Really good.”

  “You had sex with him, didn’t you?!” Elise asked accusingly.

  Kayci snickered. “Not a conversation I want to have over the phone.”

  Elise giggled. “Let’s get together for dinner tonight. I miss you!”

  Kayci hesitated. Perhaps dinner in a public place would be all right. They could meet there and then leave separately.

  “All right, but let’s drive separate.”

  “Sounds good. Want to go to Piani’s Italiana on Fifth?”

  “Mmm, yes. Their mojitos are so good, and we haven’t been there in a while.”

  “Seven o’clock sound good?”

  “Yeah. See you soon.”

  Kayci grinned as she hung up.

  ***

  Adrian stepped off the elevator and made his way to the intended condo. He listened for any sounds of movement inside, and once he made sure that the condo was empty of inhabitants, he swiftly picked the lock. As he entered, he detected the aroma of several cleaning solutions, including bleach. The condo’s owner or management had paid for a good cleaning. It would make his job a lot harder, but not impossible.