Tales of Aradia The Last Witch Volume 5

by Jones, L. A.

  Tales of Aradia The Last Witch

  Volume 5

  By L.A. Jones

  I dedicate this book to the three newest women in my family: Lissa, April, and Kelli. Out of all the families the three of you could have chosen to be a part of I am so glad that you decided to be part of ours.

  Acknowledgements: In honor of my friendship with L.A. Sherman, author of the non-fiction book Bengali Girl's Don't, I have created a character in this book based on her. The vampire Shayde is based on L.A. Sherman, from her personality to her looks. The book Bengali Girl's Don't is available for purchase in bookstores all over the globe. She lives in Florida with her son from her previous marriage, new husband, and their children.

  Copyright L.A. Jones 2010

  Published at Smashwords

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Chapter One

  "Saul has begun to win the witch over to our side," Morgan declared.

  The Sovereign sat upon his golden throne with his legs crossed while she sat at his feet. The torch light flickering gave the room an eerie atmosphere that would have made anyone wary to step inside. However, since the two people in the room were the likely causes the eeriness didn't seem to bother them.

  "I suppose I should be grateful," the Sovereign muttered, "but I am not."

  He stood up and narrowed his eyes at Morgan. "I am not grateful that I should have to stoop so low as to win this scrawny witch's loyalty."

  "However," he added in an exasperated drawl. "Once you made the prediction that a witch would be my downfall I figured I had to do something."

  He slowly walked down the steps descending from his throne. "I had hoped that by proving the witches's treachery and condemning them to death I would have been able to kill two birds with one stone. The witches were beginning to grow too powerful and too numerous anyway. Yes, their powers are basically their energy and to use too much would kill them but they were multiplying like damned rats. One rat is no problem, but millions of rats with powers over all the elements with the ability to predicate our every move. No. No, there was no way in hell I could ignore such an infestation. I had just recently taken the throne so I could not jeopardize it. I had to do something to handle the witches threat and exposing them as traitors definitely did that. I mean not only did it give me a legitimate reason to kill them and keep my hands clean; it also helped to cement my alliances with the fellow hidden leaders. Not to mention give them a reason to fear my anger for the next century. I mean if I can wipe one entire faction of the hidden race from the face of this earth, what's to stop me from doing it again hmm? So by saying the witches betrayed us and eradicating them set me up as their hero but at the same as a man not to be trifled with."

  Soft chuckling could be heard from the back of his throat. "The beauty of it was I didn't really need to lift a finger. By just using good old fashioned manipulation I was able to gain all sorts of alliances. It's hilarious how easily hatred can unite people so saying that the witches had broken our biggest taboo and threatened the security of our entire race was definitely a brilliant move."

  "As you should know Sovereign," Morgan muttered, "you devised such a tactic."

  He glanced sharply at her. "You don't get to where I am without making efficient plans that are practically fool proof. It also definitely helped that you made another predication especially by the time most of the witches had been wiped out. A predication that accurately gave me the identity of the witch who was destined to destroy me. I never expected it to be a child though."

  He shrugged as he walked past Morgan. "It made no difference though. The act was still carried out and the witches were killed."

  "However," he added through gritted teeth. "It turns out that my plan wasn't completely fool proof because one fool by the name of Rome managed to let the witch escape! A mere child at that! No, not a mere child, a baby! A baby for god's sake! It's insulting really!"

  "You could kill her now you know," said Morgan, "I am surprised why you haven't done it already."

  His cloak swirled about as he swung to point accusingly at Morgan. "In order for my great plan to work I have to establish alliances around the world. It has taken me centuries to unite all the vampires behind me. God knows how long it was going to take with the others. I can't put off such things because of a mere girl. I cannot delay my plans for anything especially not her!"

  "And besides," he added as he turned his back on her. "I couldn't have killed the witch years ago because I had no idea where she was! Since you can only detect a witch if she uses a lot of power there was no way in hell you could find her. The witch's guardian had used all her power and her energy to complete the spell to send her through time and space. This is how you even knew the baby was still alive. The years that followed, however, the little bitch didn't use any of her powers in such great magnitude so it was almost impossible to track her."

  "Mind you, I did have agents scouring the world looking for her but they had other priorities as well. They couldn't very well find the witch and recruit spies for my cause at the same time now could they?"

  Morgan said nothing.

  The Sovereign's mouth was the only thing not hidden in the darkness of his cloak and it frowned a little. "By the time we had found her, there was no way in hell we could effectively kill her without any one noticing. People noticing things are like toy dominos falling, when one falls the others do as well or more specifically they feel the need to investigate. What's the point of having secret plans if the secret is exposed eh?"

  The smile now turned sardonic as he began to walk back to his throne. "Now, although I resent it, the fact is the witch is too powerful to be left alone. Saul does indeed have a good idea in trying to win her to our side and from the way I hear it he is progressing nicely. However, that doesn't mean I have to like it."

  He then sat down on his throne and threaded his fingers together. "It doesn't mean I have to like it at all."

  Chapter Two

  "Here Glinda. Come here kitty, kitty, kitty!" Aradia crooned as she peered under her bed again.

  After finding nothing, not even a strand of black cat hair, Aradia exhaled an exasperated breath. "Where did she get to?"

  Stomping down the stairs, Aradia tried to rein in her frustration and anger. "Hey has anybody seen my cat?"

  She could hear Melina chortling. "Honey, she is a cat. If she doesn't want to be found then you won't find her."

  Aradia snorted sarcastically and then turned towards the kitchen. She stopped as soon as she realized Melina wasn't in the kitchen alone. In fact, Roy was there too and Melina was sitting on his lap.

  "Hey Roy, I didn't know you were here."

  "There's a bunch of things you don't know Aradia, which is probably why you are still in school." Melina chuckled and swallowed her last bit of apple. Almost immediately, her facial expression turned reproachful especially once she saw Aradia's eyes flash with hurt.

  Aradia struggled with her raging emotions. She even dug her fingernails in her palms and began to draw bits of blood. Although Aradia had passed her junior year with flying colors, it still stung that she had been forced to repeat it. It was only her position as the Witch Queen that prevented most of the Hiddens from whispering behind her back. The humans, however, felt no such restriction. There was much smirking and gossiping whenever she passed them in the halls. Aradia may have been a former bully victim, but she doubted she would have ever be used to being a
social pariah. She had, however, learned to deal with it. Luckily, her helping save the Unicorns and restoring balance had helped improve her social standing with the Hiddens. A few still treated her with disdain, but the majority of them acted like they all owed her a debt of gratitude. A debt that many of them tried to pay by sending her gifts and things. Aradia had been flattered, but last month she made an announcement at the High Hidden council that she didn't want any more gifts. It wasn't that she was not appreciative it was the fact that with three girls in the house they were running out of room for the stuff.

  However, as far as Aradia was concerned nothing compared to the gift her entire family had gotten her. To celebrate her finally passing her junior year of high school Ross, Liza, Melina and Marietta had gotten her a black cat that looked like a miniature panther, an American Bombay, from the animal shelter. Aradia had decided to call her Glinda and since then Aradia had acted crazy about her, buying her cat toys, scratching her belly, and playing with her non-stop. However, living in a house with a backyard Aradia didn't expect to raise her as a house cat. That being said, Glinda often got let out and lost.

  "Hey Aradia, I am sorry..." Melina started.

  Aradia held up her hand to silence protests and turned away.

  Roy sighed heavily. "That was uncalled for baby, and besides its not like you are one to talk. I mean you still had to repeat a year as well you know?"

  "I said I was sorry," Melina snapped.

  Roy grabbed her face and pressed his forehead against hers. "I know but you got to to learn to watch your mouth."

  "Why don't you watch it for me?"

  Roy laughed and shook his head. "I am serious sweetie. You really hurt Aradia's feelings."

  Melina scowled. "You sure seem to care about her a lot."

  "I would be acting the same with you, you know. I mean if Aradia mentioned something about you and drugs I would tell her to watch her mouth too."

  "Really?" Melina challenged him with sarcasm in her voice.

  "Remember two months ago you wanted to sneak in beer to Club Tolerance and Aradia said no. You then said that nobody would find out. She had then snapped something about it being so predictable that you wouldn't care about committing a felony when you already have a record thicker than the bible."

  Melina eyes and expression seemed to darken.

  "And remember how I pulled Aradia aside and told her that that was uncalled for."

  "No." Melina stated flatly.

  "Yeah well I did. Why else would I pull her aside?"

  Melina raised her eyebrows in speculation.

  Roy groaned heavily. "I wish you wouldn't act so damn jealous all the time."

  "Can you blame me? I am after all living with your ex-girlfriend."

  "Aradia is not my ex-girlfriend! We never even really dated!"

  "But you wanted to..."

  Roy groaned heavily again and shot out of his seat. Melina quickly got to her feet as well. He ran his hand through his long dark hair and turned away from her. Only two seconds passed before he turned back and took Melina in his arms.

  "Mel listen," Roy crooned into her ear, "I love you. I have always loved you. I thought I was in love with Aradia, but I wasn't. I don't think I ever was. I have never felt the way I feel about you with her. The only reason I felt anything with her was because she was the first woman I ever got close to. You, however, are the first woman I ever fell in love with. The only woman I will ever love."

  "So please," he paused and rested his chin on top of her head, "stop being so jealous."

  Melina sighed and pressed her cheek against his shirt. "I am sorry," she murmured.

  Slowly raising her eyes to met his, Roy lowered his head to kiss Melina.

  After searching the house from top to bottom, Aradia decided her next best bet to find her kitty was the backyard. She went out the back door and repeated her calling out of Glinda's name. All of sudden the song I Want To Hold Your Hand by the Beatles pierced the air like a bolt of lightening. Aradia dove her hand into her pocket, almost as a reflex, and flipped open her phone. "Hey Dax! Wassup baby?"

  A small groan was heard on the other line. "I hate it when you call me that."

  Aradia scowled. "Sorry."

  "It's alright."

  There was a pause in the conversation. "So what's going on?"

  Dax cleared his throat. "Listen about going to the club tonight..."

  Aradia's face twisted into a mask of anger. "You're bailing on me again aren't you?"

  "Something came up..."

  "This is the third time this month!"

  "I know and I am sorry..."

  "Just what the hell have you been doing all this time?" Aradia demanded.

  "I will explain later..."

  "You're cheating on me aren't you?"

  For a few moments, Dax didn't reply.

  When he finally did, he sputtered, "What? Why would you think that?"

  "You have been avoiding me lately, acting cold, and when you cancel our dates you never tell me what you are doing. I mean what the hell am I suppose to think Dax?"

  She heard him gasping on the other line.

  He then stated angrily, "maybe I wouldn't avoid you so much if we weren't fighting all the bloody time."

  To this, Aradia had no response.

  It was true ever since summer break began there had been discord growing between Dax and Aradia. One would believe that after saving the Unicorns it would bring them closer together. Quite the contrary, ever since Aradia had given herself up to Jack to get the Unicorn's horn back Dax had refused to let her out of his sight. He blamed himself for not being able to protect her. Therefore, he had decided to keep her under close observation. At first, Aradia thought it was sweet but after a week of Dax's possessiveness she had had enough and told him off. Dax had exploded and stated that perhaps if she wasn't so reckless all the time then maybe he wouldn't have to worry so much. It had been their first real fight as a couple. Unfortunately, it hadn't been their last as the summer went on.

  What had really turned out to be the hindrance to their relationship was the pubic pressure. Since Aradia was the Witch Queen and Dax was her consort they were expected to be seen everywhere. Wherever they went, other Hiddens followed them around like paparazzi. It was hard enough for Aradia and Dax to work out their problems but with people following them the pressure seemed almost overwhelming. There were expectations for their behavior like how much affection they should show each other, how they should dress, and so much more. Dax couldn't stand it, but Aradia knew it was to be expected.

  The political changes were also a cause of duress between them. Aradia wanted to change things so much but in spite of her accomplishments, Dax had no more faith in her than before. There was also arguments that even though he was her consort he had no actual political power. Also the fact that a vampire had been chosen to be her consort had given the rest of the vampires of Salem the belief that they now held more power over the rest of the Hiddens. If they had acted like overbearing overlords before, now a days they acted like fanged Nazis. Several fights had broken out, which sometimes grew so out of control Aradia had to be called on to straighten everything up. Needless to say all of this had put a strain on Aradia and Dax's relationship. They had tried talking things out but that hadn't changed anything. Aradia was reluctant to admit it but at this point, she feared she had jumped into their relationship too soon.

  Dax avoiding her was the latest kink that had needed to be ironed out. Unfortunately, Aradia had reason to fear that Dax might be cheating on her. Dax was an extremely handsome vampire and apparently had a long list of ex-girlfriends. Some of which still lived in Salem. Aradia had not known this until she had found Dax flirting with another vampire at the club. After scolding Dax who had stomped off in a huff, Aradia had turned to confront Larista who had in turn taken great pleasure in describing Dax's history. Aradia had not believed her, at first, but after some investigating she had discovered that Larista hadn't been lyi
ng. The fight that had followed had been the worst yet. Dax and Aradia had hurled hundreds of loud unkind words at each other that made the trees seem to shake. Aradia had shrieked that there was fine line between keeping secrets and lying. Dax had accused her of flirting with other guys and that she had no right to judge him. She had called him a lying bastard and he had called her a hypocritical skank. All this they had said to each others faces just barely three feet away from their special swimming spot. Where they had spent many times last year making out passionately.

  They had only started talking to each other again two weeks ago and already there was trouble rising.

  "It's not my fault we are fighting Dax..." Aradia began.

  "No of course not," Dax interrupted, "Nothing is ever your fault. You are Aradia the all powerful Witch Queen. You never do anything wrong do you?"

  Aradia just gulped heavily and tried to hide the bitterness in her voice, "Look you go do what you want to do okay Dax? I don't really care. Oh and tell the woman you are cheating on me with that she can have you with my compliments and my sympathy!"

  She then snapped the phone shut, cutting off Dax's response. As if sensing her mistress's distress, Glinda showed up from under the picnic table and began to weave herself around Aradia's ankles. Aradia looked down at her cat and started scratching her behind the ear.

  "Take my advice Glinda," Aradia muttered, "don't ever fall in love, it is often a lot more trouble then its worth."

  Is Dax really cheating on me though? she couldn't stop herself from speculating, I don't have any proof but how else do you explain his behavior? However, it's not like he is going to tell me straight up.

  She buried her face in her hand and shook it from side to side. I know I shouldn't ignore this situation but I don't know if I can really confront Dax about it. However, maybe I don't need to do anything. The one thing being a D.A.'s daughter has taught me is when you commit a crime whether it is murder or adultery sooner or later the truth always comes out.