“Thank the Spirits.” Meredith slouched in her chair. She'd dyed her blond hair black, with only the tips remaining their original yellow. Her cupid doll lips pursed. “I can't imagine living with something like Aimee. It must have been horrible.”
Zoe leaned toward Lilith. “You must be so relieved.”
Lilith nodded. They had no idea.
Fiona shuddered. “Did you ever figure out what she was?”
Lilith shook her head.
Rowena raised her glass as if in a toast. “You must have forgiven yourself. That's why Aimee is gone.”
Again, Lilith nodded. If she opened her mouth, she feared she'd ask Rowena if she knew about Aimee and how the entity had stolen her Magic. And that would upset all Kat's carefully laid plans.
“You know,” Kat said, and sat back against her chair and folded her arms over her chest, “I never did understand what Lilith needed to be punished or forgiven for. Just because some stranger claiming to be a cop went upstairs and rescued her? And Nan died of a heart attack.” She gave her mother a pointed stare. “You said so yourself.”
Lilith covered her grin with her napkin.
“Well, dear,”—Rowena gave her a tight smile—“I can explain it in detail after dinner.”
A fork rattled onto a plate somewhere farther down the table. A hush fell.
Goddess preserve her, she'd been in the coven's presence fifteen minutes and already she’d created trouble. “Kat meant no offense, Rowena.” Lilith dabbed at her mouth with her napkin. “I'm sure explanations aren't necessary.”
“Of course, I'm sure you're right.” Her voice sounded pleasant enough, but the glare she fixed on Kat looked lethal.
“You know what this means, don't you?” Claire spoke from the far end of the table.
Everyone turned to her.
“We have all thirteen members,” Claire said. Her bright blue eyes lit with excitement. “Katherine can keep filling in until Trina gets back.”
“Lilith will be ready within a fortnight.” Brenda's eyes were closed when she spoke, indicating she used her prognostic abilities. When her eyes opened, they fixed on Lilith. Brenda tipped her head to the side as she regarded her through black eyes. Or maybe they looked so dark because she dressed in black all the way down to her ebony-tipped nails.
Rowena leaned forward. “Did you see something of importance, Brenda?”
Lilith's stomach clenched and her breath hitched. What if she knew about James? Lilith held her breath as Brenda continued to watch her, and everyone else continued to watch Brenda.
Brenda's gaze shifted to Rowena. “Lilith will be ready in a fortnight. She'll be a positive addition to the coven.” Brenda's gaze dropped down to her plate.
What did that mean? Had she seen James and been okay with it? Did she see them being successful in removing Rowena from the coven?
But the high priestess interpreted the portent a different way altogether. “At last we'll defeat the vampires.” Rowena sounded ecstatic. “Your mother would be so proud, Lilith.”
Her entire body went rigid. She hated when Rowena spoke of her mother. She forced herself to paste on another false smile. “Thank you. I hope she is.”
“When will Trina return? Do you know?” Violet asked. Her hair was cut close to her head, her ebony skin dark as pitch. She had light brown eyes that looked almost amber.
“She should be back in about seven weeks.”
“How nice,” Zoe said.
Abby smiled. “The two of you were always inseparable.”
“Until Rowena enlisted her in the Navy.” Lilith mentally cringed, she shouldn’t have said that.
Again the table fell silent.
If Lilith had been a little wild as a child, Trina had been the devil incarnate, and neither Nan nor Rowena had much patience for either of them. As Trina's legal guardian, Rowena signed Trina up for the Navy when she turned seventeen to keep her and Lilith apart.
“I did it out of love, dear. We had her best interest in mind.” Rowena eyed her over the top of her wine glass.
Lilith offered a small smile and nodded—more like Rowena's best interests. A magician of the highest talent, she had a knack for making trouble vanish. The joke was on Rowena, though. Trina, stubborn to the last, had re-signed for two additional tours, halting all Rowena's grand plans for the coven.
“Trina was always a firecracker.” Abby chuckled, drawing Lilith back to the conversation. “I swear I always got so angry with her for her antics, but I think now we're older, we'd all get along great.”
Lilith caught what appeared to be a silent message in Abby's expression . . . an apology?
Laughter bubbled up from Gina, gaining everyone's attention. She'd been so quiet until now, obviously still shy in group settings. She brushed her chin-length brown hair from her face. “Remember when Trina got into a fight with, oh, what's the name of the mean girl from fifth grade . . . Beth! And Lilith—”
Several of the women shook their heads or coughed into their napkins. Gina paled as she noted the not-so-subtle warnings. They were never supposed to use Magic around humans. Not only had Lilith done so, but all the girls were present when she used Magic on Beth, and no one reported the offense to Rowena. She'd be furious to find out now that Lilith had used Magic around a human and the entire coven had covered for her.
“What?” Rowena's green eyes bounced from one guilty face to another. “It sounds like a great story. You must finish.”
Lilith shrugged. “To be honest, I don't remember.”
“But I'm so curious now, Gina? Fiona? Anyone?”
Kat's glass of wine tipped over. She, Rowena, and Brenda all scrambled to clean up the mess before the liquid spilled off the table and soaked into the carpet.
“Damn, you're clumsy,” Rowena shouted.
Violet spoke into the commotion. “What I'm dying to know, Lilith, is if you've been practicing your Magic and meditation? You must be if Brenda thinks you'll be ready for induction in two weeks.”
Lilith nodded. “I never gave up meditation. Since I've regained my Magic, I practice spell work every day, too.”
“Good. That’s the best way to increase your power,” Debbie said.
“And it's the perfect time with the waxing moon,” Gina added.
“Of course, now you're reunited with the coven,” Abby said. “Being near others with Magic will also increase your power.”
They ate in silence for a few moments. Finally, Rowena said, “We should fill you in on all the gossip.”
Sheri grinned. “There have been eleven births in the last six years.”
“And guess what?” Gina said. “They were all girls.”
Rowena laughed. “Isn't that fabulous?”
No surprise there, not with artificial insemination and gender selection available. Rowena wouldn't have had it any other way.
The women went on and on about the children. Their love for their little ones showed in their animated pride while discussing the monumental feats of potty-training, ballet class, and soccer games.
Abby was more reserved than she remembered. Lilith got the impression her daughter was sickly and wasn't around the others often. And Kat didn't brag about a child at all. She joined in talking about the other children, though, which made Lilith think she might be the only one there, aside from her, who wasn't a mother. That had to chaff Rowena.
The talk of children lasted through the meal. After a while, the subject changed to specialties in Magic.
“I think every member of the coven is strong in their powers,” Rowena said, “but a few have developed a higher-than-normal proficiency in an area or two.”
“Kat is our expert healer,” Gina said. “You wouldn't believe how good she is. When my daughter fell off the monkey bars last year and dislocated her elbow, I brought her to Kat. She healed the break in two hours, and Kat hasn't even inherited yet. She's amazing.”
Kat blushed. “You should see how accurate Brenda's portents are, and Claire's drea
m Magic. They're the amazing ones.”
“I wonder if you'll develop an area of specialty now your Magic is back,” Violet said to Lilith.
Lilith shrugged. She knew her specialty, she still needed to master manipulating the elements, though.
“What do you see, Brenda?” Rowena took a sip of wine.
Brenda's eyes shifted between Lilith and Rowena before closing again. The room grew quiet while the women waited for Brenda's prediction. “Elemental Magic.”
Rowena appeared startled by the prediction. “Which element?”
“Once whole, she'll rule them all.”
Whole? What did that mean?
“You mean be able to manipulate them all,” Rowena corrected.
Brenda stared at her for a moment before glancing away. “All right.”
A chill swept up Lilith's spine at Brenda's flippant tone.
“You know,” Kat said, “we're going to have to find a new purchaser now.”
“Oh, true,” Sheri agreed. “Lilith can't be traveling if she's going to be a part of the coven now.”
“It shouldn't be too hard.” Lilith smiled. “I enjoyed the job.”
“And you were good at it.” Fiona wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Once you took over, the quality of our products went up, and sales started shooting through the roof. The coven has never been so successful with our Magic supply sales.”
Lilith smiled.
“Would you like more wine, dear?” Rowena topped off her own glass.
“No, thank you. I should get going soon.” When Rowena's eyes shot up to hers, she felt the need to provide an excuse. “I just got a new cat and have never left him alone for so long. I'm hoping he hasn't destroyed the house already.”
“Of course—it's getting late, and felines . . . they can be fickle creatures.” Rowena smiled, seeming to accept her excuse. “We won't keep you much longer, but I do have a gift for you.”
“You shouldn't have,” Lilith said automatically as Rowena got up.
“We should send some of the leftovers home with you, Lilith.” Fiona and Debbie both sprang from their seats. “We'll help you find everything, Rowena.” The twins ushered Rowena out, closing the kitchen door in their wake.
Katherine stood, motioning Lilith to the mannequin holding the Legacy Necklace. Lilith got up and made her way around the table.
Katherine motioned to the necklace. “Try it on.”
“What? Are you crazy? She could come back any minute.”
“Fiona and Debbie will keep her busy. We've had this planned for ages.” Kat held the necklace out to her.
Lilith bit her lip. “How will I know?”
“We'll all know. The legend doesn't say how, just that we'll know.”
Lilith took the necklace and slid the silver chain over her head. As soon as the tear-shaped stone came to rest between her breasts, it jolted her to another time:
The others were with her as well. Not in physical bodies. They appeared more as apparitions, their bodies invisible but for a faint blue outline of their forms and features. She stood on a dirt street between rows of rustic cabins with the others. The area was devoid of life, or so she thought at first. When she saw the first signs of movement, she stood transfixed in horror.
She had no idea what the creatures were. There were two of them. At some point they'd been human, but not anymore. Their bodies appeared stretched, their forms twisted and bulging with unnatural muscle mass. They made animalistic sounds as they moved about, searching for something, sniffing the air as they wandered in and out of buildings, their eyes gleaming.
A flash of light lit up the area, and a group of women materialized.
Lilith's breath hitched. The old coven. These women were past-life versions of her and the others. Their features differed, but not enough to make each of the witches unrecognizable. The high priestess stared straight at her for a moment before she spoke to her coven. “Find him. And remember, none of the Nephilim can be allowed to leave this place. Should any of us be bitten, the rest must destroy the fallen.”
Just then, one of the creatures let out a war cry. Nephilim, as she had called them, swarmed in from every direction.
The women spread out, away from one another. They generated round orbs between their hands. Some sizzled with electricity, others blazed with fire. The night sky lit up as they hurled the balls toward their attackers.
The Nephilim raced into the onslaught, unfazed by the coven's arsenal. Those struck, fell, their bodies engulfed in flame before their bodies crumbled into soot and ash. Electricity jolted and seized others before they, too, erupted into flame and burned into nothingness.
But the coven was outnumbered, and soon overwhelmed. Witches dashed in every direction, dodging the creatures' grasps as they fought.
One of the twins, either Debbie or Claire, fell first. A creature caught hold of her long blond hair, snapping her neck back so hard bone snapped. It dropped to the ground with her, sinking its shark-pointed teeth into her neck. It ripped flesh from the body, chewed, and swallowed before the creature began lapping at her blood. The other twin rose up behind the creature. She let out a scream of pure anguish and outrage. Bolts of energy crackled around her, her arms raised high overhead, swinging down and to the side. A nearby tree did the same, toppling down and crushing the Nephilia. Barren winter branches sank deep into the creature's flesh seconds before it burst into dust.
Lilith blanched at the violence.
In another area a young man, maybe in his twenties, stepped onto the street. She wanted to shout a warning to him. He seemed so young and innocent with his curly hair in a disarrayed tangle on his head as though he'd just woken. Then she noticed his eyes glowed silver.
The Nephilim ignored him, running around him to fight the women.
“I am Lilith, the Original.”
Lilith swiveled her head to find the voice. Almost like gazing into a mirror, except this past-life version of her wore old-fashioned garb, a long, heavy skirt, and serviceable top. The past-life Lilith spoke to the young man.
“I banish you.” Her eyes closed then, and her lips moved silently, furiously, as she cast her spell.
The man sauntered toward her, laughing. The strange, broken sound, gave the impression of insanity. “What are you up to, little witch?” He circled her with the interest of a hungry shark. “Ah, Psalm 91. So you're the woman Lady Augustina speaks of.”
Past-life Lilith's words faltered. She sucked in a shaky breath and started again.
“Lilith, the Original? Maybe.” He circled again, oblivious to the chaos surrounding them. “But you don't feel anywhere near as strong as you should.”
Past-life Lilith continued her chant, but her body had begun to shake. Her voice wavered, not quite so confident.
He withdrew a dagger from beneath his coat and plunged it deep into Lilith's chest.
A scream ripped from her throat. At the same moment a scream erupted from another nearby. Lilith wheeled around, searching for the source. . . .
Someone shook her. She opened her eyes to see Fiona in front of her. “Rowena will be back soon.”
Lilith sucked in a hard breath, clutching at her chest. She'd felt it, the burn and sting of the blade. “What was that?” She looked at Kat.
“The Clearances. I've had a similar dream since childhood. I've never seen that part of the events. My dreams focus on the end of the battle, when almost everyone is either dead or transformed into those creatures.” Katherine rubbed her throat. Her spine straightened, and she met Lilith's gaze. “I've heard Mother call you that . . . the Original. Nan, too, when we were kids.”
Claire spoke. “You're our high priestess.”
“To hell with that,” Sherri said. “You're the Original, whatever that is.”
Lilith shifted positions. “Did any of you see who else fell when he stabbed . . . me?”
Everyone shook their heads.
“Did anyone recognize the man?” She glanced at each of them, but no
ne knew him.
A cacophony of coughing came from behind the kitchen door.
Kat touched her arm. “Don't say anything. We'll elect you high priestess at your induction. We'll take care of everything. She can't challenge us all.”
“Hurry.” Fiona tugged the necklace over Lilith's head and got it back onto the mannequin just as the kitchen door opened.
Rowena took in the odd scene with a sweep of her eyes. “What's going on?”
Her face must be as white as the other women's after the horrors they had just seen. Those who weren't in the room when she put the necklace on seemed unaware of what had happened.
“Nothing, Mother.” Kat's smile looked feral. “We were just admiring the Legacy—”
A sharp rap at the door interrupted her.
Rowena sighed, walking into the other room. “Who the devil is that?”
Lilith leaned toward Kat. “Are you going to be okay tonight?”
“Yeah.”
Claire smiled. “Kat is leaving with me. I'll make sure.”
Brenda grabbed her arm to gain her attention. “You can control all the elements, Lilith.”
Lilith stared. “I’m learning to.”
“Yes, but from what I saw in my vision you’ve forgotten about the fifth element, void. You could use that to trap your skin-walker.”
“Void?”
“Mm.” Brenda closed her eyes. “You need to picture absolute nothingness and then call it forth. But be careful, make sure to keep it contained, envision a bubble of void, or a box, not just void.”
Lilith nodded. She had a thousand questions to ask about Brenda’s instructions, but the deep rumble of a male voice rolled into the dining room. Lilith's face heated as she recognized James' voice and she gripped Kat's hand in hers. “Oh, gods.”
She ran into the other room, drawing up short at the horrifying sight of James standing on the porch.
He pointed to her. “See. There she is.”
Rowena's fierce green eyes locked on her.
“James and I had plans this evening. I-I pushed our date to a later time when I received your invitation.”
“I see.” Rowena turned her attention back to James. “My girls don't date.”
The Beacon (The Original's Trilogy Book 1) Page 20