by Ashley McLeo
Evelyn stared at him, “And what if I don’t want to keep drinking their blood?”
“Do you like your new accommodations?” Noro asked.
Evelyn’s sapphire eyes narrowed.
“If you prefer this space,” Noro said, taking her silence as compliance, “you will do as we say. We are all working to make room for fata-kind in this new world, Eve. If you wish to continue being hailed as the savior of fata-kind, you will do the same.” He turned and floated toward the door.
Projecting much? I never said I wanted that.
“See to it Eve drinks every last drop.”
Evelyn watched Nora clutch her heart as Amon and Noro disappeared into the hallway. “You’re pathetic. You know that, right? I can’t believe Brigit never—”
“Drink the blood, siren,” Nora interrupted, spitting out the words with malice as she turned to face the bed. “Be blissful in your ignorance as to what his kind can do. How witch magic is nothing in comparison. How we, those who serve them, will be rewarded in Earth’s new realm.”
“And that’s why Noro needs me, then? When their kind is so much more powerful? I don’t see any of them being able to open their own portal.”
Nora’s eyes narrowed, “You know nothing of what they can do, girl. Still, I stand by what I said earlier, what I’ve known from the day you were born. You’re different. Your sisters, too. Not entirely a witch, nor a human, nor one of them.”
Evelyn’s hand shook under the covers as Nora forced them out of hiding with her magic. Evelyn looked down hoping to hide the triquetras glowing in her palms with a discreet flick of the wrist.
She gasped. The triquetras had disappeared.
“But that doesn’t mean you get everything you want.” Nora placed the cup in Evelyn’s hand before shoving the glass to Evelyn’s lips and tipping blood into her mouth.
“You made that harder than it needed to be,” Nora said, picking up the cup from where it had fallen empty onto Evelyn’s chest.
Evelyn glared at Nora, unable to move, or even speak from the binding spell Nora had placed on her as soon as she finished drinking Amon’s blood.
“I’m not lifting your bind,” Nora said walking back to the door. “At least not until the danger of you vomiting it all back up has passed. It’s difficult getting a vampire’s blood from them, even for Noro. It would make them angry if they had to donate again so soon. As they can’t punish you, I’d be the obvious choice. I’ll be back in a few hours to lift the bind. Don’t worry, I’ll spell you up safe and sound behind me so there are no surprise visitors.” Nora disappeared through the door.
Seconds later, the stiff cocoon of a sanctuary charm washed over Evelyn. It was uncomfortable, as if a cactus had wrapped itself around her, so unlike Brigit’s charm over Fern Cottage, which had been soft and comforting. Still, Evelyn found herself the tiniest bit grateful for Nora’s foresight, even if she’d only done it to save her own ass. For all Evelyn knew, Felix or someone worse roamed the halls. She hadn’t needed her ceremens powers to read what had been on Felix’s mind during the days he’d stood outside her cell. In her current state, Evelyn was better off in here. Even if she could only blink, swallow, breathe, and think.
Of course the instant she was immobilized she developed an insatiable itch on her foot. Evelyn sighed. Why can’t I catch a break? Is this how my life will be until I let an entire planet of magic aliens onto Earth? Lying in bed, drinking repulsive vampire blood every few days until I’m strong enough to force another portal open. Faint. Repeat. Should I let myself die? She dimly recalled the image of her pneuma fleeing back to her body on Earth. Evelyn was sure she would have died already if she hadn’t called her pneuma back when she did.
My pneuma. She considered the word again, letting it roll around in her mind. Though she’d known of her pneuma’s presence in her body for only a day, it felt as familiar as her heartbeat. She recalled Noro’s words, unforgettable as they were revolting, after he molested her.
“Now that we have coupled, your fata instincts and capabilities are finally free. They will only grow stronger as Empusa’s blood strengthens you. Soon, my love, we shall be together like old times.”
Evelyn had to admit that a fata waking up powers and even a fata soul within her with his own magic made sense. But why didn’t my pneuma show itself to me before I opened a portal, then? Maybe it wasn’t strong enough until I drank vampire blood? That’s what Noro said. I wonder if there’s an expert on pneumas somewhere in the world? Nora didn’t seem to know a thing about them, let alone that I generated one.
Nora had thought the blue light was her witch soul. And Amon hadn’t mentioned her pneuma or acted like it was anything out of the ordinary. But it is out of the ordinary. I have two freaking souls inside me—how can that not be strange? The answer hit Evelyn like a freight train as her first clear memory from the night she opened the portal came rushing back. Noro swooping in, millimeters from her face, to whisper in her ear. Him telling Evelyn she had a pneuma and her subsequent freak out.
It was a secret! And the others don’t know because Noro is a secret keeper! He never actually announced it, he just let everyone believe it was my witch’s soul, like Nora said. Aoife and Brigit always said astral travel was a rare and difficult gift to master when my sisters and I failed at our attempts. The witches in the room probably don’t know enough about it to know otherwise. So, is Noro the only one with answers? Her heart raced at the idea and her fight or flight response kicked in.
Goddess be, she thought, the witchy words rolling through her for the first time in her life. Please let Brigit or one of my aunts know about pneumas.
A sharp pain shot through Evelyn’s gut at the thought of her biological family. Her stomach clenched, and she fought against Nora’s bind, desperate to double over in pain. Her pelvis started to pulse, a rhythmic, alien uproar that started in the center and wound its way clockwise and out, until it was skating along the outer rim of her pelvic bowl. Each sensation felt how she imagined childbirth contractions, shattering and all encompassing. She made to grit her teeth but her mouth held fast in its bound resting position, her teeth hovering millimeters from each other, stealing the small comfort clenching her jaw would give.
This must be the vampire blood working, Evelyn realized. But it wasn't like this before.
She quieted and concentrated on the life blood of another supernatural being weaving through her gut, her bloodstream, and into the muscles and organs it supplied, strengthening her in an accelerated way, vibrating her body with energy no living being should be allowed or expected to endure. It was the magic of the vampires that flowed through her, and the very reason they were so reluctant to give their blood up. Her muscles hardened, and her pneuma fluttered deep within her, re-energized by the blood.
Evelyn’s arms quivered, each muscle cramping and loosening one after the other. An overwhelming sensation came over Evelyn as her muscles knotted, organs spasmed and tickled, bones hardened, and her pneuma raced up and down the length of her spine. She wanted to vomit, but of course, even that had been denied her. She needed a release. Any release. An idea hit her as her pneuma flew up again toward her heart, causing the organ to skip a beat.
Alright, pneuma, Evelyn thought, ignoring the pain as best she could. You can be free now. I need less sensation and you’re the only part of me that can leave so . . . go?
Nothing happened.
How did I do it before? Evelyn’s mind raced back to the seconds before she opened the portal. The whole event blurred further as pain overtook her. A blue light, a black hole growing at her feet, and flying through space. Other fragments came at her as various combinations of colors and light, making little sense. Air forcing its way through her as her air tubes tightened and then suffocation. She remembered standing in the circle, cruel faces around her, and laying on the ground. A sensation of thumping against her chest, her pneuma. But how did I let her out?
Her pneuma flung itself against her skull and the
spell for astral travel popped into Evelyn’s head as though her pneuma had given it to her.
Of course! Um, thanks. Now let’s see if it works.
Unable to speak, Evelyn said the spell in her mind, doubting it would work, doubting that she was strong enough.
She was wrong.
Space opened within Evelyn as her pneuma crawled past her organs, through her throat, and out of her mouth. Pleasure at the small release coursed through Evelyn and she closed her eyes slowly. When she opened them again her pneuma, a brilliant sapphire light, was hovering before her. She watched as its arm moved up to the space between her eyes and caressed it gently.
What the hell? Why is it touching me?
A second later, without explanation or even a parting wave, Evelyn’s pneuma shot up through the ceiling and away.
Evelyn gasped as once again she was seeing double. The nice, normal room she was lying in was visible with her eyes, while the larger world outside flashed by in snippets supplied by her pneuma. Frigid air brushed against Evelyn’s cheeks, traveled through her nostrils, and froze her lungs. Sunlight momentarily blinded her. The taste of a winter day stole the moisture from her tongue.
It’s taking me with it, Evelyn realized and though the experience was not helping her nausea, she was grateful not to be left totally alone.
Wind sprayed across Evelyn’s face as her pneuma flew higher toward the sun, which was descending in a spray of pink and orange. From her pneuma’s vantage, Evelyn saw the house her body lay trapped in and the miles and miles of sparkling snow covering the surrounding forest. She felt a single tear slide down her cheek as she took in the surroundings where her body lay confined to a bed, all too aware that it might be the last time she’d ever be free.
The Blue Beacon
The sky darkened as the witches’ army of creatures trudged through the woods. Jane estimated the journey to be five miles as the crow flew but the snowpack and general fitness of the group made it seem far longer. Even Lily, a distance runner who rarely went two days without exercise, felt the strain. It was because of this, the hindrance of having to check their compass often, and the fear of losing a single person in the remote wilderness that they were progressing at a crawl.
“Ready for this?” Rena walked up on one side of Lily and grasped her hand as Selma took the other. Annika strode alongside Rena, her ice blue eyes boring into Lily.
Lily nodded and forced herself to smile. At least Mom put them all in Alpha Squad.
Lily knew Brigit had placed her Oregon family in the squadron with the “safest tasks” to help Lily’s peace of mind. She’d even added Gwenn and two other vampires to the Alpha Squad for added muscle. It was an arrangement Jane had questioned, as both the vampires and Gwenn would have been more useful on the upper levels, but Brigit did not budge. She’s trying to protect me as best she can, even through all these shitty situations. Mom knew I’d probably lose my mind if I lost another person I loved.
“As ready as I’ll ever be. At least this time I know what to expect and won’t freak out when someone comes charging at me,” Lily replied.
Selma squeezed her hand.
“We’ll all be behind you, Lil. Judging by how huge this place is, you might not see us, but we’ll be there,” Annika said smiling at her.
“Thanks, Ann.” She wanted to say more—to beg them to leave, to not fight for her, to tell them she couldn’t bear it if they lost their lives for this cause—but she knew they would not accept her wishes. Her family would never allow her to fight alone. She knew it because it was what she would do if the roles were reversed. So she stayed silent.
The conversation dropped, and they continued the miles with their own thoughts.
Lily was guessing they had gone about four miles when a gasp rose from behind her. She stiffened and crouched low, her stance wide and arms outstretched for battle.
“What is that?” she heard Sara ask.
Lily turned and saw her sister pointing up. Her gaze followed the trajectory of Sara’s hand and Lily’s breath caught in her throat.
One hundred feet in the air a bright sapphire light pulsed against the darkening sky. Lily didn’t dare to blink as she stared at the light that was familiar and strange all at once. The invading army watched from the cover of leafless branches as the ghostly light floated, spun, expanded, and shrunk on the spot before dropping out of sight.
Lily shuddered and her muscles tightened.
“Was that a lookout? Do they know we’re coming?” The man named Roger broached the question Lily was sure they’d all been wondering.
“I don’t think so,” Aoife said, walking up to stand by Jane at the head of the army.
“How can you be sure?” Jo, the enerkinesis witch in Lily’s squad, asked.
“I can’t but as someone whose soul has traveled from my body, I can guess. That . . . thing looked how I look when I travel astrally, although I will admit it was brighter and more colorful. I’m opaque and a wee bit white, which I’ve always heard was normal, but perhaps not everyone’s the same?” Aoife looked at the group, most of whom stared back blankly.
“Aye, I’m whitish, too,” Brigit said. “Can anyone else here say different?”
The crowd quieted.
“I’ve never met anyone who could travel,” a wizard admitted.
Two others, then three, four, and soon the entire group shook their heads. No one in their coven had the ability, and most had never come across a witch who could do it.
Lily’s mouth hung open. She’d heard the McKays were special dozens of times from dozens of witches, but only now, as their small army stared at her mother and aunt gobsmacked and nervous over the strange event they’d just witnessed, did she understand just how special the McKays were.
“What if it wasn’t a soul? I don’t like the idea of fighting something I don’t know about,” a voice called from the back of the army and other voices rose all around, questioning, whispering, glancing back the way they came.
We’re losing them, Lily thought as she watched hysteria creep through the crowd.
“I think it’s safe to say no one has seen the likes of whatever that was.” Gwenn detached herself from Alpha Squad to join her sisters.
A faint, covert sensation of calm brushed over Lily and she smiled. Gwenn was implementing her specialty, a calming charm, to counteract the hysteria.
“But does it matter what we have seen and what we haven’t when so much is at stake?” Gwenn asked, her green eyes leveling the skittish crowd. “Like as not we’ll be seeing more of the latter in that manor anyways, so you all best prepare yourselves. Remember, you’re walking into battle to help save humanity. What’s the difference if it starts now, in another mile, or in a year?” Her words flew through the woods, amplified by the empty spaces between the leafless tree limbs.
“Gwenn’s right,” Jane said, standing up straighter. “Turn back now if you want, but I’m moving forward, end of story. With any luck that wasn’t a lookout. If it was, and if it saw us, they’ll send weres. At least then we’ll have a heads-up; weres are shit at stealth attacks.” With that she resumed her slow march through the snow.
To Lily’s surprise no one turned around and the crowd followed, albeit more hesitantly than before.
That was close.
“It must be something, learning you’re a part of a powerful family like yours,” Alfred said, falling into step beside her and raising a dark eyebrow at Lily.
He smelled of cedar and soap. Lily sighed, I can’t escape him or the McKay reputation.
“You have no idea. Shoot, most of the time I have no idea. I didn’t know astral travel was that rare. Aoife has been trying to teach us how to travel for months. Now I don’t feel so bad for not getting it.”
Alfred laughed a deep, warm laugh, “I’m no wizard but I’m sure a few months is nothing. It took years for my powers to come to full strength, but I needed the extra time. I wouldn’t have known what to do with the electricity in the city, no
t to mention natural forms of energy.”
“So . . . Um . . . What are you, anyway? I can tell you’re not a vampire but we haven’t gotten around to learning much about other creatures. Sorry if that’s offensive. I’m not well versed in supernatural etiquette.” Lily pinked slightly at her admission.
Alfred’s red lips parted to reveal a white smile. “I thought you’d never ask!” he teased and nudged his shoulder into hers, causing Lily to stumble and land face first into the snow.
“Oh shit! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to knock you over. Are you hurt?” Alfred extended his hand to help her up.
Lily glanced away, hoping to avoid Alfred’s gorgeous, concerned eyes as he helped her up and saw Aoife watching them, a wicked grin on her face. Lily glared at her aunt, who turned around with a soft chuckle.
“I’m fine, let’s go. We don’t want to hold the group up.” The words came out harsher than she’d intended and Lily set off at a power walk as her mortification skyrocketed. Why am I being so awkward and stupid? Why is this hot guy trying to talk to me now? Talk about the worst timing ever, Lily thought, leaving Alfred in her wake.
Alfred rushed to catch up with her. “I’m a daemon,” he said softly.
Lily sighed and her shoulders softened at his remorseful tone. “What does that mean? You said you wouldn’t know what to do with the electricity in the city? Can you start there?”
“It’s energy I can feed off. I take in man-made electricity, natural sources of electricity, and magic and can use it however I like. Most daemons can only use one type, so when I harnessed all three it became big news. I think the rumors of my range are why Jane was so keen to let me into the Sisters of Salem. She recruited me when I was fifteen. My family was leaving the mosque one day and there she was sitting outside ready to inform my parents how the coven could protect me if I lost control of my power. She wasn’t wrong and being a coven member came in handy, as I later learned. The years when a daemon is first learning to use his or her powers are the hardest time in their life—much like being a witch, I’d imagine.”