Blood and Fire (Guardian Witch)

by Ally Shields

  “A pig?” Ari couldn’t quite stifle her disbelief.

  “Well, I suppose it was really the boy who owned the pig. The creature had gotten loose and the young child was chasing it. A vampire, whose name escapes me, thought the boy would make a tasty drink. The village witch, who by some quirk of fate was present, took exception to the vampire’s intentions. When she raised an energy barrier to protect the boy, the vampire turned on the witch and ripped out her throat. The coven reacted by bringing in a fire witch to burn out the local vampire nest. I imagine you can see where it went from there.”

  Ari nodded. “Retaliation, back and forth—all the way to the O-Seven, I assume. And they declared war on all witches?”

  “Eventually. It took a while, but it was merely an excuse. The vampire elders did not want to share control of the land with the witches. They wanted it for themselves. I doubt if they cared about the fate of the local vampire nest.”

  The corner of Ari’s mouth twitched at the old woman’s cynicism. Even after eight hundred years as a vampire, it was obvious where Zylla’s loyalties still lay. “You felt the vampires were in the wrong.”

  “I do not favor aggression by either side, but the witches did not welcome it. Nor did they try to exterminate the entire vampire world.” Zylla’s fangs flashed in the firelight.

  “So how did the witches survive? Then and still today?”

  “By forming the Witches’ League, using their combined powers to set up barriers, improve wards against vampires. They perfected teleportation spells for quick in-and-out attacks, and they recruited at least one fire witch into every coven.”

  “So many fire witches?” Ari shifted forward in interest. “I’ve always thought it was a rare gift.”

  “It is now, child. The vampires concentrated their wrath on the fire witches as their most feared enemy, and many wonderful bloodlines were extinguished. Over the centuries, the O-Seven has continued to hunt them, forcing many into hiding. Some, like your family, eventually escaped to the New World.” Her gaze sharpened. “Andreas tells me they do not know you have the gift of fire. Guard your secret well. If you do not, instead of providing those you love with protection, your gift could bring the wrath of the elders to Riverdale.”

  Ari’s magic spiked with alarm. Her witch fire could be a liability?

  “I do not mean to frighten you, but you, and those around you,” Zylla’s gaze drifted to Gabriel, “must prepare for the day the elders learn the truth. Strengthen your magic, learn to control the fire spirits, and keep your coven close. You will need the power of many to withstand them, and Andreas must eventually seek out his own roots.”

  “His roots? What are you talking about?”

  Zylla folded her hands in her lap. “It is not important now, but I will talk with Andreas when the time comes. For the present, you and he should strengthen the bond you share.”

  “Have you seen something? A piece of the future? Can you be more specific?”

  Zylla’s smile was unreadable. “You will figure out your path. I have seen no more than hazy images.” She drew the shawl tightly around her shoulders. “I grow weary as dawn nears. The sun weighs heavy on me these days.”

  Ari uncrossed her legs and stood to go. She understood a dismissal when she heard one. “Thank you for talking with me. I hope I may visit again.”

  “That would be nice, my dear. You too, Gabriel.”

  The vampire rose to follow Ari back into the tunnels. “Count on it,” he said with a wink.

  Ari suddenly turned back. “I almost forgot. I have a last question, if you will allow it.”

  “By all means. You must be quick.” But Zylla looked intrigued.

  “The place you call Spirit Cave. Can you tell me when and why it was unsealed?”

  Zylla’s face cracked into a grin. “I wondered if you would ask about the lines of life. The cave was opened before my time, but there is an Indian legend regarding the Ancient Ones, who once lived here. It is said that when the time came for them to leave this world they retreated into another dimension. If they were the ones who opened the cave in order to use the ancient power, it was many centuries ago.”

  “So, it wasn’t opened by Blackhawk,” Ari said, more to herself than anyone. She looked at the wise woman. “A powerful amulet may be hidden there.”

  “Ah, Blackhawk’s bloodstone.”

  “Yes. You know of it.” Ari’s tone revealed her great interest. “Do you know where it is?”

  “Have you found the symbol?” The vampiress waited for Ari to nod. “And have you spoken with his descendants? He said he would leave instructions.”

  “But they weren’t clear at all,” Ari protested. “More like a riddle.”

  Zylla frowned. “Blackhawk spoke with me before he departed. He wanted his people to have the stone if he did not return. He was most definite he would give them its exact location.”

  “Can you tell me where it is?”

  “I cannot.” The old woman’s face pinched in regret. “I asked him not to tell me. I did not want to interfere with fate, as it was Blackhawk’s secret, not mine. He must lead you to it in his own way or it shall remain hidden forever.” She smiled and held out her hand to Gabriel, who kissed it and bowed.

  Frustrated, but knowing she wouldn’t learn more tonight, Ari thanked the vampiress again and joined Gabriel to head back into the cavern maze.

  “Do you think she knew more?” Ari spoke the moment they were out of hearing.

  Gabriel shrugged. “Does it matter? She isn’t going to tell you. Surely this isn’t your first introduction to the vampiric respect for secrecy.” Gabriel seemed taken aback. “If so, I really must talk with Andreas about his loose tongue.”

  “Oh, Goddess, don’t do that. He hardly tells me anything as it is. And, yes, I have heard that sentiment before about protecting somebody else’s secret. It’s freakin’ frustrating every time it crops up.”

  Instead of his usual lighthearted comeback, Gabriel slipped into silence. They were almost to the outer cave entrance when Ari pulled out of her thoughts long enough to notice his mood. “Worrying about your missing vamps?”

  “We’re almost into the second sleep cycle since they vanished. If they’re alive somewhere, I hope they’ve found cover. Dying from exposure to the sun is extremely painful.”

  “I’ve seen it.” When he gave her a sharp look, she explained. “A legal execution. But once was enough.” She laid a hand on his arm. “We’ll find them or at least learn what happened. When I track down the coven, I’ll force them to tell me.”

  Gabriel nodded, for once seeming to have no witty comeback.

  Chapter Thirteen

  In spite of the late night, Ari took Zylla’s advice and climbed in her car shortly after 7:00 the next morning to drive into the hills southeast of Riverdale and visit her coven. She had called her priestess thirty minutes earlier in hopes of catching her sisters before they left for their regular jobs. Emmy said they’d make appropriate excuses and be waiting at the usual place by the time Ari arrived. Ari’s family had lived in the small town of Perry—her grandparents still did—and she’d been initiated there. Her twelve coven sisters lived in town or close by.

  Although Ari had explained the situation to Emmy over the phone, something like this required a thorough discussion and approval by each of the involved witches. Besides, Ari wanted to be there in person to emphasize the danger. This was far beyond anything her witch sisters had previously faced.

  Ari parked her dark green Mini Cooper on a side road and walked down the narrow dirt path that led around Lake Perry to the clearing that Ari’s coven used for secret meetings and rituals. Not only did the air smell cleaner here, it felt cleaner away from the city. Spring crocuses peeked their heads through the dead leaves left from last fall. Birds sang in full voice. Ari might have lingered to enjoy the peacefulness if she wasn’t so wrapped up in thoughts of the coming meeting. She frowned, hoping she hadn’t made a bad decision involving the group.


  She heard the chatter of voices ahead and hurried her steps. As she entered the clearing, the conversations stopped. Twelve women, seated on stones placed in a circle, rose to greet her. Every one of her sister witches, ranging in age from twenty to sixty-seven, had responded to her call.

  Her chest tightened. How could she place them in danger like this? Maybe Zylla’s advice had been too one-sided, only thinking about what Ari needed.

  “You’re troubled.” Emmy, the thin, dark-haired High Priestess of Ari’s coven, grabbed Ari’s hands when the greetings were completed. “Do not sell us short, sister. We are witches, not children. We will not place ourselves in danger if there is no hope of success.”

  Ari’s fingers tightened around the other woman’s in surprise. “How did you know about my doubts?”

  “I saw it on your face, in your hesitate step.”

  “Maybe I shouldn’t involve my sisters in something so risky.”

  “Let us make that decision. I’ve told them most of what you shared with me, and, as you can see, they’re all here.”

  Her other sister witches, who had listened quietly during this exchange, murmured agreement. The eldest spoke for them all. “Emmy’s got it right. This isn’t only about supporting you. We have a responsibility to stop a coven that has turned rogue. I think we’d like to hear the whole story.”

  During the next twenty minutes, Ari filled them in on everything that had happened: the murder of the treasurer hunter and the black curse she’d felt, the spells in the caverns, the scrying, the bloodstone, even the ley lines. She held nothing back, including what she knew about the O-Seven and their centuries-long wars with the witches. She could tell by the expressions on their faces that her witch sisters were stunned.

  “Holy Goddess, help us. You’re deep in it, Ari.”

  Ari smiled at a chubby, dark-haired woman who had joined the coven a year before Ari. Their most outspoken member always got straight to the heart of things. “I couldn’t have said it better, Roxy.” Ari looked around the circle. “I hate to involve you. It could be really dangerous. I’m not even sure if you can help, but I wanted to talk it over.” She stood and paced around the circle. The women turned to watch her. “I wanted you to know what was happening in case I need you later.”

  “Who are these black witches? Where are they from?” Stella, a thirty-four year old accountant, was their detail person.

  “I’ve only seen the face of the High Priestess. She had black hair and hazel eyes. No name, and unfortunately her address wasn’t stamped on her forehead.” There were a few smiles and a chuckle in response. “There’s a woman from Cincinnati who may be involved, but I don’t have her name either, and I don’t know if the coven is from there or someplace else. I don’t know much. Yet.”

  “If you can get any names, I’ll check them out on the witch rolls. Within twenty-four hours you’ll know everything, including their favorite brand of toothpaste.” Stella grinned at Ari’s surprise. “I have contact lists.”

  “That’s good,” Emmy said. “Easy to do and not too dangerous. But I think we need to be prepared for what could happen next. Ari may need our combined power to defend her from the rogue coven.” Her faced darkened. “Or even from the elder vampires.”

  “No. I wouldn’t let you do that. Not the O-Seven.” Ari planted both hands on her hips. “They have fought experienced covens for centuries. Warrior witches. You, my sisters, are not trained for that. It’s bad enough I may need you against the rogues.”

  In spite of the grumbling and denials from most of the women, Emmy agreed with Ari. “Settle down and listen, please. We have little experience fighting vampires, especially the old ones. Ari is the only Guardian and the only fire witch we have. How many of you have been in a real fight with something more powerful than you are? We’ve banished a demon or two, stopped some newborn vampires, but beyond that, Ari’s correct. We’d be over our heads.”

  “At least we can take on the coven. Witch against witch. That seems fair. I don’t care if they’re warriors or not,” Roxy declared.

  “They also use the dark arts,” Ari reminded her. “Even if we could match them, the question is how? I can’t even find them as long as they’re using a misdirection spell.”

  “Let’s follow the magic to its source.” Faye Ann’s dark face shone with eagerness. “All we need is the right spell. Ari could tap into us while she’s scrying, and we’ll follow each pinpoint of magic until we locate the right one.”

  Emmy bobbed her head in agreement, and the rest crowded around to figure out the details. Emmy, along with her First Initiate and four other members worked on the elements of the ceremony they would use. Ari and her other sisters brainstormed the proper wording of the spell, how the search would work, and how they would let Ari know when the coven was located. With fifteen points of light and twelve witches, not counting Emmy who had to hold the spell together, four people would have to follow two leads.

  It took more than an hour, but Ari thought their plan was a sound one. The ceremony, the spells—one for her end, one for their circle in Perry—were written. If everything went as planned, her sisters would see her scrying surface in their minds with its picture of Riverdale and the magical lights. Emmy would assign a witch to track each light, and once the rogue coven was detected, everyone would concentrate on that location. One light would grow significantly brighter in Ari’s bowl, revealing the black witches’ true location.

  Ari didn’t know how to thank her sisters as she said good-bye. She would reconnect with them magically in less than ten hours, but it wouldn’t be the same. These women had agreed to risk everything—even their lives—to help her. If something went wrong, the rogues might track the energy back, hunt Ari’s sister witches and kill them.

  “You’re the best,” she said simply.

  “Blessed be,” echoed around the circle.

  * * *

  Promptly at 8:30 p.m., Ari brought out the scrying bowl, performed the spell to connect with her sister coven, and smiled when she felt their power. She proceeded through the steps of the scrying ritual, but after three unsuccessful attempts, she gave up and called Emmy on her cell phone.

  “I’m getting nothing. Not even a blip.”

  “We knew this could happen.” Emmy’s voice was calm. “Since the High Priestess discovered you at the caves, she suspects you’re looking for them and has limited their group rituals. It can’t last. If they’re not locals, and you were pretty positive on that, what are they going to do every day? Hide in some hotel or motel room hoping you’ll go away? They have to take some action. We’ll try again tomorrow at the same time. Don’t worry. We’ll get them. Stella wanted me to tell you she may have found the woman in Cincinnati. There’s a practicing witch with an iffy reputation who hires herself out to the highest bidder. If you want all the specifics right away, give Stella a call. Otherwise, she’ll e-mail you the report. Blessed be.”

  Ari hung up and sighed. She was grateful for Stella’s report and would look at the e-mail later. It was a lead if the coven suddenly left town, but for now she was more interested in their local activities. Emmy had brought up a good point. If they weren’t doing a ceremony, where were they? In the caverns? Searching for the bloodstone?

  She called Gabriel. “Any new disturbances in the tunnels?”

  “Nothing. All’s quiet. We have a weretiger stationed inside Spirit Cave and two vampires in the Chamber of Ages. We’ll know if anything happens. I haven’t heard from Andreas yet, have you?”

  Ari’s pulse leaped. “Why? Do you think something’s wrong? I’ve been so busy with the witch stuff. I thought—”

  “Ari, stop. I’m sure nothing’s wrong. It was a casual question. Andreas is busy. My God, you’re edgy.”

  “Tell me about it. But don’t try to convince me your not feeling the stress.”

  Gabriel’s chuckle sounded forced. “You got me there. I keep waiting for the next sword to fall.”

  “If tha
t means the next catastrophe, me too.” She chewed on her lip. “We have too many people plotting against us. I worry about what the coven is doing tonight, and then I worry about Ursula’s plan. I hate not knowing.”

  Unfortunately, Gabriel didn’t have any answers, and Ari went to bed knowing she’d have a restless night. When Andreas called at 1:00 a.m. to say he was fine and the meeting with the vampire princes would take place tomorrow night, she remained unsettled. She tossed and turned before falling into an exhausted sleep.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Wednesday dragged on forever. Ryan was busy on an arson case. Claris’s shop overflowed with customers participating in a plant exchange, trading spring seedlings and small plants suitable for gardens, deck pots, or indoor locations. Since Ari knew exactly nothing about plants—she’d even killed the aloe Claris had given her, the one Claris had sworn couldn’t die—she would only be in the way at the shop. The vampires were sleeping, and Ari was bored. She didn’t need to be. There was plenty to do—reports to write, requests for referral services, visits to the local shelters—but nothing seemed to keep her mind occupied while she waited for evening to arrive.

  So much could be settled tonight. She hoped to find the coven and eliminate that threat, one way or another, and Andreas and Daron were meeting with the Canadian princes, urging them to take a stand against Ursula. Two enemies; two decisive moments.

  By the time dusk fell, Ari was already in the Chantilly Suite with her candles, scrying bowl, crystal pendant, herbs, and cell phone. The phone was for calls from Toronto and calls to Perry. As she waited, her attention on the slow-moving hands of the clock, a tap at her door provided a welcome distraction.

  “Thought I’d find you here.” Lilith shut the door and sat on the bed. “Anything I can do to help?”

  “Not unless you can speed up time.” Ari pulled her hair behind her ears. “I’m getting antsy waiting. What’s Russell said about events in Toronto?”