She got out and closed the door. She took a few steps then turned uncertainly, apparently Ed wasn’t coming. That should have been comforting, since he was a piece of work, but it wasn’t. She looked back at the front door and walked up the steps.
The mansion was beautifully maintained, as was the landscaping. She could feel a lot of magic on the grounds, which might be why she felt so jumpy. She sighed, held her head high, and knocked on the door.
It wasn’t long before it opened, a young man stood there.
“Celia Winters?” he asked.
When she nodded he continued, “Please follow me to the council.”
Her nose wrinkled in disgust, but luckily he had turned away already. She moved to follow him as she wondered if she just discovered why shifters hated witches so much. The lie had been so obvious, she could scent and taste his fear, and not a little disgust. The pleasant manner of his greeting, and his smile were actually offensive to her.
She really needed some time to process her new abilities, it was all so new and she didn’t think she’d be able to guard her reactions well, if at all. She followed him down the hallway, she could sense it would be a big mistake to deviate from the path he had her on. There were protective magics that wouldn’t take kindly to a wandering witch that wasn’t spelled into the wards.
Some of those magics were directed at shifters, and she could feel the familiar throbbing in her head start up. She knew it would be much worse though if she strayed where she wasn’t welcome.
They reached a large room at the end of a hall where he opened the door and announced her. It was all a bit, pompous, and she had to suppress a giggle. Her emotions were all over the place, and she wondered when and if she would ever feel balanced again and in control of herself.
When she walked in, her escort actually named the three witches who sat there on ornate chairs. The room screamed power and intimidation, there was an oak dais where the three witches sat, their eye level was designed to be between a foot or two higher than a standing person. There was no guest chairs. Outside of the shelves around the room with candles, and some artwork and drapes, the rest of the room was empty.
The room resembled a large ritual space, but it really wasn’t that, no coven would bring an outsider to that sacred space. It was she concluded, quite over the top. She needed to be careful however, it wasn’t all smoke and mirrors. The three witches in front of her were very strong, their magic potent in the air.
Bria Whitehead was the witch sitting on her left, she was older but still had raven black hair and her green eyes were very intense and piercing. On the right side was Sally Williams. She had golden blonde hair and blue eyes, she was a little older but her beauty was still striking. She had a concerned and caring look on her face, but Celia saw right through it and thought she was probably the most dangerous person in the room.
Between them was Damon Staltzman. He was close to sixty and looked distinguished, with silver hair, and warm brown eyes. Her senses told her if anyone in this room was an ally, it was the old man. She bowed her head respectfully for a moment, but didn’t hold it. It was a small statement, meant to say she respected them, but wasn’t their servant to grovel at their feet.
None of the three spoke until Celia’s guide bowed and left, closing the door behind him.
Sally said in a grandmotherly voice, “Hello and welcome Celia, when the shifters called us to report… an incident, we simply had to meet you right away. Did they harm you in any way dear?”
Sally’s voice dripped with sincerity and concern, but Celia’s nose picked out the truth. She took a deep breath and fought down her negative reaction. She couldn’t afford to show animosity here, not if she wanted to walk away.
She replied, “No. They held me for a short time, but treated me well enough.”
She tried to thank the woman for her concern, but the words stuck in her throat. Not being able to lie wouldn’t help her survive, so she decided to strive for neutral statements, it was the best she’d be able to do. It seemed strange to her the witches didn’t know she could sniff out a lie, but it was obviously true. After all, she hadn’t known either, all she knew was they didn’t lie, not why.
As far as Silva, Celia could feel her being watchful, but was far from alarmed.
Damon said, “The shifters have suggested you as a go between and investigator for both councils, they feel pushing you out into the public view would be the best way to keep you breathing, and safe. Of course, it would also afford us a powerful asset, so we all win. How do you feel about that?”
She replied, “That it’s probably in my best interest for now. Me personally? I honestly don’t know yet, It’s all a bit new to me. A month ago I’d have said I wanted to merely run my store and be left alone. But I’m not that person anymore. The only thing I do know is I’ll not be used as a weapon by either side.”
Bria scoffed, “After the circumstances of your birth? You honestly don’t hold malice toward the shifters?”
She couldn’t help the smile that slipped out. Bria was dangerous, maybe not her ally, but she was honest at least. Oddly, that made her like the abrasive woman immediately.
She gathered her thoughts a moment, and then replied, “No. I met a few shifters today I’d like to slap, a few that helped me, and a couple I could be friends with. I’ll not judge a whole race by my father. Life is never that simple, and trying to make it so is fuzzy thinking. I’ve had my eyes opened, prejudice is a blinding emotion.”
She compressed her lips together trying to shut herself up. She was finding herself stupidly outspoken recently, her timidity seemed to be long gone.
Damon interjected, “I see no reason not to go along Bria. She can file duplicate reports and work with Ed and Paul.”
He turned toward her and said, “It isn’t an easy thing you are choosing. Yes, it may be a shield of sorts from either council fearing you a spy, or taking sides, but there is another side. You will be in danger, many witches, and dare I say shifters, will try and harm you. Especially the kind of beings the councils investigate. We generally intercede against those that wish the peace didn’t happen, or as you said, are filled with prejudice and bigotry. You’ll be a major target.”
She shrugged, “I would guess Ed has to deal with that when chasing shifters, or the danger Paul is in when dealing with rogue witches. Sure, I’ll be in twice the danger, but better that than the alternative.”
She didn’t mention what that was, but she could see they understood. The alternative was to possibly invite enmity from one or both councils, she wouldn’t survive that. Not with her magic crippled, maybe not even when or if she could fix it. It could still happen of course, she’d have to step carefully and let them stand over her shoulder and ensure she always acted above suspicion.
The tiger in her hated that, not the honesty of course, the control over her life.
Sally said softly, “We understand dear. Go home and get some rest, I’m sure you’re tired after your ordeal. Ed and Paul will train you on what you need to know soon.”
She tried to say thank you, she really did, but it just wasn’t happening. She nodded deeply instead and turned. She held in a sigh of relief as she escaped the room. She followed but otherwise ignored her escort out of the house, his animosity made her very tense. She wasn’t looking forward to the drive with Ed either, he was still sitting in the car waiting for her…
Chapter 12
Alone at last. She locked the front door and let out a big breath. Ed had still been annoyed, but he was at least professional and didn’t seem to have any personal distaste for what she was. It was merely that she was there at all. He’d given her a copy of their current case, and direct orders not to go haring off on her own.
She still hadn’t looked at it yet, when she got back to the store she’d chatted with Berny for a while before the girl left, and then went to pack up her internet orders. It wasn’t long after that the phone started to ring, and she was told in no uncertain ter
ms by two witches her services as a midwife would no longer be required.
It had stung a bit, she should have expected as much. Still, only two had quit so far and she had a lot more customers than that. Her internet sales seemed normal, and she knew Fran and the local coven would continue using her store. She wondered though, if that trend continued would she be able to afford to get a second person in the store? Also, no one had told her what an enforcer for the council earned, and she was working for both.
She sighed, looking forward to trying meditation, and working out who she was, so she turned off the lights and headed for the stairs. The back door banged twice making her jump, to her surprise she landed directly facing the door with her arms up. New instincts? Add that to her new magic, her split soul, and that sister soul’s fear of said magic, being a human lie detector and unable to lie, and she was about ready to lose it.
So much for her alone time.
She was feeling overwhelmed, and she’d been looking forward to getting some time alone, and now another damned interruption, she felt her anger rise. No, not anger, rage, it was a major overreaction but she didn’t care at that moment.
She took a sniff and recognized Paul’s scent and walked purposefully toward the door and kicked the crash bar.
“What do you want?” she practically growled.
He raised an eyebrow and gave her a mocking smile, “Why, to help you of course partner. I assume you have no practice at handling your… inner cat? Also kitten, I need to teach you how to fight.”
Her rage drained as did the blood in her face, “Fight?” she asked softly in shock at the thought.
He winked, his voice was smarmy and arrogant, “Of course babe, we chase monsters. Witches that sacrifice people, shifters that hunt people, both that think the war is still on, murderers, thieves, and rapists. Did you think they just turn themselves in when caught? Oops, sorry, I’ll hold still while you put me down, sorry for the inconvenience?”
She growled and resisted the urge to take off the wise ass, liberty taking head off of his shoulders.
His eyes started to sparkle, “Amazing control, I thought for sure you’d attack me after that.”
His voice had turned admiring which brought her up short.
She shook her head still angry but in control, “That was a test?”
He held out his hand, “Come on, I was serious about the training part. And yes, it was a test, you’ll meet people out there that will treat you as if your poison, or as if you’re an abomination that needs to be put down. Unfortunately those aren’t crimes, unless they attack you of course, so you can’t go around attacking people, only the ones that deserve it.”
“How much do I get paid?” she asked, whatever it was she was sure it wouldn’t be enough.
He laughed, “They didn’t tell you? The councils are splitting your cost, we’re paid ten thousand a month salary, which comes out to close to seven after taxes, plus expenses. It’s both good and bad, on the quiet months we make out, but sometimes you’ll be working sixty hours a week.”
At first that seemed like a lot, but honestly it wasn’t, not for constantly risking her life, which seemed to be a likely turn out.
“So where are we going?” she asked.
They’d been walking for a bit now.
“I told you, I’m going to train you how to fight both in human and tiger form, every night for a couple of hours after your business closes if we aren’t actively working on a case, until I’m satisfied you can at least hold your own.”
She wondered at his motivation in helping her, and she was a little mixed up. She still felt that strange urge to both fight him off and an attraction to him. Was it merely because he was another tiger shifter, instincts? It had to be, it was the only thing that made sense. Still, at least she knew he actually did want to help her, she just didn’t know why.
She shivered. She wasn’t a violent person. She was a healer, midwife, and store owner. Her mind seemed stuck, learning to fight? The whole idea was alien to her, and she felt like she was losing herself. The worst part about it was she could feel Silva’s excitement, both at learning to fight, and at spending time with Paul. Conflicted just didn’t even start to describe how she felt.
She almost jumped as he touched her shoulder. She looked up and realized she’d stopped walking, been staring down at the concrete.
He said gently, “No one is forcing you honey, all I did was suggest a way out for you. A way for you to keep not only your life but everything else you know as well. You can still be who you were; you’re just more than that now.”
He left it unsaid, she was a whole person now, not just a shadow.
She took a deep breath and they started walking again, “Why? Why are you helping me?”
He shrugged, “It’s my job, can’t have you dying in your first fight.”
She sighed, he told the truth but there was also more behind it. They continued up the street and walked to a gym.
He said, “I want you to meet me here after you close every night, the wolf shifters own it, and their alpha gave us permission to use it after hours.”
He pulled out a key and opened it up, she followed him inside.
The place looked fairly modern. The first room was small, with a desk. He took her through the changing room which led to a very large open room. There was a boxing ring, punching bags, free weights, weight machines, and various other work out machines, including treadmills and stair climbers. The room had the faint smell of blood, sweat, and bleach.
She looked down at her clothes, she was still in jean shorts and her light red shirt.
“Shouldn’t I change?”
He shook his head, “No, we practice in what you’ll be wearing when you fight. I’d advise you to put your hair up though, and do so when were in the field.”
She nodded and put her hair up in a crude bun.
He smiled, “Now, attack me.”
She grinned, he didn’t waste time, and she’d been wanting to slap him for a while now. She moved toward him as fast as she could, but before she could punch him she found herself flying through the air. Her body twisted in mid air and she landed on her feet, but she overbalanced and fell onto her butt.
He grinned cheekily, “We’re not just here to learn how to throw a punch, or block one. I’m also going to show you what your body is capable of. You shouldn’t have fallen, your instincts had you landing on your feet, then you let your brain try and take over and you fell. You can do things with your body now that you couldn’t days ago.
“You’ll learn how to guide your instincts, and when to ignore them. Also, don’t use magic, at all. Once you can fight without it, we’ll work on incorporating it with your fighting style. Of course, I’m teaching you how to fight shifters, for fighting witches you’ll have to find your way. I know Ed just uses his magic.”
Celia thought she hated him now, but she found the true meaning over the next two hours. She’d lost count of the times she’d been tossed across the room, and still hadn’t managed to hit him once yet. But she was improving, she’d managed to start landing on her feet and actually staying there, and recovered quickly on the times she couldn’t.
It didn’t seem like she made much progress, but she was still surprised how balanced, fast, and sure her movements were. She just needed to learn what instincts would get her in trouble by making her predictable, yet guide those same instincts to maintain her natural speed and grace. The two things seemed almost contrary in nature, but she was sure she’d get it.
By the time Paul called a halt to training, she was bruised, sore, and wiped out. What surprised her was she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a fun time, even her anger at not being able to strike Paul didn’t lessen the pleasure of the physical activity.
She asked, the excitement in her voice betraying her, “So when do we train my tiger?”
“Tomorrow night, we’ll alternate nights so you advance together. But what do you mean, your tig
er?”
She snickered, “She’s excited, she wants her shot at batting you around.”
He was quiet and she looked up at his eyes and said, “What? What’s wrong?”
His voice was tentative, “Your tiger is… separate?”
She felt a shiver go down her spine. She’d thought all shifters were like that, and she’d never heard him sounding so serious.
She breathed, “Yes. Isn’t that…”
He looked around as if to check for someone watching, “No. Human and animal share one mind, one soul. When we change we shift closer to our animal instincts, but we are one being.”
She shook her head in denial, did that mean she was insane? All her earlier assumptions about shifters and a dual soul went up in smoke in her mind. Did she have multiple personalities then? No, it was worse than that.
She just didn’t have multiple personalities, or some other kind of sickness of the mind. Her soul was split, she’d seen it herself. She felt a black rage rise in her, her mother had done this, had destroyed who she was, had harmed her very soul. She couldn’t make sense of it, her mother had loved her.
She felt fear and despair from Silva, and she was frozen in place. Eventually the rage receded and she could think again, but what did this mean? She’d been so sure of the truth, but the truth was she was damaged, insane. Not blessed with an animal companion for life, as she’d been thinking of Silva, but… Broken. Not whole.
She noticed Paul studying her, and when the rage finally receded he nodded.
Paul said firmly, “Do not tell anyone of this, it will only add to the controversy surrounding you and put you in danger. It must have been being bound most of your life. Maybe it will just take time for you to integrate.”
She suppressed a snort of derision. Right, because an insane shifter with witch magic would probably be a threat.
She nodded wordlessly at the integrate part, but didn’t really believe it. Did souls even heal like a physical mind would? Plus, it almost seemed wrong, if they rejoined would either her or Silva even exist anymore? She hardly recognized her new self, but in a way it was still her same self with new feelings and urges. If they did rejoin… it just wouldn’t be her.
Witch's Moon: A Celia Winters Novel Book 1 Page 8