Aradia Awakens

by Thawer, Tish

  His mission was the only reason he asked her out anyway. He'd been sent to find and kill the new Witch the moment she was triggered, just as he had done to all the others. He initially located his target at Devin’s bar, but with all the witnesses present he decided to spend his time merely observing her. After understanding the connection between the two women, he knew using the best friend would be the perfect way in.

  So, using one of his special talents, he mesmerized Devin into believing he worked there at the bar, and that she had already been interested in him. Then he asked her out, knowing she would say yes.

  His plan worked, but when Aryiah proved immune to his mind control, Gage had spent an uncomfortable evening with Devin, and was now forced to approach her again, hoping for a second chance to meet his goal. "Hey, Devin. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

  Obviously surprised to see him, Devin dropped her keys and gasped. "Gage? What are you doing here?"

  "I’ve been thinking about our date from last night, and I feel like I owe you an apology."

  He'd been aware of every move she tried to make. She'd been as subtle as a car crash, but he wasn’t interested. He'd been too frustrated and annoyed that his plan to kill the Witch hadn't worked.

  He was thrilled when Devin called him and told him to pick her up at her friend’s apartment for their date. How much easier could this get? he'd thought at the time. But when he arrived at Aryiah’s apartment and Devin introduced them, that’s when things got fucked.

  He'd tried to use his mind control in order to convince the Witch to join them for dinner, thinking it would be easy to get her alone and finish her off. But after she shook his hand, she tore herself away and ran to the bathroom. Gage was left stunned and pissed. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before. None of the other potential Witches were able to resist his powers.

  "Um, yeah, I guess we can talk. I was just headed over to my friend's again, but I can catch up with her later," she said, after retrieving her keys from the ground.

  "No...don’t change your plans, I could just go with you. I would like the chance to apologize to her as well. I feel like we got off on the wrong foot for some reason," Gage said with dark eyes.

  "Oh, okay. That’s a great idea." Devin smiled and then slid into the driver's seat.

  They made small talk on the drive over, Gage placating her with an apology about how he'd been distracted during their date. Devin agreed to accept his excuse only if he kissed her at every stoplight, which surprisingly proved to be more enjoyable than he ever would have thought.

  As soon as they pulled up to Aryiah's apartment, he hurried out of the car and opened Devin's door. He smiled, finding a twisted pleasure in the fact that this was the second time in two days she had delivered a vampire assassin to her best friend’s home.

  * * * * *

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Damarius didn’t have the heart to tell Aryiah about the death rite just yet. He was so filled with a sense of amazement that this woman was his mate, all he could do was sit there and listen to her stories.

  "And then this one time when Pete and I were fighting, the horn in his truck started honking outside, and he started freaking out, saying, ‘How are you doing that? How are you doing that?’ I didn’t know what he was talking about until he explained that there was no way the horn should be honking because he disconnected it the week before."

  "You're right. It's apparent you've always had magick inside you, and now's the time we draw it out," Damarius said. "Usually when I begin a Witch's training, she has already had some lessons through her journeys, but since you don't remember yours, we will have to begin again."

  "Journeys?" Aryiah questioned.

  "Once a Witch is triggered, their guide leads them into a series of shamanic journeys starting in Lower World, then up to Middle World, and finally to Upper World, where they meet the Goddess. During these journeys they not only face trials, but are given instructions of what they should be studying in the real world in order to prepare them for the release of their magick."

  He watched as a sense of clarity settled over her. "That's why I keep having the feeling like I am forgetting to do something," she stated.

  "Yes. For some reason, the memories of your journeys aren't flowing, but I'm hoping now that you know everything we'll be able to unlock them."

  Proving his point, Aryiah suddenly gasped. "It was you in my dream––I mean, my journey. The wolf with the green eyes. You're my guide. That’s where we’ve met before." The revelation seemed to please her, but apparently left her with even more questions. "Do you always look like a wolf in the journeys instead of yourself? And why can’t I remember any of my lessons?"

  Now he was nervous. "Actually, Aryiah, there's more I have to explain. It’s not only that I appear as a wolf in your journeys…I actually am a wolf. I'm the werewolf that leads the Wild Hunt." Damarius felt lighter after the confession, he didn’t want to hide any part of himself from her for even a moment longer. Standing up, he moved to the middle of the living room. "May I show you?"

  With her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open, Aryiah nodded her head in approval, then watched as he transformed into the huge black wolf she now remembered.

  "That’s unbelievable!" she said as he shifted smoothly back into himself, clothes intact. "Is that something you can do because of your magick?"

  "No. It has nothing to do with magick. I have always been this way. A man who can become a wolf, or a wolf who can become a man, depending on how you look at it."

  * * * * *

  Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. Aryiah began to move off the couch to answer it when Damarius placed his arm in front of her and shook his head. I’m sorry to speak in your head without warning, but there is a vampire on the other side of your door and I do not want to give any warning that I am here.

  Aryiah was frozen in place. Why would there be a vampire at my door and what the FUCK should I do about it? she thought back at him, hoping their mind thingy was still working.

  Then her heart dropped as she heard, "Hey, Aryiah, I know you said not to come by, but I need to talk to you. Let me in okay?" Devin's voice sounded so normal, and she had been her best friend for years. How the fuck could she be a vampire? Oh my god, it’s Devin. I think I’m going to be sick.

  Looking into her eyes and rubbing both hands down her arms, Damrius thought, It is not your friend you need to fear. She is with the same one that was here before. The one you ran from.

  Gage, she thought, now understanding the strange reaction she had to him.

  I told you that you were right to run from him. I’m sorry I forgot to explain upon my return, but…things happened that forced me to place my attention elsewhere at the time.

  Oh thank god, but why is he with Devin? Aryiah was relieved, but still scared shitless.

  I think I may know, but let’s find out for sure. I’m going to disappear…literally. You won’t be able to see me, but I will still be here. Just act normal and see what they want. Do not be scared, my love, I won't let anything bad happen to you or your friend.

  Aryiah wasn’t sure which part of that sentence she liked more, the fact that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her or Devin, or the part where he had called her "my love."

  After watching Damarius fade into nothingness, she took a deep breath and made her way to the front door. Trying to stay calm, she turned the locks, opened the door, and ushered Devin and the vampire into her home.

  * * * * *

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Damarius watched from the Shadowlands, as the vampire entered Aryiah’s apartment. Those with the ability to shade were able to hop in and out of it, allowing them to travel shadowed and hidden from the rest of the world. This is also why it appeared as though he materialized out of thin air, when in fact, he was just stepping out of the Shadowlands. All those who ran with the Wild Hunt were able to shade, including The Witches. Vampires, however, did not possess the ability,
so Damarius was confident Gage wouldn't be able to sense him here.

  * * * * *

  "Sorry for dropping by unexpectedly, but I ran into Gage this morning and he wanted to come by and apologize for the...um, awkwardness of last night," Devin said.

  Under normal circumstances, Aryiah would be teasing her best friend that she probably "ran into him" as she rolled over in bed. But in the current situation, the thought terrified her, and therefore she was unable to find her sense of humor.

  "Ummm…okay, but didn’t you get my text not to come over this morning?"

  "Yeah, but I was heading over anyway to talk to you when I ran into Gage, so he hitched a ride. Plus, it doesn’t seem like you have anything else going on," Devin said as she looked around the empty apartment.

  Aryiah watched as Gage turned to Devin, his eyes going from brown to black as he said, "Devin, why don’t you go out and wait in the car? I would like to apologize and speak to Aryiah alone."

  Without hesitation, Devin said, "Okay. I guess I’ll go wait in the car and let you guys duke it out alone."

  Holy shit! Aryiah couldn’t help that her eyes were about to pop out of her head and her chin had almost hit the floor. She knew in that instant that Gage’s black eyes meant that he was controlling Devin’s thoughts. That’s how he looked at me last night. I wonder what he was trying to make me do?

  I’m wondering why it didn’t work, Damarius replied in her head.

  As soon as the door closed behind Devin, Gage turned to Aryiah with the same dark eyes and began to walk toward her. "Let’s sit down on the couch, Aryiah, where we can be comfortable."

  This situation was the furthest from comfortable that she had ever been in her life. "No thanks, I think I’ll stand. Besides, you really didn’t need to come by to apologize, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just that I had a really weird day and my nerves were shot by the time we met."

  Gage halted his approach as a quizzical look fell over his face. As his eyes changed from black, back to their normal brown, Aryiah felt relief, but only for a second.

  "I can see that you're truly immune to my gift. That’s unfortunate for you as I usually try to make this experience an enjoyable one. But in your case, it looks like we are going to have to do this the hard way." Aryiah listened as she watched a set of fangs extend from his mouth.

  An instant before Gage made his move, Damarius appeared behind him in his wolf form. He was ready to spring when Aryiah noticed the large knife Gage had pulled from under his leather jacket. The fear she felt at the possibility of Damarius getting hurt completely overwhelmed her, and in the next second, it was Aryiah's eyes that changed.

  * * * * *

  Damarius watched the scene unfold as if it were happening in slow motion. Aryiah screamed and then her eyes began to shine like liquid silver. She flung her hands out and a ball of energy engulfed the vampire, completely paralyzing him.

  He heard her chant, "I am she who you cannot beat. Retreat from me with Goddess speed. These words I speak you will now heed. Disappear from me, so mote it be."

  And then the vampire was simply gone.

  * * * * *

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Aryiah sat cuddled in Damarius’ arms, completely in shock. She hadn’t been able to explain how she had done it, because she truly didn’t have a clue. But now that she was remembering bits and pieces of everything, she told him that something like this had happened before in the library, when words flew from her mouth without her even realizing what she was saying.

  "I don’t like this. What’s happening to me? How did I do that? And what the fuck was it that I just did?" She was hoping he would provide her with an answer that explained everything, like, "Relax my love, you are progressing normally. All new Witches can do that," but instead she got the truth.

  "I do not understand," Damarius said. "You shouldn't be able to release that kind of magick until after your initiation rite. This is completely unheard of. I must speak with my Goddess."

  Damarius looked shaken, but there was no way he could be as freaked as she was, and if he thought he was leaving her here alone right now, he was sorely mistaken.

  "Damarius, don’t you dare leave me! I have to go talk to Devin. I want to know what happened to Gage, and...I’m really scared," Aryiah finished in a whisper.

  Damarius pulled her close again, hugging her and letting her sink into the tears that were now starting to spill down her cheeks. "Sit down, my love. I will go speak with Devin, and when I return we’ll try to talk this through."

  * * * * *

  He didn’t know how much he'd be able to explain, but he had to calm her down in order to leave and get answers to the questions that were now plaguing him.

  After making her some tea and placing her on the couch, he covered her with her favorite cashmere blanket then made his way out to Devin’s car. Realizing they'd never actually met made this a bit more difficult than he would have liked. But then again, the vampire wasn’t the only one with the power to control someone’s mind.

  * * * * *

  As Devin sat in her car singing along to the radio, she felt a sudden wave of confusion. "What the hell am I doing out here?" It was odd that she was sitting in her car while Gage, who was practically a stranger, was alone with her best friend inside. Definitely not like her.

  Just as she got out of her car, she caught sight of the most gorgeous man walking across the apartment’s lawn. Holy hotness, this man is to die for. He was even sexier than Gage and walking straight towards her.

  "Hi, are you Devin?" hotness asked.

  Caught off guard by the fact this guy knew her name, she stumbled a bit. "Ummm, yeah. Is there something I can do for you?"

  She looked into his eyes, mesmerized by the deepest shade of green she'd ever seen, as he said, "Aryiah sent me to tell you she and Gage worked out their differences and that he had to take off, and also, she isn’t feeling well and will give you a call later."

  Devin stared at him briefly then said, "Okay, thanks. Tell Aryiah I’ll call her later." Feeling a little fuzzy, she got back in her car and drove off. She was happy that her best friend, and hopefully her new boyfriend, had worked things out.

  * * * * *

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Damarius watched Devin drive off then headed back towards Aryiah's apartment. What a lame excuse, he thought. Good thing he was a master of the mind-fuck.

  Once inside, Damarius asked Aryiah to explain what she'd been feeling and thinking when it happened.

  She explained about the knife and how she didn’t want him to get hurt, and about how Gage's mind control hadn't worked on her. She had no idea where the words of magick she spoke came from. This left them both frustrated and confused. But the one thing Damarius could explain was the mind control.

  "Aryiah, mind control is a very rare gift, one that only a few in Ovialell possess. The Goddess, myself, and some of the Fae. Vampires, however, are not like the creatures you've seen in the movies or read about in books. Most do not have any special powers at all. They are simply creatures of death that feed, kill, and lurk in the night. It seems, however, that Gage is––was...an exception. He could manipulate minds and walk in the sun. These gifts are, I’m sure, what made him the perfect assassin."

  "Assassin?" Aryiah gasped. "Why would anyone want to assassinate me?"

  "It's becoming glaringly obvious that you are indeed special. More so than the other potential Witches were, and even more so than I originally thought."

  With his heart breaking, Damarius watched her sink into the couch as she asked, "Can’t I just refuse to become a Witch and have everything go back to normal?"

  "I’m sorry, my love, but there's no going back."

  "Why do you keep calling me my love? You don’t even know me!" She threw down the blanket and stomped into the kitchen. He watched as she traded her tea for a small glass of wine.

  Damarius didn't move as she turned to look at him, probably seeing the hurt expression on his
face. She then made her way back to the couch and took his hand.

  "I’m sorry. It’s obvious that I’m not handling this well, but I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I actually love it when you call me that," she said. "It's just that I don’t understand why, and I don't understand the feelings that we seem to be having for each other since we just met."

  Damarius couldn’t think of a better time to tell her of their bond. Because honestly, if he couldn’t pull her close soon, and kiss away all the hurt and shock that she was feeling, he was going to lose his mind.

  "Aryiah, if you feel calm enough to hear it, that is something that I can explain."

  She settled herself back under the blanket with her glass in hand. She simply nodded and began listening as he explained their mated bond.

  "When I first touched your hand, did you feel any unusual sensations?" He tried to gauge her reaction, but couldn't help listening to her thoughts as well. Internally, she was thinking, There is no way I can tell him how wet that one touch made me. So he watched as she simply nodded her response.

  Not having the luxury of playing it shy like she was, he continued. "I felt it too. A warm sensation spread up my arms, through my heart, and straight between my legs. I was filled with such an overwhelming sense of love and lust for you in that moment that it startled me."

  "Oh, thank god. I thought I was a pervert for feeling totally turned on by one handshake. I’m so glad you felt it too," she giggled, her cheeks flushing pink. With that one sentence, the tension eased and he scooted closer as he continued his explanation.