Enchanted Secrets
(Witches of Bayport)
By
Kristen Middleton
Copyright © 2013 by Kristen Middleton
Cover by http://marintaniaart.weebly.com/
Cover Model
http://mihaela-vstock.deviantart.com/
Copyedited by Carolyn Pinard
[email protected]
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Copyright ©2012 by Kristen Middleton
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without express written permission of the author
Prologue
Salem, Oregon – 25 Years Earlier
“Wake up, girls,” whispered mother, shaking her gently. “It’s time to leave.”
Adrianne’s eyes snapped open and she smiled with giddiness.
Awake?
Who could sleep on a night like this?
The truth was, she’d been lying there wide awake and restless for most of the night, ever since mother had promised to take her and Vivian to the Moonlight Dance.
“Get dressed quickly,” she ordered. “Make sure Vivian gets moving, too. And, please, don’t either of you make a peep when you come downstairs.”
Adrianne turned to her sister, who was still sleeping soundly on their double-bed. “Wake up,” she whispered, squeezing her wrist.
“Leave me alone,” moaned Vivian, slapping her hand away. “Can’t you see… I’m dreaming?”
“Viv, mom’s taking us to the Moonlight Dance, don’t you remember?” she prodded.
Vivian sucked in her breath and opened her eyes. “Oh. I almost forgot. Did mother tell you it was time?”
Adrianne stood up and stretched her arms. “Yes. She also said that we have to move quickly and… not wake father.”
Vivian, now fully awake and just as excited as Adrianne, threw away her comforter and scooted out of bed. “Well, what are you waiting for? We don’t want to keep mother waiting or she might change her mind.”
“Oh, Viv, I’m so excited!” gushed Adrianne, her blue eyes sparkling. “This is going to be the best night ever, I just know it.”
“Let’s hope so,” said Vivian. “I hate getting out of bed when the sun hasn’t yet risen.”
“I know me, too. But this will definitely be worth it.”
Both girls quickly removed their long cotton nightgowns and slipped into hooded robes made of crushed black velvet, with a red silk lining that felt cool against their bare skin.
“This robe feels strange and almost… sinful,” said Adrianne. “I wonder if we should wear something underneath?”
Vivian shook her head. “No. Mother said not to wear anything. Not even our shoes.”
Adrianne sighed. “At least there won’t be any boys around. I’d simply die if one caught me dancing around with barely anything on.”
“Oh, I don’t know, I wouldn’t mind dancing for Eric McDermott, even if I was in the nude,” smiled Vivian wickedly. “He’s pretty cute.”
Adrianne’s face turned red. They were only seventeen years old and Vivian sometimes said the most outlandish things. “Oh, my gosh, you’d really do that?”
Vivian tossed her long, red hair over her shoulder and ran her fingers through a couple of snarls. “Just for a few seconds,” she said with a dark smile. “Then I’d turn him into a toad and toss him into the disgusting pond behind our house.”
“Girls!” boomed a stern voice inside both of their heads.
Mother.
“Quit dawdling, girls. It’s time to leave.”
Adrianne and Vivian both squealed with excitement, and then padded down the old wooden staircase in bare feet.
“Quiet now,” reminded mother, who held the front door open for them.
“Sorry,” the girls whispered in unison as they brushed past her and stepped onto the cool wooden porch.
“Freezing,” whispered Vivian, her breath visible in the brisk darkness.
Mother sighed and carefully closed the door behind the girls without making a sound. “Now, follow me quickly,” she said, stepping off the porch and towards the back of the cabin where they were greeted by the crickets chirping away. Shivering, and not just from the brisk weather, she pulled the hood over her dark hair and glanced back towards the cabin one last time. Not seeing anything unusual, she released the breath she’d been holding and guided the girls towards the woods.
“This is so exciting,” gushed Adrianne, following her mother into the forest. “I feel like I’ve been waiting for this dance forever.”
“Forever has finally arrived, darling,” answered mother. “And I promise you, this will be a night you’ll always remember.”
“I’m so cold,” complained Vivian, her teeth chattering. “How far do we have to walk?”
“Actually, we’re almost there,” said mother, leading them towards a windy path that the girls had never seemed to notice before. “The fire will soon warm you.”
It was the end of October and the air was crisp with the promise of an early winter. Adrianne didn’t mind, however, she loved the snow. In fact, last winter she’d learned how to ice skate with her best friend, Rebecca, and they’d had so much fun laughing at each other as they’d slipped and fell on the ice. She wondered if she’d get to share this special occasion with her as well. As far as she knew, Rebecca had never been to the Moonlight Dance, either. “So, is Rebecca coming to this dance?”
Mother shrugged. “I really don’t know. Just… please, remember not to talk about this with anyone at school or mention it to your father. He must never ever find out.”
Yes, they’d heard it a hundred times already.
“But why?” asked Adrianne.
“Because, he just wouldn’t understand,” she replied softly. “You know how he is.”
The girls were silent as they moved deeper into the woods. Soon they were met with the smell of burning cinder and the sounds from a crackling fire.
“Stop,” said mother. She raised her thin, black wand and pointed it towards a large clearing straight ahead.
The girls watched in wonder as mother chanted a few words under her breath and the wand began to sparkle. Seconds later, the woods came to life.
“Oh, I see them,” smiled Vivian, her eyes lighting up.
Where there had been nothing but dark trees and Evergreen bushes only moments before, now stood a roaring fire with several women congregating around it, all of them wearing the same matching black robes.
“Ah, Lisbeth,” said an older woman, stepping towards them with piercing brown eyes and thin lips. “You’ve finally brought the twins, and on this Hallow’s Eve when the moon is full… I don’t think you could have chosen a better night for their induction.”
Mother smiled proudly. “Yes, Meredith. It took some planning and patience, but I truly believe that they are ready for their initiation.”
“Very well then, let’s get everyone’s attention,” said Meredith. She then clapped her hands and the small crowd of women became silent.
“Excuse me,” mother said, motioning towards the older woman. She smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, Meredith, let me just speak to the girls for a moment. Please?”
Meredith nodded. “Of course.”
“Come,” said mother as she took both of their hands and pulled them away from the group. When they were out of earshot range, she turned to them and squeezed their hands tightly. She took a deep breath. “Look, I know that I told you tha
t this was just a dance, however, it is so much more. You see, it is part of a ritual that every woman in our family has participated in, from generation to generation. Now, do not be frightened of the things you might hear or see this night, as I promise you, they won’t hurt you.” She looked at them and smiled proudly. “My lovelies, tonight you will be joining our coven circle and your powers… they will be magnified after this ceremony.”
Vivian’s eyes lit up. “Our powers will be stronger?”
Lisbeth smiled, her own eyes now glowing with excitement. “Oh yes, my dears. You are so special. Not only are you identical twins, but you are both my daughters, and there isn’t one witch here,” she said, glancing over their heads towards the others, “who is more powerful than me,” she said, lowering her voice to a whisper, “even the High Priestess, Meredith.”
“Lisbeth?” called Meredith. “It’s time. Bring the girls to the circle.”
The other witches had now formed a large circle around the fire and were watching the twins with an intensity that made Adrianne very nervous. She turned towards her mother to ask her what exactly was going to happen next, but the look on Lisbeth’s face hushed her. It was a look of pure happiness.
“Come,” she said, smiling lovingly at her two girls as she pulled them towards the other ten women.
Now the circle was complete with thirteen cloaked witches. Meredith smiled in satisfaction and then cleared her throat. “We are here to celebrate Samhain on this Hallow’s Eve. This is the time of beginnings and endings. We ask the blessings of the Wise Ones who guard the Portals of the World.”
Adrianne listened half-heartedly to Meredith’s words as she rattled on about the wind and storms, but wondered when they’d actually get to dance around the fire and where the music would come from. She loved music and dancing, which their father never allowed in their house. He was a minister, and a very strict one at that.
When Meredith was finished with her incantations, she raised her hands up to the sky and asked everyone to remove their robes.
“Oh… but I can’t,” exclaimed Adrianne, her cheeks flaming. “I’ll be totally naked.”
Her mother sighed. “Everyone will be naked, honey. It’s okay. You’re among friends.”
Then Adrianne watched with shock as all of the women removed their robes, including their mother.
“Don’t be such a prude,” snorted Vivian as she discarded her own robe and stood proudly. “We’re obviously both very beautiful and have nothing to be ashamed of.”
She bit her lower lip. “But…”
“You have to do this, Adrianne,” demanded Lisbeth in a tight voice. “It is part of the ritual.”
Adrianne felt confused and ashamed as she dropped her robe to the ground. She stared towards the fire, fighting an intense urge to cover herself with both hands.
Noticing her modesty, Meredith smiled in amusement and continued with the ceremony. “We will now ask Goddess Diana to accept her new children into our coven. Protect them and keep them safe from those who do not understand, from those who can only hate. Give them strength and power to defeat their enemies and heal their loved ones, whenever it is needed.”
Adrianne frowned. She knew she had special powers that she was supposed to keep from her father, but she also believed in God. Who was this Goddess Diana? Wasn’t it blasphemy to pray to her? This was all so confusing.
Sudden gunshots echoed in the darkness, startling everyone. Someone screamed in pain and Adrianne watched as all of the women began to scatter into other parts of the woods, their pale bodies glowing in the moonlight.
“Girls, follow me!” demanded Lisbeth, grabbing her robe. “Hurry!”
Vivian and Adrianne quickly snatched up their cloaks and followed their mother while more gunfire exploded all around them. Just when they reached the ravine that would lead them back towards the safety of their cabin, Adrianne felt intense wave of dread and she could barely breathe. It was then that her mother stopped and turned towards the girls, her face as pale as the moon.
“Mother? Why are you stopping?” asked Vivian, looking around nervously.
Lisbeth didn’t say anything¸ instead she crumbled to the ground. Both girls screamed in horror as blood began to spread across the top of their mother’s robe.
“Mother!” cried Adrianne, dropping to her knees beside Lisbeth. She touched her cheek and began to cry. “No!”
“Devil worshipper!” growled their father as he sprang out of the woods with a shotgun clutched tightly in his hands. His dark eyes were filled with loathing as he stared at Lisbeth’s still body. “Now, Witch, you can spend eternity with him!”
Adrianne choked on her sobs as father raised his gun and aimed it at her this time.
“Daddy?!” she screamed.
He stared at her for a moment and then his eyes filled with tears. “I can’t… I just can’t, dear Lord,” he moaned, falling to his knees. He held out his arm. “Adrianne… will you repent child… and seek God’s forgiveness?”
Before Adrianne could respond, Vivian grabbed her wand, then closed her eyes and began to chant. It was then that Adrianne noticed the wand in her hand that was beginning to sparkle.
Mother’s wand.
“What in Heaven’s name are you doing, daughter?!” hollered their father, now raising the gun towards Vivian. “Put that down!”
Vivian stopped her chanting, pointed the wand towards their father, and whispered a single word. “Die.”
His face turned white and then red. He dropped the gun and clutched his chest, staring at Vivian in anguish. “Viv, what have you done?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Die,” she repeated, this time with much more venom.
Adrianne screamed in horror and ran towards their father, who now lay writhing on the ground, howling in horrendous pain. She kneeled down and took his hand. “Stop it!” she yelled, staring up at her sister. “You’re killing him!”
Vivian smiled darkly. “That’s the point.”
Chapter One
(Now – 25 Years Later)
Bayport, Michigan
“Kendra, for the last time, wake up!” hollered my mother, who was now standing outside of the bedroom door, tapping her nails impatiently against the doorframe.
“Fine,” I groaned, turning over. I looked at the clock – seven o’clock, and I only have twenty minutes to get ready. That was barely enough time to find clean underwear.
My sister flounced into the room, dressed in her new pink skinny jeans and white lace top. She plopped down next to me on my bed and shook me. “Get up, lazy bones! Aren’t you excited? I just love the first day of school.”
Summer was officially over and both Kala and I were starting twelfth grade. She was excited and I was resigned to the fact I still had nine more months of school before my “Great Escape.” June couldn’t get here fast enough.
“Yay,” I mumbled, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. As always, she was a little too chipper for me to handle this early in the morning.
“So, what are you going to wear?” she asked, hopping off of the bed.
I yawned. “Um, clothes?”
Kala laughed and then started digging through our closet. She pulled out one of the new outfits my mom had chosen for me and held it out. Unlike both my mom and sister, I loathed shopping.
“Here, you should wear this purple hoodie with your white cargo pants,” she said. “It’s super cute.”
I snorted. “Cute? Sure, on someone else.”
My sister frowned. “Don’t be so negative. It does look nice on you. In fact, if they would have had it in my size, I would have snatched it up in a heartbeat.”
Kala, my skinny twin sister, never had to worry about clothes. Being a twig, everything always looks awesome on her.
“Fine, I’ll wear it,” I said, grabbing the outfit. I brushed past her to the small bathroom we shared and hoped I could still fit into the pants. Locking the door, I turned around and stared at my reflection in the mirror, wis
hing it was someone else – long brown hair, ghostly white skin, and blue eyes, which, actually… weren’t half bad.
I sighed. Who was I kidding? Nobody even noticed my eyes with this double chin.
“Don’t forget, we only have fifteen minutes,” she called through the door. “I’ll be downstairs in the kitchen.”
Groaning, I quickly got ready, stuffing myself into the new clothes. When I finally got the zipper up, I stood sideways and groaned at the result. Although they were a size fourteen, they were much tighter than the last time I’d tried them on. Even the hoodie looked tight.
Crap.
Shuffling out of the bathroom, I grabbed a pair of sandals and looked longingly towards my soft bed, wishing I could just crawl back inside and veg out for the entire day.
“Hurry up, Kendra!” bellowed my mother’s voice from downstairs.
“Hold your horses,” I mumbled, wondering if I could talk her into online schooling.
God, that would be awesome.
Online, nobody would notice the thick roll of skin above my waistband or the way my legs jiggled when I moved too quickly. I’d be just another faceless student in pajamas, trying to finish up my senior year until I went to college, which to me, didn’t seem quite as daunting. I’d never heard of any bullying in college, just stories about all of the crazy drunken parties and an occasional date rape.
Eh, come to think about it, online college was starting to sound more interesting, too.
Sighing, I decided to run the online idea by my mom later and went downstairs to the kitchen. I crossed my fingers, hoping that she’d made her famous chocolate-chip pancakes for our first day of school. It was an annual tradition.
“You look… nice,” said my mom, who was a terrible liar. I could tell by the expression on her face that she also noticed the extra weight I’d put on in the last three weeks.
“We have to go,” said Kala, grabbing her new designer clutch purse and a flaxseed granola bar. We’d both turned eighteen last month and she’d used her birthday money for the ridiculously priced purse, which I thought was gaudier than all hell. But, because of the French name imbedded on the inside of the thing, which nobody even saw, it was a ‘must have’ among many of the girls at our school. “I’ll meet you outside.”
Enchanted Secrets Page 1