“Pumpkin I was only trying to protect you from the past. Who we were before we had you. But I think you have to do that yourself,’’ she said clenching her fist.
“We will teach you,” Amy continued, “how to fight,” Aiden concluded as both gave each other a wink.
Amy and Aiden were notorious for finishing each other’s sentences and it gave both much pleasure to know that they could still to do so after several years of being apart. Divina was excited about the notion of being taught how to fight. She had always been picked on in her pre-school and it was indeed refreshing news to Divina.
‘’Of course I won’t hurt people,’’ she said happily.
‘’At least not the people who don’t deserve it,’’
Amy and Aiden knew that the burden of teaching their daughter how to fight would have to be shared equally between them. Amy would be in charge of teaching Divina the witches spells and intimating her about her progenitors, while Aiden would be in charge of the fighting part he was quite good at it. Amy and Aiden both knew that teaching Divina would draw the attention of the witch-hunters and most importantly general Blackclaw but that is the risk they were willing to take as long as their daughter was safe and could keep herself safe.
‘’Divina pumpkin,’’ Amy called out as she sauntered towards the table to pick up the book of spells Aiden had brought.
“Listen to me carefully,’’ she said, “being a witch is no small joke and by the virtue of who you are, evil people will want to attack you. They will stop at nothing until you are dead,”
“Don’t worry mum,’’ Divina said reassuringly ‘’I will learn hard to defend myself from them,’’
Amy couldn’t hold back the tears in her eyes now she allowed them to roll over as she hoped freeing them would give some comfort. She wasn’t prepared despite the warnings from her husband. She quickly cleaned up and kissed Divina on the forehead and continued.
“Dad and mum loves you so much, but the only thing we can do now is to teach you how to protect yourself,’’ Amy said controlling her emotions.
“Mum I love you too,’’ Divina said as she gave her mum a full hug.
“You must always remember that every spell cast would demand an equally balanced opposite reaction, so you must be very careful. Everytime you use magic. It will be like a beacon for the witch hunters, ’’
‘’I will leave you to it now, call me if you need any help,’’ she concluded
Unable to hold her emotions together again she burst into some uncontrollable tears as Aiden rushed towards her leading her out of Divina’s room.
‘’She will be fine,’’ he said reassuring his ex wife but doubted the sincerity of those words. Divina was an twenty-one year old supernatural who had major evil perpetrators on her heels and she didn’t even know the simplest spells. She was barely an adult with the weight of so many hardships.
Divina took a moment to digest everything her parents had told her. A lot of things were now making sense to her. She had always been treated specially by her parents even though she didn’t have other siblings. There was always the sense of reverence her parents had always given her. Now that she knew who she was, she was determined to live up to every expectation.
Divina took a deep breath and opened the heirloom her mother had thrust into her hands.
“Hmm quite heavy,’’ she said as she tried muttering the first spell that caught her attention.
“Bal ba arisa- krikum’’ she struggled.
AIDEN WOKE UP WITH a strain in his back. He had slept on the couch the previous night thinking about the troubles that had brought him to town. The sun shimmered in through the see through curtains. He breathed heavily and rolled over. He had been in town for three days and he had yet to see Vanir whom he owed a favor. By now his off springs were most likely dead and Vanir would be off on a killing spree. He prayed that wasn’t the case and that he would understand he had his own family to protect.
He stood up, glanced at his wristwatch it was some minutes after nine am. He picked up his phone and made a call to Vanir
‘’Hello Vanir how are you?’’ he asked knowing full well that the words he used just weren’t right for the situation.
‘’Aiden, am confused,’’ Vanir replied coarsely.
Aiden could sense the emotion in Vanir’s voice. Aiden could identify with his problems he knew how tough it was when Blackclaw got to you.
“They have my girls Aiden, my girls,’’
“It’s alright Vanir, I will help you,’’
Dropping the call, he made his way upstairs to check on his daughter and ex-wife. He met both of them reciting some spells and he left them to it.
“Am going to town, I need to see a friend, and call to see Pa,’’
“Ok dad, don’t be long,’’ Divina replied barely looking up from the giant book that she had been studying since it was given to her.
“Curious one,’’ he muttered to himself as he saw himself out of the building.
Aiden and Vanir had arranged to meet at a popular coffee shop down town and Aiden had been waiting for almost ten minutes for Vanir.
He entered the coffee shop with little or no noise. He was a middle aged man who had a bitter look about him. He had lost his wife to cancer at a younger age and Blackclaw now had his daughters. That was nothing to be happy about.
‘’Hello Aiden it’s good to see you,’’ Vanir said as he took a seat opposite him.
“Am sorry to hear about your daughter’s man, how can I help?’’
Vanir took his time to divulge all his ordeals to Aiden. He had helped Aiden when he was wounded one time and Aiden at that time told him he owed him one. Now was the time to repay the favor. If Aiden had known that Vanir would want his debt paid when his own family was at risk then those words would never have left his lips.
“My girls are the most important things in my life now, I don’t want to lose them,’’ Vanir bowed his head to hide a stray tear.
“Blackclaw won’t touch them,’’ Aiden said with a sympathetic look.
“Blackclaw said I should bring him a girl who is a Lycan god mother and a . . .’’
Hearing the world Lycan- god mother, Aiden’s face tightened up and he tried to keep himself calm. Blackclaw was already in motion sending his friend to get her.
‘’Vanir, it’s my girl,’’ Aiden blurted out with his eyes closed. He had stopped by to see his Pa before he had met up with the man. Pa had done nothing but shut Divi lycan-godmother. He couldn’t believe it. Is daughter was the chosen one. The one in the prophecy.
“How? You mean Divina is the Lycan god mother,’’ Vanir said agape.
“Yes she is the lycan god mother, dream-walker, queen of the witches and some other stuff I don’t know,’’ Aiden said with little joy.
There were both at a cross road. Vanir was determined to rescue his daughters before they become meals for Blackclaw and his pack. Aiden was a very skilled hunter who knew first-hand about defense, and would go to any lengths to protect his own daughter.
Why had he told a desperate man the one secrete he should have held close? At that moment Aiden feared he had created a bigger problem. He had given up his daughter’s identity.
“What should we do now?’’ Vanir broke the silence.
“We will have to work together to kill Blackclaw,’’ he said as he whispered into Vanir’s ear. He needed him onside and not against him.
They exchanged pleasantries and both headed in different directions both cutting a little smile on their faces. They had a plan in motion, one Blackclaw would never expect.
Divina was getting stronger by the day and she was a quick learner. She was the hope of the world and the worlds of the Lycans and vamps. She had to fulfill her destiny in order to break the curse that had been placed on the witches. She had to be brave, face the strongest supernatural being that ever lived and must conquer. Still she couldn’t stop thinking about Kane.
“What’s all these drea
ms about,’’ she inquired from herself.
There is much at play here than what meets the eyes and Divina was determined to find out why she was so attracted to the man her best friend had called the perfect man, her property.
“Time Divina, time,’’ she reassured herself.
She was pulled out of this conscious thinking when she heard her mum’s car pulling into the driveway.
Chapter 12
Three weeks later.
It had been weeks since Divina learnt about her new identity and since that time she had been struggling to come to terms with who she really was.
“A witch?’’ she asked looking at the wall as if the walls had answers for her.
“What lies for me in the future?’’ she continued further.
Amy and Aiden her parents, dropped a massive bombshell that would be in all rights called a blockbuster. She was told that she was a powerful witch and had a great destiny which would unite the supernatural worlds. Since that time she had been barred from going out since she became a beacon to every supernatural being in the city. She was grounded.
Divina has been studying the family heirloom given to her by her parents judiciously she was more eager to try out the new spells she had learnt but her mum had warned her that using spells would make her life unbearable because it would call the attention of evil people to their house and ultimately Blackclaw who wanted Divina dead at all cost.
“Hello Melissa, missed me?’’ she asked rolling her eyes while she held the phone to her ear.
“Of course pumpkin,” Melissa replied imitating Amy.
“Divina, we have to talk. Why are you locked at home?”
“Err nothing just studying,’’ Divina replied dejectedly
“You missing much Divina, really let’s just hang out,’’
‘’No Melissa, mum said,” she was cut short by Melissa.
“Don’t tell me you’ve become mummy’s little pumpkin for real. What happened to the adventurous Divina? More so you aren’t very good at studying alone remember,”
Melissa reminded her friend of how Divina loved group reading.
“Yes but mum said-’’ Divina tried replying
“Just sneak out girl, you got this. We won’t take long, a few hours and that’s all,’’
“You wouldn’t want to miss the cute boys at the beach,” she teased.
Divina was indeed tired of being at home. She longed to go out to have a little fun but she was always having dreams of being captured and her mum had warned her severally to stay indoors for her safety. Listening to the way Melissa continued irking, was very frustrating. Really she needed some air, she was tired of being camped at home.
“Don’t be a baby,’’ Melissa urged her on.
“Fine I will be there, but if . . .” she proceeded
Guessing what Divina would say Melissa quickly interjected.
“Nothing is going to happen,’’ she reassured her.
“Better,’’ Divina said with some indignation.
Melissa was quite persuasive and Divina stood no chance of turning her down especially when Melissa wants you to do something. She would keep urging her on until she finally succumbed to her will.
Ending the call, Divina ran straight to the bathroom to freshen up as she thought of the best way of sneaking away from the prying eyes of her parents especially her mum who kept mentioning that she was only safe at home.
“I will be fine,’’ she reassured herself. Yet she had a sinking feeling in her chest. It silly she told herself. She felt like a naughty school kid. She was supposed to be an adult now. Adults didn’t get grounded nor did they get locked indoors. She tried to tell herself it was for her own good but her mind was set. She wanted out.
“I would just be gone for a few hours, what could possibly go wrong?”
As she was perfecting her escape plan, luck came to her aid. Amy had just replaced the receiver. She got a call from the hospital demanding her presence immediately. She grabbed her car keys as she darted to the front door she bellowed at Divina.
“Pumpkin, gotta rush out, don’t move a muscle out of this house,”
“Sure mom,’’ Divina replied from the bathroom.
Amy had put a protective spell on the house and as long as Divina stayed within the walls no supernatural being would be able to harm her. But everything was about to change. Checking through the window to confirm her mum’s departure Divina rushed down to the garage to her grandpa’s Peugeot. The engines of the Peugeot roared to life and in no time Divina was on her way to the beach to see Melissa.
Chapter 13
Meanwhile, back at the camp of the vamps and Lycans Blackclaw had planned to have Divina captured whenever she left her protective circle. He had sent Darren Divina’s ex-boyfriend to get close to her whenever possible and also to watch her house day and night and he was glad when he put in a call notifying him of the latest.
“Good news, follow her and bring her to me alive,’’ he instructed.
“Yes general,’ Darren replied with gusto. It was time to move up the ranks. He would show Blackclaw that he was worthy.
The bitterness that engulfed his heart because of the way Divina ended their relationship had pushed him too. It was the perfect way for him to get his revenge. So when Blackclaw came knocking he couldn’t refuse.
“Divina, you will finally pay’’ he said with a wry grin.
Divina pulled up at the available slot and waved at Melissa as her friend came rushing towards her. The serene was beautiful and the cool breeze made her forget all the problems that had plagued her life. Seeing people mill around smiling and laughing happily only made her feel like she was carrying the burden of the world on her shoulders which was very true. She didn’t want to be a witch. At first it had sounded appealing but as she watched others her age letting loose and just having fun. She wanted that life too.
Yet she couldn’t fully let go. Knowing that within the darkness laid those who wanted her dead for simply being a witch.
“So you made it!’’ Melissa asked hugging Divina.
“Well your offer was too good to turn down,’’ Divina replied.
“Yeah, let me introduce you to some cool dudes,’’ she said pulling Divina along.
Hours later she had forgotten that she had planned to stay for only an hour before rushing back home. Glancing at her watch she exclaimed.
“Oh no mum will kill me!” She said hastily looking for Melissa who was nowhere to be found. Oh on earth had so much time escaped her?
Just as she was about to turn on the ignition of her grandfather’s rickety Peugeot Melissa suddenly appeared from nowhere.
“Running away again,’’ she said half drunk swaying on her feet.
“Mum is gonna kill me I told you,” Divina said.
“She won’t, ’’ Melissa said as she jumped into the passenger’s seat. In less than ten minutes of dropping Melissa off at her house she was turning through the last highway into the lonely road as many town people called it, music blaring from her speakers. She could easily see why the town folks called it the lonely road.
The road stretched out, the asphalt-cold like the night. It was roomed with trees and a canopy of luminous stars materialized amongst the ocean of blackness. Some were dull, merely flickering into existence every now and then, but there was an adequate amount of shimmering stars to illuminate the dark, moonless night. From a distance, you could hear the ancient zoom of the Peugeot 501 with its antiquated engine accelerating not more than a speeding bicycle. Definitely, the car had been through thick and thin but it was still standing on the verge of cessation. The owner must have enjoyed it and loved it so much that they couldn’t let it go. It was just as hoary as the owner. The difference which existed between them was life, real life. But even in its slow pace, soft rock music blared from its stereo, Divina wasn’t caught in its antediluvian world.
She was a young blond with thin lips and blue eyes. She had striking physical features wh
ich announced her presence even before she was aware of others. An outgoing youth with an inconsistent personality. Divina was singing loudly along with the song
‘. . . Am saying right now right now am free am free am free. . . This is my big hello, if you’re hearing now let me know I can finally see, it’s not just a dream when you said am free am free am free’
One would have thought that her voice and the song from the radio was the same. She really loved rock music and hated boredom. Then, finally giving up the ghost, the antiquated junk on four wheels broke down. Divina hit the steering wheel angrily. She blamed her Dad for allowing her to spend her holidays with her Pa. Her stay had been frustrating and not until now did she wish that she had refused her father’s request. So much had happened in a short space of time she was finding it hard to come to grips with her own feelings.
“He wants to see you, I bet you don’t understand that because you are still young,” her father had said.
But he never mentioned that he had a broken car, and she had forgotten that his house was in the middle of a walled large expanse of land which made sneaking out of the house almost impossible without a car or a bicycle. The town was fun filled but her old Pa was sick. In the hospital with a brain tumor, shouting words that now Divina knew were bad.
She got out from the rickety thing and tried to open its bonnet. After seeing the horrible engine with twisted wires which were more confusing than any jigsaw puzzle, she lost hope of using the car anymore. She would walk home. Since she was now going on foot, it would be easy for her to pass through the woods, which would be the perfect shortcut. Pa had a torch in the trunk. She remembered seeing it when she was checking out the rusted death on wheels.
In minutes she found herself within the fresh organic smell of dark bleak nature, surrounded by the aged trees and a castle of woods. Creaking branches stretched away on the forest floor. Everything seemed fine for the first five minutes of walking.
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