Fire Storm (Guardian Witch)

by Ally Shields

  “Hardly.” Warin sat on the opposite end of the log from his brother. “My pursuits are more of a literary and scientific nature. I’ve published treatises on the genetic origin of magic abilities in various witch families. Do you know your own genetic history?”

  “I have the Calin family Book of Shadows.”

  “No, no, no. That is just superficial information like names and events. I’m talking true science. DNA.”

  “Never been tested. I’ve never even thought about it,” she said doubtfully. “What could I learn about myself from DNA? I’ve only used it to identify the bad guys.”

  “A common usage by police, but its true value is in research.”

  Unlike the social Gerhard, this brother was more like a college professor, and in some ways he brought Claris’s boyfriend Brando to mind, only Warin was stuffier, less socialized. Brando was a wizard, and as a child he had participated in various escapades with Claris and Ari. As an adult, his main pursuit became magically enhanced medical research, and he hadn’t always been around to take part in the fun. His immersion in science had almost ruined his relationship with Claris, until he’d finally realized what he was risking. He’d done a quick turnaround. She doubted if Warin ever would.

  She stifled a sigh at thoughts of the wedding. She was missing all the plans. Brando and Claris were finally going to take their vows, and where was their best friend? In Germany. She should be helping to make cute little decorations. Or at least cheer Claris on. How awful it would be if she missed the whole thing. Claris might understand, but still.

  Why was it so quiet? Ari looked up and straightened. Warin and Gerhard were both looking at her, obviously waiting for her to say something. “Um, what do you hope this research will do?” It must have been an appropriate question, because Warin continued with his lecture.

  “It will open up vast possibilities. Just think about it. What if we could isolate the gene that gives us the fire ability?” Warin clasped his hands tightly in enthusiasm. “Perhaps we could pass that ability to others by an injection of appropriate cells.”

  “That sounds too much like cloning,” she said.

  A brief scowl. “A very unenlightened attitude. I expected an American to be more progressive.” He seemed to settled on the log for a long discussion.

  Gerhard abruptly stood. “If you’re going to bore her with facts and fiction from your scientific research, I’ll find other companionship. I’ve heard it too many times already.” He arched a brow at Ari. “My sympathies. You’ll understand why I say that very soon. When you’ve reached saturation, just wave a hand, and I’ll rescue you.” He winked and sauntered away; she watched him join another group.

  Ari didn’t agree with messing with genetics, but she was interested in Warin’s research. “Can you put your theory in layman’s terms? Why isn’t it cloning?”

  “Because that would be an atrocity. I’m talking about adding or enhancing a single ability, like choosing blue eyes.” He launched into a long and often meandering discourse. The basics seemed to be that magic was a cosmic anomaly, an unintended variation, that science could exploit.

  She finally interrupted him. “But why should I care how it originated? Magic is a fact of my life. Isn’t it more important to spend our time learning to use and control it rather than delving into its origins?”

  “An apt hypothesis. Although it is too elementary and restrictive.” His tone was patronizing. “To control a power, you must understand it. Without its history, there is no understanding.”

  Hypothesis? All she’d done was ask a question. Ari frowned. She was growing tired of the subject and his irritating manner. She peeked sideways to see if Sophie or someone else was near enough to provide an excuse to end the conversation.

  “Am I boring you?”

  “Oh…” Ari’s startled gaze jerked to his face. “I’m sorry, but it’s been a long day.”

  His eyes held the first hint of the amused charm that was so obvious in his brother. “That’s all right. You’ve tolerated it longer than most.”

  “I have a wizard friend, Brando, who would love to talk with you. He’s fascinated with the scientific side of magic.”

  “Brando is an unusual name. Is he an American doing some type of medical research?”

  “Yes, have you met him?”

  “Perhaps. At one of the Witches & Wizards Scientific Conferences.” He frowned in thought. “Do you know if he attended the most recent one in Boston?”

  “I can’t keep track. He goes to so many. But I guess that will be changing now.” She smiled thinking about Brando and the coming wedding.

  “How so?”

  “He made a promise to his fiancé to spend more time at home.”

  They chatted briefly about Brando, his pending nuptials, and Ari’s responsibilities as maid of honor. Warin seemed interested in her American hometown, and she gave him the basic spiel he could have read on the Riverdale website. They eventually parted when Sophie approached and offered to show Ari to her room. The visitors were beginning to thin, and Ari searched the remaining guests, hoping to spot Gerhard and arrange a time to discuss their shared fire ability. She didn’t see him and wondered briefly if he’d gone off with one of his female admirers. It would fit with his reputation.

  She covered a yawn with one hand and followed Sophie to a small guest room in the main house. “When do I get to see the vampires’ stronghold?”

  “Not ’til we have a plan ready. I’d like to keep your arrival in our forest a secret from outsiders as long as we can.”

  The priestess had a good point, and Ari was too tired to argue. She kicked off her shoes and jeans and crawled into bed. Closing her eyes, she lay motionless for several minutes, reaching out for Andreas’s magic. All she could find was that one small spark, but she clung to its reassuring message that he was still alive.

  * * *

  Ari woke near dawn to the sounds of an already scurrying camp and peeked out the window. The witches were training in the clearing in front of the main house. Much like a military boot camp, they were engaged in calisthenics, hand-to-hand combat, and running hurdles that had been brought in from somewhere. On the far side of the training grounds a smaller group was target shooting with handguns and rifles. Beside them was an archery course.

  Ari dressed quickly, found the coffee in the kitchen, and wandered outside with a mug in hand. The clearing was heavily shaded, keeping it chilly at this time of day, and she was glad for the hot liquid to warm her hands.

  “Guten tag,” Sophie called. She didn’t pause in performing jumping jacks. “That’s good morning in German. I didn’t want you to forget where you were. Join us if you like.”

  “Not today.” Ari shook her head. “I think I need a good run to get the kinks out. Maybe tomorrow.” She would have joined in the hand-to-hand training except for her unfair advantage. The coven wouldn’t know her guardian powers gave her added strength—a lot of added strength—and increased speed. Not to mention her high pain threshold and rapid healing. The only sparing partners she used at home were vampires and certain lycanthropes, like the wolves.

  After returned the empty coffee cup to the kitchen, she ran five miles through the woods, enjoying the brisk autumn morning and the solitary activity. By the time she returned to the witches’ camp, most of them had gone into breakfast with only stranglers left on the gun range. She walked over to try her hand. It had been a while since she’d used firearms other than her derringer.

  A strongly built woman in her early thirties handed her a .22 rifle from a table of weapons. “You’re the witch from America, aren’t you? I’m Greta. I didn’t get a chance to meet you yesterday.”

  “Yes, my name’s Ari. Nice to meet you. It was quite a crowd, and I have to confess I don’t remember most of the names.”

  “We all answer to ‘Hey You.’” Greta grinned, the action softening her square face, then she pointed down the range. “Just wait until everyone’s finished their rounds before
you check your scores. We don’t want anyone to get pelted in the back.” Greta waved and walked away.

  They were using human-shaped targets, and Ari’s first round was scattered head shots with one complete miss. She frowned, but her second round was perfect. She grabbed a much larger weapon, an M-16, and placed six shots in the target’s heart before setting the rifle back on the table. That was better.

  She moved to the next set of targets and a table of handguns. She picked up a Luger, took a couple of shots, but it didn’t feel right. She traded it for a Walther PPS, which seemed molded to her hand. She fired off seven shots: four in the forehead, three to the heart.

  Greta gave her a quizzical look.

  Ari shrugged. “I’ve had a little training.” Yeah, like a dozen years worth under demanding perfectionists. Be tough and then be tougher. Her sensei coach had drilled that motto into her head. It had carried over to every discipline, including weaponry.

  “Can you shoot like that every time?”

  “Pretty much.” Ari wasn’t bragging; she’d had to practice until she could deliver a dozen perfect rounds in a row. “I don’t use guns much in my everyday work, but I visit a local range every month, sometimes more often. I carry a derringer for really close quarters.”

  “Let’s see it.” Greta inspected the firearm, then handed it back. “Cute, but not what you need around here. You’re in a war zone now.” She picked up the Walther. “Keep this with you, and I’ll see you’re issued a rifle too.”

  Ari hefted the pistol, then slipped it in her pocket along with the box of ammo and extra clips Greta offered. “Thanks. I’ll take you up on your offer while I’m here, but my favorite routine weapon is this.” She pulled her silver stiletto from its waist sheath.

  Greta leaned forward to examine it. “A fine blade. Hand-to-hand?”

  “Mostly, but I was taught to throw it too.”

  Greta called to the two women still on the archery range. “Hold up a minute.” She pointed at the target. “Let’s see what you can do with that knife.”

  Before Greta had finished speaking, Ari flicked her wrist, and the blade was sticking in the center of the archery bull’s-eye.

  “Tomorrow you’re going to show us all how to do that,” Greta said. “Welcome to our group of instructors.”

  Once Ari figured out Greta was serious, she agreed to help when she could. After all, the witches were willing to share their skills. It was only fair she returned the favor as long as it didn’t delay the rescue efforts. A constant knot in her stomach reminded her that time was passing.

  The rest of the morning schedule was devoted to spells and potions, sharing and practicing. Ari hadn’t counted on picking up other skills and magics, but she was ready to learn. The coven had some pretty awesome witchcraft, including earth and wind spells. The earth spells came easy. If Warin had run one of his DNA checks on her, Ari figured he’d find earth magic in her ancestry. She was so intrigued by the new information and the need to absorb it quickly that she resented the break for lunch.

  Early in the afternoon, the coven split up to take care of various tasks: shopping, cleaning rooms and camp grounds, or to attend to private business. Ari called Samuel, but he had nothing to report. She was just about to check out the archery range when a red sports car came up the narrow dirt road and parked in front of the main building. Gerhard climbed out of the driver’s seat, Warin from the passenger side. Ari joined them, and Sophistrina came down the front steps.

  “Two days in a row,” Sophie said. “To what do we owe this honor?”

  “Your visitor seemed to have an interest in discussing our fire abilities,” Gerhard said. “Last night wasn’t a good time.” His gaze moved to Ari. “But how about now?”

  “It’s great for me, if it’s OK with Sophistrina. I’m kind of on her schedule.”

  “Your time’s your own.” The priestess looked at Ari in surprise. “Since you’re not really a recruit, you can join in or ignore our activities as you please.” She nodded at the men. “Come on inside—as long as this is a talk session and no one will be shooting fire.”

  “I just came to observe.” Warin gave Ari an assessing look. “I’m curious what another fire witch can do.”

  Ari was curious too, but this intense interest, as if she was under his microscope, gave her the creeps. She turned to Sophie. “I can’t vouch for them, but your house is safe from me.”

  They traipsed inside following Sophie to the kitchen where three of them had coffee. Warin insisted on tea, and Ari commented on his choice.

  “It’s healthier than that vile stuff you’re drinking. There’s a reason they use coffee grounds in compost piles.”

  “Ignore him,” Gerhard said. “I often do.”

  “That’s usually when you get into trouble,” his brother retorted.

  “I’ll let you get on with your fire discussion before this deteriorates into a bickering session.” Sophistrina grabbed her cup and stood. “I have errands to run, so I’ll be out of the camp for a while.” She gave Ari a crooked grin. “Don’t let them waste your time.”

  “Sophie, you’re too cynical for someone so pretty.” Gerhard lounged back in his chair. “You need a man like me to show you the sweet side of life.”

  “No one deserves that. You flit to too many flowers.”

  Ari watched the by-play. The teasing had an uneasy undertone. Gerhard and Sophistrina clearly had a history, and one that hadn’t ended well. She stole a glance at Warin, but he seemed oblivious. It wasn’t any of her business, but it was interesting.

  When the front door closed behind the priestess, Ari turned the conversation to their fire abilities. “You’re the first fire witches I’ve met, so I have a thousand questions. Does it always manifest the same way? Do you both shoot fire from your fingertips?” When they nodded, she added. “Are your stuns blue and lethal fire red?”

  “Yes, exactly,” Gerhard said. “It is the same for all of us. What varies are the number of levels, the fire power, and the control. How many stun levels do you have?”

  “Two. A pale blue, and a bright blue.”

  “That isn’t very good.” Warin frowned. “Have you ever tried to do more?”

  “No.” She was taken aback. “How would I do that? The three levels are what came naturally to me.”

  “Many of the levels have to be learned,” Gerhard said. “Come outside, and I’ll show you.”

  When Ari and Gerhard got up, Warin continued to sit at the table.

  “Are you coming?” she asked.

  “I don’t think so.” He pulled a dog-eared book from inside his jacket. “I think I’d rather read more about magical algorithms.” He looked at Gerhard. “She’s just a beginner. There’s nothing I can learn from her. Go on. Go on.” He waved them toward the door. “I don’t want to be here all day.”

  Ari gave him a thoughtful look. He’d certainly lost interest in a hurry. Or was he deliberately leaving her alone with Gerhard?

  * * *

  Five minutes later, Gerhard stopped on the bank of a small brook. “It isn’t safe to wander far from camp, but we should be able to practice here without disturbing anyone. See that rock in the middle of the water? Hit it with your lowest level stun.”

  Ari held out her hands and a pale blue flame arced from her fingertips to the rock, causing a loud sizzle from sparks hitting the water. “What do you mean it isn’t safe out here? The vampires should be in their sleep cycle.”

  “They employ many bear and raptor lycanthropes who conduct raids for them. We can never let our guard down.” He raised his hands and shot a nearly white stream of fire. “That’s the next level down from what you just used. Relax your fingers and think cool. Picture the white flame in your head. Try it again.”

  This time she produced a flame with less blue. It still wasn’t the white of Gerhard’s but it was visibly lighter. She smiled and rubbed the tips of her fingers. “I felt the difference.”

  “Good. That’s a start. All you
need is practice. You could discover several degrees of energy in between your two blues. Even one or two levels of red. Think the color you want, and accompany it with the appropriate amount of tension in your arm and finger muscles.”

  She tried again, produced a stream that was almost white, and looked up in amazement. “I had no idea. Thank you. I wish I had something to show you, but I’m afraid I can’t do anything unusual.”

  “Not yet, but you picked that up in a hurry. You have good natural ability. Have you experienced other forms of the fire?”

  “Like what?” Ari bought time, rapidly sifting through possible responses. Should she lie or tell the truth? Something in between? Andreas had warned her to be careful about revealing her secrets. And while Gerhard might be a male witch, did she really know him well enough?

  “My brother has had one or two dreams in which he saw a room full of fire that he could control with his mind.” Gerhard shrugged. “He’s never been able to do it while waking, so we don’t think it’s real. Still, there are stories about the ancient salamanders.”

  “The fire spirits. Yes, I’m familiar with the stories.” She kept her voice nonchalant. “In some of the old tales, certain witches could summon the spirits to their defense.”

  “That’s the theory.” His face was pensive, and he seemed to study the depths of the brook. “It would be a tremendous ability to have.” He booted a stick off the bank and watched it splash in the water. “There’s another manifestation called a fire shield.”

  Ari stilled. Was Gerhard’s nonchalance a little too forced? She made a quick decision to play ignorant. “What’s it do? Protect against magical fire?”

  “No. It’s a mental thing. An ultimate protection against bespelling by another conjurer.”

  Interesting. She'd thought it just protected against vampires. “Do you know how it works?” She knew how it manifested, but not how to trigger it. Her Guardian mentor Yana had spoken of the shield when Ari had been attacked by the vampire Sebastian. Something had blocked the pathways to her mind and prevented his mental probe from controlling her.