by Martha Woods
“Some men might find that emasculating,” she countered with a smirk.
“Not this one,” Kristian chuckled. He then swooped in and stole her lips in a sweet and gentle kiss. When he pulled back, Kristian’s eyes locked with hers, “I know how important this is to you, with how your mom was the High Priestess and getting this family you never knew you had... I didn’t mean to make it sound like I didn’t think you can do it. I just worry over you too much. It’s important to me that you know I believe in you, and that I’ll be here to support you through this and wherever it takes you.”
Tessa was at a loss for words, not knowing at all what to say in response. Thanking him felt like an emotionless response, but she couldn’t conjure any more words to express her gratitude. She kissed him passionately, her lips completely dominating his.
After several heated smooches and a couple of lip bites, Kristian pushed her back gently. “Easy there. They should be here any minute,” he chuckled, pecking her lips one last time.
Tessa should have been embarrassed, knowing she had gotten a little carried away, but she wasn’t. “I love you, Kristian,” she breathed.
“I love you too,” he replied softly, the corners of his mouth turning up in a light smile. Not a moment later, headlights beamed through the blinds of the living room windows and onto the far wall. Tessa sat straight up and cleared her throat before bringing her teacup to her lips. Kristian chuckled and stood to go open the door.
The first ones through the door were Calla and Jared, then the four unknown witches, and lastly Charley, who was helping the witches with their luggage. Iron and the same cinnamon-like smell wafted through the rooms of the house, with a hint of bitterness that she assumed came from Charley. Tessa reminded herself to hold her breath, fearing the smell would be far too much to bear once they approached. The crowd migrated to the living room, finding spots to sit among the armchairs and couches. Tessa took them all in one-by-one. It was easy to tell which ones the elders were, considering they were the only ones who looked to be above the age of forty. They were very youthful looking to be considered elders.
What struck Tessa was how different they all looked. One elder had golden blonde hair that was just starting to turn gray at the roots and dark blue eyes, with crows feet that were rather severe when she smiled. The one that sat directly next to her had frizzy chocolate hair with matching eyes, and laugh lines that paired well with the smile on her lips. The final elder had her strawberry blonde hair pulled up into a braided bun with two silver strands hanging down by her face. They were all slender, with the strawberry blonde being the only one with a bit of curve to her frame. Each wore a dress that covered from their necks, down to their wrists and ankles; though the colors and prints varied. How was it they all belonged to the same coven, but looked entirely different?
“Hello, Theresa—oh, sorry, that’s right. You go by Tessa now. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” the brunette called over, her smiling broadening. “I’m Silvia, and this is Pearl,” she said, motioning to the blonde, “Marjorie,” she labeled the strawberry blonde, “And our lovely aide, Selena.”
Another slender woman that was sat by the fireplace wiggled her fingers at Tessa. For a moment, she had honestly forgotten another witch had came in with them. She had thin brown hair that hung down to her chin in loose curls. She looked to be around Tessa’s age, perhaps a little younger. It befuddled Tessa that someone her age could be so skilled at magic that they could be an assistant to the elders. While Calla was used to Tessa’s lack of knowledge and experience, she was a little weary that Selena would judge her.
“We’ve got to work on her ability to block out thoughts first thing,” Selena commented, making Tessa’s eyes nearly pop out of her head. “Don’t worry, I don’t think anyone expects you to know anything or get it quickly. We’ve all mastered it with years of dedicated study and practice. No judgment whatsoever,” she winked.
“Thank you, I appreciate that,” Tessa nodded, though she was still riddled with embarrassment. She let herself forget that Calla wasn’t the only other one that could read minds. It was definitely going to be a problem if they could poke around her head whenever they pleased.
“So, before we jump right into everything tomorrow evening, are there any questions you have for us?” Pearl asked, crossing one leg over the other.
“Too many, I think,” Tessa said weakly. After a moment of contemplation she found one to ask, “Are we all related somehow? I’m just curious because all of the Calder look the same, but none of us do…”
“That’s a good question, Tessa,” Silvia beamed, making her feel like she was once again in grade school. “See, it all goes back to the origins of the clans. I’m sure you’ve noticed that we are pretty young looking to be considered elders, let alone be well over one hundred years old. Yet every Calder witch you have came across has been white as a sheet, with stark white hair and pitch black eyes. More than likely, a lot of them had wrinkly and loose skin as well. It all has to do with how the magic in our veins effects us, and that stems from where the magic came from. The first women of our coven were from a port town in Maine, and came from all different backgrounds. It was colonial times, back when there wasn’t much law and order, but corruption and abuse. Many of the wives from the town came together, wanting to find a way to escape the fists of their husbands and oppression from society. So, they made a deal with a demon to get our powers, they had asked for the ability to protect one another, no matter the situation. Sacrifices were made to pay the price of the magic, and from then on, we have been free of the evil and darkness that we stemmed from. So while we aren’t technically all blood related through humans, we’re bonded by the same magic which to us, is thicker than any blood.”
Oh, well that made sense. It was beautiful that even though they weren’t from a singular family, they considered each other even more than that. “So what about the Calder? Are they from the same family?”
“Not quite,” Pearl answered. “They had a very similar beginning to us, only they started over in Europe and came over during colonial times. Their request from the demon was much more… ambitious, some would say. They didn’t want just the ability to protect themselves and their loved ones, but the ability to destroy others. To lord over all of society one day. Bring pain and death to the world with the help of dark magic provided by the heinous demon they got it from. The magic is very strong and vile, so it rapidly drains them of their humanity—which gives them such a creepy and nightmarish look.”
“Just when I thought they couldn’t be even more disturbing…” Tessa mumbled.
“It’s true, they tend to be very hateful, violent, and more determined than anyone you will ever meet. Not all of them are terrible, but rather just born into a family to which they don’t belong. Sad, really. A good rule of thumb when judging one, is the uglier and older they look, the more evil they are,” Marjorie joined in. “However, a Calder is a Calder. It’s impossible to say whether or not they are trying to trick you. More often than not, they are. As bad as it may sound, a black sheep Calder being dead is better than risking one of those dreadful witches getting into our clan. We are all still in shock that Deidre had been undercover for as long as she had been. I’m just grateful she was never allowed into any elder meetings or into our libraries. Since she was a rogue witch who claimed to be a long lost Fireheaven, we had welcomed her, but certainly had our reservations. Thank the Heavens that we did, and have learned to keep are guards up even higher.”
“And why exactly do you guys want me to be your High Priestess?” she immediately asked. Tessa was meant to lead and protect the coven, how were they so sure that she could even do that? Thus far, Tessa hadn’t even been able to protect herself, let alone anyone else.
“For many reasons, my dear,” Pearl began, reaching into the pocket of her cardigan and drawing out a cigarette case. “May I?” Kristian nodded at her. She placed the hand-rolled cigarette into the end of an opera length cigare
tte holder. When Pearl put it between her lips, the end of the cigarette suddenly began to burn into a bright orange ember. Tessa felt like a child being so impressed by such a simple trick. “Your mother, Esmeralda, was one of the finest High Priestesses this clan has ever had. She was loving and kind, compassionate and patient. Everything you could ever want in a leader, really. So even if you were to have an ounce of that in you, we would want to give you the chance to follow in her footsteps. We haven’t been able to elect one since Esmeralda’s death. There’s always some sort of infighting taking place, or too much going on with fighting the Calder to take the matter seriously. The clan will be happy to welcome you into the position, since it usually follows bloodline anyways.” She flicked her ashes into a small ceramic disk she brought out of her purse and then took a long drag yet again. “Then there’s the matter of you being a vampire now. I won’t lie to you, it’s very appealing for you to be one. It’ll make you stronger and more durable than the average witch, including Calder. And if you take well to the position, then you’ll be able to hold it for as long as you needed to. It’ll work very well in our favor.”
Well, that was understandable. Tessa knew that they were wanting the best for their people, and it seemed as though they really thought Tessa was the best option. She was honored. “I’ll do my best,” she told them.
“I never thought you wouldn’t,” Pearl smiled. “We should call it a day. We don’t want to overload your mind. Let us all get some sleep, and then start fresh tomorrow evening. We need a day to get acclimated to a nocturnal schedule anyways.”
Everyone stood with no hesitation. Thankfully it was a spacious house and had plenty of bedrooms for them to fit comfortably. Jared and Calla had their own room, each of the elders did as well, and then Selena and Charley had to share the last. Tessa was relieved to return to bed, shedding her clothes as soon as their bedroom door closed. She dove onto the bed, immediately burrowing into the blankets and pulling them up to her shoulder. After a couple of minutes, the weight shifted on the bed and Kristian cuddled into her, “You’ve turned into a little mole.”
She smiled dryly, “I know. I promise I won’t mope anymore. That was just a lot to take in. Definitely, need some sleep.”
He kissed the side of her head, “I won’t keep you up.” Kristian settled into the bed with his arm wrapped around her. Tessa closed her eyes and prayed sleep would find her soon.
* * *
All of the witches were gathered in the dining room early the next morning. The only other being in attendance was Charley, and she had only came for the food Kristian had prepared for all of them. Silvia stood at the head of the table with a large whiteboard behind her that they had apparently brought with them. She diligently wrote down key points to the basics of magic. They were seriously giving her a crash course in everything magic, feeling very much like what Tessa imagined college was like with how many notes she was taking. She didn’t want to forget any little thing they said.
“Really, anything is possible in the realm of magic with focus, determination, meditation, and being able to control your own emotions,” Silvia went on to explain, jotting down the four bullet points in her perfect cursive. “Once you know the basic formulas for spells and how to access your natural abilities, with these key components you will be up to par in no time. Things will become so much easier and it will become more about refining those basic skills more than anything else.”
“Controlling your emotions will be the hardest part,” Marjorie added on. “That’s what has always separated the great from the average. Most witches can focus and meditate with great determination, but being able to completely control your own emotions is what takes the longest to master. Some never do.”
“What do you guys mean exactly by control?” Tessa asked, her hand finally getting a rest from her studious notetaking. “Comes off sounding like you want to be sociopaths or something…”
“No, no. Not that extreme,” Marjorie tutted, stirring her tea. “We mean being able to channel emotions on command, and suppress others when needed—not to communicate with others, but to do a spell properly. Like with the fire ability, you think of angry thoughts to do that, right? Just like that, but with all emotions and to be able to do any of them when needed.”
Tessa nodded, scribbling it down as fast as she could. She hoped she would be able to make her notes out later on. “So how do you guys do that, and so quickly? It took me a while to get mad enough to even make a spark…”
“Ooh, this is where I step in,” Pearl exclaimed, jumping from her chair. She extended a hand to Tessa. Tessa gave a quick glance to the others, wondering why they were suddenly separating from the group. She took Pearl’s hand, however, and let her guide the way from the room. “I’m the best one of the lot when it comes to controlling emotions,” Pearl explained, walking outside to the gazebo in the backyard. Pearl sat on one of the padded benches, letting her legs lay out beside her. “I think I got so good at it because I’ve wanted to be an actress ever since I was a little girl,” Pearl chuckled, putting a cigarette on her holder and then took a drag on it. “Though, I grew up in the times before Hollywood. Back when I was a child, acting wasn’t exactly glamorous. Actors would put on skits in the streets, and sometimes be in traveling groups that would set up stages and charge a penny to get into the show. I always loved the storytelling, though. Great storytelling comes completely from the ability to convey emotion. Perhaps I’m gloating a bit, but I think I’m pretty damn good at it.”
Pearl even looked like an actress to Tessa. Even with time slowly starting to show its wear on her, she held a great radiance and had such an elegant air about her. She belonged in black and white dramas. “I’d love to learn how you do it,” Tessa replied eagerly, her dark brown eyes glimmering with fascination and excitement. While learning magic was extremely stressful, it was thrilling nonetheless.
“Of course, my child,” Pearl grinned. “Controlling your emotions really takes all of the key components Silvia was talking about. You have to empty your mind of everything but the very essence of the emotion that you need for the spell. The easiest way to help you master conjuring each emotion, is to attune your ability of empathy. Just by touching someone’s hand and channeling that emotion to them,” she explained, reaching over and laying a hand over Tessa’s. Not even a second later, Tessa was overcome by a feeling of giddiness. A sudden fit of laughter erupted from Tessa. “You can influence their emotions however you like,” Pearl giggled. “Of course, you doing it won’t be very effective at first. It takes practice just like everything else. They will be able to feel something, like little flutters of whatever you are trying to send their way.” Tessa nodded, keeping up with everything she was saying. “So, I want you to try it on me. Let’s go with an easy emotion to conjure: sadness. What I do isn’t think of specific events that make me sad, but the essence of sadness and the physical actions that come along with it. That hollow feeling in your chest, the ache in your bones, the feeling of something scratching at the walls of your insides. Things like that. Give it a try,” Pearl urged, placing her hand flat on the cushion that rested between them.
Tessa chewed her lip, already her mind flooded with conflicting thoughts and emotions. You need to focus, you must focus, Tessa told herself. Taking slow and steady breaths, Tessa did her best to push the whiff of Pearl’s blood from the forefront of her mind. She first worked on clearing her mind, trying to free herself of the heavy worries and anxieties that rested on her head. Then, she focused on what Pearl said about the “essence” of sadness. The numb feeling that would take over your body, the pain of struggling to breathe while sobbing, that horrible knot in your stomach when you were depressed and alone. Memories snuck into her mind, Kristian in such immense pain when the Calder attacked him, and the feeling of never seeing her childhood parents again when she went to bed the night the doctor had told her she was dead. The look of terror in Calla’s eyes as she fell into Jared’s arms right after Tessa at
tacked her. The thought of how she should have died instead of being turned into a vampire, for the sake of everyone.
With just a brush of her fingertips, Tessa felt something almost like a static charge flow from her, to Pearl. A gasp passed Pearl’s lips as she pulled her hand back. Tessa’s eyes opened to look at Pearl, noticing the witch’s eyes were glossed with tears. “Well, you may very well be a natural at it too,” she breathed. She cleared her throat and blotted her eyes, “You still have a ways to go, but that was very, very strong for a first attempt. Well done, Tessa.”
Tessa was shocked that it had even worked, especially on the first try. “Thanks,” she replied meekly. “So… what now?”
Pearl let out a puff of smoke as she replied, “We need to train you to conjure all emotions, not just sadness. That emotion probably comes easily to you because of your background. You said you had problems summoning anger. Is that true?”
Tessa nodded, nibbling her lip anxiously. “It’s hard for me to make myself mad.”
“I think you’re already mad,” Pearl scoffed, crossing her leg.
“Excuse me?” Tessa questioned, arching her brow. Did she come off as an angry person?
“In all of my years, I’ve never met anyone who had the right to be angry as much as you do. Born to a High Priestess you would expect it to be a luxurious life. Living in the Capitol Palace, training from your mother, and never knowing stress quite so intimately. Instead of living an average human life, you get dumped into a loony bin, your adoptive parents die, placed into an abusive home, and then live on the streets for how many years? My darling, do you even know what a home—and no not a house, but a home—feels like?” Pearl asked. Tessa couldn’t bring herself to make eye contact, a familiar pain gnawing at her stomach as Pearl listed off all the depressing facts of Tessa’s life. Did she not think she was well aware? A pale hand with a large opal ring appeared over Tessa’s. “All this shouldn’t make you sad, but pissed the hell off! Could the cosmos be more cruel? It takes every family you’ve ever known away, throws you in the middle of a hellish battle between two witch covens and a family of vampires, and all with no guidance. Yet there are millions of women just your age who have two parents, a college education, and might even be starting a family soon. Why couldn’t you have been given the same opportunities as them? Why hasn’t anyone at all helped you along the way?”