by Martha Woods
“I just explained to you why you’d be safe, Tess. You can’t say I don’t think of your safety, it’s been my top concern since we met,” Kristian defended. “I know that this is by no means ideal, but it’s what needs to be done for the sake of the family. I know you don’t need reminding, but the family has protected you and helped us when they most certainly didn’t have to. The family is what provides all the money that makes it possible for us to live comfortably, even while on the run. I know you’re upset, and I’m sorry for have caused you such distress... But I have to do right by everyone, not just myself and you.”
Tessa shook her head rapidly, “I’m sorry, but you’re always making the wrong call. Nothing about this sounds right to me at all. I know that the family has done a lot for me, but it isn’t just one-sided. It isn’t like they know me and care about my safety. They want me safe for their own benefit. I’m not going to be guilt-tripped and put into a difficult situation because of the past. I’m sick of it being thrown in my face. And how can you even try and say that you wanted to talk to me about this, as though I had a say in it? It seems like you’ve already made up your mind.” She forced her way out of his hold and crossed her arms over his chest.
Kristian said nothing, because she was right. He had made up his mind. “I know this may seem like the wrong call—”
“Because it is the wrong call, and I’m sure everyone will see that but you and your sister,” Tessa pressed.
“You’re not being fair,” Kristian shot back, glaring at her.
“Because you’re being ludicrous. This will blow up in your face. That is, if it doesn’t blow up in mine first.”
“Tessa,” Kristian growled.
“Kristian,” Tessa bit back.
“You’re being a goddamn brat. A spoiled one at that.”
“Spoiled?”
“Yeah, spoiled. Only a spoiled brat couldn’t bend a bit to show some sort of appreciation for the people who have defended you with their lives—even if it wasn’t entirely one-sided. You have an entire clan willing to protect you, and all of eternity to spend with me, but you won’t sacrifice just a few months to perhaps a year for the sake of the family,” Kristian snarled.
Tessa couldn’t take anymore. She needed to get away from him and clear her head. Looking to the sky, she could see dawn approaching. Kristian would have to go back inside very soon. Taking the window of opportunity, Tessa ran as fast as she could toward the treeline.
“TESSA!” Kristian shouted after her, but Tessa was gone. Her feet carried her deep into the forest, weaving through the trees with minimal effort. It was childish, and she knew that, but she was past the point of caring. She was to the point where she felt like she couldn’t do anything right, and the last thing she needed right then was Kristian telling her she was a brat. Being in a house full of witches and sharing a room with Kristian wouldn’t allot her the space she needed to really think things through on her own. She was tired of distractions and giving into the temptation of confiding in those around her. This was something she needed to think out on her own.
She ran, and ran, and ran until exhaustion buckled her. Tessa fell to the ground. It wasn’t like she was winded, but her legs and arms were actually sore. It was probably from skipping those meals. She had no idea that skipping meals would affect her so much. If anything, she thought it would make her crabby. Maybe it had, and Tessa just felt like she was in the right. The fact that she couldn’t sort it out proved to her that she needed time alone.
Tessa’s hands gripped the ground beneath her, trying her best to pull herself together. The more she tried to convince herself that it was anything but a premonition, the more she was convinced that it was. Kristian had been acting like nothing was wrong and that what they had to talk about was very mild. To Tessa, the family going away for up to a year, wasn’t mild in the slightest. Had Kristian really thought she would be okay with it? When they talked about it, he had made it sound as though she was only upset because he could potentially be gone for a year. What if the feeling she had wasn’t about the conversation, but was about them leaving? It had to be the case.
After a while of sitting there, Tessa finally found the strength to stand again. She walked a little further, hearing water flowing somewhere nearby. Following the sound of it, Tessa walked through the trees until they thinned along a riverbank. The early morning sky reflected off the water, making the clear water shimmer. As she approached the bank, a sudden voice called to her, “Come here often?”
Tessa nearly jumped out of her skin from fright, whipping around to spot a woman sitting on a low-lying branch in a tree nearby. She was as white as snow, with hair that matched her complexion. She had to be Calder. And yet, she wasn’t old and ragged looking. In fact, she looked around Tessa’s age, maybe a few years older. Her eyes weren’t a soulless pitch black, but instead were a warm shade of brown. Despite she differences in appearance, she wore the same ankle length black dress that all Calder witches wore; only it wasn’t as drab looking on her, since she had youth in her favor. “Who… who are you?” Tessa questioned, stumbling back a bit.
“Don’t be afraid, Tessa,” the white-haired woman cooed. “I know what it must look like, a Calder witch showing up out of the blue… Know that I mean you no harm at all. In fact, I was hoping you would be okay with my asking if you are alright. You appear very distraught.”
Should Tessa run? It was her knee-jerk reaction whenever she came near a Calder witch. This one, however, really didn’t seem to mean her any harm. Any other Calder would have been attacking her by now. Besides, if she did, Tessa was hopeful that she could hold her own in a fight. Tessa ignored the witch’s question, “I asked who you were. I know you’re Calder, that’s obvious.”
“Fair enough,” the witch called as she hopped down from the tree branch. “Why don’t we sit together and talk?” she smiled, moving toward her.
Tessa took as many steps back as the witch took to come toward her, “How about you tell me from where you are, who you are.”
She sighed heavily, “Very well. My name is Bethany. I’m the daughter of Leticia, as well as Cedric. I’ve been waiting a very, very long time to meet my baby sister.” Her pale lips stretched into what appeared to be a genuine smile.
Tessa was taken back, her breath catching in her throat. “You can’t be serious…” she managed to get out. Why should she trust Bethany? She was the enemy, and could just be playing games to get into Tessa’s head.
“I most definitely am. What can I say, I suppose our father had a liking for strong, powerful women,” Bethany stated, chuckling lightly.
“Why should I trust you? You could just be making that up.”
“Because no one else knows that you’re Cedric’s child, my sister,” Bethany explained.
Tessa scoffed. How dull did this witch think Tessa was? “The Calder caught Cedric and my mother together and killed them for it.”
“Precisely,” Bethany nodded. “That was after you were born and placed in a human home. The Calder thinks your father is Julian of the Wyrd clan, just as Firehaven does. They killed them both because of his betrayal to my mother.”
Well, Tessa supposed that made sense. It didn’t mean she believed Bethany completely, though. “I see,” she muttered, trying to wrap her head around the concept. “How did you find me here?” Tessa asked.
“I will have to admit some fault there. I was having my witches track the vampires’ movements. I have to admit, you and Kristian were very sneaky and were actually off our radar for a while. When someone reported back that Veronica had found you guys, I wanted to come meet you personally.”
“Why?” Tessa questioned. She never moved her gaze from Bethany, wanting to be able to predict any movements she could possibly make to attack her.
“Because it is finally time,” Bethany smiled brilliantly. “Time for you to join my side and lead the Calder with me.”
“Excuse me?” Tessa scoffed. “Do you really think I’m dumb
enough to fall for that? The Calder have been trying to kill me for months—if not years without my knowledge.
Bethany shook her head, “If we wanted you dead, Tessa, you would be. I know everything leading up to this point may seem harsh, but it was only to work in your favor.” She paused and sat down on the bank, gesturing to the spot next to her for Tessa to sit. Reluctantly, Tessa moved over and sat next to her, but at a distance. “Everything we have done up to the point, was to put the necessary pressures on you to get you where you need to be. We needed you with the vampires so that they would eventually turn you. We allowed the Firehaven witches near you so that you could get an understanding of that half of your magic ability. That way you have all of the necessary training and strength before joining us.
“You see, I’m the Calder’s High Priestess in training, much like you are the Firehavens. However, the Firehavens aren’t the family they claim to be to you. Yes, Esmeralda was your mother, but with her, your family died in the Firehaven clan. They care about you as much as the family of vampires do. All they want you for is for their own gain. Whereas we want you so that you can be the best you can be, to flourish in all of the magic running through your veins.”
Tessa shook her head, “They warned me of the Calder wanting me to use my power to take over the world, or something along those lines.”
A sweet, musical laughter sounded from Bethany. She shook her head, the curtain of white hair flowing around her as she did. “They are still reading those old prophecies? My darling sister, those hold as much weight as King Arthur. They are works of fiction, doctored back in the day to instill fear and paranoia in witches. Back then, the clans were at each other’s throats all the time with absolutely zero alliances. They hoped that making that legend up would keep the witches from breeding with other clans. Those witches are filling your head with lies they’ve believed their entire life because they didn’t know any better.”
“How are you so sure that it’s fake?” Tessa challenged.
“Because I have two brain cells to rub together?” Bethany joked lightly. “And because there have been other hybrid witches and none of them fulfilled any sort of gloomy prophecy. I’ve read that one before, and it said nothing about the child having to be one of a High Priestess. So what makes you any different from the other hybrids?” she challenged. Tessa was stumped, actually starting to wonder if the Firehaven were just that naïve. They did seem like a bunch of friendly, warm people. It could mean they were more gullible than the cold and calculative Calder. “That’s not to say that hybrids aren’t powerful. They have the ability to unlock the powers of both clans they belong to. Usually, they never fully master both kinds of magic. However with you, I would like to at least try and help you do that. The best way for you to do that would be to join me and returned to the Calder compound with me so that we can begin your training.”
It was so much to take in, and Tessa still wasn’t convinced that Bethany was telling the truth. What if Bethany was her half-sister? Not trusting her meant that Tessa would miss out on the only opportunity to get to know the last living member of her family. A lifelong yearning to be somewhere she belonged made her chest ache. She found herself wanting to trust Bethany, but she wasn’t quite there. The Firehavens and the vampires had instilled so much fear in her about the Calder, and the Calder up to this point had been proving them right. “Why should I trust you guys when one of your witches nearly killed me?” she questioned.
“To push Kristian to change you. See… The Calder have gotten a bad wrap in our mission to get you ready to join me as High Priestess. We’ve had to burn a lot of bridges in the process and we’ve gladly taken on the title as villain because we know in our heart of hearts, we are doing the right thing for our clan.”
“For the clan…” Tessa repeated. “That makes it sound like they were right… That you just want me for my power.”
“I want you because you are my sister. The clan needs you because you will be a strong and unbeatable leader. We don’t plan to set out to conquer the world, Tessa. We just want to be strong and to control our land without having to worry about anyone ever attacking us. With you in our charge, that won’t ever be a concern,” Bethany explained. “Think about it Tessa. Coming with me is the only way to unlock your full potential as well as get to know the only living family you have. I’ll help you see the truth to the world. You’ll know power you’ve never thought possible. Abilities you could never dream of. The world will be our oyster, my sister. What do you say?”
Being so close to Bethany, Tessa realized that the warm brown hue to her eyes was the exact shade of her own. Did they both have their father’s brown eyes? Her mind was stimulated by wonder and questions, but Tessa still wasn’t sold on everything Bethany was saying. She spun a good tale, but something felt off about it. Perhaps she was still holding onto the doubt that the Firehaven and vampires had instilled in her. Tessa wasn’t blind to the kindness the witches and vampires had given her. She had found love in Kristian, and her own sense of family within Calla, Jared, the elders, and even Veronica even though she was an ass.
She didn’t want to tell Bethany no, though, fearing that it would spark a reaction that wouldn’t pan out well for Tessa. She still didn’t know why Bethany was so youthful looking compared to the other Calder she had seen, and she was the daughter of their previous High Priestess. The young witch could potentially hold the same unbelievable powers that she was saying Tessa could have. However, part of her didn’t want to say no anyways. The thought of accessing those powers was extremely tempting, as well as discovering if Bethany truly was her sister. Kristian was going on the road for a year… Perhaps it all was meant to happen. She wanted to talk to someone about it first, help her make sure she wasn’t being an idiot. “Can I have some time to think on it? I don’t want to rush into anything.”
Bethany gave a sad smile, her eyes gleaming with sincerity, “While I would normally let you, because even I would find this all skeptical, it’s not really an option this time. You see, Tessa… You coming with me isn’t just for the good of the Calder or you, but for your vampire and witch friends as well.”
Tessa’s brow creased, her coffee eyes swirling with concern, “What do you mean?”
“Well, see…” Bethany began, struggling to find the words. After a few moments of drawing a blank, Bethany sighed, “I suppose the best thing to do would be to show you.” She held her hand up, her palm facing Tessa. Bethany gestured for Tessa to press her hand to hers.
With a moment’s hesitation, Tessa raised her hand and pressed it to hers. The moment their skin touched, Tessa’s vision blacked out. She gasped at first, terrified that Bethany had done something to her. But then, reality came back into focus in a haze. Only when it did, she wasn’t looking at Bethany. She was hovering in midair, watching from the corner of the living room of the house. What was going on? Kristian came through the door frame, annoyance and anger heavy on his face. Then, trailing right behind him was Tessa herself. They were arguing about Kristian leaving. Tessa got in Kristian’s face, yelling at him that he never cared about her. That he was no better than the rest of them, and if anything he was worse. Claiming that he was using sex and affection to pacify her to keep her around because of how they didn’t want her getting into the Calder’s hands. Kristian was insulted and demanding her to calm down and get out of his face.
Tessa insisted he make her. Kristian pushed her back gently, telling her to knock it off. Tessa rushed at him and pushed him, sending him flying back into the wall. He stood, his face in a scowl, spitting that he didn’t like what the witches were turning her into. Tessa claimed he simply couldn’t handle her becoming stronger than her. His face screwed into a hateful look, Kristian beelined for the door, leaving with or without her blessing. In a moment of weakness and anger, Tessa shrieked and hurled a blinding fire attack at him. He was on the ground instantly—dead.
Jared and Charley were the first to rush into the room, staring at Tessa
as she stood over Kristian’s body. She tried to choke out an apology, swearing she hadn’t meant to. It was no use, there was no apologizing that time. Jared and Charley moved to grab her, but Tessa’s panicked mind lashed out at them. The elders and Calla came into the room. Tessa was so certain they were going to kill her. She felt like an animal backed into a corner. Calla emerged from the line of witches and tried to talk Tessa down, but it was no use. Bolts of lightning filled the room, striking each and every one of them, killing them instantly. What had she done?! In a panic, Tessa bolted out the door with only one goal in mind. Find the Calder.
Tessa jerked her hand back from Bethany’s, her eyes wide and glossy with emotion. Bethany looked close to tears herself. “You see, Tessa, you’re always going to end up wanting to be with us. You don’t know how to control your powers or your strength. You’ve slipped up quite a bit already, haven’t you? Even in moments where you thought you were in complete control.” Thoughts of what happened with Selena swarmed Tessa’s mind. She had thought it was the vampire in her that wasn’t controlled. Could it possibly be the Calder? Bethany rested her hand over Tessa’s in a comforting manner, “I know that must have been terrible to see. That’s what will happen if you go back to that house. The vampires and others will, of course, convince you that you are insane for even considering my offer, your life will go on normally for a few days… And then what you saw will take place. It’s a premonition I had when I came here and felt your presence. Let me spare you and the others that pain. Come with me willingly. I swear to you, if you don’t like it, you can return to them and the Calder will never bother you again. We need you to at least try, though, Tessa.”
Tessa wished she had the ability to cry. She wanted to sweep at the images that had invaded her brain. Would she really kill Kristian and all the others if she didn’t go with Bethany? The possibility alone was too much to bear. At that point, did she really have an option? Tessa was willing to risk her own life, but not Kristian’s or the others. Going with Bethany actually could work out for the best. Maybe in the time that Kristian was gone, Tessa would master the Calder magic and would no longer be a danger be around. Not to mention the time passed would give her the time to get control of her blood cravings as well. She didn’t want to attack any more people she cared about.