Miranda leaned on Tempest’s strength through the struggle of her parents’ funeral, and she accompanied her to the attorney’s office where Miranda signed documents making her their official and only heir at the age of eighteen years and three days.
When they had left his office, Tempest said, “I have an idea.”
“What kind of an idea?” Miranda asked with suspicion. She had suffered the backlash of a few of Tempest’s ‘ideas’ in the past.
“Mom can’t wait to head back to the desert, and our rent is due in two days. What if we tell her I can stay at your house, and she can take off?”
“Would she do that, just leave you like that?” Miranda was astonished by this suggestion.
“Hell yes. She’s been a great mom, but she’s already decided it ends at eighteen, and then she figures she gets her life back. I’m cool with it. I love her, but face it, Miranda, she was never cut out for the Mrs. Cleaver life.” Tempest looked expectantly at her friend.
“I guess that would be okay. I mean, it’s not like we will be throwing wild parties or having any guys over.” The two had accepted their isolated friendship years ago.
Tempest’s mother pounced on the offer, and never looked back. She did not write, there were no calls, and she did not give the girls her new address. Miranda and Tempest held a ritual wishing her well, but never tried to find her.
The girls graduated high school with no parents, family or friends to congratulate them, and a few days later Miranda had the attorney sell the big house with too many memories and she found her cabin in the woods.
Miranda pictured her broom sweeping the sadness from her thoughts, and she slowly opened her eyes knowing she would never think of those events again, or, at least, not with the despair those times had caused her in the past. She rose from the rocker and smiled out onto her orchard.
Tempest worked ten miles away in the small town at a nursery and studied botany at the junior college. Miranda made soap and candles to sell at a gift shop on Main Street. They were perfectly content with their quiet life.
Miranda only traveled to town once or twice a month to stock her display shelves and collect the money from sales. It was as she returned from one of these trips she saw a flyer on the window of the coffee shop announcing a pagan meeting the first Monday morning of the month, and Miranda discussed it with Tempest. She was lonely and she wanted to find others like her.
Tempest absently swirled the whipped cream into her cappuccino while Miranda studied the group. There was no sense of power from any of them, not even the little glimmer Tempest cast, but there was also no sense of animosity and that in itself was a relief. The group was an eclectic gathering of witches and new age believers, and the tall woman orchestrating the meeting invited the girls to a gathering in the woods to celebrate the full moon.
Miranda loved esbat rituals. The feeling of peace and renewing power charged her for the month, and she was excited at the prospect of a larger gathering honoring the goddess. The girls wandered out onto the glade and approached the bonfire and rough altar arranged on a large rock, waiting for the ritual to begin. Miranda noticed the woman who had invited them standing by the altar wearing a cape and ornamental jewelry, and someone whispered to Miranda that she was their coven’s priestess. The prospect of a teacher to finally guide her and help her understand her abilities was exciting. She scanned the priestess and was confused that she detected no power from the woman. She decided it must manifest during the ceremony.
As the Priestess began, Miranda tried to understand the calling of the elements and the repetitious words. The whole ritual made no sense to her, because she instinctively knew the gods and goddess were always present. It made her more than a little nervous when the woman in the cloak ‘summoned’ them, and Miranda could not bring herself to repeat the words to ‘summon’ the gods. She believed they would ‘summon’ her, if they needed to.
Words passed between the priestess and a young handsome man standing beside her, and the group repeated the words reverently, hands clutching athames pointed towards the moon. They seemed to be impassioned by the act, and Miranda looked at Tempest and shrugged her shoulders. Tempest whispered, “Maybe it depends on where you’re from. Let’s just do it the way we do at home.”
Miranda silently nodded in agreement and held Tempest’s hand. She lifted her other open palm towards the moon and silently blessed the goddess for Tempest’s friendship, their cabin in the woods, and their health. She praised her for her wisdom, and felt the familiar filling of light that traveled through her body and into Tempest by their joined hands. Her trance was so complete she never noticed the rest of the coven was quietly staring at her, with their gaping mouths hanging open. It was as if all the light cast from the moon had formed a single beam, and was shining on the strange new girl’s hand.
When Miranda came out of her trance, the group gathered excitedly around her asking questions. Miranda was overwhelmed, and Tempest, as usual, took control. “Back off a little, will you? She needs a little time to ground herself.”
The angry priestess realized her leadership with the coven was in jeopardy, and she narrowed her eyes. “We must give thanks to the goddess for allowing the power of our ritual to manifest within the new believer.”
Several from the group had been joining the rituals in the glade for years, and they had never witnessed anything like what had happened to Miranda. Their questioning eyes glanced in confusion at the priestess.
When Miranda had grounded, she felt the unmistakable hostility thrown from the priestess towards her. The woman’s robe shifted in the slight breeze. “Thank you for joining our full moon ritual honoring the goddess.” In a regal ‘do-not-mess-with-me’ voice she continued, “Your ways are that of a solitary, and I am afraid you draw from the power of our group to support them.”
Miranda looked the fanatical priestess in the eye. “I understand,” she replied calmly. “Thank you for the opportunity to share this ceremony with you.” She took Tempest’s hand and left the glade, obviously dismissed from further contact with the group.
Tempest muttered quietly, “What a bitch!”
“It has been a struggle for her to keep the group together, and I think she sees me as a threat,” Miranda sighed in disappointment. “They do worship in their own way, and believe in the wisdom and balance of nature. I guess that’s the important thing.” The sadness in Miranda’s voice was clear as she discovered she was even an outcast with these people.
The next time Miranda was in town stocking her displays, the handsome man from the pagan group caught up with her as she walked back towards her car. “Miranda? That’s right, isn’t it?”
Miranda turned and looked up at him. His blonde curls flopped in disarray around his face, giving him an even more youthful appearance. “Yes, I remember you from the glade.”
Johnny invited her to have coffee. Miranda had never had a real date before, and she nervously swirled cream into the dark beverage until she read the signs in the design on the surface, and then she calmed.
Over the next week, Johnny began to show up at their cabin frequently. His one annoying habit was to badger Miranda with questions about her abilities. Something told her to be evasive, and Tempest agreed it would be better not to divulge too many secrets.
The weekend approached, and Tempest told Miranda she would be staying in town with a man from work that she had been dating. “Why don’t you invite Johnny to stay over? I know you’re lonely, and he seems like a nice enough guy. At least he doesn’t freak out around you.”
Tempest had managed a few short trysts since high school, but shrugged off anyone who either tried to get too close or avoided Miranda. Her relationships lasted a matter of weeks, not months or years, and she always explained they just were not what she was looking for. She was adamant that she would know ‘Mr. Right’ when he came along.
Naturally, Miranda had thought about sex. She was almost nineteen and had never even been kissed. Of course,
she really never had the opportunity, because by high school most of the kids walked on the other side of the hall to avoid the strange girl.
It certainly was not her looks. As wild as Tempest was with her dark pixie spikes and emerald eyes, Miranda was the complete opposite, with an almost ethereal beauty. Her golden hair shimmered down her back like a cape, and her eyes seemed like reflective pools of crystal blue water. Her pale skin never burned or tanned, and Miranda thought it was just another oddity she possessed.
She meditated by the pond and decided it was time, and as if to confirm her decision she felt an unfamiliar stirring of anticipation. Miranda made a stew with vegetables from the garden and a large loaf of herb crusted bread while she waited for Johnny to arrive with a bottle of red wine. After dinner, they sat in front of the fire and she could sense that he was nervous, too. It was becoming apparent he was a little afraid of her, and Miranda panicked as depression began to take hold that she would be cast out once again.
Miranda finally broke the awkward silence and said softly. “I’ve never done this before, Johnny. I wish I did not make you feel so uncomfortable.” She looked down in her lap and twirled a golden strand of her hair around her finger. “It’s been this way for me with every guy I’ve ever met. No one has ever come as close to me as you have.”
Johnny put his arm around her, and pulled her head onto his chest while he trailed his fingers down her side. “I’m not uncomfortable, Miranda. I’m in awe of you,” he admitted. “You know that. I’ve believed in the path for many years, but you are the first one I’ve met who actually had powers.”
Miranda sighed. “To me, it’s never been about power. It’s about balance and trying to help nature offset the damage we’re doing. I know I’m different, and all of my life people have avoided me.” She studied the flames in the fireplace. “Sometimes I wish I had the confidence of your priestess.”
“She’s not my priestess,” Johnny scoffed. “I was left a hefty sum of money, and I’ve spent my time traveling trying to find someone like you. I am so glad to have met you. I know this is real.”
He lifted her chin, and for the first time, Miranda felt the warmth of a man’s lips against hers. At least, at first it was warm. By the time his tongue had slipped past her lips, she felt fire in her womb and her nipples were erect and throbbing. An unexpected rush of energy passed through her, and her nails dug into his shoulders as she pulled him closer, plunging her tongue into his mouth.
“Whoa, slow down a little,” he gasped. He was trying to be gentle with her, and found a wildcat in his arms. She quickly pulled his shirt over his head and ran her fingers along his slender chest. When he brushed her nipple through her sweater, she crushed herself closer to him.
She hastily threw off her clothes and dragged him down onto the rug in front of the fire. Johnny’s own responses were becoming heightened, and he quickly kicked off his jeans as she fisted her hand in his hair, pulling his mouth against hers again.
His hand traveled slowly towards her breast. A part of him was still trying to be gentle, to make the act meaningful for her, but it was becoming difficult with all her grabbing and clasping. “Easy Miranda, let’s slow down.”
Miranda groaned and pulled him closer. She had no idea what was happening to her. Her body was in control and not listening to the embarrassing warnings of her mind, because her Atlantian heritage demanded the throbbing pulse between her legs had to be satisfied.
In one last futile effort to prepare her, Johnny’s finger slipped along her slit to find her drenched with juices and more than ready. A finger brushed her clit and she bucked wildly as she pulled him on top of her. Her hand fumbled quickly for his shaft, and she had no time to recognize its velvet smoothness before she centered it in front of her channel, wrapped her legs around him, and drew him inside.
Johnny found himself holding on for dear life. Her hands were everywhere, pawing through his hair and clawing down his back drawing rivulets of blood, while her pussy was clenched so tightly around him, he had difficulty providing any movement for the friction he needed. When he tried to draw back, his cock stayed wedged inside her, causing him to stretch almost painfully instead of slide. Virgin, my ass, he thought.
That nasty thought broke through Miranda’s senses as she climaxed. She experienced a brief flash of a vision of a large man with long wild dark hair, as her channel squeezed Johnny in a vise tight grip and he swore as his seed spilled into her. She fell back in exhaustion and he rolled silently off her. His penis was shriveled and was bruising with pain, as blood from her clawing trickled down his back. Johnny quickly gathered his clothes and dressed. He ran from the cabin, and Miranda never heard from him again.
Tempest tried to talk to her about it. She had no idea why Johnny had mysteriously disappeared, and mistakenly thought they had had a fight. Miranda finally broke down and told Tempest about the incident, and asked, “Is that what it’s like?”
Tempest certainly did not remember it being like that her first time, or any other time for that matter. “Maybe this power you have has something to do with it?”
Miranda meditated, and decided that even making love would be denied to her. She wondered why she had been saddled with the abilities that sometimes seemed to be more of a curse. She also wondered why, since the vision with Johnny, her dreams were filled with the big, dark haired man.
Over the years, Tempest’s outgoing nature had her dating often. The short relationships never seemed to be satisfying, and the liaisons always ended. Miranda made it clear that she was more comfortable alone, and Tempest stopped trying to set her up on dates.
Tempest received her degree and opened a flower shop where she also sold their garden herbs, and Miranda kept a second display of her handmade soaps and candles. Miranda’s crafting business had built a good reputation, as once again whispers of ‘witch’ began to follow her. It seemed to make her crafts more valuable, and her sales were modest but consistent. The two young women, not yet twenty-four, were financially comfortable.
For all the years she had spent watching and learning from Miranda, Tempest had never experienced her own gift of magic, if she had one. Yet, something drew her to the young woman, and since the first time they had met in high school, Tempest had the undeniable knowledge that she was supposed to protect her somehow.
Miranda was delivering Yule candles and soap to the gift shop next to the post office, and at the chiming of the bell over the door she turned to see a man with long white hair and a flowing black cloak lined in sapphire blue enter. Another wizard, Miranda thought, and dismissed him.
The man stood by the door scanning the store until his eyes focused on Miranda. Her back was to him as he approached her. “Do you make that yourself?”
She turned to face him and prepared to describe her crafts, but as soon as she gazed into his steely eyes, she felt herself fall into a trance. His eyes were like mirrors of swirling, fathomless emotion, and looking into them made her believe the man was older than time. There was an immense sense of kindness emanating from his aura, and Miranda found herself anticipating something from him.
He brushed his hand gently across her forehead and smiled. “He will be so pleased.”
Miranda tried to shake herself out of the trance and ask him what he meant, but as she came back to awareness the strange man was gone. As the moments passed by, she found she could not recall what he looked like, and his words drifted away, leaving Miranda with no recollection of anything other than placing her soap on display. She shrugged her shoulders and completed the task.
She was walking back to her car to drive home when her mind seemed to go blank again, and she made her way into Elton Beiman’s office. He was the only attorney in town, but even so she had no problem being ushered in to see him. Within an hour, she had transferred the deed to the cabin and land to Tempest and put her on all her financial accounts as joint owner. Miranda thanked Elton and drove home.
When Tempest asked her how her day had
gone, she mentioned stocking her display and collecting two hundred dollars in sales, and the girls celebrated. Miranda did not remember doing anything else.
Three days later, Tempest awoke to find Miranda gone. At first, she was confused and she searched everywhere for her. When she discovered Miranda had transferred all her assets to her, Tempest dropped into a deep depression, reluctantly deciding her friend had gone in search of the grandmother who disappeared two decades ago. She prayed to the goddess she would be safe and return one day.
CHAPTER II
“This is unheard of, Ethram. Do we know her heritage?”
Ethram hung his cloak and ran his fingers through his shoulder length white hair. “I am sure she is an Ancient, but I think she is unaware of it. It is good she will belong to Zulien. She is going to need a warrior to protect her. She is completely innocent of her ancestry. We will try to discover her lineage when we bring her in.”
“When will that be?” Ballion was pacing with excitement. He had been with Ethram as a student since he began his studies for his own procurement vessel some day. He had never secured or even seen an Ancient.
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