The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga

by Taliesin Govannon

  ”What does it sound like?” she asked back.

  Thump-thump… thump-thump… thump-thump…

  “It sounds… “ I paused, looking for the right words. “It sounds like… a heartbeat.”

  One seriously BIG heartbeat! I thought furiously. Is King King next on the menu of horrors?

  Gaia, however, didn’t look worried. She closed her eyes, breathed deep, and soon started glowing the same way that the forest did.

  “It’s the heartbeat of the Earth.” she said finally.

  I closed my eyes like she did and reached out with my perceptions. I could still see the energy outlines of the forest around me but could feel everything extending farther and farther until I could feel the luminosity of the entire planet. It throbbed in time to the thumps I heard.

  “This is incredible.” I said breathlessly.

  “That power, that rhythm,” Gaia said, “that is the source of your power. That is what you’re connected to when you practice your magick.”

  I heard her words and knew them to be true. I sent my perception through the energy all around me, and traveled from leaf to trunk to scurrying forest creature in turn.

  I almost giggled with delight. And I DON’T giggle!

  I then encountered something that made me pause. It was a break in the energy that turned out to not be a break, but a fading of the power. Without looking with my physical eyes, I started walking towards the dip in the green energy all around me.

  I didn’t hear her move, but I could feel Gaia walking with me. I knew that I had left the trail, but I met no resistance from underbrush or branches as I moved towards the energy dip.

  I soon found my quarry. It was a cat, an orange tabby, and I instantly knew why the energy of life was weaker here: he was dying.

  He’s dying, and it’s not his time. I don’t know how I knew all of this, but I knew. I put my hand on his side, and he offered only a token meow of protest. It’s okay, little guy… I won’t hurt you.

  Poison. I could feel it running through his veins lie a malignant river of toxic waste. I knew that he had been poisoned, and I knew how.

  Who would intentionally leave out bowls contaminated by anti-freeze just to kill stray cats? I fumed.

  I couldn’t stay angry, however… someone needed me.

  I placed my other hand on the cat’s body, and he didn’t protest this time. He was too weak. I reached out with my perceptions, to the energy flowing all around me, and had it flow through me.

  Into the poor unfortunate creature before me.

  At first, there was nothing. Then I saw the poison flowing out of the kitty, out of his pores, and flowing back into the earth where it could be purified and otherwise dealt with. After a few moments, the flow slowed and then stopped.

  I felt a twitch under my hands and lifted them up. The cat raised his head, looked groggy for a moment, and then stood up.

  Where there was a dip, there was now a strong link in the chain of life, as firm and resolute as iron. The cat looked at me, flicked his tail, and then took off into the bushes.

  “Feels good, huh?” Gaia asked, grinning.

  “You could say that.” came my awed reply.

  * * *

  “Well, it’s not like you haven’t healed animals before.” Raina said, sipping her coffee.

  “I know,” I said, impatiently stirring my own mug, “I remember what happened before I came into my power. It’s just that this time, it was intentional! I saw that poor little guy suffering, and I expelled the poison from his little body. I healed his damaged organs. I knew what I was doing!”

  “Wow.” Raina took another sip. “That’s awesome.”

  I sat down next to her. “I was starting to worry that I’d been concentrating on blowing things up for too long.” I confessed. “It’s nice to see that I can still put things back together.”

  The early dawn light was peeking through the kitchen windows, bathing everything it touched in a light blue. Raina and I sat by the window, our chairs pulled over from the kitchen table, basking in the dawn.

  “You know, you always hated getting up this early.” Raina said, looking at me over the rim of her mug.

  “I was usually up late the night before, reading.” I replied. “Now that I don’t have any daily obligations like school, I’m finding myself reading in the daylight more often.”

  “Yeah, that and the fact that you have a hot boyfriend to tempt you into bed at a reasonable hour." Raina grinned and winked at me.

  “Yeah, well,” I retorted, “We brought a Fae chick back with us. I’m sure you have no problems getting a bed partner these days!”

  “She hasn’t made a move on me.” Raina replied simply.

  I was shocked. “Seriously?”

  “Uh-huh.” Raina nodded. “I even made a pass at her. No dice.”

  Damn, I thought. Every Fae woman I’ve ever met is usually up for some fun between the sheets. ESPECIALLY with a sexy human Witch like Raina!

  “Besides,” Raina continued, waving her hand, “I got laid enough in Virginia to last me a good long while. I don’t need to have constant access to nookie.”

  Evelyn chose that moment to make her entrance. “Good morning, my lovelies!” she said as she breezed in, her bright British accent almost singing.

  Even I had to do a double-take. She was obviously dressed in what she slept in, and it wasn't much. A long tank top struggled to cover all of what her brother would call her 'naughty bits', and slid up to reveal tiny bikini panties every time she reached into the cupboards for things like cups and spoons. She dragged another chair over to where we were sitting and stretched before sitting down, which made her shirt drag up again, revealing a taut and firm stomach.

  I raised my eyebrows at Raina, and she winked. Not that Raina doesn’t have choices I thought.

  “So what brings you to consciousness this early in the am.?” Raina asked Evelyn as she sat down.

  “I’m still on South Africa time.” Evelyn yawned. “I usually resort to a little shag to keep me awake to beat jet-lag, but even the Fae chick wasn’t interested last night.”

  “There’s a lot of that going around.” Raina commented slyly.

  And yet I get the feeling that Gaia would jump my bones if I so much as nodded at the right time I thought. I wanted to wonder what was up with that, but my denial mechanisms didn’t fare well when I became the Sorceress, so I knew.

  Fucking great.

  “So, what do you have on the agenda?” I asked, changing the subject.

  “I’ve got fifteen volumes of an ancient text to pour through for research on our mysterious lake.” Evelyn said, sounding not-at-all pleased. “At least you lot seem to have unlimited ganja, so that makes it better… a little.”

  “I’m spending the day in the woods.” Raina said next. “That way I can keep an eye on things while I practice my magick.”

  “Well, I'm going to go and find my boyfriend and rip his clothes off." I said and took a sip of my coffee.

  “And you’re waiting for… ?” Raina asked, grinning.

  “You’ve got a point.” I said, rising. “Have a nice morning, ladies.”

  “I know you bloody will.” Evelyn added with a wink.

  * * *

  Something’s not right about this.

  I knew that the bathroom had to be around there somewhere. I had just been hanging out in the basement at my Mom’s house with a few friends. Raina, Jack, and Vincent had all been there, along with an extra… very famous… guest.

  I can’t believe that Robin Williams faked his own death so that he could go undercover to stop the Illuminati’s plan to eliminate the Yiddish language, thus depriving stand up comedians of an easy stereotype they can use to characterize an entire ethnic-slash-religious minority! Will wonders never cease?

  Wonders, indeed.

  I had walked up the stairs, intending on using the secret bathroom that we kept under the kitchen sink, but the room I wound up in wasn’t my Mother’s kit
chen. It was, instead, a simple castle room with a comfortable bed and a roaring fireplace. It was night-time, and a half-moon streamed in the window to bathe me in its light.

  I settled more into my chair. Amazingly, I no longer needed to pee.

  This is a good night.

  I knew that she’d be coming. I knew it in my bones. I didn’t know if she was coming to kiss me or kill me, what with what she was, but I knew one thing.

  I was ready.

  I had lived a comfortable, if unfulfilling, life up until that night. Being cousins with the Queen meant that I could always count on a place in her court, even if God had seen fit to deny me a husband. Hoyw had been a kind man, even though I failed to ignite his passions, and he was in line to become the next Earl of Ynys Tan on top of everything else. His tragic death while hunting with his childhood friend Cyfrinach put an end to my dreams of kissing my betrothed someday, as well as my future family. I ran my fingers over the locket he had given me with his pet name for me etched on the side.

  Oh Hoyw, I will always be your Barf!

  I believed that God had forsaken me. Why else would he take away my hopes for a husband, then introduce such a creature of the night into my life? One that may very well drink my life’s blood to satiate her infernal appetites?

  And why has he seen fit to ignite my own infernal appetites for this abomination? Oh well… If I be damned already, then one more sin with the instrument of my destruction cannot make things any worse, can it?

  At least it makes facing my doom not altogether unpleasant.

  With a sound no louder than the rustling of fabric, she was there. The moonlight cast a halo around her dark form, her garment seeming to flow over her like liquid night. It made her pale skin shine, her long hair framing her perfect face with inky completeness.

  “Gwynnith.” she said, her voice resonating in my soul.

  “Angelique.” My mouth grew dry while saying her odd, foreign-sounding name, but the desert was limited to above my neck. Elsewhere, my body came alive at the thought of her touch.

  “You know what I am.” she said.

  “Yes.” I replied. “And if you are here to drink my life away, I am ready.”

  “You have made your peace with God?” she asked.

  I cast a wicked grin across my face. “No, I have cursed his name.”

  “Really?” Her eyebrows arched as she looked at me.

  “Yes.” I said, still smiling. “After all, he has cursed me, hasn’t he? If he hadn’t, I would be laying with my husband tonight, either suckling his children or joining with him to make the next.” My smile faded. “He would not make me a meal for an abomination such as yourself!” I added with a pout.

  Then she laughed. She laughed at me! I started to fume with anger.

  “Oh, my young one,” she said, smiling, “there are many things that you just said that would never have happened, you must believe me.”

  My anger evaporated at the sound of her voice. Let’s just do this I thought impatiently. I rose from my chair and walked over to the dark woman who had invaded my chamber.

  She traced my cheek with her thin, delicate hands. Her touch as as soft and as loving as I had ever felt. I looked into her eyes and found nothing but peace there.

  Yes I thought, if it is to be, let it be like this.

  I tilted my head and laid it on her shoulder, offering her my neck. The creature of the night dipped her mouth to meet it, and I felt her velvet-soft lips against my skin.

  Take me, my dark one!

  I felt her kiss my neck, right where my heart beats the strongest, and I held her close, anticipating the end. I waited for her teeth to pierce my skin, to feel as she sucked the life from me, until I had to face whatever Satan’s minions had in store once I was cast down with them.

  She kissed my neck again, and my body responded in force. I had never felt need as badly as I did in that moment, and I writhed in ecstasy. She kissed my neck again, lower this time, and I felt as her mouth traced a steady course downwards until she had to tear my nightclothes aside to continue.

  She held me rock-firm as she covered my breasts in hot, wet kisses, teasing me until I felt that I might burst with desire.

  “What are you… ?” I asked, my voice deep with arousal. “Why aren’t you… ?

  She looked into my eyes. “My darling, I didn’t come here to take your life.”

  “No?” I asked, my voice still heavy.

  “No.” she smiled. “I decided that, since you know what I am, I should show you who I am.” she wrapped her lips around my nipple, and I shuddered in ecstasy. She released it, and looked me in the eyes again, this time serious.

  “But you should know, my love,” she said, “that if you ever throw yourself into my arms, there is no way that I can ever refuse you. Ever.”

  She stopped talking, and continued making my skin burn. I felt myself surrendering to her passion…

  “Annabelle!”

  Okay, either her voice has just changed radically…

  “Annabelle!” the voice said again, and I opened my eyes.

  Raina leaned in over me, the late afternoon sun streaming into the window behind her.

  “Wha?” I said groggily. “Where’s Angelique?”

  “She’s already on route.” Raina replied impatiently. “Get up!”

  “On route to what?” I said, sitting up. “Raina, what’s going on?”

  “Beasties in the woods!” Raina answered excitedly. She couldn’t hide her grin as she tossed my crumpled sweats from the floor at me. “Let’s go show them the bad ass bitches who live here!”

  “Hell yeah!” I said, standing to dress.

  I had forgotten all about the dream.

  * * *

  Raina and I ran through the woods, to the place where the cameras had told us that the main fight was taking place. The air was cold, and a light snow was falling.

  A tree cracking in front of us told me that we’d arrived, and I watched as Vincent ripped a branch from the massive oak and hurled it above him. It connected with its target, and a creature that looked like the massive bat I’d tangled with landed with a thud on the forest floor.

  “Giant bats?” I called to him casually.

  “Yeah, and tough ones!” he managed to get out before the beast attacked him again and he wrestled it through the underbrush, away from us.

  “Giant bats.” I said to Raina, and she smiled.

  A dark shape appeared above us, swooping down.

  “You want this one?” she asked, gesturing to the massive hairy bat quickly approaching our position.

  “Please,” I replied, smiling, “after you.”

  Raina grinned and sent a bolt of magickal energy shooting skyward. It hit its target, and the bat crashed in the forest to our left.

  “Kickass." Raina grinned, and took off to continue the fight.

  The sound of snapping branches drew my attention upwards, and one glance at the rapidly descending shape told me that it was my turn. I touched the earth within me, and then sent a cluster of bone shards flying at my attacker. They found their mark, shredding the membrane of its wings. It crashed onto the ground in front of me, struggling to rise again in an eternal attack.

  Not so fast! I thought, and connected quickly with the fire within me. I sent a jet of flame directly at the creature, and it shrieked as it was consumed. It collapsed in a pile of bones and ashes on the trail.

  Okay, I noted inwardly, bone shards good, fire better against these things.

  I took off down the path, jumping over the smoldering remains to search for other monsters I could slay.

  I looked to my left as I ran only to see one of Raina’s bolts wing a bat and send it spiraling towards Vincent, who was wearing the severed head of a bat as a helmet as he fought yet another one. I sent a trail of fire at the careening creature, incinerating it and watching the ashes rain down on the battle as well.

  “Thanks!” Raina called from the distance.

  “N
o problem!” I called back, and turned my attention to the battle raging around me.

  I came across Trevor and Evelyn, each with a glowing lasso that they were using to tear one bat’s wings off of it.

  An idea came to my mind, and it intrigued me. I wonder if it would work… I thought.

  “Oh, what the hell.” I shrugged, and focused.

  Reach within me and focus on the water that makes up seventy percent of my body… now reach out to the world around me to draw upon the cold, and…

  I cut the air with the sides of my hands in a slicing motion, and round blades of ice flew from my hands. They sliced through the beast’s wings and left the body to fall, wriggling, on the snowy forest floor.

  Trevor and Evelyn, the tension on their ropes gone, tumbled backward on their behinds. "Bloody hell… " Trevor cursed as he got back up, drawing a sword as he walked to the wounded monster. “Warn a fella next time, okay love?” He said, glancing at me. He didn’t wait for an answer before proceeding to saw the dying creature’s head off.

  “Sorry.” I called before diving back into the fight.

  I tore through our attackers, slicing and burning, only occasionally running into Raina as she took down her fair share. I burned yet another flying abomination to a crisp before looking around the clearing that I found myself in.

  Across from me stood all of my friends who had been in the fight. Vincent reclined on the ground, bat skull still on his head, coolly. smoking what smelled to be potent shade. Angelique was smiling nearby, listening to Trevor complain about ‘winding up on his arse’, while Evelyn helped Hatsu straighten Katsu’s clothing from the battle mess that it had become.

  I was about to say something when Raina crashed out of the woods behind me. She looked around, then at the people assembled across from us, and then to me.

  “What, did we miss the show?” she asked me.

  “I have a feeling that we were the show.” I replied dryly.

  “Yes,” Angelique said as she glided over to us, “and it was a wonderful show!”

  “We didn’t plan it that way,” Vincent said, grinning, “but you guys kept killing all of the monsters, hardly leaving us any.”