“And are you complaining?” I said, sauntering over to him with a smile on my face.
“Oh no, no.” he replied, hands raised. “It was fun watching my girlfriend kick all kinds of ass.”
“You got your licks in.” I said, looking at the bloody skull he wore. “And can you take that thing off and shower? It’s kinda gross.”
“With the savage way you attacked me after coffee,” he said, pulling me down onto the grass with him, “you’re one to be complaining about my trophies. You were the beast earlier.”
“I guess you just bring it out in me.” I said, kissing him. I ran my hands up his back, intending on running them through his hair.
Instead, I got a handful of shredded flesh and tissue from his helmet’s back. We broke the kiss, and Vincent looked at my rapidly grimacing face.
“I’ll take the skull off.” he said.
“Thank you.” I said, wiping my hands on the grass.
* * *
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”
Gaia sounded way too upset for me to believe. “Don’t sweat it.” I reassured her. “Raina and I took care of most of them.”
“Yes, but I should have been there!” she insisted. “I never should have left!”
“You needed to see if anyone in your parts had any info for us.” I said, trying to sound casual to make her feel better.
It wasn’t working.
“I know!” she said, close to tears. “But I promised to protect you! What if they hadn’t been so flammable? What if you had gotten hurt? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if… “
I walked over to her and grabbed her shoulders, stopping her avalanche of self recriminations. She looked up, into my eyes, and I smiled.
“Gaia, I needed this.” I said gently. “I’ve felt to useless during past fights, everyone always feeling like they have to rush to shield me from the world. I’m supposed to be the Sorceress, you know… this legendary, stupidly strong magickal figure? I need to start acting like it, not wait for some sexy Fae woman to always swoop in to protect me from the world. Not even how much fun it is to watch her work… okay?”
“You’re really okay?” she asked.
“Why, I’m glowing!” I said, releasing her as she smiled.
“That’s probably from the sessions you spent with Vincent… before and after the battle.” she said, grinning.
“I was just helping wash the yuck off of him after the fight.” I said innocently, my smile betraying the truth. “Is it my fault that blood sucking fiends are really hot after a shower?”
“Angelique told me you were impressive out there.” Gaia said as she walked over to the sofa. It had been pushed in front of the fireplace, making a very cozy seat.
I joined her. "Yeah, I was kicking ass like Buffy the Vampire Slayer out there! I… " a thought, popping into my head, stopped me mid-sentence.
“Is everything okay?” Gaia asked.
“The blue-skinned sisters, Drucilla, Cordelia, Darla… " I said, "Wait a second, are those taken from… ?"
Gaia held up a hand, cutting me off. “Our names are… difficult for humans to pronounce. Hell, they’re hard for other Fae to pronounce sometimes. So we take names from pop culture to make it easier.”
“So you name?” I asked.
Gaia grinned. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” she said. She opened her mouth and a series of high squeaks, almost like wet rubber on glass, assaulted my ears.
I paused for a second. “Yeah, no.” I said finally. “Not even gonna try to pronounce that.”
“Isn’t saying ‘Gaia’ easier?” she said, grinning.
“How long have you been Gaia?” I said, wondering.
“Since earlier this year.” she replied.
“Oh, so it’s new!” I was surprised.
“Quite.”
“What was it before?”
She stopped and looked at me. “No way in Hell I tell you that. Not yet.”
Without another word, she got up and left.
* * *
“So she just bolted?” Raina took a drag on her joint as she reclined on the meditation room sofa.
I absentmindedly rubbed one of her feet, both of which were currently resting on my lap as I sat next to her. “Like the proverbial bat out of hell.” I hit the joint held in my other hand and felt the THC doing its work to soothe my nerves and un-knot my muscles. “Are true Fae names that big of a secret?”
“As far as I know, the Twilight Fae are the only ones with such ear-splitting names.” Raina replied. “Sparkly bastards never told me that such things were verboten.”
“Perfect.” I sighed. I took another hit and felt myself unwind even more. “You were kicking some ass today, Witchy-poo.” I said, drawing on an old nickname for her.
Raina smiled. “So were you, my Sorceress supreme.”
“So I’m ‘Sorceress supreme’ now instead of ‘fashion victim’, like you used to call me?” I asked, eyebrows raised.
Raina shrugged. “What can I say, you’re dressing sharper these days. Besides, you look good fighting in my clothes, and that is not easy to do!”
We laughed, and I stretched in my seat. “What time is it?”
“Half-past one in the morning." she yawned.
“The smart and responsible thing would be to turn in and get a good night’s sleep before starting the search for the source of our latest attack.” I said.
“What do you want to do?” Raina asked, a smile spreading over her face.
“I want to be stupid and irresponsible and let everyone else do the adulting tomorrow.” I replied.
“Bong hits?” she asked, eyebrows raised.
“Bong hits!” I replied enthusiastically.
An hour and a quarter ounce of cannabis later, Raina and I were laying on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Our heads were propped up on couch cushions, their brothers laying hap-haphazardly around the room.
“You know what you should do?” Raina asked me.
“Give up on making it to a bed tonight?” I guessed.
“Buzz, wrong!”
“Then what?”
“Ask Hatsu to do your next past life regression.”
The idea seemed to come out of left field for me. “Really?”
“Well, you told me that Angelique showing up all of the time in them really messes with you, right?” she asked, eyebrows raised.
“Yeah.”
“Well, maybe Hatsu can help you remember one in Japan, if you have one.”
“And that helps me how?”
“Well, most of the ones you’ve remembered have been in Europe, right?”
“Right.”
“Maybe that’s just where Angelique has stayed. Japan is way far away from there… I mean, she can’t be in every country at once, can she?”
“I’ll admit, your logic is sound.” I agreed. “Maybe you have something there.”
“Aside from logic, want to see something else cool I’ve mastered?” she said.
I chuckled. “Sure, let’s see.”
Raina raised her hand, the one with the Fae crystal embedded in it, and whispered a Fae word.
Suddenly, the ceiling above disappeared only to be replaced with the night sky above. The half-moon hovered near the horizon as the stars twinkled against the velvety backdrop of night. I could see fat snowflakes floating down, disappearing what looked to be mere inches above our faces.
This is so cool! I thought. However, a thought occurred to me that brought me up short.
“You just made the night sky appear above us, right?” I asked.
“Totally.” she said, smiling and closing her eyes.
“Good.” I said. “I was worried that it was the weed.”
* * *
Not five hours later I was laying in front of the fireplace in the study, stretched out on a daybed, odd-smelling herbs surrounding my body. Hatsu passed her hands over my body, sensing my energy.
I had awoken after the weed had worn
off, and my mind wouldn't let me go back to sleep, so I left Raina passed out on the meditation room carpet in search of the elder Botan Doro sister. I had found her in the study, the fire already roaring, her herb box at the ready.
“How did you know?” I asked upon entering.
“I knew.” she said enigmatically. “That’s enough.”
Twenty minutes later, I could feel myself starting to slip into the kind of trance that made past life explorations easier, and I could hear Hatsu’s satisfied voice.
“Ah, yes.” she said, “You are ready. Now breathe in the scent of the Angelica and Star Anise, and let it carry you to the place of visions… “
I found myself in a hall with thousands of doors on the walls, stretching into infinity. Each door had a vase of flowers next to it, and I felt myself drawn to a group of large pink petaled flowers next to a nondescript door.
“What flower do you see?” Hatsu’s voice asked me.
I looked closer, and the word ‘Tsubaki’ floated over the flower. I passed the name on to Hatsu, who told me to open the door.
I found myself in a Japanese house. At least, it looked like the old fashioned Japanese dwellings that I had seen in the better historical dramas. I looked down at myself and saw that I was a young woman dressed like the peasants dressed for hundreds of years in the old Empire.
I didn’t know what year it was… young girls didn’t concern themselves with such things, at least my Grandmother said so. I did know that my name was Suki.
At least, my grandmother used to tell me about my place in the world, but that was before the plague. Now my Grandmother, both Grandfathers, my Mother, Father, and six sisters and brothers were all dead.
And I was all alone.
I wandered through my family home, lost. I had been intended to marry the son of our neighbor, but now my fiance and future in-laws were all gone as well. I had a house, land to farm, and no idea what to do about it!
I had thought about joining my family in death on more than one occasion, but could never bring myself to do the deed. I knew that soon my relatives, who I had never known, would be arriving to take possession of my Father’s home and farm. If I was lucky, I’d be passed off on some elderly, drunken cousin as a bride to ‘keep me from dishonor’.
I looked at the knife nearby, it again beckoning me.
It would be so easy I thought. Just a couple of brief cuts to my wrists… my sprained ankle hurt more than THAT would… and I would fall asleep, only to awaken in my Mother’s arms once again.
“Don’t go, Suki.” a voice behind me said. “I have just found you.”
I jumped up and spun around to see my intruder standing there, making no attempt to hide. “Who are you?!?” I demanded to the shadow.
It moved, and soon I saw a woman emerge from the shadows. She was small… just about my height, and I’m not tall… thin, with skin that almost seemed to shine with the moon’s radiance. Her face looked strange… I knew that she was not born in the Empire. Both her garments and hair were as black as a starless night, and her eyes seemed to peer into my soul.
“Who are you?” I asked. “How do you know my name? What do you want?”
The strange woman put her finger to my lips and stopped my babbling. “I am Angelique, and I know your name because your neighbor is entirely too careless with your private information.” she said. She smiled. “Don’t worry, my love, I have taught him a lesson on this.”
She lowered her hand and I found my voice again. “And why are you here?”
“I am here to help you with your problem." She gestured to my chair and I sat back down. "I will pose as your Aunt Ahmya, here to take over my brother's home and duties. I will hire farmhands to work the land, and house staff to take care of the everyday domestic duties. Then I will give you the finest education in the southern end of the Empire, and transform your life from drudgery to joy."
“But why would you do all this?” I asked, spellbound.
“I do this because I love you,” she said, “and I dream of the day that you remember that you love me back.”
I then saw a rapid series of images, memories from the next few years. I saw the land grow rich in crops, as well as the house grow bigger and more ornate. I then saw myself naked, in her arms, night after night until I was old and she forever young.
The scene faded, and I opened my eyes. Hatsu looked serene as she sat there, drinking tea, and looking at me.
“Shit.” was all I could muster.
Chapter Twelve
From the Diaries of Angelique Dupre
06/13/1589
Roanoke Colony
I think I should have insisted on young Sarah experiencing the pleasures of the flesh before she came into her power. The libido is almost always kicked into overdrive by the change, and it’s difficult to keep her mind on her studies. If she had a frame of reference, I could induce erotic visions to cause her body to release.
Damn this obscene cult of virginity!
Perhaps I can find the son of a native mystic to satiate her appetites. They would have a built-up tolerance of magick to survive the experience… if we didn’t push it. Once she comes to understand and know the pleasures of the flesh, I will be able to induce visions to satisfy her sexual hunger. Untrained human men won’t be able to handle her until the settling is over.
If only she enjoyed a woman’s company, it would improve both of our lives!
She has mentioned how attractive Matthew is, even if he IS a bastard towards her. If he were here, I might just tell her to fuck him dead… I detest bullies.
* * *
I hit the trail, sated but not satisfied. Vincent’s only one vampire I thought. He can’t help it if I’ve become the nympho-witch of the west.
There was a time when sex with Vincent would leave me grinning and languidly satisfied. Now I felt like chasing him as he left the room!
Maybe surrendering to my history with Angelique wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Maybe they could tag-team me to keep me from humping the banisters!
I focused on the glowing forest as I made my way along the trail. The sunrise was still hours away, and the forest was brimming with green energy.
The winter Solstice is drawing near I thought. I should talk to Raina about doing a rite in the forest. I mean, Hawaii’s fine and all, but I want snow for Solstice.
I glanced to the side and saw a field mouse, its sides moving slowly with each breath. I slowed, and saw that it was dying of injuries from a local cat. I waved my hand, and it glowed briefly before jumping up and scurrying away.
I need to check with Starr, whenever he gets back. He had left for parts unknown when we went to the Twilight Fae realms and had yet to return. He was activating his transponder at regular intervals, though, so we knew that he was still alive.
He’ll be able to talk to the neighborhood cats my thoughts continued. One of them either needs to kill or get another hobby… there’s no need to leave the critters to die slowly!
I stopped for a moment to breathe in the early morning air. I still felt horny, but I also felt something else.
I felt connected.
I looked to my left and saw movement. I looked closer and saw a familiar face.
Penelope!
I was used to just seeing her in my dreams and visions. I wasn’t used to seeing her while awake.
Maybe this IS a dream, and I’m still passed out in the meditation room from two nights ago. Maybe the weed was THAT good.
“No,” she said, “it’s not the weed. I’m really here.”
“You could hear that?” I asked, shocked.
“Annabelle, you connected with the very life energy of the planet just a few seconds ago.” Penelope replied, hands on her hips. “Do you think that your thoughts only run in your head in that state?”
“You have a point.” I shrugged.
I looked closer. She wasn’t all of the way there, but looked to be more of a shaded outline of the spirit Angelique called Petron
ia, and I called Penelope. She smiled, however, and I could see the sparkle in her eyes.
“I’m actually always with you,” she continued, “but existing just outside of your normal perception. As you can see more and more, we can interact while you’re awake.”
“Can Angelique see you?” I asked. “I know she’d like to.”
Her smile turned sad. “I’m afraid that creatures such as she have a very hard time seeing the energy of the earth like this.”
“Bummer.” I replied.
We walked down the forest path for a bit. It’s not the gray, featureless plain, at least.
“Your power is growing at a good pace.” Penelope said. “You seem mostly at peace.”
“Well,” I said, grinning ironically, “I’ve got ninety-nine problems, but runaway mystical Sorceress energy ain’t one.”
“I’m surprised you’re as troubled about Angelique as you are.” she said. “It’s not like she’s demanding… “
“Uh, you’re not saying anything new.” I cut her off, my hand raised. “You’re jamming to Raina’s greatest hits right now, but jamming on the problem isn’t something I feel up to just yet.”
“Okay.” she shrugged. “Want to know what I know about your mysterious foe?”
“That would have been something to lead with, actually.” I replied impatiently.
“It’s not what I know, but what I don’t that should concern you.” she said. “Whoever this is, they’re not using Earth energy in their magick.”
This sounds bad I thought. “That sounds bad.” I said. “What does it mean?”
“It means that whoever is doing this has major mojo." she replied, her eyes wide. "Free-floating magick, unconnected to a source, is one of the rarest things in the world. If that's what our friend is using, then they're beyond anything any of you has ever encountered."
You know, I’d almost rather have another sex dream with Angelique!
* * *
“Free-floating magick? Fuck my old boots… "
Trevor shook his head, and then spat out a curse in what sounded like Wood Fae slang.
The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga Page 23