A Gathering of Angels (18 page)

binding spells
—spells used to bind something or someone, to keep it from doing damage—to itself or someone else. Ingredients used in these spells run the gamut from poppets to various herbs and candles.

I dabble, and have written my share of spells—usually clearing and protection. Binding spells are on my do not touch list, and for good reason. They are manipulative, even if well-intentioned. Jane plans to use a binding spell for the most selfish reason possible: to make herself immortal by permanently tying her spirit to another person, replacing their essence, their life force with her own.

crystals
—crystal healing has been popular for centuries, and has been documented as far back as 1550 BC, in an Egyptian medical document known as the Ebers Papyrus. References to them are found across religions and in everyday society. For every health issue, physical or mental, there is a crystal that can help. Lapis for boosting the immune system, helping with depression, and a host of other ailments. Hematite for mental clarity and confidence, along with blood cleansing properties. Rose quartz for self-acceptance, self-love, and personal worth.

Hematite plays a big role, and its blood cleansing properties become a lifeline for Marcus. A clear crystal point—think of a short pencil and you have a good idea of the shape—is the source of Jane’s power, and her greatest vulnerability. And a new stone is introduced—a precious stone, in the form of a sapphire. The second hardest gem on earth, it is powerful in its own right—and its appearance changes Annie forever. Amethyst also plays a part, this time as a way for Claire to keep centered, and help cope with the loss of her power. And what I mentioned before, about amethyst opening the channels of communication with angels? That will be a big part of—oops, almost let out a spoiler. Stay tuned.

demons
—ah, demons. Here is the universal definition of a demon: something not human, and that is almost universally malevolent. Hebrew mythology calls them “workers of harm,” beings that entered the body and caused all sorts of ailments, depending on the demon or spirit. The only cure was to draw them out by using incantations and talismans. Christianity has had demons in their mythology for centuries. The modern Roman Catholic Church has sanctioned exorcists, who perform exorcisms on the possessed, using prayer—a modern form of incantation. Throughout literature, fallen angels are considered demons.

Claire is one of the fallen, banished from Heaven for siding with Lucifer in his rebellion against God. She manages to wrestle her demon and win, losing all that she is in the process. What she becomes is something she will have to discover, with time.

demonic possession
—literally, to be possessed by a demon. As above, possession was thought to cause certain diseases. Blindness was from a demon of blindness, who sat on the water, and struck those who drank the water with blindness. There was also the spirit of headache, the demon of epilepsy. The Sumerians believed that all disease was caused by demons, what they called “sickness demons.” Modern demonic possession is similar to what is portrayed in film and television: loss of control by the possessed over their body, supernatural strength, access to hidden knowledge, drastic changes in voice and/or appearance, and expulsion by exorcism.

I take the high road with demonic possession—the demon has total control over the body they possess, and they also have complete access to the memories and emotions. The human’s personality is dormant, but they can hear, see and feel everything that is happening. Once possessed, supernatural strength keeps the body from dying, even when it is mortally wounded. The demon also gives the body they possess, or ride, exceptional healing abilities, up to a point. Iron, salt, and holy water can hurt them, to the point where they may decide to vacate. And of course, a rousing exorcism will send them back to Hell—if they don’t escape first.

fallen angels
—here is an interesting fact: the term “fallen angel” does not appear anywhere in the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament. It was adopted because of the interpretations of the Book of Revelation, Chapter 12. The Jewish faith took their interpretation from the Book of Enoch (see
Azazel
). The most prevalent belief is that these angels “fell,” or were cast down, because of their rebellion in Heaven, either against Michael or God.

I have taken on the belief of a war in Heaven, and the angels siding with Lucifer were cast down into what became Hell, and eventually turned into demons. Claire is cast out of Hell because she remembers what she was, and starts to have compassion for the condemned souls. Now that she has her own soul, her journey to discover who and what she is because of it has only begun.

ghosts
—spirits of the departed that have been trapped on the earthly plane by confusion, fear of the unknown, unfinished business, or a refusal to give up the life they lost. They can be coaxed into the Light, which is the kindest way to get rid of them.

My ghost is not only a vengeful spirit, but a greedy one, who plans to use a binding spell to keep herself tied permanently to her host. Instead of gently easing my ghost out of this world and into the next, I veer away from the usual practice, using iron and fire to control her, and ultimately, destroy her.

ghost possession—
similar to demonic possession, though a ghost can’t stay inside the possessed for more than short spurts. The possessed takes on the personality traits of the ghost, and feel as if they are standing outside themselves, or don’t remember doing what they are accused of—which is often the truth.

I keep pretty close to the popular with my ghost—except she takes up residence, and spreads her influence not only to another person, but an entire town of people.

iron
—found in hematite, magnetite, goethite, limonite and siderite, it is one of the raw materials used to make pig iron, which is then used to make steel. Cast iron is made by melting down scraps of pig iron, scrap iron, scrap steel, lime stone and carbon. Melt out contaminants, adjust the recipe, and you get a lovely cast iron skillet. In folklore, iron is believed to be the best protection against witches, sorcerers, demons and other evil spirits. It can also repel ghosts.

I use iron again as a weapon, this time against a ghost. The iron breaks her hold on this realm, if only for a short time. It also breaks her hold on other people, just the touch of it throwing her out, and giving back control to the possessed.

Jinn/Djinn/genie
—there are many versions of the Jinn mythology, depending on what source you read. In Islam, the Jinn were created by Allah from smokeless flame, and, like man, given free will. In Muslim cultures, Jinn have been given different qualities. An example—in Morocco it is believed that the Jinn can grant three magical wishes. Stories of the Jinn litter the
One Thousand and One Nights
, where the tale of Aladdin and the lamp can be found.

This is where I veer away from mythology and folklore the most. Marcus came from the idea of the Jinn, but he is a completely different entity within the confines of my fictional world. As I wrote him, Marcus simply evolved, and I liked what he became so much I decided to go with it. So he is Jinn, but not any Jinn you will find in religious or folklore text. And in this book, I reveal his personal kryptonite—another huge departure from the mythology.

Lucifer
—in Latin, lucifer means bringer of light, morning star, light bearing—depending on which source you use to translate. In the Bible, he is called son of the morning by God, before he is cast out of Heaven. The relevant passage is in Isaiah: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” (King James Version). There are more arguments and discussions about Lucifer—one, also in the Book of Isaiah, ascribes the name to a Babylonian king who was destined to fall.

I am going with the straight up: Lucifer placed himself above God, and was cast down to Hell with the angels who followed him. He became the Lord of Hell, Satan, Beelzebub—whatever name you want to label him. Claire fell with him, served at his right hand, until she remembered what she had once been, and lost the venom and the hate needed to torture condemned souls. He makes a brief appearance in this book, showing his true nature, and what centuries as Lord of Hell has wrought.

pentagram/pentacle
—a five point star, typical drawn in five straight strokes. Used by the Ancient Greeks and the Babylonians, it is best known for its magical ties, and is worn by many who practice and believe in pagan faiths. If the pentagram is inside a circle, it is known as a pentacle. In Christianity the pentagram was believed to represent the five wounds of Christ, and was protection against demons. If the top point of the star is reversed—pointing down—it is a symbol of Satan, literally reversing its meaning.

Claire uses a pentagram to bind her true nature, her demon, in the form of a tattoo. That binding was broken by Eric, to release the demon needed to defeat Natasha. Though many think the terms are interchangeable, I use them as they are listed in the Wicca faith—pentagram is the star, and pentacle is the star inside a circle. Most jewelry is in the form of the pentacle.

tarot
—tarot was originally a card game, played in Italy from the mid-fifteenth century, its popularity spreading to France, Switzerland and Germany. Like a modern day deck, it has four suits, plus an augmented fifth suit of permanent trumps, creating a 78 card deck. It was only later that tarot became a source for divination and readings. The occult tarot deck is different, consisting of the major arcana—22 cards with no suits, and the minor arcana—56 cards broken into four suits.

Tarot is only mentioned in this book, but will be explored further in future books. I will not deviate from what is widely known and believed about tarot—it is fascinating enough on its own.

triquetra
—Latin for three cornered, a triquetra is also known as the trinity knot. As a religious symbol it has been used to represent things and people that are threefold. An example is the Christian blessed trinity of Father, Son, Holy Spirit. In the Pagan religions it is a symbol with several meanings—the three stages of the Triple Goddess, the three realms of earth, sky and sea, and the connection of mind, body and soul are some examples. It is also considered a symbol of protection.

I am using it as a protection symbol, in the form of a tattoo on Claire’s wrist. It is another barrier she puts between the world and her true nature. The tattoo is considered a threat by the vengeful spirit holding the town hostage, and cuts Claire to satisfy the need to completely disarm her.

Wicca—
a spanking new religion, it appeared at the first part of the 20
^th
century, and was officially named Wicca by the 1960s. Many practice ritual magic, and they follow what is known as the Wiccan Rede: “an it harm none, do what ye will.” It can be practiced in solitary, or as part of a coven, and is as involved, and often as convoluted, as any religion.

Claire uses Wicca as a cover—her powers are contained, but enough leaks through, and she needs an outlet for it. Practicing small magics gives her that, and a livelihood that allows her a somewhat normal, quiet existence. She loses that magic after her fall to Hell, unable to reach behind the barrier that separates her from her power. Will she ever regain it? That, my friends, remains to be seen.

witchcraft—
by simple definition, it is the practice of magic. The full definition would take another book. Short and sweet: before the Church stepped in, those who practiced witchcraft for the good of all were respected, and often revered for their talent. They were sought out for their skills with healing. In modern society, witchcraft has regained a sense of the respect and awe it once had, and people openly practice without fear of persecution.

Annie practices witchcraft—not well, but with enthusiasm, and she will get better, as anyone does, with more practice. In this book she makes giant leaps forward with her craft, in ways she never anticipated. There is so much rich detail and ritual in the area of witchcraft, I don’t need to embellish.

Keep going for a short preview of
Back in Black
, Book 3 of The Claire Wiche Chronicles, coming your way right around Halloween Time.

Preview of
Back in Black,
Book 3 of the Claire Wiche Chronicles

ONE

H
umming
Monster Mash
, Claire Wiche reached up to hang another bat in the window display, then stood back to assess.

She loved Halloween—and not for the obvious reasons attached to her name, or her reputation as the local witch. For her, it was all about the kids.

Their laughter as they ran from door to door, the costumes that ranged from an old sheet to designer worthy, the joy and excitement they left in their wake. All of it had her decorating weeks earlier than she needed, just to see the anticipation—and keeping a stash of candy under the counter for those bold enough to ask.

Now, with Halloween tomorrow, she added what she hoped would be the last touches to her window—