Playing with Monsters (36 page)

“It sounds like your uncle will have quite a bit of exploring to do,” I agreed.

“Your guy Layton used compulsion on some of the witches to see if they knew what was down there, they didn’t know anything. Most said they didn’t even know there was anything beneath the abbey,” Synthia said.

“No, they probably wouldn’t,” I admitted. “Perhaps only Tabitha and some of the elders knew what was down there.” I scratched my head in frustration and tried to stop my mind from gravitating towards thoughts of Lena. I needed to get back on track, back to what I came here to do. Hunting down Katarina. Unless she was with Lucifer, which considering how the earth quaked just a little while ago could be a very real possibility. One thing I knew about Katarina, she would do anything to remain in the game long enough to try and get to me; it was something I always counted on.

“Is she going to be okay?” Synthia asked, nodding at Lena.

“She’s a fighter; she’ll be hell on sexy little heels when she regains her memories though. In the end, she’ll understand, but I am fairly certain she’ll still hate me for not allowing her to have a say in hers or Kendra’s immediate future. But yes, she’ll be okay. I’ve done everything I can to make sure she will be,” I muttered as I stepped away from the bed and away from the little witch who had slipped beneath my skin.

Chapter Forty-Three

Fate whispers to the warrior, “You cannot withstand the storm.” The warrior whispers back, “I
am
the storm.”
-
Anonymous author

~
Magdalena
...Kendra

One Month After Mind Wipe

“Kendra? We’ll be late,” my mother called up the stairs as I stared at my reflection. “Everything alright?” she continued.

No, nothing was all right. Everything was
too
right. I felt like an alien had taken my place. I groaned as I pulled on a dress, hating that it was so tight. My boobs were out of control, and nothing in the closet or drawers fit me correctly. They were all uncomfortable and even though the styles were what I always wore, I just didn’t feel like myself in them anymore.

“I’m coming!” I called down as I raced into Lena’s old room, yanked open the closet door and pulled out a white silk dress that had a rainbow of butterflies in every color that fluttered from the hemline, up to the waist. I held it up to my chin in front of her stand up mirror, and decided it would probably work. I stripped off the too tight dress I was wearing and shimmied into the other, as I grabbed shoes and moved towards the stairs. The dress wasn’t tight, it fit perfectly. Right along with the small heels I’d pilfered, and a matching white wrap that I slipped around my shoulders as I raced down stairs.

“There you are, I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind,” mom said, her eyes noting the dress. “Is that new? I haven’t seen you wear it before.”

“Sure,” I lied, not wanting to see her be sad when I said Lena’s name. Lena hadn’t even bothered to let us know she was alive; why should we continue to be upset about her being gone? Bitch was probably out having a life while I was trapped in this town with a mother who had been sad most days, because one child had been killed in a war, while another chose to be gone from her life.

I frowned as I thought on it for a moment as she hadn’t been as sad, since Alden started coming around. The first time he showed up, he quietly explained that he felt I was stronger than the rest of the newly awakened witches and therefore it was really important that I learned to control my powers as quickly as possible. He had been giving me lessons in control every day and since he’d been coming around, I had seen what had been going on between my mom and him.

“You look beautiful, Kendra,” she said and my brain itched, but I ignored it. Lots of things had been itching my brain for weeks now and so far, I had done my best to ignore it. Some days were worse than others.

“I still can’t believe they found him down a ravine,” I said, switching subjects to Todd’s death which had come as a shock so soon after we’d lost so many to the accident up at the abbey a few weeks ago.

“His poor mom,” she said softly, knowing exactly what Todd’s own mother was going through. She picked at a stray strand of hair that had taken up residence on her sweater and looked at me oddly. “You didn’t put on make-up.”

“I put on mascara,” I said offhandedly. “Besides, it’s a funeral, not a party.”

“It’s just so unlike you,” she replied and shrugged. “Oh well, grandma’s waiting in the car. She’s dead set on driving us.”

“And you don’t like the idea because you made more secret plans with Alden?” I teased. I knew they’d been hanging out together and trying to hide what they were doing, and I was surprisingly okay with it. He seemed pretty nice, respected my mom, not to mention, their little sneaking around gave me time to do other things without her constantly in my space.

“Kendra, you knew?” she whispered as she covered her mouth with her hand.

“Duh, Mom,” I laughed. “It’s nice to see you putting yourself out there again. With dad being gone, and everything going on, it’s nice to see you smiling again.”

“There’s nothing romantic going on, we’re just friends,” she said primly. Lordy she was a bad liar and I smiled.

“If it turns romantic, I’m okay with it,” I admitted.

“You want to watch
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
with me tonight?” she asked and I cringed.

“No, not especially,” I laughed. “I have plans tonight with Kat and Dex, and I overheard you making plans too, so go out and have fun. I’ll be okay.”

“It’s nice to have someone my own age to talk to,” she blushed and I felt a small tug of jealousy. She was my mother, and even though I hated the idea of her dating again considering her history with my father, I wanted her to be as happy as I was.

“I’m glad you’re happy,” I said as we walked down the drive towards the car and my eyes drifted on their own to the old mansion that was on the property adjoining ours. “That thing is creepy,” I whispered, but my body reacted differently. I’d spent over an hour staring at that damn place last night, which seemed to make my brain itch even more that it already was.

“It doesn’t bother you? Your dad…” I shook my head.

“Dad is an asshole, he left us and he certainly doesn’t deserve us,” I snapped. “He left us when shit got hard, and for some reason, I just don’t see Alden doing the same thing. A car horn blared from the end of the driveway where my grandmother waited and I cringed. “That power has gone to that lady’s head, I swear it,” I whispered as mom covered a laugh with her hand.

“We’re dallying and it’s rude,” she mused as we headed for the car. Once we were seated and belted, I sat in the back and listened as mom and grandma argued about which route was faster to get the coven’s cemetery, and other coven business that I drowned out as my mind replayed the dream of the indigo eyes that haunted me.

When we finally arrived at the cemetery, I realized I had forgotten the flowers in the car and signaled to my mother that I was going back to grab them as she reached out and hugged Todd’s mother. I felt bad for his mom, but the asshole had cheated on Lena, which had driven her away. It sucked that he was dead, but I couldn’t find it in myself to forgive him for pushing her away from us.

I rounded the corner of a van and hit a brick wall, literally. I fumbled to catch my balance as I started to fall to the ground, only to be caught mid-air and pulled upright. I started to growl, but the moment my eyes held his, I lost all coherent thought. He stared back at me, as if he was searching for something to say, and failing.

“I…uh…wow,” I mumbled and stepped away from him. His touch set me ablaze, and I had to get distance from him to be able to speak. His eyes took in the dress and he looked taken back.

“Butterflies,” he whispered as he eyes lifted from the dress to my face.

“Got something against butterflies?” I asked tartly, noting that I’d gone on the defense pretty quickly. The itching in my brain had intensified to the point of being painful and I noticed his posture stiffened as he watched me.

“Not at all,” he said carefully. “I find them most exquisite when they take flight.”

“Indeed,” I said as I brought my hand up to touch my face. What the hell did he have in his shirt, a freaking steel sheet? “You should really watch where you’re going,” I mumbled, noting nothing was bleeding or broken.

“The same could be said about you,” he countered.

“This funeral is invite only,” I said evasively. I had a good idea who he was, even though I hadn’t seen him before. Everyone in the coven and in town couldn’t shut up about him.

“I was invited by the high priestess.”

“You must be Lucian, then,” I replied as I narrowed my eyes on him. I didn’t like him. He had been throwing an awful lot of money around, as if he thought we could be bought. We couldn’t.

“Indeed,” he answered smoothly as he smiled. “You must be Kendra,” he spit my name out like it was a curse.

“In the flesh,” I replied with a cocky smile. “You can go, now,” I added, as I moved to the side to allow him to pass, as if I could stop him if I wanted to.

“You’re dismissing me?” he asked in surprise. 

“I am,” I winked and moved towards the car.

“I don’t get dismissed, I do the dismissing.”

“Really? Because I’m pretty sure you just got dismissed, by me,” I replied with a wide grin, enjoying his annoyance over being dismissed by a little girl, one who wasn’t impressed with his fat bank account, his good looks or his fancy suit. He was really delicious, and beyond yummy though.

His eyes challenged me, even as he walked me backwards towards the empty parking lot. I allowed it, but only because I needed to know more about it him to be able to judge if he was going to be trouble.

“Scared?” he asked.

“Excited,” I quipped.

“You should run,” he growled from deep in his chest.

“Not a chance, I don’t run,” I countered even as I felt my backside hit the bumper of a sleek car. I had no idea he was this hot, nor did I care. He was an outsider, one the elders had chosen to let in. They were too trusting, and I wasn’t. He’d come here for a reason, one I intended to get out of him.

“You’re playing with fire,” he warned.

“Maybe I like the burn,” I said, and his eyes grew hooded.

“You have no idea how hot it can get, little girl,” he growled as he stepped even closer.

“No, I don’t,” I replied honestly as I wetted my lips and smiled. “But, I’m not afraid to find out,” I continued, knowing he was getting both angry and turned on by our encounter. I wasn’t sure why I was goading him. Men like that were way too much trouble and usually only looking for a quick thrill and spill. Not that that was a bad thing, but men like him probably had a fleet of women hanging on them, or waiting in line for a turn with him. No thanks; I didn’t stand in lines for any male.

“Is that so?” he asked as his eyes moved to where my tongue had jutted out to wet my lips. “Consider yourself warned.” He boxed me in, and before I could think better of it, he smiled coldly. “Do you like to play games?” he asked.

“I like to win,” I replied easily as I refused to break eye contact with him. Somehow, it felt important to keep my eyes on his, as if I failed to do so, I’d lose this battle of wills.

“You won’t win against me; no one ever does. I have no mercy,” he continued.

“Do I look like I need mercy?” I countered, allowing the air around us to ruffle the leaves along with my hair, in a small display of my power.

“You look like you need to be taught some manners,” he replied.

“And you think to teach me? Don’t think so. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have flowers to retrieve and my respects to pay to Todd’s mother. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other soon enough, Blackstone. I look forward to it.”

“Count on it, witch,” he replied tightly as he moved away from the car, straightening his jacket and watching me as I tried not to run to my grandmother’s car to retrieve the wilted roses.

I wasn’t sure how I knew it. I could feel deep in my soul, that he wasn’t human. He wasn’t one of the undead or a demon either. He had a pulse, one that had kicked up right alongside mine as he’d gotten close to me. I planned to make him my business, and figure out exactly why he was here, and what he wanted.

I moved back to the funeral and stood silently beside my mother, who turned and smiled at me as I looked across the casket, to where Lucian stood. His eyes were locked on mine, and a cocky grin was plastered across his full lips. One I planned to remove right along with him and his club. This town wasn’t for sale, and I’d make sure I got that message across to whatever the hell he was.

*~*~*

The funeral and ceremony went off without a hitch, and Todd was returned to the leyline, where his soul was freed to give the coven power, as well as to be reborn if it was meant to be. I wasn’t sad that he was dead, which bothered me, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it either. I kissed my grandmother and mother goodbye as I joined Kat in her car with a few of our other friends.

We headed out to the abandoned church that was about two miles outside of town and got out of the car; my mind couldn’t shake the niggling feeling that I knew Lucian, but I didn’t have the first clue as to where I knew him from.

“Are you having second thoughts?” Kat asked, her crystalline eyes held mine as she watched me.

“No, are you?” I asked, countering her and turning it back on her.

“No, demons are real and we have to protect the coven. I’m all in.”

“Good,” I said, watching as the others who had been awakened with us, filed into the empty church. “It’s time to train.”

“You think the coven is on to us?” Dexter asked, his eyes moving from me to Kat. “Your mother hasn’t seemed to notice, but your grandmother, she’s smarter than most.”

“Blackstone and his men are here for a reason, and Carolina and Brian were attacked by demons less than forty miles away from our home. No one in the coven believed them except us and that’s weird. Normally word of demons freaks them out and this time it’s like they’re all hiding their heads in the sand. No, now is not the time to sit down and let shit happen. We all have holes in our memories and I for one want to know what is missing up here,” I said as I tapped my head.  “It’s time to protect the coven as our ancestors did in the times when it was needed. We protect our own, at all cost. Even from themselves when it’s needed. If we’re under attack, we need to be prepared to strike hard and fast, and it will take more than just magic to send them a message. If the demons are here, or coming for us, we’ll be ready for anything they try.”

Cries of agreement went up and I smiled as all of us gathered into a circle, held hands, and recited the spell from the grimoire Alden had given me. Along with the lessons in control, he had been passing along things the elders of the coven had kept hidden from us. He didn’t have his head in the sand as the others seemed to be inclined to do, and I was thankful. The old man had even brought in a select few of his own coven to train us to fight, to prepare us for battle should a demon come to our doors. If demons were closing in on our coven, we’d be ready. I had no intention of meeting them unprepared or without skills to defend those I loved.

It was time for our coven to start fighting back, instead of waiting to be slaughtered or running. Too many lives hung in the balance, and too many times, the bad guys won the battle. Things weren’t adding up and the older witches of the coven seemed oblivious to what was happening around us. We’d told them of demons, they’d ignored it. We gave them details of the attack; they’d brushed us off as if we had been spinning tales instead of stating facts. No more.

I looked around the circle at the nervous witches, and smiled reassuringly as the pages of the grimoire started turning on their own. Eyes widened, and power moved through the circle. The fire crackled and the clouds moved to reveal the full Harvest moon. It was time to unite this coven, and make it a force that monsters feared.

Whatever we faced, we’d face it together…Head on. In the last few weeks we’d come a long way, and we would only move forward. There was no looking back, not now, not ever. There would be no more running, no hiding from the enemies of old, for this coven. This was our time, and we would be prepared for whatever came looking for us.

~The End For Now~