WitchLove (8 page)

I found myself in what I initially thought was a small glade, a natural clearing filled with soft mossy grass, however on further inspection I realised that the trees surrounding it formed a far too perfect circle to be natural. There were twelve trees which formed the circle, all of them some kind of silvery pine tree, all virtually the same height and breadth. All were four equal strides from the next; I know because I counted! Other than the trees, there was nothing unusual. The ground was soft and green with the odd twig scattered amongst the early fallen leaves. I looked around for a log or stone to sit on, but there was nothing to be seen. I decided to bring Brittany here the following day, to ask what she thought of it and made to leave, but a sudden cracking of sticks halted my exit and I darted to the edge of the circle, intending to nip into the shadows.

As my foot crossed the ring’s edge an invisible barrier suddenly threw me back as if electrocuted, so I landed in the middle of the circle again. I bounded to my feet and ran for the same entrance through which I’d come, but I couldn’t find it. The trees appeared to be spreading their branches, moving in on me, while an unexpected wind whipped up, lashing my hair across my face as I ran from tree to tree, trying to find my way through. The vampire within me jumped eagerly into the fray in full on defensive mode, but there was nothing to fight. I sped around the circle, my eyes focused on any possible escape, my ears tuned into any sound, but all I could hear was the screaming wind whipping the branches into a frenzied dance.

As I reached a tree that looked familiar, a nearby branch flew from the floor and cracked against my cheek. I screamed and ran back, a sob of terror rising from my chest. Vampires I could fight; people I could fight; but how could I fight something that was invisible? I darted across the clearing to the other side, and again the invisible barrier threw me back into the centre. I jumped up and decided to try and grab a ley line to get me out of there, but as I looked up a branch swiped down from a nearby pine and fired all its needles at me. More leaves whirled up from the floor and swirled about me, making me dizzy and frantic.

‘Jess? Jess?’

The voice that always saved me floated through the howling wind and I snapped my head towards its direction in hope, and as I turned everything stilled. The wind dropped. I looked up and the trees were perfectly normal, four strides apart, and I could clearly see the gap through which I’d entered. I bolted over to it and in one graceful and rather panicked leap I flew through the trees back onto the path and stumbled straight into the arms of a stunned Luke.

‘Whoa… what’s the matter?’ he said, as I grudgingly let go of him and stepped back.

‘I was trapped, there’s something in there… I couldn’t get out. The wind was like a tornado, screaming in my …’ Luke pushed past me and darted into the clearing, but all was peaceful, silent.

‘Jess, what do you mean? There’s no wind, it’s totally still,’ he said reappearing by my side.

‘What do you mean,
it’s totally still
? A typhoon just went overhead,’ I said, frowning at him.

‘No Jess, your aunt sent me out here to find you and I heard nothing. There’s been no wind and just now I heard a scream.’ He paused looking at my frowning face. ‘I called you and suddenly you jumped on me from behind a tree. There’s nothing here,’ he said, looking at me with concern. ‘You’re probably just tired.’

Just as I was about to launch into a volley of expletives, my vampire hearing picked up another crackle of movement, followed by a very quiet giggle. Without stopping to explain to Luke I leapt through the tall pines to my right, over a wide, scraggy hawthorn and into a tiny clearing. As my fingers touched down on the unsuspecting Saffy’s neck she shrieked and bolted, disappearing from my view. Brittany’s invisibility trick, damn! I looked all around me, peering through the gaps in the trees, but she was nowhere to be seen.

‘Jess!’ Luke’s voice called to me, so I jumped back through the thicket onto the path.

‘I think I was the brunt of Saffy’s evening entertainment,’ I said. ‘Cow! I’ll get her back.’

‘Jess, don’t go causing trouble the moment you’re here. She’s your age, why don’t you try and make friends? You are cousins after all,’ he said.

‘Not according to her.’

‘What do you mean?’ Luke asked.

‘According to her I’m a vampire freak and stopped being her cousin when I died. Like I said, she’s a complete and utter cow,’ I said with a grin. ‘Anyway, how come you’re here so soon?’

‘Ha, long story… well, not really. Come on, let’s walk back and I’ll tell you.’

‘So, Daniel came to see you after I’d left?’ I asked, as we walked back down the path towards the house.

‘Yeah. Actually it was probably before you left. I was on the next flight to you. I thought I’d actually make your flight, but I missed it by thirty minutes,’ he said.

‘And
he
paid for you?’ I asked.

‘Yup, he said something about wanting me to make sure you were okay. I think it was his way of apologising for getting me in trouble. I wasn’t going to accept the money, but then…’ Luke paused, shrugging his shoulders and grinning. ‘Ley lines across the Atlantic are exhausting and I’ve never flown business class.’

‘How much did he give you?’ I said, realising my voice was beginning to squeak.

‘A grand,’ Luke said grinning. ‘He said to take you out and treat you before I came back. I thought about not telling you, but I knew you’d wonder where the cash had come from.’

‘Yeah, you’re always broke,’ I said laughing. I couldn’t believe Daniel had done as I asked and not only apologised to Luke, but even give him money, making it easier for him to come and visit me. ‘So you blew most of it on a business class ticket? We could have gone shopping,’ I said.

‘Like I said, I’ve never flown business class. It was lurrrvley! Anyway I deserved it. I’m going to be stuck in York all autumn, freezing my butt off and chasing the damned hunters.’

‘Hunters?’ I queried.

‘Don’t ask. They’re just this weird, sanctimonious gang who dress up in black and hunt supernaturals like us,’ he said. ‘They’ve been causing trouble in York again.’

‘Will you be safe?’ I asked.

‘Of course. You’re looking at the best angelic warrior there is,’ he said, his grin returning.

‘Yeah, I remember how you blasted those dark witches back to the recesses of hell last spring,’ I said with a frown, remembering how Susannah had paralysed him.

‘Look, I’ll be fine, don’t worry. I was a little out of practice then. I think you should go and wake Brittany up, as she needs to eat and whatever your aunt’s cooked, it smells divine,’ he said as we reached the garden and were assaulted by the scent of home cooking. My nose wrinkled involuntarily and I decided to halt the breathing process, nodding at Luke as we crossed the lawn.

My aunt wasn’t in the kitchen when we entered the house, but Saffy was. She leant on the work surface and flicked her hair when we walked in.

‘Did you spell Jess?’ Luke asked, looking her straight in the eye.

‘
Did you spell Jess
,’ Saffy mimicked, looking like she had a plum stuffed in her mouth. ‘Don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve only just arrived,’ she added.

‘Luke, it doesn’t matter. I’m new, she’s threatened. It’s no biggy,’ I said, shrugging her off and walking straight through to the hallway, with Luke on my heels.

‘Threatened? I don’t think so,’ she said following us out of the room. ‘Anyway, you’re not allowed boyfriends in your room. Ask Mom.’

‘I’m eighteen, and Luke is
not
my boyfriend,’ I said, turning back to face Saffy.

‘It doesn’t matter. I’m eighteen too and I suspect I won’t be allowed boyfriends in my room even when I’m twenty-five… but then you’ll never reach twenty-five will you?’ she said, giving me a little smile and sauntering away. ‘So Luke, if you’re not her boyfriend, then why don’t you keep me company while I get you some food. You must be starving, coming all that way. My mom’s stews are legendary,’ she added, flicking her shiny hair again and smiling prettily at Luke.

I ignored her and started up the stairs, leaving Luke to decide his own fate. It didn’t take long though before I felt a light thump on my shoulder and his words whispered in my ear.

‘Thanks for that. Can’t we at least pretend we’re dating while I’m here? She’s going to take my eye out if she keeps flicking her hair like that.’

‘Nope, I’m done with men. Let’s get Brit. She can conjure great protection bubbles.’

Chapter Seven

Over the weekend we’d been left to fend for ourselves, as my aunt had been helping Saffy move vast quantities of stuff into her new accommodation at Harvard. We’d explored the local towns and small lakes, which amusingly the locals called
ponds
, although they were nothing like the duck ponds we had in our parks back home – all with Luke’s hire car. The one thing my aunt had instructed us, was that we were forbidden from using ley lines or flying, angel style! However, now it was Monday, Saffy was safely ensconced at Harvard and my aunt was back to business.

‘So, this morning I thought we could go over some basics for you, Jess. I think more than anything you need to master all the basic protection and survival spells, so the next time you get yourself into a pickle, you will at least have some idea of how to protect yourself,’ she said.

‘Brilliant! Can I learn that disappearing trick that Brittany and Saffy both use?’ I asked.

‘Saffy? When have you seen Saffy doing that?’ she said, a small frown flitting across her features.

‘Oh errr, I…’

‘Yes? Go on.’

‘Well, on the first day, when I went for a walk I found a beautiful little glen surrounded by trees,’ I paused; even though I disliked the girl, I didn’t want to act like a schoolgirl snitch.

‘Oh, you found our ceremonial circle. It’s beautiful isn’t it?’

‘Yes. I wondered what it was and I hope you don’t mind, but I took Brittany there yesterday to show her. It was very peaceful,’ I said, hoping she’d forgotten the reason for the discussion.

‘No, I’m glad you found it. You shall both be welcomed into the coven shortly and then you’ll see how magical the circle can be. It’s a very powerful place, so you should be careful and don’t practice any magic there unsupervised.’

‘Okay… so what spells shall I learn today?’ I asked.

My aunt sighed. ‘Jess, I realise you don’t want to tell me about Saffy and I do hope she hasn’t been unkind to you. I did so hope you would become friends and you may still. She had such a hard time when her sister left us. She’s been left with all the responsibility of stepping into Susannah’s shoes and learning how to lead the coven, and I fear it may be too much for her.’

I said nothing and looked down to hide my frown. This didn’t sound like the girl I’d seen, but then maybe this was her way of dealing with it.

‘Sure, so should Brittany be here too?’ I asked, wondering where both she and Luke had gotten to.

‘No, she already has great spelling ability, all she needs to learn is our Witches Rede and basic supernatural law. I have given her our guidance book and I believe both she and Luke have gone off into town. I thought it would be nice for us to have some time getting to know each other today,’ she said with a smile.

‘What is the Witches Rede?’ I asked.

‘The Rede states our moral system. It is really very simple. The Rede itself is just,
An ye harm none, do what ye will,
but there are other laws and principles attached to this which need to be learned. You can share the book with Brittany and learn it together.’

‘Okay. So if I’m not going to learn the disappearing spell yet, what am I going to learn?’ I asked.

‘Well, first I think we’ll start you off with a simple Level two money spell. Essentially once you have knowledge of all our spells you will have no need for this, but it can be useful if you find yourself somewhere new, and then need to blend in. You need no space, no circle, in fact it can be done in a quiet toilet cubicle in an emergency. All you need is a coin, which is why most witches carry one of these on a thong around our necks. Here,’ she said, handing me a circular coin with a square hole cut out of the middle and symbol inscriptions carved into it.

‘Is it Chinese?’ I asked, recognising it as something I’d seen in China Town, back home in Manchester.

‘Yes, which is why you can wear it around your neck without arousing any suspicion. Their charms actually do work, used in the correct manner,’ she said.

‘So what do I do with it?’ I asked. ‘If it’s Chinese.’

‘It doesn’t matter what currency it is, the coin is just to help you focus. Watch.’

I sat back in my chair and watched as she took the coin back, placed it on her palm and then covered it with her other hand. Her hands cupped, she closed her eyes and whispered.

‘What I see, may it increase, so I may have financial peace.’

I felt my lips part and my jaw slacken slightly as I watched her hands move slowly apart, a growing pile of twenty dollar notes between her palms.

‘That is just about the best thing I’ve ever seen,’ I said, grinning.

‘There are limitations to the spell and as you will learn with Brittany, we must take no more than we need. Money can be used positively, but more often than not it causes grief and greed. It is a sure fire path to the dark side.’

My grin widened and I was only glad that Luke was not around to hear her words, as he would surely be cracking up, trying not to quote from his beloved Yoda and
Star Wars
. I looked up and bit my bottom lip, seeing my aunt frowning at me, although I also noted her eyes sparkling.

‘Here, you try. I’m going to make some camomile tea. Would you like…anything, Jess?’

‘No, I’m fine thanks. I fed this morning,’ I said, feeling sorry for her as she tried to conceal her wince.

‘Right, well, you try now. Have you brought your book of shadows down with you?’

I nodded and pulled my battered book out of my messenger bag.

‘Good. This will help you focus and the words are written here if you forget them,’ she said, opening my book and placing it before me on the table. ‘Here you go,’ she said handing me the coin and walking across the kitchen to make her drink.