Blood of the White Witch

Of Witches and Warlocks

by

Lacey Weatherford

Book Three of the Of Witches and Warlocks
series

Copyright 2010 Lacey Weatherford

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Published by Global Authors Publications

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DEDICATION:

For my beautiful niece,
Larissa Lunt. Without you, your idea, and

your thirst for more, this
book would have never existed.

For my muse, and gifted
actor, Matt Lanter. Thank you for being

you and helping Vance to
come alive in my imagination!

And for “The Vance Gang.”
Here’s to world domination!

This was something very unusual; at least it
was for most sixteen-year-old girls.

The fact that I was even getting to
experience this now had been the result of a huge compromise on
behalf of my parents. They had wanted it to happen at a much later
date than this, but the circumstances had changed, and the
situation had demanded we change with it. The discussions had been
long and arduous, the pros and cons weighed heavily before any type
of agreement had been reached. Even then I was pretty sure my mom
and dad were still having terrible misgivings, though I could see
they were trying to put on a brave face and be supportive for my
sake. I appreciated that.

“There,” my best friend Shelly said. She
finished what she was doing and stepped back to survey the result.
“You look beautiful!”

I turned to look at my reflection in the
ceiling-to-floor mirror. I didn’t even recognize myself, but I
agreed with her assessment without one ounce of conceit in my
heart.

I paused to take everything in. The dress
was perfect. The square-cut neckline, the tightly fitted bodice
which led down into the full, bejeweled taffeta skirt with a bubble
hem complete with a chapel train, looked as if they had been made
specifically to enhance every turn and curve of my body.

My long black hair had been piled
intricately in becoming swoops and swirls on the top of my head and
had tiny pearl pins running throughout the design. A simple
pearl-adorned comb had been inserted in the back of my hairdo, and
my straight shear veil hung softly from it.

Shelly placed a bouquet of fresh red roses,
bunched together and tied with a white satin ribbon, into my
hands.

“You’re going to knock Vance’s socks off!”
she said, and she looked at me, a soft smile spreading across her
face.

“I hope so!” I said with a little laugh, and
I thought of my handsome groom, who was undoubtedly doing something
similar to this, elsewhere in the building.

We had been through so much together in the
last few months. Magic, mystery and mayhem had been a large part of
our existence and continued to be so. In fact, it was the reason
that this wedding was taking place eight months earlier than
planned, but I didn’t want to think about that right now. I just
wanted to savor every moment of this day.

“Oh! Portia!” my mom said, and I turned to
see her enter the room, her red formal dress suit rustling slightly
as she closed the door.

She stopped to look at me, and I saw several
emotions pass through her eyes. I could see love and happiness
there, right before worry and doubt crept in. I noticed the
moisture that began to fill them. She reached a hand up to pat her
perfectly coiffed dark hair, trying to hide her reaction.

“Mom, don’t you dare start with that
already!” I chastened her. “You’ll get me started, and it’ll ruin
my makeup.”

“Sorry, sweetie,” she said with a slight
laugh allowing a huge smile to cross her face, and she came closer
so she could hug me. “You’re just so beautiful!”

“Thanks, Mom,” I replied, hugging her back
for several long moments before leaning back to question her. “Is
the photographer here yet? I want to get a picture of the three of
us together.”

“Yes. She’s waiting outside. I just wanted
to make sure you were ready first,” she said turning back toward
the door.

“I’ll get her, Stacey,” Shelly said to my
mom, and she rustled past in her dark red satin dress that hugged
her flawless form. She looked more to me like a Barbie doll than I
had ever seen her before.

The photographer came in and introduced
herself politely to me before she posed us together, draping my
dress out around me, so she could take a picture of the three of us
in front of the giant mirror.

“Beautiful!” she breathed out while her
expensive camera clicked away in rapid succession before us. “I
just grabbed a couple shots of the groom and his best man before I
came in here,” she added when she paused, straightening so she
could look at me. “You two are going to make a fabulous looking
couple.”

“I want to see the pictures! May I?” I said
to her in excitement, moving toward her slightly.

“No!” Shelly said, stepping in between us.
“It’s bad luck to see the groom before the wedding. You know
that!”

“In a picture?” I asked in a laughing tone
as I stared back at her. “I don’t think it applies.”

“It does if he is all dressed in a tuxedo,
ready for his wedding!” she replied, folding her arms in front of
her chest and giving me a hard look to signify she wasn’t going to
budge on the issue.

I looked over at my mom for some backup.

“I agree,” she said with a shrug though she
at least tried to look a little bit apologetic.

“Fine!” I said as I waved my hand in
dismissal of the subject before looking back at the photographer.
“Forget I even asked.”

There was a knock on the door once more, and
I heard my dad’s voice call from the other side.

“Is it safe to enter?”

“Come in, Sean,” my mom called back to
him.

My dad entered the room wearing a black
tuxedo with a dark red tie with a matching vest that had black
pinstripes running through it.

“Pumpkin, you look great!” he said, his eyes
lighting up when he saw me, and he walked over to place a light
kiss upon my cheek.

“You’re working that tux pretty good
yourself,” I smiled back at him, thinking he did indeed look very
handsome.

He did an overly exaggerated pirouette for
us.

“I don’t look too good, do I?” he asked
smiling, his humor flashing in his eyes. “I wouldn’t want to show
up the bride.”

“Whatever!” my mom said laughingly, and she
playfully slapped at his shoulder. “Don’t tease her at such a
moment, Sean!”

“Perhaps you’d prefer for me to tease you?”
my dad responded, and he sidled up against my mom. “I must say it’s
obvious where Portia gets her beauty from.” He grinned
wickedly.

There was another slight rap at the door,
interrupting their playful banter, and this time the wedding
coordinator stepped into the room.

“Are you all ready?” she asked with a smile,
and she looked around at each of us. “Everything is set to go.”

I nodded my head, suddenly feeling a wave of
butterflies rush through my stomach.

“I’m ready,” I replied and I placed a hand
over my midsection, trying to settle them.

“All right,” she said with a nod, turning to
my mom. “Let’s go get you seated, shall we? Shelly, you go wait by
the door to the chapel, and I’ll give you the signal. Vance and
Brad are already at the altar.”

Shelly picked up her white bouquet of
flowers, hurrying after them, leaving only my dad and me together
in the quiet space.

“It’s time,” Dad said looking at me
seriously now. “Are you sure you’re ready for all this?”

“I’ve never been more ready for anything in
my life,” I replied, and I stepped over to take his arm. “The real
question is are you ready for all this?” I asked, and I watched his
expression carefully.

“It has definitely required some adjusting
to,” he replied honestly, and he reached out to gently touch his
free hand to my face. “I certainly never imagined my daughter
getting married at the age of sixteen or the fact that I’d be
agreeing to it. That being said, however, I do realize that the two
of you are mature for your age and have proven on several occasions
you’re old enough to handle things on your own. I think things will
work out just fine.”

“Thanks for having faith in us, Dad.” I
smiled, squeezing his arm tenderly, knowing exactly how difficult
it had been for him to do so.

“My little girl is all grown up,” he said
softly. He looked at me, and I felt his hand tremble against me
momentarily before he dropped it back to his side.

He led me gently out of the room and into
the hallway. We walked in silence together until we stopped a few
feet outside the door to the chapel.

Shelly was standing there in the entrance,
and as the music began, she took her cue from the director to begin
her march down the aisle.

The doors to the chapel were closed behind
her, and the wedding planner ushered me into place, making sure my
dress was spread out perfectly behind me and my veil was hanging
just right.

I heard the music change and the wedding
march begin to play on the other side of the door. I slipped my
hand back through my dad’s arm, resting it lightly at his elbow,
wondering if he felt my slight nervous tremble as it rested
there.

“I love you, Pumpkin,” my dad said, and he
lightly patted my hand.

“I love you too, Daddy,” I replied with a
smile, and the butterflies reappeared and began to dance anew in my
stomach.

The doors moved then, swinging slowly open
to reveal the flower-decorated aisle in front of me. I lifted my
head, searching for the only thing I was interested in seeing at
that moment.

My eyes settled on him, and I saw his breath
catch when he saw me and a slow smile spread across his face,
lighting the whole world in front of me.

I would have forgotten to move, I was so
mesmerized by his appearance, but my dad placed his hand gently on
mine and began walking me toward the glorious figure who stood
there waiting for me. I couldn’t see anything besides him, only
him.

Vance Mangum. My Vance.

My heart began beating harder with every
step I took. He was perfectly groomed as usual, with his dark hair
textured in the perfect messy style that I loved, his white teeth
gleaming against the dimples of his smile, and the slight cleft in
his chin. His bright blue eyes fairly flashed with anticipation as
he stood in his black tuxedo, complete with a white vest and tie,
looking every inch the powerful man he was. He was
breathtaking.

He stepped down to greet me as I approached
him, taking my trembling hand from my dad and placing it into his,
squeezing it reassuringly, before turning to lead me up in front of
the minister.

“I love you,” I heard him whisper softly
into my head through the uncommon mental connection we shared.

“I love you, too,” I replied back into his
mind, broadening my smile and glancing over at him.

The minister moved closer to us and began to
speak. I listened intently to every word he spoke, but my gaze
never left Vance’s face, nor did his ever leave his perusal of
mine.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here
today…,” the minister began, and I felt little shivers of joy race
through my body.

He spoke to us about love, commitment, and
honor, as well as always being true to each other, before he turned
the time over to us to recite our vows to each other.

I went first.

“Vance,” I started, and I felt as if I would
never be able to keep my excited tremor out of my voice. “I give my
heart to you completely at this time. My love is my gift to you,
never shaking, unfailing. I promise to never leave you, to always
stand by your side through thick and thin, to be your helper and
your companion. I bind myself to you before God and man, promising
to always to support you in life and love, even into the next life.
I love you,” I said squeezing his hand meaningfully.

Then he spoke.

“Portia, I love you with all my heart. Words
fail me in how to describe the depths of my feelings for you. You
complete me in every way imaginable; you are everything about me
that is good. When I eat, sleep, live, it is always with you in my
thoughts. I accept your love and promises, offering mine to you in
return. I promise to always love and support you in all your
endeavors as we join together as husband and wife. I will love you
for eternity.” He smiled at me, and I could feel his emotions
surging from his body into mine with great force, causing tiny
prickles to run over my skin in a wave of desire.