Mystic Embrace

Mystic Embrace

By

Charlotte Blackwell

World Castle Publishing

http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

World Castle Publishing

Pensacola, Florida

Copyright © Charlotte Blackwell 2011

ISBN: 9781937085681

Library of Congress Catalogue Number 2011931981

First Edition World Castle Publishing November 1, 2011

http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com

Licensing Notes

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.

Cover Artist: Karen Fuller

Editor: Marissa Dobson

Dedication:

This is for all my wonderful grandmothers who I miss dearly. You may not have wished to be supernatural, but you always had magickal powers to me. I love you and miss you both. Rest in peace, until we meet again.

Acknowledgement:

The character Margret and “the twelve” were created by Mary Ting author of Crossroads and used with her permission and guidance. Thank you Mary for all your help and encouragement with this addition to my story line. I am so excited to have our characters cross-over.

Chapter
One

On the Hunt

With everything that has happened the past year it’s hard to believe I’m somewhat sane finding out that my sister Eliza and I are witches and meeting a family of vampires is pretty unbelievable. Now though we have to concentrate on our own problems since the rogue vampires have somewhat been neutralized. We know Naberius has been searching for us, as we are now searching for him. We must proceed with caution and remain alert at all times. We only found out we were witches last year, but have already learned so much and our powers are growing fast. Today we’re on a mission to hunt down the demon that killed our parents so many years ago, when I was just a baby. Walking through the dark underworld I attempt to get my bearings, noticing the rock that’s surrounding me. It’s cave like, cold, and damp with a heavy musty, mildew odor that induces my gag reflex. A bright red glow similar to a tail light on a car ahead of us helps to light our way. The rough rock tunnel has various shapes, protruding from and trapped within the walls, somewhat resembling some kind of beings, maybe a metaphor for trapped souls, or possibly real souls. Shivers run down my spine at the thought, wondering who they could be. In the past year since we’ve gained our powers we helped our friends the Pierce’s and focused on our training, preparing for this day. Over the last few months Eliza and I easily defeated the last set of low ranking demons including Arioch the demon of vengeance, which Naberius sent for us. Thanks to the information we retrieved from the previous demons we have been able to find the realm where his liar is. After traveling through several different realms, we believe this is it.

Exploring the underworld and looking for the one that took our parents from us, I can’t help but feeling we’re in over our heads, but decide to keep my insecurities to myself. Grams told us Naberius is the demon who attacked our parents that day, nearly seventeen years ago, soon after my birth. He wanted us then, and when our parents wouldn’t allow it, he took them. If it wasn’t for the protection and power binding spell that our mom was able to put on us right before her demise, he would have gotten to us. Now with our powers back, we’re here to face him, witch against demon and we refuse to lose, losing means nothing more than death. My nerves and unease begin to dissipate; I’m not as light headed as when we first arrived here, crossing through the astral planes always makes me feel funny. Kinda light headed like I’m floating, but I’m getting used to it. Eliza’s power to control time has evolved to astral projection she now can manipulate time and space, which has brought us here on yet another unknown journey. When she holds my hand, Eliza has the ability to bring me with her, it is usually best to lie down and meditate. Our bodies begin to feel a pull and just like that we are gone. Our physical bodies remain still, alive where we left them and our astral bodies elsewhere also appear to be alive. I’m telekinetic so can’t astral project on my own. Her powers have strengthened so fast; at first she could only project herself. My telekinetic powers, the ability to move things with my mind helps when surprises pop up. I first found out about my power last year at school. When that awful girl Mel, who liked to bully me, cornered me and I lost my temper, that’s when the lockers at school began to fly open and the contents swirled around her. I think I was more terrified than her. Thank god for Matt, his rushing in and hurrying me back to Grams place saved me. Then everything became clearer and I found out I was a witch, a Magnificent One. My sister and I are descendants of the great Salem witches, and were both born on the sixth day of the month at midnight, the witching hour. We inherited great power from all the witches before us, and are meant to help fight evil and protect the innocent. Before we can truly do that, we need to take care of this old business and clear our heads.

“
I really think this is the right one Ebony. Just like Arioch described it. I can see the trapped souls within the rock walls. I just never knew it would be so literal,” Eliza says with anxious anticipation.

“
You know I was thinking the same thing, but I didn’t realize that he mentioned the trapped souls. Either way though I agree this may be the right spot. I’m so ready for this. I can’t believe after all this time we get to avenge Mom and Dad’s death,” I confirm my excitement and release some of my anxiety.

***

Little by little, the red light ahead of us dims and begins to flicker until it is completely off in its place a bright white light emerges in its place. Two figures appear before us, one man and one woman. Eliza and I both stop, could these be demon warriors I wonder, but then my thoughts turn to the book of shadows. I remember reading; a spirit guide can appear to a witch in form, following a bright white light.

“
Eliza did you ever read in the book of shadows about spirit guides?”

“
In fact, now that you mention it Ebony, I did. Do you think these could be our spirit guides?”

“
Why now? We haven’t had a spirit guide or a guardian contact us yet. I don’t understand. I think we should talk to Matt, when we get back to the manor of course.”

I love that my boyfriend Matt knows so much about witches and the supernatural from his training. What I don’t like is the fact that he is training to be a guardian. I would love to get to know our guardian, every witch is supposed to have one, so why is it that Eliza and I don’t have one yet? We are the Magnificent Ones after all. I just don’t want to lose Matt to some other witch. Becoming a guardian is in his blood; his grandfather was one and is now a great one, a leader of the guardians. What concerns me is with Matt in training it only means one thing, inevitable death. He has to die to complete his training and become a full guardian. I am so grateful to have Matt in my life, I love him to pieces. Having him help us so much is amazing. His family history of guardians is what has made him a chosen one, an angel of sorts for witches. His training began shortly after his birth, and although he has a vast amount of knowledge, he won’t gain any active powers until he dies. I really hope that doesn’t happen for a long time, he means the world to me and I need his help still. When my powers started to appear, he saved me from the ridicule at school, and helped me through the change and I didn’t even know what he was yet. Needing to get my head back in the game, I shake off my thoughts of the man waiting for me back home and return to the cave we have been wandering though.

***

We move towards the white figures with caution. As we get closer I sense a feeling of familiarity and comfort radiating from them. The woman nearly translucent, she is wearing a long white flowing gown and her dark skin is as smooth as milk chocolate. Her lips part as if preparing to speak and then we hear a whisper from her.

“
My beautiful girls return home. He is waiting for you and you are not prepared for this fight yet.”

“
Mom, Dad, is that you?” Eliza questions with a slight tremble in her voice.

“
Yes my dear, we have never left you, but you must turn back now. We have been given permission to appear to you and assist you in learning the craft. It is much safer for us and for you at the manor. Please return now,” responds the man, our father.

We both recognize them from the pictures we’ve seen of our parents. Grams always ensures we know how much they loved us, and keeps pictures out at all times. From what we’ve been told about our parents, Mom was a witch and Dad a mortal. I guess he must have had a little magick in him after all, in order to be here and appear to us now. I try to withhold my emotions, but seeing my parents for the first time and hearing them speak to me is more over whelming than I could ever imagine. My heart begins pounding so hard I think my chest may rip open. Tears well up in my eyes, with a slight burn I try to fight them back.

***

With their request, Eliza at once pulls us back, we return for our physical bodies at the manor. Nausea takes over me, the quick return is difficult to adjust to. As I look around I see Grams, Matt, and Sophia all waiting in trepidation. Sophia is my best friend and a vampire; we met last year at school. After seeing her day crystal, I knew she was one of the vampires that my Grams had helped years ago. She is well over a hundred years old, but aside from her vast knowledge, you would never guess it. Sophia is immortally seventeen. Our families are very close and help one another in dealing with supernatural threats. Right now it’s our threat, Grams rushes over and cover us with blankets. Astral travel, always gives us a lower body temperature. After a few minutes to collect our thoughts and ground ourselves, at once we both look around the room with a sense of urgency to see if Mom and Dad are here with us.

“
What’s the matter Ebony? Who are you looking for? We’re all right here with you, you’re safe,” Matt says in a comforting tone.