Witch (6 page)

She looked around, “What- where are we? Why is it so cold
here?”

“It’s Portland.”

The teenage boy looked confused, “No way I’ve been to
Portland dude. No way.”

“Oregon.”

Both of them turned their heads to him as their jaws
dropped, “What?” They spoke in unison.

Sam walked toward the huge house, “Come on. We have some
serious explaining to do.”

“Where are my parents? Where is my sister? Why am I in a
prom dress?”

Sam felt his heart drop, her sister had been lured through
the window. He knew she was most likely dead. No human was ever left alive. He
winced, “Come in the house.”

Ophelia started to cry, “I’m not going anywhere until
someone explains this to me. Why am I wearing my prom dress? This isn’t even
the dress I bought. I bought a red one. Why is he in a tux? We were in my
living room and then we were dancing. What is happening to us?”

The guy pointed at him, “Yeah we were in swim gear. What
the fuck is this?” He seemed to finally be surfacing.

Sam sighed and looked around. He was waiting for Lorri to
arrive and take it over. He knew she would have Lydia at the prom cleaning up.
He dreaded any of the kids who resisted.

“You found her.” He turned to see Dorian grinning from the
porch.

Sam laughed, “Nick of time dude, come and help before one
of us ends up with some injuries.”

Dorian laughed and sauntered from the house, “You really
are Jonathan’s daughter. You are your mother in every way. Except the scent
maybe.” His wicked lips curled up into his evil grin.

Sam rolled his eyes, “Shit Dorian she doesn’t know any of
that.”

He shrugged, “She will.”

Ophelia shook her head, “Is that the FedEx guy? Why are you
here? This is madness, my father’s name is Vic and my mother is Helen. My
sister is Abbey and she’s missing. I’ll do whatever you want but please just
let her go.”

Jake shook his head and stepped in front of her, “I will
do what ever you want, leave her out of this.”

Dorian scowled, “Really? You would do whatever I want to
spare her?”

The guy looked ready to lose it but he clenched his jaw
and nodded, “Let her go and her sister too.” He wrapped his arms around his
back to pull Ophelia to him.

Dorian pointed at the kid and raised his eyebrows, “Who is
this kid?”

Sam sighed, “This is Ophelia and her boyfriend. He came
with us because she used glamour on the entire town. Dorian I need to go to
Greece I don’t have time for this shit. Take them inside and make her stop
crying.”

Dorian smiled at the guy, “I may still take you up on your
offer, later.”

Sam grimaced, “Okay well maybe I’ll take you guys inside
because I don’t even want to know where we are going with this conversation.”
He grabbed Ophelia by the hand and pulled her and her boyfriend up the stairs
and through the doorway.

“She be bad juju Mister Sam. I don’ts want her in my
house.”

He felt Annabelle’s resistance to her in the air.

He looked to see the maid blocking the hallway with her
body.

Sam shook his head, “She’s okay Annabelle.”

Annabelle crossed her arms, “She be stronger than me. That
never be okay.”

He laughed, “I know. Annabelle this is Ophelia and her
boyfriend, what’s your name dude?”

The kid stood completely stunned by the talking ghost.

Sam snapped a finger in front of his eyes making him look
up, “Huh what?”

“Name?”

“Jake. Is she- ah- uhm- a -ghost?”

Sam nodded, “She is a witch like your girlfriend here.”

Jake nodded, “I can see the door handle behind her.” And
with that he was gone. The big strong brave young man was unconscious.

Ophelia

The furniture was old. It suited the house perfectly. She
felt safer than she had all evening. She sat on the couch silently. Jake lay on
the huge sofa across from her. He was still completely out of it.

“We have to send him back.”

She looked up to see the ghostly maid standing/floating in
the doorway.

She felt her heart quicken, “Why?”

“He’ll die around here real fast.” She floated across the room
and sniffed, “Surprised you never killed him yet.”

Ophelia frowned, “Why do you all keep saying these things
about me. I’m no witch. I’m a regular girl. I want to go home. I'm being
haunted by a poltergeist. I want my mom and dad and my sister. Do you know
where they’re keeping her?”

“Ophelia welcome. I’m Lydia. It’s so nice to meet you
finally my dear.”

She turned to see an older woman walking into the room.
Something about her made Ophelia feel relaxed. The older woman took her hands
and squeezed them. “Please sit and relax. You’ve had an odd day I would
imagine. That was some prom you manifested.”

‘Trust her Ophelia. She’s like us.’

She tried to ignore the voices but she watched, as an
older lady seemed to sense them there.

Ophelia nodded, feeling herself getting teary again, “It's
been a terrible week. First he froze and then they chased me and the voices and
then the wolf and my sister and prom and now here.” She knew she wasn’t making
sense but she felt lost in it all.

Lydia laughed bitterly, “Nothing I haven’t heard before my
love. Sit and have some tea. It will relax you. Now how much do you know?”

Ophelia shrugged, “About what?”

Lydia looked over at the ghost, “I guess we’ll start at
the beginning. Your parents are very powerful people Ophelia.”

“Vic and Helen are my parents.”

She smiled a sweet old lady smile, “Of course you would
believe that. Anyway your real parents are very powerful people. Your father
wanted a son, for a very long time. Purposefully your mother only ever gave
birth to girls. They were, well…”

“Slaughtered Miss Ophelia. My sisters and I feels it every
time he takes another one. The light leaves the earth for a day when the magic
is taken into the dark. Don’t be sugar coating none of this Miss Lydia. None of
it.”

Ophelia shook her head, “I don’t get it. I don’t have
sisters who are dead. Just Abbey. My parents are boring people. You have the
wrong person.”

“No sweetie, the people who’ve raised you were not your
real parents. They too believed you were theirs but you were put there.”

The words stung. She felt the truth in them somehow, but
she pushed it away. She shook her head, as if it stopped the words from sinking
in. “No, no, no, no.”

‘She tells the truth sister.’

She looked up suddenly to see the six balls of light
separate and fill the room with light. They became the ghostly figures they had
been before. They each looked identical to her but with blue lights instead of
eyes.

“How?” Lydia gasped, looking around the room.

Ophelia couldn’t help but be thankful that someone besides
her could see the ghostly women.

“Ophelia have they been with you long?”

She shook her head, watching the six mirror images, “They
came the other day.”

Lydia shook her head, “What’s special about this week?
Hmmm it’s only June. You’re birthday will be in July.”

Ophelia frowned, “My birthday is September 21st.”

Lydia shook her head, “No we know you were born in July.”
She counted the six floating balls, “July 7th if I’m not mistaken."

Her eyes grew frightened for a second, as she looked at the
ghostly maid who scowled.

“She be the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter born
on the seventh day of the seven month? That be great. Just great. Just dandy.”
The maid vanished.

Ophelia frowned, “Why does she hate me?”

Lydia laughed, “She doesn’t sweetie. She just fears what’s
next. You are the prophecy I’m afraid.”

Ophelia shook her head, “This day is just getting better
by the second. What prophecy? You people have me confused. I'm telling you. I'm
not the girl.”

Lydia looked up as a redhead walked into the room with a
very tall young man and a pretty blonde girl. The blonde looked haunted.

“The prophecy of the end of days. You've heard of
Armageddon?” The redhead spoke with a bite in her tone.

Ophelia felt her breath quicken, “You people speak in riddles,
just answer a question.”

The blonde laughed bitterly, “It gets so much worse. I
still don’t get straight answers and I’ve been here years. I’m Aimee and while
this seems like some kind of odd dinner theatre production, it isn’t.” She put
a hand out and forced a smile across her lips.

Ophelia took the girl’s hand and attempted a smile,
“Ophelia. It does seem like a play or a movie.”

“This is Lorri and Lucas.”

Ophelia smiled and tried not to point out that they were
standing amongst her pretend ghosts. They didn’t seem to see them hovering
there, looking spooky.

“Do you ever have dreams that seem like they’re trying to
tell you something?”

She shook her head, “No.”

The ghost maid came toward her, “Does some peoples act
like they don’t sees you?”

Ophelia blushed as she looked at Jake and nodded her head,
“Sometimes. My aunt. She swore up and down she couldn’t see me.”

Annabelle threw her arms in the air, “The witches who
saved her put a curse on her. Baby girl you are trouble. You Roses is biting
off too much this time.” She was gone again before Ophelia could ask her any
questions.

She looked at the people left in the room and scowled, “Is
anyone going to tell me what’s really going on?” She wanted to know where her
sister was. Not to mention where she was. She looked back at Jake and sighed.

“Ophelia dear, we are telling you the truth. You are more
special than you know. Come sit by me.” Lydia patted the couch and smiled as if
she were her grandmother and about to offer her a cookie.

Sam

Her red hair stood out against the brunettes. He watched
her smile and laugh through the small window of the tiny Greek kitchen. It was
just like the other times. He watched her laugh and smile or read. As always,
she was clueless to his spying eye. From the moment he had met her he had
known, she was his. He would never forget seeing her splash of strawberry blond
hair against her father’s chest, before the accident. He remembered her mother
taking her own life. He tried to block out the unhappy memories. He tried not
to remember the pain on her father’s face, the tears that streamed before the
rage took him.

Sam had never suspected Marcus in the blame for her
mother’s death. No one had. His advances toward her mother had been kept
secret. She had never told anyone. Sam had always loved her like an aunt. She
was of the few Sirens who had shown love and sisterly affections toward his
mother. They had visited him and his mother on the Canadian Island many times
when Hanna was tiny.

His heart ached, watching her through the window.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

He looked at Lorri standing beside him. She had moved
there silently.

“I go where my heart is Lorri.”

Lorri watched Hanna laugh and enjoy meeting the other Sirens.
After a few moments she spoke, “They could come for you if they sense you.”

He felt the grim smile cross his lips, “I would kill them
all.”

“Samuel.”

The tone in her voice told him there was no negotiating
with her.

He watched for one more second, before flashing back to
the woods in Lydia’s back yard. He felt the distance between them instantly
crush his chest. He dropped to his knees, ignoring the wet moss soaking through
his jeans. The extreme difference between late June in Portland Oregon and Ithaca
Greece became obvious, as he felt the cold mist creep into his skin.

He wished for a second he could shift into an animal and
go kill things in the forest. He wished Ben were there. Ben would make him
laugh and make snide comments about Hanna.

He heard footsteps behind him in the moist grass. He
looked back at the haunted face of Aimee walking toward him.

“Can we talk?” Her voice cracked.

He wanted to say no. He wanted to dislike her as much as
she disliked Hanna but he couldn’t. He loved her like a sister.

He stood and nodded.

She sat on the bench next to the lake. He watched her eyes
gloss over as she struggled with her breath.

His chest ached again but not for Hanna. It hurt knowing
the losses were fresh wounds that festered instead of healing.

“I can’t do it anymore.” She whispered.

“I know. I miss them too Aimes.” He felt moisture threaten
his eyes, as he pushed away the thoughts of Ben and the many nights they had
spent laughing and joking. He had become the brother Sam never had.

“I made the wrong choice S-S-Sam.” Her voice broke on his
name. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “I knew he would be there waiting for me.
I knew it wouldn’t always work with Shane. He’s human. I knew it wouldn’t last.
I just loved him for so long. It felt like the choice my heart would have made
before.” She broke into sobs.

Sam dropped to his knees in front of her and encased her
with his body. Her shaking cries filled his chest, as she lost the control she
always struggled to maintain.

Sam had gotten tired of her battles with which guy to
love. He had always hoped she would just chose Aleksander and be done with it.
He liked Shane just fine, but the whole mortal thing had been doomed from the
start.

He rubbed her back and let her wreak havoc on his t-shirt
with her tears and god only knew what else.

“I can’t face him. I can’t see him. I need to but I’m
scared.”

“I know Aims. I’m scared too.”

She pulled back wiping her puffy cheeks, “I feel like I’m
never going to get my sister back and Blake is going to kill her. I feel like
everything is lost. You know?”

“Yeah I do. You bitches have been hard on my lady and now
she’s in Greece. They hate me in Greece. They hate angels. Well they hate
humans too. They hate everyone. You should go there. You'd fit in.”

She laughed and slapped his chest, “I don’t hate everyone.
I like you. And we were nice to her. Very nice.” She leaned in and sniffed. She
closed her eyes for a second and let it fill her. He felt almost violated by
how long she lingered.

“You smell like him.”

Sam bit his bottom lip to stop the sarcastic shitty
comments from flying from his mouth. She was vulnerable and afraid. He needed
to remember that.

She opened her grey eyes and smiled, “I’m sorry.”

He shrugged, “I get it. We’ve been through a lot, Ari and the
messing around on your memories and Ben and Aleks. I’m just grateful that we
have each other."

“I guess. I just wish it was all easier you know?”

 
“Aimee you
need to be honest with him. His life is short. He needs to be able to move on.
It’s hard to hear it right now but it will get better with time.”

A hurt look crossed her face, “I’m just so scared to make
the wrong choice. One side of me wants Shane, just like the other side of me
wanted Aleks.”

He sighed, “Okay this is going to sound brutal and harsh
but you need it. You broke Aleks's heart and then he died. You can't say you
wish you'd made another choice. The choice you made is over. There is no
getting that time back. Aims you have enough on your plate. Worrying about the
life of a human is a big one to add to that. You’ve got like three humans to
worry about.”

“Four."

He raised an eyebrow, "Four?"

"Blake isn’t evil. I know him. He isn’t doing this on
purpose.”

He didn’t want to touch that one with a mile long pole.
She had a hard time being wrong.

He nodded and smiled.

“Want to go kill shit?”

He laughed, “What?” He wondered if she'd listened to
anything he'd said.

Her demon smile crossed her lips, “I know someone who
deserves a visit from us.”

He felt his stomach rumble, “I’m hungry. Can we eat first?”
He shivered remembering what she did the last time she was angry. She had
pulled the soul so violently that blood had shot from the person and splattered
everywhere. Lucas had loved it but Sam had nearly thrown up. Lucas had been
calling him Nancy ever since.

“You go ahead and eat. I’m saving my appetite for later.”

He scrunched up his nose, “You have that look. The one
where people bleed everywhere.”

She laughed bitterly, “They taste better scared. I so get
what Dorian’s deal is with it. He likes them afraid before he does it too.”

“Dealers are disgusting. I’m a lover not a fighter.” He
stood and lifted her up to her feet.

“Yeah whatever. Every time we go anywhere we learn another
new talent of yours.” Her eyes turned serious again, “Thanks for letting me
miss him.”

Sam shrugged, “You let me love Hanna and obsess about her
and even talked me out of trying to kill Marcus.”

She pointed at him, “That would have been a mistake. You
would have died.”

“Aleks would be alive instead of me. It would have been better
that way.”

Her words were a whisper in the night air, “Never say that
Sam. He wouldn’t want it that way. He was better than us all.”