Chapter 1
I live in the small town of Southbridge, Massachusetts. I just recently found out that I am part of a very powerful covenant of witches and warlocks. They are a normal covenant of mated witches and warlocks and have children just like every other covenant. When a witch and warlock are mated everything that happens to one will happen to the other. Being mated is not like being married, you are with that one person for life; when one dies the other one will as well. My covenants name is Luna. When you are born into a covenant you get the mark of your covenant on your skin, it is put their magically, and stays there forever. Since this particular covenant is called Luna their mark is a crescent moon, put on the back of their right shoulder.
We have been under attack recently by the werewolves and there is a Banshee running around killing people. I have been assigned to go and take her out, but I refuse to go alone. My name is Monika Marshall. I have been a witch for about a year, but I have apparently been one my whole life. You are not created you are born as one, so I have come to conclude that I was abandoned by my parents so I wouldn’t have to live this life of demons and death and all the things that go bump in the night. I argue with my leader a lot about how to do things and I usually win the argument, except right now.
“I told you already I do not want a part in this! Why do you keep trying to drag me into this fight with you Monika?” Our job is to track down and kill demons, vampires, and werewolves. The ones we feel that might have some answers to help us in our searches we capture and torture until they give us what we want, and then we kill them.
“I’m not dragging you down with me; it’s just that I want someone to come with me. I can’t just do it alone, I’m new at this. Come on Alana, clearly you can’t expect me to face the banshee alone? I could die.” Banshees were once witches that were turned into Banshees because of the pain they were repressing when they faced it. Banshees feed off of pain and they scream when they are feeding, that’s how they kill them, by screeching so loudly it pops every blood vessel in the body.
“First of all Monika, no, you can’t die, you could turn into one, but dying is unlikely. And secondly I can’t do it, why can’t you get Clarisse to face this demon with you she’s experienced. Plus I have my own demons to deal with.”
Since I am new to this world I’m more excited than everyone else to go out and fight. The others get bothered by it a little since they lived with all of this growing up, and Alana is the one who decides who gets what mission and when it is to be done. And she wants me. On the Banshee. Alone.
“Still trying to see if John is going to turn aren’t you? I don’t know why you’re bothering, he was bitten and it’s almost been a month since then. You know he’s going to change, it’s just a matter of time and he’s been acting weird, well more so now than usual. Keeping him caged up isn’t going to help if he turns tonight Alana, that cage wasn’t meant for weres it was meant for the demons we capture.” Weres is our nick name for werewolves. But I’m right, that cage isn’t reinforced enough for them they are too strong for the metal; it will break without much of an effort on their part.
“Why are you reminding me of this Monika, I know, I’m so over it, I just I can’t leave him alone not until I know he is definitely evil. Not all weres turn evil maybe we can keep him with us have him help us catch and kill the demons. He was a warlock too, maybe that will help influence his conscious and stay good. His attitude is still good it usually doesn’t stay that way this close to the first change. I love him Monika, I can’t just give up on him.” She looked away, I assume to stop her tears from coming down her face. John was bitten last month when we found the downtown packs hide out and since then she’s carried the guilt. He asked her to go with him, but she was too busy testing me on what I know. She thought he could handle it and he did until their leader Raphael came out of nowhere and attacked him. He got free, but I’m more than sure it’s all part of his plan to get back at us. We are longtime enemies and now he’s got the upper hand with turning the leader into a werewolf. John and Alana are the strongest of our kind and together they are unstoppable.
We were walking to his cell now, even though he knows it’s better to keep him locked up in there Alana doesn’t like it and I know he doesn’t neither. “I’m sorry Alana I know this is a lot of weight on your shoulders but please remember that we have a bigger purpose. We need to stop than banshee before she kills again. I know you want to stay with John, but I need your help. I don’t know how Clarisse will be able to help me if she is nowhere to be seen.”
“Monika I can’t. Banshees feed on pain and I am currently holding in a lot of pain, and that’s what turns us into them. Now call Clarisse and see if she can get back here and I’ll help with the potions when I’m done visiting John, if you need me to.”
******
John’s cell is just like all the others dark, no windows, and a very uncomfortable bed. The only difference between his room and the rest is that I brought him a warm blanket and some books to read. They are about our ancestor’s history. He’s been trying to figure out if there is any known knowledge of a witch or warlock being turned into a were and so far he hasn’t found anything. I keep thinking that he won’t turn, but I see the changes in him and it freaks me out. Not that I’m scared of him, but that I’m scared of losing him.
When I get to his cell with his dinner I see that he was reading. He stops and stands up and greets me. I can see in his eyes that he is starting to change. His light blue eyes are turning a dark yellow, the eyes of the wolves. And his muscles, although he was muscular before, now stand out making that his most dominate feature. His face however is still the same smooth skin and very smooth lips, the lips I love to kiss. He is very handsome standing six feet two inches tall. Dark brown curly hair that is just long enough for me to run my fingers through and pull, with his tanned skin he makes me fall in love with him every time I see him. I unlock his cell and walk in. He greets me with a warm gentle hug and a sweet kiss.
“How do you feel John? I see your eyes are changing, do you feel different?”
“Alana I feel fine, but I feel as if I can break these bars apart with my bare hands. I feel my strength two times more than before I got bitten, but I still feel like me. I don’t feel evil; I don’t have an evil bone in my body. “
I smile at that although it doesn’t reach my eyes. I wish I could believe he isn’t going to turn evil, but I have nothing to confirm it. I say “That’s great news! I am so worried I will lose you forever I can’t bare being enemies forever.” I’m crying now. I have tried so hard to stay strong through this whole month that crying now feels so good, just letting it out. He embraces me and rubs my back and listens to everything that I’ve been trying to take care of, with training Monika and keeping this covenant safe, and worrying about him. “I am sorry for losing it just now, but it’s been so hard without you, you are my rock, I can’t do this alone. How can I lead this covenant if I’m so weak without you?”
“Alana, do you not see the things that have gone on without me by your side and you are still here leading our people, even with your mate locked away slowly turning into a monster, you are the strongest one of this entire covenant. I bet everyone has given up on me. I know you haven’t, and that is the reason I love you.”
“You are not turning into a monster. I won’t let you be one of them. I won’t let Raphael win! I refuse it.” I turned away from him and started playing with the string on my sweater. It was early spring so it was still chilly, and down in the basement was even chillier. I looked back up at John studied his face his eyes which are now yellow frightened me, but still held that same kindness they always have. I couldn’t help but think how much I need him. His constant encouragement and his strength and love, which helped keep me going and leading our people. I would feel so lost without him. “So how are your powers? Do you still have them? Can you feel them?”
“Yes I can feel them; stronger actually like the weres bite is making me stronger as a warlock.” He looked worried about it, but looked like he was putting on a strong face for my benefit.
I knew he was trying to make the transition easier for both of us, but I’d rather him not lie to me. Even though it hurts me I play along with it. I need to make the transition easier for him as well. “That’s good isn’t it? I mean since you still feel like you, only stronger physically and powerfully, that can mean you’re not going to turn evil right?”
“It could be, but remember that the change makes it official. I’m hoping that it doesn’t.” he looks at me thoughtfully for a few seconds and then says, “Enough about me; how are you doing? How is Monika’s training coming along and how is the rest of our covenant?”
“They are doing well, worried for you as well as me, but good besides that. I’m stressed and taking it out on the demons. We tracked down Raphael, now we just have to figure out how to get him without his pack so we can take him out. Monika is doing very well. She and Clarisse are going after that banshee; hopefully they don’t have any problems. There was some activity with the vampire clan. There was a body of a young girl found drained of her blood not too far from here. Sebastian is tracking them down trying to see who did it.
“My powers have evolved I can cast a spell just whispering it. I was thinking of one when Alec, Ashley, and I got trapped by two Daeva Demons.” Daeva Demons cause chaos and destruction where ever they go. They are shape shifters and possessors and start with causing fights that leads to deaths. There was a string of deaths one week and we tracked them down to those demons although we thought there was only one we managed to take care of them both. “I was saying it to myself to make sure that it was good enough and boom one of them blew up. So I said it again louder that time and the second one blew up. The twins stared at me in surprise, I didn’t blame them I was shocked too.”
“Really? That’s great news. Maybe it has to do with my bite. We are linked together and my powers are getting stronger which means yours are too. It’s the only thing I could think of. The twins didn’t join you in the chant that was all you, and you still defeated them?”
“No it was just me. But if what you’re saying is true, then what if I turn evil because of you? Or what if that means you won’t turn evil because I’m too strong to turn evil and you’re connected to me. We will figure it out we have to.” I was getting ahead of myself, but anything that can keep me motivated long enough to keep going then I’ll jump on it. I need to believe he won’t turn because without him, I’m dead too. It’s hard to live without your mate and I won’t be able to go on alone.
“I know that Alana, we will. Tonight is the change, do you want me to stay in this cage while it happens, because you know that it won’t hold me back.”
I looked around the cell as if for the first time. I noticed that it really couldn’t hold back a werewolf. It was reinforced with spells and the spells around the cell are to keep the demons in. We never anticipated keeping a werewolf in here. “I know and I don’t want you locked up at all, I keep thinking that this is all a dream. I will find Raphael and make him pay I promise you that; if I have to die in the process.” I paused as an idea came to mind. “Maybe we can build you a cage that can keep you in. It only takes silver right? So we can build one out of silver to hold you. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before.” I got up and went to the door and turned around. “I will be back with Jake and Peter. We will get you a proper cell to hold you in; and after tonight we will know whether you stay in here for good, or roam free with us. I love you John.” With that I turned and left him behind locking the door behind me.
******
I went looking for Clarisse in her room, but I didn’t find her there. I checked in the garden, in the kitchen, the potions room, the weapons room, no matter where in the house I checked I couldn’t find her. The house we have is four floors. The kitchen, dining room, living room, and weapons room are all on the first floor. The infirmary is on the second floor. And one of the libraries is on the third floor with the bedrooms; and the fourth floor has the more used library with our potions books and spell books in it. The potions room is also on the fourth floor. Giving up on searching the house I resolved to go and ask Sebastian. I have had a crush on him since the day I first met him, and this would give us the perfect opportunity to talk and get to know one another. I found him in the living room watching the news. He was staring intently at the screen that I thought he didn’t notice me come in. The news was about the young girl they found drained of all her blood. She was discovered in an alley, which is very unusual because that clan of vamps doesn’t leave a trail behind. If they didn’t do it then the one responsible is probably already taken care of. Yet Sebastian was still watching, probably for clues to anything new.
I walked closer to him now and he turned to face me, his concern clear in his light brown eyes. He had dark brown curly hair which you couldn’t really tell unless he didn’t cut it. Right now it was a little long because he has been so worked up over John and Alana that he didn’t give himself enough attention. He still looked hot though.
“Monika? Are you ok? You look like something is bothering you.”
“Hi Sebastian. Yes I’m fine; actually I was looking for you. I can’t find Clarisse and Alana wants me to go with someone else to take care of that banshee. She’s too busy with John right now and I’m still fairly new at this, so she wanted me to have back up. So would you like to come with me?”
He looked startled. Like my question raised a million more. I was expecting him to say no and find someone else, but instead he said “Sure let me gear up. Do you have the potion and the spell?”
I wanted to make a smart remark like I’m new but I’m not dumb. But I settled for “Of course I do.”
He smiled at me and said “I’ll meet you at the door in 10 minutes.”
“Ok” was all I said and I turned and walked through the door. On my way down to the front door I stopped by my room and grabbed an Arit dagger and a Kuna Blade. I haven’t yet been trained with them, but I figured I should be ready. When I got to the door the five foot eight inch warlock was already there, looking super sexy in his fighting gear. I had to hold back the flush that was threatening to come out with my erratic thoughts. He was watching me as I approached and eyed my weapons at my belt with a curious stare but said nothing about it instead he held out his hand. In his hand was a potion bottle. I looked up at him and said “I have my potions, what is that for?”
“This is to block our ears from her screams. Although they don’t change me they can still hurt me. You can be changed to a banshee and it is very difficult to change you back. So take it. You will still hear everything as it is but her screams will not be as deadly to our ears as they would be without it.”
I took the potion opened the bottle and almost immediately dropped it. The stench that came out of the top was so bad I felt my stomach churn. I looked up at Sebastian and said “Are you trying to kill me? What is in this thing? It smells horrendous.”
He looked down at me and smiled. It made my insides warm. “That has everything that it needs to so drink up.” He chuckled lightly and opened his and drank it down. He made a sour looking face as it passed the bottle to his lips. And I did the same. When I was done I looked up at him and made as if to strike him forever giving me that retched drink, but he was already moving and caught my arm before I realized what was happening.
“Let me go!” I screamed. “I will make you suffer for having that foul tasting and smelling drink pass my lips.” I couldn’t help the giggle that came out. I wasn’t a very intimidating women and I knew he was laughing too; even if he was trying to hide it.
“Monika don’t be ridiculous, we both needed that. Now if you are ready to go we should head out now before night fall. Tonight is the change and Alana needs all of us here for support in case the worst is to happen.”
I knew I didn’t want that to happen so I nodded my head and started for the door. “How are we getting there, teleporting?” Teleporting had been the best thing I thought, about being a witch. I’d love to just use it to go to the store and use it for other tedious things like that, but Alana said it was to be used when we are going out into battle.
“Well of course my lady what better way to get there in the blink of an eye than to teleport there?” He said and winked at me. He knew I loved to teleport too. It took me some time to learn how to control where I went. But now it was like second nature to me. Just concentrate on where you want to go. And all I needed was to visualize the hideous looking banshee and uptown Southbridge and I was gone. I was faintly aware of Sebastian’s hand in mine but didn’t pay mind to it.
When we arrived on Cross Street it was deserted, which was strange because I have never seen this Street so empty in my whole life. “This is strange I don’t understand where everyone is. This isn’t typical for this part of the town.”
“I know, I think we need to take more precautions while we’re out here. I feel like a sitting duck, is there some where we can take cover and still be able to see the street?” He said.
“Of course there is, but there isn’t any overhead cover. We will be out in the open, but up off the ground. We will be more likely targeted by the banshee there than down here. But safer from the people of this block.” I turned and walked down the street to a faded pink colored building. We climbed to the second floor, and then jumped over the railing to the roof. He looked pleased with me and I loved it.
“Wow I didn’t even think to come up here, but you’re right there isn’t any overhead cover let’s not stay that long ok?”
I looked at him smiled and then said, “I know I used to come up here with my friends a lot growing up. But you take the top half of the street and I’ll take the bottom.”
“Ok sounds like a plan. But keep your ears open for any sounds that are not normal, anything like a bunch of glass shattering or anything unusual. But if the glass is already shattering were too late.”
I nodded and turned to be the lookout. I turned to my right and almost jumped. There down at the bottom of the street, was a group of people; not just people I thought “Vampires!” I turned to look at Sebastian who was already walking toward me and stared in the direction of the oncoming vampires.
“We have to get out of here now!” he said and I could hear the urgency in his voice. But I stood my ground and refused to go.
“They can’t see us. I don’t understand why we have to go. Lay down until they pass. We cannot let this banshee get away from us. We have weapons I know you saw mine, and I know you have some you always do. So let’s stay here.”
He looked at me like I had ten heads; did I say something that was that incomprehensible? “Are you kidding me? There has to be at least ten of them, I am not staying here with an untrained witch and myself when we do not have the correct weapons to take them on. We are going and we are going now!”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “We are so not having this discussion right now!” my voice rose and I could feel the anger boiling inside of me. “Yes I am new I’ve been a witch for what ten months, but do not treat me like a child. I can handle myself. I brought weapons with me and I know how to use them enough to defend myself if it comes to it. Don’t treat me like a helpless child that you are trying to protect. I have lived through worse.” I turned my head and looked back at the group of vampires that were no longer there. They were climbing up the stairs right next to us. Oh man this is bad. All my rage and now my panic were soaring through my body and I felt warmth coming through my hands. I looked down and saw they were on fire. No not on fire I was holding fire in my hands. The vampire’s worst enemy is fire they die instantly.
Without even thinking my body took over and I was chucking fireballs at them. One by one they fell burning to death. The last of the vampires looked up at me shocked. I couldn’t believe it. How could this be happening, but before I could finish that thought a tall slender Asian vamp came running towards me, fangs barred, and aiming right for my neck. He knocked me to the ground and was struggling to get away, and then he was gone in an instant, I couldn’t figure out what was happening to me then I saw Sebastian holding a sword of some kind and the vamp was on the ground in two pieces. “Wow thanks. What kind of sword is that?” I asked “And why didn’t I see you carrying that before?” I didn’t hear the answer as the last three vampires came running towards us. I threw my fire and he swung his sword. Two down and one more to go, I turned to look for him and saw that he was on top of Sebastian and it looked like he was biting him.
No time like the present to learn how to use these hand daggers on my belt. I grabbed one, the Arit Dagger. I lifted my arm aiming for the vampire and let it fly through the air. I hit my target dead on. Relief washed over my body when I saw the vampire crumple over, but it vanished as fast as it came. There he was, Sebastian lying on his back almost dead blood everywhere. I didn’t even stop to think; I just leaned down and grabbed his hands. “Hang in there Sebastian. I’ll get you help I promise. I can’t let you die and I won’t.” I closed my eyes and was gone.
I heard a loud cry when I got to the compound, but didn’t get frightened it was Clarisse. Rushing over to us she yelled out for help and knelt down next to Sebastian and looked at his bite mark and paled. “What happened?” she said in such a venomous voice. I almost flinched back scared of her, but I kept my composure as best I could and told her everything that happened.
After I finished Clarisse looked shocked. “Not many of us have the power to do what you did today. I can’t even throw fire; the only two in this compound are down stairs in the basement. And one of them might die by our hands if he turns evil. I’m very impressed with you. Thank you for saving him. Less bites result in turning into a vampire than you might think. He should be fine, unless that is what the vampire wanted. They have to push their poison into the one they are feeding on, and since they weren’t planning on you two showing up I’m more than positive that he will be just fine, so don’t worry ok.”
I nodded my head and looked back at Sebastian. Peter came in and was picking him up to carry him to the infirmary. I turned back to Clarisse, she was a petite girl at just five feet two inches tall and very slender, her dark brown hair was long past her shoulders and her blue eyes were very bright and shone brighter now that she was worried. “You know that Alana won’t let anyone do that to him nor will she do it herself. She couldn’t bare it. And as for the fire thing, how can I do it and I’m new to this world but you can’t? And why can’t all of us do that?” I turned my head as we walked down the stairs to the basement. We were on our way to tell Alana what happened to Sebastian and me. “I have a million questions now like how did I know to throw that dagger the way I did when I haven’t been trained and why do I have to sit here and wait for Sebastian to get better? What if he doesn’t get better, what if he dies? I never told him you know, that I like him, it feels like such a childish thing to realize now, that I have had so many chances and today ended in disaster. If he does get better he probably won’t want to talk to me, since it was my fault.”
I was looking down at the path in front of me as we walked and waited for Clarisse to talk to me. She was silent for quite some time and when she finally talked it looked as if it took her a lot to stay calm and patient with me.
“Only the blood lines of powerful witches can create fire from their hands. You must have lost your parents to a battle and that is why you were put up for adoption, although the covenant members usually help to raise those who have lost their families. You were found here so I don’t understand why no one in this covenant ever took you in. But that is for another time we are almost to Alana and John. Just tell them the story of what happened on that roof we will figure out the rest after ok sweetie.” We turned the corner and saw Alana talking with John as usual, but her face looked somehow different. When we got closer we both grasped at the same time.
“Alana, your eyes!” We said at the same time.