CHAPTER TWELVE

Alex would have been happy to torture Joseph Morgan to death, but Melissa had requested it be quick and painless. She was showing mercy for reasons Alex could not understand, but he respected her wishes.

After Joseph went to sleep that night, Alex brought Melissa home. She wanted to stay in the house she'd grown up in for as long as she could.

Arnie wrapped Melissa in his arms protectively and kept her there, safe, as she drifted off to sleep. Only once he was certain she was in a deep sleep did Alex take his eyes off of them. He stood up to leave the room.

"What are you going to do?" Arnie asked softly, careful not to wake Melissa.

"I'm going to put the eternal sleep spell on him," Alex replied.

"That's a mercy killing considering what he did," Arnie said with a frown. "He deserves a slow, painful death."

"I happen to agree, but Melissa doesn't want me to use force. She begged me to make this quick."

Arnie sighed. "Fine, but for the record, I hate this. That bastard deserves so much worse."

"He'll get worse, Arnie," Alex reminded him. "Karma will get him in the end. Considering he always took away Melissa's power to make choices, I think it's really important that I respect her wishes on this and trust that the deities will take care of him. We're the good guys. We're supposed to believe in forgiveness."

"That's hard sometimes, especially when we keep getting screwed over for it," Arnie replied. "And what he did isn't forgivable."

"I know, Arnie. Believe me, I want to see him suffer, too, but our souls are evolved. His clearly isn't. Maybe he'll learn his lesson and become a better person in his next life, and if not, karma will be very unkind to him."

"You sound like Spencer, shoving divine perspective down my throat like that."

"I have to shove it down my own, too, or I'd be sounding just like you right now."

"Go do it, Alex. I want him dead," Arnie said firmly.

"I've got this," Alex promised. "Take care of Melissa."

"Always," Arnie vowed.

Alex left the bedroom and Arnie focused his attention on Melissa. As he watched her chest rise and fall, he tried not to imagine what it must have been like to keep such a terrible secret for so many years. All he wanted was to give Melissa a better life now. They were taking care of the problem, and if they could fix that, maybe they could help her finally find some peace.

I love you, Missa, Arnie thought. He didn't dare say the words aloud. Everyone he loved ended up dead, and he didn't want Melissa to be the next name on the long list of people he had lost. Still, thinking the words shouldn't cause too much of an issue, right?

"I'll always be here for you, Missa," Arnie vowed again in a whisper. "No matter what happens."

~*~

Alex did not enjoy using his powers to kill. As a Pagan, he believed in not using magick to harm others unless it was absolutely necessary. This time, he decided that it was.

He crept into Joseph and Mary Anne's bedroom. They were both fast asleep. As Mary Anne slept peacefully on her side, Joseph lay on his back snoring.

How can he sleep so easily knowing what he's done? Alex thought in disgust.

He wanted to wake Joseph up. He wanted to demand he face justice for daring to harm the child he was supposed to protect. He wanted to castrate the monster and make him feel a fragment of the fear he'd made Melissa feel every day.

Melissa chose a painless death, he reminded himself. You have to respect that.

He silently began to cast the spell. A true eternal sleep spell thrust the victim into a coma. They would remain asleep until their body wasted away to nothing. Alex decided not to go with that option. He refused to risk someone figuring it out and reversing the spell. Instead, he used the accelerated version.

Alex watched as Joseph slipped deeper into rest. His organs began shutting down. His breathing slowly became shallow. His pulse grew weaker. Alex focused until Joseph's heart stopped. He exhaled sharply. His chest stopped rising and falling.

Joseph Morgan was dead. Alex had used magick to kill a monster who wore the flesh of a mortal. Under other circumstances, he would have felt remorse or even horror, but knowing he'd slain Melissa's monster, Alex had no regrets.

~*~

The moon was calling in a way that Vynn could not resist. She walked into the Howard Street Cemetery and took off her boots and socks again. As she began dancing around in the grass, she raised her arms toward the sky. She didn't especially care if anyone saw her or thought she was insane. It felt right to dance beneath the moon that night.

She felt almost euphoric as the moon's energy flowed through her. She started to hum, building more energy until lyrics poured out of her.

"Hail the Maiden of the Moon. Sing a song of herbs and runes. Embrace the night, absorb the light. Hail the Lady as she takes flight. River flows, flowers grow, masking secrets no one knows. Flames and wind gently blow, whispering what the spirit knows." She began dancing more wildly, losing herself in the song.

"Moonlight glistens on the shore, as I long for something more. No one knows what lies in store, but nothing's as it was before," she continued. "Shadows linger in the dark, waiting now to leave their mark. The brightest star has lost its spark. On a new journey we must embark. Even joy turns to grief. This trauma is beyond belief. The pain runs deep, I must release this sorrow, this shame, this unending beast."

She felt tears in her eyes as her thoughts turned to Devon. She channeled it into more lyrics, singing, "Hail the Mother of the Moon. Mix a blend of herbs and boons. Embrace the night, absorb the light. Hail the Lady as she must fight. Pain does flow, earth must grow, releasing secrets no one knows. Blessings and lessons gently go, whispering what no one knows."

As she slowed her motions, making them far more deliberate, Vynn allowed the love of the Mother Goddess to fill her heart. She knew she had to face her pain.

"Magick fills my heart and soul. Isn't that the final goal? Visions come of what lies in store, but nothing's as it was before," she sang. "Darkness falls upon the land. I think that I now understand. You reach toward me with your hand. We must not follow this blind command. Something is not right inside. We can run and we can hide, but now it's time to fight beside the only one who never lied. The truth endures and must not die."

She wondered if she was singing some sort of prophecy. That was how it felt, as if she was manifesting her own visions through song to help her understand them.

"Hail the Crone of the Moon. Mix a blend of herbs and cocoons. Embrace the night, absorb the light. Hail the Lady as she makes right. Grief does flow, wisdom must grow, releasing secrets which bring woe. Life and lessons fiercely flow, whispering what we need to know."

As the song ended, Vynn felt both worried and at peace with her fears. Whatever was coming couldn't be stopped. She could accept it, or she could fight to the very end to try and prevent the inevitable.

Once again, a raven perched on a grave watching her. This time, there was nothing trying to attack it, but the bird seemed to be trying to tell Vynn something. Its dark black eyes looked incredibly sad.

"It's bad, isn't it?" Vynn asked softly.

The raven nodded its head at her stoically. Vynn felt like Odin himself was watching her. She wondered if the wise God had sent the bird to guide her. She stared into its eyes, which were as dark as scrying stones, and was not entirely surprised to find herself suddenly plunged into a vision.

Serpent's Kiss was performing for the students of Bishop High School. The audience was watching them as if they were entranced, as usual. The room suddenly caught on fire. No one moved or snapped out of the trance. As the flames flowed through the room, the students burned.

The flames reached the stage. Vynn shouted in warning to protect her bandmates, but they didn't seem to hear her. As the flames surrounded Dylan, he continued to play the guitar, seemingly oblivious. He didn't stop until his guitar and hands burned to nothing but ash.

Vynn gasped as she snapped out of her vision. "Oh Gods," she whispered. "Dylan's in danger... And so are the other students... I have to warn him."

The raven shook its head in protest. "But I have to," Vynn insisted. "I can't leave Dylan in danger. I have to save him!"

The raven tilted its head to the side as if to point out Vynn's choice of words.

"That's it, isn't it? I have to save him. This is going to happen no matter what I try to do, but I can save him," she said.

The raven nodded. Vynn hesitated. "What about the other students? Can I help them?" She asked.

The raven shook its head, and somehow, Vynn understood that job belonged to someone else. The vision had been of a united scene, but Vynn suspected it was warning her about two different moments in time. Visions were often symbolic and unhelpful, showing metaphors instead of actual facts.

"I'll save Dylan," she decided with determination. "I have to have faith that the Universe knows what it's doing and will make sure the other students are taken care of."

She carefully pulled her socks back on before stepping into her boots. The raven gave her a final intense glance before flying away. Vynn watched it until it vanished from sight.

She focused for a moment and tried to calm herself down. She had a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach as she began walking back toward the hotel. It was a long walk, and her mind raced more with every step.

"Vynn, you shouldn't be out alone at this hour," Luke said from behind her, causing her to jump.

"Jeez, Luke! You almost gave me a heart attack," Vynn replied as she turned around to face him. "The moon was calling to me."

"This probably isn't the best town to wander around by yourself at night," Luke pointed out.

"I can take care of myself, Luke," she protested.

"I know, Vynn, but with everything that's happened lately, I'd prefer you stay at the hotel. You'll be safe there. At least bring Dylan with you next time you go on a nighttime adventure."

"I don't need my boyfriend to protect me."

Luke smirked at her. "Is that official now?" He teased her. "Do I have to threaten to beat him up if he gets out of line?"

"Shut up," she replied.

"Dylan's a good guy, Vynn," Luke said seriously. "I'm glad you two found each other."

"So am I," she replied. "He makes me really happy, Luke. He's not like other guys."

"Then he's a keeper," Luke decided. "But if he ever breaks your heart, my offer to beat the crap out of him still stands."

"If he breaks my heart, I'll do it myself," Vynn replied with a laugh.

"Good girl!" Luke proclaimed. "Come on. Let's hurry up and get back to the hotel."

~*~

Melissa awoke in Arnie's arms. She relaxed for a moment before she remembered the events of the previous night.

"Arnie... Is he...? Did Alex...?" She tried to ask.

"Alex took care of him," Arnie replied gently. "He can't hurt you anymore, Missa."

She started crying, both in relief and out of guilt. "I had no right to ask Alex to do this," she said.

"You didn't ask, Missa. Alex told you he was going to do it. You just asked that it be painless. You didn't owe him that kindness, but you gave it to him anyway."

Melissa sniffled and snuggled closer to him. "Does my aunt know yet?" She asked.

"I don't think she's awake yet," Arnie replied.

"You should go before she wakes up. She'll freak if she finds you here."

"I'm not leaving you, Melissa. She might try to hurt you."

"Then stay in my room. If I need you, I'll yell, I promise."

"Be careful, alright? I'll be right here," Arnie replied.

Melissa crept into the bathroom quietly and cleaned herself up. Her body had healed completely aside from some of the old scars she'd given herself. It was strange to realize that she looked perfectly fine despite her entire universe shattering the night before.

Alex killed my uncle, she thought. Uncle Joseph is dead. He'll never touch me again because my friend murdered him. My friend killed my uncle because of me... Alex is a murderer because of me.

She looked at the razor sitting in the cabinet. It would be easy to take it apart and free the blade. She'd feel better if she just punished herself a little bit...

"Stop it," Melissa scolded herself aloud. "Alex did this to save you. You didn't ask for any of this. Stop freaking out. Stop blaming yourself. Get it together, Melissa Morgan. You know, deep down, that this isn't your fault... No matter what anyone might say."

She changed into fresh clothes, finding the strength to resist the urge to hurt herself. She had to be strong, no matter how hard it was.

Melissa suddenly heard her aunt let out a high-pitched scream of terror. "Joseph! Joseph, wake up!" She shouted.

Melissa took a deep breath before exiting the bathroom and running toward her aunt. "What's going on?" She asked, hoping it wasn't obvious that she already knew.

"He won't wake up... Call an ambulance, Melissa! Hurry!" Mary Anne insisted.

Melissa knew it was already too late to save Joseph, but she made the call dutifully. She watched her aunt make useless efforts to save the monster she'd married as they waited for the ambulance to arrive.

When the paramedics arrived, Melissa led them upstairs and watched them take over. Fairly quickly, they shook their heads.

"I'm very sorry, Ma'am," one said. "Your husband is already cold. He must have passed away in his sleep."

"No! Oh, Joseph... This can't be happening!" Mary Anne wept.

"It looks like he had a heart attack. I'm sure he didn't feel any pain," the second paramedic said soothingly.

Mary Anne flung herself over Joseph's body, still sobbing. Melissa stepped out of the room as her chest tightened. Her aunt had never been especially kind to her, but she'd raised Melissa, and it was difficult watching her grieve for the man who'd been her high school sweetheart.

I'm sorry, Melissa thought. She knew she shouldn't be, especially after everything they'd both put her through, but she couldn't help it.

It seemed like hours passed before the coroner came and removed Joseph's body. Mary Anne composed herself. She drank some tea before turning toward Melissa. Her gaze was ice cold yet full of fear.

"Get out," she said harshly.

Melissa had expected to be thrown out, but not so soon. "Aunt Mary Anne-" she began.

"I don't know how you did this, Melissa, but I know his death is your fault!"

Melissa tensed. "I didn't kill him," she said. "I didn't do anything to him!"

"He was healthy, and now he's dead! You did this to him! I want you out of my house! Pack a bag and get out, and don't you dare come back here!"

"But I don't have anywhere else to go! You're my guardian."

"Not anymore! I'll sign away my rights and you can be the foster care system's problem! Get out!"

Melissa ran into her bedroom with tears in her eyes. With trembling hands, she started gathering her most important belongings.

"Missa-" Arnie said softly.

"I'm homeless," she cut him off. "I figured this would happen, but I don't know what to do next."

"I'll take you to Alex," Arnie said quickly. "He told me you're welcome to stay with him. I'll help you pack and we'll go to Alex's and everything will be okay."

Melissa kissed him. She was pretty sure that nothing was going to be okay, but at least kissing Arnie made her feel something other than pain.

~*~

It was mid afternoon when Jesse found Tommi standing in the middle of a field and holding a knife to her wrist. "Tommi, what the hell are you doing?" Jesse demanded in confusion. Tommi did not answer him. Jesse rushed to her side and struggled to pull the knife away from her. Tommi stabbed him in his side in response.

Jesse cried out in pain, but since he was a slayer, he was used to this sort of thing, and he still got the knife away from her fairly easily. He threw the knife across the field after determining it was not silver, and wrapped Tommi tightly in his arms.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you trying to kill yourself?" He demanded. It was only then that Jesse noticed the look in Tommi's eyes. She was tranced. "Tommi... Tommi, snap out of it," he said.

"She's mine now," Tommi said in a voice deeper than her own. "You can't save her from this, Jesse." She struggled against him and tried to get away.

"No! I won't let you hurt her," he said firmly.

"We won't hurt her. She's going to hurt herself."

"The hell she is!" Jesse looked at Tommi. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

He hit the back of Tommi's head so quickly the ones controlling her had no time to react. Tommi fell unconscious at his feet. He picked her up and carried her out of the field.

"Great plan, Jesse," he said to himself. "Now what?"

He tried to think about the situation logically. Tommi was a powerful psychic, and it would take an extremely skilled psychic to trance her, which meant he needed to find someone equally powerful to undo it. He only knew of one person that could trance people who might be powerful enough. He carried Tommi to Aideen's house.

When Aideen answered the door, she saw Jesse standing in front of her with Tommi slung over his shoulder. "What the hell happened?" She asked, letting them inside.

Jesse put Tommi down on Aideen's couch. "Someone tranced her," he said. "I don't know who did it, but I found her in a field trying to slit her wrists. I tried to break the trance, and the person started speaking through her."

"Whoever it was must be pretty strong."

"Exactly. So I knocked her out. It was the only way to keep her safe."

"You hit a girl?" Aideen asked in surprise.

"I had to. She would have killed herself." Jesse looked like he might cry.

Aideen could see in Jesse's eyes just how difficult it had been for him to hit Tommi. She hugged him. "It's okay, Jesse. You probably saved her life."

"I feel like my father," he said in disgust.

"You're nothing like your father," Aideen replied firmly.

"I hit a woman, Deenie... I'm scum."

"You had to. It's not like you routinely go around doing it, Jess. Really. This doesn't make you a monster, okay?"

He sighed, but tried to take comfort in her words. "Thanks, Deenie," he said softly.

"No problem. It's the truth. Now, let's see if I can get through to Tommi."

"If?" Jesse repeated in concern.

"Well, I'm good at trancing people, but it still depends on how she was tranced. If it was by, say, another Reaper, it will be a lot harder to break."

"You don't think someone turned her, do you?" Jesse asked in alarm.

"No, I'd sense that. She's not a vampire."

Jesse was only slightly relieved. There were still a few possibilities that weren't much better. "Is she a human servant?" He asked.

"Tommi wouldn't let someone make her a human servant," Aideen replied practically. "She'd either kill them before they had a chance to give her the fourth mark, or she'd kill herself after it happened. She's too stubborn to let herself be controlled by someone else. Besides, I'd sense that, too. She doesn't have enough marks."

"Enough marks? So, you mean she has marks?"

Aideen sniffed the air directly around Tommi. "A vampire marked her twice, a couple of months ago, if I'm reading the energy right. Chances are, she doesn't know."

"Why do you say that?"

"She was drunk. I can feel it in the marks. The vamp that bit her did it without her consent, and Tommi fought back after the first mark, which is why there are only two. Even drunk, she didn't want to be someone's servant. She doesn't remember now, but whoever marked her didn't want to risk trying to do it again." She paused, then added with pride, "She hurt him."

Jesse smirked. "I'm impressed," he admitted. "So how do we fix her?"

"Well, she's not a vampire, so I can't take her on as my own, and I already have a servant, so I can't make her that either, but I can bite her a few times, and mark her as mine."

"How many times?" Jesse asked nervously.

"Five," Aideen replied. "Two marks to override the marks she has now, and three to mark her as mine. Once someone has been marked three times by the same vampire, no other vampire can take them away, unless they turn them, and if they do turn them, they risk starting a war with the vampire that has the three marks on the person. The vamps won't cross me like that. Tommi will be mine, but she'll still have free will and she won't be anyone's human servant."

"Do it. I'm sure she'd be better off tied to you than to whichever vampire did this to her."

Aideen sank her fangs into Tommi's neck while she was still unconscious. She was careful not to draw blood on the first four marks, but the final mark needed to draw a small amount to make it stick. As her neck healed from the marks, Tommi opened her eyes. "Wha-what happened?" She asked. "Where am I?"

"You're at my house," Aideen replied gently. "Some vampire had marks on you, and he tried to make you hurt yourself. I overrode the marks, but I had to mark you as mine to protect you."

Tommi cursed. "Well, better you than him, I guess," she said. "I vaguely remember a guy giving me a couple of nasty hickies a few months ago at a party. I'm guessing that was when this happened. I don't like the idea of having vampiric marks on me, but I'm sure yours will keep me safe, right?"

"Yes," Aideen promised. "I protect my people."

"Then thank you. You probably saved my life." Tommi looked at Jesse. "And you definitely did. I know how hard it must have been for you to knock me out. Thanks, Jesse." She kissed his cheek. "I owe you one."

"For hitting you?" Jesse asked in confusion.

"For saving me, dummy," she corrected him. Then, as if nothing life-changing had happened, Tommi casually added, "I'm starving... Can we order some lunch?"

~*~

There was a full moon over Salem that night. Spencer wasn't sure why, but he suddenly felt the need to go for a walk despite the late hour. He found himself in the Ropes Mansion Garden. It was a beautiful place, although everyone knew it was very haunted. There was one area where a dark presence lurked. Spencer generally avoided that part of the garden when he visited.

He was walking peacefully through the garden when he spotted Jade standing near the fountain with her arms raised toward the sky. She was obviously performing a ritual, so he chose not to interrupt her.

Jade was smiling to herself. It was a beautiful thing to see her looking so happy. He had to wonder what had made her smile. As the moon illuminated her, it looked like her very body was made of magick.

She's stunning, he thought. Everything about her is absolutely beautiful, right down to her soul.

After a while, still glowing with moonlight, Jade looked toward him. "You don't have to hide, Spencer," she said. "I'm finished now."

"You knew I was here?" He asked as he moved closer to her.

"I caught a few of your thoughts," she replied.

He blushed slightly, wondering if she'd heard him thinking about how beautiful she was. Her facial expression gave nothing away.

"I didn't want to disturb you," he said softly.

"I was drawing down the moon," she explained. 

"Did the Goddess speak through you?" He asked curiously. Although the ritual was usually performed by a coven, solitary witches sometimes practiced it as well. Only advanced witches could perform it properly, but Spencer knew how powerful Jade was.

"She did," Jade replied mysteriously. "She had a lot to say."

"This was an interesting location choice." He knew better than to ask for details. Whatever had happened during the ritual was between Jade and whichever Moon Goddess she'd connected to.

"I was going to go to Gallows Hill Park, but I felt drawn to come here tonight instead. I know it was risky. It's a tourist attraction, after all, but I figured it's the off season now that Halloween is over, and the walking tours won't be coming through."

"The garden feels full of activity tonight," Spencer observed. "I wonder if the spirits drew you here."

Jade nodded thoughtfully. "They're certainly active. It's like they sense something is going to happen here tonight, too."

"Do you think we should leave before it does?"

She hesitated. "I don't want to go yet," she replied. "I understand if you feel like leaving, but I think the spirits want me to stay. I know it's strange, but I feel like I'm supposed to protect them." She laughed softly, more to herself than anything. "Most people would probably think it's strange that I want to protect spirits."

"I'm not most people," Spencer replied, "and this is Salem, Jade. That doesn't even begin to approach weird around here. I'm happy to stay with you for a bit."

She offered him a slight smile. "Thanks, Spencer," she replied.

"Do you want to sit down?" He asked, motioning toward a bench.

"That would be rude," Jade replied with a smirk. "Someone's already sitting there."

Spencer looked closer and saw the shadow of a man wearing a top hat sitting on the bench. "I've heard about him," he said softly. "He haunts the bench and shows up in pictures of couples sitting there, standing over them. They say he's a malevolent spirit."

"He can be, but I think he's just misunderstood," Jade replied thoughtfully. "He started off as an ordinary lost soul, and I think he haunts the bench to connect to the living. He misses being amongst us. Unfortunately, too many people have described him as an evil spirit, and in a way, that's what he became. The thoughts and energy of the living can affect the dead."

"Let's help him then."

"He's not ready to move on. This mansion and this garden meant something to him. He sits on the bench because he's waiting for someone. I don't think she'll ever return, but he won't leave. I tried talking to him when I first got here tonight."

"Did he answer?"

"He wouldn't say much, but I got a pretty strong sense of his intentions. He won't harm us, Spencer. He likes me."

"He shouldn't be stuck here. It's no good for him."

"I know, but we can't force him to leave. He's a part of this place. His essence is too tied to the land for him to move on properly. If he leaves, it has to be his choice, or we'll do more harm than good."

Spencer paused. "Do you smell that?" He asked suddenly.

Jade frowned. "It's smoke," she replied.

They turned toward the Ropes Mansion. Smoke was coming from an upstairs bedroom. "Oh no," Spencer mumbled. "Not again."

"Again?" Jade asked.

"The mansion has a tendency to catch on fire," Spencer explained. "A lot of people think it's Abigail Ropes, the daughter of the owner. Depending on which historical documents you read, Abigail either burned to death after her dress caught on fire or died from an illness she developed after her dress caught fire. Either way, the fire was the ultimate cause of her death, and a lot of small fires have started in the house over the years with no explanation except that her spirit may have caused them. They called her Nabby. People say you can hear Nabby's screams at night, and some people have seen her apparition."

"That poor girl..." Jade mumbled. "We need to put the fire out, Spencer."

He nodded. The Ropes Mansion was a historical landmark. They couldn't just let it burn down. "Come on," he said, taking Jade's hand and guiding her toward the house.

They quickly headed inside. It didn't take long to find the room because they heard an agonized scream coming from its direction. Together, they entered the room. The full-bodied apparition of Abigail Ropes lay on the bed screaming and sobbing in pain as flames licked at the wall by the window.

"This would be easier if Aideen was here," Jade said with a sigh.

"You're still radiating with the moon's energy," Spencer said. "We can put the fire out ourselves."

Jade nodded. "Let's calm her down first. I can't focus with her screaming."

Spencer approached the bed. "Miss Abigail," he said soothingly, "please calm down. The pain you're feeling is over now. That fire happened a very long time ago."

Abigail didn't seem to understand his words. Her screams continued. Jade knelt beside the bed.

"Nabby," she said gently. Abigail was still screaming, but she looked at Jade with interest. "Nabby, you're safe now," Jade explained as she took Abigail's hand in her own. "Fire can't hurt you anymore."

Abigail stopped screaming as Jade continued to hold her hand. "I can't feel it," Abigail whispered.

"I know. The fire that hurt you happened a long time ago. You're safe now, but the house isn't. Will you let us put the fire out?" Jade asked.

Abigail nodded slowly. "Please," she said softly. "This is my home."

Jade squeezed Abigail's hand gently before releasing it. She stood up and took Spencer's hand. Together, they turned toward the flames. They pointed their free hands at the flames while still clinging to each other.

Magick radiated from both of them as they focused. It wrapped around the flames, making them grow stronger for a second before snuffing them out. As the last of the smoke disappeared, so did Abigail.

After a moment, Jade looked at Spencer and smiled. "Well," she said, "that was certainly eventful for an unplanned date. You sure know how to show a girl a good time, Spencer Connelly."

He laughed and pulled her into a hug for a moment before they both began making their way out of the house. Despite the fact that she'd released all of the moon's energy to put out the fire, Jade still looked like a Goddess to Spencer.

"I love you, Jade," he said softly.

She kissed him quickly in response before saying, "I love you, too."

~*~

Cierra was starting to relax into a routine. She liked spending time with her father. He was kind to her, and they shared a lot in common. They'd discussed literature, philosophy, and life for hours on end. She never got tired of talking to him.

"Cierra, I want to show you something," Henry said suddenly as she gazed out of the window at the full moon.

"What is it, Dad?" Cierra asked curiously, turning her head to face him.

Henry pulled out a large wooden binder. Cierra could feel the magick on it. "Is that a Book of Shadows, Dad?" She asked in surprise.

"Yes," Henry replied. "I'm glad you know your magickal terminology, honey. This book is part of your legacy."

"What do you mean?" Cierra asked.

"Cierra, you come from a long line of magickal practitioners."

"I do?" This was the last thing that Cierra had expected to hear. She could do basic spells, but her skill levels were minimal in that area. Most of her experience was in theory rather than practice.

"Yes, and when I felt you searching through my file, I recognized your energy immediately and knew that I had to meet you... Learning I had a daughter I'd never known about out there came as a surprise, but I'm sure you can imagine how excited I was!"

"Wait, what are you saying, Dad?" Cierra asked as she took in his words.

"You wondered why the spell didn't touch you, right? You questioned why it only hit Aideen when you were both going through the files? It's because I recognized your energy, honey, and I kept you safe from the spell's attack."

"You cast the spell on Aideen?" Cierra asked in horror.

"Yes, but only because she couldn't be allowed to see my file. You were meant to find me, Cierra. It was destined. That's why you had the file."

"That was a warlock file..." She shook her head as the truth sank in.

"Yes, Cierra. I'm a warlock," Henry replied patiently.

"But... I..." Cierra was at a loss for words.

My father is a warlock? She thought. How is that possible? How is this strong, handsome, perfect man one of the bad guys? He is my father. I'm so much like him. How can he be evil when I exist to destroy evil?

"I know this is a shock, honey," Henry said gently.

"You can't be... I mean... That would mean that..." Cierra rambled.

"That you're a warlock, too? Yes, Cierra, you are. It's nothing to be ashamed of. You come from one of the strongest warlock lines in the world. You should be proud of your heritage, honey. You could be so powerful, with just a little bit of guidance."

Everything was spinning. Cierra's entire universe felt as if it was caught inside of a tornado, and she wasn't quite sure where it was going to land.

Henry wrapped Cierra in a tight hug and said, "Cierra, this isn't a bad thing. It's your destiny, honey. It's in your blood. Claim your rightful place in this family."

"How are you still alive, Dad?" Cierra asked cautiously. "Johnny said the warlock who cast that spell was dead and buried."

"A Reaper granted me a second chance at life for a lot of money," Henry replied.

"Just money?" She asked in slight relief. "You didn't have to kill anyone, right?"

"No, no, sweetheart! It really was just money. Nothing evil brought me back, Cierra, unless you count greed."

Cierra was shaking violently. Henry released her and opened the Book of Shadows to the first page. On it were the signatures of every member of the Williams family going back to 1472.

Cierra stared at the book which held her heritage. She put her hand on it, running her fingers over some of the signatures. She had never felt such a powerful connection to herself or her family before.

"Sign it, Cierra," Henry said. "Sign our family's Book of Shadows. Sign it and take your rightful place in this family."

Cierra gasped as Henry placed a quill in her hand. It radiated with magick. The quill had been dipped in black ink. Suddenly, Cierra wanted more than anything to know more about her family. This was where she belonged. Henry was right... This was in her blood. She pressed the quill onto the page and didn't hesitate before she signed her name.