Family Magic, Chloe Price [christmas read aloud .txt] 📗

Council to be judged for your crimes. Have you anything to say?”

Batsheva stopped wailing. She stared at my mother with such pure hatred I had to force myself to keep from putting my body between them.

“Only that I will have my revenge on you,” she snarled at my mother, “and your family. There is far more to this than you know, fool. I am not the only one who you must fear. Do you really think I acted alone in this? You have overstepped yourself, and you will be punished for it.”

We all frowned. What was she talking about? My mother showed nothing.

“I pity you, Batsheva,” she said, and meant it.

She couldn’t have hurt the other witch more if she kicked her in the face. Batsheva’s whole body shuddered with fury, wanting to lash out but unable.

“I will have your power for my own, Miriam Hayle,” she howled, madness taking her. “And when you fall, I will dance on your shallow grave!”

It was only then I saw she was bleeding. She cut her hand with a sharp rock. Using her own life force as an energy source in the charged circle of the site, she threw herself completely into the darkness of her evil. A dull, shuddering portal oozed to life next to her. My whole being flinched from the rank stench blowing outward as it surged to life. Batsheva, her free hand already gripping Dominic, leapt for the hole and vanished, taking her groveling husband with her.

No one moved as the wash of her spell imploded and dissipated, unable to hold shape in the presence of so much positive magic.

“Mom,” I hissed. “We can’t let them get away!”

“They won’t,” she whispered. “Not for long. They will be hunted down by the Enforcers and destroyed.” Mom drew me to her for a quick hug. Despite her feelings of regret, I was more than happy they were going to be someone else’s problem from now on.

Besides, there were other questions needing answers.

“What was she talking about?” I asked her. “Who is after you? Are we in more trouble?”

My calm and peaceful mother refused to answer. I clenched my teeth but held my tongue. I’d get it out of her sooner or later. Preferably sooner. I was willing to offer her a grace period, considering.

It was a beautiful morning.

“Come,” Mom said as the sun cleared the horizon and lit the site, “we have work to do. Samhain is here. Today we say goodbye to summer.”

The witches broke up into small groups. They went about their appointed tasks, radiating joy and peace, to clean and reset the site for the real ceremony. Despite everything that happened, they felt whole again. Just like that. Could everything possibly go back to normal? Really?

I was shocked by the very thought, but not so much by the effortless re-fusion of the magic and the coven as much as my mother’s intentions.

“You can’t be serious,” I said. “Mom, don’t you think we’ve all had about enough magic for one day?”

She glowed with happiness. It lit her eyes, her whole being. I knew I could only ever dream of being as beautiful as my mother, her jet black hair on fire from behind by the rising sun, tall, slender body strong and confident, stunning face creasing with warmth and love.

“Oh, Syd,” she laughed at me, “There’s no such thing as too much magic.”

For once I decided to agree with her. Chapter Thirty Nine

It’s funny how happy endings can leave you feeling empty.

I know I should have been overjoyed at the prospect of surviving the whole nasty mess, but it was hard when there was still so much I struggled with.

Like my new friends, for example. I was grateful none of what happened spilled out into the normal world so that we weren’t forced to move again. I finally had some friends and I was finding I enjoyed that very much. But, the fear lay around the next corner, at the next crisis. I knew we could be forced to run and I would lose them all. I really wanted to commit to them but I held myself back and I know they felt it.

Still, I was grateful to Alison for keeping it together and giving me a safe place to go and be ordinary. All of the bullying died off. I was starting to enjoy school for the first time in my life. Imagine that.

Then there was the Brad problem. He wanted to date me, but I resisted. How could I possibly take advantage of him knowing the only reason he wanted to be with me was a latent talent he didn’t even know he had? No way, not going down that dark and dismal road. If only there was a way get rid of him gently. But no matter how many times I said no, he kept asking. I knew if he asked enough, I’d weaken. The whole ‘just want to be friends’ thing had already worn thin. I wanted him to kiss me again.

I didn’t even want to consider the Quaid issue. Now that he was a permanent member of the coven, he was around all the time. Despite the fact I was attracted to him and knew he was to me, I was not going there, either. Every time I was around him, the demon wanted to touch him and feel his energy. I did my very best to keep her out, so any contact with him was horribly counterproductive.

There was still the issue of Batsheva’s parting remarks to work through. Mom ignored all of my attempts to grill her on what it meant and whether I should take it seriously. She still had frustrating down to a science.

And yes, despite the agreement I made with my mother, I still resisted her attempts to make me learn magic. She was so distracted by her new-won powers she wasn’t pushing the issue, so I had some breathing room. But, I knew as soon as she had those under control, she'd be all over me like a warm blanket.

I wasn’t cold.

Quite the opposite. Fighting tooth and nail against a demon that wants out of her cage can do that to you. Besides, I wasn’t sure what Mom would do when she found out my demon was almost stronger than me and getting more powerful by the day. I was almost ready to volunteer to be locked up but too stubborn to give in.

If only the battle I waged wasn’t one I knew I’d eventually lose.

How much does that suck?

Imprint

Text: Chloe Price
Publication Date: 06-01-2016

All Rights Reserved