The Witching Hour

Chapter 2

The fires dotting the field paled in comparison to the full harvest moon rising in the night clear sky. The Four Thread Coven members were scatted about drinking, dancing, and eating. Just as in the last three hundred years before, when the four families founded the coven. Landry, Ortega, Martin, and of course Wildes. The energy pulsated through the air and grew stronger as the night wore on.

From my place underneath one of the many weeping willows along the creek. I spotted Cyrus, my brother, through the swaying branches. His collar-length auburn hair, darker than my own shade of copper, glistened in the firelight. I knew without a doubt he was coming to me, to our spot. We hid here as children in an effort to escape the 'games'. Which were nothing more than showing off the potential one's offspring possessed. Our father Drake had shown immense power just like our granddad before him, and his mother before that. Which lead to them joining the Gathering and all the prestige that brought the coven.

"Now how did I know you would be here?" Cyrus smirked as he playfully smacked the branches out of his way. His smirk faded as he took a slight step back. "Whoa, Andria you're giving off some serious vibes." He rubbed at the space between his brows, "It's like being next to an angry Granddad. Instant headache."

"I know, I'm giving myself one." I groaned, burrowing my face into my hands.

The last thing I wanted was to be seen like this. All the judgment, everyone clamoring for a piece of me. Jealousy can be dangerous in the hands of a castor. My eyes searched through the crowd until I spotted the distant form of my grandparents. Granddad had his head turned in our direction. Oh great. Nosey old man.

He and Gran are more attuned with mine and Cyrus's magic than our own father. Probably because they were our teachers, after our mother's death, I wouldn't put it past him to be lending me his strength in order to fuel my seer ability. All my worry over that vision had piqued his interest. If there was a threat he wanted to know about it.

"Uncomfortable isn't it?" Cyrus asked leaning taking a seat next to me on the ground, leaning against the tree trunk. "The magic feels like yours, but different at the same time. Wrong and itchy. The adrenaline from the boost is..." He trailed off shaking his head.

"Yeah," I nodded, my heart was pounding a drum solo against my ribs. "When did Granddad do that to you?"

"It was Dad actually, we– we tried to combine our strength to perform a rather difficult spell."

I slowly blinked trying to rack my brain on why they would have needed to and also why hadn't I heard about it. To lend power and to combine are very different things. To combine means funneling onces whole self into another. Also requires blood. Which toes the line of dark casting. Just as I opened my mouth in order to further question him. Cyrus rose to his feet as Gran came marching into our not-so-hidden spot.

"You two really need some creativity." She admonished with a small tilt of her lips. "You may cut out now if you wish. Your Granddad and I are leaving, it turns out the Gathering needs him after all. What a surprise," She turned on her heel with a full smirk.

Cyrus and I shared a look of equal confusion, although neither of us spoke a word, we simply fell into step beside our Grandmother. I kept my eyes forward, my aurora had attracted many eyes, sparkling like a vampire the way I am. Once we reached Granddad on the outskirt of the clearing, I stuck my hand in the pocket of my light jacket and fisted the small stone from the front garden bed. It was second nature to grab onto the Cryus. I felt the burn in my chest travel into my fisted hand. The fall through space was nauseating as always. The millisecond feels more like a lifetime until our feet made contact with the grass in front of our Grandparent's home.

Cyrus snatched away from me, roughly rubbing his arm. "You don't have to use so much force when using intervallum. Every time I go with you, you shock the hell out of me."

"Sorry," I couldn't help but snort a slight laugh. It was true I struggled to control the steady amount of energy needed even when using an object for my destination as a guide. Everyone else in my family could simply go from one place to another with ease, without the need for such things. "I electrocute myself too if it makes you feel better."

"It doesn't. It only takes the smallest amount of power in steady increments." Cyrus said echoing my father's words from childhood.

"I'm well aware," I mumbled closing my eyes as nausea from the trip began to fade. However that energy surging through my veins stayed. The burn from earlier had regressed to tingling in my fingers.

Meanwhile in Volterra, Italy

"Ah," Aro smiled at the sight before him. "It has been far too long, old friend." The blonde sighed with resigned eyes holding out his hand. The ancient paused with pursed lips, "I see time has taken a toll on once good manners."

"Not time, old friend. I fear the summons and escort of my family and myself from our home hasn't put me in the best of spirits."

Aro nodded and with a small gesture dismissed the guards from his private study. "That I can understand. However, do not be dismissive of the kindness I have thus extended you. Do you think all wrongdoers have a private audience with only myself to judge?" The man's hand fell slowly back to his side, as it was clear Aro had no intention of taking it at present. "I must say Carlisle you are the very last person I would expect to break the laws."

"Aro, no la–"

"Do not take me for a fool." The ancient spoke softly much to Carlisle's dismay. He knew Aro was at his most dangerous when genial. "Now let there be truth between us, friend." Aro sat aside the tome from his lap and rose from his seat behind the aged wooden desk. "You attempted to say that no laws have been broken. Did you not support young Edward in his questionable decision to carry on with a human?" Aro held up a finger when spotting the slight shift in the other vampire's expression. "Ah, yes. I see I only needed to prompt your memory. After all, it has been some years, has it not?"

Carlisle shifted from one foot to another, mulling over how best to respond. Also rapidly running down a very short list of people who could have relayed the well-kept secret.

Aro continued on when the other man kept his guilty silence. "Why would you leave the girl alive?"

"I couldn't very well kill my son's mate."

Aro shook his head, with an utter look of distaste. "All the more reason to turn her." He breathed a deep sigh when once again no answer was forthcoming. Decidedly done with his once friend for the time being, Aro walked over to the younger vampire and held out a waiting hand.

Andria 

I peeked one eye open after a still moment when nothing but the wind against the window greeted me. My old room was as it had been only minutes before. The moonlight streamed in through the windows, a few candles were lit, and sunflower seeds are thrown into a gold bowl as an offering. Well, I guess I really should have thought this through before calling on the Goddess Theia. I suppose my recklessly thrown-together idea needs improvement. Part of me wanted to call Gran and ask what I had so obviously done wrong. However, the embarrassment of having failed my first calling strayed my hand. I slapped my hands against my crossed legs and rose from my seated position. Too keyed up to sleep I decided to try a hot shower.

I threw in a Eucalyptus steamer in an effort to relax, my skin was still emitting a glow from the power. I tried to ignore my pulse thrumming in my ears as I went about washing my hair. When I felt a draft as if the shower curtain had come open. I peeked one eye open, worried about the dripping suds from my hair. Only for my breath to catch in my throat, I froze my still scrubbing hands.

There in the tub with me was a petite dark skinned woman with hair the color of spun gold. Her eyes were the near exact shade of her hair, only seemingly lit from a fire within.

"Most choose to call me during high noon, not at witching hour. I am after all the goddess of light and vision."