Witch Hunt

Chapter Three

Teddy Grey never understood the point of keeping important secrets from your children. He had shared this thought with his father, Aven, ever since his mother had died. Aven told his son that once he turned ten years old he would never keep another secret from him again.

Now, Teddy was thirteen and he wished sometimes his father wouldn't tell him things. Aven explained to his son the awful things he would do to get what he needed for their team of six (sometimes seven) witches. Aven was the leader, simply because he was the oldest. Teddy thought his father was a good leader, he just didn't understand why Aven saw it necessary to use all of the extreme violence on his victims.

"Sometimes, it's better to be feared by most, Teddy," Aven said and dropped a hand on his son's shoulder.

Teddy nodded and looked up at Aven. Aven was so much taller than he was. Teddy was short and skinny where Aven was tall and muscular. It annoyed Teddy. He wanted to be tall like his dad so he didn't seem like the weak kid he felt like.

"But not everyone fears you," Teddy said. Aven leaned down to his sons eye level. They had matching blue eyes, but that was the only noticeable trait they had in common. Aven was pale with brown hair while Teddy had dark skin and dark hair like his mother.

"But they do," Aven said. "In some way or fashion I scare everyone."

"I'm not scared of you," Teddy said shoving his father's strong shoulders trying to get him to lose his balance.

Aven looked hurt. "Are you sure?" he asked his son.

"Yeah," Teddy said triumphantly, crossing his arms. Aven lowered his eyes at his son and Teddy glared at him. Suddenly felt himself being lifted off the ground and thrown over his father's shoulder.

"Hey!" Teddy complained with a laugh. "Put me down!" He felt his father flip him backwards and catch him by his feet almost dropping him on his head.

"Stop!" Teddy said laughing.

Aven was grinning when he said, "Are you sure you're not scared of me?" Swinging his son side to side.

"Ha, no," Teddy said stubbornly.

"Oh that's a shame." Aven almost dropped Teddy on the ground but caught him last second. Teddy was still laughing when the door of his father's office flew open. It was Rosalie Augustus. She was out of breath.

"Fin and Sylvan caught trespassers," she told Aven. Aven gently set Teddy on his feet and gestured for his son to follow.

Teddy scampered behind his father and his friend to the basement where they kept prisoners.

***

Vanna Jane was not having a good day.

She and Salem had apparently wondered into some big time witch gang's territory. Now, they had somehow become immobile without even having to be tied up in a basement somewhere.

There were two young looking men and a teenage girl staring them down. The tallest of the three, a tall, blonde haired man of about twenty took a step forward.

"You two aren't from around here are you?" he asked Salem and Vanna. They had both realized a while ago that they no longer possessed the ability to speak or move. The guy was doing this to tease. "I mean, it's obvious. Everyone from this part of town knows to stay away from us," the man continued.

The other guy looked younger than the one speaking. He was also blonde but in a different way. His hair was basically white. He was wearing black pants and a dark trench coat like the other man. Vanna felt for some reason that he was the one responsible for her and Salem's sudden loss of speech and movement.