Some of them Witches

Chapter 13

Lily's yawn was extravagant. "What was so important you had to wake me up in the middle of the night?"

They were in the sculpture garden, as per Marianne's text.

"11:30 is hardly the middle of the night. Plus, this was your idea," said Marianne.

"My--" she tilted her head back to take in the sky. "Holy shit."

"Full moon," she grinned, as though she had some hand in its appearance.

"Super creepy venue, check. Can we make a fire? Do you think my mom will hear us?"

"We're not doing it here. There's a road if you walk back this way. I parked the truck out there earlier."

Lily gave her a playful soft punch to the arm. "Look at you, sneaking out past my mom."

"Did you want to call and ask her for permission?" Marianne asked sarcastically. "Last chance."

Lily's bottom lip stuck out in the slightest as she shined her phone flashlight in the direction of the truck, only illuminating trees. "Where are we going?"

"It takes more than two to dance with the devil."

They pulled up to a shell of a house. There was plywood over the door and windows. A few cars lined the street but the row of houses looked in similar disrepair to the one they were parked in front of. The faint hint of a glow came from behind the house.

Marianne parked the car a little way up the street. "Ready?"

Lily gathered her hair over one shoulder and ran her fingers through it aggressively. "I wish you'd let me change into something else."

The girl was wearing a baggy black long-sleeved onesie she wore around the house all the time. It had a glow in the dark skeleton with a big pink heart in the ribcage printed on it.

And risk you waking your mom? No way. While Marianne was completely certain Lily would have preferred to be seen in her usual uniform of ripped black jeans or shorts and a matching black band top, her current look would probably play nicely to this crowd. "Don't worry, we're heading into a judgment-free zone."

"How many people are here, do you think?"

"It's almost time. Let's find out."

Marianne walked toward the house, Lily trailing a little behind. Rather than knock on the wooden planks that covered the entrance, she made her way around to the back of the house.

If it was intended to be a yard, it only ever became a dirt patch. There was a small fire with a dozen or so women ranging from teens to 30-somethings chatting in groups or stretching around it. A couple were wearing white linen nightgowns but the rest were dressed casually or in pajamas.

"St. Jane!" She was leaning against the wall looking toward the fire and turned toward the sound of her name. Jane was wearing a dark blue kimono-style robe that was embroidered with silver thread in a celestial pattern.

"Marianne! And you brought Lily. Does your coven know you're sneaking around with me?" She and Lily exchanged greetings.

"The last two remaining members took a vote to go dancing," said Marianne. "It was unanimous."

"Still no word?" The concern on Jane's face made Marianne's stomach clench. She managed to shake her head. Jane placed a hand on Marianne's shoulder. "Maybe this will help."

"What is this exactly?" asked Lily.

Jane answered her question with another. "Are you familiar with a little coven called Descendants of Eve?"