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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 1, 2015 20:55:59 GMT -5
The following afternoon Ryan headed towards Rea’s hotel. He hadn’t called her but was hoping that he could catch her before she headed out for the day. All night he had tossed and turned as he fought to banish the image of her from his mind.
To his delight she was curled up in the same chair with a newspaper in her hands. “Good afternoon, Rea.”
The witch held up a finger indicating him to wait as she poured over an article. Once she finished she looked up and raised an eyebrow. “Were we doing something today?”
Ryan shook his head. “No, I just thought I’d stop by.”
Rea made a sound and turned back to the newspaper with a frown. “Have you read the paper?” Ryan shook his head. “There was a very suspicious death in Dublin last night.”
“Really? That’s awful.”
The witch perched on the arm of Ryan’s chair to show him the article. “The police are dumbfounded. It appears that the woman died of smoke inhalation but there was no sign of a fire in her home nor was there any lingering smell of smoke.”
“That’s bizarre.” Ryan skimmed the article and wondered why Rea was so focused on this woman’s death. “Why is this bothering you so much?”
Rea glanced around to make sure that they were alone. “Because I think someone used magic to kill her.”
“Really? How?”
“It’s simple air magic, well...it’s black magic but it’s still not very difficult.”
Ryan watched Rea as she spoke and knew that there was more that she wasn’t telling him. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her to sit next to him in the overstuffed chair. She didn’t protest at the movement and the vampire knew that something about this murder was affecting her deeply.
“What else? What aren’t you telling me?”
Rea let out a sigh and folded up the newspaper before tossing it on a side table. “I think she was a witch.”
“Did you know her?”
The woman shook her head. “I recognize the last name though. It could be a coincidence but if I’m right then she was part of a powerful coven that has been in Dublin for centuries.” Ryan rubbed slow circles on her back as she sorted through her thoughts. “There’s a dark witch or wizard using their power to kill other practitioners. That’s just so...wrong.” She let her head fall into her hands, allowing the fall of her hair to obscure her face.
Ryan was right, this case was getting to her but not because it was a witch who was murdered but because she had seen exactly the same thing in New Orleans. There had been a mysterious string of murders around the city but Rea hadn’t paid them any mind. That was until a member of her own coven was found dead in her apartment. The police claimed that it was smoke inhalation but there was no evidence of a fire.
The woman’s murder was what spurred Rea’s decision to go on vacation. She felt like her city, her home, had been violated and she needed to put some distance between it and herself. It looked like she hadn’t traveled far enough. Whoever or whatever was causing these murders had apparently followed her to the Emerald Isle. Why? Why would someone attack her coven? Why would they follow her to Ireland? What did she do wrong? Who did she hurt? Rea had made many enemies over the years and she wracked her brain trying to think of who the killer could be.
Her thoughts began to race and she clenched her fists together in an attempt to control her emotions. Ryan could see that she was slipping and glanced around nervously as the lights began to flicker and the television in the lobby suddenly turned to static.
“Rea, you have to calm down.” He could see the witch fight for control but it was a losing battle. Several lightbulbs within their fixtures exploded with a soft ‘pop’ and Ryan made a split section decision. “I’m sorry,” he whispered before gently placing his hand on her bare arm. As gently as possible he began to siphon off her excess emotions and the feeling nearly made him fall over. Never had he experienced such a mix of pain and confusion and anger and helplessness all blended with a dozen other emotions that nearly made him sick.
He kept up with the slow withdrawal until Rea was calm and the chaos surrounding her had settled. The witch slumped against him weakly and he tightened his arm around her to hold her steady.
“I should kill you for that,” Rea mumbled.
“I didn’t know what else to do, I...” Ryan started but the woman stopped him.
“’S okay,” slowly she sat up and blinked open heavy eyes. “It’s been a long time since I lost control like that.”
“Are you alright?”
Rea sighed. “Not really.”
Ryan paused then stood and gently pulled Rea to her feet. She stumbled slightly but his hands were steady on her hips. “Come on, I want to show you something.”
Carefully Ryan led Rea to his car and her eyes were closed the moment she sat down. “How much did you take? I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.”
Ryan glanced over as they drove out of the city. “Not much but you were very upset and the emotions were strong, it’s no surprise that you’re drained.” He squeezed her knee gently. “Get some rest, I’ll wake you when we get there.”
Rea woke as she felt the car come to a stop. She was feeling much better after her nap but her mind was still a jumbled mess. No matter how hard she tried she couldn’t center herself.
“Where are we?”
“You’ll see.”
Ryan led her through a dense group of trees towards a slight rise. When they finally emerged from the treeline Rea gasped. In front of her was a perfect circle of massive stones, nearly twice her height, ringing the clearing.
“What is this place?”
“It’s called the Home of the Elders. Legend says that during the conversion period a group of elder druids came here and prayed to their gods that they should not be forced to convert to another’s belief. There was a flash of lightening and these stones appeared where the elders once stood. The gods turned them to stone so they could forever be as they were.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“I thought you could use some relaxation after this morning.”
Rea turned and gave Ryan the first genuine smile she’d shared during her stay. “Thank you.”
“I’ll be over here if you need me.”
Rea nodded and stepped into the circle, immediately feeling the power envelope her. Circles were powerful and were often used by practitioners. They were perfect for keeping things summoned in, or out for that matter. They were also used to gather energy whether it was for a spell or just for personal rejuvenation.
Taking her time, Rea walked around the circle and touched each sun-warmed stone. Each once carried a separate resonance and energy and the power they possessed was incredible. By the time she finished her circuit of the circle her fingertips practically sparked with energy. With a smile she held out her right hand and whispered, "fluer de vida", laughing when the clearing suddenly exploded with color as dozens of wildflowers sprang to life.
Moving to sit in the center of the circle among the flowers Rea let out a breath and closed her eyes, finally feeling the calm that she had been searching for wash over her.
The sun was low in the sky when she opened her eyes once more. To her surprise there was a wreath of flowers in her hands, she must have braided it during her meditation. She bowed her head and whispered a word of thanks before standing and making her way out of the circle feeling the snap of power as the circle closed behind her.
She met Ryan where he was lounging in the fading sunlight. “I didn’t realize I would be so long, you should have come to me.”
The vampire stood and gave her an easy grin. “You looked so peaceful that I hated to disturb you. I must say, that trick with the flowers was pretty impressive.” He took the wreath of flowers and gently placed it on her head. After tucking a stray wisp of hair behind her ear he smiled. “Beautiful.”
Rea turned to look back at the circle of stones, watching the flowers bob in the slight breeze. “Just a bit of earth magic, that’s all.”
Ryan could smell the sunshine on her skin and the flowers in her hair and it took everything he possessed not to pull her into his arms right then and there. She had looked to lost earlier and now she was practically glowing with power and happiness and joy. It was an image that could prove dangerous.
Rea smiled and tucked a flower into the pocket of his shirt. She could see the emotions flash through his eyes and desperately tried to change the subject as they headed back towards the car. “I meant to ask you earlier, why are you dressed up? I didn’t think you had to go into work until tomorrow.”
“I had mass this morning and went straight to the hotel from the church.”
The witch stopped walking to stare at her companion. “Ryan Kelly, you make my head hurt.”
“How so?”
“First of all, you are nothing like most of the members of the White Court that I’ve encountered. You have absolutely no qualms about spending time with a witch and to top it off you are freaking Catholic!”
“Is that a bad thing?”
Rea shook her head and met Ryan’s eyes over the hood of the car. “I guess not, I just don’t like being confused.”
Ryan grinned and started the engine. “What if I try and ease your confusion over dinner?”
The woman paused then shrugged. “After everything that you’ve done for me today I can’t exactly say no, can I?”
“Nope.”
“I believe that’s called cheating.”
“A win is a win in my opinion.”
“Just shut up and drive.”
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Post by barbt on Apr 2, 2015 18:07:44 GMT -5
YES! Vampire or no, he's still our sweet Ryan. And Rea's finally getting that.
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 7, 2015 14:01:22 GMT -5
“This is not what I had in mind when I said I would go to dinner with you.”
Ryan chuckled and held open the front door to his home. “You said somewhere private where we could talk.”
“Again with the cheating.”
“Come on in, Rea. You have my word that it’s safe.” This made Rea pause. If any supernatural being gave their word it was set in stone. Bad things, very bad things, happened to those who broke their word
The witch gave him a look before stepping into the comfortable home. Unlike many vampires that liked to show off their wealth and power by purchasing massive mansions, Ryan’s home was relatively normal. It was a little large but nothing extravagant and it felt lived in.
Ryan took Rea’s coat and admired the way that the black dress clung to her curves. “Would you like a tour?” The witch nodded and tucked her arm into his as he led them around the home.
The vampire’s home was warm, filled with knickknacks from his travels around the world. His love of music was clearly evident as well as his love of sports. Rea made a face when she saw a signed Broncos football. “You like the Broncos?” Ryan nodded and the witch shook her head. “Come to New Orleans and watch a real team play.”
Eventually Ryan led them to the dining room which was dark. “Would you like to do the honors?”
Rea rolled her eyes and whispered, “ignus”, with a lazy movement of her hand. At her command dozens of candles sprang to life and cast a warm glow around the room.
“Why are you so interested in watching me do magic?”
Ryan poured the wine and paused. “I find it fascinating.”
“Why? You use magic.”
Ryan didn’t answer until he had returned from the kitchen, arms leaden with dishes. “My magic is different. I’m always taking, using magic to feed the monster that lives inside of me. You can use magic to give, to bring life.”
Rea was surprised, she’d never heard a vampire speak so candidly. “I can also use it to take, to destroy.”
The vampire nodded. “I know but at least you have a choice. You have the choice to use your magic for good or for evil, to give life or to take it. I will never have that choice. I know this is my lot in life, I know this is the path I was chosen to walk but sometimes I can’t help but wish it was different.”
Rea’s jaw nearly hit the floor and her stomach twisted into confusing knots as Ryan spoke. She could hear the pain and the longing in his voice and it made her heart ache. “You’d be surprised how difficult it is to constantly choose the right path.”
Her words made Ryan look up. “You’re a white witch, there is only one path.”
The witch snorted. “Do you think all dark practitioners start off that way? Some of the darkest mages I’ve ever encountered started off with white magic.” She took a sip of her wine as she attempted to sort her thoughts. “There is always the temptation, the urge to use black magic. When I’m exhausted or when I’ve nearly used up all of my magic that little voice calls out to me. I know there are stores of untapped power within me, I just need to reach out and take it.”
“Why don’t you?”
“Because black magic changes you. At first there is a rush, a high that you get from all of this seemingly unending power but you become addicted to that rush and will do anything to get that feeling once more. It’s like a drug but worse. You can’t just go up to some dealer and buy power, you have to make sacrifices. The more powerful the sacrifice the more intense the rush. It’s a never ending cycle that destroys you and those all around you.”
Ryan watched as Rea picked at her food. Obviously he’d struck a nerve with her once more and he wished that she would just confide in him. He knew that there were secrets behind those violet eyes but he wasn’t sure how to access them without hurting Rea.
The two finished their meal in silence. Once the dishes were cleared they headed into the spacious den, wineglasses in hand.
“Can I ask you something?” It had been quiet for so long that Ryan’s question made Rea jump.
“Sure.”
The vampire paused then rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Never mind.”
“Spit it out.”
“Well...this is going to sound stupid but could I see your magic?”
Rea lifted an eyebrow. “You’ve seen me do magic before.”
“I know but something besides blowing up cell phones or lighting candles.”
The woman paused then nodded. “Alright.”
She led them to stand in the center of the room. Holding out her left hand she drew in energy and the lights dimmed as she absorbed some of the candles’ power. She flattened out her right palm and whispered, “lumiere”, while pouring a tiny bit of her will into the word. Slowly a ball of warm light began to form. With another whisper she sent the ball gently floating into the room. She snapped her fingers and another ball formed and another until the room was illuminated by the small spheres.
The small orbs dashed this way and that, bouncing off of the walls, ricocheting off of picture frames, twisting their way around both Rea and Ryan. They moved seemingly without reason but at the same time there was a silent rhythm that they followed.
Rea watched with pride as Ryan’s face lit up with joy when the lights slowly began to change colors, each one moving with its own unique pattern until the room was painted with a kaleidoscope of colors.
“Hold out your hands.” Ryan did as he was told and watched as each ball of light began to land on his upturned palms, melting into each other until they were the size of a basketball. He could feel the slight warmth of the orb and felt the buzz of power against his skin and for the first time he didn’t want to take that power he simply wanted to enjoy its existence.
With a grin he tossed the glowing ball towards the ceiling where it exploded into a shower of sparks that rained down upon himself and Rea.
The witch tilted her head up to watch the colorful lights and Ryan couldn’t stand it anymore. Her eyes glowed with happiness and he could practically feel the power radiating off of her skin. It was too much for him to take. With long strides he crossed the room and pulled Rea into his arms before dipping his head and kissing her soundly.
He could feel her gasp and dimly realized that the candles flared to life once more once Rea released her control on them. To his delight he felt her fingers dig into the material of his shirt and he swallowed her sigh as the kiss deepened.
Finally the need from air tore them apart and Ryan gazed into the wide eyes of the woman in his arms. He could feel her tremble in his grasp and prayed that she wouldn’t send him flying across the room for his actions.
“I...Ryan...I can’t...” said Rea. Her head was spinning and she felt as though she had been drugged.
“Give me a reason, one good reason, and I will walk away.” Ryan’s voice was rough when he spoke and it made the hair on back of Rea’s neck stand up.
“You’re a vampire.”
“Rea, look at me.” Blue eyes met violet in a stare that was as intense as any soul gaze. “What you see is me, not the beast. Yes, the monster wants you but I need you. Please, Rea, just trust me.”
The witch swallowed hard. Her heart was beating so hard that she was sure that Ryan could hear it and her thoughts raced at top speed through her head. “I...”
“You have my word that I won’t hurt you.” Ryan gently stroked her cheek and she could feel the slight tremble in his fingers. He was fighting the beast that lived within him so he could be with her.
Rea didn’t reply, she simply wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for another kiss.
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Post by barbt on Apr 7, 2015 19:06:26 GMT -5
:-)
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 9, 2015 8:34:49 GMT -5
Midnight brought a hush to the deserted street. Faint wisps of mist began to form, slowly pooling and gathering until a hooded figure was revealed. Slowly he walked down the empty street, casting out his senses as he searched for his next target.
It took every ounce of his discipline to contain his rage. Despite his efforts she still had not come to the city. He knew that the witch’s death had been in the papers. She came from an old, respected family and her death had been so mysterious that the press were practically falling over themselves to report it.
Within the cowl a sick grin twisted the man’s face. It had been so easy. Yes, the witch had powerful wards around her home but the small threads of deadly smoke hadn’t tripped the magical defense system until it was too late.
Once the woman had realized what was going on she had fought but it was useless. How could one possibly try and fight smoke? Her magic had passed uselessly through him and he nearly laughed at the ease of taking her life. He had toyed with her until he grew weary then had merely focused his energy around her nose and mouth, watching as her struggles grew weaker and weaker as the smoke slowly drained her life away.
The hooded stranger stopped in front of a house and took a deep breath while gathering his power. If one death didn’t bring her to Dublin perhaps a second one would.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rea headed down to the lobby with her luggage and was surprised to see both Ryan and Neil waiting for her. From the looks on their faces she knew something was very wrong. “What is it?”
The two led her to a less occupied area of the lobby. “Did you read the paper this morning?” asked Ryan and Rea nodded. “Did you see the article about the man who died from smoke inhalation without any trace of fire in his home?”
The witch fought to keep her face impassive. She knew that whoever or whatever was killing these people was trying to lure her to Dublin and she was sick of evading the inevitable. Maybe she was wrong, maybe this had nothing to do with her but she had to find out before anyone else died.
“Yes, I saw it.”
“It wasn’t just any man that was killed,” said Neil. “It was a werewolf.”
“Really?”
The guitarist nodded. “A friend of ours called me this morning. He was absolutely distraught because the man who was killed was a member of his pack.”
Rea felt her stomach drop. Not only was she headed to Dublin to track down this mysterious killer but there was going to be a very vengeful pack of werewolves searching for the same stranger. Why couldn’t anything ever be easy?
“Have you ever seen anything like this? Someone killing supernatural beings with smoke?” asked Ryan.
The witch looked between both men and nervously licked her lips. Should she tell them that she had seen identical deaths in New Orleans? That one of her sisters had been killed in the exact same fashion?
With a shaky break Rea shook her head. She couldn’t let Ryan and Neil get involved with this. She had too much blood on her hands already and she wouldn't forgive herself if she allowed any harm to come to these two.
“No, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Ryan frowned. “You’re lying.”
“Drop it.” Rea pushed past them and headed towards her rental car, shoving luggage in the tiny trunk with far too much effort.
“We’re going with you.” Neil’s words made the witch pause and turn.
“What?”
“Our friend wants to find out who killed his blood brother. We owe it to him to help.”
Ryan took a tentative step closer. “I know there are things you aren’t telling me and that’s fine, you have every right to keep your secrets. But don’t you want to find out who is behind this? Don’t you want to put a stop to it before someone else dies?” Rea was silent and Ryan decided to push his luck. “You don’t have to do this alone. If there is something killing people with smoke wouldn’t it be smarter to work together?”
The witch let out a sigh. “Fine. Let’s take a field trip to Dublin but first I have to do some shopping. If I’m going to face this thing I want to be prepared.”
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Post by barbt on Apr 9, 2015 19:21:13 GMT -5
I wonder if Keith is the werewolf? Or Colm. The're both furry enough :-) I can see this is gong to get exciting.
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 10, 2015 7:26:00 GMT -5
I wonder if Keith is the werewolf? Or Colm. The're both furry enough :-) Bwahahahahaha!!! I think that's one of the best comments I've ever read!
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 11, 2015 22:18:27 GMT -5
It was late when the trio arrived in Dublin. After getting Rea settled at her hotel they all piled into Neil’s car. Soon they were arriving at a comfortable looking home not far from downtown.
Rea extended her senses and frowned. “Is the whole pack here?”
Ryan shook his head. “Most of them are probably out on patrol. How many did you sense?”
“Three.”
“That sounds about right. Ready?”
The witch shrugged her shoulders. She had a feeling that tonight was going to be anything but pleasant. Werewolves and witches rarely spoke to each other let alone worked with each other. Many practitioners looked down upon werewolves because they used magic in order to shift, they saw it as tainting the art. On the other hand werewolves often saw practitioners as snotty and pretentious, something that was all too true.
Rea had worked with and against werewolves more than once and had both good and bad experiences. Something in her gut told her that this upcoming encounter was not going to go well.
She hung back as Neil rang the doorbell. The door was opened a few moments later by a young man with brilliant blue eyes. “Glad you guys could come.”
“Good to see you too, Colm. Where’s Emmett?”
“Watching the back door. Come on in.”
“We brought some help,” said Ryan while turning and beckoning to Rea. The witch came to stand on the porch and nodded in greeting. “Rea this is Colm, Colm this is Rea.”
Colm turned and took a deep breath then frowned at the two vampires. “You brought a witch? He’s not going to like that.”
Ryan shrugged. “He’ll survive. I think she could be useful.”
“How?”
“Because whoever is killing these people is doing it with black magic,” said the witch.
Colm paused then glanced at Ryan and Neil. Finally he shook is head in defeat. “Alright, come on in but if I suspect for a moment that you’re up to something I’ll rescind my invitation, understood?”
Rea nodded and stepped into the house. Houses were very interesting venues in the magical community. Every dwelling whether it was a tiny shake or imposing mansion possessed a threshold. Not a physical one but one that was made of energy. The more lived in a home was the more powerful the threshold. All magical or supernatural beings were affected by thresholds. Vampires weren’t the only ones who had to be invited into a home, the energy of the threshold affected practitioners like Rea as well. She could enter a house without an invitation but she would leave a good portion of her power at the door. If Colm suddenly decided that she was not welcome she would be stuck inside of a house surrounded by three angry werewolves.
“Where is he?” asked Ryan once Colm had secured the door.
“Wearing a hole in the carpet of the living room.”
Hanging back in case she needed to make a quick exit, Rea followed Ryan and Neil into the living room. In front of the fireplace a tall blonde was pacing and everyone could feel the agitation rolling off of his body.
“Keith.”
The man paused and turned towards Ryan. “Man, it’s good to see you guys.” He took two steps towards them then froze. “Who is that?”
“Her name is Rea, I thought she could help.”
“A witch? You brought a witch into this? What were you thinking?”
“Keith, calm down.”
“I will not calm down! One of my brothers is dead and your brilliant plan is to bring a witch?” The young man looked past Ryan where Colm was standing. “You! You allowed her into your home!”
“Ryan and Neil vouched for her.”
Keith snorted. “For all you know she could have them under some type of spell.”
“You know that it doesn’t work that way,” Neil interjected. “It’s impossible.”
“And someone being killed by smoke without any type of fire is impossible too.”
“Keith, she can help. She knows how this person is killing with smoke. She said it’s black magic.”
The blonde raked his hands through his hair. “Of course she knows! She’s probably the one behind these murders!”
“That’s not true,” countered Ryan. “She’s been up north with us this whole time.”
Rea watched Neil and Ryan argue with Keith and felt her patience fade away. As quietly as possible she slipped outside and started walking towards the main street, surely there was a place where she could call a cab to take her back to the hotel.
“Rea wait!” She kept walking but stopped short when Neil suddenly appeared in front of her. “Don’t go.”
“I came to Dublin to try and find out who is behind these murders, not to be insulted by some dog.”
“Keith’s opinions are very strong but he’ll come around.”
“What if he doesn’t? I don’t have time for this.”
“He will. If anyone can talk him down it’s Ryan. Please come back.”
The witch shook her head. “Fine, but the moment he starts running his mouth I’m gone.”
“Fair enough.”
The two walked back in silence. The house was quiet when they returned and Rea wondered exactly what Ryan had done in order to calm Keith. After remembering what he had done to calm her she quickly changed her mind, some things were not worth knowing.
Keith was sitting in a chair in the living room with his arms crossed looking like a petulant child. Ryan was softly speaking to Colm and another young man. The trio cut off their conversation and Ryan sent Neil a look of gratitude.
“Rea, you already met Colm. This is Emmett.”
The other young man nodded in her direction. “Ryan says that whoever did this killed them with black magic, is it true?”
“I think so. The spell wouldn’t be too difficult, it’s just a manipulation of air. The practitioner would have to infuse their will into the spell and the darker their intentions the darker their will would appear hence death by smoke.”
“Sounds like you’ve put a lot of thought into it.”
Rea nodded. “I’ve never seen someone use air magic like this before. It has to be very controlled and concentrated plus the practitioner would have to guide the spell from outside of the victim’s home because they wouldn’t be able to cross their threshold.”
“Do you know who is doing this?” asked Colm.
“No but they’re powerful. It takes a lot of concentration to perform such delicate magic.”
“How do we find them?” asked Ryan.
“I need to go to the last victim’s house. I should be able to pick up their aura and I might be able to track it. Even if I can’t track it I’ll know what their aura looks like and I’ll recognize it if I see it again. I should also be able to read their energy signature and see exactly how they put this spell into play.”
“No, absolutely not,” interjected Keith. “I don’t want anyone going near Roz’s house let alone a witch.”
“Do you want to know who is behind this or not?”
Keith paused. “Why can’t you go to the scene of the first murder?”
“It’s too old, I won’t be able to read anything.” Keith was silent and Rea took a breath to ease her frustration. “You are more than welcome to accompany me but the first step is letting me examine the scene. I will do my best not to disturb anything and you have my word that I will treat the home with the upmost respect. This is the only way I know to try and pinpoint our killer.”
Keith sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Fine, let’s get this over with.”
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Post by barbt on Apr 12, 2015 20:17:49 GMT -5
Called it! :-) Are you meaning Emmett O'Hanlon in this one? I'm assuming so, since you spelled the name with 2 T's.
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 12, 2015 21:45:01 GMT -5
Called it! :-) Are you meaning Emmett O'Hanlon in this one? I'm assuming so, since you spelled the name with 2 T's. Yes, it's Emmett O'Hanlon. He hasn't gotten much fanfic love yet. :-)
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Post by HburgEagle44 on Apr 13, 2015 14:37:18 GMT -5
Duuuude. This is getting intense. I like Rea a lot..... (also, that comment about Keith and Colm had me laughing out loud. Congrats haha)
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 14, 2015 20:19:33 GMT -5
In the end Keith, Ryan and Colm ended up accompanying Rea. There was some grumbling because she made them park several blocks away but she didn’t want to draw any unwanted attention to them.
She cast out her senses, searching for any traces of dark magic. It didn’t take long before she found something. In the center of the street, directly across from the house was a residual pool of dark magic so foul that it made her stomach churn.
“Stop.” The three men accompanying her froze. “Fan out to watch the area but don’t come any closer or your magic will interfere.”
Narrowing her focus, Rea concentrated on the dark pool of magic. To her senses it was bitterly cold and had a slimy, greasy feel. Whoever was casting this magic had gone off the deep end in a big way. Over twenty four hours had passed and the fact that this much magic was still left behind told Rea that the practitioner was strong. A slight grin quirked her lips, strong but not smart. One of the first skills a magic user learned was how to conserve their magic. The strength of a spell relied heavily on its efficiency. The spell that this mage had used was strong but wasted a lot of energy.
Rea frowned at the thought. It didn’t make sense. How could one practitioner cast a spell of this magnitude on their own? Even with all of her years of experience and training she wouldn’t have been able to pull off a spell like this, the sheer amount of energy needed would kill her. It would take two or most likely three mages to put this type of spell into motion yet there was only one energy signature.
She shoved that thought to the back of her mind and focused on the pool of energy once more. Eventually she could see the faint glow of the user’s aura appear in the darkness. The cool blue hue that was associated with magic users shone brightly but something was very wrong. Woven throughout the aura were thick threads of black and even though they were faint they seemed to be writhing and twisting. It reminded her of a spider’s web and she didn’t dare move any closer, for all she knew it could be some type of trap.
Once she had memorized the pattern within the aura she turned towards the house. The front door was still covered with police tape and the structure already looked lonely and abandoned.
Rea closed her eyes and concentrated before opening her eyes and using her Sight. Anyone who had even the smallest bit of magical talent had a Sight. Some called it the Third Eye or a chakra but it all had the same purpose, it gave the user the ability to see beyond the physical world. One could see things are they truly were, no spell or veil could hide from a witch or wizard’s Sight. Using one’s Sight carried a high risk, however. Whatever was seen, no matter how beautiful or horrific, could never be unseen. It was permanently etched in high definition technicolor on the user’s psyche.
Rea took a moment to simply take in the house’s appearance. With her Sight the deep green aura of the werewolf blazed brightly but the rotten blue aura of the dark mage ruined the image. She could see the wisps of smoke that led from the street into the home as if they were fresh and decided to test a theory.
Holding out her right hand she whispered, “caligo,” and focused her will as small tendrils of mist began to spill from her palm. To her three companions the mist was faint but through her Sight it blazed with a cool blue light. The mist began to gather and Rea could physically feel when it hit the home’s threshold. Holding out both of her hands she pushed while searching every inch of the house for a breech.
The house was solid and she closed her eyes for a moment to banish her Sight before opening them once more and narrowing her focus. She decided to concentrate on the front door since that is where the attack had begun. After a solid minute she knew that she might as well be pushing against a brick wall. There was absolutely no way that she could penetrate the threshold.
With a curse she released the spell and wiped the sweat from her forehead. It looked like she was going to have to eat her words and admit to Keith that he was right, what had been done was impossible.
She waved her three companions over and they headed back to the car in silence. After getting settled Ryan turned to her with a hopeful expression. “Well? What did you get?”
“A headache,” mumbled Rea. “I need to think about this for awhile. I’ll explain when we get back.”
A handful of asprin and a hot toddy helped soothe the witch and she found herself surrounded by an eager group of supernatural creatures. “So what did you find out?” asked Keith.
“You were right...the spell is impossible.” The room was deathly silent. “I have no idea how the practitioner was able to get through the threshold and manipulate such a delicate spell. I tried something similar and exhausted myself after less than a minute and that was after the threshold had been broken.”
“Could it be more than one person?” asked Neil after he found his voice.
“Possibly but I only found one energy signature and one aura.”
“We only found one scent too,” added Colm.
“Was there anything else you could find out?” Ryan asked as he tried to sit down next to Rea but she was up and moving in a flash.
“The practitioner is strong but they’re sloppy. It’s rough magic. I’d say they learned from experience versus being properly trained. It takes a lot of strength to pull off a spell like this, that little experiment winded me, so they would have to take time to rest. Most likely several days at least.” “Do you know who is behind this?” asked Keith. Rea shook her head. “Do you know how they did it or why or when they’ll do it again?” Each time the witch answered in the negative. “So we know nothing, brilliant.”
The room was silent and eventually Emmett stood. “Back to the drawing board, I guess.”
Rea’s eyes widened at his words. “Say that again.”
The young man frowned. “What?”
“Whatever you just said, say it again!”
“Back to the drawing board, I guess.”
The witch tossed her head back and laughed making everyone wonder if she had pushed herself a bit too hard. “They’re drawing!”
“What?” asked Ryan.
“I know how one practitioner is casting such a powerful spell on their own, they’re drawing from the elements around them. I’d bet my magic that they’re an elemental, a practitioner that has a little raw talent but has to rely on the elements around them to fuel their spells.” Rea’s eyes were bright as she spoke. “The first murder was near a river wasn’t it?”
Several cell phones came to life as they checked the facts for Rea. “Yes,” replied Colm. “She lived about two blocks from the river Lifey.”
“But what about Roz? He didn’t live near any body of water,” countered Keith.
Rea frowned as she tried to picture the house in her head. “There were puddles on the ground. Did it rain last night?”
“Yes, there was a massive thunderstorm.”
The witch beamed. “The mage used the storm to cast the spell.”
“You can do that?” asked Neil.
Rea nodded. “It’s very dangerous but it’s possible. I’ve done it in order to pull off a spell that would normally have killed me and so have a couple other practitioners that I know. I had a very interesting hairstyle afterwards but I obviously survived.”
The excitement in the group was palpable. “Alright, we know how they performed the spell but do we know why?” asked Keith. Once more the room fell silent. “Then I suggest we go and find someone who does.”
“Who would that be?” asked Ryan.
“Blind Mag.”
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Post by barbt on Apr 15, 2015 19:22:14 GMT -5
I'm loving this. So many things tying together and all the depth to it.
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Apr 18, 2015 9:53:08 GMT -5
“Who?” asked Ryan.
“Blind Mag,” replied Keith. “She’s a seer.”
Colm shuddered. “She scares the crap out of me.”
“What does she do?” asked Rea, trying to determine what type of creature that they were dealing with.
“She can read people, their past and their future.” Keith glanced at his watch. “It’s late and she doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
The group ended up in an old, dark part of the city where the houses were so close together it was difficult to breathe.
The three werewolves led the way while Rea walked between Neil and Ryan at the rear. It seemed like they walked forever before Keith stopped in front of a nondescript door.
Before he could knock a voice came from within. “Don’t just stand there, child. Come in and bring your companions.”
Colm jumped at the voice and a slight smile quirked across Rea’s face as they entered the small house. It was a tight squeeze but they all managed to fit. Ryan stood directly behind Rea and let one hand rest on her hip, she brushed off his touch and though she couldn’t see it she knew he was frowning.
Keith sat down on a cushion directly from the woman. The seer had dark hair that flowed in every direction and her eyes were covered by a thick cloth reminding them of the vision of blind justice.
“You have my sympathies at the loss of your brother,” said the woman.
The blonde nodded. “Thank you, he will be missed.”
“He’s running with the hunt on the other side now.” Keith didn’t reply, he just swallowed hard. “And the pups, getting stronger and smarter?”
Emmett and Colm made a face. “Pups?”
Mag sent them a crooked smile. “You’re still young. You may run as full grown wolves but you have much to learn.” The woman turned to ‘look’ around the room. “You’re traveling with mixed company tonight.”
Keith nodded. “I want to find out who killed Roz and why so I brought in some others to help.”
“I can see that,” said the woman with a laugh. She turned serious once more. “She is the only one that can help you defeat him.”
“Who?”
“The one you trust least. Even with her help his defeat may not be possible, I see death in your future.”
“We’re strong, we can win,” replied Keith.
“You cannot but I know you, you will fight until the last breath.” The woman paused then turned her head. “Rea, will you please come here?”
The witch tried not to jump. In essence she was facing just another witch. If she was correct then Blind Mag was a sensitive. Sensitives were closer to the flow of time than most people. They could read a person’s past without a soul gaze and they could often see various outcomes for an individual’s future. It was a horrific gift to be bestowed with. They could see the past and the multitude of possible futures for every person that they came into contact with. Rea had met a couple of sensitives over the years and they always terrified and amazed her.
Slowly she sank onto the cushion that Keith had recently vacated. “You’re walking into a trap,” said Mag.
Rea twisted her hands in her lap. “I know.”
“Still you move forward, why?”
“I have to know who is doing this and stop them before anyone else dies.”
“He’s been waiting a very long time to confront you.”
Rea frowned. “Who?”
“The Shadowman. He’s been following you all of these long years waiting for revenge.”
“Revenge for what?”
“A sin runs through your veins.”
The color drained from the witch’s face. “My blood? My...my parents? What did they do?” She shook her head. “You’re wrong. It was so long ago that it’s impossible to be someone from their past.”
“You are not the only one who is cursed, child.”
It took all of Rea’s willpower not to faint. “I’m not cursed,” she whispered.
“Cursed, gifted, enchanted...they’re just words. But the Shadowman is coming for you. You will not be able to win this fight. You will die and those around you will perish as well.”
“You’re wrong. The future is too fluid for that.”
“Every thread that I see ends in your demise.”
Rea forced herself to keep her voice steady. “If I die I’m taking him with me. Where can we find him?”
“He will reveal himself to you soon. Be careful, he has made a deal with those on the other side and has become infected with powers that he cannot control.” Mag reached out and gently patted Rea’s hand. “I do not envy your journey but your intentions are true. Trust those around you and perhaps your fate can be changed.”
The witch nodded and was up and gone faster than the others knew she could move. “Let her go,” said the seer. “Ryan, a word?” The vampire sat down and couldn’t help but glance behind him at the door, he desperately wanted to run after Rea. “Your devotion will be her undoing.”
The seer’s words made his head snap around. “What?”
“Your feelings are clouding your judgment, your instincts are dulled. You are distracted and you will be the one to kill her.”
Ryan felt a chill run down his spine. “I would never hurt Rea.”
“You will not be the one to strike the final blow but you will be the one to lead her to her death.”
“You’re wrong.”
Mag shook her head. “You are the only one who can unravel this thread but either way the girl will die.”
Ryan couldn’t listen anymore and quickly made his way out onto the street. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, searching for Rea’s scent. The woman was fast and had nearly made her way back to the car but Ryan was faster and the woman nearly fell when he stopped directly in her path. She stumbled and Ryan steadied her with his hands on her arms. She shrugged him off then started walking again.
“Rea, either stay here and tell me what is going on or I’ll make you.”
The witch’s eyes hardened. “I’d love to see you try.”
“Come on, Rea. What was Mag talking about?”
By now the others had joined them and the witch knew that there was no way out. “I don’t know who this Shadowman is, I swear I’ve never heard the name before.”
“What about that bit about revenge for something your parents did?” asked Neil.
“She has to be wrong. I’m not saying that my parents didn’t have their share of enemies but for someone to hold a grudge for this long is impossible.”
“Why is it impossible?” asked Colm.
“Because my parents died a very, very long time ago.”
“Rea. Why did Mag say you were cursed?” Keith’s voice was soft yet it cut through the fog like a knife.
“I’m not cursed,” replied the witch. She tried to hide the slight tremble in her voice and failed.
“Then what is it?” asked Ryan. He could see that Rea was shaking and wanted nothing more then to take her into his arms.
The woman raised her head and her violet eyes seemed to glow in the dim light. “I’m immortal.”
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Post by barbt on Apr 18, 2015 14:18:13 GMT -5
Oy. This will take all of them to deal with. I hope they can get Rea and Ryan through it.
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