Returned (21 page)

He glanced at her like he needed permission. She nodded her head.

“Sure.”

“Chicken salad okay for you?”

“Yeah, that’s great. Do you need a hand with anything?”

“No, no. I’ll call you when it’s ready.”

Cora made her escape before her mother could say anything else that was damaging to her weak lies.

             
She held her breath as she sat on the sofa. It took the whole of two seconds before Clay opened his mouth.

“Have you been ill?” he asked.

She greeted the question with silence and thought about what she could say.

“I just thought with your mum asking if you were feeling better...”

“I have been ill, just some headaches and feeling sick. But I’m better. Well, apart from the rib. What have you been up to?”

“Nothing much. I've been at home with Eli, we had a water fight.”

“Yeah? I bet that was fun.”

“It was. Are you sure you’re okay?”

She turned towards him flinching a little in pain. “I’m fine.”

             
Silence followed making it awkward. She turned on the TV thankful for background noise. She watched the moving pictures not really paying attention and silently thanked her mother when she called them to lunch.

“This looks lovely, thank you.”

“Oh, there’s no need to thank me.” She waved her hand to brush off Clay's compliment but Cora noticed it had already touched her cheeks.

“So, Clay,” her mother said, “what brings you to this little village?”

Cora started eating her salad and waited for Clay’s answer.

“I've moved here to be with my friend Eli. I’ve known him many years and he needed me back home. Family emergency.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“Nothing serious, I hope?”

“Nothing that we can’t handle,” he answered and smiled at them.

She hadn't known any of this before. It was good that parents were so nosey.

“So, Laura, what do you do?”

“I’m a full time school teacher.” Her mother looked at her.

She smiled knowing it meant they were staying here forever.

“You must have a lot of patience.”

“I love my job, patience isn’t needed,” she said whilst stabbing a red pepper. She popped it into her mouth and chewed it before continuing. “The good kids make it all worthwhile and the bad ones make my day interesting. No day is the same.”

“Where did you teach before?”

“I taught in a high school in London. Cora loves London but for me it was too busy, too rushed. London takes you up in the rush and spits you out before you know where you are.”

“I can understand that.” He speared a tomato and popped it into his mouth. “Please leave your dishes, it’s the least I can do.”

“Thank you
, I hate washing up,” her mother laughed.
             
             

             
Her mother sent her a cheeky smile as she left. Her mother had been right, she’d loved London but the charm of the village and her changed life meant she loved Millsteeple more.

ENEMY

“I have to get home,” Clay announced with a yawn as the rolling credits of the film began.

“Yeah, I’m sure people are wondering where you are.”

“Eli will probably send out a search party.”

She walked with him to the front door, before she could take a breath his soft lips were on hers. He pulled back, his eyes tracing the line of her lips like he wanted to kiss her again.

“See you later.” His finger gently brushed her bruised cheek before he left.

*

Jack lay back on the sofa with his feet in the air as Eli paced. Clay was late which for some reason angered Eli. Eli stomped out of the room and out on to the front porch.                          

“Sorry I'm late.”

He heard Clay's apology before he could step next to Eli in the doorway.

“Come on, Eli; leave the man alone, he's here now.”

“I’m sorry, High Priest. I didn’t receive your message.”

“It’s all right,” Jack said smirking. “You were with this new woman. Have your fun while it lasts, I'm sure you will move on next week.”

“No, she is different.”

“Give over, you will find a new one next week.”

“I won't and I would rather you didn't continue with this line of conversation because you won’t like my responses.”

Jack’s back straightened; Clay’s tone suggested a challenge. He would like to see how far he could push Clay. Clay was never this caught up in women. “Oh, you like this one?”

“Yes.”

“And does she have a friend?”

“She’s new to the village so she doesn’t know many people.”

“Where does she live?”

“Down by Andrew Bruton’s field. She has a job in a shop in the village.”

Jack felt shock fist him in his gut.  It couldn’t be? It would be too much of a coincidence, surely? “What’s her name?”

He already knew, felt his blood boil. Clay looked at Eli.

Jack waited for his answer but he couldn't wait all day. “What’s her bloody name, Clay?”

“Why does it matter what her name is?”

“It matters,” he spat.

“Her name is Cora, but I don’t see why you should-”

“You stupid-”

“Jack, step aside.” Eli placed his hand on Jack’s shoulder moving him away from Clay. Jack moved but his eyes remained locked on Clay’s face.  This was her game and she was playing him for a fool. He would make her pay. She wouldn’t win, not this way.

“Clay, do you know who she is?”

“No,” he said shaking his head.

“You know that Alizon Device had a daughter?”

“Yeah.”

“Cora is Alizon's daughter.”

“But Alizon's daughter lives in York.”

“No, she moved to London and then moved here. You didn't know?”

“No.” Clay shook his head.

Screw this; he didn't like Eli's way of questioning, it was too calm. It wasn’t getting the answers he wanted. He pushed Eli so he could step into Clay's personal space. “You knew. Oh, you knew. Did you think you could overpower me with that
bitch
?”

“I didn't know!”

             
He shoved past Clay hitting him hard in the shoulder and started sprinting toward the village. He could hear Eli shouting, demanding him to stop. Feet stomped close behind him. Before he could run faster ice cold water washed over him pulling him under. He landed in a pool of water.  Dazed but ready to keep going, he jumped right back up and came face to face with Clay.

“You’re not going anywhere, Jack. You need to tell me what the hell is going on!”

Jack let out a warriors cry and charged at Clay smacking his shoulder deep into Clay’s stomach. He heard the wind fly out of Clay's mouth as he landed heavily on top of him. They tousled on the floor. Jack gained the upper hand and pushed his fist against Clay’s face. He landed another bone crunching attack on Clay's cheek. Clay's head whipped sharply to the left. Before Jack could pull his fist back, he felt two hands grab him under his arms and drag him away from Clay.

“Jack, what the hell are you doing?”

“I’m doing what needs to be done, Eli; I will do the same thing to you as I did to Clay if you stand in my way.”

Eli froze in shock. Jack didn't have time to waste; he turned and ran in the direction of the shop.

             
He had only run several feet
when water grabbed him and swe
p
t
him aside like he weighed as much as a feather. His chest slammed heavily against the concrete as water gushed around his mouth. Without missing a beat he rolled over onto his back, the world moved in slow motion as Clay moved his fist back. His cheek exploded as the taste of old coins spilled into his mouth.

             
Swallowing the warm red liquid he waited for another blow. It didn't come. He watched as Clay stood and ran. Grinning, he wiped the blood from his mouth as he started sprinting after Clay with Eli’s protests landing on deaf ears.

*

Cora  picked up the DVD and headed to the bottom of the stairs. “Do you want to watch a DVD with me?”

“Yeah sure, which one are you watching?”
             

“Sex and the City.”

“Oh yes, I would give up anything to watch Mr Big
.
”

Cora almost heard her mum sigh making her smile. “I'll wait till you come down. I’m getting a drink first.”

Her mother gave no reply so Cora headed to the kitchen to get two cans of coke. Her side was feeling much better after her afternoon of relaxing. She couldn’t bend down very quickly but she had more movement there.

             
Thunder boomed hard and heavy against her front door making her jump. She put the cans down and edged slowly to the door. The banging persisted.

“Cora!”

Clay’s shout made her walk quicker. She opened the door and Cla
y pushed his way into the house
.

“Cora, listen to me...” He shut the door behind him.

“Clay, what happened?”

She placed her hand on his shoulder as he doubled over trying to get his breath. She’d noticed that his lip was bleeding. Had he been fighting?

“Cora, you need to listen to me, something has happ-”

“Cora, you bitch, get out here!”

She gasped.

Clay was shaking his head and grabbed her shoulders trying to hold her back but she brushed him off. “Please, don’t go out there.”

She was amazed to find that her legs could move even though she was having an out of body experience. She opened the door and came face to face with Jack.

             
He stood on her grass. A man and a woman stood behind him.

“Come out here and face me. I know you thought you could get Clay on your side but it won't work. You're mine now. I finish this today!”

She stepped out of the front door walking towards him. “What are you talking about?” she shouted over the sudden noise of the wind. It flapped around her, ready, waiting.

“Clay is mine. He will never join your coven. He belongs to me!”

Clay belonged to his coven? Before she could ask, she watched as Jack levitated. She braced herself. Jack lifted his arms; this wasn't going to end well.

             
The ground fell away beneath her feet. She was flying and not in a good way. It took all her strength to keep her eyes open and not close them in fear. She took a breath as the ground crashed into her. Her rib jolted.

Clay shouted her name but it was cut short. She looked up to see Jack holding Clay suspended in the air several feet away from her. Jack lifted his arms and flung Clay against the nearest tree. He landed hard and didn't move. Cora jumped up ignoring the pain in her side. Rage ignited within her. The wind laughed excitedly. She pushed it and had the pleasure of watching the powerful currents pick him up and pound him into the ground at the man’s feet.

             
Something hit the side of her face. Before she could figure out what it was, another hard object whacked her stomach. She lifted her hands just before the onslaught came. What was that? Her arms, her side, her legs, her entire body screamed as heavy objects whipped against her. She couldn’t grab her power. She couldn’t think clearly. She held her breath; a scream was on the tip of her tongue. She opened her mouth to cry out but the onslaught suddenly stopped. Her arms shielded her face, just in case.

             
A light spray of water sprinkled against her arms. She cautiously dropped her arms and gasped. Clay was stood in front of the tree he’d hit. Her eyes rested on his hands which were held in front of him. Water, actual water was coming out of him.

Clay was a witch?

             
She looked up following the direction of the water. The man was held there, he spluttered trying to get down. He must have been the one throwing things at her.

“Cora, get in the house!” Clay’s shout was almost washed away in the roar of the wind but she heard it.

She tripped, her feet feeling heavy as she moved towards the house. The ground shook violently beneath her.

Earthquake? Did Lancashire have earthquakes? 

The floor continued to move, she fell unable to keep her balance.

“Clio, what are you doing?” Clay snapped.