The Lightning Prophecy (The Lightning Witch Trilogy Book 1) (10 page)

“Beast? What kind of beast?” My heart was racing. She had never in my life been this open about witches before.
I wish had a note pad.

“Most Druids could shift into wolves. Some bears. And very few hawks. These powers died out long ago and became something else.”

“Werewolves,” I whispered. My head was spinning and a fog seemed to settle in with every word she spoke.

“Aye, girl, I knew you would find out about them eventually. Werewolves and witches split off from Druids.”

“You knew about werewolves and didn’t tell me? And how did this split happen?” I was incredulous.
How could she?
I knew there was no masking the anger on my face.

“Lainey, please listen; I had my reasons. Please let me finish.” The look on her wrinkled face gave me pause and dampened my anger. I took a deep breath and flipped my hand, signing for her to continue.

“Back when the Druids had their full power, they had to pay a tithe every twenty years to the God Taranis. As the political power in Ireland changed hands, there was an order to stop the tithes from being paid. That is when the split was thought to have happened.”

“Mil, what kind of tithe?” I said in my best neutral tone. But, inside I was shivering and I had an idea of what the tithe was.
Please, Mil, don’t say what I think you're going to say
.

She drew in a deep breath and spoke as evenly as I have ever heard her, “Girl, they were human sacrifices. Typically young girls.”

I couldn’t even think, much less speak. The power I had within me wasn’t some genetic mishap or anomaly. It was all based in murder. My whole life I thought I lost the genetic lottery, which was probably still true, but I was a product of power-hungry assholes. Holy shit, the Coven had to know this and was willfully hiding it.

“Why is the Coven hiding this?”

“Partly because they did not want the werewolves to become public.”

“Why?”

“Girl, let me finish!” Mil scolded.

I crossed my arms over my chest, as if that were going to stop me from blurting out. Hey, a girl can hope.

“The Coven is about power. You know that is part of why I left. Well, they do not want the werewolves public because they do not want political power to be shifted from the Coven to another political structure. The Coven has a plan to take over the governmental system…”

I opened my mouth to explain how asinine that plan was but was stopped by Mil’s stare and promptly shut my mouth, causing my teeth to snap.

“Aye, yes it is an awful plan. They are corrupt and power hungry. But, girl, that’s not the only reason I left.”  Mil seemed to be discomforted by whatever this news was, and how it connected to Sierra I have no idea. Mil drew in a pained breath and said, “Do you remember when your ma called me? To tell me about you?”

“Yeah, I was about four when I accidentally electrocuted Frankie.”

“Oh sweet baby Jesus you killed someone when you were four?” Troy blurted with a horrified look on his face.

I raised my eyebrow at him as if saying
, really?

I rolled my eyes and said, “Okay, Frankie was our cat and I will tell you he lived! I have not killed anyone…” then under my breath added, “...yet.”

Troy’s gazed narrowed at me. “Bitch, I heard that,” he said, rolling his eyes back at me.

“Well, after your ma called me, I knew what you were.”

What I was? This woman raised me and this was the first time she was ever this forthcoming.

“Mil, as if I haven’t asked this question a million times, why am I the only witch who controls lightning? What am I?”

“It is said in the seventh century at the last sacrifice there was a prophecy given through the lifeless body of the tithe. It was said that the God Taranis spoke directly through her; that with the new times came the new changes. It told of the split of the witches and werewolves from the Druids. And as witches, we cannot be turned into werewolves. But, Taranis foretold there would be one born of him, a child who was born of the storm. And that this child could be turned into a werewolf and with her life’s sacrifice, she would rise as a wolf. With her new birth would be the downfall of the witches.”

I opened my mouth and abruptly shut it.
There is no damned way
. I mean, there was no way my luck was that damned bad!
I refuse to believe it
. Didn’t people smoke all kinds of crazy shit back then? Isn’t it possible it was all some hallucination of some guy chasing the dragon?

“Mil, you mean to tell me you moved me around my whole life because you believe in some prophecy rattled off by some mad person? There is no way this thing is true and if it were there's no way it would be me!”

Mil looked at me, practically saying she thought me daft.

“Mil, I love you, but this is insane, you know that, right?” I just couldn’t wrap my brain around all of this. “So, you have been forcing me to move every nine months because some prophecy says that some witch will get turned into a werewolf and bring down the Coven?”

Mil’s head bobbed up and down in affirmation.

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge on my nose. I could feel the headache forming.

“Mil, what does this have to do with Sierra?”

“Don’t you see? The werewolves have found out about the prophecy and are killing witches until they find you. Do not try to tell me you have not put yourself into the investigation. I know the weres have been hired to cover this up as quickly as possible. I know you.”

She was kidding, right? My whole life was based on the ranting of a group of power-hungry crazy people. How did she know about this?

“Delaney, she means mister yummy pants I saw at your place before we came here,” Troy added, ever-so-helpful human that he was.

I gave Troy a look that promised retribution, which did not faze him a bit.

“He was just there to talk about the case! Nothing more!” Sheesh. Way to toss my ass under that bus!

Troy opened his mouth as if to add to my predicament. I pointed my finger at him and a spark flew from it.

“Do not make me electrocute you.”

With that his mouth shut with a clack of teeth. He narrowed his eyes at me and said, “Do and you get to pay the bill to my hairstylist.”

“Delaney, ask your werewolf when all of these witches died. I know what he will say. On or near the full moon, and I would say their bodies were found near the new moon after they failed to rise.”

Speechless. It’d been what, near a week that Sierra died. Wait, Reid said he did not want to get involved because it was too close to the full moon. Could Mil have something? Could she be right? God, the thought of that was so insane it shouldn’t even be a thought. Mil and I were going to end up in the loony bin, I swear to God.

“He’s not my wolf.” That sounded forced even to my ears.

“Laney girl, it’s time to move. We need to outrun them and—”

“No,” I cut her off in a low and controlled tone. I would not run. I had more power in me than she gave me credit for. I would not be afraid of some prophecy that may never even happen and one that was in no way about me.

“Mil, I will not run. This is all so ridiculous; I can’t give it much more thought. I have power, Mil. I can protect myself,” I said, standing up. I was more than ready to go.

“Laney, I know you can. Your power level is that of the inner circle. But, your heart will make blind what your head is trying to see. Ask your were. Ask him when they died. And for God’s sake do not fall in love with him. I can see something in you changing.”

“I do not love him!” I walked over to the door and turned around, both Mil and Troy looking at me with a shared look of incredulity plastered on their faces. I scoffed, which didn’t seem to help my case a bit.

“Troy, let’s go. Please.” I was so done here. I found out a lot about who I was, and most of it was a lie. If she kept talking, I may find out I was born a lobster.

“Laney girl, please think about leaving. I beg you.”

“I love you, Mil. I’ll see you soon,” I said as I walked out the front door. I couldn't hug her and I couldn’t even stand to look at her much longer. I had to just leave all of this insanity behind me.

THE WHOLE WAY
home I vacillated on whether or not I should call Reid and ask him. If I called him, would that mean I believed Mil? If I didn’t, would I sit and question everything and every one of his motivations?

I plopped on my couch and scents of Reid wafted up to greet me. I closed my eyes and breathed him in. Flashes of us entered my mind. His hands on me, his lips on me, oh sweet hot sauce. My body felt flushed and heat rushed to my core and my belly tightened. What almost happened on this couch?
Oh holy hell.
I picked up the phone and dialed.

“Hey, Delaney.” Reid’s smooth liquid voice seemed to pour from the phone and lick lightly at my earlobe. “Delaney, are you there? Is everything okay?” Belatedly, I realized I had not said a damned word.

“Oh yes, sorry. Hi, Reid. I just got back from Mil’s house and she told me all kinds of things, like basically my life was…” I trailed off, mainly because I realized I was rambling. Delaney, get this this together!

“Sorry, I was rambling, I have a silly question.”

“Okay, shoot.”

“So the ten girls who were killed. Was there a specific time of the month they were killed? Something that linked them?”

Silence. The silence seemed to go on forever.
Please,
Reid, say no. Just say no
.

Finally, after a small eternity, Reid said, “Delaney, what are you asking?”  

Oh God, no please
. “Reid, tell me. You know what I am asking.”

I heard Reid take a deep breath and let it out. “Yes, they were all killed on or near the full moon.”

It was a slap in the face. How could he not have told me this?

“Delaney, please listen to me. It is impossible for a were to turn a witch. I told you this. I do not know what it seems this guy is trying, but he is.”

“You didn’t think it was a good idea to tell me? Reid, I am a witch, did you not think this was good information for me to have? Or is it simply you don’t trust me?” I spat the words as if they were poison on my tongue.

“Delaney, please, it is impossible to turn a witch. I didn’t think it mattered. I thought you would over react.”

Did he really go there?
The pure and simple fact was he didn’t trust me. Sure, he’d only known me a few days at most, but someone seemed to think the prophecy could be true. If he didn’t trust me with that information, then maybe I should keep my own recently learned facts to myself. For now, at least. If there was some dimwit out there killing witches to try to change them to a werewolf, then telling a werewolf might be a bad idea.

“Look, Reid, I need time. My world has been turned upside down and I am not sure there is a place for you in it. I still want to get this asshole and I will be there for that. But, please give me some space.” God, why did the words seem to burn my heart as I said them?

One heartbeat, two, three ... Silence.

“Reid?”

“Yeah, Delaney, I’ll give you space. Is there anything else?” he said in a clipped and detached tone.

Why did his tone hurt? Didn’t I want space to decide if I could trust him? Wasn’t this the path I choose to walk down?

“N-no. I guess I’ll talk to you later.” Wait, wasn’t I supposed to be the one with hurt feelings? Wasn't I supposed to be the mad one? Then why did my heart feel like it was being ripped out of my chest?

“Okay b...” I started, then realized he hung up already.

Well, Delaney, time to go lay in that bed you made.

SHADES OF BETH
all over again. I held the phone in my hand, desperately trying not to take my frustration out on the damned device. Space. She needed space. That’s all I have been wanting to give her this whole time was space. Space to stop my body from reacting to her. Space to stop myself from getting attached to her. All the space did was make me want her more. I knew it was this damned mating call, but I did not want it, or at least that’s what I kept telling myself. I swore many years ago that I would not get involved with any woman, not after Beth.

My grip tightened on the phone, shattering the screen.
Shit. Fantastic
. Now on top of all of these issues my phone’s screen was busted. Why? Why did this girl have this kind of effect on me? I threw the phone on the bed before I sat on the edge, causing the bed to dip to one side. I closed my eyes and let the memory of Beth consume me.

16 October 1959

Beth would kill me if I was late for dinner again. I glanced down at my wrist watch. 5:36 P.M. Damn, I was already late. I looked at the huge pile of folders and glanced at my watch again, resigned myself to the fact that I would be missing dinner. A Friday night and here I was working on depositions for my slave driver of a boss. I should be thankful for this job, as it provided for Beth and what would someday be a family, I hoped. The thought of the children we have yet to conceive thrilled me. Beth was twenty-three and we had been married for three years, and been trying ever since to have children. It would happen someday soon. The thought made me smile. I glanced down at my watch again; it read 9:02 P.M. Damnit. I stood up from my desk and gathered my things, placing them in my briefcase. I was leaving, paperwork done or not. I wanted to see Beth.

We lived in a small city just outside of Chicago, only a few miles from my office, so to save money I walked to work. We picked this area because we thought raising a family here would be just what we wanted. Plus, I was lucky to find work with the only lawyer in town right away.

The night was fairly brisk and I pulled my overcoat snugly around my neck, as I had forgotten my scarf back at the office. I was about a quarter mile into my two-mile trek when I got the distinct feeling I was being followed. For the first ten minutes, I chalked it up to it being so late and the fog rolling in. But, when the feeling did not abate, I began to survey my surroundings. There was a wide patch of trees between my office and my house, and the trees were strangely still in the October night.

About then I began to hear noises. I heard the sound of brush being moved and disturbed. Then what sounded like multiple soft footfalls on the dried leaves. I began hearing a low growl. I froze. I saw its eyes first. I use the term IT because IT was too big to be some kind of animal I knew of. Out of the dense tree line stood a massive dog or wolf. The animal slowly paced back and forth a few feet at a time. I swallowed and walked forward on my path. The beast continued to pace from a few hundred feet away. Oh God, what if I led this thing home to Beth? There was no way on Earth I was going to let that happen.

“What do you want, beast?” I called to it. At the sound of my voice the animal's ears pricked and he paused in his rhythmic pacing. Within the blink of an eye, the creature was less than fifty feet away. At this distance I didn’t know how I could have ever mistaken him for a mutt, for this creature was not merely a dog. He looked like a demon wolf with glowing yellow eyes.

Within another blink, the creature was a scant three feet from me. It began pacing tight circles around me. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach, but I would fight this beast if he attacked. I would fight for Beth. The creature was impossibly fast; I knew that when it lunged at my throat and I had little time to fend it off. I pounded and fought like a wild beast myself.

I never felt the pain; only the thought of run, get away, registered. I only felt his teeth slide farther into my neck. With yet another impossibly fast jerk the animal was done. I tried to get up, but my limbs felt heavy and my head began to feel foggy. When did I put cotton in my ears? I licked my too-dry lips and tasted something like iron, was that blood? My vision began to get spotty. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I was able to lift my mangled left hand to my throat, only to find most of it missing. I could feel myself slipping into the darkness. I fought it. But, in the end, it was all for naught. I am so sorry, Beth. I let go and slipped into the blackness.

14 January 1960

Three months of running. Fleeing, really. Fleeing from what I have turned into. I spent three months desperately trying to control and cage this beast inside me. The animal who did this to me I had not seen since I rose, two weeks after my apparent death. After the beast ripped my throat out, it dragged me to a nearby alcove in a heavily wooded area, where I lay bleeding out. When I woke, I knew I shouldn’t be alive. No man went through what I had, just to wake up two weeks later as if it were some nap.

My eyes flew open and I began to gasp for much-needed air. I was immediately bombarded with scents. I could smell dried blood, dead leaves, wet earth, and sweat. It wasn’t until that last smell that I knew whatever had done this to me was still there.

“I know you're here,” I managed to rasp. My eyes were shut tight, as the colors and light were too much for my reeling brain to handle. What the hell had happened?

“Ah yes, new one, I am here, I am glad to see you turned successfully,” a man said with a light Eastern European accent.

I cracked my eyes to see this creature. I was blinded with light for a solid thirty seconds before my eyes got used to the vivid colors that surrounded me. The greens were brighter and the blacks did not look as dark. My eyes shifted left to right before falling upon a tall lanky man of forty or so. He wore a hairstyle that was not common for men, and what looked to be shoulder-length black hair that was bound back. His eyes were such a deep brown they appeared to be black. His face was made up of narrow angles and sharp lines leading to a long and somewhat pointed chin. Either he had not shaved in the last few days or he took his 5 o'clock shadow seriously. That reminded me and I reached up toward my neck and felt only my slightly stubbled skin as if I had shaved that morning. My eyes flew to this man, who I knew in my soul had done this to me.

Finding my voice, I asked, “What did you do to me?”

The man's dark eyebrow raised and a smile slowly spread across his face. The gesture unnerved me, but I would not show fear, for if I did I had a feeling this man would exploit it.

“I gave you gift. You will hunt and you will live. And more.”

“You call this a gift?” I scoffed. Was he insane? I looked at his face. Well, insane may be correct.

“I call it a gift because it is.” He went on to explain what exactly I was and what that meant. A monster. He had turned me into a monster. I felt the rage bubble up and begin to spill over. My fists clenched and unclenched. I wanted to kill him. I could kill him. I had visions of me charging him and ripping his head clean off his body. I stood up and walked past him. I needed to get home to Beth.

“Where are you going?”

“Home to my wife. If you come near me again I will kill you,” I said in a low, measured tone. I needed him to understand that if I indeed did see him, I would kill him.

I felt a strong hand on my arm. I froze, trying to rein in my temper. I was always so even keeled; this new rage was going to take some getting used to.

“You need to control your wolf before you go to her. Or you could kill her.”

It was the words “you could kill her” that had me turning around.

“I would never…”

“You would! If you got mad enough, you would.”

That was all it took for me to erupt. I had his neck in my hand and his body pushed up against a tree before I could register what it was I was doing.

A strained smile played on his face as he rasped, “All it takes is one time. Now I will tell you what you need to do.”

I was ready after three months of fighting for control, three months of hunting to satisfy the beast. I stood on my front doorstep resting my forehead on the door. I could hear Beth moving around in the house. I could smell that she was baking cookies, but moreover I could smell Beth. She smelled of lavender and lemons.

Finally, I knocked. I heard her soft footfalls on the entry floor. She opened the door and I almost leapt at her with the need to touch her. Her sparkling blue eyes went wide with shock and she began to hyperventilate.

“Beth! I know it is a shock, but please let me in and I swear I can explain.” I needed her to understand what I was and how this did not have to change anything.

She looked as though she might pass out. I reached out to her and she cowered back. She was afraid of me.

“Please,” I begged.

“F-f-fine.” It seemed to be the only word she was able to effectively communicate.

I walked in the home that Beth and I built and sat on the worn leather couch. Beth sat across from me in an outdated arm chair. I hated that damned chair because it smelled like smoke, but Beth loved the flower print so I couldn't say no to her when she begged me to get it.

Her blonde curls bobbed slightly as she spoke, “Where the hell have you been? I had the police looking for you and there you just show up three months later?”

Part of the time I spent away was planning on what I was going to say to her. Do I lie or tell the truth? In the end I would tell her the truth, all of it. But for now I lied. I explained how I had been hit by a car and the driver took me over to the next town over to the big hospital in Chicago.

I think that she wanted to believe the lies because she just got up kissed me on the cheek and walked into the kitchen and life went on that way for months. In that time our life went back to normal. I got my job back and we resumed trying for a baby. I knew trying was useless because it would never happen now that I was a monster. Every month it didn’t happen, her smile seemed to falter and fall even more than before. After six months of watching her vibrant light darken to a mere flicker, I knew I would have to tell her soon. Then maybe she would want to change too.

One day, after work, I sat down to wait for her to return from her trip to from the store. I would tell her today. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, she walked in the back door. I got up and walked over to her. We did what we had been doing for several months now: walking around each other in silence. It was maddening.

“Beth, we need to talk.”

She looked at me with a resigned look on her face. It seemed like she knew I was upset with our current relationship, but I know she could never guess why. I took in a deep breath and told her the truth. All of it.

She sat there unmoving for a long time.

“Beth?”

“If you wanted to leave because I could not have children, you should have just never come back,” she said softly.

The mention of children spiked a knife through my heart.

“Beth, I’m not lying. I could show you.”

She stood up abruptly and smoothed her skirt down.

“Fine. Then show me.”

I slowly got up and went into the kitchen. I began to strip my clothes off.

“Please just give me a few minutes alone.”

“Okay!” she hollered back then in a low tone said, “He’s nuts. I am going to have to get him electric shock therapy or something.”

Thank goodness it was a full moon tonight and the change only took a few minutes. I shook out my body and made my way in to the den. Her back was to me and I sat down just inside the entrance of the doorway. She didn’t turn around so I sneezed. She turned around made eye contact with the wolf. Again her eyes went wide and she fainted.

I placed a cool rag on her forehead and began to whisper to her. I was in a bit of pain from two quick transitions, but it was for Beth.

“Beth, honey. My love, please wake up,” I crooned.

She began to wake, but slowly.

“I had an awful dream,” she murmured.

“Shhh, I know, love.”

Her eyes popped open and focused on me. She bolted up in a seated position and scrambled to get away from me.

“Y-y-you're a monster!” Her words broke my heart entirely.