The Witch of the Western Gate: Dragon's Gift (11 page)

"I know," replied Stella. I ran into Ivy a few days ago at the pharmacy and she says to me '"talk to any ghosts lately, Stella?"'. How did she find out about that?"

"I have no idea," said Blue. "Ivy has really good hearing, like radar, maybe she overheard my Aunt Violet or Grandma Lily talking."

"Oh. I thought maybe someone had told her about our uh special talents," replied Stella.

"No way!," said Blue. No reason to ever tell her.

"Funny thing," said Blue, "is that she thinks the Mantooth boys are super cute. If she knew they were all werewolves, she would freak.

"I hope she isn't after Rafe," replied Stella. "Even though you and he aren't like dating, there still is something there.

Blue thought to herself how jealous she would be if Ivy were to start a romance with Rafe.

"There is something with Rafe," replied Blue slowly. "But we've known each other so long, since we were small. So it's hard to tell."

"You need more mystery," replied Stella.

"Yes, maybe I can find some in a perfume bottle or something," replied Blue.

"Brando and Talon are just as cute as Rafe, but Brando ignores Ivy totally. He's too nice to say anything bad about my cousin but I can tell he finds her irritating. Same with Talon, plus I've heard her making fun of Talon for speaking with a French accent."

"Talon?" asked Stella.

"Yes, you know their cousin Talon from Quebec. The one who handed you flowers after the play. He seems to have noticed you!"

"Oh him," replied Stella. "I meant to ask you about him. He is pretty cute. I don't want to get tied down though, if you know what I mean. Don't want any big distractions. I have plans for myself."

"Talon is staying with Rafe's family now and is going to school. He's cute and shy. Rafe says that he’s a shaman in addition to the werewolf thing. I'm not sure what that means. Anyway, he's our same age."

"That's interesting, about Talon being a shaman. They are similar to necromancers only deal more with nature spirits and ancestors. That's pretty cool really. At least I'm not the only one who talks to spirits," said Stella.

"But back to Rafe," Stella interjected. "Ivy would never look at someone who didn't advance her in some way socially, and Rafe is at a different school. So I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"Except that Rafe is gorgeous and showing up with him would make a great entrance, no matter what school he attends," Blue pointed out. "Anyway, I figure I will leave the Ivy problem for Grandma Violet and Uncle Basil to deal with," said Blue. They have experience since my mother Rose is a mundane."

"That's right," exclaimed Stella. "Does she have any powers at all?"

"Just kitchen magic -- making a pot boil fast, lighting a flame, knowing who is at the door or ringing the phone -- simple things like that. I think the fact that she's a mundane and I'm not is part of the reason we've never been close. Maybe part of the reason she left when I was small and my parent's marriage busted up. Maybe why she lives so far away and so rarely comes back here."

"How about your Uncle Basil?"

"His powers are a little stronger than my mother's. He has very good powers of hypnosis and persuasion, which are handy for a lawyer. He can turn one hand furry, with claws, just like I can. Uncle Basil seems not to mind the magic world, whereas my mother resents it. He went out and became super successful in his career and is happy with that. My mother just ran away."

"Well, Ivy seems to take mainly after your Aunt Elizabeth" said Stella, "so the magic probably has skipped her entirely. Then there is no need for her to know anything I suppose."

Blue became thoughtful. "Aunt Elizabeth is not Ivy's real mother. Ivy's mother was a werewolf."

Stella stopped in her tracks. "What?"

"Ivy’s real mother was a werewolf,” repeated Blue. “Years ago, my uncle Basil met a Scandinavian werewolf named Yvonna who was visiting the Mantooth clan. You know how the werewolves always visit one another? Partly to keep clan ties strong but partly to introduce young weres to suitable marriage partners. To keep their clans from becoming unhealthy or dying out they must intermarry between clans and spread the genes around. Anyway, Uncle Basil married this gorgeous Scandinavian werewolf -- Yvonna -- and then they had Ivy. He even opened a law practice here. Yvonna died in some sort of accident and then he moved away downstate with Ivy and a broken heart. Later Uncle Basil married Aunt Elizabeth."

"Ivy knows who her mother is, I hope," said Stella.

"Yes, it wouldn't be fair not to tell her about that, but she doesn't know anything about her mother being a werewolf. Ivy is blond like Aunt Elizabeth so people just assume they are daughter and mother. The fact is, she looks very much like her real mother -- Yvonna. Her middlename is Love because Uncle Basil and Yvonna were so much in love. Her other middlename is Yvonna after her mother. Ivy Yvonna Love Stone. To honor his Escarpment Witch side, Uncle Basil gave Ivy a plant name -- Ivy, my great-grandmother's name. But Ivy knows nothing about her mother being a werewolf. And she was raised by Aunt Elizabeth and pretty much thinks like Aunt Elizabeth."

"Could Ivy still turn wolven at her age?," Stella answered. "I mean what are the chances? Most wolven start turning when puberty hits. Even I know that. So she's half werewolf, full wolven on her mother's side, but on her father's side the family is witch."

"Except for my grandfather Louis. Ivy and I both are one quarter wolven through his blood.

"I forgot about your Grandpa Lou!," exclaimed Stella.

"Grandpa Lou, he is wolven from an old Scottish family that settled in Canada, the Stone family. He's part of the Iron Wolf Clan like the Mantooths, but a different branch. He came to harvest crops and never left because he and my grandma fell in love and married. That's why both Uncle Basil and I can turn one hand furry. It's a bit of spice handed down from Grandpa Louis."

"Uh-oh! That makes Ivy three quarters wolven. That's a lot!"

“I suppose,” replied Blue.

Stella slowed down. "Blue, didn't you hear me? I pointed out that being three quarters werewolf is a lot! I think I finally figured it out."

"Figured what out?" asked Blue.

"Figured out why your Uncle Basil gave up his fancy New York City law practice, made Aunt Elizabeth and Ivy give up their social lives, and move to Lockport. He's afraid that Ivy might go furry."

Blue broke out in hysterical laughter and had to hold her sides.

Stella fell onto the stairs of the Lockport Savings Bank and laughed hysterically along with her.

"Can you imagine Ivy going furry?" gasped Blue. "Oh that is just too funny."

"It would definitely teach her a lesson," agreed Stella.

"Would she have done that by now, if she was a werewolf? Had her first change?" asked Stella.

"I'm not sure," replied Blue. I know that it starts for boys around age 12. That's how it was for Rafe. Ivy is 14. She turns 15 next month. Maybe she's a little slow being so skinny, or maybe it won't happen at all."

"You said her hearing is really good."

"Like radar," replied Blue.

"What else does she do that's a werewolf trait?"

"Well, she is a terrific athlete. Crazy fast runner. She eats constantly and is skinny as a rail. Her sense of smell is abnormally good. She could smell Took in the car that day I took him home and she complained that the car smelled like fish. She's always complaining about a smell. Maybe she'll just stop at having a great sense of smell and hearing and never having to watch what she eats. I hope that's all that happens to her," Blue replied seriously.

"I don't think Ivy could handle going furry. She'd have a total breakdown. I’m starting to think you might be right about why Uncle Basil moved back here. At least here, if Ivy did to furry, she would have some clan support and a place to run."

"I'm glad you didn't go furry Blue," pointed out Stella. That would be just one more thing to worry about."

"You said it," replied Blue. It's actually pretty cool that I can turn my left hand furry, though the Paranormal Council doesn't know and I'd like to keep it that way. I can do it at will, it's not tied with the moon and going furry crazy. It is not uncommon for wolven and witches to intermarry, better than marrying a mundane, but usually the offspring takes after either one side or the other. I’m lucky to get the furry hand."

"Your McChesney side is interesting too," said Stella. "Your grandma told me that Escarpment Witches married into my family once, way, way, way back. That's probably where my necromancer talent comes from."

"Or maybe having witch blood helped amplify it," replied Blue. Because necromancer talent runs in your family and is far different than being a witch. It's far more rare than witch talent."

Blue and Stella arrived at the office Building at the corner of Main and Chestnut where Ivy, Uncle Basil, and Aunt Elizabeth lived in their luxury penthouse apartment. The building had once been a Masonic Lodge and there were masonic symbols engraved all around the top. Numerous businesses were housed throughout the building. There was a main lobby and elevators accessed via the main doors. Also there was a small door at the side of the building with a private elevator for the use of Uncle Basil and his family alone. Blue pushed the intercom button. No one answered at first....

"Shouldn't we go?" asked Stella. "We'll be late if we keep waiting here."

"I know," replied Blue. "But I don't want Ivy to have to walk into school alone her first day. I wonder what's keeping her?" Finally Aunt Elizabeth answered, "Hello?"

"Hi Aunt Elizabeth, this is Blue looking for Ivy."

"Oh, hi Blue. Sorry to keep you waiting; I was in the shower. Ivy already left for school. A couple friends of hers stopped by to get her twenty minutes ago.

"Oh, OK," replied Blue. "I'll catch up with her later at school."

"Well, how do you like that?" Blue turned to Stella.

"Figures she would stiff us," replied Stella. "We're nice enough to walk Ivy to school her first day in a new place and she takes off with other girls."

"More popular ones of course," giggled Blue. "Ones that can do more to advance her on the social scene."

" More popular, far meaner and dumb as stumps," replied Stella. Stella was determined to be cum laude in high school. Blue was no slump academically and expected to graduate in the top 10 for the class.

"Ivy is actually bright," Blue confided. "It's just that grades are not her priority. She's happy to slide by with an 80 or 85 average. She's a terrific athlete too."

"So she's gorgeous, smart, athletic and rich. Life must be rough," replied Stella. If I took her seriously, I'd be jealous".

"Look at the time!" said Blue. "Even if we run we won't make the bell."

"Detention thanks to Ivy. Figures," said Blue. They started running anyway.

"I'm sure to turn an ankle on this ice," panted Blue. Just then Blue heard a horn honk and turned to see the Buggymobile. A strange young woman with long dark hair parted in the middle was riding in the front passenger seat. “It’s Grandpa Lou to the rescue!" Blue pulled open a door and jumped into the rear seat, Ivy right behind her.

"So glad you saved us, Grandpa! Maybe we won't get detention afterall. We tried to pick up Ivy but she had already left and Aunt Elizabeth was in the shower and didn't answer," Blue gasped.

"No problem," replied Grandpa Lou calmly. "I drove into town to drop off Raveen, and I have a raccoon job in the Canalside boat repair warehouse. Glad I saw you. Raveen this is my granddaughter Blue and her friend Stella. Girls this is Raveen Moon. She is friend to Ironwolf Clan, and will be staying at Aunt Violet’s for a few days."

“Heh,” said Raveen, touching her forehead in formal wolven greeting.

“Hi,” replied Ivy. She and Stella also gave the greeting back. Once inside the truck, Blue could see that the young woman Raveen was heavily pregnant. She felt it rude to stare or ask personal questions, but felt it rude not to acknowledge the baby.

"When are you due?" asked Blue.

"Soon," replied Raveen, abruptly.

Raveen’s eyes narrowed and she glared at Stella. A low growl emerged from her throat. “Are you the spirit girl?”

“Huh? The what?” asked Stella.

“I heard that she is a dark one, as are you, so I thought you were she – the spirit girl.”

“Well, perhaps I am, though really, I don't really talk about that, regardless of what you may have heard,” Stella replied.

“I see. I didn't actually hear much, but you match the description. I suppose you are the one I’m competing with,” replied Raveen, nodding. “I don’t see why he would choose you over me. You’re alright, but I am more beautiful." Raveen bared her teeth at Stella.

“Who? What? Raveen, stop making teeth at me, and what on earth are you talking about?” asked Stella.

“As if you don’t know,” replied Raveen. “Talon of course. I thought he was going to choose me, but then he had a vision and left me for the spirit girl.”

“Talon?” asked Stella.

“The boy you met the other night,” filled in Blue. “You know, Rafe and Brando’s cousin. I can’t believe you keep forgetting his name.”

“Oh, him!” replied Stella. “Uh, Raveen, I just met the guy. I didn’t steal him from you. I don’t even know him. Hardly.” Raveen's eyes narrowed as she assessed Stella.

“The fact that you are innocent is the only thing that saves you from my immediate wrath,” replied Raveen, also glancing at Uncle Lou. “If you had purposefully stolen him, then I would make you feel sorry.”

“Don’t be angry with me,” replied Stella. “I have not stolen anything from you.”

“It both is and is not your fault that he left me. He saw you in a vision and came here, so it is your fault that you exist, even though you did nothing intentionally to steal him.”

“I can't help it that I exist, and I don’t even want him,” replied Stella. “I certainly didn’t steal anyone or anything from you. Frankly, I don’t appreciate hearing about your wrath either. You’re being very rude.”