“Stop,” Drew demanded shaking her. He focused solely on her, hands clasped, and their eyes locked so he could project to her and her alone. ‘You are not an abomination. We are not an abomination. Screw anyone who thinks that and to hell with our parents. This is what we have. Now we have to survive.”
2
“Runaways,” Leah Reigns scoffed at the truancy officer. “The twins are not runaways nor are they truant. Amanda was preparing for a religious ceremony and I’ve dropped all of the kids off every day.” She tilts her head to the side. “Hugh couldn’t have called you. As the vice principal at Adams High School he is in charge of attendance and since he’s also the baseball coach he knew full well the kids were at school since he would be the ones who would bring them home! Andrew is his star pitcher and our son Nate plays short stop. Andrea has her own afterschool activities she is involved in and the only days they were out,” she reaches for a picture and holds it up, “was for the State Kickboxing tournament that they placed in.” She taps the twins’ mother with disdain as she has her arm around Andrew, completely ignoring the fact Andrea had won first place, “and Amanda was there as you can clearly see!”
“Okay, well I clearly have some bad information as far as their school status was concerned but you cannot deny that it has been three weeks since they have been home.”
Leah was extremely suspicious as she stared down a man she’d known for more than a handful of years. “Tom, Amanda was preparing for her alternative religion thing; it was some kind of big holiday festival. Whenever she and her, um, ladies group prepare for such a thing the children almost always stay here. Nate and Chase are best friends.”
“Yes, but you have two teenage sons, Leah and with Nick’s interest in Andrea, Amanda is extremely concerned with how Andrea behaves…..apparently she’s pretty loose around boys,” Tom said smirking.
“How dare you!” Leah said pulling herself up to her full height. “Andrea and Nicholas are good children! True, there is an infatuation there but Andrea is so shy she is rarely alone with any of the boys much less the horrid rumors her own mother spreads around like a cesspool! Besides, Amanda is one to talk! How many men has she been with since she kicked Jim out of their lives?”
“That’s really none of your business,” He said offended, shame coloring his face.
“So that’s what this is about,” She said pursing her lips. “You are Amanda’s new,” she grimaced, “special friend.”
“She asked me to come collect the children, yes.” He said refusing to meet her eyes.
“Fine,” she snapped. “I’ll get them.”
*
“Nicky,” Andrea whispered as she saw him strip down to his boxers. “Maybe we shouldn’t do this.”
He smiled at her as he knelt down. “I love you,” he said softly. “If this is what it takes to protect you from that bitch of a mother, rather me be with you now instead of waiting like we planned. Worst case scenario she kicks you out because we get pregnant and I’m not ready for that but it’s not like my mom doesn’t love you and wouldn’t help us….”
“I love you too,” she sighs. “I’m just scared. What if we get caught?”
“Nate has Drew distracted and my parents are going to be gone. Dad has a meeting and Bree has a dentist appointment. Mom will be gone forever getting her braces tightened.”
“Well,” she says touching his face. “If you are sure,” she whispers.
“I am,” he says. “I’ll always protect you.” He leans down to kiss her as she unbuttons her jeans.
“Andrew,” Leah calls. “Andrea, sweetie someone is here for you!”
“Shit,” Nick snaps. He grabs his clothes up and puts them on. “What is she doing home?” He staggers getting his jeans on.
“Nicky,” she cries. “You said no one was home!” She nudges him and he turns to look at her just as he is on level with the window of the tree house.
“She better not be up there alone,” Tom snaps.
Andrea cries out and shoves at Nick with her powers just as she feels a rush of something and her mouth tastes metallic. “No,” she screams and Nick goes out the window. She jumps up and runs to the window. Nick is lying at the base of the tree twisted. She can hear someone screaming from a distance and see her mom’s alleged new boyfriend scowling up at her.
Andrew steps forward and looks up at the tree house. He looks at each one in turn, gritting his teeth so he doesn’t betray himself by looking at his friend’s body. He touched Leah on the shoulder. “You will forget Andrea and I were here.” He held his hand up to his sister. “Lie down and sleep.”
*
“What have you done,” Amanda shrieked.
Andrew ignored her and continued to stare at the ceiling tossing his baseball up with his mind and catching it in his mitt. Chase set by the bed reading quietly to Andrea and trying to be as invisible as possible. “It’s better this way.” He said quietly. “You won’t be able to hurt her now. There is no way people will believe she’s a whore if she gets pregnant while she’s in a coma. If she does it will be a blatant case of rape that you will not be able to get out of.”
“Well there are ways around that,” Amanda simpered. “I am her mother after all, I can have her life support turned off.”
Andrew turned his head slightly. “Even someone as self- absorbed as you would know that the only thing she has is the fact she’s being fed intravenously. I would not put her through this without the rest of her faculties functioning properly. Plus what of the great plan your head bitch has planned. It would be a race between the two of us to see who could kill you the fastest and in the most creative way possible. Until she is safe from you she will remain like this…I mean we won’t be seventeen forever.”
“You won’t get away with that,” she snaps.
“I already have, Mommy Dearest,” he says resuming catch with himself. “Even the bitch herself said she cannot undo things that I’ve set my mind to do. Even though I can’t stand the fact I let you torture us into strengthening our powers now I know that you can’t stop me.”
“Will see,” she screams slamming the door.
Chase closes the book. “Do you realize what you’ve just done?”
“I’ve just started a war.” Drew says sitting up, “but it’s a war where my sister won’t be raped and tortured without repercussions.”
Chase sighs. “I love Andie too but wouldn’t it be easier for you to wake her up and teach her to use her powers?”
“You weren’t there,” he says. “She kept screaming she killed him. She didn’t see Tom jerk him out of the tree with a wave of his hand. Yeah, I would have kicked his ass for trying to bone my sister but,” he shakes his head horrified but I trusted him. He wouldn’t have trashed her once it happened.”
“I would have helped…” he looks down. “Yeah, Nick was a good guy. He never would have told a soul out of pride she’d gave it up.” He groaned. “I thought dude was gay till he started flirting with Andie.”
Drew snorted. “We all did.”
3
“What do you mean he won’t undo the sleeping sickness?”
Amanda cowered from the goddess’ wrath. “He means to betray you, Goddess,” she whispered.
“This cannot be,” she snapped. “I need Andrea to be the mother of my new army. She is special!” She paced for a moment and then turned to Amanda. “You will bring me to him. We shall see who has the greater will.”
*
Andrew tensed. “Dude, you need to leave.”
“Huh,” Chase said looking up. He glanced at Liv and a still ashen Nate who both wore similar looks of shock.
“The bitch is coming,” he said standing up, “and she’s pissed.”
Liv rolled her eyes. “Amanda doesn’t scare me. I’ll bounce her ass right out the door.”
An amused tick worked in his jaw but still he remained tense. “One day I would
love to see that happen but right now,” he said tilting his head slightly testing the ether, “you have to go. She’s not alone. She’s bringing her,” he gritted his teeth, “coven leader.”
Chase couldn’t help the whimper of fear that escaped him as he leapt from his chair. “We have to leave now,” he said waving them away. “She’s way evil.”
“No,” Nate said. “The bitch killed my brother. She can’t just get away with that.”
“Please don’t make me do this,” Andrew said as sweat sprung on his lip and a vein throbbed in his forehead.
“Who’s he talking to,” Liv whispered.
A deeper more ominous voice spoke from Drew’s lips. “Child, do you wish your friends to die? She is no more goddess than I am. At least I know my place and my place is not to allow others to suffer my fate. Either they leave now or I shall take over and compel them to leave. Still you resist and it could very well leave you forever alone if I push you and your little friends.”
“Damien,” Drew said gruffly, “Don’t.” He looked up at them wary. “Go. Now. Please.” He pleaded.
“I do this for their own good,” the voice said again. “Aaesma Daeva may be a minor goddess to your world children but a goddess none the less. She will kill your friends to torture you. Send them away or I must.”
Drew blinked several times his eyes changing color before finally returning to his normal blue gray. “Now,” He snapped. “I won’t lose any of you.”
*
Andrew closed his eyes as chills raced over his skin. Even now his breath caught at the icy tentacles of Damien’s consciousness took him. He’d been scared at first when whatever it was that Damien was had contacted him. He’d been near insane with fear and worry when Andrea’s frightened call woke him in a cold sweat. He’d been unable to locate her and that only peaked his fear higher. Damien had taught him that his magic could be more than fun. It could help people if handled carefully and it really opened his eyes about the world around him. The fury he’d felt when he’d learned of the plan to use his twin as a baby farm was nothing compared to the paralyzing terror of what Aaesma truly had planned. She had bargained with a goddess from another pantheon and the price would be to be reborn through a creature of great power. Aaesma believed she would be able to control the other out of the obligation of rearing the child form…but Damian had showed him the true path to what lie in the path of Kauket if she was allowed passage into the human realm. The past had crept up to haunt them. Andrea had almost died from a snake bite and would have if their mother had been home. A neighbor had heard her screams and called 911. Kauket feared his twin for some reason. His teeth rattled as if someone shook him.
“Why do humans daydream so much? It is a waste of time that can mean your death, boy. Focus. Aaesma is close.”
“I set the wards, Damien.” He projected to his guardian.
“You have done well boy. Now let us practice your voice using my consciousness. We may well fool your mother. Aaesma may not be so foolish.”
*
Aaesma chuckled as a small section of the upstairs glowed. “Foolish boy,” she said shaking her head. “Do you truly think to keep me from what is mine?”
“My sister will not be a sacrifice for you or anyone.” Damien snapped in a near perfect imitation of Andrew’s voice. He inwardly smirked as she took the slight variation of infection as trepidation.
She glanced haughtily over her shoulder. “Amanda, go claim your daughter.”
“No,” Damien said thrusting an arm out to block Amanda.
“It is her house. Your pathetic wards may hinder my path slightly but you cannot block the owner from her place.”
Growing more confident Amanda shoved Andrew’s arm away and made her way toward the stairs. “Only a few moments, Goddess,” she said smugly.
“I said, NO,” he said twisting his arm.
Amanda cries out as she is thrown back against the front door with a blood curdling scream. She looks up in panic as she touches the back of her head. She holds up bloody shaking fingers. “Goddess,” she whimpers.
Aaesma ignores her. “Stupid boy,” she screams. “My time of tribulation is coming,” she says stalking forward. “I will be worshipped by you pathetic fools.”
“I think not,” Damien’s voice finally silenced Andrew’s as the boy steps back. “You may have caused my downfall Aaesma Daeva but these twins you shall not have.”
*
Andrea cried out. She felt like she was drowning in a pitch black sea. She did not know how long she had been trapped in this vast endless night. She knew she wasn’t dead for she could feel Drew was in great danger and full of raging fury. She flinched as a bright star appeared in the darkness and covered her stricken eyes.
“Do not be afraid, child,” a soft voice soothed. “Your brother faces great danger and while he fights with a strong ally his opponent is even stronger still.”
“How do you know,” She winces trying to take in the blinding light.
The light begins to fade into a woman with hair of rich mahogany and vibrant green eyes. “I know for it is my half human brother who guides him.” She snaps her fingers and the darkness forms a simulation of Andrea’s bedroom. “We have lost much time since you have spent your life fighting my aide.” She waves her hand at Andrea who is about to protest. “Later.” She says nodding. “My name, for you,” she says with an amused smirk, “is Kit.” She gestures Andrea back. “It will be easier to explain you going by that nickname since your mother seemed fit to name you in honor of both my niece and myself. You and your brother are born of great power and evil will always try to overtake you because you fight what his grace has given you.”
Andrea frowns. “His Grace,” she raises an eyebrow, “the Pope made me a freak?”
“No,” she admonishes. “You are not a freak! The ruler of the world is God, the father, all those beneath him have their own names but despite what your mother and her cohorts call pantheons are simply legions of angels who oversee each region by His will. The Father has imbibed you and your brother with certain powers. I cannot tell you the plan he has for you yet. He will reveal all when the time in right. I am your guide and if we are to help your brother and mine, you will have to trust me.”
*
Andrea shot upright in her room. She noticed the golden floating runes a second before her body was racked with a violent chill as if she’d fallen naked into one of the snow banks that come winter time would be taller than she was. “What?” She gasped as her teeth threatened to chatter right out of her head.
“It is only me. We will have to work on the trading of consciousness later.” Kit answered as she trade to make her possession as easy as possible. She sighs as the acceptance is finally complete. She gets up and stretches. “Damn it’s good to be in a human body again.” She ignores the pestering questions about her being an angel or a goddess. “I’m kinda in the middle. I’m not a normal angel and I am nowhere near The Father nor will I ever claim to be. I am more of a soldier and as such I am considered earthy and base by those who get to spend eternity behind the Pearly Gates. I like to get my hands dirty and fight the darkness rather than sit on my ass on a fluffy white cloud praying for the world’s salvation. Now shut up and let’s lock that bitch back in her box!” Kit knew the minute Damien felt the surge of connection from her rebirth because he let out a hearty but somewhat dark chuckle.
“Playtime is over, bitch,” he said blasting Aaesma back. “You were right in saying a male may never contain you or control you, but….”
“Damien,” Kit said as she let a blast of her fly as Amanda swung one of Andrew’s baseball bat at Damien’s head. The downside of being channeled through a human was the vulnerability of having muted senses than in their ethereal forms. Rage built up in the pit of her stomach even though she knew Damien was not dead. The audacity the little human had to not only attack from behind but
to attack her own son was unforgivable. She focused this time slowly on Amanda as Aaesma backed slowly away. “You were never a mother. You were simply a vessel.” She felt her powers combined with Andrea’s surge through her body. Her hand vibrated as she suckered the woman in with a back handed slap. When Amanda spit the blood from her broken lip in her face she feigned calmness before smacking her with a bolt. Amanda hit the fireplace and went limp. No great loss and an empowering freedom for the twins from her cruelty. She turned her attention on Aaesma. “You know how this will go down. We’ve been here before. Shall we dance or shall you retire for the evening?”
“My powers have grown since last we met, Hecate.”
“True.” Kit says narrowing her eyes, “but you feed on the fears and oppression of humans and I cannot allow that.” She began to chant in Aramaic a binding spell as her hands danced in the air forming a net of precious zyous metal, rare even in the days it had been the rage of Fey queens.
“I will not bow to you and your God! I am the Goddess! I shall rule the world.”
“Not on my watch, bitch,” she said twisting the net once last time catching Aaesma like a fly in a spider’s web. Kit says. “Pity,” she says looking down at the bound form. “You’ve grown powerful in your own mind. A millennia ago you would have battled me until we were far past exhaustion.”