5: Willow

Where am I?

Willow glanced around her new surroundings, utterly confused on how she arrived there. She had appeared outside under the blanket of night. Stars sprinkled high above her, the moon in a beautiful crescent. She peered down at her feet where she saw what she believed was smoke or mist swirling around her ankles. The space she was in went on for miles in every direction. She patted down her pockets, panick settling in as she discovered the lack of phone on her.

"It's been so long since I had a visitor." A voice spoke up suddenly behind her, causing her to spin around and face the stranger. A woman in an elegant maroon robe stood before her, her raven hair glistened blue in the moonlight. Upon her head was a circlet with a moon in the center with two crescent moons arched against it. Her soft eyes stared back at Willow as her jaw attempted to hit the floor. Willow immediately bowed her head after finally regaining her composure when the reality of the situation cleared up.

"Goddess Hecate, it's such an honor." Willow's heart thundered in her chest. To meet the Goddess of Witchcraft was a very rare occurrence amongst the Witches, and she only showed herself to those with exceptional power. Hecate's eyes twinkled with amusement as she turned her back to her and began walking through the mist. Willow raised her foot to follow when she felt something cold and smooth slither past her. Glancing down into the mist, a serpent with scales that were like oil on water had brushed alongside of her, but paid her no mind. She sucked in a breath until the serpent had gone and continued to follow after the Goddess while being careful where she stepped.

"I have been watching you, my child." Her voice was like silk to her ears. Hecate lifted her hands and swept them out in front of her, parting the mist. Willow held back a scream. It wasn't mist she was walking through, it was clouds. They were walking above Alaska at that very moment. Twinkling lights of the cities far below were like their own stars.

"I'm sure you had better things to do than watch a half-Witch like me." Willow said as she finally caught up to the Goddess, but refrained from getting into her personal space. Hecate inclined her head as she came to a stop, her eyes downcast to the world below them. Willow came to a stop several feet behind her as she watched the serpent from earlier coil around Hecate. Now that it revealed itself, the scales of the serpent sparkled under the moonlight. The serpent spiraled around the Goddess until it rested over her shoulders like a shawl. Hecate ran her fingers over the serpent's head delicately, its tongue flicking against the Goddess' cheek.

"I beg to differ." Hecate finally turned toward her, "I have allowed you into our domain so you may receive proper guidance. However, you can not stay long." Hecate made a small gesture with her hand. Before Willow was a large mirror and within the reflection was her vision of the leather bound book. The intricate stitching of the letters and symbols of mixed languages glowed an eerie gold.

"I haven't seen this book before. Why is it so important?" She asked her. Hecate inclined her head thoughtfully. She lifted her eyes to the moon, her already pale skin nearly blinding in the light.

"There is a darkness lying in wait. It will bring destruction, chaos and pain to those that defy it." Hecate looked back at her as she approached her. Willow was torn between frozen in awe and fear to turn her gaze away from the beautiful deity. Hecate waved her hand through the mirror, dissipating it into a fog.

"You mean Karmina. From my understanding, she has started making some movement about four years ago." Willow mentioned as she recalled the information Miss J shared with her. Karmina had been recruiting Rogues from different Supernatual groups, Witches especially. She had made a scene in the Werewolf community, but as to why, Miss J hadn't told her. Hecate nodded along as if reading her thoughts.

"She is misguided, as some of my children are. Even you." she reached out and placed a gentle hand upon her cheek. It was eerily cold to the touch, but she didn't shudder from it. "You have more potential than you believe you possess. Come speak with us again, only when you grasp the true depth of your ability." Hecate let go of her cheek and glided back from her.

"Us?" Willow asked confused as she only had recognized her presence alone. Hecate opened her arms as the mirage around her disappeared and two women took up the space at her side. To her left was a woman in a teal robe with a crescent moon headdress decorating her silver hair. Then to the right of her was another woman with brunette hair wrapped up in braid with silk intertwined. She wore a flowing short skirt, a quiver strapped to her thigh and a bow slung across her shoulder. A pair of hounds sat at her feet, their ghostly eyes frightening yet compelling. Willow could only stare again as the Goddesses showed themselves to her. The Triple Goddesses stood before her, a once in a lifetime experience.

"My young Willow, you are more than what meets the eye. Believe in yourself, just as I believe in you." Hecate bowed her head. With a single wave of her hand, the gravity suddenly changed beneath Willow's feet as the world sucked her back in.

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Willow let out a gasp as she sat up, the room dimly lit by the crackling fireplace behind her. Hecate's book laid out on the ground beside the couch, the cover closed again. She panted, feeling her body drenched in sweat as she glanced around in confusion. It was dark out as she stood up slowly, a dizzy wave washed over her, sending her back down to the couch. She swallowed, but her throat hurt. She licked her lips, tasting metallic at the corner of her mouth. She felt around her teeth, unsure of where the blood had come from when something rustled behind her. As she spun in her seat, Dante stood behind her, his back pressed against the wall like he was trying to make distance between them. She watched his once golden eyes, spiral with red and swirl uncontrollably. She had never seen him with that look before.

"Are you okay?" She asked him as she attempted to stand again. Her legs wobbled, but held firm beneath her. Dante turned his face away. She finally noticed his fangs in the light of the fire. She touched her mouth again.

Had he tasted my blood?

"I'll be fine. I just..." his eyes flickered to her for a moment before looking away again. He wiped his mouth, failing to hide his fangs. He took a few deep breaths to steady himself. Willow stared at him for awhile as he kept his eyes away.

"Is there something I can do? Get you water or...?" Willow paused. She was throwing options out there, but Dante was no ordinary being. He is a Vampire. She had very little knowledge of the creatures, which was her fault for not being as prepared to possibly deal with them, but how would she have known she would be in the same room as one?

"Hunt." He got out at last, pushing himself off of the wall. She watched his back as he left the cabin, leaving her in silence. Willow dropped back onto the couch as her mind tried to process all that had happened. The meeting with the Goddess herself. Goddesses. Then the odd encounter with Dante. Her fingers traced her lips. Did he kiss her to taste the blood? She felt her face flush. Her first kiss by a Vampire?

Willow shook herself mentally. She didn't believe Dante was the type of man to enforce himself upon someone just for a taste. She frowned though. She had no idea what type of man Dante was aside from the obvious, but her gut was telling her that he was safe to be with. Why though?

She took the privacy given to her and retrieved garlic from the kitchen and went into the spare bedroom. She glanced around the tiny space, familiarizing herself with the quilted blanket on the bed. The white curtains pulled closed and an altar sat across the bed with a small circular mirror. A mortar and pestle, an incense holder and several crystals. Willow went to work on grinding down the garlic into fine bits, then lighting the incense. Lavendar filled her senses, relaxing her mind and body as she pressed her hands together. Due to her unexpected visit to Hecate, she failed to deliver an offering. She hoped this would suffice the Goddess. A warmth embraced her, calming her while she prayed.

"Hecate, thank you for allowing me into your presence, even for a short time." Willow bowed her head slightly before lowering her hands and looking into the mirror. She touched her cheeks, her nose, her chin. The bags under her eyes showed the lack of energy she felt. As a half-Witch, she knew she didn't have as much power as the others, but she still wanted to give her all.

But was it enough?

Willow frowned at the thought. She knew she was weaker than her brothers and sisters. She knew she was the outcast of the coven, yet still she remained.

Why stay? No one wants you.

The voice taunted her, as it normally did.

You're weak. Everyone knows that. Miss J. Roy. Dante.

The words stung deeply, bringing tears to her eyes. She closed her eyes tightly shut, hoping to avoid spilling her emotions as she gripped the edge of the altar. The warmth from earlier during her prayer wrapped around her once more, sinking into her skin until it seeped into her soul. She felt herself calming down, the threat of the tears receding. When she opened her eyes, the mirror had a soft purple glow coming from it. As Willow reached out to it, the glow faded away and her reflection returned to her. In the glass though was an etched script that wasn't there before.

Believe in yourself, just as I believe in you.

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Dante returned later in the evening, his clothes a bit scuffed with minor dirt and grass. His once red crazed eyes were now his golden smolder once more. Willow had taken her place in front of the fireplace, her new phone in her hands. With the meeting with Hecate and the awkwardness between herself and Dante, she had missed multiple texts and phone calls from Roy. She would start a text, then quickly erase it, start a new one just to erase that next. How could she tell her best friend that she met with a Goddess and the man that picked her up from school is a Vampire?

"I apologize for how I acted earlier." Dante spoke up behind her, startling her into tossing her phone. She gasped as she caught it before it went into the fireplace.

"It's okay. Are you better now?" She asked him, unable to meet his gaze as she clutched her phone to her chest. Dante moved to the couch behind her, sitting down on it.

"I'll be fine for now." He grumbled softly. The sound of the cackling fire filled the silence between them as she stared down at her phone.

"The meeting with your Goddess, I presume it went well?" He asked her as she set her phone down.

"As well as it was cryptic." She replied, gazing into the fire. She focused her energy on the heat the flames gave off, the security she felt in its warmth. She rubbed her arms, the sleeves riding up a bit. Her old scars accompanied by new ones criss crossed over her wrists and forearms.

"As they usually are. Nothing on this book from your vision?" He asked her. She lowered her sleeves, bringing her knees to her chest as she gazed into the fire again.

"No, just that I need more practice with my visions." She let out a sigh, leaning her head against the couch behind her and shut her eyes.

"It sounds more like a pain than anything, but I'm not a God so what do I know." He grimaced.

"It's not a pain. Not at all, it's just..." she stopped herself from continuing. The dark, lingering feeling of self-doubt crept into her mind. She opened her eyes, gazing up at the mantle where a large portrait sat of a beautiful mountain landscape.

"You don't believe you have what it takes." Dante voiced her thoughts. She glanced up where she saw him peering over the back of the couch. The way the fire danced in his golden eyes was so captivating, Willow couldn't steer herself to look away. Those same eyes that seem to devour her without him making a single move toward her. Her nerves screamed to reach out, to just graze his cheek with her fingertips...

Willow's eyes widened at the feeling as the muscles in her arms tightened up to restrain herself from doing just that. One of his brows slowly rose up in a curious arc, the corner of his lips twitched with amusement. The red around his pupils flared up, swirling in with the gold of his iris. It was hypnotic, but an alarm blared in her mind as if to warn her. She rose to her feet, his eyes not once leaving her.

"I don't have what it takes." She muttered out finally. The intensity in his stare slowly softened, the red settling once more into a ring around his pupils. "I am just a half-Witch. I'm sorry I can't truly be of more help to you both." She quickly turned away from him and went by the front door to collect her things.

"Where are you going?" He asked as he rose up from his spot on the couch to confront her. She only started to shake her head as she slipped on her shoes.

"I can't do this." She said to him, slinging her bookbag over her shoulder. Yet when her hand grasped the door handle, his hand covered hers. His touch was hot like the desert sun, yet his skin was smooth. Willow felt his chest against her back as he cornered her by the door. His breath hot on her neck, she felt his lips caress her earlobe. It was as if her blood called out to him, begging to be tasted again as it pulsed through her. With the remaining strength she had, she turned the doorknob and bolted from the cabin, not daring to look back.

The brisk chilly air slapped her face as she ran down the path they had driven on. Compared to the comfort and steadiness of the car, the path was bumper than what she had expected, every once in awhile losing her balance, but quickly regain it. When she turned a bend, her footing slipped out from beneath her, causing her to tumble to the ground. A sharp pain erupted in her left wrist, but she pushed past it, getting back to her feet and continued forward.

It felt like ages until she spotted the highway ahead of the treeline. Even with the brightness of the crescent moon above her lighting her way, she couldn't help the odd and fearful feeling of being stalked.

Or hunted.

Just as she reached the break in the treeline, she turned around to the path behind her. Nothing. She glanced around, but nothing stood out to her. Willow breathed a sigh of relief as she reached down into her pocket when realization hit her. She had left her phone behind. She paced at the entrance of the darkened pathway when headlights peeked from around a turn, startling her like a deer in the headlights. The car pulled over in front of her, the headlights blinding as the driver's side opened up and a figure stepped out.

"Willow?" Roy's voice came from the individual as he walked in front of the car. The fear and self-doubt fluttered from her mind and replaced with relief in seeing her friend. He walked up to her, his hands touching hers. She lowered her gaze to their joined hands. It didn't share the same effect Dante's had, but they were familiar and warm. When she finally looked up into his eyes, she was met with worry. His hands moved up the sleeves of her arms to her shoulders, sending butterflies to flutter in her chest.

"You're freezing. Come on, the old mom and pop joint is still open." He let her go and took off his jacket, placing it around her shoulders. Willow felt the flush in her cheeks as he guided her to the car, opening the door for her. She snuggled into his jacket, casting her gaze outside to the dark path where she thought, just for that instant, the golden red eyes staring back at her.

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"Are you sure you're okay?" Roy asked her after the waitress dropped off their hot chocolate. She wrapped her fingers around the steaming mug, the aroma of chocolate and French vanilla swirling in her senses. She had remained quiet up to this point, and Roy was respective of her space, but she knew him. She knew he was the caring type. So much so that just sitting here in silence was practically killing him with worry. She took a deep breath.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for worrying you." She lied. She could spill her heart out to him, not hold back anything. Her fears. Her dreams. Her final decision. Willow looked up into his eyes.

I can't... When I die... I should die alone.

Roy inclined his head as he nodded slowly, sipping his hot drink. The diner was dead except for them. The waitress had busied herself with gossiping with the cook in the back, leaving the two with privacy.

"I'm glad you're okay. I was really worried about you when you took off with that man earlier." He combed his fingers through his hair, that adorable boyish smirk on his lips. "You said he's a family friend, but I couldn't stop that nagging feeling." He admitted, his eyes flickering to hers. Willow blinked when Roy reached across and grabbed her hands, his thumbs brushing against her palms.

"I'm sorry I didn't reply back to your messages. It's been a complicated evening." She told him, lowering her gaze to their hands.

"Did you want to talk about it?" He asked her, finally releasing her hands and sits back in his seat. Willow dropped her gaze to her drink, opening her mouth to tell him about Dante being a Vampire, her meeting with Goddesses...

"I spent most of the time trying to strengthen my magic." She lied again. She never held back from telling him what was going on with her, but something kept her from speaking out. Roy didn't seem none the wiser as he simply nodded in understanding.

"I guess I can't really relate on that level, but you do look really exhausted." He said, inclining his head thoughtfully. She couldn't lie about that. She was mentally and physically drained.

"I was a bit surprised it was you that found me, but relieved to." She smiled weakly at him. Roy ran his fingers through his hair slowly, a small smile on his lips.

"I guess you could say it was just perfect timing. Finish your cocoa and I'll take you home." He suggested to her. She nodded, settling more into her seat as a calm and relaxed silence fell between them.