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Chapter 50: Practice Makes Perfect
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Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 51: Bestie Saturday Night
Funny how an ordinary basement can feel like a tomb. I emerged with a huge sigh from my forced confinement into the warmth of the last of the sunlight flooding the kitchen on the other side of the door. I actually paused for a moment to enjoy it, but not long enough for my mother to catch up, just in case.I heard her first footfall on the step below as someone knocked on the kitchen door. Relieved to have another warm body to use for a buffer against her, I rushed to answer it just as Mom reached the top of the stairs.Alison Morgan, my best friend and rescuer, grinned at me from the doorstep, her normally long, flowing blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, contact-tinted blue eyes sparkling. I can only imagine my expression since Alison laughed at me without me saying a word.Goofy, best bet. And desperate, I imagine.She walked in without asking, brushing past me to greet my mother. I silently prayed she would just say 'hi' and let it go.Why did my best friend have to
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 52: Not So Ordinary
When I finally made it to the kitchen, Meira had joined Mom in entertaining Alison. I was met by hushed giggling and forced innocence from all three of them and knew whatever they discussed wasn't for my benefit. Still, Meira was only nine, so how naughty could it be?I flushed just thinking about Brad.Alison's grin told me she knew exactly what brought on my rosy cheeks and that she planned to torture me with it for the rest of the evening.Some best friend.Fortunately, I was saved further humiliation by the arrival of Uncle Frank and his girlfriend, Sunny.I'm not sure what Alison thought when the pair emerged from the dark basement, but the smile on her face became a little strained and I could tell she was nervous. She always acted that way around them, especially Uncle Frank. But I never knew if she did because he was so boyishly handsome or because she picked up on his undead vibes.Uncle Frank and Sunny were both vampires. The fact they slept in fancy cupboards in our ba
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 53: Field Party
I officially decided I hated field parties.What was it about my age group and their belief they needed to get drunk, stoned and stupid in order to have a good time? I dodged a puking sophomore just in time to save my shoes and kept moving. At least this time I wasn't responsible for the throwing up, but somehow knowing it didn't make me feel any better.Alison made sure I stood in the thick of things from the moment I arrived, immediately hooking me up with Brad so she could wander off. Having Beth and Simon hanging from me kind of put a damper on our greeting, but I could tell Brad was really happy to see me and had a momentary glimmer of guilt that power drew us together. I discovered the previous fall Brad had a latent talent, born with the goods but no way to access them. Because of that, he had no involvement with magic but was, it turned out, instinctively drawn to me and my demon. I felt bad when I wasn't with him. Only then did I understand I was somehow taking advantage of
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 54: Darkness Freed
"Traitors!" Suzanne shrieked so loud I felt like I'd been slapped. But it was the burst of power following her scream that caught my attention.Quaid and Brad were suddenly minor hiccups in the grand scheme. In fact, nothing that happened tonight was important anymore. My demon and I were so hyper- focused on Suzanne, the rest of the world just faded.The disheveled cheerleader looked dirty and unstable, jacketless, her short-sleeved t-shirt filthy, jeans torn at the knees and stained with mud, as though she collapsed many times and still dragged herself up from the dirt. She must have done some hard drinking and falling since our encounter at the fire. Her blonde hair hung limp, half-free of the low pigtails she artfully began the evening with. She stood in front of the bonfire, swaying, alone, a beer clutched in one white-knuckled hand. I instinctively took a step toward her, Quaid right beside me as the power I felt when I first arrived flowed outward from her, weak and stringy, b
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 55: All My Fault
I tried not to shiver but was losing the battle. Something about that much negative magic along with a chilly late April night proved enough to cut me to the bone and I was so wrung out I didn't have enough energy to even really care.So I gave up the effort and stood and shook, hugging myself and clenching my teeth against the steady rattle as I watched Mom, Uncle Frank and Sunny do a tour of where the party had so recently been.I was right they already knew and didn't need us to tell them we were in trouble. In fact, Quaid and I just barely caught our breath when Uncle Frank, carrying my mother, landed next to us."Syd." Mom had been breathless despite the fact Uncle Frank had done the flying, panting with the need to reach me. She crouched close and hugged me hard. "Thank goodness you're all right." She latched on to Quaid and drew him in as well. "We came the moment we felt it."I heard the rustling hiss of another vampire and looked up. Sunny settled on the grass with Erica P
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 56: Demon Dad
My attempt to sleep when I arrived home that Sunday morning was a wasted effort. There was far too much going on in my head to let me rest. In fact, my head ran so busy even my demon grumbled in protest.So I dragged myself to the basement and tried to focus. If the night before taught me anything, I needed to get a handle on my power, like immediately.I intended to spend my entire sunny Sunday locked up in the basement. I started running drill after drill, sometimes succeeding, most times not as my focus drifted in and out, concentration blasted by my lack of sleep, surges of nausea and worry about that thing being out there somewhere.Part way through the morning, I felt the swell of power coming from my father's stone effigy and reached for him with relief. The doorway between our planes only needed a connection between him and someone on our side to open, despite the coven's need to glorify the process with stupid ceremonies. I gladly gave him the key he needed and the massive
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 57: Happy Birthday, Syd!
I retreated to my bedroom and took a few minutes to write down what Gram said so I could tell my mother before stretching out on the top of my quilt. My brain fell suddenly quiet and I closed my eyes, grateful for a moment to rest.I felt the heavy weight of Sassafras land on the end of my bed and the movement on the mattress as he quietly padded his fat cat body to my side. He circled and settled against me, taking a moment to clean his tail before landing his nose between his paws with a sigh.In the stillness of a Sunday afternoon, exhausted and stressed, I finally found peace and fell asleep.There is nothing more disorienting than waking up fully clothed on top of your homework with no memory of the night before. I dragged myself from my bed and squinted into the sunrise. It only took a moment of confusion before I kicked myself and swore softly under my breath.I slept the night through and missed the vampires.In the bathroom across the hall, I surveyed the past few day's d
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 58: Casual Disregard
By the time school ended, I was so frazzled I could barely remember my locker combination. Pain's intuition along with the obvious tampering she underwent made me jumpier by the minute. Not to mention the absolutely casual disregard the entire student body had for what was clearly a huge event. It wasn't very often what the family could do scared me. Creep me out, give me the willies, turn my stomach yes. But flat out scare me?All of a sudden, I felt heart-poundingly, cold sweat inducingly terrified.I breathed a sigh of relief when I arrived home and found Mom's pristine blue and white '66 Mustang coupe parked in its usual place in the driveway. At least I wouldn't have to wait around for hours while she did her coven crap to talk to her. I could never convince the woman to carry a cell phone. Mind you, I could at any time reach out to her with my mind, but it seemed like such a waste of magic, not to mention risky in the barfing department. Plus, it felt like such a mundane use fo
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Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 803: Happy Endings
How was this for a happy ending?Bittersweet, this walk down the halls of the newly restored mansion. I'd been through this before, but I knew this time, I didn't have anything hanging over my head.I loved Liam. But I was finally marrying the man I was meant to be with.The pressure was off this time too, our battles won. I could enjoy my wedding without worrying about Fate or the Brotherhood or Ameline looming in the near future.Awesome.I even found Wilding Springs was fine without the influence of the Gate, just as Fergus said. That it still felt like magic. Probably a combination of the century or so of the Gate's influence deeply mired in the whole town. Not to mention the presence of the Wild Hunt still snoozing in my back yard.And the coven.I didn't worry we'd have to move anytime soon. Good thing. I kind of liked being in one place for once.Made me think of Sonja, of Liam again. His mother disappeared after the night she met Gabriel. I tried to look for her, feelin
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 802: Wedding Day
Another mirror. Another dress. Totally different experience.I stood on what amounted to a pedestal as at least a dozen or so giggling vampires tugged, pushed and laced me into the biggest, heaviest mass of fabric and jewels I'd ever seen in my entire life. The thing weighed so much I had to have my alter egos help me carry it so it wouldn't drive me to my knees.This was the punishment I got for picking out my first wedding dress alone.This one was, at least, the pale ivory I'd requested. White would have felt disrespectful to Liam's memory. And Mom happily acquiesced before losing her freaking mind.And when I appealed to Sunny for assistance in my mother's sudden loss of sanity?Yeah.I was surrounded by vampires, wasn't I?Shenka hovered, her ball gown sparkling, covered in as many gems as could possibly be stuck to her. Again Mom went with the jewel tones. I guess she figured a good idea was a terrible thing to waste.And considering only a handful of people had seen the
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 801: Familiar Magic
I sat on the side of my bed, looking out the window into the quiet street, the buzzing streetlight below me oddly comforting. I'd tried to sleep after returning home, put Gabriel to bed with Charlotte who met me at the front door after Sass, Galleytrot and I strolled home in the sharpening night air. Her massive scowl told me I was in horrible trouble as she took my son from me.Okay, so I didn't exactly put him to bed.Snort.Galleytrot and Sassafras naturally abandoned me for her room, leaving me alone. Which was fine, it really was. I had a hot shower, pulled on my favorite robe. Had a little cry. Not much. Just a pathetic little spill of tears I held over from the Gate.From Liam.And felt my heart ease at last.Wrapped myself in the love in my house, the people sleeping there. Shenka and Charlotte, Galleytrot and Sass. Gram and Demetrius. All of us, happy just to be home.But sleep wouldn't come. My mind struggled with belief. That Ameline was really dead. That Gabriel was
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 800: Gateway
I looked down into my son's sleeping face before sinking into the rocking chair beside his crib and releasing of the last of my stress. He was really too big for the thing now, but I needed to do some thinking about a bed and a room for him and just didn't have the energy to deal.A soft, furry body landed in my lap, Sassafras purring as he kneaded my leg a few times before turning in a circle and settling himself."Nice to see them together again," he said.I knew exactly who he meant. Mom and Dad wasted no time taking off for Harvard for some private time. I blushed at the thought of my parents and what they were probably doing right now.Shudder.Galleytrot groaned from the end of the crib, eyes flaring with red fire as he looked up."What about you, Syd?" His rumbling voice shifted my shudder to a shiver. "Have you thought about a new mate?"Not going there. "I've been thinking," I said, totally changing the subject. Yes, on purpose. No judging. "About Gabriel and his power.
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 799: Homecoming
Meira grinned at me like it was funny. And it was, in a way. She sat behind Dad's old desk-Ahbi's, too-and bounced a little in the chair."Comfy," she said. Winked.Oh. My. Swearword.Dad laughed, hugged me abruptly. "Meems, pumpkin," loved his pet name for her, though I liked cupcake better despite years of protest, "I'm sorry to do this to you.""You've already apologized, Dad," she said, looking quite pleased with herself. Hard to remember she was only fourteen with that evil grin, hands rubbing together in expectation. "I'm going to do some housecleaning first. Then the real fun will start."I shook my head, giggling. "Just leave a few of the planes standing."She shrugged, inspected her nails. "We'll see.""I take it the Node is fine?" It felt fine, Demonicon still intact at least."It was in balance long before Ahbi took up residence," Meira said. "She was only just hitchhiking anyway."I looked up at Dad who sighed deeply, lines of anxiety leaving his face."You're cra
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 798: Ruler
The sparkling kneepads attached to my heavy leather pants caught the light of the triple suns overhead as I shifted for the millionth time, foot bobbing on the end of my crossed leg. Sassafras hissed at me. The bobbing stopped.For the moment. The longer we sat here, the more agitated I felt. Didn't help it took Pagomaris an age and a half to dress me while Meira was being man-handled in her bedroom."Your demon form would be so much easier to dress, Your Highness." Hopefulness lit the aide's eyes as she smiled and scrunched her shoulders like talking to me as if I were a child would endear her."Not." I scowled at her. "Work with this or nothing." I gestured down at my human form.And she sighed.Gestured for her minions to come forward.Left me to them as though I was no longer worth her effort, returning to my sister who grinned at me through the open door of her bedroom.Argh.I did concede to shifting my size, remembering how small I felt next to Meira when she was in demo
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 797: Royal Wedding
I glared at my reflection in the mirror. "I'm not going.""You are." Sassafras growled softly at me before sighing heavily. "And so am I, remember?""They're not going to make you wear a ridiculous outfit and parade around like you're their property." More glaring.I. Was. Not. Going.Sass hopped down from the bed and waddled to my side, tail quivering. "You can't let Meira down," he said, leaping into my lap. I stroked his fur absently. "It would be a terrible thing for her to have to sit through Harry's marriage alone.""So maybe he shouldn't get married." Whiny much? But there was the crux, wasn't it?Today was my father's wedding day.And the last place I wanted to be was Demonicon. In fact, a hole somewhere deep and far away would have been preferable. Anything other than having to endure my father marrying a demon.That would be the end for Mom and Dad. The real end. And I didn't think I could handle it."Harry has made his choice," Sassafras said, meeting my eyes in the
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 796: Payten's Confession
I was already turning and moving back inside by the time Mom began her little speech to wrap up the trial. I had no desire to listen, moving on from it though Celeste's foul stench remained on me. A quick push of magic cleared my nose, clothes and hair of the stink, even as I strode with ever-increasing speed toward the back of the now-emptying chamber and the hall beyond.A startled Enforcer was the lucky recipient of the bag of marshmallows, slapped against his chest on the way by.I seemed to have lost my appetite.Was so focused on my final target I almost ran right into Payten when she dodged out of the shadows of an archway and stepped in front of me.My first instinct was to hit her so hard with magic they wouldn't find her body.Ever.Second instinct was to flatten her into a Paytensquish and smear her all over the floor with my shoes.Yum.Third impulse won, partially because I was a sucker for a sobbing girl, Enforcer or not.Hated enemy or not.She radiated grief,
Hayle Coven Novels Chapter 795: Celeste's Trial
I'd sat here before, on a bench in the Council chamber, watching a trial unfold before me, Shenka at my side. But this one was far different. I had no regrets, no old grief-at least not for the creature about to stand before my mother.Any sorrow I felt around Celeste Oberman centered on the Hayle family members she'd killed. Martin and Louisa Vega, the darling couple who loved and cared about me when there were times no one else in the coven seemed to. Sandra Crossman, leaving her husband, James, alone to raise their daughter.Old wounds long since healed over, but never, ever forgotten.Worse, Gabriel wasn't with me. Antsy pants wriggled my butt in my velvet skirt as I fidgeted and held him tight with my magic while he laughed at something and ignored me.My own son, a traitor.Sigh.Shenka squeezed my hand, smiled a little. "He's fine," she said."I know," I whispered back. Not needing to. We weren't the only ones chattering. The gathering for Mia's burning-it seemed so long
