Chapter 4 - The First Witch

I awoke to a light tapping on the bedroom door. Dragging my eyes open I realise I have slept the whole afternoon away, it was pitch black outside. The moon was fully up in the sky casting haunting shadows into my room.

“Yes?” I called out trying to rub the sleep for my eyes.

“I thought you might be hungry, if you would like to join me in the dining room for some dinner?” Lilith’s musical voice came from the other side of the door.

“That would be lovely, I will be down in 5 minutes.” I called back. I listened as Lilith retreated down the hallway, the floorboards groaning under her small frame.

Shifting off the bed, I make my way over a door on the opposite wall and flick the switch. Thankfully finding a small bathroom with a wash basin, toilet and shower. Standing over the basin I splash some water on my face, my brain still reeling over the faces in my dream. The boys blue eyes etched into the front of my memories.

Grabbing a towel and drying my hands and face, I walk back into my room and head out to join Lilith downstairs.

Stepping into the dining room I feel like I have been transported into a different century. Candles lit up the room. Dozens of them along the mantle piece and down the centre of the table. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting all different shapes over the room. The heavily aroma of roasted chicken hit my senses and my stomach let out an embarrassing roar. I can’t even remember the last time I ate so much has happened.

Lilith let out a twinkling laugh from the head of the table. A smile plastered to her face, her wise eyes crinkled at the edge.

“Come sit, please,” she gestured to a seat next to her. “Its nice to have some company for once.” I sat down beside her. She gestured to help myself. I tucked in straight away, loading my plate with chicken, veg, roast potatoes and smothered it all in gravy.

“It smells wonderful, thank you Lilith.”

“Oh your more than welcome, I enjoy cooking, especially when I have guests.” She winked at me before tucking into her own dinner. “So tell me Avalon, how do you come to know Dario.” She asks between mouthfuls.

I hesitate not sure how much I should disclose to her. I decided to tell the truth but not leaving some of the details out.

“He’s a work colleague.” I reply keeping my eyes on my own plate.

“I see, so you are a Hunter too?” I look up with surprise, she knows about our kind? My cutlery slips from my hand with a loud clatter. Lilith let’s out another twinkly laugh. “You need not look so scared Avalon. I know all about Hunters and the creatures that dwell all around us.” She carried in with her dinner.

“I thought you must have been,” she continues, “I couldn’t think of another reason why Dario would have sent you to me, the question is why Dario thought I might be of help to you?” she looks at me with a cocked brow and curiosity etched into her face.

“I don’t know. He didn’t have time to explain anything to me. He just handed me a note with your address on it.” She looks at me her curiosity still evident.

“Interesting.” She sighed licking her lips and watching me carefully. “Are you hiding from someone Avalon, perhaps your own kind?” she ask gently “If you are in some sort of trouble then I must know so that I can be prepared.”

“No, no” I reply with a shake of my head. “Quite the opposite in fact. I’m searching for something. For knowledge I suppose.” I meet her steady gaze. This seemed to have caught her interest.

“I see, I think that you should start from the beginning. Tell me the story that has brought you to my door. Starting with your real name if you will.” She gives me a small smile.

“How did you know?” I ask, cheeks reddening at being caught out.

“Although it may not look it, but I have lived a long time child. I can sense a lie from a mile off, no matter how good the lie may be.” She gives me a small wink and takes a sip of her wine.

“My real name is Avalon Taylor.” I sigh. Still not knowing if I can trust this woman but at this point I have no choice. Dario must have known I would need her help, so I had to trust his lead.

I look up to Lilith, recognition flashing in her eyes. She abruptly gets up from the table and walks to my side. She raises her fingers and snaps them together a spark of fire dancing off of her finger tip instantaneously. My eyes open wide with surprise as she brings the light closer to my face illuminating my features. Her free hand comes up over her mouth stiffening a sob. My gaze trained on the light dancing precariously close to my face. As a hunter I am no stranger to the weird and unbelievable, but I have never seen magic being used first hand. I allow my gaze to move back to Lilith as her sobs reach my ears.

“It can’t be,” her eyes pools with so many emotions, sadness, elation, fear. “Yet I can see that it is, you look just like her. I have no idea how I didn’t see it before” She slowly stands up her finger extinguishing as she does.

She walks over to a window lost in her own pool of thoughts.

“You know who I am.” I ask quietly, surprise swirling in the depths of my soul.

 Lilith let’s out a small chuckle. “Yes I know you child.” She glances over her shoulder at me before looking back out into the night. “Your mother was my best friend. I'm surprised you do not remember me, you spent so much time here as a child.” Her voice sounded distant, her eyes glazed over as she remember the past.

“I’m afraid I don’t remember anything, I have no memories before I was brought to the Hunters Headquarters.” Lilith looked around eyes wide at my words. Her attention back on me.

“You mean to say you remember nothing of your childhood? How is that possible?” she asks a look of wonder on her face.

“Yes that is correct. My Uncle, that is to say my Dads friend Darren, believes that it was the trauma of loosing my parents that made me block out the memories. He found me after my parents were killed.” Lilith let out a snort, not even trying to cover up her unladylike noise.

“That man, a friend?” she laughs again “He was no friend to your parents, nor is he to you. He has always had his own agenda, for everything he does. He would do nothing for anyone unless it benefitted him in some way, including taking in an orphaned child. I guarantee it is him who blocked your memories. You see he has an uncanny ability to play with peoples mind. Manipulate people to do his bidding. It wouldn’t surprise me if he found a way to take your memories away as well.”

“But I have never heard of anyone having those sort of abilities before. To read someone’s mind, yes, but not to physically manipulate someone else to your will.”

“There are a great many things in this universe that you do not yet understand child. Darren’s ability could be used as a weapon, it is in his own interest to hide what he can do with it.”

“Yes, I suppose you are right.” I nod in agreement. “How did you and my mother come to be friends?”

“Its a long story child, one that starts many years ago, a long time before your parents were born. Are you sure you are ready to hear it.” She asks gently a far away look on her face. The more I look at Lilith the more I realise that she is older than you first realise. Curiosity burning within me. I agree readily. For the first time in a long while I feel excited about learning about the people I come from.

“Very well,” Lilith settles in her chair once again, lifting her wine glass to her lips and then begins her story.

My story begins many millennia ago, back when the earth was still young, God had finished making his utopia, he created man and woman in his image and placed them in utopia. Not all of his followers agreed with God’s works, the angel Lucifer, the morning star, told God that creating man would not end well. He believed God should destroy his creation before it was too late. God became enraged at Lucifer’s interference and cast him out of heavens gates. His angelic aurora striped and his ability to enter heaven renounced. Lucifer spent many years, centuries even, alone. Watching as his prophecy came true as man left nothing but destruction in his wake. Cursed to spend eternity in torment.

When I was a young girl I enjoyed bathing in a water hole close to my home which only appeared after heavy rainfall. The world was a different place then. A more barren landscape, not as lush and green as it is now. Life was harder in all ways. But easier in so many others.

One day after the rains had been, I went to bathe. When I reached the place I met with a young boy sitting on the waters edge skimming stones. He told me his name was Lucifer Morningstar, that he had been watching me for some time. He planned on taking me home. It may sound cliché, but for me at least it was love at first sight. He took my breath away. He was beautiful, like no other man I had laid eyes on. That very day he took me with him. I had no idea then that his soul had been corrupted my centuries of torment and loneliness. To me he was perfect, he was sweet and loving.

As the years went on, he realised that my life would be fleeting compared to his, I was mortal after all. When I reached the age of 21 he decided that he must do something to preserve my life so I could stay by his side. He found a way to transfer some of his life force to me by way of a mark cut into my skin. He drew the pentagram into the skin on my back. The pain was excruciating and lasted for many days. For most of it I blacked out my human body not being able to cope with the pain. But when I awoke my frail human self was no more, I had been reborn. Unwittingly Lucifer had created a new creature. With the life blood he transferred into me, I became the first witch in existence.

It took me a long time to master my new gifts. But then time was no longer an issue for me. Time was on my side after all. The longer time went on the more powerful I grew.

By then, more and more angels had fallen from grace, all angering God by questioning his judgement. Lucifer had become power hungry, adamant to build an army around him that none could rival. Lucifer in his quest for power began to believe that if he could create one new creature, he could create others, he found that allowing humans to drink freely from him, created vampires.  

We had children of our own, many in fact over the centuries. When they became men he would send them out on fruitless wars against humans, trying to undo God’s work. Our sons were his generals, heading battalions of vampires and demons all with one agenda, to wipe out the human race. It didn’t take long before they started to fight back. Creating the warriors now know as Hunters. Our sons became the collateral damage of Lucifer’s wars on humanity.

Our Daughters inherited my gifts of witchcraft. And in so doing they branched out on there own. What wasn’t know was that all power comes as a price, and in order to remain powerful they gave up their immortality. They gave birth to powerful witches who in turn created powerful covens.

By the turn of the new millennium, other creatures had appeared. Created by other forces. Werewolves hunted alongside vampires in the night. The Fae, the most mysterious of all creatures resided in the dense forests within their fairy rings or in the still waters of the lakes and ponds in the forms of water nymphs. Gnomes and leprechauns set up home in the hills and wetlands. Other creatures which once roamed the world a plenty were becoming extinct. Creatures such as dragons and unicorns each were hunted to extinction for the magical healing qualities.

When our youngest son, and only living son was killed at the hands of the creatures that now roamed the world, Lucifer retreated in on himself. I could see the man I once loved held nothing but darkness in his soul, he held no love for me or anyone else. It was then that I decided to leave, determined that living a life alone was better than living a life filled with his darkness. Although he left me with a parting gift, I was with child once again. It was then that I met your mother. She was a descendant from one of the first fallen angels that followed after Lucifer. Making her Demon Royalty. Oona StLeger was the name I knew her by. She had fallen in love with a mere mortal, for demons that was forbidden. Her family banished her from the underworld never to return.

She was pregnant with you when we first met. In her very early stages of pregnancy, I don’t even think she had worked it out herself. But I knew straight away, just as I knew the baby she carried was a girl.

We became fast friends, we settled here in the lakes, being as gifted as I was it was easy enough to mask ourselves from the outside world. She set up home, just past the trees behind my cottage. Steven knew what Oona was, he knew that his people would never except her or her child willingly, so he agreed that keeping both hers and your existence secret was the right thing. Away from the prying eyes of the Hunter Council. They knew he had a family, but that was where it ended. Oona was lucky enough to have survived banishment from the underworld, she would not have been so lucky in the hands of the Hunters.

Its was whilst we were here, with our babies growing in our wombs that we created a blood pact. One that was unbreakable. That our children, her daughter and my son would be bonded for life, creating an unbreakable connection. One would be nothing without the other. Our children’s lives would be bound together for eternity. Friends, companions, lovers even. The pact was sealed with a unbreakable blood vow.

Our babies were soon born, and they grew before us into children. The connection between boy and girl grew stronger every passing day. Lucas and Avalon on the path to becoming the greatest love story.

Steven visited when he could, always careful to never be followed, the only other person knowing of yours and your mother’s heritage being Darren.

It was when you and Lucas turned 10 that everything changed. Lucifer found out about my deceit. I still to this day do not know how. He became enraged, but try as he might he could not find a way to get through my wards and protection spells. The only way through would be to acquire someone who already had access. Seeing as your mother and I never left, his only options were your father or Darren.

Your father would never give up his family and so died willingly to stop him from crossing. His friend on the other hand was weak. He helped Lucifer without question. His army spilling in through my wards.

His men killed you mother where she stood. I never knew what happened to you until today. I assumed that they had killed you along with your mother.

Lucifer came for me, he tried to kill me, but he couldn’t bring himself to finish the job. Instead he left me bleeding out and taking my son.

Lilith finished her story, tears streaming from her eyes. Her eyes fixed on the wall ahead. Her mind still recalling the memories of long ago.

My own mind was reeling with so much information, so many questions buzzed through my head. I had no idea where to start. My first though was that I couldn’t believe that Darren had betrayed my father, that is was his disloyalty that had got both of my parents killed. My second thought was of Lucas, the blue eyed boy that had invaded my dreams. It all made sense now.

“Where is Lucas now?” my voice came out in a croak, I could feel tears stinging the back of my eyes. A feeling both strange and beautiful to me.

“Lucifer took him back to the underworld. Moulding him into the perfect image of himself. Injected his darkness into him like a poison. I hear rumours that he is knows as the Prince of Darkness now.” Lilith let’s out a quiet sob. “A monster just like his father.”

My heart was thundering in my chest, I could feel it breaking into two. Breaking for the loss of my parents, breaking for Lilith’s sad story and most of all breaking for the other part of my soul which was connected to Lucas. I didn’t know it until now, but I realise that all this time, my lack of emotions, the energy I put into training all of it was because I was missing apart of myself. A part that would never be mine. Not now.

 The tell tale sign of fire lapping at my skin began working its way through my body, its white hot heat clawing at me under my skin. I couldn’t swallow down the rage. Rage at everyone who had hurt me and my family who had hurt Lilith.

Lilith’s eyes still fogged by tears stared at me as the heat lapped at my skin. “Avalon,” Lilith’s voice was low and soothing. It caressed my hot skin in calming waves. “How long have you been getting these feelings?” She asked quietly. She watched me intently as I fight back the searing pain working its way over my skin. Sweating began to bead along my brow, and my skin took on a angry red glow.

“You must calm down Avalon, you cannot unleash your self in here. We will be burned to a crisp.” I looked up at her in confusion.

“I can feel it Avalon, the power under your skin. Fire magic. How long have you been able to call on it?” she asks gently.

“I don’t know, when ever I feel angry I guess. I just assumed that it was a feeling. But I have never felt it quite this strongly before” I look down at my hands half expecting to see a ball of fire.

“OK we are going to get to the bottom of this Avalon but for now I need you to breath and calm yourself.” She took my hand in hers and began breathing slowly with me. “in and out, that’s it Avalon.”

Slowly the fire began to retreat back into the bottom of my stomach, some just a burning ember instead of a ranging fire.

“What’s happening to me Lilith?” I asked.

“Your powers are awakening dear. You mother had it as well. As I said you mother came from a very noble line of demons, she was Royalty. The fire runs in your veins. It is your 18th Birthday soon yes?” I gave her a small nod, to tired to answer properly. “We must work on learning control, so as the fire doesn’t consume you.”

“I don’t understand Lilith.” I mutter wearily, “How could I not know I possess magic?”

“Perhaps no one ever knew for sure that you did?” Lilith explains in a calming tone. “Although Darren knew what you mother was, he couldn’t be sure that you would inherit her gifts. Not until you turn 18 and your powers manifest.”

“That explains it the.” I mutter more to myself than Lilith.

“Explains what dear?”

“Why Darren didn’t want me to leave then academy.” I breath. Suddenly the acceptance to a lowly security guard made sense, Darren wanted me kept close because he wanted to be sure if I was more demon or more hunter. The question was why, and what would he have done when he realised that I had inherited my mothers gifts?

Suddenly feeling exhausted I slump down onto the table. My eyes closing and sleep taking over me.

Once again the faces of my past haunted my dreams. Only this time I could place each one by name. Mum, Dad, Lilith, Lucas, Darren, Lucifer, and the last face was the scariest of them all, the man who came for my mother. Lucien, my Uncle.