Veronica entered her superior’s office, “You asked for me, ma’am?” She asked after knocking on the door frame.
A brunette in her early thirties looked up from a desk with the nameplate that read Commander Jessica Reed, “Yes, I did, please come in and take a seat.” After putting away some papers and pulling out a manila folder, “How did it go with Kiera this morning?”
“She was good. Excited about her first assignment but not thrilled about going back to high school. Not that I could blame her,” She offered with a shudder.
Commander Reed laughed, “Was it that bad?”
“Not for me it wasn’t, I was the head cheerleader and most popular. Doesn’t mean I want to go back either. Kiera looked almost terrified but also resigned to go back,” Veronica answered.
“Is it a potential problem?”
Veronica sat up straighter, “No ma’am, Kiera is one of our brightest and best new agents. She should have no problems. I’m scheduled to meet her at the apartment we rented for her in Salem this evening.”
Commander Reed handed the file folder to Veronica, “Have a look at this and then pass the info on to Kiera as you see fit. It is all the info we have about The Morrigan and her possible child, that according to what we have found will turn eighteen on October thirty first.
“Halloween?” Veronica replied, and continued after her commander nodded, “What kind of info do we have on the child? Was it a boy or a girl? What about the father? I don’t see anything here.” She asked as she went through the file’s contents.
“We don’t know, and all we have about the child’s father are rumors.”
“Rumors are better than nothing. What have you got?” Veronica inquired.
“What I’m about to tell you goes no further. Not even Kiera needs to know.” She waited for Veronica to nod in the affirmative, “The child’s father is believed to be the Fallen Angel Samael.”
Veronica sat back in the chair as though she had been punched in the gut, “You mean?”
“None other. Now you understand why this kid whoever he or she is, needs to be found and terminated. Evil such as this cannot be allowed to live.” Commander Reed offered.
Veronica snapped to attention, before she replied, “Yes ma’am, we will find whoever this kid is.”
“Very well, keep me informed of your progress. Don’t be surprised is Inquisitor Jameson contacts you about this as well,” Commander Reed said.
“Yes ma’am,” Was Veronica’s only reply before executing an about-face before leaving her commander’s office. On her way back to the room she shared with Kiera she began to think. What in the world have we gotten ourselves involved in? The Celtic Goddess, The Morrigan and the Fallen Angel Samael’s soon to be eighteen-year-old child, what could go wrong?
Back in her room, Veronica changed into black leather pants with one of those performance tees she liked that showed off her breasts before slipping into a shoulder harness for her Sig Sauer pistol and knee-high motorcycle boots.
Once dressed she went to her small weapons locker and after opening it, she pulled out her pistol and three loaded magazines they all had blue stripes painted on the sides, that when inserted into the weapon could not be seen. These were specific rounds that had been spelled to defeat magical protections, anti-Witch ammo. Lastly, she pulled out two twelve-inch stiletto blades and slid them into her boots.
On her way out of the room, Veronica grabbed her keys, wallet, and a leather motorcycle jacket.
Minutes later she was speeding down the interstate on her matte black Ducati, in route to Salem and the safehouse apartment for them to use on this assignment.
One thing was clear to Kiera ten minutes into her first class. She still hated high school.
Well, the truth is she hadn’t always hated school that is not until she came to her abilities. She was just another kid from an Irish immigrant family that had come over to the states to make a better life. All was fine and well until she hit puberty and began to get bullied by the popular crowd in junior high and it continued into high school.
It all came to a head in her Junior year, where she was a member of the volleyball team. That’s when the cheerleaders began to make fun of Kiera’s friend Sam. Sam wasn’t overly attractive and a little on the heavy side but popular teens doing what popular teens have always done, they began to make fun of Sam’s weight her looks and how she dressed.
Kiera made the mistake of defending her friend which caused them to turn their ire towards her. They began to make comments about how she and Sam must be lesbian lovers and that they belonged together.
Sam at that point was an emotional wreck as the cheerleaders continued to pour on the comments. What they didn’t realize was that something broke inside Kiera.
Her hair began to float around her as her eyes began to glow. Heat began to flow off Kiera in waves and ripples in the air. That’s when the cheerleader’s clothes started to smoke causing them to dance around in hysterics; then they noticed the look on Kiera’s face one of pure malice as she held up her hands and flames erupted from them. The cheerleaders began to back away and cry out for help.
“Run!” Kiera commanded.
She shook herself from the memory of that day. Thank God for Father Mathison otherwise who knows what I would have done. He’s the one who contacted the Brotherhood and got me into their school and eventually the Valkyrie training program.
Now here she was nineteen and back in fecking high school. At least this time she didn’t need to worry about passing. It was supposed to be a short assignment to gather info on the prominent Witch families along with some of the stragglers, like Caleb who wasn’t part of any family.
Kiera smiled at the thought of him. He was the only student who had welcomed her and introduced himself. Caleb also seemed to know what he wanted to do with his life. It wasn’t his fault that he was born a Witch and he tried to be as far away from them as possible.
Maybe she could recruit him, and they could help him as they had helped her. One step at a time.
Her phone buzzed with an incoming text, pulling it out she saw the text from Veronica saying that she would meet her after school at the safehouse. She typed out a quick reply to her best friend then slipped her phone back into her jacket.
Kiera turned her attention to her teacher who was talking about the meaning of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and settled in for what was going to be a long first day back in high school.
Caleb left Kiera to find her way to class as his first class was on the other side of campus from hers. He slipped through the door of his Physics class and into a seat next to his best friend, Robert who grinned at him.
“Dude, you were almost late to class and on the first day of school,” Robert teased.
“Worth it though, I met the most amazing girl this morning while in line waiting for my schedule,” Caleb replied.
Robert waited for his best friend to dish on the details, “You can’t just leave me hanging.”
Caleb leaned close to his friend, “Her name is Kiera, and she’s a Senior like us plus she doesn’t dress like the other girls.”
Robert stared at him expectantly, “And…”
“She has red hair and the most alluring green eyes,” He paused deliberately. “And she has a hint of an Irish accent,” He almost moaned out loud as his face took on a look that bordered on ecstasy.
His best friend chuckled, “Oh, I can picture you following her around like a lost puppy. With your obsession with everything Irish and Celtic she must seem like a gift from the Goddess.”
Caleb looked at Robert, knowing that his friend was a typically powered male Witch. He envied Robert that luxury, know that his family would find him a suitable female Witch as a match for him. His future set in stone. Except for a very few, the most potent male Witch was no stronger in the Craft than a mid-powered female.
If he came into his power like his mom and his mother believed on his birthday then what? Caleb shivered at that thought before vowing I am not my parents, and their darkness is not my darkness.
Robert interrupted Caleb’s, “You going to ask her out?”
The look of shock on his face made Robert’s day, “Wh… what? We just met and talked for like fifteen minutes besides she most likely thinks I’m another nerd in a Lord of the Rings shirt.”
“Yeah, I know, but you still didn’t answer my question,” Robert finished when the teacher began to call attendance.
Caleb gave his friend the stink eye and grumbled under his breath before thinking that his Senior year had gotten off to a great start.
The cafeteria was what Kiera expected; everyone broke up into their respective cliques and groups. Even at school for Witches, you had your jocks, preps, nerds, and freaks. Except she had learned that not everyone who attended the school were Witches, there were kids like her who had some latent talent or ability passed down from a Witch, generations in their past, and there were also Shifters who attended the school. The Shifters were easy to spot, most of them were scenting the air like it was some sort of game to try and figure out who was who.
She stood there like every teen movie she had ever seen, looking out over the lunchroom trying to decide where to sit with her government approved lunch.
Scanning the organized chaos that is a high school lunchroom, Kiera began navigating her way past tables getting the looks that she was getting used to as the new girl. Some were the ones where someone of higher social standing would give to a servant or peasant; others were the hopeful glances every nerd or geek had whenever any attractive girl looked at them. It was like you could see how the wished their life would turn out if only this goddess would give them a chance.
“Kiera!” Someone called out to Kiera, and when she turned, she spotted Caleb, the cute beanpole from this morning.
Her face split with a dazzling smile as she made her way over to his table and his friends. Will his friends like me? She thought before seeing the guy next to Caleb say something she couldn’t make out then his face turned three shades of red.
Kiera set her tray on the table, and beamed at Caleb, “Thanks for the invite.”
Caleb blushed again, “Well, I couldn’t let you continue with that deer in the headlights look. I was worried you were going to bolt,” He offered with a shit-eating grin.
Kiera reached a hand out to Robert, the guy who had been giving Caleb a hard time, “I’m Kiera.”
“Oh crap, I’m sorry. Kiera this is Robert, my best friend,” Caleb said embarrassed.
Robert took Kiera’s hand, “Nice to meet you, Caleb has been telling me all about you.”
She shot Caleb an oh really look, “And just what has he been saying about me?”
“Nothing bad but I do believe he lied about how attractive you were, and your accent is to die for. He at least got that bit right,” Robert offered, beaming at her.
Turning around and making a show of checking herself out, “What, did he say I have a big butt?” She asked with mock anger.
A groan escaped from Caleb, and they looked to see he had his face in his hands and from the looks of his ears it was beet red, “Someone just shoot me, please.”
Robert and Kiera erupted in laughter before she took the seat across from them. Picking up the apple and taking out a bite she pointed at Caleb, “You know you can make it up to me?”
Caleb looked up, “Make what up to you? I didn’t do anything. How?”
She scrutinized him for a minute making his sweat before she laughed, “Since no one at this school seems to want to talk to the new girl like I’ve got some contagious disease or something.” Kiera paused to take another bite of her apple, “Except you two of course. How about we get together this weekend and you can show me around Salem.” She finished giving Caleb a shy smile.
Robert glance between the two of them, “I can’t I have a family thing that I can’t miss. I still don’t know why I have to be there it’s not like I have a choice in the matter.”
Kiera gave him a curious look, “What are you talking about?”
Caleb answered for his best friend, “He’s from a prominent family, and his mother is looking for the best possible match for Robert.”
A look of horror crossed her face, “You mean, arranged marriage? They still do that?” Then she looked a Caleb, “Does that mean?”
Caleb raised his hands, “Not me, not from a prominent or influential family, and yes they have always done it. It’s just before the Emergence it was kept quiet.”
The three of them sat there in silence for a few minutes, “So, what about you, Caleb, are you good with showing me around this weekend? Or do you have a LOTR marathon you have to attend?” Kiera asked with a knowing smirk.
Caleb looked at her getting lost in her emerald green eyes before a lazy smile overtook his face, “I would love to.”