Kiera pulled up to the apartment building that was about three blocks from downtown Salem. After parking her Ducati in the motorcycle parking, she noticed that Veronica’s bike was already parked here.
After taking off her helmet, she grabbed her bookbag and turned slowly to take in the area around her apartment, and she thought. I wonder how many people are watching me at this moment? Once in the stairwell, she jogged up the stairs making her way to her temporary new home.
Entering her apartment, she found Veronica sitting on the sofa with a glass of wine and watching the news. The aroma of whatever she was cooking in the kitchen smelled divine.
Dropping her bag and helmet on the coffee table, “Is there any more of that wine left?” Kiera asked.
Her friend grinned, “Yep, and I bought two of the BIG bottles to go with the lasagna that’s in the oven.”
After taking her jacket off Kiera disappeared into her bedroom and after a few minutes, she returned wearing yoga pants and an oversized tee. Making her way to the kitchen, she poured herself a large glass of wine and then joined Veronica on the sofa, “What’s up? You weren’t supposed to stop by until Friday.” She asked her best friend.
“I just wanted to see how your first day went. You know considering how you felt this morning,” Veronica offered.
“It was a fecking nightmare let me tell you. I think it’s worse than the high school you found me at,” Kiera offered.
“That bad? If I remember those girls all thought you were a fire-breathing demon,” Veronica quipped.
“Bitch!” Kiera exclaimed, “That shit scared the hell out of me. If it wasn’t for you, Father Mathison, and The Brotherhood finding me who knows where I would’ve ended up.” She finished with a thoughtful expression on her face.
“So, tell me how is this place is worse?” Veronica encouraged.
“Well, for starters it has all the same cliques you remember from high school. The only difference is the students are either Witches, Shifters, or some other teen with talents or abilities like mine.”
“Damn, I don’t think our Command knew if Shifters attended,” Veronica pondered. “What about you? What do they think about you?”
“They ignore me, thank God,” Kiera said. “I did meet one person today. His name is Caleb. He’s an outcast like me; he’s going to take me around town Saturday.”
Veronica blinked at her friend unsure if she had heard her correctly. “You’ve been back in high school for a day, and you already have a date?”
“I wouldn’t call it a date,” She offered, blushing slightly.
‘Judging by the shade of red in your cheeks, I’m calling it a date,” Veronica said. “Besides, I do believe it’s the first date that you’ve had since I’ve known you. Wait, how old is he?”
With her face turning even redder Kiera continued, “His name is Caleb, and he’s seventeen about to turn eighteen in October. He’s cute.”
Caleb sat in his final class, leg bouncing nervously as he watched the clock painfully tick towards when the last bell would ring for the day. Robert sat next to him befuddled with his friend’s behavior.
“It won’t move any faster with you staring at it,” Robert quipped.
With an exasperated sigh, Caleb turned and glared at his best friend. “I just want to see her before we head to the Commons,” Caleb whispered.
Robert smiled sympathetically, “Dude, I don’t blame you. I wish I could trade places with you. Oh, don’t give me that look you know how much I hate my family.”
Relaxing, Caleb gave Robert an ‘Oh, hell no. I don’t like your family either’ look.
The two boys settled down and turned their attention to the teacher. This class was Physics, and they both loved science before long the teacher looked up at the clock and said, “Alright, since this is the first day of school. No homework and why don’t you go ahead and pack up.”
Caleb was out the door as the bell rang. Robert looked up and sighed, “He’s got it bad.”
Caleb dashed through the halls, dodging his fellow students like he was The Flash. He spotted someone speeding out of the parking lot on a motorcycle as he arrived.
Breathing heavy he bent over with his hands on his knees. “You missed her, didn’t you?” Robert asked, panting slightly.
Straightening up Caleb picked up his bookbag and turned to face Robert. “Yes, just missed her. Come on let’s head to The Commons. I want to see if I can sense whoever is spying on me,” He said a little dejected.
“You really think someone is spying on you?” Robert asked.
“If I know my birth mother, she’s probably got several someones keeping an eye on me,” Caleb answered.
The two of them walked towards downtown and the ample green space known as The Commons. Many of the towns, cities, and villages of New England were known to have these large parks located in the city centers. During the time before the American Revolution, these areas were used to quarter British troops and then later the American Militiamen who fought against the British. After the Revolutionary War these places were used for large gatherings, and now they are used for family picnics or just a place for people to get outside during the Spring, and Summer after being stuck inside during the dark Winter months.
Caleb and Robert made their way over to the large red maple in the northern corner far away from the playground in the southeastern corner. They dropped their book bags on the ground. Robert sat down with his back against the trunk while Caleb slowly scanned The Commons, not seeing anything he joined Robert with his back to the tree.
Caleb opened the small pocket on his backpack and pulled out a silver chain and pendant. He bowed his head over the pendant pausing for a moment before he slipped the chain over his head.
“Is that the Pentacle that your Mother left for you?” Robert asked.
“Yeah, I think it will help me focus without having to draw out a Circle of Power,” Caleb supplied.
“You know you’ve never told me all that much about her. Only that she left you with Celeste and that she is supposed to come back for you when you turn eighteen,” Robert said.
Caleb looked at his best friend, “Why do you care now? You haven’t cared for the entire time that we’ve been friends.” He paused before his face brightened, “Your mother wants to know how powerful I am and my Mother’s name.”
Looking a little sheepish, “Kind of, yeah, mom asked me a ton of questions about you last night. She knows we’ve been friends since kindergarten.”
“Fucking great! Just what I need every witch family watching me,” Caleb said defeated.
“Caleb, there have been rumors amongst the Supes that something big is supposed to happen on Samhain,” He offered.
“Well, I’m not going to worry about that now. We’ve got a few weeks before that gets here. I need to see if I can sense who’s watching me,” Caleb replied.
Robert quieted down and kept watch over his friend as Caleb sat in a lotus position with his eyes closed taking slow, deliberate breaths before speaking a single word, ‘Lorg,’ the Gaelic word for seek.
Several minutes passed then Caleb’s posture changed he began turning his head in different directions, his eyes still closed.
Robert pulled out what appeared to be a lens. He held it up to look in the direction that Caleb’s head turned. The glass was spelled to see through any glamour or magical obfuscation that blocked regular sight from perceiving reality.
Caleb’s head turned several times but stopped suddenly facing the large gazebo that sat in the western tip of The Commons. Robert raised his lens, “Oh fuck, that’s not supposed to be there.”
Caleb’s eyes snapped open, “What’s not supposed to be there?”
“You see that man leaning against the gazebo trying to look casual?” Robert asked when Caleb nodded that he could see him Robert handed the lens to Caleb.
Caleb raised the lens then dropped it like he had been burned, “Holy Fuck!” He exclaimed before picking the lens back up and peering through it at the Demon. There was no other word for the being.
“What do we do?” Robert asked.
“We do nothing. I, however, am going over there to talk to him,” Caleb answered.
“You’re going to do what?” Robert cried out.
Caleb popped up to his feet and brushed himself off, “I’m going to talk to him. He wanted me to find him. I’m going to see what he wants.” He took off at a jog across The Commons.
“Caleb wait!” Robert cried out as his friend trotted towards the demon.
Caleb approached the unsuspecting demon from behind and slowed as got closer. This ‘man’ was dressed impeccably in a dark grey suit. From Caleb’s vantage point he looked like he was texting on his phone.
Not wanting to startle a demon Caleb called out when got to within ten feet. “Excuse me, I don’t suppose you can tell me why you have been watching me?”
The demon slightly flinched before he slid his phone inside his suit coat and turned to greet Caleb with a dazzling used car salesman smile. The demon had a dusky Mediterranean complexion with slicked-back dark brown hair and palest blue eyes. “I’m sorry, who are you?” He asked.
Caleb slowed when he got to within five feet and pulled power from the Earth into his well of magic. “You heard me, and I know what you are. What I don’t know is who you are or who you work for?” Caleb said with steel in his voice and a fire in his blue-grey eyes.
Something flashed across the demon’s features before he calmly took a step back, “How very much like your father. You even have his hair and eyes, that must’ve pissed your mother off when she gave birth to a male and not a female. Male witches tend to lean towards the weaker side of your species, but not you.”
“You seem to know a lot about me and who my birth mother is, but you haven’t told me who you are,” Caleb commented.
“True, I am Azizl. I once called your father Master. Now that he is no more, I work freelance. When rumors of what your mother had done reached me I was curious to see the outcome. Imagine my surprise when I discovered a male and not a female. Your father must be laughing wherever it is that the Fallen go when they meet final judgment,” Azizl offered.
Caleb paced a little, “You’re not here to try and get me to take my father’s place?”
Azizl laughed, “Hell no, me and my brethren happen to enjoy not having a master anymore. Don’t get me wrong, many went to work for other Fallen but not me.”
Caleb relaxed and released the power he had summoned back into the ground. “What now? I have no intention of following in my father’s footsteps or doing what my mother wants me to do.”
“I don’t know, but I will tell my brothers and sisters that you have no interest in your father’s position.” He turned to leave then paused, “A piece of advice if you will. When you do come into your father’s legacy, there will be very few individuals who will be able to match power with you. Your mother included since you also have inherited power from her.”
Caleb digested what he had been told before Azizl got out of earshot he called out, “What was my father like?”
Azizl stopped for a moment then turned to face Caleb, “Nothing like you, he was vain, arrogant, and cruel at times. Even before his sister trapped and killed him, Samael still thought he could overthrow his father’s position.”
Azizl bade Caleb farewell before turning and disappearing into the passersby by the time Robert arrived next to Caleb.
“What did he say?” Robert asked handing Caleb his bookbag.
Caleb looked at his best friend and gave him a wry smile, “He said that I’m nothing like my father and I have a feeling that things are about to get worse.”