Witch's Destiny

Witch's Destiny

Chapters: 40
Updated: 19 Dec 2024
Author: Kenzie Cole
4.9

Synopsis

Destiny Blake has spent her entire life thinking she's a witch destined for a simple life. She has no control over her powers, so she refuses to use them. However, fate has other plans. A prophecy told 100 years before she was even born is about to shake up her life completely. Darkness comes looking for her, and she must quickly learn everything she can before the final battle. With the help of her best friend, Raven Cooper, she learns how to control her magic. An unexpected love shows her what she must fight for, but before she can fight the unknown Darkness that’s coming for them all, she must face a different kind of darkness closer to home: betrayal. A betrayal that cuts so deep that it might be enough to tip Destiny the wrong way on the scale of Light and Dark. Can she overcome her past in time to fight for the future?

Paranormal Romance BxG Friends To Lovers Coming Of Age Betrayal

Witch's Destiny Free Chapters

Chapter 1 — Why did I let her drive? | Witch's Destiny

“DEZ!”

Destiny wakes up to her best friend’s shrill voice screaming for her. She’d fallen asleep reading in the meadow again. She looks at her watch and jumps up, cursing herself for letting so much time slip away from her.

“Raven, I’m fine. I’m over here,” she yells. She looks up to see Raven and Riddick looking frantically for her. Raven, who is just a year older than Dez at 26, has a mane of thick long black hair that reaches past her butt. She’s skinny, but not too skinny. She has piercing blue eyes that make you think she can see into your soul. She stands at 5 feet even with seventy percent of her body covered in tattoos. She may be short, but she makes up for it in attitude.

Riddick is a 6-foot version of Raven, but with shorter hair that’s only about 2 inches off his skull and not as many tattoos. He’s well-built, with slight muscles on his arms and legs. He also has a very nice set of abs. Raven and Riddick could be twins, although there is a five-year difference between them, with Riddick being older. She sighs, knowing that she’s about to get doubled-teamed for not letting them know where she went. Raven runs up to her, flushed and breathing hard.

“Why didn’t you tell me where you were going? We've gotta get to town before the shops close. You know we have a meeting tonight, and if we don’t have the herbs, we’ll never hear the end of it. How can you just waste time out here, and not worry about the meeting?” Raven starts in on her. Dez knows that she’ll go on like this for a while and looks at Riddick. He just gives her an apologetic smile, showing off his perfect teeth, knowing his sister is just revving up for a nasty speech.

“Raven, stop! I’m sorry. I just lost track of time. We can go now and be back with plenty of time. If you don’t take a breath, you won’t be able to drive,” Dez tells her best friend, hoping that will stop the speech in its tracks.

Raven eyes Dez suspiciously but says nothing since she loves to drive into Great Falls, Montana. It’s the closest town to theirs. Normally Dez insists on driving because Raven drives so crazy that you could play tag with the other drivers. Dez smiles sweetly, gives her her best ‘you can’t stay mad at this face’ look, and sees that she’s won for now. She follows Raven and Riddick to where her car is parked. “SHOTGUN!” she cries and runs for the car before Riddick can even think about what just happened. She’s halfway to the car by the time he finally comes to his senses and takes off after her. She laughs and puts more speed into her legs to beat him to the car. She can hear Raven laughing behind her and cheering her on. She feels Riddick behind her, so she glances at him and sees that he’s using his power to catch up to her. She curses to herself and goes full throttle. By the time she gets to the car, Riddick is in the front seat with a smug look on his face.

“Sorry, Dez, you’ll have to use your powers if you want to beat me. Until you do, I have perma-shoty.”

She stops by the car to catch her breath and can feel her power just under the surface. She knows she could have beaten him if she had used it, but she isn’t ready to use it so freely. She just glares at Riddick and climbs in the back seat. Raven gets in and starts the car.

“OK, Rid, you know that’s not cool. In a fair race she would have had you. Plus, she called it first. She gets it on the way back.”

Raven pulls onto the highway headed for town. Dez sits in the back seat thinking about her power. She knows she has it, but she also knows that she doesn’t have the control to use it wisely. She hates that she can’t use her birth right like her mother and father wanted her to. She feels likes she’s let them down and wishes for the millionth time that they hadn’t died so many years ago. She looks out the window and watches the trees pass by. “Destiny you know you can’t learn control; it’s born to you. Control is something that I am afraid you will never have my dear. Your father, my dear brother, didn’t have the control either honey. God rest his soul, but he passed that gene onto you.” Connie told her when she was young and has told her very often. I know Aunt Connie is just looking out for me. She doesn’t want me to hurt myself or worse kill myself. She’s told no one of what her Aunt told her for fear that people would look at her with pity. She’s gotten enough of the coven’s pity since she was rescued from the awful foster home in New York City. She still, 17 years later, has nightmares of the two years she was in the foster care system. When she talks about it to others, she calls it ‘The Dark Years.’ She just can’t put into words what happened to her. She was 6 when her parents took her to New York for Solstice one year. Dez loved Christmas trees, and had begged her parents to take her to see the big tree in New York. Her father surprised her with the trip a week before Solstice. He spent the week telling Dez that she couldn’t talk about her powers or the coven to anyone they met. It would be very confusing to the humans if they talked about it. She did as she was told and didn’t tell anyone.

When Dez and her parents were in New York looking at the tree in Rockefeller Center she couldn’t believe that anything that pretty could really be real. She walked up to get a better look, and when she turned back to her parents to tell them how pretty it was, they were on the ground. All Dez could do was stare. Then a policeman came up to her, and asked her what happened? All she could say is, “I think Mommy and Daddy are tired.” The cop looked at her with a sad smile and put a blanket around her. Then she spent the next 2 years wondering where her family was, and what she had done to be put in a place like that.

“Earth to Dez, come in Dez?” Raven’s voice invades her thoughts of the past.

“I’m sorry Raven what were you saying?” she says.

“Are you ok Destiny? You don’t look too good.”

“I’m fine Raven. I’m just a little out of it still from my nap.” Dez says trying to shake off the past.

Raven narrows her eyes in the rear-view mirror but says nothing. Riddick turns around “Do you want to tell us what we need to get before we get to town. You know the town folk think we’re weird anyway. Let’s not give them anything else to worry about!” Riddick smiles at her knowing that he’s changing the subject for her and is grateful. Dez pulls the list out of her purse so she can see what they need.

“We need sage and lavender for the cleansing. We also need all the stuff for the protection spell for Mary’s baby. She should be giving birth to her in the next couple of days.”

They pull up to the square where they can find all the stuff they need and more. As Dez gets out she looks at herself in the window. She’s 5’6” tall, long black hair with crystal clear blue eyes. She loves her eyes. It’s the one thing she thinks is pretty about her. They are her mother’s eyes. She has long legs and a decent figure. On her round face there are three flowers tattooed next to her right eyes, and a purple lotus flower on the side of her neck that matches Raven’s. The flowers are a sign of her rank in the coven. Everyone tells her that it makes her look elegant. But all Dez can see is a ratty pair of jeans that got dirt on them from falling asleep in the meadow and windblown hair from Riddick’s window being down the whole time. She sighs and tries to brush the dirt off.

“We need to get the herbs last. That way they won’t get crushed from all the other stuff.” Raven calls over the car. They walk to the stores they need, and to begin to get everything they need.

“Dez, you and Raven go to the herb shop. I’ve got to get something I forgot,” Riddick tells the girls and takes off in the opposite direction. Raven looks at Dez and they start laughing knowing that Riddick is off to see Natasha “Call me Tash” Smith. She works in the shoe store. Dez hooks her arm in Raven’s, and they take off for the herb place.

“Welcome to Kane’s Herbs.” The guy behind the counter calls. Dez looks up and blushes. She sees Victor behind the counter, and her blood heats up. She thinks Victor is a fine piece of man meat as Raven would call him. She looks down quickly hoping Victor didn’t notice the blush. Raven and Dez start looking through the herbs they need, and Dez can feel someone watching her. She glances up and sees Victor has come out from behind the counter. He’s stalking towards them. She uses this time to drink him in. He’s tall, a good foot taller than she is, well built, has dirty blonde hair, and has startling green eyes. He’s wearing jeans and a white t-shirt that has some dirt on it. As he comes closer, Dez looks away and starts to concentrate on the lavender that’s in her hands. Suddenly it’s particularly important to get the best bunch out of them all.

“Hi Destiny and Raven, how are you all today?” Victor says as he stands behind them.

“We are good Victor, just picking up a few things then headed home. How are you?” Raven’s reply is void of all emotion as she looks into his eyes daring him to make the wrong move.

“I’m good Raven. I was wondering if you needed help finding anything, or if there was something, we could order for you?” he says.

“No, I think we know where everything is by now, and you always have what we want in stock so no need in ordering. Thanks for asking though.” Raven says dismissively.

Victor takes a deep breath and then says, “Hey um Destiny I was… uh… I was wondering if… maybe you would…um like to have dinner with me one night?”

Dez can’t believe her ears. She looks up at Victor finally, and all she can do is stare. Did he really just ask her to dinner? Surely not, surely, he meant to say Raven. As she’s thinking this, he’s staring back at her with a look of unease. He’s thinking something, but she can’t see what it is without using her powers. Something she rarely does in front of other witches and never in front of humans even if they would never know.

“If not that’s ok, I was just wondering. I’m sure you have someone in your life. I’m sorry to interrupt your shopping. I should let you get back to it. If you need anything let me know.” Victor mumbles out as he turns to leave, going back behind the counter.

“Dez, why didn’t you just tell him no? Now he’s picking his ego up off the floor. I can’t believe that you just stared at him. Ha-ha, that’s something I would do, not you.” Raven laughs and pulls on Dez’s arm.

“I…I didn’t know he was talking to me. I thought he was asking you. I…I froze.”

“Destiny Blake! Why on earth would he be asking me when he said your name to start with? This better not be a ‘how could anyone ask me out’ kind of thing. I mean, my Goddess, he stares at you every time we come in. He’s always trying to talk to you and hold the door open for you, not me. Girl he’s got it bad for you, and you don’t even see it.”

“Raven, he doesn’t date he has flings with random women. I’m not going to be another notch on his belt. Besides he’s human, and I want a nice warlock to date. Someone I don’t have to hide who I am,” Dez says.

They continue to shop and argue about Mr. Victor Kane but Dez won’t budge a bit. She would be all thumbs on a date with someone like that and doesn’t look forward to having to hide her true self. Victor Kane has a reputation as a playboy. No girlfriend ever, just pretty blondes on his arm for a night then they’re thrown out like yesterday’s news paper.

“Well, that’s the last thing we need, let’s go check out,” Raven announces.

They walk to the counter and put their items down so that Victor can total them up. “So, Victor, Dez is sorry that she didn’t say anything earlier, she was caught off guard. She would love to go out with you. But if you hurt her, I will come after you and you have no idea what I am capable of! Got it?”

Dez just stares at her best friend like she has grown a second head. She can’t believe she would really out her like that. I am going to kill her. WHY??? Why is she doing this to me?

“Is that so Raven, well if that’s true, why does Dez look like she just swallowed ipecac?” Victor growls at Raven.

“Oh, just because she likes you and thinks she can tell me, and her not do anything about it. Then expect me to do nothing about it as well!” Raven smiles at Dez giving her the ‘you are blowing your shot’ look. “Come on Dez tell the man you’ll go out with him. You need to get out and have a night off from … work.”

Dez takes a deep breath to steady her then looks at Victor who is staring at her hopeful. She loses all her reason and says, “Ye…Yes I’d like to have dinner with you.”

“Really? Oh, I mean um I can pick you up tomorrow night. Just tell me where. Is about 6 OK with you?” Victor stammers.

Dez just nods and starts to walk away. She can’t believe she has a date with Victor. She starts to think about what she should wear and how to do her hair before she realizes that she hasn’t told him where she lives or even given him her number. She turns around and grabs a pen, writes down her number, then writes ‘if your serious call me and I’ll tell you where I live. If I don’t hear from you tonight, I’ll assume you’ve changed your mind.’ Then she hands him the paper in a rare moment of confidence and walks away dragging Raven with her.

They get to the car and see that Riddick’s waiting for them. The look on his face tells them that something isn’t right. Everything else is forgotten and Dez curses Raven for not letting them pick Daryl up like she asked. “We’re three bad ass witches if we can’t handle it what makes you think he could be of any help?” She hears Raven say again in her head.

“Get in the car now we have to go. I saw Kegan and his coven coming out of the grocery store. I don’t think they saw me, but we need to leave before this turns real!” Riddick says as they get into the car. Dez’s blood turns cold at the thought that Kegan’s out here somewhere. Kegan scares her more than anything or anyone else could. They hurry into the car and for once Dez is thankful that Raven’s driving and that she’s in the back seat. She tries to keep her breathing under control as they pull onto the street. Everywhere she looks she sees the red headed warlock, the leader of their rival coven. Why is he here? Coven leaders don’t shop for themselves they send others to. They’re too important to the coven to let anything happen to them. Dez’s mind starts going through all reasons why a leader would leave the safe haven of the coven.

The ride back is fast and crazy. Dez believes she’ll die in the car tonight. Maybe she should have stayed in the city and taken her chances with Kegan, at least that way she could’ve run away if needed. In the car, this death trap, there’s nowhere to go. Raven narrowly misses a car and is looking like an avenging angel as she drives.

“RAVEN! Slow down. We are safe and away from the city. Hell, we’re almost home. Would you just take a breath?” Riddick’s saying to Raven as Dez holds on for dear life.

“He can’t have her, and I’m not going to let it happen. You know that. I was stupid not bringing Daryl with us.” Raven says in a quiet but chilling voice.

Dez is confused and doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She starts to ask when Raven seems to pull herself together and starts talking about the meeting tonight. She just sits in the back seat and tries to catch her breath. She thinks about her fear of Kegan and tries to remember why she’s so terrified.

When they pull up in front of Dez’s apartment, Dez looks at Raven and tries to look into her mind. Normally when she tries this Raven won’t fight her. Knowing that Dez using active magic is rare, and she tries to encourage it as much as possible. Since Raven is a trainer for the coven her job is to make witches use their power. But all she sees today is a black wall of nothing. Raven’s blocking her, and she’s doing it hard.

“Dez, you start the prep for the protection spell, Rid and I have to go tell Daryl what happened. Plus, I need to check on Mary, and see how she’s doing.” Raven says looking everywhere but at her. Raven grabs Riddick’s arm and pulls him away. Dez stares after them wondering what the heck that was all about. Daryl’s the head of security and longtime boyfriend of Raven. It makes since that Raven would want to keep him informed.

She shrugs to herself and goes into her house. It’s a two-bedroom, one bath apartment. The living room is big, it has a couch, love seat, and recliner in it along with Dez’s flat screen TV, plus game systems. From the living room, there’s an entrance to the kitchen then one to a hallway where the bedrooms and bathrooms are. The master bathroom is good sized with a double sink and a huge tub and shower combo the other one is a half bath with just a sink and toilet. The whole apartment is painted in different shades of purple.

She gathers all the stuff she needs then gets to work. She turns on her radio and starts the spells. She loves doing spells; they don’t involve her powers just her knowledge. Spells are what she mastered when she was just 10 years old. Everyone in the coven knows that a spell done by Dez is a spell that’s perfect.

To stir a spell is to use your mind. One thing that has always been natural to her has been mind work. She can remember every book she’s ever read as if she’s reading it at that very moment. She made straight A’s in school and didn’t even have to try. All of it came natural to her; it’s when she has to use her powers that she can’t seem to get it. She knows that it’s something to do with her control but as she’s been told since she was 8, she won’t ever have the control she needs to use her powers like she wants. She hopes to become the Spell Leader of the coven. She dreams of the day that everyone comes to her to learn how to stir new spells, or for her to make up new spells. She believes she can invent new stuff for the coven, but she dares not try till she’s elected Spell Leader.

Dez’s dancing to the music and loses herself in her task. She sets a pot of water to boil. When it boils, she adds the sage and lavender. Her phone rings to interrupt her fun. She leans over to turn her radio down and looks at her phone. It’s a number she doesn’t know.

“Hello?” She answers.

“Hi, I’m looking for Destiny Blake?” says a man on the other end.

“This is she.”

“Hi Destiny. My name is Kegan Drake.” Dez sits down hard on the kitchen chair. Why is he calling me? How did he get my number? Oh my Goddess what does he want? “I was wondering if I could have a minute of your time. I know that you know who I am, and I would like you to give me just a minute before you hang up on me. My mother is extremely sick and needs a strong and ridiculously hard spell. I have heard that you are the person to ask. I know it’s weird for someone from another coven to ask the help of a rival coven member, but I would do anything to save my Mom.”

“Uh, what’s wrong with your Mother Mr. Drake?”

“I’m not sure. She has been increasingly tired, and as of yesterday won’t eat. Our healers have looked at her. They tell me that she needs rest, and to not be bothered. She told me today that she needs a spell. She says she knows she will die without it. She says it’s the same thing her Mother died from. I just don’t know what else to do.” He says sounding hopeless and lost. Dez thinks about her mother, if there was something, anything she could have done to save her Mom she would have done it even if it meant getting help from an enemy.

“What spell does she need Mr. Drake?”

“You’ll help? Oh, thank you please call me Kegan, and I’m not sure. She said I need to find someone who could do amazing spells. I need to find them and bring them to her. I wish I could tell you more. I can see that this is a very unusual request. I can meet you in the city and take you to her. I know I couldn’t come get you. If you would meet me tonight after your annual meeting that would be perfect.”

“Well Mr. Drake… I mean Kegan I don’t know if I can come to you. Can you not have your Mother call me?” Dez asks hopefully. She doesn’t want to go anywhere with Drake if she can help it.

“Well, Destiny, she refuses to speak of the spell she needs in any other form than in person,” Drake says calmly.

“Let me talk to my coven and see what I need to do first. Can I call you back?” Dez replies.

“Yes, you are welcome to call me anytime. Please call me as soon as you know so I can prepare for you,” Drake purrs into the phone.

Kegan gives his number to Dez and hangs up. Dez just sits there for what seems like hours looking at the number in her hand. Should I even be considering this? This doesn’t feel right to me!

Dez calls her Aunt Connie first knowing that she has to contact the Coven leader and if she were to call Raven, she wouldn’t even get to think about it. Connie is the current Coven leader and raised Dez when she came back to Meadows Keep, MT 17 years ago. She looks a lot like Dez, with short blonde hair and is about 3 inches shorter. She has a small frame and almost no weight to her at all. Connie does have Dez’s Dad’s eyes with a charcoal grey color.

“Hi Darling,” Connie answers the phone.

“Hey, Aunt Connie, how are you today?”

“Oh, I’m good dear, just getting ready for tonight’s meeting. Did you get everything you needed from the store?” Connie asks distractedly.

“Yes ma’am, we got back a little while ago. I was just working on the spells...”

“Good, that’s great, but if all of that is taken care of why are you calling? I mean, yes, I love to hear from you, but some of us are busy!” Connie says in her usual tone that tells Dez she’s annoyed.

“Well, while I was getting a spell together, I got a strange call, and I need advice,” She pleads with her Aunt.

“Alright tell me what happened.”

“Well Kegan Drake just called me to ask if I would stir a spell for his sick mother. He says that if I can’t then she’ll die. He doesn’t know the spell, and his mother will only talk in person about the spell. He wants me to meet him in the city so he can take me to her and find out if I can do the spell.”

Dez finishes in a hurry. As she was telling her Aunt, she realized how bad it all sounds. She knows in her gut that she shouldn’t do this and is about to tell her Aunt never mind when she realizes her Aunt has not said a word.

“Aunt Connie?”

“Oh, I’m hear dear, sorry, that’s just a lot to take in at once. Have you told anyone else about this?”

“No, I called you first.”

“Well, I think it would be a wise idea if you asked someone to go with you, but I don’t see the harm in it. It happens sometimes when there is a stronger witch in a different coven. If they can help a loved one better than anyone else, then they will go to the person even if they are enemies. I would have done that to save my dear brother had I known he needed saving!”

Dez lets out a breath. That’s the same thing she was thinking when Kegan was talking to her about it. She decides that she’s going to do it with or without Raven. She’s a grown adult, and capable of taking care of herself. Also, if Kegan has contacted her for help Coven law states that no harm can come to anyone who chooses to help another coven member. The law, and Daryl, would protect her if nothing else.

“Yea that’s kind of what I was thinking I just needed another person to tell me I was thinking clearly, and not letting my feelings for my parent’s effect my decision. Thank you, Aunt Connie!”

“You’re welcome dear. Always go with your gut honey. You have good instincts you should use them, and not rely on someone else to confirm what you already know!”

“Sorry ma’am. Sorry to have bothered you. I’ll let you go back to your preparations.”

“See you at the meeting.”

Dez feels better about the whole thing, but still gets a sick feeling in her stomach when she thinks about having to tell Raven. She goes back to her spell and turns the music back up. Raven will be here soon so there’s no need for me to call her.

As she dances around her kitchen adding rosemary, bay leaves, and fennel seed to the spell, she has a feeling she’s forgetting something but brushes it off as nothing. She sets the brew on a cool eye of the stove and grabs the amethyst stones. After she has dumped 10 stones in, she lets it cool. She feels Riddick behind her before he has a chance to scare her. She spins around and stops him in his track. She makes him stumble a little with a flick of her wrist. Riddick’s stunned and looks at her amazed.

“Did you really just use magic against me?”

“I…I… How did I do that? I didn’t even want to do that. How did I do that? Oh, Goddess are you ok Rid? Did I hurt you?”

“Dez… DESTINY… Stop! I’m ok that was amazing! You got some power. I don’t understand why you don’t use it more. You’re a natural. I mean, damn girl that was a good block. I don’t think Raven could have done that well!”

“Rid, you know I don’t like my active powers. I don’t have control, and I don’t want to hurt someone. Just STOP! I know what you’re going to say and don’t. I don’t want to hear it!”

She walks away from Riddick to get space, and to catch her breath. The power felt amazing, and she wants to use it so badly. She’s just really afraid. After she catches her breath, and the tingle from left overpower has dispersed she returns to the kitchen. Raven and Riddick are talking in hushed tones. She knows it’s about her, and her show of power. She ignores them and goes back to her spell. One by one she pulls the stones out and places them on a drying rack. Once they’re dry, she will place each in a velvet bag for safe keeping.

“Raven I got a call while you were gone, and I want you to keep an open mind and not flip out on me!”

“Ok, you know starting out a statement that way sets it up for me to freak. You know that, so I’m gonna say NO now to get it over with.” Raven answers nonchalantly.

“Raven I am an adult and can make decisions for myself. You can both come with me, and make sure I don’t get hurt WITH Daryl’s help, or Daryl and I will go alone. It’s your choice, but I’m gonna do this whether you like it or not!” Dez announces getting upset that Raven would just dismiss her like that.

Raven just stares at her speechless. The first time in their lives Raven Cooper’s speechless! “When did you get that kind of ’tude, and why haven’t you used it before? Look she can’t even blink.” Riddick says as he laughs at his sister.

“I’m sorry Raven. This is important to me. I need to do this for reasons you can’t understand!”

“Just tell me what you’re going to do so I can prepare Daryl, and anything else we may need.” Raven says coolly.

She tells her friends what happened, and what she plans to do about it. Raven looks like she may pass out, and Riddick’s lost all his humor. Raven attempts several times to talk but nothing comes out. Riddick looks like he’s struggling to not blow up. His face is getting redder every minute that passes. Finally, Raven shakes herself and stands up. She pulls out her cell phone and dials Daryl’s number. She walks into the other room to talk to him.

“Riddick?”

He looks at her finally, and she can see pure fear in his eyes. Fear for what she doesn’t know, all she knows is she has never seen that look in the strong warlock’s face. It makes her take a step back and put her hand up to her throat.

“Riddick what are you so afraid of? Please tell me what this is about!”

“Destiny… I… you’re… like a little sister to me you know that don’t you?” He says quickly like he wanted to say something else but changed his mind.

She nods. Riddick and Raven are her true family and would do nothing to hurt either of them. “Dez there are things you don’t know and won’t until you come fully into your powers. You can’t do that if you refuse to use them. It’s time for you to grow up and learn what you need to. I won’t be around forever, and Raven won’t always be there. You need to learn to protect yourself. It’s time to take the training wheels off, and for you to step into your power!” he tells her with a burning look. The look is so unlike Riddick that she has to blink, and make sure it really is him there.

“No! I can’t use my powers, and you know it. I… I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Why would you hurt someone Dez? All you need to do is embrace your birth right and let the elders or hell Raven teach you what you need.”

“I CAN’T! I’ll never be able to use it right, and I know where my weakness is!”

She walks away from him and runs into the bathroom. She can hear him coming after her and locks the door. She knows that it won’t stop him if he uses his powers. She hopes he’ll take the hint and leave her alone. Raven comes to the door and knocks lightly. “Let me in.” She says softly.

She opens the door and just looks at the people closest to her. How can I admit the one fault I can’t fix? They would never believe me. She steps further in the bathroom as if space between them will make it all go away.

Raven steps into the bathroom with her and shuts the door behind them. She locks Riddick on the other side with a look of bewilderment on his face. She walks up to Dez and grabs a hold of her. She hugs her tightly and says, “Dez I know you’re scared, and I know that you’ve had a rough time with a lot, but I don’t understand this attitude towards your powers. You’re powerful, more powerful than I or Rid will ever be. What is it that makes you run from such power? If you truly tried you could be the strongest witch there is, and you would have nothing to worry about, ever!”

“Raven you may be able to see the power inside, but you don’t see it all. I…” She takes a deep breath to prepare herself to tell the most important person in her life the truth. “I have all this power that I can’t use because I don’t have control. My Father didn’t have control either and he passed it onto me. I’ll never be able to control my powers, and that’s why I won’t use them.” She says as she almost breaks down in tears.

Raven just looks at her, and her face changes to one of understanding. She looks like she is trying to work something out in her mind and doesn’t say anything for a few minutes, when she finally speaks it soft and compassionate.

“Honey, why do you think you have no control or will never have control?”

The question throws her off so bad she doesn’t know what to say. She’s thought about telling them this for so long, and in all the time she spent thinking about it she never imagined that they would act like this.

“Well, Aunt Connie told me…”

“Ah I see now! Listen to me and listen to me well because your world is about to be rocked! You CAN learn control. Control is not something any witch has until they practice. It’s time that you show your Aunt that you’re powerful, and that she can’t lie to you anymore.”

“Why would she lie to me? All she’s ever done is take care of me after my parents died. She’s the one who showed me the spells, and books that I love so much. Why would she keep me from using my powers?”

Dez can’t speak anymore all she can do is stand there in her bathroom with her best friend. Suddenly she sees her Aunt in a whole new light. How, since the moment she got back from New York, she’s told her to not use her powers. To not show anyone that she has this kind of power because they would get hurt since she lacked the control needed to safely use them. If all I needed to do was learn control, why wouldn’t she have taught me? I don’t understand, my Aunt loves me and has done so much for me. She feels lightheaded, and realizes she is breathing heavy. She knows if she can’t get it under control she will hyperventilate. She reaches for the bathroom door and goes out into the living room needing more space than she had in her bathroom. She can feel Raven and Riddick behind her, but she can’t seem to care that they’re there. She can’t seem to catch her breath as vision starts to black out, and the last things she hears is Raven screaming her name.

Chapter 2 — Ain’t no party like a Solstice | Witch's Destiny

She’s floating in a sea of black and can’t seem to find the way back to consciousness. There are voices around her, and she can feel something soft under her, but can’t feel her body or make her eyes open.

“Riddick, can you believe Connie did this to her? I mean we all knew she was jealous of her powers and that she wanted to be coven leader, but this is a step to far. Just think if she had been practicing since she was 8 like she did with spells, she would already be in her full powers. I can’t believe that woman. We need to take her in front of the elders and get her status as protector and leader revoked!”

“Just calm down we’ll worry about that later, right now we need to figure out what we’re gonna do. Do you think you could teach her control in the next 6 hours? She needs to have her powers at her back if she’s gonna insist on going to Drake’s. Do you think he will abide by coven law?” Riddick asks.

“I don’t know, and I’m scared. Daryl said that he would be free, and that we’re not to step outside of town again without him. He was pretty mad we went earlier without him.”

“Well, what do you expect Raven, the man’s in love with you and he’s the security for the coven. He maybe human, but the man is skilled in fighting and weapons. Hell, even at full power I wouldn’t want to go against him.”

“I’m not talking about him right now; right now, I need to figure out what to do. She shouldn’t be out this long. Why the hell isn’t she waking up?”

“Hey, she has had a shock, and needs time to recover from it. She’s going to be ok. She just learned that the one person to take her in after ‘The Dark Time’ has really been just as bad as the others in her life. Connie was the only good thing she had at night till you were old enough to do it. I don’t condone what Connie did, but she did her best to help Dez come back to us. You remember what she was like when she first got back. Maybe Connie had noble reasons for it all.”

“Don’t you dare say that! You know just as well as I do that that woman has done everything she can to keep Dez from her real powers. I just never thought it went this deep!”

They were quiet for a while, and Dez started to feel her body again. She opened her eyes and sees Ravens worried face and Riddick’s arms around his sister. She blinks a couple of times to shake the fog off as Raven jumps up and rushes to her.

“Dez, hey your back, you ok?”

“Yea…um what happened?

“You passed out honey. Thankfully Rid caught you before you took out the coffee table. That wouldn’t have done anyone any good.”

“Thanks, Rid. I’m sorry for making you catch me.”

Riddick laughs at her and gives her a hug. “What else am I here for chick. I’m the brother you never wanted, and one of our job descriptions is to ‘Catch females we love before she breaks something’ I take my job very seriously!”

Raven brings her some tea and sits down next to her. Her face is nothing but worry for her friend. She wants to say something but is afraid that she will upset Dez even more than she already has.

“Just say it Raven. I think I’ve been shocked as much as I can be.”

“I’m sorry about your Aunt. I can’t think of any reason why she would do that to you. Rid and I both don’t understand. The only thing we can think is that she wanted you to always be weak so you couldn’t challenge her for the leader of the Coven. She’s strong but you’ll be stronger, and I think she knows that.”

“She always said that I had the power but would never be able to use it. That it was a good thing that she was my family because she would keep my secret. I never thought anything of it till now. She really wanted me to believe that I would hurt people if I used my powers. She knew if I used them even a little, I would want to use them more. She’s been saying this to me since the day I came back. I’m a fool.” She says the last placing her face in her hands and crying softly into them.

“No, you’re not Destiny. Your Aunt is, and if she thinks she can get away with this she has another thing coming. My parents may suck as parents, but they would never have done this to us. The Elders are amazing, and they’ll take care of her. Don’t you worry about it!” Riddick finally says.

All she can do is rise from the couch and hug Riddick. She’s now realizing that the only people who care for her as deeply as this are the two in this room. How can I trust others to tell me the truth if my Aunt, my flesh and blood, would lie to me so easily? The only people I can truly trust are Rid and Raven. She sighs as the realization sinks in.

“Oh, what time is it?”

“It’s 5 we need to finish this spell and get going the meeting starts in an hour.” Raven replies softly.

All three of them head to the kitchen to finish the protection spell. As they work a plan comes to Dez on how to deal with her Aunt. She knows that her Aunt probably hopes she’ll go to Drake, and never come back. The thought hardens her resolve on everything. She will go see Drake but will take Raven and Daryl. She’ll work on her control as much as she can till then. If she has the power she’s been told she has, then she should be safe. Riddick doesn’t need to go with because that would just cause more turmoil than they need.

With spells finished and everything needed for the meeting tonight done, they clean up. When the familiar sound of the Elder’s call comes to them, they gather everything and make their way to the meeting.

The Summer Solstice Meeting is something that every coven does. It happens in June and is the one thing to look forward to in the summer. It’s time when the older members decide if they wish to live a relatively normal life or join the Elders. It’s also when young witches and warlocks can show off their powers, and if there are any vacant seats in the coven, they vote on who should fill the spots. If there’s any issue that need to be dealt with, it’s taken care of at this meeting. It’s also the time that all the coven witches who are pregnant come together for their protection spells for the babies. A witch’s baby is born with no powers.

The protection spell is to prevent any harm to come to the babies until their powers can take over and protect them. All witches have a natural ability to protect themselves from minor spells and incantations, but they don’t get their power until they’re 3 years old. The first 3 years is when the protection spells work its hardest. At the age of 3 the spell deteriorates over time and in a years’, time is completely gone. If a witch or warlock doesn’t have the natural protection by then they are taken to the mountains with their parents and Mother Nature protects them until the powers are acquired. If by 10 there isn’t any sign of powers in the child, then they’re brought back to the coven. These kids are rare, and it does happen, but they’re not treated any different. They get to do everything but use powers. They’re taught everything so when they grow up and have kids, they can teach them as well.

The meeting is also a celebration of the months since Winter Solstice. After all the business is handled, they dance and eat until well into the night. The meeting brings everyone closer and that’s when a lot of bonds are strengthened. It’s also when young lovers propose. Some call the party after the meeting the Festival of Love. So many witches and warlocks get engaged or get married on that night under the stars in plain sight of the Goddess and the coven. It’s nothing of worry or strife, but everything of love and happiness. It’s one of few nights a year that no one worries about anything. Everyone relaxes, and let’s their hair down.

As they enter the clearing where the meeting’s held, Dez looks around and sees her Aunt. She pulls Riddick and Raven to the side “Don’t say anything to Connie. I have a plan to deal with her so for now we need to act like nothing’s wrong. Can you do that?”

“Yea ok, but it’s gonna be hard!” Riddick says.

“You know I can, I haven’t liked your Aunt for a while. I just never knew why until now. Rid and I will be on our best behavior!”

“Thank you! Trust me I know how to deal with her. We also need to tell the Elders about Drake. I still want to help, and I need them to know.”

They nod their agreement and proceed into the circle. As all the other coven members make their way into the clearing, they set up their protection circle by pouring the left-over brew into the ground in a circle then set the stones out for each woman to take. After that, they place the sage sticks to the side. Once they’re done, they take their seats, and wait for the meeting to begin. The energy starts to flow with all the coven members so close. Dez can’t help but feel relaxed and lets herself finally let out a deep breath clearing her mind of all the worry she has. She loves the coven, and she loves being a witch. There’s a feeling of ease and peace when they’re all together like this.

As the last of the coven members come into the clearing the Elders start to chant, and everyone joins in with soft voices. This is their prayer that the Goddess is with them, and for the night to be done through the Goddess’ will. It’s awe inspiring to hear this many voices chant in soft tones to the Goddess. There just isn’t anything quite like it. No songbird or music can compare to the chant.

Dez looks up as the chanting comes to an end. She sees Aiden Duke, the head Elder, stand then go to the center of the circle. He mumbles a few words, and instantly his voice is magnified to all the people in the clearing.

“Welcome Sons and Daughters of our Goddess. This is the meeting of the Great Falls Coven. We have gathered for our annual blessings and business. I am happy to be the instrument of the Goddess tonight. I urge you all too clear your minds and let the Goddess work through us all. We have much to be thankful for this year. We will start this meeting with the ‘Protection of the Young.’ Destiny and Raven if you will please step into the circle and begin calling the young ladies that are with child.”

Dez and Raven stand up and head to their circle they set up earlier. They stand in the middle of the circle and join hands. Both taking cleansing breaths and begin to chant. As they chant the power flows through them and calls to all the women who are pregnant. A wind sweeps through all the members and calls forth all of them even if they don’t know it yet. There are a few surprised voices, but other of excitement and readiness. As the chant ends Dez opens her eyes and releases Raven’s hands. They part to let all the women into the circle. Dez sees Mary hobbling to the circle. She’s a good friend to Raven and Dez, they’re excited for her. She’s due any day, and you can tell it’s starting to take its toll on her. She looks tired and walks as if she could drop the baby at any minute.

After all the women are in the circle Dez looks and counts 7 women in total. She pulls out seven stones and white candles. Then hands one to each of the women. Raven’s cleansing each woman of Darkness with the sage sticks and is preparing them for the next step. As the women get their stones and white candles in the right place, Raven and Dez join each other in the front of them.

“Welcome Mother’s to be. Congratulations on the wonders of motherhood. We’ll now protect your unborn child from all we can. Please sit on the earth and let the earth comfort your fear, for you all have them. Let the coven lend you their strength and love through the next phase in your life.” Dez says to the women. “We gather here and now to bless the women and their unborn children; we also ask for protection from our Goddess and the rest of the Coven. Please bow your heads and imagine yourself surrounded by warm, white light.”

As one all of the Coven members bow their heads and starts the protection chant. Raven lights each candle with a ceremonial lighter as Dez speaks to the Goddess. The smoke of each spell is sent through the air as the magic begins to burn the stones. The stones aren’t hot, and don’t harm the women holding them.

“Mother Goddess, we come to you tonight to ask for protection for the seven unborn children. Some are just made, and some are ready to be born, no matter their stage, we ask that you protect them for three years after their birth. At which time we ask that you bless each child with the gifts you wish them to have. Blessed be!” she finishes and leans down to touch each expectation mother in return. The Laying of the Hands is meant to pass the Goddess’ blessing to each mother. In turn each woman repeats “Blessed Be.”

Each woman gets up and walks back to their seats one at a time with a glow of health and happiness still upon them. Raven and Dez go to Mary to help her to her feet. Mary smiles a brilliant smile at them, and wobbles back to her seat. Then they take their seats as well.

Aiden stands back up, “Thank you ladies that was wonderful as always! I now open the floor to any business that needs to be attended to at this time.” As the rest of the meeting goes on like normal, Dez thinks to herself about everything that has happened and thinks about the plan for dear Aunt Connie. She’s tired of feeling like a failure, and the reason she feels this way is due to jealousy on the part of someone who should have known better. Raven must know what she is thinking of because she grabs her hand and squeezes it for reassurance.

The night moves into the party, and the food’s served. Raven and Dez meet up with Riddick and Daryl, they all go get some food. As they’re in line Dez’s phone rings and again it is a number she doesn’t know. She thinks to herself that she should have programmed Drakes number in her phone, so she knew when he was calling her. She hands her plate to Raven who knows what she wants and goes to a quieter part of the clearing.

“Hello?” Dez answers.

“Miss Blake?”

“Yes?”

“This is Kegan we spoke earlier?”

“Yes, Kegan I know who you are and that you called earlier. May I help you with something?”

“Yes sorry. I know you are in the middle of your meeting as I am, but I hadn’t heard from you yet. I was wondering if you were going to meet me.” Keagan says smoothly.

“Sorry the afternoon slipped away from me I meant to call you back. Now before I say yes to this, I have a few questions,” Dez says nervously.

“I would expect so Miss Blake,” Keagan responds with a laugh.

“First please call me Dez everyone does, second since you have called on me for help you will be under coven law, you understand what that means right?”

“Yes, I am fully aware that since you are answering my call for help then I am to protect you with my life until you are returned to safety and I plan on following through with that!”

“OK good, I had to make sure. I hope you understand it’s nothing personal. Third I’m bringing my second, and a security officer with me. They’re to retain their powers and weapons at all times. If they can’t then I can’t come and help.”

“Dez, it is unusual for an outsider to bring weapons into another coven even under Coven law.”

“I know that, but you have to understand that there are people in my coven that think you wish to steal me away. The only way I could get them to let me help was this. If you cannot accommodate that then we have nothing further to speak of…” Dez says nothing more. She lets what she’s said sink in and remains silent knowing that he has to be the one to break the silence.

“Fine, ok they can come with their weapons and powers. This is about my mother and not you I assure you, but I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t understand the need. When can we meet?”

“I’m not done Kegan.”

“Oh, uh ok go ahead.” He says a little taken back by her tone.

“If any harm to me OR my companions come to pass while in your care then your coven forfeits its rights as a coven and has to either be absolved by my coven or leave to find another!” She says with as much authority as she can muster and tries to sound confident. This time she holds her breath because this is the one thing she tried to fight against. She didn’t want to be responsible for something like this to happen if something happened to her.

“That’s a lot to ask of me to promise you. How do you know it’s in my powers to grant such a request?”

“Mr. Drake,” she uses his last name to separate them from the friendly niceties, “Yes, it is a lot to ask, but if you and your coven mean us no harm then it should be easy to answer. As you said this is for your mother and not any other reason. My Coven needs the reassurance that we’ll be returned because if not there are dire consequences!”

She can hear him speak to someone else on the other end, but she can’t make out what he is saying. “Fine, ok you have my word, and that of all members of this coven.”

She lets out her breath, “You can pick me and my friends up in front of the general store in 2 hours. We still have a lot of meeting to get through! If we’re not there by then please give us time. You have my word we’ll be there, and no harm will come to you as long as you mean us no harm!”

“I will see you then Miss Blake.” And he hangs up the phone.

Dez can do nothing but laugh and run back to the party. When she gets her plate, Raven looks at her wondering what that was all about. She just smiles at her friend and digs into her food!

After they eat, they start dancing with everyone. Dez loses herself in the music and other bodies around her. She feels lighthearted for the first time all day. She sees Raven and Daryl dancing, for the first time she wishes she had someone to dance with. She looks for Riddick, and he’s talking to Tash. She feels a pang of loneliness but dismisses it as soon as she feels it then loses herself in the music again. They continue to party, dance, and make merry as all the lovers confess their undying love.

Then she looks at her watch and sees its time to go. She goes to get Raven and Daryl. She tells them what’s going on and they immediately sober as they start to make their way to her car. They stop by to tell the Elders about the phone call and tells them they will be back as soon as they can.

Aiden says, “Please come find me the minute you are back. If you have not found me by daybreak, I will send a party after you all, and consider the Southern Falls Coven forfeit. We will take it without sympathy!”

“Yes Sir.” Dez replies and they start out again for the car.

“Wow, it must be more important than Coven politics for Drake to agree to that.” Daryl says as he grabs his bag of goodies.

“It’s his Mother Daryl, what would you do if you had to save you Mother’s Life?” Dez asks.

“Oh, I would do the same thing Dez I’m just saying when Raven first told me I thought for sure that they were making a play, but now I don’t think that’s what it is.”

“I know I thought that too. I can’t not help someone’s Mother. If I had the chance to save my Mother I would have!”

Daryl just looks at her but says nothing. He knows that for Dez to mention her Mother in any fashion means she’s dead serious on helping. She sees Daryl’s determination to help any way he can and grabs a hold of Raven’s hand. They make it to the car and Dez hands Daryl the keys. “You drive you’re a better driver than Raven, and I need a clear head for this. We need to get to the General Store in the city. From there we should meet Drake and whoever else that’ll be there in front. I gave them 2 hours when they called so if they aren’t there by the time we get there, then we wait 5 minutes. If they still aren’t there we leave! I’m not going to sit around all night when they are asking for our help.”