The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga by Taliesin Govannon (important books to read .txt) 📕

fear your eventual power.”  He put his hand on mine for emphasis.  “Anything weird that’s going on, I can virtually guarantee is connected to the attacks on you.”

                I could feel the color draining from my face as the gravity of the situation fully landed.  “Vincent?” I said, my voice shaky.

                “Here you go.” he said, handing me a joint.  Jack lit it for me, and I inhaled deep.

                “Keep it coming, bartender.” I said, taking another hit.

                                                                                                *                *                *

                “Hey there.”

                I really didn’t want to wake up.  Sleep is comfortable, and nobody’s trying to kill me here.

                “Nobody’s trying to kill you here, either.”

                That caused me to open an eyelid.  Standing above me, looking down, was a familiar face.

                “Oh, hi Penelope.” I said, becoming instantly aware.

                We were in the middle of an unfamiliar forest.  Penelope (or Petronia, as Angelique knew her) sat on a fallen log, and I was on a bed of moss in a clearing.  What looked to be late afternoon sun streamed in between the branches above, and everything felt lush and green.

                “OK, so this is nicer than the gray, featureless plain.” I said, looking around.

                “This was where I lived in life.” she said, her voice wistful. “I thought you might like it more.”

                “You’d be right.” I said.  “So, I take it we’re talking because of other reasons than a trip down memory lane.”

                “I wanted to see if you’re alright. You freaked out so hard earlier, even dead people could feel it.”

                “Yeah, well, when you discover that unfathomably powerful beings want you dead, it kind of throws one for a loop.”

                “You’d think that the giant spiders would have brought that home.”

                “Yeah, but...” I stood up and walked to the edge of the clearing.  “That happened at Angelique and Vincent’s place.  It’s easier to, I don’t know, compartmentalize it there?  Like, I don’t know, maybe this happens all of the time to them?  I don’t know.”  I threw my hands up in frustration.

                “And what about the ravager attack at your house?” she asked, reminding me of the non-traditional end to my graduation party.

                I plopped down with a sigh on the log next to her.  “You don’t understand.  I was the girl who never called attention to herself.  I was the one flying under the radar, avoiding all of the crap that comes from notoriety.”

                Her voice was soft.  “And now you can’t avoid it.”

                “I never thought that I could stay anonymous all my life.  I just imagined having to deal with the office jerk, or with cranky fans in the comment section when it happened.  Not… giant murder spiders.”

                “Annabelle, I know it seems scary now.” Penelope looked at me and smiled.  “But you’re coming into incredible power.  Power that can be used for good. Believe me, seeing the effect you can have, the lives you can save… you’ll come to see it as a blessing.”

                “I hope you’re right.  If I survive, we’ll have to see.”

                                                                                                *                *                *

                “So anyway,” Trevor said over our laughter, “I say to the High Priestess ‘You’re okay, but the werewolf with the shedding problem has got to go!”

                One visit with a dead Sorceress and enough weed to fuel a Snoop Dog tour later, and I was starting to feel like myself again.  Trevor’s stories certainly helped me relax.  The muscular Brit’s tales always had something to do with the paranormal, and yet always had some humorous tag.  I looked at the Fae women that were gathered around him, each laughing and fawning over their guest.

                Man, the guy tries so hard, and he doesn't need to I thought.  I mean, he’s not really my type… if I have a type… but these ladies certainly like what they see!  But he always turns on the charm…

                “Gods, Trev,” Darla said, her skin flashing a darker blue.  “Where do you find these people?”

                “Why, 4-chan, of course!” he said with a grin.

                “If you think you can scare us away from checking your story by mentioning a place that even the Lords of the Dread Outer Spaces won’t go into,” an emerald Fae named Dawn said with a laugh, “you’ve got another thing coming!”

                “I welcome your scrutiny.” Trevor said with a mock bow.

                “It's not like that time at Willie Nelson's, eh?" I added with a grin.  Unfortunately, Trevor had chosen that moment to take a sip of his drink, which was then sprayed on Dawn and Cordelia, Darla's other sister.  Her skin flushed a darker blue yet, but she laughed despite the mess.

                “Oh you naughty boy!” she teased.  “I think you should clean up your mess!”

                She and Darla shimmied out of their outfits and advanced on Trevor.  He looked at Darla and jerked his head with a grin.  She smiled, and started to get in a similar state of undress.

                “Do you want to exit this little party?" a voice said from behind me. I turned and saw Gaia, her green skin not showing any signs of arousal despite the scene in front of them.

                Everyone else in the room being naked except she and me, so the decision was easy.  "Hell to the yes!" I exclaimed quietly, rising.

                We stepped outside and walked slowly down the road.  A full moon shone through the trees, and the winds whistled softly through their branches. We passed more unicorns, these munching on shrubbery quietly, undisturbed.

                “I hope you weren’t too uncomfortable back there.” Gaia said.

                “Nah.” I replied with a wave.  “I mean, Trevor’s somebody I first met after he was thrown out of a mirror, and the rest of them look like a naked pride flag.  It’s not like running into my Kindergarten teacher at a leather bar, or anything!”

                “Okay for them, just not for you, eh?” she said with a grin.

                That brought out another sigh.  “Eighteen months ago, I