CHAPTER 4: ZOE

Waking with a start, I looked around the beeping machines and stale room my blurred in and until my eyes fell on Taylor. He sat on a chair that looks so uncomfortable but he fell asleep hand holding mine and I momentarily relaxed.

Reaching for a jar of water… Common Zoe you almost there, finally but the jar must have tipped over the glass. Thankfully he caught the glass before it smashed on the ground.

"You have been awake?"

He gently prodded the jar off my hand and I watched him pour the water in the glass. Drinking the delicious mineral delicacy as it hydrated my system and watched Taylor give me a refill.

"Yes, you made quite a lot of noise. How are you doing?"

He smirked settling back on his seat after ruffling her hair.

"Ahh… My head hurts, but I think I am fine. Tye, what happened?"

Before her best friend could answer she felt a wave of uncomfortable emotion before the memories piled in. The memories overwhelmed a dam wall as her composure broke and she looked up at his very sad, apologetic eyes.

"She did not make it?"

Her voice cracked and Taylors nod confirmed her biggest fear and her tears fell as she allowed herself to actually grieve her birth mother. Holding me in his arms as emotion exploded from her chest. Instead of anger she felt defeated, she's being hunted down by demons that wish her ill. Demons that already stole from her three times, three lives at three different times.

"Your mother's family is here to collect her body and then elder wishes to speak to you once you ready."

The elder Asia is a beautiful frail woman draped in jewels her aura friendly, approachable and comforting like the sun. Seeing her walk in the hospital room transformed the room to an extra ordinary light, I have to admit she has yet to change a bit.

"Where are you taking her?"

I squeaked brushing tears of weakness from the light of the world.

"It is tradition to lay her to rest spiritually in a ceremony, connecting her with our ancestors in a life after the present."

Not completely understanding the tradition of witches but respecting her mom's beliefs. Zoe thought it best to listen than cast stone, she is an elder after all and the knowledge there is law.

"Come with me to the coven, Hanna has been dying to see you again."

Chuckling at the image of her dark dreaded best friend and she agreed to lay here mom with her own.

The coven is a beautiful community, its inhabitants practice white magic (white magic mean that they simply make use of ancestral magic that can only be used at its purest form). True power comes from the purity of magic and those who practiced dark magic actually surrendered their soul for a fraction on demonic powers. The community is made up of a certain diversity that made them more unique and more powerful from other covens. Everyone lives in harmony here due to Hekate goddess and ancestral alliance, their source of untainted magic.

Hanna bounced towards her, happy and saddened by the condition of their meeting.

"You brought you boyfriend!"

She joke whispered and she pulled away from the comfort of Tay's wolf.

Feeling disappointed by Zoe's withdraw but determined not to show how it actually bothered him his distraction disappeared to her best witchy friend. If he believed in Zoe's dark beauty, Hanna's fairly lighter shade awoke a new side to his wolf. She has a perfect flared nose with natural grey green eyes and full lips. Taylor found himself completely entranced by the slightly taller natural magnificence.

"He is my friend-"

Before Zoe could completely introduce them, he decided to take the advantage to shake her hand. The electricity shooting a bolt to places not appropriate to see the light of day.

"Taylor."

Holding on the her capable hand with his own very confident firm shake that left Hanna to stare at a wolf with new found interest.

"Hanna."

She crocked in awe at the white male wolf who dared made contact with a palm reader. Her instincts informed his interest but there is something else. Looking at Zoe… Elder Asia disturbed her revelation.

"Zoe dear, you can head to you house. I will find Taylor here a place to rest for tonight."

"No."

Three eyes focusing on her she felt a panging need to explain, why she feared the clutches of loneliness and fear of more loss. No, I can't stand being alone right now especially when it hurts for a minute

"Uh, Taylor can use the spare room for tonight."

Thankfully no one argued nor questioned my plea and I felt my tensed muscles relax. Asia left to attend to matters of the expected funeral, leaving an insane static electricity and she felt herself hold a candle metaphorically.

"Zoe are you and Taylor a thing?"

Hanna whispered and Zoe almost tumbled in laughter before assuring Hanna they are just friends. Taylor returned after a phone call and they sat down discuss what they missed out on and she felt he intense need to excuse herself leaving the two under a tree.

Roaming the community in amazement, she continued roaming for another half hour before heading home. Alone in the small comfortable house, this time the crippling loss hit home and all she has left is the wisdom and knowledge her mother instilled on me. Crying myself to sleep, the empty house a reminder that there is no positive lavender scent allowing butterflies to flatter rapidly. Not really worried about Taylor believing he can take care of himself against predators as light witches only strike once struck. I buried my face in Nena's blouse sinking into much needed sleep, safety in dreams.

.

I woke up early to a noise in the kitchen and I cursed the rude faces responsible for the fact I am up before eight. She found herself stretching before joining a bitter moment better spent for the two.

"Ahh. Get a room."

They jumped apart and I wondered, what the conversation was about? That they did not hear me come down the stairs and I did make a play to annoyance my dismay with every step to annoyance… I teased them grabbing the carton of milk for my lactose free coffee and slowly inconspicuously dragged a plate of pancakes, stranded around was fresh strawberries.

Her friends spent the better part of the morning making food with ingredients they brought yesterday after going shopping. Now they sit outside and I swear I have never seen Hanna this happy, no in love in forever. Taylor's focus never wavered and that made Zoe smile, although she failed to not envy that type of spark.

Noting. The funeral was later that day, Hanna decided to drag me to the park without Taylor. Staring at me with as much seriousness she could master, her legs crossed and fingers twirling around nervously.

"Do you and Taylor have a thing?"

Her words sunk in and she felt herself laugh because never in the years we knew each other have I ever thought of Tye as anything other than a friend or at least a brother.

"No way his all yours."

The relief was not lost on her, especially when the breath she released is more thankful and appreciate.

"You like him?"

I observed and to her sheer amazement she nodded, cheeks flushing in semi embarrassment.

Squealing the girls discussed their get to know each other date yesterday and what she now felt stupid for assuming the two best friends where lovers. Laughing about everything and enjoying time lost, shed tears for her loss. They caught up with each other's lives and boost the others confidence before heading to the traditional sense of the funeral.