Chapter 8:

*From here on the chapters of this book may hold subjects that are sensitive or triggering, please stop reading if you can't handle it <3 much love though*

2 Weeks Later

Regan's POV-

"Just like that, darling, you're doing wonderful!" Farina Barlow encouraged me as I did my best to feed the flower as little magic as possible. It was probably the most gentle thing I've ever seen as I watched the beautiful dark purple flower open up, the silky petals stretching out as if it was time for it to be awake. It's already so late into the night that I can't help but fascinate by what's happening.

I did it... I did it! It was literally only a seed a few moments ago, with Farina's careful guidance and an entire hour of a crash course lesson, it became possible.

"Well, she sure as hell didn't do it when I was helping her," Lavinia huffed as she drank a glass of wine. She glared at the pretty witch before turning her gaze toward the other witches chatting or dancing around the fire.

It isn't Lavinia's fault though because how she was teaching me was several steps thinking I'm some genius. Plus... after that weird astral projection, I couldn't help but think about that man named Khal'han since that day I'd laid eyes on him.

Shit, he's the hottest thing I've seen in this world. The guy would be too otherworldly to walk around the earth like a normal person.

"I'm a master in illusion and delusion magic, it takes extreme care. You've found a diamond here, Nia. She's got magic as large as the ocean so I thought it'd be best for her to learn how to use as little energy as possible when casting any spell or making any potions," Farina explained to Lavinia, telling her the exact something she had told me when we'd been left together for a little.

So far, since living with Lavinia, I've gotten to learn a lot... with even more knowledge that I have to uncover. I haven't even scraped all of the basics yet. It is very intimidating to know but as long as it isn't at the forefront of my mind, we're chilling.

"Yea, yea... hey, why's Douglas Mortem here? I thought all the Mortems were banned from the gatherings for the next hundred years?" Lavinia scrunched her face up in distaste as she watched a young boy standing near the bonfire, just watching the flames climb the sky onto to disappear.

"Good question with an easy answer, the Mortem's have never followed the rules," The other witch snorted, her brown eyes looking out somewhere else while she patted her hair in an attempt to fix it.

"Gerard Killoran is here, see you, ladies, later," With that, my new teacher bounced off toward a tall and lean man who was talking to two other people. When Farina walked over to them to join their conversation, it was the way that man's hard eyes melted the moment he realized who it was.

The sexual energy between the two is as clear as daylight but obviously, something was keeping the two from going beyond friendship.

It made me wonder if I hung around someone with who I had sexual tension, would we be like them? Too worried about ruining the friendship that they don't dare cross a line? Or is there more to it? Will mine be complicated as well? Hell, what am I thinking? There's been a large gap between me and almost everyone I've met here. Coming from a completely different world seems to create a harsher social environment than being from a foreign country.

My few run-ins with normal people have made me irritated with them, they're always so irritated and unwilling to stop judging strangers coming in and out of their lives. Even if it's just in passing. It feels like I'm being racist but I've stopped going out of my way of trying to seem like I'm not a threat. It's tiring, having to stand up for yourself constantly.

This world is completely different from earth yet there are so many similarities.

"Ignore the two idiots, look back at that Douglas boy. Tell me what you see," Lavinia is clearly more interested in the guy that wasn't supposed to be here.

Turning my attention toward the guy, who was still gazing out at the flames, with a frown on my face. The way he literally refused to look away from the fire was concerning but so was the vacant look in those dark eyes, as if he wasn't truly there. I've been here for a few hours and even the shyest of the bunch ensured that they mingled or soaked in the presence of the other witches.

It's clear that a lot of them were deprived of socializing with people without the paranoia that someone will rat them out for just being... them. This gathering happens once a month for all the witches within a 400 hundred mile radius. I've seen some of the shy male and female witches keeping to themselves... from a distance where they could still hear conversations. There's always a chance for them to involve themselves or put in an opinion.

This Douglas guy? He's the only one I can see that's kept himself so far from everyone that it'd be impossible to talk unless someone walked up to him.

"School shooter? I'm not sure man but I can tell you right now he wouldn't be the first person I'd be interested in analyzing. Look at his eyes, they aren't creeping you out?" I scoffed, unsure why Lavi is using him for any sort of lesson.

"A... a what? Actually, never mind. Take Farina's lesson of the night, put your magic on your eyes and see beyond the planes of the living... tell me what you see," The way Lavinia said it was as if she was curious as to what would be found. Can't she just do it?

"What's the difference between you and I doing it? Wouldn't you be more experienced at finding something weird?" I asked her while gathering just a sliver of magic in the palm of my hand, not at all sure how I'm supposed to put magic in my eyes.

With a slight frown at the thought of how I'm supposed to properly do it, I instead closed both eyes and gently placed it over them. Once they were opening it was as if the view of everything completely changed.

Looking over at Farina allowed me to see the small, almost clear, little crystals floating around here. The man named Gerard had quite a few gray-like figures floating around him, each of them showing a large happy smile as he chatted away with Farina. I'm not sure what any of these things are but none of them feel bad.

"I can only see so far but because your magic is so potent and strong, I feel you can see deeper into things," She responded, placing her hands on my shoulders in encouragement.

Until I returned my attention to Douglas, who had weird dark smudges around him. Some of them were on the floor while others lay on his small shoulders.

Determined to get a better grip on it, I placed another layer of magic over my eyes and that's when the blurred forms became defined. Small little baby-shaped demons around him. The ones at his feet seemed to be pulling something from Douglas's before placing it in his mouth, those black hollow eyes creepy as they seemed to go on forever. Those tiny horns on their bodies are the reason I called them demons.

It was the fact that every couple of seconds, the little... babies? Yeah... no way. I'm just calling these fucking things demons. Anyways, every now and then those empty eyes would stare around as if watching everything.

Creepy as shit.

"Lavi, the guy has fucking baby demon things crawling on him... they look like they're eating something too," I wanted to throw up as I noticed that what they were grabbing from his pants wasn't fabric nor flesh. Instead, it looked like a think bit of smoke pinche between their thin bone-like fingers.

The hands-on my shoulders on my shoulders tightened before Lavinia took three steps in front of me as if to protect me from something. Even though I took a few steps backward for extra measure, I still looked around her shapely body out of curiosity.

"Eqer umak bakura ka, I cukkomd aeui su ksoae vrara aeui ora," Purple light began to glow around Lavinia as the palm of her right hand pointed toward the man standing at the fire.

It was like the air around of began to grow wild and far colder than what it had been. When the little demons around Douglas froze, glaring those evil eyes at Lavinia I almost threw up. This whole time I didn't see a single indication they had a mouth until dark lines opened to show sharp white teeth laying in several rows. They began hissing at Lavinia but it was when one of the demons stood up and grew to the size of a grown man that I nearly stumbled onto my ass in my attempt to get a bit farther away.

Before anything could happen, different colors of light began to shine all over but they all pointed toward Douglas. Farina, Gerard, and every other witch within the grounds were pointing their palms at the man and little demons. Many of the witches chanted while Farina, Gerard, and three others clearly didn't need the words of magic to initiate their spells.

It was... relaxing to see.

No one knew what was going on but one sign of a problem from Lavinia yet they all reacted as if they're on the same page.

Suddenly Douglas fell to the floor, screaming out in pain as his body writhed around. Like a worm. It took a large part of me to remember this is a serious situation to keep myself from laughing at the situation. Man, it reminds me of a cartoon scene I had seen as a kid.

Within seconds the little demons disappeared, even the large one, leaving a panting Douglas on the floor all by himself.

Still, even from here, I couldn't really see any light within his eyes. Everything was still vacant. And then a loud laugh began to echo through the night, it sounded otherworldly. Despite the things in this world that should already be impossible, the voice didn't sound like it belonged here.

"Funny little witches huddled together, celebrating during a horrid time for your people... for what? Is it the positive energy you're all wishing to cling to? What was it... ah, yes... hope," The evil voice was grating to listen to as it left Douglas's body but it was creepy as his eyes refused to move and the body stayed limp.

Everyone was silent.

I have no idea what the fuck is going on but the guy passed out after having what looked like a seizure. Douglas's neck twists awkwardly backward, glaring angrily toward us but I was quick to dunk away from sight. It just felt like I didn't want that thing to see me.

"Lavinia, my beautiful one... you're still ali- oh my, who is that behind you?" Douglas's horrid voice sounded all kinds of interested.

"Ignore him and anything he says..." Lavinia's stone-cold expression only seemed to grow more guarded by the second.

"Move out of the way, love, let the child introduce herself to me,"

Child? Okay, hold on.

The last time I checked, I'm in my 20's and a part of me wanted to let them know that I pay my own bills at home... or at least, I use to.

A pressure grew in the air within seconds of Lavi ignoring the command from... Douglas? At this point, I'm certain it isn't him but this is a world of magic so I have no idea if any of this is consensual or not.

There's no way anyone can be a fan of the scenario happening, not even me, so I took another step back and turned to go hide further in the crowd of witches.

The scream that left my lips surprised even myself as the little demon children watched me with those hollow eyes of theirs, attached to a female host just as creepy.

"Hmm..." They all began to hum noise of interest while looking me up and down. When one of the demons on the floor began reaching for one of my legs, it snapped me out of the shocking state to take several steps backward. Closer to Lavi.

"It's is an honor to meet you, my name is Bol'guzen... but you may call me Bol. Tell me, what is your name?"

The request for my name sent a giant shiver of warning up my spine, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Alarms rang in my head and all I could do was shake my head, refusing to even speak to this thing.

For a second the pale-skinned woman in front of me was emotionless before her eyebrows furrowed and her top lip lifted up in anger.

"Manners, child, manners! I am not the man you wish to show disrespect toward," The thick voice that belongs to no man or woman sounded even worse up close. Looked funny coming from a lady too.

"If you want to talk about manners how about you stop being disrespectful and calling me a child," I huffed at him with a roll of my eyes, grateful for when Lavi put an arm in front of me.

"Besides, you are no man and you will not get your dirty claws on her," Lavinia hissed at him as I was slowly being surrounded by the other witches. The angry energy coming off of Lavinia was sent out in a shock wave.

I would've fallen back on my ass if it wasn't for Gerard holding in place by my shoulders, looking just as serious as Lavi. Even Farina stood beside us, having wrapped in strange energy the moment Lavi had pushed me backward.

"What is he?" I whispered to Gerard, who gave me a squeeze on the shoulder in a sort of reassurance.

"Bol'guzen was once an ordinary human... one of the mortals who weren't okay with the powerless position he had been given in life. He..."

Clearly, it was difficult for him to talk about or maybe he just didn't know how to shorten the story to leave out certain details.

"Go on, Gerard, tell her what I did! It isn't like it matters, right? My story will haunt you for the rest of your life but let's not forget your children will be spooked. Then their children... sooner or later I'll become a fucking legend around the damn world!" Bol'guzen laughed, using the woman's body to throw her hands into the air with a maniac smile on her face.

"He murdered three covens before kidnapping all kinds of creatures. Witches, shifters, vampires, and anyone he could get his hands on... they were experimented on in Bol'guzen's attempt at trying to become immortal. There are several species that have gone extinct because of him... either way it was so bad that almost everyone gets together in order to stop him. Now, he is no longer a man... but neither is he supernatural," Lavinia spoke in a strong voice filled with sadness that seemed to reflect the emotions crawling over everyone's face.

Before Bol'guzen was able to say anything besides a creepy laugh, Lavinia began whispering in a language foreign yet familiar to my ears. Within seconds the woman under Bol'guzen's control started to scream out at everyone before her small body crumpled to the floor, twitching uncontrollably. And just like Douglas, the little demons disappeared.

"Bring the both of them to the Brownmere house, ensure they aren't together... we have no idea what sort of power Bol'guzen has gotten himself into this time," Lavinia turned her strong gaze toward me, some of the ice in it melting away.

"Regan... you'll be going back to the cabin, can someone escor-"

"Oh! Oh! Me! I can do it Ms. Mallor," A short girl with fair skin, fluffy black wavy hair, and large blue eyes that shot right through my eyes. There was a clear interest in the girls who oozed too much energy... there was something about her that didn't feel the same as the other witches I've met.

"Of course, Neamyra, be sure to take care of her," Without any hesitation the large group of witches apart of Lavinia's coven started walking off, leaving me with the random girl.

When everyone was gone, I turned toward her with an awkward smile. Completely unsure of how to act with that giant smile on her face.

"Regan," I offered my hand out to her, which somehow made her burn brighter with happiness.

"Neamyra, I've been hearing whispers about you all over the place... come, let's get you home as soon as possible," She looped her arm through mine and took the lead of the walk.

We had an entire damn hour to get to the cabin but luckily Lavinia and I had used the transportation of the earth. When I had asked how that worked she said that after getting blessings from the spirits of the earth.

"So, the other witches have been talking about me?" I asked her 20 minutes into the walk, somehow feeling safe despite the fact that we walked through the night with nothing but forest on either side of our path.

"Huh? The witches? Nah, I wouldn't know. They don't really talk to me besides Lavinia, Gerard, Farina, and Mireya," Neamyra used her fingers while naming the people who went out of their way to hold a conversation with her.

Not gonna lie, had me wondering if it's because of her or everyone else.

"Why?"

The way she bit her bottom lip told me that the subject was sensitive and a part of me felt a bit bad about asking. That other half still wanted to know why. Neamyra had a small face with doe-like blue eyes, flawless fair skin, long black hair that fell to her hips, and this whole innocent thing going on. It would be a surprise that with this bubbly personality that people would have a problem with it.

"I'm not a witch... I guess you can say I just hang out with them because Mireya and Lavinia always invite me to the gatherings of the coven. Not a lot of the other witches like me around though,"

She clearly can't be human, just assuming it sent a feeling in my stomach that I was wrong.

"Why do you stay if there are more people who don't like you than those who do?" Was the next question, not at all worried about how personal this might be. I've never been one to stop my curiosity of others until they themselves tell me they don't want to talk about it.

"Because I'm all alone," She refused to look at me and I couldn't help but feel a bit awkward cause... well I'm not really one for pity.

But it was the sincerity in her voice and that it didn't feel as though she was just saying that to be a pitiful person.

"So... can I ask what you are?" To this question, she seemed to brighten up a bit, happy to get away from having to admit that she has no one.

Like me.

"I'm a banshee, harbinger of death. Let's just say a lot of bad things tend to happen around me," She shrugged her shoulders, clearly less upset about the title given to her than her social life.

"Well if it helps, we can kill two birds with one stone and just become friends. I don't have any either," I suggested, hoping I didn't come off as desperate or lonely.

Desperate for a friend is the last thing I'll ever be. After all the bullshit I've gone through within my social life just makes it hard to make one or even keep them. Sure, I might end up feeling lonely but I'd rather be in my own company than around those I can't even trust.

"I would be honored," Neamyra gave me a gentle smile with a genuine spark in those blue eyes that reminded me of the ocean. They seemed to go on and on forever.

What I've built with Lavinia since I've crash-landed here surprises me to this day. It's like being around someone I see as a motherly figure helped me in ignoring the emptiness within.

Whole yet empty. Me... yet ripped in half.

With a shake of my head, I decided to change the subject to one a lot more interesting. At least for me.

"Do you know anything about Khal'han?" One look at her and the large grin was all I needed to see before I started regretting bringing him up.

"Why are we asking this? Do you like him?" My cheeks heated but I had faith the caramel of my skin wouldn't expose me.

"I astral projected to him a few weeks ago and I've been... curious. Lavinia told me that he's the general to Prince Alik in some karakar place. Is it true? That he's beyond any werewolf?"

Yes, I'm talking about a full-on grown-ass man or woman getting naked so they can turn into a big ass wolf. I haven't seen it yet but Lavinia says it's a beautiful sight to be able to witness the natural shift.

"Oh yea, you shouldn't call them werewolves since they prefer shifter, and the country they're in is called Khorakar. But yes, Khal'han hasn't even considered a shifter as he is from hell-hound bloodlines," The smiled Neamyra gave me made me feel better for getting the name wrong but I don't feel guilty about calling them a werewolf.

Hell hound? I'm really going to have to get a notebook separately from magic, herbs and now I think I'll have to get one to remember every species. No way I'll be able to automatically remember.

"Kor... Khorakar, right?"

She nodded enthusiastically at me attempting to correct my speech and while certain things sounded strange, I'll eventually get it.

"Well, as far as I know, Khal'han comes from a family of warriors who has always been close to the royal family. At one point there was worry that his ancestors would overthrow their king but it turned out that Khal'han's ancestors were practically raised with the king and even went to war by his side. Since then, Khal'han's family has been close friends with the king and queens of Khorakar. So, what was it like? I've never been to another country before. What did it feel like? To be able to astral project, I mean,"

As soon as Neamyra started, I worried if she would end up catching her breath or die trying to give me to the story.

"It felt... like I was awake yet sleeping all at the same time. I hadn't even realized that everything was real until I actually woke up from it. I made friends with Neenah but I figure there won't be much contact between us until I figure out this magic thing," I explained to her, the memories of experiencing just a taste of Khorakar almost making me smile.

The whole thing was like a night festival with all sorts of people walking around, talking, and buying food or accessories at stalls. It was beautiful with all the floating lights that had been dancing around to ensure everyone was able to see. There were a lot of things I'd never experienced before. A fantastic night only to be ruined by waking up in a practically empty cabin with an old woman who was sitting there waiting for your soul to make it back home.

Speaking of things I've yet to experience, tonight had to be the creepiest. Like, I should probably start burning some sage or something. I should probably wait to ask Lavinia but hanging out with Neamyra for a couple of moments let me know that she isn't the type to hide her truth.

"So... about what happened tonight..."

That was when Neamyra stiffened completely and an almost haunted look overtook that cute little face of hers.

For what seemed like forever, silence once against took over the air between us as the banshee seemed lost in thought.

"I'm over 180 years old... yet in all my life I had never screamed to the tune of death so much until those horrid times came..." It was like Neamyra had to shut her emotions off in order to tell the story from a viewpoint that sounded so involved yet so distant at the same time.

I guess I shouldn't call her cute, right. If you're nearly 200 years old I'd assume it would be an insult, especially by someone who seems to have yet started aging.

"When Bol'guzen started ruining the natural balance it sent the world into chaos. Many seers and banshees were forced to follow their instincts, we were on a blinded journey to hunt Bol'guzen down. The seers did their best to stop the kidnapping of the supernatural while my sister banshees and I either prevented deaths from happening or finding the dead bodies of those involved with the horrid man. It got so bad that the world pulled together to go against Bol'guzen. It was Khal'han who held the man's horridly mutated body while the witches ripped his soul out. They cut his body into pieces, burned it, and spread the ashes all over the world in order to prevent him from ever possibly healing. We had thought it was over until rumors that the underworld tossing his soul out from the netherworld because he made things too unstable down there,"

Okay... okay, I'm just about ready to kill a bunch of people to go back to earth. At least there isn't some weird-ass ghost thing going out of his way to haunt people, that I know of.

"So he's a ghost? How'd he get into those people's bodies then?" I want to ask if there's any way to prevent it but I figure that's best left up to Lavinia to answer.

"I've seen plenty of ghosts in my life and that thing is no ghost, we've all settled on calling him an entity. He no longer has a physical body and he has no rules or cares for the natural order of things, not even the demons claim him. For the last five years though, he's been harassing the witches but... it wasn't until five months ago that the damned thing has been able to corrupt our most vulnerable. The only thing we know is that he's looking for a suitable body and has yet to get his hands on one,"

Just learning about the guy sent an uncomfortable shiver down my spine, trying my best to toss out the image of those little demons. But already they haunted me every time I blinked with that haunting voice replaying over and over again. The interest that he held in his tone still left me unsettled.

"Can he... can he find me?" I asked her out of curiosity with a raised eyebrow, starting to truly fear as the events of the night started really settling in.

Already I felt the natural paranoia I've had all my life start to take over, the habit of looking over my shoulder kicking back in.

"Yes... as long as you don't directly give him your whole name, okay? In fact, don't even talk to the fucker, being a trickster is in his nature. You're lucky he didn't manage to touch you because if he did it would've been a bit easier for him to try and seduce you into telling him while you dream,"

No longer was I feeling comfortable as I weaved my way through the world, listening to the advice given to me by older witches who've been doing this longer than I have. But to be able to find whoever he wants as long as he has their name? And to be able to get into someone's dreams just because he's touched you once?

As we walked up to the cabin together, I was beginning to worry about letting Neamyra go home by herself. Even together it felt like we were easy prey. It reminds me of earth. Where I'm from it's dangerous for women, in a group or not, to walk at night. I've already had my fair share of being followed by creeps either from a distance or them trying to walk alongside me in a conversation.

"Neamyra... do you want to sleep in my bed tonight? It's large enough for the two of us, I just don't feel comfortable letting you go home alone," As I used magic to unlock the door to the cabin while looking at my new friend, despite the darkness the tears glistening at her eyes were visible against the moonlight.

With Neenah and Neamyra reacting as though they've been deprived of human affection or anyone giving a flying shit about them, you'd think everyone in this world has gotten fucked over in life. Hell, maybe they have. On earth, it wouldn't be hard to run into people who have had horrible lives and some of them don't even know it until they tell their story to another.

"It's alright Regan, I don't wish to intrude on you and Lavinia,"

I frowned at the gentle smile she gave me as if just the offer was enough.

"Well... will you at least come in for some tea?" I extended, all with the full intention of locking the both of us inside.

"Sure! What kind do you have? I'm really into the sweet drinks,"

As soon as Neamyra walked into the cabin and we closed the door, with just simple intentions and thoughts, I locked us in.

Neamyra spun around and narrowed her eyes on me as I gave her an innocent smile.

"In Lavinia's lessons, she's told me that the coven sticks together and ensures each other's safety. I didn't like the way my belly felt at the thought of letting you walk home alone," I rubbed my stomach dramatically while pouring water from the sink into a pot.

"I'm not even in the coven," She tried arguing with a smile on her face, taking a seat at the table while not putting in any effort to actually escape.

"If Lavinia trusts you to bring me home, I'd say you've already been accepted. It doesn't matter what the others think, Neamyra,"

I told her, grabbing the thin fabric with tea leaves tied inside of it like a ball. Ensuring the fire was on, I dumped the bag inside.

"That's easy for you to say, everyone was excited to see the new witch that traveled from another world. You're a witch, Regan, you've got a better chance of being accepted by society than someone who brings death with them. They literally placed you on a golden pedestal," Neamyra scoffed and I turned around just in time to see her roll those pretty eyes.

There was a pang in my chest because it was true that the witches at the gathering were all happy to introduce themselves to me. In the end, it doesn't mean I haven't had my fair share of being the black sheep among those who somehow managed to fit in. Always on the outskirts, never being able to find your way in until that one or two special people who can accept you for you. It hurt somewhere within me but I appreciate her being honest with her feelings.

"That's no fair, Nea. Before I came to this world all I did was get judged for either being an independent woman or for being of mixed race. I've gotten ignored or used by people who smiled and pretended they were friends. Sure, it feels right to be around all those witches but at the end of the day, I don't know any of them. It doesn't matter if they were all interested in me because none of them could have good intentions for me. Don't be so eager to make friends with people who could lead you down the wrong path," Clearly my emotions got the better of me as I spoke to her in a hard tone that made me feel bad as soon as she looked at me with wide eyes.

Though before I could say anything, she stood up and was pulling me into a tight hug. The scent of cinnamon and apples, making my stiff body soften. I hadn't even noticed how rigid I'd been until now.

"I apologize, my friend, I may be older than many of these times but I'm still learning,"

Her words, far more comforting than the hug. You don't run into too many people who just take what you have to say face frontal without feeling some sort of way. I've never gotten such a quick apology before. We ended up drinking three cups of tea before we made our way upstairs to the room I was sharing. Though when we walked in the bed was a bit larger than the last time I'd seen it as if it sensed that there was going to be another person laying on it. Lavinia and her crafty ideas on using small magic will always surprise me.

And then we slept... at least, I tried...