2 Birthday plans

I descended the back staircase that led to the kitchen of my childhood home. The house was an old Victorian home that had housed the coven for generations. My grandmother said the coven had been scattered across the earth before this home was acquired by the high priestess Eliza Rollands and she laid the covens crest in the cellar ground, then like moths to a flame the coven came from all corners.

As I came to the kitchen door I could hear my grandmother and cousin laughing and talking about breakfast.

"Listen G-ma, you got to start selling your recipes. Your biscuit and gravy alone would make you a fortune." I heard Jana declare with a full mouth.

"I have no need for more money than what I have. These recipes will stay in the family only." Gram replied.

I chose that moment to enter the room and laughed "oh Grammy, can't you see. Jana was hoping to raise her inheritance up more." I teased as I took my seat.

Jana nudged me playfully with her elbow as she exclaimed "Shut up Chel!" Pretending to be offended "I would never!" She tossed her long ebony curls back in an exaggerated fashion and put on an aristocratic voice "Grandmother needn't worry about me darling."

Gram smiled as she sat across from Jana and sipped her coffee"Well neither of you worry, not only is your inheritance safe but I plan to teach you each my recipes before your weddings, whenever that may be." She said reassuringly.

Jana smiled back at Gram before taking another big bite and letting out a noise of pure satisfied delight. "I definitely look forward to that G-ma."

I began to eat my own food as Gram continued to sip her coffee. "So, what are your plans tonight. Twenty-one years old now." She commented.

'She was testing us' I thought amused and exchanged mischievous smiles with Jana.

"Oh ya know," Jana said causally, "we no longer need to worry about losing our power with our vir*inity, so we just figured we'd go join a br*thel."

I nearly squirted milk from my nose.

Not even I expected Jana to say something so ridiculous to our grandmother. Gram shook her finger at us both "Now you girls shouldn't even make jokes like that." She scolded.

I looked at her with shock "Gram! I didn't say a thing." I took another bite as she looked at us expectantly. She really wanted to know our plans. "Don't worry Gram, we will be here tonight before midnight for the ceremony."

The coven followed lunar birthdays and tonight was the lunar new year and our twenty-first lunar year and twenty-one was the age when a witch in their coven came to full power and could find their true love and marry. Tonight, much like my thirteenth lunar birthday, was a ceremony with the coven present.

Gram smiled, relieved she didn't have to remind us.

"Tomorrow though, we are going to party with our friends." Jana chimed in. "There is this new club downtown that's opening tomorrow called Carmelo, we are hoping we can get in and maybe meet some VIPs. Plus we get to drink legally now." Jana laughed.

~~~~~~~~

Cian jolted awake. His emerald eyes wide with shock of returning to his body. Or perhaps it was just a vivid dream. A very, very vivid dream.

It had to be, there was no way a beautiful, raven haired witch could have summoned him. He brushed back his fiery curls from his face and frowned.

The bloodline of witches who could summon the Tuatha Dé had long been gone. Cian himself discovered the smoldering ruins that once was their village. Wiped from existence by the Fir Bolgs with the assistance of the Fomorians.

Cian laid back down against his pillow with a sigh. He thought about the fearless grey eyes that had locked onto his. She never once shown fear, it had to be a dream. So vivid he could feel her, grab her, smell her.

He frowned. He could still smell her. Raising the hand that grabbed her he saw why. There on his nails, barely noticeable, was blood. Her blood, she wasn't just a dream.

Cian grinned, "Just who are you, Little Witch."