Chapter Six

Witches and werewolves did not get along. That much was known to Laylah. Although she did her best to stay away from all of the hate and animosity.

But she had no idea what Alexander’s take was on the entire issue.

And for that reason alone, she made up her mind that she was going to hide her true nature from him.

But for how long? She wasn’t entirely sure.

She pursed her lips as she looked down at him.

Truly, truly, she really should have waited till he was in bed before she be-spelled him.

She pushed away the table from him, and actually groaned when she lifted him off the chair. The man weighed possibly a thousand pounds, she calculated.

Okay, maybe she was exaggerating a bit. But lifting the man actually made her sweat. But never the less, she got him to the room without many casualties.

When she managed to lay him on the bed, she covered him with a quilt and left the room, with the door slightly open.

Then she went to seek answers.

~•~•~

She didn’t want to practice her magicked inside of the house, in case Alexander woke up. But she didn’t want to do it in the cabin she was offering him either. It would contain bold ghosts and old spirits, and until she cleansed that cabin, those ghosts and spirits would interrupt her meditation. So in the end, she chose to lock herself up inside of her room and try to block out everything else. Especially thoughts of Alexander and how he had looked that morning in her kitchen.

She had never mastered the art of calling for a vision. For one reason, visions drained the life out of her, she didn’t scorn the knowledge it brought, she just never went out of her way to seek it. Too much of a price to be paid. Another reason was, she was among the people who believed that “ignorance is bliss.” And felt she was happier if she didn’t know. Because sometimes she could change what she saw and so, therefore, she didn’t see the point of knowing if she couldn’t change it.

So why was she chasing after this particular vision?

That didn’t have to be one she pondered on for too long. The reason was clear as crystal. It was because this Particular vision included her, included Alexander, and a very serious threat to their lives. There was no way on earth she was letting it all go. And unfortunately, There was also no way for her to boldly pick ignorance. For ignorance could actually get them all killed.

And in spite of what many may consider of her due to the fact that she lived the life of a hermit… she truly cherished her life.

She closed the windows, drew the curtains, and brought out six candles. Sitting cross-legged on the floor she placed all six candles in a circle, while her dog lay lying at the door.

She looked at him and blew out a ragged breath before turning back to her candles, lighting than with the utterance of her words, everything went still, everything went completely quiet.

She chanted the words of the ancients, the words of the ones who came before her, imploring their guide, imploring their gift to see, until she rocked back and forth, being pulled into a trance, caught up in the in-between. Not fully in the world, she knew, not fully in the world she longed to know.

And then she saw him, Alexander, ruddy and radiant, shirtless, his back strong, his shoulder-length hair, flying with the wind, as he stood at the edge of a cliff. Waiting, just waiting.

She wanted to call out to him but knew better than to startle him. But she was baffled, because what on earth was he doing, standing where he stood, on the brink of danger?

But she remained quiet, watching him as he watched for what he watched for.

And then soon enough, he turned around and his lips turned up in a smile.

Was he smiling at her? She thought, could he actually see her?

But she knew her answer when a woman, who was about five feet tall walked to him and wrapped her arms around his torso. She fought the jealousy that wanted to entwine her. That was the last way that she wanted to be feeling at that moment.

They pulled away from each other and then the conversation began,

“How are you, Dinah of the west?” Alexander questioned the woman about the vision. She was beautiful, Layla couldn’t disagree, and although she looked not a day over twenty, Layla had a feeling she was much older than that. Layla of all people knew how much appearances could be misleading.

“Well, in truth, I have felt worse. The new moon draws near, and with it comes my regular discomforts, which surely are to pass. But then,”

She looked up at him, genuinely worried and he took her hand in his,

“Speak Dinah,”

“I worry, Alexander. Alejandro worries me, he talks ill of you, but you are his friend.”

Alexander shrugged. His friend, Alejandro had never liked his relationship with Dinah. He tried to explain to them that they were distant cousins, and for that reason, shared a bond. But Alexander could tell that his words fell on deaf ears.

“So this is why you’ve come? To warn me?” He asked with a faint smile, and the girl nodded distractedly. He took her chin in his fingers and hid her to look at him,

“I can take care of myself where Alejandro is involved. I don’t want you to worry so much.” But the crease on the woman’s forehead only deepened.

The visions changed and she saw a man, a different man, not Alexander, but one she could tell knew Alexander.

He walked with his head down deep into the forest and soon enough stopped when he met some men. They exchanged pleasantries and then the man, looking around him to make sure that he wasn’t followed turned to face them again,

“And so?” He whispered harshly,

“He lives still.”

“What do you mean, he lives still? You had all the silver, enough to take down one man, one werewolf!”

“We did. Except that you failed to mention that the Werewolf in question is a very strong Lycan.” The man cast his eyes heavenward at their words,

“And besides, he was helped.”

“By who? I thought you chased him. Even all the way out of Derbyshire.” The men shrugged,

“We don’t know who she was, barely even saw her. The lady and her Demon dog from hell. And we suspect she has some powers as well.”

“And you didn’t even get a look at her?” They shook their head.

“Nothing. Not a thing.”

The man walked away from them and began to pace, and then stopped right in front of them,

“Recruit more men and when you do, Find him, and when you do. Kill him. And should the lady get in your way again, Kill her too. And her mad dog from hell.”

The visions washed away and once again she was back to herself, breathing heavily, her dog at her side

She brought her hand to the top of their head, to still him as well as herself, and then eventually just pressed her face into his fur.

When she felt more stable she rose her head and he gave her wet sloppy kisses,

“Anger and Envy are a bad mix, My Dante. And it seems to me that our enemy wields them both.”