The Queen Of Darkness

4.Happy family

Turns out the 'cost' was taking a pre-teen, pre pubescent girl named Morgan who was on the verge of shifting, to the ceremony. The poor kid had been left behind. Now, it had been 3 days, and we were nearly there.

My dislike for children had won over my conscience, and I'd put the girl to sleep as soon as we got on the road. The only time I woke her was to eat and for toilet breaks, until the last 5 hours on the trip. I felt it would be too suspicious if she slept the whole trip, so I, against my better judgement, woke her up.

"Are we there yet?" She complained almost immediately. I felt my eye twitch.

"A couple more hours." I bluntly replied, then turned up the radio to drown out her incessant whining.

She lasted 2 whole hours, untit she hurriedly turned the volume down and faced me.

"I have to pee."

Dont hit her. Dont hit her. Dont hit her. My mantra ran through my head, before she spoke again.

"I'm going to pee myself!." I sighed, then spotted a toilet stop. I pulled over a minute later. She rushed out of the car, with me reluctantly following.

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After 4 and a half more hours, we made it to New Orleans. I had never been more happy in my entire life as I dropped Morgan off at where she was staying.

I immediately kept going, driving down the familiar streets towards Anna's terrace house, located near the graveyard. Apparently when dark magic was needed, they drew power from the powerful souls of the dead. It was creepy, but apparently 'necessary'.

Before I'd even closed the door of the car a body practically slammed into me. The tinge of magic hung in the air as Anna squeezed me. She stepped back, before cupping my face, her eyes shining magenta as her magic flowed, proof of her place in her coven.

"You look great! Come inside, I've just put some tea on." I grabbed the duffle bag full of bottles and followed her into the brightly lit house. Sage and other scents lingered in the air of the eclectic house, filled with mismatched furniture and ornaments, jars and books and dreamcatchers.

I sat on the green couch opposite her as she poured me a cup. She handed it to me as she asked what had happened when I tried to leave. I explained everything that had happened in the last 4 days, in detail. Half way in, she started pacing around the room.

"I don't think what happened to you was an accident. Rumors have been circulating for awhile. More people have joined Orion's side. He's put a bounty on your head for any hunter who catches you. He's promised to give them the power of speed and strength, the ability to conceal and hunt. But only once he has you. The war is escalating. His propaganda is working. Creatures across the world are lashing out, going against their packs, cohorts and covens. He's gaining followers, and it's giving him power. Apparently, he's found his other half, and she's somehow connected to you." I stared at her. I didn't move. I didn't speak. All I did was think.

Orion was the son of an Elder witch. A witch named Estrianna. She lived over 500 years ago. She was known for manipulating the dark arts, and it was thought that she had summoned a higher demon, and bargained with it. A pint of its blood for the soul of her sister, Reena. The dark witch had agreed, sacrificing the life of her sister. The blood of the demon, Estrianna had fed to her only child. A son, only a year old. Orion. It was common knowledge that all 4 of her other children had died before they had reached their third year of life. Back then it wasn't uncommon. She thought she had been cursed, and so she did everything in her power to change that.

She had assumed the demon blood would keep her child alive, while also providing him with more power then anyone could ever achieve. She was right. To a degree.

A year later, she conceived another child, a beautiful girl. Octavia. It thrilled her once her daughter reached 3, then continued on. She was the epitome of an angel.

But the blood had unknowingly corrupted her boy. Estrianna's son was different to the other children in the village. He would terrorize them, going so far as to break their bones. One day, it had gone too far. Orion had beaten a human boy to death with a stone. The coven Estriana belonged to banished her and her family out of the village. They coped on their own, living as outcasts.

Estrianna had watched her son from that day forward. The way he interacted with Octavia was unsettling. He pushed her around, sometimes hurting her so bad Estrianna had to heal her. But once Orion hit his teenage years, the aggression stopped. All was well again.

One night, as Estrianna settled next to her husband for bed, she heard a noise. Orion, now in his seventeenth year, and Octavia, now sixteen, were both asleep the last time she checked. She decided to see what it was that had her alarmed. She walked through the house, but the noise hadn't come again. Just as she started to retreat to her room, she heard it. A cry. From Octavia's room. She had flung the door open, to a sight that would rip her dark heart to pieces.

Her beautiful daughter lay underneath her naked son, his hands wrapped around her delicate neck, as he abused her body.

Estrianna had rushed at her son with her body and magic, but as he turned to her, his eyes as black as the blood she had fed him, his evil magic had invaded her. Her own son had forced her to watch, as he took her daughter, his own sister, until he released inside of her. Inside her lifeless body.

His magic had stripped her of her own, leaving her only with her senses. He'd forced himself onto her as well, as she lay defenseless, unable to move due to his magic, as her husband lay unaware in bed.

Octavia, Estrianna and her husband Samual were found dead a few days later. Orion had vanished. Until nearly 2 centuries later.