Luna's Ascension

Chapter 9: Loss

My anxiety decreased knowing we had almost a year until recruiting more members. I still worried about how unphased by killing people Archer was, but at the same time I was happy he found something he was good at and wanted to fully immerse himself in. He excelled at the physical training having no issues managing the increased strength and speed, his agility was excellent. Mine on the other hand, needed a lot of work. The increased speed disrupted my sense of balance, as my mind failed to catch up with my body’s movements which led to me slamming my body into things, a lot. Unfortunately, my increased strength led to those things breaking, often. In an attempt to save what precious heirlooms were left, Leo had them locked away in the basement.

After reaping the first two people, the barrier between life and death thinned even more for me. Ghosts started appearing everywhere, and I felt constantly surrounded anytime I left the property line. The spirits of my great-grandparents and Sofia clung close to me warding off the lost souls who wandered too close. Some of the ghosts were honestly lost, not realizing they had died, like the little girl with braided ponytails who kept asking if I’d seen her mother, or the man patiently waiting outside his home for his wife to join him. Others souls were so dark they appeared as independent shadows lurking about causing mayhem. One would spend his time harassing the animals who would see him, scaring them to death or riling them up enough to become a nuisance to the living. Others would haunt individuals, some justified the haunting claiming the person had done them wrong in life, others just enjoyed causing misery. I would watch as they would pull on women’s hair, try lifting their skirts, steal men’s hats, trip people, ring doorbells, bang on doors and windows. The fear in the innocent people’s eyes as they suffered these invisible blights made my gut twist. I wished there was a way I could help them, a way to banish the darker spirits. I thought of my mother wondering if there was anything she could do as a witch. There had to be a reason, a warding or something that made it so they could not cross the manor’s property line.

I hurried through town gripping my necklace tight, I had to go to the farmer’s market to get the lamb’s blood my mother had requested from the butcher. My foot tapped faster and my fists tightened as the minutes dragged by while I waited in line for what felt like an eternity. The suffocating feeling of the ghosts pressing in closer and closer was getting to me. I pretended I couldn’t see them and kept my head high and straight ahead focused solely on the number of living in front of me.

“They don’t care that you’re ignoring them, you do know that right?” I heard a voice to my left speak. I turned my head and saw a woman with a bored expression on her face. Her mouth was filled with fangs, her eyes were a glowing red, that matched her aura. Her black hair was in a spiked fohawk, her ears were pointed and filled with piercings, she wore tight leather clothes that revealed her pink skin stained in black ink. She raised a dark brow at my expression as I looked around to see if anyone else was seeing what I was.

“What Vampire, this your first time seeing a demon?” She licked her lips as if she could taste my rising fear, then stuck her tongue out at me displaying the prominent fork. “Begone.” With a wave of her hand the restless spirits disappeared leaving only my great-grandparents and Sofie standing between her and I. “You too.” She waved her hand at them and they disappeared as well. “Better?” she asked me with a devilish smirk.

“They don’t bother me.” I said, relaxing a little.

“I assume you’re speaking only about the last three.” She sighed, “I know they’re your first layer of protection so they were bugging me. So Vampire you got a name?” She asked.

“I do. What about you?” I turned the question back on her, not bothering to correct her on my race.

“Dominique. You?” she asked.

“Lola.” I lied. She laughed in my face.

“Not a trusting one are you Luna?” She asked, emphasizing my real name. “But we can play your game. Now tell me, what are you doing in the market?”

“You know who I am?” I asked her, “How?”

“Lucifer likes to keep tabs on all of his servants. Most new vampires only get assigned a lesser demon to make sure they meet their quota, but he took a special interest in you.”

“So you’re the demon he assigned to ensure I meet my monthly quota?” I asked her.

“Nope. I’m here to collect my order.” She smiled, cutting in front of me in line. “Hello, Sergio.”

“Ah, Ms. Star, always good to see you, here’s your order.” The butcher smiled handing her multiple bags full of meat. The blood was soaking through the paper wrappings. “Next.” the butcher called as the demon disappeared into the crowd her tail flicking back and forth. I had so many more questions for her, like how she got the spirits to disappear, and what she knew about me. “Next.” Sergio repeated himself, someone gave me a gentle nudge and I went to the stall.

“Hi, my mom Lyra called ahead with a special request.” I said.

“Ah, yes, she paid over the phone with a card. You’re all set.” He smiled at me as he handed me a milk gallon that had been rinsed out and filled with blood.

“Couldn’t find more discreet packaging?” I asked him, as I took the gallon.

“Wasn’t part of the order.” He said, “Next.” he dismissed me by breaking eye contact. As I made my way through the market I looked for Dominique, but it seemed she had disappeared just as quickly as she had appeared before. After looking for half an hour I gave up, and proceeded home. I walked through the door and made a beeline for my mother’s “craft” room.

“Hi, honey. Glad to see the butcher didn’t give you any hassle.” She smiled in greeting at me.

“Here you go.” I said handing over the gallon of blood. “Next time ask for discreet packaging.” I groaned.

“Why would I do that? This way you can see the quality.” She opened the cap of the carton and inhaled, “Ah, butchered this morning just like I asked.” She smiled. “Are you okay? You look pale, dear.”

“Yeah it’s nothing, just the ghosts have been bothering me since Archer and I reaped the first souls last month.” I said sitting down on her fainting sofa. “Is there anything you can do to help them? With your craft I mean.”

“Unfortunately, no. Until their reaper claims them, they are stuck like that.”

“Why wouldn’t their reaper claim them?” I asked. “Isn’t that their whole job, to guide the souls who die to their afterlife?”

She shrugged at me, “I honestly don’t know, witches are forbidden to meddle in the dealings of death.”

“What about seances?” I asked.

“Seances aren’t meddling dear, and they aren’t requested by the dead. Seances are requested by the living to help put them at ease, help them mourn, and accept their loss.” She explained as she started to meticulously organize her minifridge of ingredients finding the best place for the lambs blood.

“Is there any way that you can put a warding on me, so they will leave me alone?” I asked, “Like what’s done to the property so they don’t come here.” I clarified.

“I can, but then you won’t be able to see your great-grandparents or Sofie anymore.” she explained, are you willing to say goodbye to them forever?”

“Would it let them rest in peace not having to protect me anymore?” I asked.

“I can’t promise that” She answered, “but you can ask them.” She offered. I nodded leaving her to her organization as I went out to the front gate. I looked closely at the ornate wrought iron gate making out patterns in the swirling vines and leaves that could be the protection charms. As if sensing why I was there my great-grandparents and Sofie materialized on the other side of the gate. The gate creaked as I slowly opened it and stepped outside. Closing the gate I traced the patterns I found.

“Are these the wardings that keep you out?” I asked.

“Yes.” My great-grandmother answered. “The pattern is combined wardings against spirits, celestials, and demons.” she explained. I nodded.

“Why don’t you or the other spirits rush through when the gates are open?” I asked. Looking at the pattern now broken.

“To do so would mean being trapped as soon as the gates closed again, followed by a quick exorcism.” My great-grandfather answered. I nodded my understanding. Using my toe to push some fallen pine needles around as I built up my courage.

“Why haven’t you moved on?” I asked looking up at them.

“Because we knew you were going to be special and had to stay to protect you.” Sofie answered.

“So if my mom makes me a protection charm from the spirits you would be able to move on?” I asked, trying to hide the hopefulness from my tone.

“Yes.” My great-grandmother answered as she went to place her hand on my shoulder. A chill passed through me with her hand. She sighed looking at it in disappointment as she remembered the limitations of the comfort she could bring. I smiled at her reassuringly.

“Good.” I turned my smile on all of them individually, “Thank you for your years of protection and constant love and support, but I can’t ask you to spend your eternity with me, like this.” I motioned to their shimmering figures. “You deserve to rest in peace. As a vampire I can now learn to better protect myself. I love you all.” Tears threatened to fall as I realized how used to them being near me, and that it would be another adjustment with them being gone.

“I love you too.” They said at once, their voices blending together. There was a flash of light before three guardians stood by them.

“Are you finally ready to go?” One of the guardians asked.

“Yes, once she is on the other side of the gate, we will go with you.” My great-grandmother answered as she took my great-grandfather’s hand. The guardians nodded their agreement. I crossed the threshold and closed the gate. Through the wards I could see the bright flash of light before they were gone.

“Goodbye.” I whispered, “I’ll always love you and never forget what you did for me.” I bowed my head in respect and a desperate prayer for them to rest easy, before I turned and headed back to the mansion. I wandered as if in a fog until I found myself in my mother’s craft room.

“You said your goodbyes?” My mother asked, I nodded. My throat felt constricted with my strong emotions. “I’m sorry sweetie.” My mother wrapped me in a tight embrace. I clung tight to her as the tears began streaming down, and I choked out a sob.

“It’s okay.” I said between sobs, “Th-they deserved to rest in peace.” My mother stroked my hair.

“You are so strong.” She smiled down at me. “Goodbyes are always hard, but they’re in a better place now.” I nodded, wiping my tears with the sleeves of my baggy sweater. “Hey, wanna help me make your protection charm?” She asked, hope filling her eyes as she made the offer. I nodded again, and followed her to her work bench.

She grabbed down the coconut oil, patchouli oil, lavender oil, mugwort oil, sage oil, hyssop oil, and holy water along with her small cast iron crock that she placed on her warming plate. First she added the coconut oil melting it down, once it was melted she had me add 4 drops of patchouli oil, with 3 drops of lavender oil, and 1 drop each of the mugwort, sage, and hyssop oil. While I added the oils to the base she stirred them slowly in a clockwise motion over the heat. Once all oils were added she switched her stirring to a counterclockwise direction stirring for another moment adding a tablespoon of the holy water before she turned off the heat. Grabbing down a squat, round, glass bottle with a large opening she poured in the mixture. “This will solidify into a balm.” She explained handing the jar to me after screwing on the lid. “There are two option for use, heat the balm until it melts back down to an oil and add it to this” she explained pulling out a swatch of felt that she used to wipe out the rest of the oil inside of the crock, “then place it in a necklace like so.” She grabbed my locket placing the swatch inside. “This will last one week. Or you can apply the balm directly to your pulse points like perfume after every time you shower. It will last until your next bathing routine.”

“That’s it?” I asked, “No spell or magic incantation?”

“Yup. That’s it, not all magic requires incantations. Like the front gates for example, the iron repels the Fae, while the patterns made with the iron ward off the spirits, celestials, and demons. The patterns come from the book of the dead and are just ‘do not enter’ written in enochian, and the language of the dead. Whereas this mixture uses natural oils known to repel different beings. The holy water and sage repels demons, the sage also repels ghosts, the hyssop, patchouli, lavender and mugwort help cleanse and relax your own spirit which helps mute your sensitivity to their presence. If they can’t sense your pain and spiritual unrest they will also be less likely to notice you. The coconut oil is just a binding agent for the other ingredients, but while this mixture smells pleasant to living beings the dead, damned, and celestial beings can’t stand them.” She smiled at me, proud that she could be teaching her daughter the ways of the craft.

“So without an incantation anyone can make this right? Not just a witch?” I asked.

“Yes, this is one of the things I will continue to be able to do after I turn.” Her smile disappeared at the thought of giving up her magic. “I’ve started a vampire grimoire, want to see?” she asked, perking back up a little. I nodded enthusiastically as she pulled it down from her book shelf. “These are all things that can be done without incantations just using the magic of nature itself.” She smiled proud of herself, as she handed it to me. “You can borrow it and look through it at your leisure, I still have more pages to mark in my original grimoire that will need to be transferred over.”

“Isn’t that something you can do after becoming a vampire too?” I asked, as I noticed her stressed expression.

“No. Once I give up my mortality and the craft, I will be unable to touch my original grimoire.” She said sadly, as she reached up to stroke it’s binding. “It was handed down to me by my grandmother and has strong wardings on it to prevent anyone but a witch of her bloodline from opening it.”

“I’m sorry.” I said, patting her consolingly on the shoulder.

“It’s okay.” She forced a smile as she looked up at me, “It will be worth it to be able to spend eternity with my daughter.” She placed her hand over mine, “You can’t have immortality without giving up something.” I nodded my head solemnly in understanding. “Alright, well enough mourning for the day.” She forced a laugh that came out brittle and exhausted. “I’m going to restock the rest of my potions, and I’m sure Leo has more training for you.” She suggested, “Just bring the new grimoire back when you’re done with it.” She shooed me out of her craft room, closing the door behind her. I walked back to my room putting the grimoire on my bookshelf and the jar of balm on the bathroom counter.

“There you are.” Archer said entering the room. “Leo and I have been looking everywhere for you.

“Yeah, sorry I ran to the market to get supplies for mom, and then she helped me make this.” I said, lifting up the jar of balm.

“What’s that?” He asked.

“Balm to ward off entities.” I answered.

“Good. I know the ghosts have been bothering you more lately.” He said.

“What did you need?” I asked him.

“Well, it’s almost September.” he answered shifting his weight on his feet as he ran his hand through his hair, “Your parents are going to expect us and Aubrey to return soon.”

“Oh. That.” I said, tensing.

“I know you don’t want to have this conversation but we can’t keep putting it off.” He sighed. “They are going to need some form of closure.”

“I know.” I said, “But I just said goodbye to my great-grandparents and your grandma as they finally moved on.” I explained, “I’m just not ready to say goodbye to my parents too.”

“I know.” He said, leading me to sit beside him on the bed, “But they deserve closure, Loon. Leo has a plan. Let’s just go to his office to hear him out.”

“Fine.” I sighed, getting up and leaving the room heading straight for Leo’s office.

“Ah, Luna, Archer finally found you. Have a seat.” Leo said in greeting. I obeyed the command sitting in the plush chair across from his desk. My body was rigid and tense, as I prepared for the worst from his scheming mind. Archer sat on the arm of the chair putting his arm around my shoulders, leaning into me for support.

“It’s coming time where your parents will be wondering where you are. We can fake your deaths, in a car accident. It will take you guys a while to heal from the injuries, but we can have an open casket where your family can say goodbye. I’ll give the eulogy as your teacher and use that opportunity to get them under a compulsion so they won’t question it when you guys get out of the caskets for them to be buried empty.” He suggested, not even trying to sugar coat it.

“Sure.” I said, defeated at the numbness washing over me as I realized how devastated my parents would be. “It’ll keep them safe, so it’s worth doing.” I added when he looked at me confused that I didn’t try to fight it.

“Okay, well then the next few weeks we will focus our training on remaining still, and honing your ability to not breathe in order to prepare for the funeral.” He said calmly.

“Sounds good. Is that all you needed to discuss today?” I asked him.

“Yes.” he answered.

“In that case, I’m not training today and am going to just go to bed.” I said, leaving him and Archer alone. I walked back to my room locking the door. There were plenty of other rooms Archer could stay in for the day. I still loved him, but things between us had started to get hard as we adapted to our new lifestyle differently. We had eternity to work it out so I wasn’t too concerned about blocking him out for a night as I processed and grieved my losses.