The Coven

Chapter 2

“You snuck out?” it was a question but she said it as a statement. Ugh, f**k.

“Yes,” I answered her with an unwavering voice. Her gaze turned piercing, she dropped her head slightly which made her look like some kind of villain. s**t. 

“How many times have I told you to stay within the radius!” 

“ a lot.” I mumbled.

“River, stop talking.”

“You just asked a question!” I exclaimed. 

“A rhetorical question, now shut up!” she's getting louder, I should probably shut up.

“Ma I-” i tried, “No enough!” I slapped my mouth shut and leaned back in my stance with my arms crossed, waiting for her to regain composure. She took a few deep breaths and continued. 

“Your first ritual is tomorrow night, the ritual that initiates you into this coven as their leader. The ritual that shows the coven that you are ready to take my place and this is how you’re going to act?” 

“I’ve been telling you for seventeen years I dont f*****g want the crown.” My voice dripped with annoyance. She raised an eyebrow at me as I continued, “most people my age aren't even out of high school, they aren't bothered with politics, rituals, council meets. I’m seventeen!”  My mother’s eyes rolled audibly as she sighed.

“Not this s**t again.” We both looked at each other, eyes blazing with anger. After a few moments the tension between us started to fade and mom sighed.

“I know you're seventeen and I know you're not ready for this, I wasn't.” she looked down to the floor while my gaze couldn't leave her. My mother wasn't ready for this? I’ve watched her lead my entire life and it always looked like she was made for it.

“Not a single priestess is ready for this,” she took both my hands in hers, “but I can promise you, you won't do this alone.” the way she stared into my eyes I knew for sure she meant what she was saying. My anger subsided, like the whole fight didn't even happen. All I could manage for a reply was a nod. 

“I’m not asking you to be ready, I’m asking you to act like it.” she said firmly. “Are you hurt?” she asked looking me up and down, “no, I’m not.”

She leaned back crossing her arms, “so why did you actually sneak out?” she raised an eyebrow at me. Priestesses do not train like Guardians do but Dim has always taught me everything he knows. Priestesses are taught to fragil little bitches and never raise a hand to defend themselves, that's the guardian’s job. I’ll be damned if I’ll have any man fight my battles. Dim fights with me, not for me. My mother and sister are the only ones who know I train in secret outside the radius. I’ve been caught. 

“So?” she said, her eyes glistening with anticipation. “How was the training?”

 When mom first found out about my secret training she was completely against it, even going as far as to forbid me to spend any more time with Dim. She couldn’t do that. Guardian bonds start as a mere friendship but grow into more, we feel each other's pain and pleasure, hear each other's thoughts and can even see through eachothers eyes. Dim was a terrible cheat at hide and seek when we were younger. Dim was chosen to be my Guardian at ten years old. I was 7. It was the youngest a guardian and priestess bond had ever started. A bond can get stronger if the two start to love one another and ts strongest when a priestess and Guardian have s*x. Once made it can never be broken. Except in death and it is excruciating when it breaks. I remember when my father died, My mother had doubled over and couldn't breath, choking on blood I couldn't see. It was only later I realized she was choking on my father’s blood.

“It went very well and then on the way home I actually got to put what I learned to good use.” she looked at me with a question mark on her face, I chuckled.

“We were almost followed home by hunters.” 

“WHAT!?” She bellowed.

“Don’t worry, I threw knives at their tires about fifteen minutes outside the radius.” her eyes widened and she laughed gleefully, “how did your aim get so good?” she asked, sounding surprised. 

“Practice,” I said, shrugging. She always loved hearing all my stories of my training. “Oh and I was riding backwards on Dim’s bike when I took out their tires.” I gloated. Her smile dropped,”that's too dangerous, River. Dim let you do that?” I laughed at her expression.

 “no of course not, but I hadn’t given him much time to stop me.” there was a moment of silence while she stared into my eyes, I thought she was going to yell at me. Again. She laughed softly and cupped my cheek, “you’re just like your father, so brave.” she said smiling at me proudly.

 “I love you, mom.” I said taking her hand from my face and holding it between both of mine. “Oh, I love you too, just get your s**t together.” she patted my leg.

I parted with my mother kissing her goodnight and started towards my room. I was walking down the long hallway to my room when someone grabbed my hair from behind. I acted quickly grabbing my attacker's hand and twisting my body out of the hold and continued to twist until my assailant’s hand was behind their back. I slammed them into the wall with my forearm pressed firmly at the back of their neck. 

“Ah, Riv ya got me.” Dimitri said,half in pain half laughing. I let him go.

“What the hell are you doing?” I said low hoping no one heard us. He shrugged, “just having some fun.” I playfully pushed him away scoffing at him. I turned to close the distance between me and my bedroom door, Dim followed. 

“So, how’d it go with mommy dearest?” he asked lightly. 

“Eh, she gave into her favorite daughter as usual.” I looked up at him smiling at him. I opened my bedroom door and held it for Dim. I walked in and took off my leather coat on my way to the mini bar in the corner by the window. I poured Dim some whiskey, I don’t like whiskey but I keep a bottle there for Dim. I poured a glass of wine for myself and turned to hand Dim his glass. We clinked and took a swig together. 

Dim and I have been inseparable since we were kids, I knew he'd be my best friend forever. He knows me better than anyone else does, he knows exactly what to say to put me at ease and to tick me off. An extreme emotional rollercoaster with this one.

“Shall we?” he bowed to me and gestured to the bed. I smiled and jumped onto my bed with him right behind me, we landed with our heads together and bodies in opposite directions. We laid there laughing and chatting about practically nothing.The typical night ritual of Dim and I, laying on my bed staring at the ceiling, talking until the late hours of the night. This is where my life feels easy, where I feel like a normal teenager and I don’t have an entire coven on my shoulders. I call it Dimitri therapy, I’d never tell that to him though. It’d go straight to his head. 

The more we chatted and the later it got, I could feel sleep tugging at my eyelids. I rubbed my eyes and Dim looked over at me. His face so close to mine I could feel his breath on my ear. 

“Are you ready for bed?” his voice mocking me as if I was a baby. My hand dropped and I looked at him, noses touching now.

“Maybe.” I said as he propped himself up on his elbow and looked down on me.

“Do you need to be tucked in?” I rolled my eyes and pushed myself off the bed. 

“Get out.” I said chuckling. He laughed and got up to leave. As he was passing me he wrapped his arm around me, stopping me from stepping forward. I looked up at him puzzled. ‘Swear to god, if this fucker is about to flip me on to this stone floor, I’ll knock his teeth down his f*****g throat’,  I thought, but he was so close I don’t think the thought finished. All I could think about was his body touching mine and the way his breath felt on my face. The way his eyes shined as he looked at me. His hand moved to cup my face. 

“Until tomorrow, sleep well, Riv.” he kissed my forehead softly and then he was gone. The warmth of his body, his lips from my forehead, his gaze were all out the door. I stood there like a deer in the headlights, blinking for a few seconds before I absentmindedly moved to get ready for bed. I plopped down on my bed after turning off the light. I let my mind wander with the last few seconds of consciousness I had. He always said that to me before we parted for the night but not like that. What are these feelings and what is he doing to me. Is he f*****g with me? I thought before I fell deeply into sleep

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It’s dark, I don’t know where I am. Every direction I look is black and I’m cold. Metal. I’m laying on metal and I can't move, I’m strapped down. I think I’m in a morgue. Am I dead? I thought. No, this is a dream. I’ve had this dream before. 

“Oh, Riverrrrrrrr.”  I jumped, a voice calls out almost singing to me. There's never been a voice in this dream. I try to respond and ask, “who are you,” but I can't speak. There’s a gag in my mouth. Now I’m starting to worry.

“What’s the matter? Can't move? Speak? Oh what’s a big bad witch to do?” the voice said, there's something cold running up the outside of my leg. I jerked my wrist, testing my restraints. No luck, I rolled my eyes. Great, I thought. 

Tsk tsk “Thats a bad girl.” There's a searing pain in my leg and I can’t help screaming. 

“No screaming,” the voice said over my screams, more pain. My eyes are wide open and I am on full alert now. Ow, damnit my leg hurts. I’m snarling at the silhouette above me. When I get out of this I am going to rip you to pieces you f*****g prick, I thought. My rage is boiling and I feel like my blood is fire flowing through my body. I frantically try to squirm out of my restraints. 

“There’s no use, pet. The only freedom you’ll know is when you finally die.” it sounded so nonchalant like my death wouldn't matter. Like a mockery. My Rage started to saturate my vision.

“Riv! Riv!” I was jolted awake by my mother’s frantic tone. Panting I sat up straight with my hair plastered to my forehead from my sweat. “Where is he!?” I snarled, My mother looked at me confused, “Where’s who, Peanut?” looking around I realized that I’m safe in my room and it was all just a bad dream. 

“Noth-no one. Nevermind” I said quickly, I could see the worry rising in my mother's eyes. “What’s up mom?” I said trying to change the subject. She raised an eyebrow at me but went on to speak. 

“Well, it’s a good thing that I came to wake you because,” she pulled up my sheet for me to see,”You would have set the whole house on fire.” I looked at my completely ruined sheets. They were scorched in the places where my hands would have been two seconds ago. Damnit, I really liked these. 

“What the hell were you dreaming about, kid?” her eyes filled with worry as she looked at me. Her stare made me so uncomfortable I wanted to squirm out from under it. I looked down at my hands and I knew I couldn’t tell her about my nightmare. She’d just worry about my mental state. 

“Dogs,” I blurted. “I was dreaming about dogs being beaten.” She chuckled at my response and placed a reassuring hand on my leg. 

“Animal abuse has never sat well with you.” bingo, she bought it. 

“Alright, well, I’ll have your sheets changed but you need to get ready.”I looked up at her completely lost as to what she was talking about. I guess my expression gave me away because her’s twisted in anger.

“Please tell me you’re kidding.” she practically growled at me. To make matters worse for me I shrugged like an i***t. She picked up my pillow and wacked me right upside the head with it. 

“Ow.” I whined and rubbed my head.

“Tonight is your first ritual, you moron!” she yelled at me and my eyes widened. s**t, s**t, s**t, s**t. Tonight's the night I become part of my coven, the night I get recognition and I forgot. I jumped up and went over to my dresser and started looking for something to wear for the day. These events always bore me to tears, basically like going to church. Only instead of standing in the crowd not paying any attention, I have to lead the damn thing. I guess, my disappointment started to show on my face and my mother’s tone softened. 

“It won’t be so bad, peanut.” she said, “ the party is right after and I’ll help you pick out your dress.” she said, trying to persuade me into this shindig. 

“Ugh, I don’t wear dresses, Ma, I wear pants!” I chucked a pair of my pants at her. She looked at the pair of pants that landed beside her on my bed and I could see her anger vibrating her whole body. She looked up and her gaze shot nails through me but I turned around and continued looking for today's outfit before her gaze could affect me.

“I’m growing tired of giving you the same lecture, River Nura,” whoa she used my full name, I’m in trouble now. I rolled my eyes with my back to her. “You either accept the fact that you will be the leader or you can spend the rest of your life miserable and your coven will suffer.” she said coldly, so coldly I had to turn around to look at her. She stood with arms crossed and eyes narrowed at me. Yep, I’ve really done it this time. 

“You have ten minutes, get ready and get downstairs, and take a shower you smell like you've ran a marathon” she barked. I rolled my eyes again as I turned to get put on my clothes. I get it already, suck it up and deal with it but what I wouldn't give just to live a normal life. Go to college in the city, have my own art studio, ride around late at night on Dim’s bike. All of it is an impossible dream for me. I sighed and walked over to my bathroom, I thought about what it would be like to stress about exams and go to parties with Dim as I turned my shower to scolding. I quickly took a shower and gathered an outfit for the day keeping an eye on the time. Hate to disappoint the queen twice in one day. Black skinnys, a fitted blouse, and of course, my boots. I left my hair down and let it dry, I did a half turn in the full length mirror, nodded to myself and grabbed my jacket on the way out the door. Not too bad there, Riv. I thought to myself. I headed four doors down from mine and kicked it.

“Up and at ‘em, sunshine.” I yelled through the door.  After a second I heard him yell something that I could only assume meant ‘come on in’ so I walked right in and shut the door behind me. I looked up to find Dim in a towel, he was laughing but his cheeks were slightly pink. I could feel my cheeks mimic his but covered it up with hysterical laughter. His eyes were wide as if he was just caught in the cookie jar.

“I said ‘gimme a second,’” he said, chuckling a little and clearly embarrassed. I couldn’t stop laughing. I doubled over and wrapped my arms over my stomach.

“My bad,” I managed to say through my laughter. I sat up straight and Dim was in front of me. His hair was still wet and drops of water were sliding down his cheeks and proceeding down his chest.. I froze, he's really close. 

“Uh, my eyes are up here.” he joked.

“Har har” I said with confidence, that I wish I had. 

“I can leave so you can finish getting dressed.” he shook his head. “Don’t sweat it, I gotta a bathroom.” he flashed me a smile and turned to grab his clothes and headed into the bathroom. Jesus, when did he get so many muscles. He used to be a scrawny little kid now he’s like full on man. I stood there with my back against the door just stunned at how attractive he is. What am I saying? This is Dimitri, my best friend. I can't have these feelings for him. I don't want to be just like my parents. The fact that he is my best friend and Guardian would be enough of a heartache if something ever happened to him. I knocked on the wooden door behind me. If I ever had feelings for him I don’t know that I’d ever live through that. The way my mother talked of my father I could always feel her pain with every word. She missed him more than anything. I wonder what he would say to me today on my big day. Before I could get too sad and mopey over my daddy issues, the bathroom door opened. I looked up at him and watched his expression change. I’m guessing my face got sad and mopey by the way he’s looking at me.

“You ok?” he strided over to me. I rolled my eyes at my hero always trying to save the day.

“Yeah,” I said nonchalantly. “I’m good, you ready?” He held out his arms as if to show himself off. “I’m not in a towel anymore.” he smiled big at me, “let’s go.” I nodded and we headed out while I attempted to block out my thoughts.