Beyond death

Midnight at the lake

Alessandro POV

Did I just hear my niece utter the word "mate" before succumbing to unconsciousness? Her voice sounded completely unfamiliar. In the Marconi family, tales from my grandparents' generation and beyond spoke of a lineage blending werewolves and witches. I believed this line had faded away with my grandfather's passing; he was the last Lupo Mannaro in our family, according to what my father shared through word of mouth. However, some old family journals were rumored to be tucked away in the attic of Frankie and Alba's home, the ancestral Marconi residence spanning four generations. It traced back to when my great-grandparents relocated from northern Italy, specifically the upper Tuscany region, when my grandfather was just ten years old.

A closely guarded family secret unveiled our descent from werewolves. Given that neither my father, Sofia, nor I inherited the werewolf gene, I presumed it had dwindled away. Thus, I never deemed it necessary to share with anyone. I doubted Sofia had mentioned it to Frankie, and even though I confided in Enzo about almost everything, this particular revelation remained concealed. How on earth was I going to broach the subject now?

They embraced me, treating me as if I were their own child, especially after Sofia's self-sacrifice, driven by what I perceived as selfish aspirations. The notion of living eternally for the family never resonated with me, and I made my dissent clear to her. She was my last remaining family, aside from little Alba. However, when Sofia was abruptly taken from me, I was left without guidance. Fortunately, Enzo's father welcomed me into their home, as did Frankie's parents. I hesitated to commit to either household, drifting between the two during my formative years. Even now, though I spend more time at Enzo's, my commitment issues lead me to maintain a fluid presence between both houses. The family home, which could have been mine, I left to Frankie and Alba. It's Alba's now, and the memories it holds are ones I'd rather forget. I only return when practicing my spells, as the spell room in the kitchen houses all our family grimoires, alongside those of Frankie's family. With plenty of books for research, I delve into breaking this curse.

The urgency gripped me; I had to access the attic in their house immediately. My recollections hinted at conversations from my childhood, where my father spoke of a prophecy. This prophecy outlined a curse akin to the one on the lake and the necessity of a mixed wolf-witch to break it. In those early years, it never occurred to me to seek out the journals of my ancestors, given that our town lacked such a combination. However, here was my own niece, Alba, embodying that very mix. It was time to come clean and share what I knew. The clock read 11:15 pm, a mere forty-five minutes until midnight and the onset of All Hallows’ Eve. Conversations with Enzo informed me that around 11:45 pm, he could witness them returning to the lake, and if Alba indeed possessed the gift of a spirit witch, as he did, they wanted her present this time.

"Enzo, she's still unconscious. It's getting colder, and we need to head to the lake in about fifteen minutes. Can we go inside until then?" Enzo's urgency was palpable.

"Of course, let's head inside now," Martina, Frankie's mother, responded.

Enzo cradled Alba in a princess hold, gently placing her head against his shoulder. She appeared peaceful, almost as if she were sleeping. The sheer magnitude of the power she absorbed, coupled with the awakening of her wolf, must have taken a toll on her in such a brief span.

"Hey, everyone, there's something I need to share quickly. It's probably best I do it before Alba wakes up, just so everyone is prepared," I said, capturing everyone's attention. It must have seemed unusual for them to witness me in such a serious demeanor – the usually carefree and cool uncle of Alba, known for never quite deciding what to do with his life.

"What's up, Ale?" Frankie responded.

"Did Sofia ever mention Lupo Mannaro to you? More specifically, our connection to him?" I directed my question specifically to Frankie.

"No… what does this have to do with anything? What's the connection to Alba?" He replied, seemingly frustrated. In Italy, everyone had heard the tales of Lupo Mannaro, the Italian werewolves. However, when you come from coven towns like ours or Benevento, where Frankie was from originally, it was common to keep with your own kind – witches with witches, wolves with wolves. Although we rarely came across anyone other than witches, or they hid it very well. My family was never elitist in this way due to having a werewolf gene. We were always told to accept whoever our soulmate was, regardless of their species. Not everyone was raised this way.

"We both believed it had died out with our grandfather, who passed away before I was born, but he was a lupo mannaro, better known as a werewolf. With the way Alba said 'mate' to Enzo before passing out, in a voice that did not sound like her own, I believe the werewolf gene in our family skipped two generations and finally returned with her," I explained.

"Wait?! What?!" Yelled everyone in the room. With all the noise going on, I saw Alba start to stir.

"What happened? Why are you all yelling?" She said groggily, wiping her eyes with her hands. Enzo held her tightly on his lap, ready to fight off anyone who came close, a protective aura surrounding what was his. The possessiveness in him was intense. Although he knew I never saw him in that way, he was my best friend, and he was Alba’s soulmate, only ever having eyes for her.

I saw Frankie approach the couch cautiously and sit next to Enzo, who was holding her. "Honey, Alessandro was just telling us the stories of the werewolf lineage in his family. Is it true? Do you have a wolf?" He asked her.

"Yes, it’s true, papà. Her name is Siena," she replied.

Alba POV

During the time I was passed out, I had been bonding with my wolf. She had seen my life, been with me since birth, and knew everything about me. However, she remained dormant, as the ability to communicate was supposed to awaken on my seventeenth birthday. Unfortunately, due to my magic being bound when I was younger, it also restricted the werewolf ability. My wolf explained that we would have to wait a couple of days before we could shift, and I could physically become a werewolf, it would allow the magic that had finally awakened to settle. I felt a bit apprehensive; the idea of transforming into a werewolf was daunting, especially considering the pain I experienced during the unbinding of my magic.

My mind began to clear, and as I looked around at everyone, I felt the strong arms of Enzo holding me tightly in his embrace. What I saw standing just next to papà startled me.

“Mamma?” I squeaked. She looked older than I could remember, more tired. I thought she was meant to stay forever nineteen, as that was how old she was when she sacrificed herself. Yet now, she appeared closer to papà’s age. It was strange to see her this way, more like an apparition, slightly translucent compared to the actual living people in the room.

“You can see her too?” came the voice of comfort holding me.

I turned so Enzo could see my face. “Can’t everyone? Is it midnight yet?” I asked.

"No, we still have half an hour to go until midnight. Since mamma hasn’t crossed over to the spirit realm, only you and Enzo can see her because, it seems my suspicions have been confirmed, and like him, you have manifested spirit magic," Papà replied.

"Okay, everyone, we need to go to the lake now. We can take our jeep and your car, Francesco, to get there. That should be enough for everyone to get there and the extra seat for Sofia when we get back between the two vehicles," Nonno announced.

My mother approached me at this time, and at least I knew Enzo could see her too, so I wasn’t going completely crazy.

"Amore, I’m sorry we kept the truth for so long. I’m glad you know now. We will talk soon when everyone can see me. I will see you soon. Ti amo," she said, and then disappeared in front of my eyes before I could even respond.

I felt the tears welling in my eyes, but I knew I couldn’t dwell on everything too long, and I would see her again soon.

“Sometimes they do that, Alba. They can come and go as they please when in their spirit form, but she’ll be doing what all the others are doing at this time of the night and heading to the lake,” Enzo said to me.

"Andiamo, let’s go!” my Nonna said, holding the door open and ushering us all out to the vehicles waiting. Both papà and Nonno were already in their respective vehicles, waiting for us to pile in. zio Alessandro, Enzo, and I headed to papà’s car, while Nonna and zia Giulia went in Nonno’s grey Jeep Wrangler.

As we drove along the streets to reach the spot where my family waited every year at the lake, I could discern numerous apparitions, resembling how mamma had appeared to me, strolling along the footpaths. The ethereal figures seemed lost in their own world, casting faint glows as they moved in the moonlit night.

"Do you see them too? What are they doing?" I questioned Enzo, who was seated beside me in the back of papà's car.

"Yes, it happens biannually during this period of the curse. All the spirits of those that were sacrificed need to go back into the water before they re-emerge in a way that they can be physically seen by everyone once again," he explained.

It was so strange to witness all these translucent apparitions of people walking along the side of the road as we drove to the lake. Some of them moved normally, while others appeared and reappeared further ahead, all in the same direction we were headed: Lake Bracciano.

We finally arrived at the lake, greeted by the sight of numerous families already waiting. They were all clad in light jackets, a defense against the cool summer air that surrounded us.

Little wooden markers protruded from the sand, each bearing distinct names, and every family had gathered around one of these markers. While I recognized a few families in passing, their names eluded me. Amidst the gathering, I spotted Giovanni, the server from our recent date night. He stood with his parents, the family resemblance apparent, especially noticeable in the dim light cast by the solar-powered lamps next to each named marker. His mother's eyes were a striking similarity.

As we reached the marker bearing the name "Sofia Marconi," my mother stood beside it, waving and blowing me a kiss. Following suit, she began her serene walk into the lake, joining the ethereal procession of other spirits surrounding the area.

As the distant chimes of the clock marked the arrival of midnight, the spirits completed their ethereal journey back into the lake. In a mesmerizing display, they began to resurface, each figure shedding its translucent veil. The once ghostly forms transformed, solidifying into distinct, human shapes, seamlessly blending with the living. Every detail became vivid – from the subtle ripples of the water as they emerged to the nuanced features on their faces, capturing the essence of a profound and mystical reunion at the lake's edge.

As the families reunited by the lake, a bittersweet beauty lingered in the air, casting a spell of sorrow and joy. Conflicted by the curse's nature, I pondered why these families hadn't challenged the leadership despite their collective strength. Siena's voice echoed in my mind, breaking the silence.

"They're afraid, he's a dark witch now, Alba," Siena murmered in my head.

"But if he's dark, and they're a collective group of light witches, wouldn't that mean they could defeat him?" I questioned.

"Alba, Alba, Alba, do you really think, someone who managed to convince hundreds of people to sacrifice themselves for the good of their family with a promise of returning and living forever, could be defeated in that way by a 'bunch of light witches,' they would need a really strong witch, or multiple witches, with other affinities. We could help. You have more than just spirit magic" she said.

Caught in a swirl of revelations, I pondered the newfound awareness of my abilities. However, the gentle touch of my mother pulled me back to the present. She enveloped me in a warm embrace, showering me with kisses. Despite the peculiar aging, her beauty remained untouched. Standing tall at 5ft 10, she had long, wavy dark blonde hair, piercing green eyes, a perfect button nose, and full lips.

"How I've missed you so much, my sweet daughter!" she exclaimed.

"I've missed you too, mamma," I replied, savoring the long-awaited reunion.

After our heartfelt hug, my mother moved with effortless grace among our family members, sharing warm greetings. As she approached Enzo, a sudden, piercing scream echoed through the air. My eyes widened, capturing the unfolding scene – a cluster of people rushing towards Giovanni, the server from the restaurant, and his family. The tranquility that once enveloped the gathering now gave way to an unexpected surge of tension, casting an uneasy shadow over the serene lakeside reunion.