The Witches Curse

Hunter

Things weren't working out the way she'd planned, Hunter thought. When her father had told her to come to Silver Moon she'd thought, fine, max two days and she'd be back home in her apartment and she could just keep doing what she did. Sulk, and miss her wife. Anyway, now it looked like she would be stuck in Silver Moon for a while, the only upside was that she could see Gem almost every day. And maybe if she played her cards right she would. There had to be a way to make things right, yeah, she'd f****d up, badly. But it was mostly not her fault. Mostly. She shook her head as she packed her few bathroom things she'd taken out. Taylor was probably waiting at Amber's already. That was another thing she had to look forward to, Gem was sharing her space for a while, even if they'd be in separate rooms, they'd be in the same building. She'd find a way to spend as much time with Gem as possible. She had to call her father, again. And let him know that she'd be staying and that Mich's problem was bigger than they'd thought. This Ava witch sounded like someone that wouldn't go silently, and that meant trouble not just for Michelle but for the rest of the factions too. She'd stay, help and hopefully if all went well leave with her wife by her side. 

Hunter took her phone and dialed. Her father answered on the fourth ring. 

"Hunter." He said in greeting. The only way he always answered her calls. Ivan would never say more than he had to.

"Hello, dad. I'm just calling to check-in."

"And what's the verdict?"

"It's a bit bigger than we thought, I'm going to stay on and help them." She sighed when he stayed silent. "This Ava witch is causing more trouble than we thought. She's the one that kidnapped the kids in Silver Moon and also the pack Luna."

"Ah, the human."

"She's not just human dad, and you know that. But yes. Anyway, this witch found a way to put a barrier up around Old Town and now we sort of have an issue getting any information. I want to know if mom could maybe send us a witch or two to come and see if they can bring down the barrier, even if it's just long enough to get someone in and then out again."

"I thought you would be able to deal with this quickly, I assume that thought is wrong?" Did he not just hear her? Hunter sighed again. 

"The sooner I get eyes inside Old Town the sooner I can deal with it."

"The Gathering is in three months, we don't need a war, or this unresolved issue hanging over us."

"Then send me some witches," Hunter repeated. "I'm not asking for the fun of it, The barrier is big, and if reports from the kids they got out can be believed, she kept the woman, from what Mich told me, the army she already has is quite big already."

"Fine. I'll speak to Morgan. Your mother wants you to tell Michelle to call her. And you should too."

"Sure."

"I'm serious, Hunter. Call your mother."

"Yes, father." Hunter hung up and stared at her phone. He was really a jerk sometimes. He knew how both of them felt about their witch mother. But still, every time they talk, he orders them to call her. She'd pass the message to Mich, and maybe if she felt like it later she'd call, just to say she had. She picked up her bags and went outside to her car. She put her things inside and then stood still as she took a look around. There were guards all around town, subtle but to the trained eye they were there, but children were running everywhere, and if she wasn't mistaken some of the kids from Old Town were in the mix. A woman stood watching over them, a soft smile on her face as she kept a sharp eye on them. Shops and offices were open, but things were quiet around town other than the kids. She closed her car door and walked to the woman standing watching the kids. 

"Excuse me." The woman looked over at her in surprise and if Hunter wasn't watching her so closely would have missed her subtly step between Hunter and the kids. 

"Yes?" She eyed Hunter suspiciously. 

"I'm Hunter, Michelle's sister."

"Another vampire, it seems we're collecting your kind now. I'm Sophie, I work at the school." She held out her hand and Hunter shook it with a smile. 

"I was just wondering if I'm correct in saying that these are some of the Old Town kids too?"

"Yes, I brought them out here, don't think they need to be locked up around the clock." She gestured with her head. "We have a few of the vampire guards out and also Amber agents. The garrison is a bit busy today, training or something. But they are quite safe here." The woman explained, probably thinking Hunter was worried about the vampire's kids.

"One more question and I'll leave you in peace. If we kept them here, instead of fostering them, would that be okay?" 

"With me, yes. But you would have to talk to the alpha, Sam would have to okay it. With Amber, Jane and Mya leaving, she's going to be preoccupied, and may find it easier not to have them to worry about too."

"Mm."

"I'm speaking out of turn, but she's a bit overprotective since our ordeal with the missing kids, so it's not that she wouldn't want them here, it's more the safety aspect." Sophie sighed. "I should shut up, I'm making it worse."

"No, not at all. I get it, I was just thinking it might be less upsetting to just keep them here instead of uprooting them again." She held out her hand again. "Thank you for your time. And just to reassure you, I will be leaving as soon as we sort out the Ava problem."

"God, I was rude. A lot has changed over the last seven, eight months, I'm sorry."

"No worries. See you." She nodded at the woman and then turned to walk back to her car. A tug on her pants leg had her stopping and looking down. 

"Hunt?"

"Tori?" She knelt in front of the girl. "Are you okay?"

"They took mommy, I had to leave her behind, the bad men didn't want me to go with mommy." 

"They took your mom too?"

"Yep, mommy said not to worry and get to Gem, but the guard got me and put me on the bus with the rest." 

"Does Gem know you're here?" Hunter asked, she gestured to Sophie to come over. 

"I don't think so, I haven't seen her." She picked Tori up and held her tight, the girl wrapped her arms around Hunter's neck. 

"I know her, she's Gem's sister's kid. I'm taking her to Gem. She needs to know she's okay."

"I have to clear it with Sam first."

"I will call Sam," Hunter said and walked away.

"Wait." But Hunter ignored her and after setting Tori on the passenger seat, walked around the car and pulled away.