Sharon Hall stood before the altar she had erected in her basement, a bowl of flaming liquid dancing brightly before her. She closed her eyes, and breathed deeply of the intense fumes, relishing their power. The smoky herbs burned her eyes and throat, but they strengthened her.
The summoning spell would bring forth a servant of Satan – one who would, she hoped, allow her to bargain for stronger powers. Sharon had always been a weak witch, much to the dismay of her parents. The fact that she’d married a human was even more of a disappointment to them.
Ever since she was a child, all she wanted to do was impress her parents – to become the powerful witch they always wanted her to be. She hoped a bargain with the Dark Lord himself might help her attain the power she so desired.
“I call upon the powers of the Dark Father and the Earth Mother this night,” Sharon chanted, holding her hands upward in prayer. “Send to me a servant of your kingdom, that I might make an offering onto you.”
Sharon cast a handful of dried sage leaves into the flaming bowl. They burst into flame and sent their pungent aroma into the air. The flames morphed from a bright orange to a subdued blue. They flickered briefly, and were quickly snuffed out by a gust of wind that seemed to come from nowhere.
Behind her, in the now darkened room, Sharon heard a deep voice ask, “What is your request, mortal?”
Sharon whirled around to face the voice. A shadowy figure stood before her, hidden in the darkness. She could faintly see two glowing amber eyes glinting menacingly in the shadows.
“Welcome,” Sharon said, bowing before him. “I wish to make an offering to your Master.”
“What have you that would interest my Master?” the shadowy figure asked.
“I wish to offer him my soul,” Sharon returned.
“My Master has no need of souls,” the voice boomed. “What is your request?”
“I wish to become a more powerful witch,” Sharon answered simply. “I will offer anything in return.”
The owner of the voice stepped out of the shadows and into a shaft of moonlight that filtered through the tiny window into the basement. His wavy brown hair flowed over his shoulders, and framed a milk white face.
He reached his bony white hands toward Sharon, and took her face in them. He closed his eyes and stood motionless for a moment. Then his eyes popped open, and a wicked grin spread across his lips.
“There is nothing you can offer my Master,” he told her.
“Please,” Sharon begged. “I will do anything!”
“I can personally give you what you want, but you must make me an offer,” he snarled.
“Anything! Whatever you ask, you will receive,” Sharon conceded.
“Your daughter,” he growled.
Sharon’s hand rested on her lower abdomen. She was only a few weeks pregnant with her first child. She had yet to even tell her husband.
“Daughter?” Sharon asked. “You want her soul?”
Sharon’s stomach twisted into knots. Her knees were wobbly, and she placed her hand on the altar to steady herself. She wanted – no, she needed – the power this demon could give her. But it was her child. So innocent, so precious. She was a child conceived in love with her husband. How could she do such a thing to her own child?
“Yes. Your child will be a girl,” he told her. “But I have no need of her soul.”
“Then what is it you wish?” Sharon needed to know.
“I ask only that she marry my son.”
“Marry your son? That’s all?”
“That is all,” he said, as if it were nothing at all to be concerned about.
Sharon thought for a moment. Perhaps marrying the son of a demon would not be so bad for her daughter. Perhaps she could get her out of it. She was sure she could find a way. She could never let her precious daughter marry the son of a demon.
“Fine. I agree,” she conceded.
“Give me your word that you will not interfere when the time comes.”
“You have my word,” she said, bowing before him.
“My name is Azmond,” he said. “Remember it. On the day of your daughter’s eighteenth birthday, my son shall come to claim his bride.”
“Understood,” Sharon agreed.
In a gust of wind, Azmond was gone. Sharon wondered for a moment if perhaps Azmond had forgotten his end of the bargain, but as her fluttering hair settled down, she felt a sharp surge rush through her body. It jolted her as though she was being electrocuted, and her muscles seized violently. She tossed her head back, and her neck locked. Her teeth began to chatter as her entire body trembled. In mere moments, she fell to the floor.
As she lay there gasping for breath, Sharon realized something had indeed transpired. She was, at the moment, too weak to attempt to use her new power, but she could feel the difference. No longer did she feel like the weakling she’d always been. Now, she felt like a god.
She heard the basement stairs creaking, and she struggled to pull herself up off the floor. The footsteps on the stairs grew closer, and her husband appeared. Seeing his wife lying on the floor, he rushed to her side.
“Sharon, what have you done this time?” he asked, noticing the smoldering embers in the bowl on the altar.
“I’m fine, Tom,” she said. “I just got a little dizzy.”
“Dizzy? What’s wrong? Are you sick? Are you hurt?”
“No, it’s…” she paused, unsure whether it was the right time to tell her husband about her pregnancy. “I’m… pregnant.”
“Pregnant…” he murmured. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Tom. I’m certain.”
“Oh, darling,” Tom whispered. “We’re going to have a baby!”
Tom took his wife in his arms and held her close. Clearly, he was thrilled at the news. Sharon, on the other hand, was ambivalent. While she had always wanted to have a child, the timing was inconvenient for her. She had wanted to wait until she was at least thirty-five, and she wanted more time to practice her witchcraft. At twenty-four, Sharon felt as though her life had barely begun. She had so much she wanted to do, and a child would be a great burden to her.
Still, the child was a blessing. She loved her husband, and she knew she would come to love the child in time. She already felt a motherly need to protect her.
“You need to get some rest,” Tom said firmly.
He got to his feet and lifted his wife’s slight body into his arms. He carried her upstairs and placed her gently in their bed. With a soft kiss to her forehead, he exited the room and turned the light off.
Sharon lay in the darkness and sighed. She was annoyed at her pregnancy, irritated with her husband, and frustrated with her own weakness. She might now have power greater than she ever thought possible, yet she was unable to test it.
She fought to stay awake, but she was overcome by weakness. She knew she was about to become powerful beyond her wildest dreams, but for the moment she was weaker than she had ever been. She finally succumbed to the exhaustion, and drifted into a deep sleep.
When Sharon awoke, it was as if she were seeing the world for the first time. Her senses had become heightened. Colors were more vibrant. Sounds were louder, yet not unpleasantly so. She could even feel the microscopic imperfections in everything she touched, things that had once been imperceptible to her.
Her husband was sleeping peacefully beside her, and she brushed his wavy hair away from his face. She loved him more intensely than ever before. Even her emotions were intensified.
Then she remembered the bargain she had made for her powers. Her daughter, her innocent baby daughter, would one day marry a demon. Sharon placed her hand gently on her lower abdomen, stroking it protectively.
“I’m sorry, little one,” she whispered. “I did what I had to do. But I promise you, I will make it right. Somehow, I will figure out a way to fix this.”
Her heart swelled with both pride and remorse. This little life growing inside her was the product of the love between her and Tom. She loved her baby with everything she was, but it hadn’t been enough. The need for greater power had consumed her, and it was all that had mattered.
Surely, she could find a way to take it back without losing her power. She had to. She couldn’t let her precious daughter marry a demon. Yet, she couldn’t bear the thought of losing her power. She would simply have to find a way.