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The Seven Sisters were as stern-faced and even older than she remembered. Nearly twenty years ago they all stood together and decided to ex-communicate her from her own sisterhood. Tonight they stood in the courtyard again meeting with Hazel. Velvet managed to stand on her own, watching her grandmother plead for permission to bring her only grandchild into the castle. Velvet didn’t appreciate the spectacle Hazel was willing to make on her behalf. And why did they have to come all the way out to the castle anyway? They could have told Hazel no over the phone.
She gazed across the courtyard. Hazel was speaking with her head lowered. Begging on her behalf. Screw those hags if they didn’t care somebody was in distress. Who the hell did they think they were anyway?
All at once, all seven raised and turned their heads in her direction. One took hold of her long white dress, lifting the skirt and walked toward her. She noted the sister’s veined grip on her wooden staff, with each light step of her small feet the wood scrapped the cobblestone. It was more like the staff propelled her up to Velvet’s face.
“Did you ask a question, girl?”
“Not out loud,” Velvet replied.
“You tagged along with your grandmother to this hallowed castle to stand without the courtyard?”
“You know why I came, Old One. But don’t think for one hot moment I’m here to beg you for anything.”
“Indeed?” The sister tossed back her long straight ebony hair then tapped her long finger against Velvet’s chest. “Still not the one to show proper respect.”
“Sister Julia.” Hazel approached the sister and glared at Velvet. “My child is ill.”
“Not in her head. And her spirit is yet strong. I was under the impression urgent care was indicated.”
And yet you’d make a person stand out in the yard for nearly ten minutes, Velvet retorted in her mind.
“I am concerned about the treatment she received from a foreign creature,” Hazel explained. “Well, two foreign creatures she seems to trust.”
“Why did you allow it in the first place?” Sister Julia asked Hazel.
“It wasn’t a matter of allowing anything,” Velvet interjected. “It just happened.”
“Still consorting with the undead and beasties too, are you?”
“And just how many people in this town doesn’t?”
“Velvet Eugenia Washington,” Sister Julia said with a crooked smile. “I’m not sure if I should admire your audacity or laugh at your foolishness.”
“I’m tired.” And who gives a damn what you should do,” Velvet followed up in her mind. “Either allow me to rest or I’m leaving.”
“So much like your great-grandmother,” another sister spoke, arriving with two others just behind her.
“Sister Zara?” The old crone was said to have once been Mahalia’s teacher, and about the oldest witch Velvet ever met. She never spoke directly to anyone it was told, except for the other six sisters, not for the past sixty years or so. The crone’s silver and white locks hang down her shoulders to her knees. Her dull eyes were green, her ebony skin was as dark as Velvet’s own. Standing straight, she was eye to eye with Velvet. Sister Zara was the only witch, Velvet knew personally to be as great, or greater than her own great-grandmother.
“You are aware of the pitfalls of becoming like Mahalia?”
“Yes, mistress.”
“Yet, you’ve been set on fire!” Sister Zara hit her on the forehead with her bony knuckles and knocked her off her feet, then circled around her. Your father’s energy kept you alive, you reckless child.”
Astonished, Velvet lay on the ground. The old witch was more than skin and bones full of magiks. She’d been a warrior and her warrior’s blood still ran through her veins. Sister Zara knelt at her side, her eyes boring right into her soul. Images of horned beasts, hoofed feet, and winged beings in shadows danced, and then golden light flashed before her eyes. Was it real? A memory? Sister Zara cackled at her obvious confusion.
“What was that?”
“What did you see?”
“I’m not sure. I mean, I have no idea.”
“Did it scare you? Are you afraid of the light?”
“The light?” It felt like fire. “Why did you show me those creatures?”
“If you have to ask, my child, you are not ready to know.” Sister Zara rose, lifting Velvet with her hands, holding her elbows. “What do you wish of us today?”
“I wish my grandmother was treated with respect around here. No one else would have to beg to bring an ailing relative inside this castle.”
“You want to come and go as you please?”
“Honestly, I couldn’t care less for myself. But Grandma should not be slighted in this way. All she wanted was for the Seven Sisters to examine me.”
“Are you not aware the council was rejected by that thing you call your sprite? She threatened violence if another witch set foot on your doorstep.”
“It’s her job to protect me.”
“You don’t trust the very council your own grandmother is a member.”
“Two head witches in the past were my mortal enemies and they still have friends on the council.”
“You have resentment in your soul.”
“Ten years ago, my grandmother showed outstanding leadership and strength, she was not even allowed to campaign for the position of head witch.”
“Because of you.”
“You admit it?”
“Who are you that I would lie to your face?”
“Obviously, no one. And neither is Grandma.”
“It is good that you understand your place.” Sister Zara dismissed her without another word. She gave Sister Julia a nod that included Hazel then turned to walk back toward the courtyard and the other sisters.
“See, Grandma? No matter what, these people aren’t going to treat you like the excellent witch you are.”
“Velvet, from this point on keep your mouth shut in front of the Sisters.”
“No problem. I’m out of here.”
“You aren’t going anywhere. Sit down on the ground and rest. I’ll be along to help you into the castle directly. Remember, not one word of backtalk!”
“I want to go home.”
“And I want you healthy! Damaged chakras don’t heal themselves. For once, you will swallow your pride. You hear me?”
“I hear you.”
Hazel walked out to join the Seven Sisters in the courtyard. After another minute, Velvet felt her legs weaken as her back pain worsened. She lowered herself to the ground and found some relief while she waited for Hazel to return to her.
~*~
A real castle just outside the city limits of Fairlight. He’d seen it all his life and until now never had the desire to venture inside the gate. Or any reason to, but Velvet it seemed was his reason for everything these days.
He checked her out from head to toe. She’d told him she was bald and burned very badly. She was scarred, but there were no visible sores and her head was wrapped in a red silk turban.
“Omar, what are you doing here? How did you get in?”
“I knocked on the door. All right, it wasn’t that easy. I had to flash my badge and convince the housekeeper this is an official visit.”
“Oh. Is it?”
“I came to see you. I have to say you look a hundred times better than I expected, Velvet. You even sound better than you did yesterday on the phone.”
“That’s because I am better. Not well, but better.” Finally, she walked the rest of the way into the room. He met her at the sofa and tried to hug her. She pushed his hands away and took a seat on the sofa.
“You mad I came over? I know you told me to stay away. Did you really think I would though?””
“When you walked out on me-”
“That has nothing to do with us sitting here now. I love you and I know that is all that matters. This Troy and Takeru business means nothing. When I think about you being on fire...”
She got up as if sitting was suddenly too uncomfortable. It wasn’t just being sick, something was bugging her. He hoped like hell he wasn’t the source of her discomfort. He saw the stress on her face. She was putting on a front. Fully dressed and walking around before his unexpected arrival. Who was she attempting to fool? She looked great, but she clearly wasn’t feeling so good.
“Honey, come sit with me. We won’t talk about anything you don’t want to talk about.” As she sat back, he placed a flat cushion behind her back. She smiled as the tension eased from her body.
He looked at her face and longed to touch her multicolored cheek, and hold her and kiss her. Despite what she said, he knew in his heart she needed him. How could she go through so much and not want to hold him? Where was Tanaka? Where were all the people that claimed to care for her? Why let her hole up with a bunch of witches she didn’t trust? What was going on around her?
“So, what’s new with you?” She asked obviously to change the subject from herself. “Any leads on the body of that woman in the overgrown parking lot?”
“You sure that’s what you want to talk about?”
“Why not?”
“Actually there has been a few developments.”
“Well, run it already.” Her body language changed, she angled herself closer to his side. Clearly, she preferred hearing about what was going on in the streets over her general malaise being the topic of the day.
“Someone in Fairlight is targeting demons.”
“An assassin?”
“Profiler suggests a possible serial killer.”
“Now, that is interesting,” she said.
“Four bodies so far, Velvet. All female who have assimilated into normal society and appeared to be law abiding and earned decent livings. You know, the all American single forty-something woman.”
“And because they are demons they won’t get the same attention as the all American.”
“Maybe not in the press, but Major Crimes is on it. I’m on it. Whoever this unsub is, he’s got my attention with the first victim. Killing a woman like that and then dumping her like garbage? Not in my city.”
“You are preaching to the choir,” she said. “No one deserves to be brutalized like that and then forgotten as if their lives don’t matter.”
“I was thinking,” he began then paused to determine her level of interest. She seemed into the case, probably thinking about the blue woman and dying to view the other case files. “I know you said you wanted no part of an official PD investigation, but Major Crimes could use some help. No matter how unofficial.” He let it set there a few seconds hoping her interests were peeked.
“Go on,” she said and actually smiled.
“I need your help, girl.”
“I wondered how long it would take you to ask,” she said. “You aren’t getting anywhere because you don’t know enough about the underworld. You need to know demonology in order to catch a demon.”
“Hold it, we don’t even know if the unsub is a demon.”
“Believe me, he is a demon. And yes, it’s a he. As soon as you can, you need to get me copies of the case files. Everything, Omar.”
“Are you sure you are up to this?”
“Nothing is wrong with my mind. You get to do the leg work until I am able to walk the streets again.”
“When is your treatment supposed to start?”
“We started last night. It went rather well.”
“What can I do for you, Velvet?”
“All I need is light and a lot of it. And time. A lot of time. It feels like I’ve already lost too much time. I feel disconnected to the team and Carmen. If Milton were here, maybe things would feel better.”
“I’m here. Rely on me. Velvet?” She wouldn’t meet his eyes. “You trust me, don’t you?”
“Um, I have to ask you to leave now. There're at least a million things I have to do to be ready for tonight.”
“Okay. I’ll swing back by after work. Maybe we can take a drive if you feel up to it.”
“We’ll see.”
He leaned in for a light brushing of her lips and pulled back. Finally, she raised her eyes to meet his. He kissed her again, holding her face in his hands. Her arms went around his waist. That was encouraging, but he wasn’t going to push it.
“If this is pity or guilt...”
“This is love, Velvet. And you know you and I make a good team. Where are the others? I’m sure they have things to do, but so do I and I made it to your side.”
“It’s not easy on some people to see someone they care about looking awful. And it was very awful, Omar. Not that I’m not appreciative of you barging in on me. To tell the truth, I was beginning to feel lonely and bored. I’m not used to being inactive.”
“You don’t have to be. I’m here and I mean to stay by your side.”
“Omar, I’m still as confused as I’ve ever been.”
“Then quit thinking about it. Concentrate on getting well.”
“My treatments aren’t guaranteed to restore me wholly. Right now, I’m out of light. My mojo isn’t working. I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me.”
“Okay.”
“I mean, I don’t expect your devotion. I’m not sure I deserve it.”
“Because you don’t love me back? Velvet, I’m not here trying to win your heart.”
“Um, I really do have a lot to do.”
“And I can take a hint. I’ll be back later on, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Don’t get up. I’ll see myself out.”
“Omar, thank you for coming.”
“Pretty lady, I won’t desert you again. That’s a promise.” He kissed her cheek then followed the short woman who suddenly appeared to show him out of the visiting parlor.