Page 29 of Witch's Betrayal
13
DEJA
Everyone else seemed just as clueless as me about this emergency meeting. People whispered to each other, shrugged, and looked around to others for clues.
Meanwhile, Laurel, John, and Seth stood in the center of the clearing with grim expressions, waiting for everyone to gather. I spotted Juno with her boyfriend Erik and quickly went to stand next to them, eager for a bit of breathing room from my grandmother.
"Any ideas what this is about?" I asked them.
They both shook their heads. Juno looked worried while Erik rubbed her arms comfortingly.
"Even the elder coven members are saying this has never happened before," she whispered, her brows knitted at her forehead. "Every official meeting goes by the moon and seasonal cycles. This is unprecedented. It can't be good."
I shoved my hands in my pockets, bouncing on my heels as I waited for the coven to fill the clearing. Some people stood like us, others sat on large rocks and fallen trees. The grass in the center still carried some of the white chalk from my initiation rite. Laurel and John talked quietly in the middle of the clearing to themselves while Seth paced like a caged animal. His gray eyes lifted briefly but looked away as soon as they met mine.
Shit. The feeling of my heart in my stomach seemed to collapse in on itself like a black hole.
The whole coven is here,I mentally reported to Ash.I'm safe but doesn't seem like the news will be good. Seth is looking guilty as fuck.
We're here with you, love. Raum is right above you and Sal is watching from the woods. I'm cloaked nearby and we're on high alert.
Roger that.
I stifled a giggle that would have sounded profoundly inappropriate with everyone looking so grim. I just found it funny we were talking to each other like telepathic secret agents.
Sure enough, a "Caw! Caw!" rang out as a large, handsome black raven settled on a tree branch just behind me. Several people turned to admire the magnificent bird. A few whispers of Odin carried in the air, making me smirk knowingly much like Raum did in human form.
The bird turned its glossy black head toward me and I swore it winked.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," Laurel's voice carried out from the clearing. "I see your faces, feel your energy, and wish I could offer better news for this gathering."
Everyone seemed to hold their breath at once.
"There have been reports of increased demon magic in the San Francisco area."
Near me, Juno gasped. Erik's arms encircled her protectively. Low, nervous murmurs began to rise from the crowd. Seth, standing off to the side of Laurel like a statue, still refused to meet my eye.
Laurel raised her hand for silence to continue speaking.
"While this city is known for its openness and tolerance of all kinds, there are many who still associate our craft and beliefs with that of the devil," she went on. "They would not hesitate to start yet another tragically misguided witch hunt. They may not publicly burn us like centuries ago, but keep their sick, twisted practices behind closed doors. And that, frankly, scares me even more."
She paused to let her words sink in.
"As long as I am High Priestess, I will not allow one more innocent witch to become a scapegoat for true evil," she declared. "For our safety, we must chase the demon scourge out of San Francisco for good." She stepped back and gestured to the stormy-eyed man next to her. "Seth has called in reinforcements from all around the country. Experienced demon hunters will be hiding in plain sight, blending in with the humans and demons, until they are eradicated from our city."
She nodded at Seth and he stepped forward, preparing to speak. Meanwhile, my hands clenched into fists in my pockets and my teeth ground against each other. I should've known he would stoop so low as to run and tell them right after seeing Sal.
"For those of you who can see auras, remember many witches have similar darkness in theirs as demons," he began. "They can blend in with us and ordinary humans very well. So how do you spot one?" He raised his hand and began drawing a sigil in midair. Black shadow magic drew from his fingertip like ink and my blood turned to ice as I recognized the upside triangle and diagonal lines crossing through it.
"This is the sigil of Lucifer," Seth declared. "All demons wear this as a tattoo, among other sigils possibly. It provides a direct link to Lucifer himself. If you see anyone with this on their skin, contact me or another hunter as soon as possible. Do not approach them yourself and until we've gotten rid of them all, do not go anywhere alone."
The sigil slowly faded from the air and he resumed his hands behind his back like a dutiful soldier.
"You should also know there are some witches who are demon sympathizers." He paused to let his words sink in. "Your closest friend or family member may have been seduced by an incubus or succubus. Their behavior is not unlike someone addicted to drugs. That's due to their seduction magic." His jaw ticked for a moment before relaxing. "No one wants their loved ones to get in trouble but you have an obligation to report these people to us. For the safety of all witches in our community."
"What'll happen to the sympathizers?" someone called out.
Seth turned his head in the direction of the voice. "My team will do our best to detox the seduction spell out of the person. If we're successful and they are an ordinary human, their memory of the demon will be erased and they'll return to society. But frankly, it depends on how tight the demon's hold is on the person's mind. Remember, shadow magic is their specialty. They can read and manipulate people far better than us."
