Page 97 of The Rebirth
Jordyn twirled a leather bracelet she was wearing around her wrist. “They could snap their fingers and break my neck.” She let out a nervous laugh.
I moved a stray brown strand of hair off my sister’s face. “You could be a witch if you want.”
“Nope. I’m leaving on my trip around the world next week. I’m going to find myself, relax, get laid if I can, and send you postcards from every location. I want nothing to do with magic or supernaturals for a while.”
I entwined my fingers with hers. “I’m happy for you even though I’ll miss you terribly. What about Sawyer? You’ve been pining for him.”
Jordyn lifted a shoulder. “I need to fix me first before I jump into any relationship.”
“That’s probably a good idea.”
Captain Greer, a tall woman in her midforties dressed all in black with her light-brown hair pulled tightly into a bun, marched up across the circular drive and stopped at the bottom of the stone steps. “It’s time, Layla.”
I gave her a nod. “I’ll be right there.”
“I better go help Agnes and Sam put my nieces and nephew into the magic circle.” Jordyn pecked me on the cheek, then dashed off toward the crowd.
I sighed as I joined Captain Greer. “A vampire witch becomes the Mystic.” My voice cracked.
“Never in our history has a witch become a vampire,” Captain Greer said. “But I believe your dual status will serve you and us well.”
Two witch guards snapped to attention when I approached the aisle that separated two sections of guests.
“You and the Midnight Raiders have a lot of faith in me. Why?” I asked Captain Greer as she escorted me to the front. I felt as though I was walking down the aisle to get married.
She nodded to people we passed. “Because, Layla, our seer has seen the good you’ll do for us.”
No pressure at all. I was tempted to ask what exactly her seer envisioned, but I didn’t want to know. I did, however, want to throw up—until I laid eyes on my gorgeous husband, who was standing outside the magic circle to the left. His forest-green eyes glimmered amid the lighted torches flickering around the guests.
You look absolutely stunning, he said telepathically.
I flushed as I walked into the white magic circle etched into the grass. With my children in their strollers and strategically placed on their rightful symbols of air, earth, fire, and water stamped into the grass, I took my spot on the five-pointed star in the center before three witches closed us in. I didn’t need a coven to perform the ritual since I was destined to be the Mystic.
Directly ahead of me, Zoey stood behind the podium, while Ellie was slightly up on my left and Luna on the right. Orion was behind me on the left side, and Rorie was across from Orion.
All four were sleeping. I didn’t expect them to be awake at midnight, and they didn’t need to be for this ceremony. They just had to be inside the circle with me and next to their respective symbols. The other requirement that Zoey had found in the witch’s archives was that the ritual had to take place at midnight on the summer solstice.
Zoey adjusted the microphone, bowed her head to me, and began. “Tonight, we are gathered to witness something very special that hasn’t happened since the seventeenth century. I am excited and honored to be standing here to officiate this ceremony and to help unlock Layla’s true power as she leads all witches into a new age.”
Whispers zipped around, the mood electric.
“Layla,” Zoey said. “Are you ready?”
“I am.” I dipped a shaky hand into the pocket of my dress and pulled out my note card with the Mystic’s oath written on it.
Zoey grabbed the mic and stepped around the podium. “Then turn around and address the crowd.” She swept her hand upward toward the sky. “Everyone, please stand.”
I eyed Sam, who hadn’t left his spot just outside the circle, as I pivoted on my heel and scanned the seats filled mostly with witches, who’d come from as far away as Australia to take part tonight.
Jordyn and Agnes were smiling at me from the front row where they were sitting along with Steven, Jo, Abbey, Webb, Tripp, and Dr. Vieira. I’d invited my uncle Jack and aunt Tab, but they declined. This wasn’t their scene, and my uncle still hadn’t come to terms with the reality that I was a vampire witch. Regardless, after my aunt had finally flown out to see her son Noah, she didn’t want anything more to do with vampires. Sadly, Noah and Carly had both taken their last breaths in early November of last year.
I glanced at my note card, dug deep for confidence, rolled my shoulders back, then started. “I stand before you on this beautiful night as a Monroe witch, a vampire, a mother, a wife, and a person with a hopeful spirit who wants the same thing as you do—peace. We all strive for the absence of conflict and the presence of harmony, and despite our differences, we want the ability to coexist with one another no matter our species.” I took a breath as I scanned the crowd. “As I accept the role as your Mystic, I cannot do it alone. It will require effort and commitment from all of us.”
Agnes rose, holding a chalice of my children’s blood mixed with mine, walked up, and handed it to me before returning to her seat.
With both hands on the silver cup, I raised it high. “Fire brings passion, a kindling flame.” I dipped my fingers into the cup, then painted a small triangle on Rorie’s forehead, careful not to break the element of fire stamped into the grass beside her stroller. “Air brings focus, a windfall change.” I smeared blood in the shape of a triangle with a line through it on Ellie’s forehead before glancing at her element beside her. “Earth brings grounding, a solid base.” Orion was next as I drew an upside-down triangle with a line through it on him. “Water brings flow, a cleansing grace.” I dipped my fingers into the chalice and painted an upside-down triangle on Luna’s forehead.
My grandmother Agnes, a powerful witch in her own right, had once told Abbey in a vision that my kids were special but also feared because together they were the perfect storm.
