The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga Taliesin Govannon (best free ereader .txt) 📖

Ashara explained.  “There is a story behind that picture that’s far too involved to go into tonight, but rest assured that we will… someday.”

                “So the slaves had, what… an autonomous collective here?” Raina asked, fascinated.

                “Yes, we were allowed to govern ourselves here.” Ashara answered.  “There were overseers, but they were but for show.  The mind-domination that Angelique used on them meant that they were ferocious when watched by outside whites, but as meek as a kitten in private.”

                “And that lasted, even when Angelique and Vincent left?”

                “Of course it did.  One overseer even became the faux-property manager to maintain the illusion.”

                “And what about after the Civil War?”

                “Why, by then we were several generations down the road.”  Ashara’s deep voice resonated in the empty room.  “I came back to make sure that things went according to plan, which included deeding the surrounding fields to former slave families on the plantation to start their own farms.  That is why only three hundred acres of the formerly five thousand acre operation still remains.”

                “And this?” I asked, pointing at the painting.

                “I'll have to introduce you to the church another time." she said, smiling.

                The rest of the buildings told the same story… plain on the outside, finely decorated inside.  When we finally came to the small building where the Fae were housed, we found our three friends smoking some Fae-grade cannabis in the comfortable-looking living area.

                “Care to join us?” Drucilla asked dreamily.

                “Sounds great!” I said, sitting.

                “If you insist...” added Raina.

                “I am prepared.” Ashara said, producing a rolled shade joint seemingly out of nowhere.

                “You know,” Raina said, lighting up, “I thought that this cabin had been enchanted by the Fae or something. But it’s actually kind of understated.”

                I looked around at the plain white walls and thought she has a point. The lanterns around the cottage's edge were well made but plain, and the floor free of splinters but a more modest wood than in other structures.  The one concession to fine decorating was the dark oak crown molding that surrounded the edge of every room.  It blended perfectly with the exposed beams in the ceiling and left a flavor of understated elegance in one's memory.

                “This was the space built for my family.” Ashara said, blowing out a stream of bitter smoke.  “Once I came to live on the plantation I stayed in the house, but I made sure that my remaining family found their way here as well over time, and we made this place plain so as to keep them comfortable.”

                A ball of soft lavender light shifted to another corner of the room.  “The Fae light is new though, right?” I said, hitting my own joint.

                “Totally ours.” Drucilla confirmed.

                “I thought so.” I grinned.

                “So when did they turn you?” Raina asked.

                “We moved to Boston during the war." Ashara said.  "After it was done, Angelique and Vincent decided to move to Europe and asked if I wanted to be set up in Canada with a business to take care of my needs until the end of my days.  I told Angelique that I wanted to be like her, and to join her quest to prey on the predators in our midst."  She took a hit, seemingly for dramatic effect, of her shade.  "I also wanted to love her as one of her kind, to know that most sublime ecstasy."

                “Wow.” Raina said.  “And I thought I had done some extreme shit for a girlfriend!”

                “I’ve heard about you and Rini.” Gaia said, her finger raised.  “You did some extreme shit.”

                I forget how closely related all of the Fae are I thought. They probably talk like cousins.  It didn’t help that the Fae still had their human glamours on… it looked like I had crashed a party of insanely hot black college girls with funky hair coloring tastes. Raina has lived years that I'll never know.  She has a real history with the Fae!

                “I never asked to trans-mutate into another species!” Raina said, laughing.

                “Technically, no… “ Drucilla got out before letting her own laughter take over for a minute.

                “Ah yes, the world of Fae sex.” Ashara said, smiling. “You girls are complicated!”

                Drucilla looked shocked.  "You said that a few nights ago was the first!"

                “The first with you kind? Yes.” Ashara’s grin told me just what had happened ‘a few nights ago’.  “However, you and your sister talk in your sleep.”

                Drucilla turned to her sister in shock. “You too?”

                Cordelia tossed her darker blue hair over her shoulder.  “Well, you didn’t go back the next night… “

                “I needed to hydrate!” Drucilla retorted.

                “So that means that such an exquisite creature should have her needs neglected?” Cordelia said defensively.

                I leaned over to Ashara.  “Aren’t you going to intervene?” I asked softly.

                “Two ebony Goddesses are arguing over who gets to satiate my needs, and I’m supposed to stop it?” she grinned.  “I don’t think so.”

                “How about a Fae-trained ebony Witch who’d never been with a vampire before?” Raina asked, her eyebrows raised.

                “You have a point.” Ashara purred.

                And with a whoosh! They were gone.  The Fae women stopped bickering at Ashara and Raina’s sudden absence.

                “Guess neither one of you gets her tonight." Gaia said smugly and winked at me.

Chapter Ten

                From the Diaries of Angelique Dupre

                04/20/1589

                Roanoke Colony

                Sarah’s training is proceeding at a steady clip.  What Petronia had taught me about their unique magickal properties has served me well, and it is helping my new charge find her way.

                She’s taking a special joy in target-based magick, reducing the clumps of weeds that I have set up to scattered dust with increasing accuracy.  She told me that she had always wanted to go hunting with her Father and brothers over the years, but was never allowed.

                If they could see her now, indeed.

                I noticed several times how she would say ‘Take THAT