Raven and the Rose (11 page)

again.

“No, my love. You’re not going anywhere near there for a long time to come. I know what I

must do now. But, you’ve got to trust me.” He tilted his head slightly. “Do you trust me Rose?”

She nodded and smiled, giving into the sweet slumber of death.

“Don’t you dare let go,” he commanded her softly before embracing her. “We must fight

Cyrus.”

“How?”

“Only we can defeat him, but we’ll need to do it together.” He placed a hand on her

shoulder. “You must accompany me to the Netherworld.”

“Am I allowed?”

“You’ll be under my protection. Once we do this, everything will be set right.” He cupped

her face with his hands. “Do you understand?”

She nodded. “Just tell me what to do.”

“Once we’re back on earth, you follow my lead. That’s all.”

She felt Storm squeezing her tight and his warm energy filled her. Instantly, everything came

rushing back. Something forced her into her body with such a might, she thought she felt the

earth shake beneath her. When she opened her eyes, Storm was in the circle with her and Cyrus.

Storm grabbed the man and wrestled him to the ground.

“Impossible!” Cyrus boomed. “Release me, now!”

Storm chanted, freeing her from the bonds.

Following Storm’s lead, she grabbed his other arm and held him tight.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Cyrus bellowed.

“Taking you back to hell, where you belong,” Rose hissed.
“Kiot’e, eaisai’ kwen’to ,ah!”

Storm completed his chant, and she felt herself being sucked into a black hole. Clutching

McKay, so he wouldn’t get away, she gave in to everything she and Storm were experiencing.

This one moment would bring them both together. Her stomach tightened and she resisted the

urge to vomit. When it felt like they were falling for an eternity, the ground broke their fall.

“Noooo!” Cyrus looked around, shaking his head frantically. “What have you done to me?

Where am I?”

“Where you should have been long ago.” Rose clutched the man’s forearm.

“Keeper!” Storm forced Cyrus to his feet.

“Who?” she asked.

Storm pressed his finger to his lips. “Whatever happens…You must remain calm.”

Filled with dread, she quickly nodded her head and a man appeared before them all. She

gasped at his appearance.

A tall Native man swaddled in buffalo skin. He would have appeared human if it weren’t for

his unnaturally large yellowish eyes. “I see you’ve captured him.” The man said approvingly.

“Cyrus McKay. You’ve caused such a unnecessary, unholy chaos down here. Now, all the souls

wish to travel to the surface and possess those who walk the earth.”

“And I’ll do it again,” McKay promised with a nasty hiss. “The McQueens owe me.”

“We owe you nothing!” Rose sneered.

“Rose!” Storm nudged her.

The man peered at her with intense eyes, eyes that made her feel like he was stripping her

down to her very soul.

Keeper of Darkness smiled, focusing his attention on McKay. With a flick of his wrist, the

man turned McKay into a large inky black mist. With a few chants, the ball of mist became

smaller. He extended his arm and outstretched his palm, until the little ball floated and settled within his grasp.

Before Rose could blink, the man opened his mouth, gobbling the black mist. Rose

swallowed hard as the man peered at her again.

“McQueen witches have such a horrible cross to bear.” He slowly shook his head. “But you

all have my undying respect.” He laughed, then turned to Storm. “You have performed the task

well.” he waved his hand. “Once again, you are raven and worthy of your status.”

“So, we’re finished here?” Storm asked.

“Yes. However, I’ll be seeing you again, dear Rose.” The man looked at her and smiled.

“What are you talking about?” She straightened to look him in the eye even though he made

her feel horribly uncomfortable.

He winked at her. “You’ll know when the time comes.” He vanished, leaving them in the

cavern.

“Storm, what did he mean by that?”

“That’s a question for another day.” Gripping her in his arms, he returned to the earth.

Rose woke to the sound of the waterfall and to find herself within Storm’s embrace. She

moaned at the minor pain in her chest and sat up. They all were in the woods still, the circle

broken and the moon fading. “What happened,” she whispered. “Were we really in the

Netherworld?”

Storm nodded and brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.

“Is everyone okay?” she asked her family. “Dad?” She looked to the far right to see Shawn

and Wes in a strong embrace. “Oh, daddy.”

Wes smiled faintly. “I’m okay, darling.”

“Wes was innocent.” Jesse shook his head. “Man, I really thought you betrayed us.”

“Never,” Wes told them.

Viola nodded. “We needed to bathe in the waterfall, to return some of our strength to us.

Storm told us everything.”

“Aunt Viola. Why didn’t you tell us about Cyrus McKay?” Rose asked.

“Baby, it’s such a long story. One that only Elders possess the knowledge of.”

“You had to find out on your own,” Walter told her. “To have such darkness within the

family isn’t something we’re proud of. The crypts have once again been sealed.”

“Well, it would be nice if you guys would spill your guts.” Jasmine folded her arms across

her chest and stared at Viola.

“Let’s go back to the manor. Once we get comfortable, I’ll tell you my experience with

Clara and about the McKay massacre.”

Everyone followed Viola as she headed back toward the house.

Chapter Ten

A
n hour later, everyone sat in the parlor with their eyes fixated on Viola.

“Our family harbors very dark secrets. Most of you know of the McKay Plantation massacre

and what it entails. But you youngsters don’t know what actually fueled it,” the older woman

said, shifting her gaze between them all.

Walter sat next to her and nodded

“We’ll both explain. Since we were actually there when it occurred.”

Walter nodded in agreement.”

“Is this in the book?” Rose asked with great concern.

“No. There is a lot that hasn’t been imbued in The Book of Whispers everyone needs to be

aware of. I haven’t included them because I need to tell you in person. Storm, The Raven Clan

plays a big part of the McQueen family history, too. You need to hear this as well, as do you

Wes, although you are mortal.”

Storm rubbed his jaw and frowned. “Why would you leave a part of the book unfinished?”

“Because, that was Clara’s request,” Viola said quietly as she sat on the settee next to the

window, overlooking the McQueen crypts. “Since The Heightening is tomorrow night, you’ll

need to know the darkest part of our family history.”

Rose sat down, nervously rubbing her sweaty palms against the fabric of her black pantsuit.

“Why do I have the feeling you’re about to lay some heavy stuff on us?”

Storm reached for her hand, gripping it within his.

“Just hear me out.” The old witch’s chest heaved and she exhaled long and slow. “These

memories cut through me like a sickle through wheat, so please forgive me, if I lose my

composure.” Tears misted over in her light brown eyes as Walter put a strong arm around her for comfort.

Rose leaned over, placing a gentle hand on her aunt’s knee. It hurt her to see the pained

expression carving itself on the woman’s face. “Take your time.”

She nodded and bit her lip. “Clara and I grew up on McKay Plantation. Which is now known

as Queensville. It was no secret among the other slaves that Clara Rose was a special girl, but it was often puzzling and frightening, whenever she used her powers by mistake. We were both

seventeen, and very impressionable.” Viola laughed briefly, then frowned. “One day, while we

were playing out in the field, a raven caught our attention. It had been staring hard at us for the longest time, so we decided to go and frighten it off.” Viola averted her gaze to Storm. “You

know that damned bird perched itself on that branch, staring us both down? There was something

in his gaze.”

Storm smiled. “Micah Ravencloud.”

“Yes. He had made his journey from the Spirit world to his intended, Clara Rose. Thanks to

the pull of her power. Oh, we knew as he sat there on that branch staring at us, that bird was no ordinary raven. And you know something? In that very area, we both felt an enormous surge of

energy. It was as though the land was speaking to us. Thank the Heavens no one saw us. Clara’s

hands glowed and she touched me, giving me a little piece of that power. Back then I didn’t know how much that power would grow, and what it was linked to. With the exception of Taylor

Robert McQueen, our Uncle, no one else knew.

“Much like us,” Rose squeezed Storm’s hand and smiled at him.

“Micah was there to warn her, too.” Viola looked down at her hands.

“Of what?” Jasmine asked as her eyes widened.

“The impending darkness. That part of the McQueen family history that, until now, has been

hidden between the eldest members of our family. You see, Clara Rose’s mother made her share

of mistakes.”

Rose clutched Storm’s hand tighter and snuggled up close to him. “No one had ever spoken

about her mother. There’s nothing written in the book about her.”

Viola closed her eyes, then opened them. “Such frightening, trying times for our family back

then. “Shawn, have you ever told Rose about our origins?”

“Only briefly.”

Rose nodded. “Yes, in Salem, Massachusetts. Because of the witch trials, our family

scattered in various directions. ”

“Some settled in New Orleans,” Shawn added.

Rose squinted. “Mom, you never mentioned New Orleans.”

“Unfortunately, I’m as much in the dark as you are, sweetheart.”

Viola smiled. “She wasn’t supposed to. You see, our ancestors settled in New Orleans for

years after leaving Salem. They flourished, and lived happy lives. But when one side of the

family began practicing dark magic, the discrepancies began. The light witches cast out the dark and they fled to Maryland, along the Eastern Shore, and Cambridge. Many were captured,

rounded up and forced into slavery.”

Rose gasped.

“Come on Rose, surely you didn’t think all our ancestors were honest, hard-working

people?” Viola inquired. “I mean, some were, in the beginning, but after being treated so harshly, they sought an easy way out. Aunt Celeilia possessed great power but never wanted to use it.

Unfortunately, after an incident with Cyrus her thirst for revenge was her undoing. It all began with her attraction for him. That man promised her the world, with his beautiful eyes, long

flowing brown hair and a face that appeared to be crafted by the hands of the most talented artist.

Although brutally handsome on the outside, he was a savage, nasty soul on the inside.”

“We all could see, he’s quite the charmer,” Dehlia muttered sarcastically.

“Hmm, like Niall?” Jasmine snickered.

“Jasmine.” Dehlia narrowed her eyes.

Viola clapped her hands. “Ladies, this isn’t the time for bickering. This is a part of the

reason why Elders of our family have kept this secret. The inward bickering and back-biting

amongst ourselves must come to an end. We possess the power to be our own worst enemy.

There was a time when our family came close to annihilation; that is why Clara and Micah did

what they had to do. The raven and the McQueen witches are powerful forces to be reckoned

with, oh, but once combining their powers? Unstoppable!”

Rose squeezed Storm’s hand. “I know. I’ve never felt so connected to Storm the way I do

now.”

“And you must remain that way,” Viola told them. “Now, that dog of a man, Cyrus wooed

Celeilia. He tricked her into thinking he had eyes only for her. He promised to free us all from slavery; said he wanted to settle down and make a life with her. Ha! Evil assed bastard.” Viola shook her head and balled her hands into fists. “That bastard.” She had to stop and take a few

breaths before holding up a hand. The ground began to shake and a vase fell from the mantle of

the fireplace and shattered.

“Aunt Viola, breathe.” Rose coaxed as she watched Walter rub her back, in an effort to

comfort the woman.

“Please forgive me.”

“It’s okay Viola,” Storm urged in a low voice. “There’s no need to rush through this. I’ll get

the vase don’t worry.”

“Leave it,” the witch demanded. “You all need to do is listen to everything I say since The

Heightening will be here, staring us in our faces.”

Obeying, Storm retrieved his seat, and waited for Viola to reveal the rest of her tale.

“That sick son of a bitch.” Viola wagged a finger, and her voice quavered with emotion. She

put a hand on her chest. “All we ever heard him speak of was how he simply adored the smooth

cocoa skin Celeilia possessed. Her physique captivated him so. Then, he allowed other slave

owners to have their way with her.” Viola broke down crying.

Rose retrieved a box of tissue from the fireplace and sat next to her aunt. Gently, she patted

her on the back, trying to comfort her. Her chest heaved, at the thought of what Celeilia had went through. “God. He was a horrible man, Aunt Viola. Is that what drove her to madness?”

Viola blew her nose and shook her head. “Unfortunately, she allowed her heart to lead the

way and not soon after, she discovered Cyrus had other women. He was unmarried, so he bedded

the slave women he was attracted to the most. Hell, even if he’d been married, we’re sure that