Seaside, California April 27, 2014
Lillian
THE one thing I wanted in life was just to be happy. Despite the hell that consumed my life I had found my happiness.
Yet the fight was not over yet. We may have defeated Seana but we were far from getting past her destruction. She had brought Elle down with her.
Scott and I were almost to the Hathaway coven's headquarters. I dreaded going back to that place. The last time we were there it was an all-out brawl between everyone.
Today was even worse.
Zach had just helped me get Scott into Dad's Chrysler before we heard the commotion at Eddie's truck. Cel's father and a group of enforcers had it surrounded with weapons drawn. I remembered them from the coven meeting.
They had no emotion in their eyes, pointing guns at a group of teenagers. Jeff Moone's words still bothered me hours later. It wasn't even harsh, it was his tone that instilled a sense of fear in me.
"What was your plan Celseta? To harbor someone that is wanted by the coven?" her father had said. "All of you could be implicated just for helping her."
"She is innocent, all of this was because of Seana!" Cel shouted furiously.
Her father's expression had turned cold like he wasn't looking at his daughter anymore. I could never understand how he could become detached so easily. I felt his emotions vanish like he wasn't human anymore. He walked away after that, leaving us all there staring at the coven in disbelief.
They took Seana and Elle away, along with Cynthia's body. And just as fast as they came they were gone.
I could see the church now, along with the multitude of cars. It seemed like the entirety of the Hathaway coven was here tonight.
"Maybe they will let me in this time," Scott mumbled as we found a place to park.
"They better or I will have no problem blasting people across the room again," I asserted.
I opened the door to the Camaro, the ground crunching under my shoes as I got out slowly. I could already feel my heart wanting to beat out of my chest. Our plan to save Elle was so fragile. Hopefully, my parents would make it here in time to convince the coven to let my cousin go.
Scott was already beside me, grabbing my hand gently. He gave me an encouraging smile before tugging me along with him.
"Everything is going to be fine," he whispered to me as we walked along the path to the entrance.
"Sure, sure it is," I chuckled nervously. "It's not like Elle's life is on the line or anything."
"Lily the plan is going to work," Scott reassured.
I just nodded and pretended to believe him.
We got to the entrance finally; this place was crowded.
A man was guarding the entrance, scanning everyone entering with scrutiny. He looked young, probably not much older than I was. He was dressed in a white button shirt and black slacks, held up by yellow suspenders.
Who the fuck was dressing these people?
"No vampires allowed," the man said, reaching his arm out to block Scott and me from going up the steps.
"Says who?" Scott remarked.
"Says the coven, now scram," he ordered.
"How about you scram Toby," I heard my wonderful cousin sneer close by.
There stood Cel, she was just inches behind Toby now. He turned to glance at her, his eyes narrowing in anger.
"I was put here by our head enforcer to make sure no strangers came to the trial tonight," Toby huffed. "Maybe you should be helping instead of just standing there."
"You are dismissed," Cel chirped. "I'll take over from here."
"You can't do that!" Toby cried.
"As your team leader I can," Cel smiled. "Now go before I hang you from the rafters with those stupid suspenders."
His face turned red in an instant. "I will tell on you."
Then he ran away from us, vanishing into the crowd like a little bitch.
"Seriously?" I voiced.
"Seriously," Cel sighed. "That guy is a total pansy. I have no idea how he qualified to be an enforcer."
"Team leader eh?" Scott grinned.
Cel just smiled even bigger. "Of course. Who else is going to shape up the future of our enforcers?"
"Your father?" I suggested. "He could brainwash them all to be his evil little minions."
"More like whipped little bitches," Cel snickered.
"Can you guys move forward?" a woman behind us snapped impatiently.
Cel rolled her eyes and ushered us both in. The hall was slammed packed with witches. I didn't know there were this many people in the coven. There were easily over a thousand people here. Then again, this place was huge.
"Good luck trying to a seat in there," Cel sighed. "Zach, Amberly, and Eddie are already in there somewhere. I'll find you guys before it starts."
Then she was gone.
As Scott was leading us through the throng of people, I couldn't help but notice how many nasty looks we got from people. I'm sure they all knew the infamous meeting where the leader's granddaughter decided to date a vampire and revoke her status as a coven member.
There were many faces of disgust. Some with confused at seeing a vampire here. It was too much.
I held Scott's hand tighter, just wanting to get away from all of these people.
"Don't pay any attention to them," I heard Scott say, his voice echoing.
I just subconsciously connected my mind to his without even trying.
We were weaving in and out and around people, till we saw a familiar group of faces. Standing in a tight huddle, we found the rest of our friends.
"There you guys are!" Amberly exclaimed.
"This place is too crowded! You can't even walk anywhere," I spoke up before I was pulled into a tight hug by Amberly.
"Any word on when this thing is starting?" Scott asked.
"In the next ten minutes, so I think we better start plowing people down to get to the front," Zach suggested.
A door beside the trial chamber burst open, to reveal Cel's mother. She looked like she hadn't slept in days.
"Children come with me," she beckoned.
We all just looked at her confused.
"Do you want to sit up front or not?" she implored.
"Yes please!" Zach blurted out.
We all reluctantly followed Zach as he excitedly followed Miranda.
There was a wide array of offices in the hallway as we followed Miranda down. I didn't know the inner workings of the coven or how it functions. My mother operated ours right in our home. Of course, we only had 19 members.
We finally came to the end of the hall, the door on the right led right out to where a set of long wooden tables were. The chairs were ornately carved. In front of them was a raised platform made from stone. In the center was a beautiful wooden chair, the largest in the room.
I saw my Nana standing right before it, speaking to one of the coven members. They were going over papers.
A few people we knew were already sitting at the table on the left. Francis was with Kenny and his Uncle Rob. He raised his head when he saw us. He looked relieved.
There were at least 12 chairs at the table. On the other side across from us was the same table. I realized we were on the defendant's side.
"I'm glad all of you are here," Francis greeted. "Cel will be joining us shortly. Her father put her on security detail until this shitshow begins."
"So what do we have?" I began. "Are we all going to testify for Elle?"
"We could, but they will just throw it out as hearsay," Francis admitted. "The only thing that will save Elle is Laura and Mila's testimony. The attacks on them are linked to the death sentence Elle faces. If we get those tossed, then we just need to dissociate Elle from Seana's killings. Your father will be vital in that."
"And if that doesn't work?" Eddie questioned.
"Then she will die," Francis affirmed.
"There is no way in hell I am letting them kill my sister!" Kenny fumed. "I'll kill them myâ"
"Kenny," his uncle sighed and silenced him.
Behind us was a solid wooden gate separating us from the crowds now filling the chamber. It looked like a courtroom would, except it was much bigger and grand. A huge crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling.
I noticed more chairs had been brought up on the platform beside my grandmother's chair. They were carved in different types of wood and styles. I noticed Ambery's father and aunt were bringing one as well and set it on the left of my grandmother's.
"This isn't just a trial," I breathed. "This is a gathering of all the coven's isn't it."
"Yes, all of the major covens on the western seaboard have come to witness this trial. It is unique for many reasons. One was that a witch was turned before she got her magic, and a group of teenagers sought to get involved and save her," Francis explained.
Then he looked around the table, looking at us each with pride.
"All of you are remarkable, bringing down a known terror to the witch community gained you merit," Francis explained further. "Most people don't understand how different supernatural creatures became friends and joined together to save a friend."
"Then maybe they can get their head out of their asses and get with the times," Eddie laughed.
"Good luck with that," Scott scoffed.
"I think they all came here today to see what you all will do next," Francis concluded.
"Or they came to watch us be humiliated for supporting other species," Amberly's aunt Margaret chimed in. She and Andrew took a seat at the end of the table.
I just felt all the minds around me closing in, wanting to break through my already obliterated brain. Everything was heightened for some reason. Smells, noise, and even the light coming from above felt it was a thousand times brighter than it was.
"You okay Lily?" Zach asked.
I snapped my eyes to him, my brain trying to think of something to say.
"Yeah," I laughed.
He didn't look convinced.
Cel burst through the door we came in earlier, followed by her mother. She came over to our table and took a seat next to Zach.
The chamber started to get quiet as people sat down in the rows of seats, with several more standing up at the edges of the room. A pathway cut the room in half. Hopefully, when my parents arrived they could easily get to where we were.
The lighting in the room dimmed slightly as the leaders of the covens took a seat in their carved thrones.
My Nana remained standing, however, looking very upset.
"Thank you everyone for attending today," she began, her strong voice echoing throughout the chamber. "We normally gather together for joyous occasions, but instead we are here due to a tragedy."
"I think there is something more going on here," Cel whispered. "There are way too many people here."
"During these last eight months, we have been tracking a group that has been stealing young witches from our covens, and turning them into monsters," Nana sighed.
Cel's father stepped onto the stage out of the blue. It seemed like Nana already knew he was going to start talking.
Maybe something productive.
"Yes, this coven they created has been very elusive. But with what we've seen today by some of our brave young enforcers, they helped defeat two vampires that have been going across the states and killing innocent people in cold blood," Jeff said proudly. "These youngbloods have what it takes to defeat this new scourge in our midst."
You wouldn't hear a pen drop from the dead silence of the chamber. Until everyone started clapping.
"You have got to be shitting me," Scott hissed.
"That lying bastard! He is giving his new enforcers all the credit for taking down Seana!" Cel whispered harshly and beat her fist down on the table.
"I also must regret to inform all of you that Cynthia Harris is no longer with us, while she was not a member of our coven, she was a part of our family," Nana lamented.
"I've already contacted her parents," Jeffery put in. "They agreed that a gathering of the covens would be acceptable to help with the rites."
"Good, then we shall proceed with the trial," Nana affirmed.
I raised my head back up just as she sat down in the center chair.
"My mother wouldn't want any of this," Kenny groaned.
"I know Kenny," Cel whispered to him sadly. "I can only do one thing at a time."
I smiled sadly and sat forward so Kenny could see me.
"Once we save Elle, your mother will have a proper funeral," I entreated. "Just a few of her closest friends and family will do the rites, just like the old ways."
I noticed a few heads turned to me with curious looks.
"What?" I mumbled.
"I knew reading all of those old spell books and shit would teach you something," Cel beamed.
I was about to say something smart back to her, but a loud bang on the left side of the chamber got all of our attention.
There were four enforcers in total with Seana in the middle of them weighted down with thick chains. She shuffled forward, unable to even lift her feet enough to walk properly.
They had her sit right before the steps of the podium on her knees. The nightmare she was was nothing to what she looked like now. Her hair was in a tangled mess down her back, her clothes were ripped. Her skin was covered in bruises and cuts.
A fifth enforcer joined the line-up. Jeffery got into position right behind her.
"Seana Kane," Nana addressed. "You have been charged with the murder of Isabel Florence, Maggie Crawford, Cynthia Harris, and others. Shall I start naming them all?"
"Go ahead, we will be here all night," Seana giggled.
"You have been charged with attempted murder of Celesta Moone, Lillian Rezza, Amberly Wise, Zachary Pierce, Markus Pierce, Edward Duell, Scottâ"
"Can you shut up you fucking hag?" Seana spat and tried to lunge at her
Jeffery had her on the floor writhing in pain before anyone spoke.
"This is ridiculous," Nana snapped. "You have also been charged with turning a witch into a vampire without their consent. Having read all these charges, the penalty for all of these is death. Do you have anything constructing to say before you are sentenced?"
Jeffery stopped frying Seana's brain and went back to standing behind her.
Seana sat up and started to laugh. "Why yes, in fact, I do. I know how your trials work, and I want to call a witness forward to defend me!"
"Who would plead for someone like you?" Nana remarked.
"Eleanor Harris!" Seana shrilled.
"She's truly lost her marbles," Cel scoffed.
"Your witness cannot be called," Nana revealed. "She is in custody. Do you have anyone else?"
"Scott Aldridge," Seana beamed. "Maybe you could grill him for his crimes."
She turned to me, her eyes crazed. All she did was give me a creepy smile before I jumped up ready to kill her.
Two pairs of hands grabbed me roughly and sat me down.
I glanced at Amberly and Scott, their hold not wavering. I didn't know why I would have such an outburst.
"It's not the time to explode Lily," Scott warned.
I just stared straight at Seana, ignoring everything around me. It would be so easy to rip her arms off.
"Scott cannot testify for you," Nana clarified. "And if you wish to call upon your uncle, he is not coming here to save you."
"Whatever, just get this horse shit you call a trial over with," Seana mocked.
Nana glared at her with disgust and sat back down in her chair. Uncle Peter was right at her side in an instant. I couldn't hear what they were saying.
The whole table looked at one another without an answer. Seana's trial didn't last but just a minute. The enforcers started to pick Seana up and remove her from the room.
I started tapping my foot with impatience. As each second went by the closer they were to bring Elle out and sentencing her to death. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Before the enforcers took another step the large chamber doors burst forth, people moving to the side as they let in people. We all stood up from our chairs, craning our necks to see who arrived.
And there she was, my brave and fierce mother.
"Mom," I breathed, my voice got caught in my throat.
Two of the enforcers standing guard opened the gate for them to come through, my father and Mila followed my mother up to the steps where Nana was looking at her in awe.
"My daughter, you are well," Nana beamed. "Please, have the seat to my left."
"Thank you but I am here to petition the charges against Eleanor Harris," my mother entreated. "Not sit at your right-hand side and let you preside over people under my jurisdiction."
"She was never a member of your coven," Nana commented. "She is a rogue vampire that has gone off the rails and tried to kill you."
"Yes she did, but me and Mila are here now," Mom asserted. "We are both willing to testify in her defense."
"Even if you two testify, there is no guarantee that the charges will be dropped. She was also associated with Seana. You know the other elders won't agree, the votes have to be unanimous," Nana pressed.
"I can get all the evidence I need from Seana," my mother reiterated.
"Okay, and how will you do that? Through torture?" Nana suggested.
"Torture?" Seana giggled from across the room. "You assholes aren't getting a word from me."
"Miranda has already gathered all of the evidence," Jeffery snapped. "This is pointless."
"The evidence is void now, we have the victim speaking for herself," Miranda corrected.
Mom just smiled. "Samuel?"
My Dad just nodded at her and walked over to Jeffery and the enforcers. They all stepped back.
He stepped in front of Seana and bent down to his knees, looking at her directly in the eye.
"Did Eleanor kill any of those people?" Dad asked, his voice compelling.
"Yes and no," she admitted. "I forced her to feed each time. She cannot help it, she has no control."
"Good, now tell me what happened at the hotel Seana," Dad commanded. "Don't spare any details."
"I made Elle believe Laura killed her mother," Seana replied without hesitation. "I knew she wouldn't hesitate to harm her or that hunter bitch. Elle snapped the hunter's neck and shoved Laura into a counter. However, it was me that stabbed Laura and left her for dead."
Nana's eyes widened in surprise.
"Now why would you do that?" my father pressed.
"To send you all a fucking message!" Seana yelled. "You all took my progeny from me, so I took one of yours! Isn't that fair?!"
"Nothing in this world is fair Seana Kane," my mother put forth and stepped up onto the dais. "You made your choices; now you suffer the consequences."
Seana tried to spit at my mother, but she was jerked back by two enforcers.
"Now that she has been trialed, we must bring in Eleanor," Nana murmured.
We were all back in our seats, my mother sat on the chair beside Nana. Dad and Mila took a seat down here with us.
The side doors open again, except there wasn't a loud clanging when Uncle Peter was leading Elle out with two enforcers flanking her. She was led up to the platform and sat before Nana. Her head was bowed down. I couldn't see her face.
She didn't even move after the enforcers stepped back and left her alone before the elders of the covens.
Nana spoke first, addressing the elders around her. "Today I hope you find it in yourself to trust the judgment of my daughter and granddaughter. As well as their friends and family members."
"We will judge fairly," one of the women spoke.
She was a tall dark-colored woman, with her hair wrapped up into an elegant bun, She was dressed in a blue flowy dress. I believed she was Ashanti, the head elder of the Bluemoon coven up in Oregon. They were one of the few larger covens that got along well with the Hathaways. They controlled the north and we controlled the south.
Several other elders nodded in agreement with her.
Nana sat up from her chair, her expression hardening.
"Eleanor Harris, you have been charged with the attempted murder of Laura Rezza and Mila Archer, as well as an accessory to a list of murders done by Seana Kane," Nana went on, her voice pained. "The punishment for these crimes is death."
"I understand," Elle croaked out, her voice about gone.
"You just give up like that?" Seana scoffed.
Elle wouldn't even turn to look at her.
My mother stood up and approached the edge of the podium, not far from Elle or Seana.
"I learned several things these last few days. Sometimes you get yourself caught up in something you have no control over. And when it ends you are left to face the consequences of them. Even if you weren't at fault. Society will expect you to pay," my mother went on. "Trouble with family members, if you don't meet their standards, they will just leave you behind. Instead, we need those who find certain people who are truly innocent. The entire world may hate them, but they fail to see the truth within. We have to believe that truth instead and not let outside influences try and warp our minds to only see their way."
We were all silent just listening to my mother's monologue. It was brilliant. She could charm anyone with her words.
"So members of the council of elders, I ask that the charges against my goddaughter be dropped," my mother urged. "She is not without fault so if she should be released into my custody, I will see to it that she be trained to control herself."
"But what of the charge of the attempted murder of Mila Archer? She luckily healed from her injuries," a male elder added.
Mila just started to grin. "Well, I am all for people turning over a new leaf. The girl is young, she wasn't in the right state of mind. So I ask that charge be dropped."
Nana sat back down and gripped the arms of the chair tightly.
"Very well then, if everyone agrees then the charges will be dropped," she concluded. "However, she still needs to be disciplined."
"We already have that covered," Francis affirmed as he rose from his seat.
And that is how it ended. All the elders agreed to release Elle. She would go and stay with Francis for the foreseeable future. They hauled Seana away; she was sentenced to die by sunlight.
When? We had no clue; I in particular didn't care.
Justice was served.
We got back to Scott's Camaro and drove away from all of the chaos.
And now we needed to talk about everything that was about to happen.
"Scott?" I asked.
"Yeah what's up?" he murmured.
"We need to talk about Elle," I began. "She is going to need someone to be there for her."
"She has Francis. She will be more than okay," Scott reasoned.
"No, I think she needs someone she knows better to help her adjust to this new life, and I think that person is you," I admitted.
"Lily I have enough problems to worry about right now. My priority right now is you," Scott replied. "And I still need to heal you, you lost a lot of blood today."
"Scott I am fine," I soothed. "I am all healed up!"
"Lillian today I thought I was going to lose you again," Scott said harshly. "Do you know what it does to me when I see that? I fucking hate myself because I don't have the self-control to stop. And if I ended up killing you do you have any idea how it would affect me? Your parents? All of our friends?"
"I don't know why you are taking this so seriously!" I cried. "You weren't going to lose control, Scott!"
He just shook his head and turned away from me.
"Scott look at me," I urged and set my hand on his shoulder gently.
He didn't move or even respond to me. I moved closer, knowing he was already in a horrible mood. I knew his eyes would be black, his teeth sharp enough to cut right through me. I was helpless.
But I trusted him enough to know he would do nothing to ever hurt me.
He finally turned to me, his eyes slammed shut. He even stopped breathing.
I just pressed my lips to his, waiting for a reaction. When there wasn't I pulled my head away, a pang in my heart.
I didn't know what to do anymore. Maybe he just wanted to be left alone. I reached for the door handle. Before I turned it I felt two arms grab me and yank me backward. I felt a scream wanting to come out instinctively, but it was silenced when Scott kissed me deeply. He started tugging on my shirt, wanting it off.
My eyes popped open.
"Scott all these people!" I gasped.
"Fine let's go then. I'll find somewhere to pull off at," Scott chuckled.
Oh dear lord.