The City of the Dead was the most colorful place that Lauri had ever seen. The pavilion in the middle of the City's plaza had a mariachi band that played joyous music, that blended well with the laughter of the Children that ran up and down between different brightly colored stalls of people hawking their wares. Vegetables, crockery, lush flowers in every hue, and the most fragrant of spices. And the people. There were more people here then she had ever seen. Children, women, and men, crowded the stalls, in all colors of dress, the sound of bells and coins making lovely tinkling sounds amidst the constant hum of chatter. Lauri had never been so happy to be lost in her life. She had noticed quickly the skeletal faces of white marble that was displayed brazenly all over the plaza. The skulls were decorated with splatches of bright color, bright violets, and oranges that reminded her of the amulet that hung underneath her tunic. She was wary of showing the necklace, never knowing who a human was actually, and who was a banished demon from Vemos. And nor did she want to know. The City of Dead wasn't her final destination. While she took in the colors and sights that lay before her, she was constantly looking for a flash of vibrant red hair. Instead she found a glowing pair of silver eyes followed by the unmistakable salt and pepper hair of Silas of the Wolves of War. "I see you got my message." Silas said his eyes twinkling with mischief. "That was from you?" Lauri asked with surprise. "Now what is your name?" Silas said his eyes narrowed. "And remember, it's one you are going to keep for the remainder of your time here." He said. Lauri glanced away from him for a moment seeing a reflection of herself in a mirrored glass window. Leather pants, tunic, leather jacket, her curls up in a high ponytail. Her eyes were rimmed with blue eyeliner, she looked impossibly young for the task she found herself facing. "Caterina Wallace. Rina for short." She answered him in a clear strong voice. "Hello Rina. The girl you are looking for is three doors down." He said gesturing behind him. "Welcome to the Dead city. And before I forget." Silas said, pulling out a small square package out of his jacket pocket. "You will need this for where you are going." Silas said pressing the package to her palm before walking away, whistling as he went. Rina slid the package into one of her inner jacket pockets. She walked towards the house he had gestured to. She knocked on the door and was surprised when it slid forward. The house was messy full of scattered papers on the floor, and books on shelves open on different tables, the words a mixture of Spanish and English. Rina stepped away from the table and looked around on the stovetop where a pot of chili was simmering on the stove. The redhead that Rina had been looking for stepped through one of the doorways, juggling different colored bottles which she placed carefully on the table before she looked up. When she did her eyes widened with surprise. "Lauri?" she asked, clearly not believing what her eyes were showing her. "Apparently I'm Rina now." She said coming closer. Cassie narrowed her eyes. "You saw Silas already?" Cassie asked, grabbing one of the bottles and pouring a moderate sprinkle of red powder into the pot, and grabbing a wooden spoon and stirring. "Who do you think made sure I would be able to get here?" Rina asked. She watched Cassie cook with surprise. "I didn't know you could cook." She said. "You know you shouldn't be here." Cassie said. "Are you trying to bring forth the wrath of King Victor here?" she said narrowing her eyes. "Don't worry. I made it look like I took a portal to one of the other realms. They won't think of looking here, if they are even going to look." Rina said, perching on one of the stools that ringed the kitchen counter. "In any case Victor and the council are fully aware that I caused more problems in Vemos than anything else." She said. Cassie passed her a bowl of chili ringing with paper thin bread. "Eat. You are definitely going to need your strength living here." Cassie said. "I only came to see you before I left." Rina said taking a spoonful of chili. "Leave?" Cassie said her eyebrows furrowed. "I cause problems wherever I go. It would be safer if I started somewhere far from here. I know this is where most if not all the civilians from Vemos go when they are banished." Rina said.
"You do realize that the same could be said about me, right?" Cassie said. "The causing problems where ever I go." She said grinning slightly. Rina chuckled. "I can't stay. Even if I wanted to. And I would want nothing more to stay here with you." She said her eyes full of emotion. "I'm pregnant. And the child isn't Raphael's." Rina said.
Cassie's eyes widened almost comically, she stuttered incoherently. "Your right. You can't stay here." Cassie said thoughtfully. "Wait, do you have the necklace of the Strigoi with you?" Cassie asked. "I do. It has a way of controlling my powers. So, I couldn't leave it behind." Rina said. Cassie got up abruptly. "Now I know I have an address somewhere." Cassie muttered as she started rummaging through the many books that she had open everywhere. "What are you looking for?" Rina asked curiously. "There are a group of witches. A council of sorts." Cassie said absentmindedly as she looked through the books. She looked up glancing at Rina. "Back when your father was the King of Vemos I worked as a liaison between him and the many witches that live on earth. I still have many of those contacts." Cassie said.
"A liaison?" Rina said. "They could help you get settled away from any demons or other supernatural folk. Dorian and Simeon thought that the reason your powers go so haywire is your aura reacting to the abundance of magic in the land."
"That doesn't explain why when I first met Dorian and Terry, I set my whole village on fire." Rina pointed out. Cassie turned to look at her in surprise. "You have no idea the kind of magic Dorian possesses, do you?" Cassie asked curiously.
"Dorian is an Ariste. It's kind of like a guardian that is assigned to the royals that make up Vemos. Dorian was given the responsibility of Terry but before that he was responsible for Victor and served as a counsel to Nathaniel. When Nathaniel was banished his powers were given to Dorian for safekeeping. Terry's powers are being held inside Dorian until he is deemed wise enough to hold it on his own. A precaution since he spent twenty years believing he was only human." Cassie said. "Dorian has all that magic within him?" Rina said her eyebrows raised with surprise. "He can't access all of it. But all that magic would have reacted badly with yours." Cassie said pulling at an orange piece of paper that was in the middle of a stack of books. "Aha! I found it." She said waving the paper around triumphantly. "The address to the elemental coven of witches. The local one anyways." Cassie said passing the paper to Rina. "How do you even have this?" Rina asked. "I thought this was your first time in the dead city."
"You think I can make this kind of mess in four days." Cassie said waving her finger around the room they were in. "I've lived in this house on and off for over a thousand years. As liaison I've gone back and forth from earth and Vemos sending messages between the witches and the royal family of Vemos. Which is how I made friends with the white witch Rebekah. She's dead now but I'm sending you to her descendant Sage, she now manages the ancestral estate and deals with any issues that come up because of the elemental coven. Including uncontrollable magic. The amulet of the Strigoi, they can take off your hands for a lot of money. They've been wanting it for a long time. It will give you enough money to provide for you and your child. Away from magical folk."
"Thank you, Cassie." Rina said gratefully, taking the paper from Cassie. She studied the paper, her eyebrows scrunching at the unusual words. "Where is Nevada?"
Nevada, Las Vegas
On the outskirts of Las Vegas where there should be only desert wasteland as far as the eye could see lay hidden by the human eye a grove of trees with multicolored leaves and in the middle of that colorful forest stood what was more mansion than house, full of intricate metalwork that mixed with the ivy that climbed up on the walls. This house or estate if you will, was the ancestral home to Rebekah the white. It was the early nineties, and Rebekah had been dead for decades. Her home belonged to a sixteen-year-old descendant of Rebekah's, Sage Lancaster. Sage had spent her younger years, as with most witches of her age in a school for the supernaturally gifted. She'd still be in school if not for the untimely death of her aunt Josephine. She had not wanted to leave her school to become a caretaker of a magical household but had been given little choice after her own magic had been depleted in an intense witches' battle against the sorceress Talia who had succeeded to that title by killing the only person Sage had ever loved. Defeated and alone she had retreated to her duty. Retreated to a lonely old mansion, and dusty old grimoires, and the odd elemental witch or warlock her only company. So, she was not expecting a knock on her door in the dead of night. Sage walked towards the door her only light from the small ball she had summoned to her palm. She waved her hands at the double doors allowing them to swing open. She wasn't expecting the tall dark-haired beauty clad all in leather to be the one at the door.
"Hello?" Sage said uncertainly. The girl smiled at her all teeth. "I'm sorry to intrude, so late at night." She said. Her voice sounded like someone from Victorian times. Polite and to the point. "May I come in?" she asked politely. "Um. Of course." Sage said backing away from the door. The girl in question reached into her pocket and pulled out a roll of paper. "Here. I was told to give you this." The girl said.
"My name is Rina, by the way." The girl said, her voice uncertain. Sage took the roll, and smiled at the girl. "My name is Sage," She gestured to the house, "This place belongs to me. I'm the caretaker and keeper of all elemental magic. Follow me." Sage said.
Rina followed the girl and took in her surroundings. The whole house seemed to be made out of oak, the house itself was huge. High ceilings, but everything in the place was dark and decadent. But not the way it was in Vemos. Even with the darkness of the walls there was something homey about the house. A place that at one time may have been full of laughter, but now was empty, with only Sage for company.
Rina followed Sage through a set of emerald double doors, that led to the biggest kitchen Rina had ever seen. Which was surprising seeing as the last place Rina had been had been a castle. She was even more surprised to see a dark-haired girl sitting at the round kitchen table her feet on the table as she leaned backwards on the chair, her hands on her lap. She looked at the doorway as they walked in, taking in Rina's appearance before looking back at Sage.
"I thought I heard the doorbell." The girl said. Her voice cheery for so late at night. "The least you could do was put up a pot of tea." Sage said dryly. She walked towards the sink, as she put up water she turned to Rina. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?" Sage asked. "I'm fine." Rina said, shaking her head. Joining the other girl at the kitchen table. "I'm Kira." The other girl said. "Rina." Rina said glancing towards Sage who was unrolling the paper she had handed to her.
"So, this is the place that's going to teach me control?" Rina said glancing around. "You're a witch?" Kira asked in surprise. "Sort of." Rina said her eyebrows furrowed.
"She's a princess from the demon realm of Vemos." Sage said. Kira's eyebrows rose up with surprise. "Not the demons again. I thought they were all excluded to the dead city?" Kira moaned. "I sort of ran away from the castle." Rina said.
"A runaway." Kira said joyously. "My specialty." She said. Sage looked at her once before turning back to making a pot of tea. "You have no idea. Her magic is more of the burst into flames kind." Sage said smiling slightly. "Can I see the Amulet?" Sage asked.
Rina touched the amulet that was hanging on her neck. She grimaced, before unclasping the necklace and handing it to Sage who joined the table with a tea service. Rina grabbed one of the lace thin cookies, sliding it to her mouth.
"The amulet's been helping me control my powers. I haven't had them for long." Rina said uncertainly. Sage flipped the amulet in her hands studying the runic marks that lined the back to the amulet. "Or I guess been aware of them, I guess." She said.
"What do you mean?" Kira asked her eyebrows furrowed. "Here." Sage said handing her the roll. "You need to read this anyways, since she is going to be needing your skills as a tutor. We have six months to make sure she can control her powers." Sage said.
"Why Six months?"
"Because I'm pregnant." Rina said, narrowing her eyes at Kira who grinned widely. "I really hope you are a quick study." Kira said.
"She'll be fine." Sage said. "I'm more worried about Lucifer."
Rina's eyes narrowed. "Please tell me you don't mean the demon of hell Lucifer." She said looking from Sage to Kira with suspicion.
They both looked at each other all smiles. "Lucifer's a professor. He teaches the witches that come and go here lessons on control and some combative lessons that help strengthen the bond to your magic." Sage said taking a sip of tea. Rina took a cup of the sweet-smelling tea and was surprised as the flavor burst on her tongue, sweet and tangy all at once. The tea had a calming affect on her and she felt her nerves that she had felt on her journey fade away. She closed her eyes softly humming.
"The tea is good isn't it?" Kira said smiling as she took a sip herself. "I prefer Sensei's brandy but the tea is perfect to soothe nerves and calm you enough to fall into a deep sleep." She said glancing at Sage. Sage rolled her eyes. "It's an ancient remedy. That's all." She said. The three girls all took a sip the flavors exploding in their mouths their eyes closing as peace entered their every pore and was suddenly taken away with the gong of a bell. Kira and Sage both got up in surprise looking at the doorway. "What was that?" Rina asked, glancing from their surprised expressions. "The doorbell." Sage said, glancing at Kira. "Two in one night?" Kira asked in surprise. "That's not unheard of." Sage said. "But still pretty peculiar." She added unhelpfully as she walked to the door once again. Rina followed her curiously, ignoring Sage's warning glance. When Sage opened the door again, Rina was surprised to see a familiar face. "Helena?!" She said her eyes wide. Helena narrowed dark rimmed eyes at Rina and scowled. "You've got to be joking me."
"What in gods' name are you doing here?" Rina said furiously. Helena smirked. "I could ask you the same thing, Princess." She said her violet eyes narrowing at the Rina who scowled crossing her arms.
"So, I'm guessing you are a demon." Sage said interrupting the angry stare down that Helena and Rina were currently in.
"Yes I am." Helena said moving her eyes distastefully away from Rina. "I've come with a missive for the Warlock Marcus." Helena said her voice clear as glass.
"Marcus doesn't live here." Sage said testily. Helena narrowed her eyes at Sage's response who rolled her eyes. "It's true, he really doesn't." Kira said behind them. Rina glanced at Kira before she turned back to Helena accusingly. "How did you even leave the dead city? Weren't you banished?" Rina said. Helena scowled. "It isn't my first time on earth. There are work arounds, if you have magic. There's dead spots in the City you could walk through and make your way to other places on earth. A lot of times people who finish their banishment, don't even bother going back to Vemos. Some people just walk out into the world." Helena said, she closed her eyes tiredly. "Do you mind if I take a day here? I need to sleep before I try to travel some more." She said. "A bed would be nice, actually." Rina said, glancing at Sage. "I'll take them. Looks like tomorrow is going to be a busy, busy day." Kira said in an extremely cheery voice. Sage scowled but waved her away, as she shuffled back into the kitchen.
"Come on upstairs." Kira said, nodding to the stairs that stood just in front of the door. Rina waited for Helena to follow after Kira before she followed after. The staircase itself was made of a dark cherry wood that somehow still seemed to match with the dark oak walls. "The staircase was a gift from the last fire elemental that lived. The black cherry tree is a protection oak, so that any who live here will be protected from all dangers."
"What dangers are you expecting to get while your sleeping?" Helena asked her eyes narrow. "Dark curses, evil visions, and shadow like demons that come to haunt you, while you are sleeping." Kira said smiling. Rina narrowed her eyes. Kira looked far too happy about that prospect, which made her come to the conclusion that Kira may be perhaps lying. She'd ask Sage about the stairs in the morning. Rina was coming to the conclusion that living in the witches' house would take some getting used to.