deadly night shade 6

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The Gathering
Shade crept down the stairs after a long day spent with Windfire. He just had to get his shoes and leave. So far he hadn’t encountered any of her cousins as he reached the landing at the bottom of the steps. He slipped his foot into his shoes and froze when his acute ears sensed company.
Ravenwater and Shadowstorm were on the couch, reading. “Good evening,” Ravenwater said, trying not to laugh.
Shade blushed and turned around quickly, “Good evening Raven,” he said sheepishly. “Shadow.”
“None of our business,” she said, glancing up at Shade and answering his next question.
“You’re not going to kill me?” Shade asked, straightening his posture.
“Na, you both looked like you needed it,” Ravenwater said with a grin.
“Well, not what I expected,” Shade admitted.
“How’d you end up here anyhow, without a shirt?” Ravenwater placed a bookmark in his book and set it down, reaching for his tea instead.
Shade frowned, “Thanks for reminding me, I have two wannabe warlocks to kill. But anyway, I came home from the store found a note on the fridge about a sacrificial chamber in the basement and ran down, not believing in sacrifice myself. Windfire was to be the two idiots’ virgin sacrifice of a white witch.”
“They obviously don’t know you or her well at all,” Shadowstorm muttered.
“Tell me about it,” Shade said, rolling his eyes. “So, didn’t want to risk her safety in case they drugged her, gave her my shirt because they dressed her in a skimpy white gown and she didn’t want a warlock portal, one thing lead to another and I’m being bedded by the white witch.”
“You have Windfire your shirt but…” Shadowstorm motioned toward Windfire’s balled up panties in Shade’s hand.
“Revenge for her claiming my favorite shirt,” Shade said casually.
“Wow,” Ravenwater laughed.
“Anyway, see you later. I have two wannabe warlocks to slaughter for thinking about sacrificing Windy,” he blushed, trying to mask his emotions
“Good luck,” Shadowstorm said, shaking her head in disbelief.
After Shade had left Ravenwater turned to Shadowstorm, “He still loves her.”
“Oh, definitely,” she agreed, jumping back to the book she was previously engrossed in.
Shade glared at the two men who were sitting in the kitchen eating take out. “We left you some,” Rich said, handing shade a Styrofoam box and a pair of chopsticks.
Shade yanked the food from the offering hand and opened the box, picking the chicken from the rice. He didn’t even look down at the food, he continued staring at Rich and Roy.
“So, why are you shirtless?” Roy asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer to that.
“You were going to sacrifice Windfire as a virgin!” he growled.
“She’s not a virgin?” Rich asked slowly, playing dumb as best he could.
“I’ve had sex with her more times than you can count!” Shade said, almost throwing a bolt of darkness at the two men.
The two men exchanged glances before looking back toward Shade. “If we knew that…”
“You are so lucky I don’t believe in sacrifice or I’d slay you both on that evil altar you threw into my basement!”
“Why are you so mad?” Roy asked. “We would be doing you a favor by getting rid of a witch who foils your plans.”
“No, you’d be killing the only human I care about!” Shade found himself blushing deeply.
“So she’s the fiancé?” Rich teased.
Shade couldn’t counter the taunting that ensued. He knew how messed up his relationship was with Windfire. He was in love with the world’s most powerful white witch and she was in love with him. He was becoming a warlock who was corrupting his soul and trying to kill his beloved.
“Do you love her?” Rich asked.
“Or at least part of you?” Roy added as an afterthought for his friend.
Shade stood there speechless. He thought them as idiots and nothing more, and they knew the one thing he could rarely admit. “I’d die for her if warlocks could die.”
“We can die,” Roy muttered.
“What?” Shade asked.
“We have souls, still. That means we can die,” Rich cleared the vagueness of Roy’s words.
“So if you’re up for martyring your love,” Roy trailed his thought.
“Not martyring,” Shade replied. “You two idiots gave me an idea, though I don’t know how to execute it.”
“An idea?” Rich asked.
“Let us in on something and we’ll help you execute it. We’re not completely useless, you know,” Roy said quietly.
“How do you sacrifice a soul?” Shade asked.
“You can’t do that unless somebody dies,” Rich replied. “What are you thinking?” Rich’s tone grew to concerned as Shade’s smirk spread across his full lips.
“I’m going to do for her what I’ve been promising,” Shade said flatly.
“You’ve already had sex with her so what does that leave?” Roy asked, then dodged an elbow to the gut.
“You want in on my life? I don’t want to be evil. I swore a blood oath to Windfire’s coven and if I break that oath I will die, then my efforts would be in vain. I am compelled to protect Windfire despite the warlock in my head who wants her to die. She is my life and my love and I am possibly going to kill her if I even slip for a second,” Shade dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
“Master…” Rich shook his head, not expecting any of that to come from Shade.
“Stop calling me master. You’re probably going to want to look into a warlock that isn’t going to kill his soul,” Shade sobbed.
“You’re the only human to survive the transformation. That’s why we sought you,” Roy explained.
“You’re not warlocks, you’re humans. Why are you following me?” Shade asked as he ran his fingers through his luscious, messy black hair.
“Dark magic is way cooler than Satanism,” Rich said with a grin.
Shade laughed, “You might be better off picking a religion that doesn’t put you through hell.”
“Meh, if you want to be a grey witch, so be it! We will too,” Roy said enthusiastically.
“Fine,” Shade sighed, knowing he’d never get rid of the two men no matter what he argued.
Windfire walked out of the office at noon and looked up at the sky. “When did it get cloudy?” she asked herself, noting the grey clouds that were hanging rather low to the ground.
“Looks like rain,” an older man said with a nod.
“Indeed,” Windfire agreed. She started down the sidewalk and frowned as she tried pushing through the lunch hour crowds. Since her and Shade’s talk and sexual encounter she felt lighter, happier.
“Great,” Shade glared up at the sky, his followers mirroring him.
“That isn’t a rain cloud,” Rich said darkly.
“I know,” Shade replied. He glanced over at the street sign and smiled, “Windy works near here and should be getting off for lunch soon.”
“If we’re going to be third ad fourth wheels…” Roy started, but Shade shook his head.
“She might like the company,” Shade said dreamily. Since the night before he was lighthearted and much more romantic. “Come on.” Shade darted down the sidewalk.
“He’s coming up with an excuse to save her,” Rich realized before he broke into a run.
“We have to have an awkward time…” Roy said to himself since Rich and Shade were too far ahead to hear him.
“Got an umbrella?” Windfire asked from behind Shade.
He turned around with a bright eyed smile, “We don’t need one.”
“Stalking me?” she asked as she approached him.
“Something like that,” Shade replied, taking her hand. “Do you have a lunch date?”
“Nope I was just going to grab some coffee and get back to the office,” Windfire whispered.
“Master, are you a track star moonlighting as a warlock?” Rich huffed as he nearly collapsed beside Shade and Windfire.
“Nope, just more fit than you,” Shade said quickly.
“How did you do that?” Roy asked, actually collapsing to the ground.
“Uh, friends of yours?” Windfire asked, remembering that Shade didn’t know that she’d met them.
“Surely you remember the idiots who wanted to sacrifice you,” Shade said, glaring down at them.
“I remember them, I just doubted they’d be alive,” she said honestly.
“They’re warlocks, they can’t die, unfortunately,” Shade said darkly.
Windfire looked again at the sky when she heard a crack of thunder. “I’m pretty sure we’ll need an umbrella or will have to run.”
“That’s really why I came,” Shade started, frowning at the sky.
“Okay?” Windfire raised her eyebrows questioningly.
“Don’t tell me in your human life you forget to see things how they really are,” Shade begged.
“What they really are?” Windfire asked.
“It’s a horde of demons,” Roy said from the ground. “They’re trying to break through to the mortal plane.”
“What?” Windfire panicked, looking again at the ominous clouds. She tried to focus entirely on the aura the clouds were giving off, but the crowded city streets made that impossible. “I can’t feel anything.”
“Damn humans,” Shade growled. “Look, trust me, we’ve got to find a way to prevent this.”
“Wait, prevent this?” Windfire asked, remembering Shade’s streak of summoning demons in order to protect her.
“Did you hear the word horde?” Rich huffed. “Not one or two. This is going to be a full on invasion of demons.”
“Invasion…” Windfire couldn’t grasp the concept.
“Unless we can get to your tome to stop this,” Shade said quickly.
“You’re the proud owner of the Grimoire of the Soulless,” she pointed out.
“Do you think warlocks in most cases want to get rid of demons or stop them from invading?” Shade asked. “There’s no way there’s a prevention ward in my book.”
“That means we’d have to go to my house,” she realized.
“To an alley, we’ll teleport,” Roy suggested, pointing to an alley.
“It looks like it’s just going to be rain,” Windfire muttered, not taking her eyes from the quickly darkening skies.
“Just trust me?” Shade pleaded.
“Alright,” she agreed and smiled at the warlock she was in love with. Shade quickly took her hand and led her and his two acolytes into the ally. A loud crash of thunder made them all flinch. “Damn thunder…” she muttered.
“That wasn’t thunder,” Shade said as his eyes glistened with concern.
“W-what?” Windfire whispered.
“That was the barrier between the two worlds shattering,” Rich muttered.
“Barrier? What?” Windfire asked, but stopped her next question when a gaunt black creature with long ears stepped into the alley way.
“It’s an imp,” Roy explained. He threw a silver rune at the creature and its high pitched shriek was heard as it took its new life in the stone.
“What did you do?” Windfire asked, boggled.
“It’s my new familiar,” Roy grinned.
“Enough talk, the barrier broke and the eight most powerful people in the world need to come up with a plan,” Shade urged, pulling them into a circle.
They found themselves on Windfire’s porch. Windfire opened the door, letting the men in behind her. Ravenwater had just gotten back from his shift at the restaurant and was staring wide-eyed at the news broadcasting.
“Raven…” Windfire started, and her cousin turned toward her, “We have to act as soon as possible. We may have the only way to prevent—”
Ravenwater cut her off, “There are demons everywhere. They’re killing innocent humans.”
“We know, and we’re here to help,” Shade said coolly.
“How are three summoners going to help us?” Ravenwater asked.
“Well, we can start by finding out all which types of demons we’re facing. We’ve confirmed imps. Did you ever recognize anything else maybe from the Book of Shadows?” Windfire said in one breath.
“Some trolls, some dragons, I’ve seen the imps, some orcs, ogres, giants, Shapeshifters, and some dark elementalists,” Ravenwater’s tone was grim.
“Where are the others?” Shade demanded.
“They have human lives, you know,” Ravenwater said quietly.
“I see this, but if any of you die the entire world is screwed,” Shade retorted.
Ravenwater stared long and hard at the warlock before managing a smile, “You don’t have to act like you’re trying to be good.”
“Act?” Shade repeated.
“You are good, Deadly Night Shade. Your inner self is going through turmoil and you will resolve it,” Ravenwater said with a smile.
“Let’s stop talking about me and get to your cousins. We don’t have a lot of time. Do you know where they are?” Shade said too calmly for his usual self.
“Frostgem had to go to a conference meeting at the school she teaches at. Shadowstorm is at the library finishing her shift. Emberstrike should be getting home from the store at any second,” Ravenwater recalled their discussion of plans for the day that took place at breakfast.
“Alright, let’s wait for Emberstrike and stay together,” Windfire said quietly.
“Alright, when she’s home we’ll need to grab the other two girls,” Shade nodded, taking a seat on the couch.
“Book of Shadows,” Rich snapped his fingers and pointed at Windfire.
“Right,” she nodded and darted up the stairs. She grabbed her laptop bag and threw the giant encyclopedia of magic into the bag and darted back down the stairs.
The men had all moved into the kitchen where coffee was brewing. Windfire came in and took a seat on Shade’s lap, letting him protectively wrap his hands around her.
“Gah, where is Silverwolf when you need her?” Ravenwater asked, messing up his short black hair. “She’d know what to do!”
“Silverwolf?” Roy asked.
“Our grandmother who handed the coven down to Windfire. Who are you guys anyway?” Ravenwater asked, not recognizing the two men.
“Rich and Roy, the two idiots who won’t leave me alone. I don’t know which is which,” Shade said with a shrug.
“Warlocks wannabes?” Ravenwater guessed, smiling.
Shade returned the smile, “That they are.”
“We love you, master!” Rich and Roy cheered, hugging Shade who pushed them off of him.
“If you’re not the white witch on my lap, don’t touch me,” Shade glared. He heard the whispering of the warlock in his mind as he leaned forward, hugging Windfire tightly.
“Kill her. Say it was a demon and you got there too late,” the warlock hissed.
Shade wished at that moment that he could glare at the warlock he was at constant war with. He wasn’t going to kill her, and never again would the warlock have control of his body and mind. He swore that on his own life.
“Okay, three black auras, Windy? Now you and Shade are just getting kinky,” Emberstrike called from the living room.
Shade blinked in confusion a few times, “What the hell does she think we’re doing? Or who?”
Ravenwater was laughing hysterically from the kitchen. As Emberstrike walked into the room she asked, “What’s so fun…oh they’re down here and they heard me…”
“Long time no talk,” Shade said with a smirk.
“What are you doing here? And who the hell are they?” Emberstrike asked, suddenly expecting the worst.
“If you haven’t noticed, demons are crossing over in large numbers,” Shade said in a tone more sarcastic than he intended.
“What is he talking about?” Emberstrike asked, looking around for confirmation that Shade wasn’t just insane.
“We’re Rich and Roy,” Rich motioned toward himself and his friend, “The loyal servants of Master Shade.”
“You have cheerleaders now?” Emberstrike asked condescendingly.
Shade threw his hands into the air in front of him, showing no signs of threat, “They won’t leave me alone, so I figure that we should use their immortality to our advantage.”
“So, are we going to get Frostgem and Shadowstorm?” Ravenwater asked.
“Yes, let’s go,” Roy said enthusiastically.
“Wait, why are we gathering everybody?” Emberstrike asked, eyeing the odd combination that sat in front of her.
“The five most powerful witches are probably the best hope of the world, no?” Rich asked.
“Wait, what?” Emberstrike stopped and stared at the group.
“Bring her with us and explain everything to her while we get Shadowstorm,” Windfire ordered Rich.
“Yes, Mistress!” Rich saluted her with a grin.
“Mistress?”
“If I have to deal with Master as a title, you get Mistress.”Shade said flatly as he opened a portal to the town’s library where Shadowstorm worked as a bookkeeper.
Shadowstorm nearly had a heart attack when Windfire stepped from out of nowhere in front of her desk. Following Windfire was Shade, Emberstrike, Rich, Roy and Ravenwater.
“What the…” Shadowstorm wiped her eyes, hoping she was hallucinating from not sleeping too well.
“Look, we need you to come with us and not ask questions, shade said quickly.
“Who died and made a warlock my Sorsha?” Shadowstorm retorted to Shade’s haste without explanation.
“Don’t start, just come with us,” Windfire said, rolling her eyes.
“Fine, but I’m not being nice,” Shadowstorm growled.
“I have a sharp tongue too,” Shade replied.
“That’s because it’s forked,” Ravenwater blurted out.
Shade glared at Ravenwater before sighing, “Where is Frosty’s school?”
“Just down the road,” Emberstrike whispered.
“Alright,” Shade said, closing his eyes. He focused his energy on a white aura, since all true white witches wore one with pride. He found it and his obsidian eyes shot open, his black aura creating a portal for them to step through.
“That was cool,” Shadowstorm nodded in approval.
“Yup,” Shade said, ushering everybody into the portal, him going in right after Windfire.
They arrived in a dark room. “What’s going on?” Ravenwater asked.
“Nothing,” Shade muttered, lighting the tip of his fingertips with orbs of light, giving them dim lighting. “We’re in a closet.”
“Great aim,” Shadowstorm muttered.
“Okay, you make an accurate portal! Go, black magic is soooo easy,” Shade said quickly, indignantly.
“Calm down, Night Shade,” Windfire said as she opened the door. Lucky for them there wasn’t anybody in the hall they were in. “Wow.” She said, grinning.
“What?” Ravenwater asked as he stumbled from the crowded closet.
“Look at this place. I knew it was an academy, but wow,” Windfire said, wide-eyed.
“Huh, you guys must be loaded,” Rich muttered, looking around at the fancy structure of the school.
“Just Frosty’s bank account,” Emberstrike said sheepishly.
“Damn,” Roy muttered.
“Who are Tweedle Stupid and Twiddle Idiot?” Shadowstorm asked, pointing to Roy and Rich.
“The every loyal servants of Master Deadly Night Shade!” Roy and Rich cheered again.
Shade shrugged, rolling his eyes, “Don’t ask. That is my curse for bad karma, I suppose.”
Frostgem walked out of an office dressed in a dark blue three piece suit with a golden tie. She looked very professional and businesslike.
“Thank you very much,” Frostgem said with a smile before closing the door behind her.
“Good day,” Windfire said from behind her cousin startling her.
“W-what are you doing here? And you and you, and you, especially you and who the hell are they?” Frostgem asked, recovering from her near shock.
“We’re all here for the same reason.” Ravenwater said quietly.
“And they’re Tweedle Stupid and Tweedle Idiot, my forced upon me cheerleaders,” Shade said with a frown.
“We have names and feelings, you know,” Rich whined.
Frostgem shook her head of black wavy hair, “Alright, why are you bothering me at work?”
“Witch emergency,” Emberstrike muttered.
“Let’s go,” Frostgem hissed, trying to not be heard by the rest of the staff.

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deadly night shade 8