Thank you to all who have read until the end. A special shout out to Chris C. for the steady encouragement, and if there is to be a sequel to Coven in the distant future, it's due to him. :D It thrills me to pieces to know that even one person enjoyed a story I wrote so long ago, let alone all of those that have written me. You all keep me writing.
This may be the end of this story, but there is certain to be more in the future. If you'd like to get an email about my upcoming works, let me know at: willowlemon@outlook.com
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
About every three weeks, Kemper and Veronica rode bicycles down to the art supply store to stock up on necessities, unless there was an emergency. Like the time Veronica had run out of yellow using over five tubes paining a sunset over the golden plains. So, they had to make an urgent trip to town, but it had been worth it seeing her finished product. But today was a normal visit.
The owners of the art boutique made Veronica top priority when they came in. Tourists were always perusing the local artwork or picking up art sets having been inspired by the glorious scenery. Kemper would run a few errands close by, never needing much because Angela kept them well stocked of everything.
This morning's ride was especially nice. The rains from last night had cooled off the island leaving a fresh, clean scent in the air. The journey took only ten minutes and came with a seascape view.
They were riding side by side, not saying much, just breathing in the splendid morning. The opposite side of the road was lined with palm trees. A sharp wind caused the enormous palms to rustle loudly drawing Veronica's attention up. She noticed the foliage of one tree starting to droop, slowly at first then more drastically.
By the time Veronica realized the tree was falling, it was too late. She had no time to yell a warning to Kemper as the impact of the cycle colliding with the palm threw her over the handlebars. Feeling the sting of her flesh opening as she landed on her shoulder onto the black top road, she cried out. The slope and her velocity caused her to roll three times over before skidding to a halt, then dropping her head heavily as she passed out.
Carlo had slept in late that morning and had missed everyone at breakfast. He scuffled into the kitchen yawning. Just about to scoop hash browns on his plate, when his insides twisted making him drop the plate instead, causing it to shatter over the tile floor.
Regaining his composer, he ran to the side door and out of it. "Kemper!" Carlo let him know he was coming. He began running up the road, pumping his legs until it felt as if his heart would burst.
Finding the mangled bikes and fallen tree Carlo began screaming, "Kemper! Ronnie! Where are you?" Kemper was nowhere to be found, but he discovered Veronica on the side of the road. Carlo knelt at her side, concerned by the amount of blood on her body.
"Ronnie, can you hear me?" he attempted to rouse her, but her eyes only fluttered open for a moment before succumbing back to unconsciousness. Placing his hands tenderly on either side of Veronica's head, Carlo spoke:
"Whitest, purest, healing light,
surround thine power,
to those who lack it!"
He felt a severe drain on himself as some of his strength transferred to Veronica. Carlo watched in amazed awe as Veronica's wounds on her arms and legs began to lessen their irritated crimson color, melting back into her flesh as if never there in the first place.
Veronica blinked her eyes open to see Carlo breathing heavily above her. "What's going on?" she hoarsely whispered.
"You were in an accident," he began catching his breath. "Do you know where Kemper is?" Carlo was praying Veronica knew the answer that held Kemper's safekeeping.
"He was with me." Veronica sat up in alarm, feeling the momentary blackness that came with a head rush.
"Take it easy."
Veronica gradually looked around her surroundings, confirming Kemper's absence. Her scan stopped on the contorted cycles, laying almost adjacent to one another. "He should be here."
Panic tried to well up with the tears in his eyes, but Carlo pushed both back to wherever they came from wanting only to locate Kemper. Carlo stood from where he was seated alongside Veronica.
"Look here." Carlo had found where Kemper had landed after the crash. There was blood on the road and a pair of sunglasses that were scuffed and twisted. He bent, lightly fingering the blood and picking up the glasses.
"I can't feel him at all! Where is he?" Tears began flowing down Veronica's face.
"This tree appears to have just snapped." Carlo was inspecting the jagged edge of the trunk. "But it is not dying and still fairly young. There's no reason for this tree to fall. I know what caused this palm to break though."
"What?" Veronica asked
"Monique!"
"I can't believe I'm such an idiot! This is entirely my fault! I just assumed that Monique would attack at the house because she always had before. I should have been prepared. I should have known!" Carlo ran his fingers through his hair, shaking his head over and over furthering the rant in his mind.
"Carlo, we all thought that. Stop being so hard on yourself. It's not going to help get Kemper back, is it? I'm angry as hell, too. How dare Monique do this! We have to get him back." Veronica rose from the couch and began pacing around Carlo and Kemper's bedroom. She had aimed at making Carlo calmer, but only accomplished working herself up.
Just then, Angela let out a blood-curdling scream from downstairs. Carlo and Veronica bolted to the stairs, running down the spiral case as fast as possible. They discovered Angela with a stack of towels jumbled at her feet and both hands covering her mouth. Following her terrified gaze to one of the glass walls surrounding the pool. Dripping with blood, scarlet words read, "YOUR LIFE FOR HIS!"
The pain on the side of his head is what woke him. Kemper gingerly fingered the large knot on the right side of his head. He sat up little by little, feeling the tremendous pain covering the whole of his body. Opening his eyes, it was hard to make anything out because his vision was blurry. And red.
Kemper looked above him and saw a single red bulb shinning. "Where the fuck am I?" Accessing his environment, Kemper decided he was in a closet. The room was four by six. The clothing poles, carpet and baseboards had been removed. Kemper drew in deep breaths endeavoring to remain composed and withstand the urge succumb to the fear enveloping him.
The throbbing brought him back to the pain wrenching his entire body. He had scrapes and cuts on his arms, legs, back, and face. His wounds were untreated, but Kemper found a box of necessities next to the door with no knob. The cardboard box held a liter of bottled water, peroxide, gaze, tape, and a sleeve of saltine crackers. He guessed the bowl in the corner was to be his toilet. Knowing his injuries needed to be taken care of, he began cleaning them, resisting the impulse to use his last ounce of energy to try and get out of there. And he knew that he didn't have enough stamina to conjure an instant healing charm, so Kemper tended to his wounds the old-fashioned way. The ruby light made it complicated to see, leaving Kemper to find the bits of gravel in his cuts by feeling around for them. It was an agonizing process.
There still had been no noise from the other side of his jail door. He had no sense of either Carlo or Veronica at all. The only presence he felt could only be compared to an icy finger trailing along his spine. It was evil. That alone led him to believe Monique was his jailer.
Kemper had disinfected and bandaged his gashes as best he could. He decided the best course of action at the moment was to get well. Weak and hurting was no condition to be in if he wanted to get out of this cell. So, he curled up on the concrete floor and enveloped himself in white light and drifted into sleep.
They sent Angela home with a week off, guaranteeing her everything would be taken care of and okay. This was the most worrisome act to have occurred, but she loved them and had learned not to ask questions.
The message had disappeared ten minutes later. Carlo and Veronica sat in the living room struggling to think of anything to do to rescue their family. "Carlo, I just wanted to say thank you for whatever you did up on the hill. I should have been really banged up after an accident that severe, and by the weariness on your face, I can tell you must have cast an instant healing charm. I really appreciate it, more than I can say." Veronica smiled at him aiming to convey her thanks. "And don't worry, I know we'll find him and bring Kemper home safe. I'd stake my life on it."
Carlo took a deep breath and thought for a moment. "I certainly hope you're right. And it isn't necessary to thank me, we're kin right?"
"You really do look exhausted Carlo. Please go and try to get some rest. I'll search through the spell book and see what I can come up with. I'll wake you when I think I've got something and we can go over it."
Carlo knew that rest was an impossibility, but he told her yes to appease her. Veronica went to her room with the leather bound spell book and Carlo retired to he and Kemper's suite. He removed his soiled clothes and considered lying down, but seeing Kemper's empty pillow, Carlo turned to the shower instead.
He should have never left Kemper's side until this conflict was all over and done with. Carlo was having a challenging time not blaming himself. He was the protector. What Carlo needed to be focusing on was putting his talents and energy toward rescuing Kemper, but he found himself lost every time he attempted to contrive a plan.
Without Kemper completing their circle, his finite energy was incomplete. That's what made the three of them a great coven. Veronica is the timekeeper, Kemper wrote the spells, and Carlo made certain they had everything needed for the rituals. Since the invocation, Carlo gathered and laid out all the necessities every ceremony. As such, he had also taken over the herb garden and was always drying spicy bundles and brewing potions.
Without Kemper, Carlo couldn't seem to form a complete thought. It may also be due to the vast amount of power he used curing Veronica earlier. He didn't want to rest, but he knew that soon he wouldn't have a choice. He felt as though drifting to sleep standing under the spraying heads would be extremely easy.
Getting out of the steaming stall, Carlo finally gave into the notion of getting some rest that Veronica had suggested. Still not being able to face the bed without Kemper, he curled up on the couch, pulling a velvet throw over himself. He yawned loudly, covering his mouth. For now, he would have to accept the only feat he could take on was to make himself resilient because he would stop at nothing to return Kemper back home to him.
And as Carlo slept, he had a strange dream. He dreamt of Kemper. Carlo found him lying in the fetal position in a room full of red light. Touching him to shake him awake, Carlo found that Kemper was cold.
Kemper's eyes opened, sleepily gazing up at him. "Please hold me," he barely whispered.
Carlo lay next to Kemper, spooning him, and making him warm as they slept together.
Veronica retired to her bedroom with the coven spell book. Lying the tome open on the bed, she began to skim through it. Kemper had written over one hundred spells so far. With Carlo living here he had taken care of a lot of everyday tasks with the business, giving Kemper free time to work on his craft, and teach Veronica many incantations as well. It had made sense for Carlo to help out with Aroma Essentials in many different ways. He was more than qualified and was always fresh with innovative ideas. Besides, he was always monopolizing the study maintaining his online catalogue, his own business venture.
It was baffling her that she had managed to remain calm through this ordeal. Veronica had kept her head in this stressful situation and as a result was achieving a new level of clarity. She wanted to grieve Kemper's disappearance, but Veronica knew it was her turn to save Kemper, repay him for the numerous times he had done it for her.
She came across a spell for astral projection and an idea began to form in her mind. Veronica flipped to the next blank page and began writing a new spell.
The wind was fierce that evening. So once Carlo and Veronica had performed the opening rite, they adjusted the stiff breeze to scarcely a blow within their security dome.
As they began to get ready, Carlo and Veronica stared at each other briefly, giving each other courage because they knew how complex this rescue would be. "We're going to get him back, Carlo," Veronica reassured him once again seeing the worry of love visualized in his eyes.
Carlo began chanting. He was chanting a lyric derived from an assortment of Native American languages. The intonation's meaning was: Mother of the Earth, thank you for granting peace and power to those who are loyal.
As Carlo did this, Veronica bent and unlatched a wooden chest at her feet. She removed four quartz crystal pillars. The crystals were four inches wide and five inches long with one end coming to a point. The crystals were luminous they were so transparent. Veronica positioned each huge piece of crystal in each corner of an imaginary square surrounding them. She then placed Kemper's crystalline wand in the center as the crux of their energy conductor.
Holding hands, they stood over the scepter. Carlo ended his chant and joined Veronica, beginning to speak:
"Mother Earth, keeper of all living things,
We acknowledge your Spirit.
Connect us with the Earth.
Pray give us strength from your core."
Carlo and Veronica griped their hands tighter as an imperceptible power came from beneath them, nearly knocking their feet out from under them. Their blood felt as if it began to boil. They watched as each other's face became flushed with deep scarlet in their cheeks. Neither of them was uncomfortable or perspiring despite the fact they were incandescent. Carlo and Veronica spoke again:
"Mother Earth, Keeper of all living things.
Thank you for your blessing of strength.
Our Spirits are willing,
Pray take us to our companion in peril!"
The pair embraced tightly. Veronica thought she saw the stout crystals glimmer, but she forgot about them when she realized she and Carlo were beginning to vanish.
When Kemper woke, he wondered how long he had been asleep. With no window there was no semblance of night or day. He removed the bandage covering the laceration on his wrist, one of the worst of his injuries, and it was mostly healed. His healing sleep spell had been the ticket. Kemper was able to rest and rejuvenate while curing his wounds. It did take time, but it was time he had to take.
He accessed the rest of his abrasions. Most no longer required bandages and the bump on his head was gone. Kemper stood slowly stretching out his tight muscles and kinks from sleeping on the floor. Sitting back on the cold concrete, Kemper rubbed his eyes. This red light was incredibly unpleasant, to say the least.
Concentrating as hard as he could, Kemper attempted to contact Carlo and Veronica again, but he just felt blocked. He made an effort to ascertain where he was-what city, what country? Same unsuccessful result. What about inside this structure outside this room? Still nothing.
He stood once again, facing the handle less door, searching his brain for spells to aid with the locked exit.
"Lupicou!" Kemper pointed his finger at the door using it as his wand. But that charm necessitated a scepter, so the jail door remained solid.
Kemper then put his hands in front of his chest and pushed a force forward. He felt the energy leave his hands and saw a lavender light push towards the door, but when the cogency hit the barrier, he watched it burst in every direction. There appeared to be a force field around his cell, unable to be penetrated by his sorcery.
This was disconcerting. Kemper returned to the hard floor, leaning against the wall. Monique had thought of everything. He hoped Carlo and Veronica could think of something because discouragement began to wrap around him, seeming to comfort, but it only made him nauseous.
Kemper was eyeing the crackers questioning if they were safe to eat, when Carlo and Veronica instantly appeared. They went from lucent to standing right in front of him in seconds.
"Ronnie!" Kemper lunged at her, who helped him up off the floor. "Carlo! How are you here?"
"We have to hurry." Carlo was looking at the door.
Then from outside, a loud shrill scream sounded. "Nooooo!"
Carlo and Veronica sandwiched Kemper between them and in unison spoke:
"Pray take us back to the source!"
The three of them watched as the door ripped from its frame, hurling toward them and missed them as they dissipated into thin air.
When they arrived back on the beach they stepped back from Kemper giving him some air. "Are you okay?" Veronica asked him, holding him at arm's length.
"Grateful to be back home! Thank you so much for rescuing me; I love you!" Kemper hugged his them both again managing to include a kiss from Carlo in the group embrace.
"You don't have to thank us. You would have done the same for us. God, I'm so relieved that you're here!" Carlo pulled back from the hug as he spoke, face turning toward the sky. Despite the earlier incantation to control their climate, the wind started whipping around their heads. "I thought we fixed that?"
"We did," Veronica agreed.
Kemper released Veronica, looking up at the sky as well and said, "Monique is coming."
"Monique is here!"
The coven turned and there stood Monique only five feet away. She was evil and beautiful. She stood in a firm stance upon the sand. She wore a black corset and balloon skirt. Her fiery red hair was flying around in the torrent wind as if she had arrived on that gust.
Though the gust had been robust, the torches lit along the beach remained, giving a full view of her face. Monique was indeed beautiful, but her face was drawn and there were dark circles under her eyes. The wickedness in her life had taken its toll. In her right hand she held a knotted wood scepter a topped with a massive obsidian stone.
Before any of them could react, Monique punched her rod forward, exclaiming, "Surgo!" A circle of light came from the stone knocking them from their feet, landing in a spray of sand on the beach.
"I'm tired of playing fair," Monique's voice sounded distorted and rough. "Why do you keep fighting me? You only make matters worse for yourselves!" With Monique's growing anger, so did her power. Her feet little by little left the sand as she began to levitate, stopping five feet above the strand. "You belong to me!" She pointed her staff at Carlo and a shaft of greenish light struck him in the chest. The beam stayed constant creating an orb around him. Lifting him off the ground, she brought him closer to her.
Kemper viewed the scene around him, feeling helpless. The sphere must be keeping him frozen because Carlo wasn't moving. Kemper began looking around for anything to help him save his love. By his feet sat his wand.
Monique had all her attention on the ensnared Carlo. Kemper quickly lunged for his crystal rod. Coming to his knees, he looked up to see Carlo and Monique beginning to fade away.
Kemper's heart stopped. He was about to lose him and he panicked. "No!" Kemper pointed his wand at them and screamed. It wasn't a spell, but it was out of love so his cry did disrupt their travel. The captive and captured fell with a dull thud to the ground, both lying on their back.
Veronica and Kemper took off to Carlo's side, mirroring each other's thoughts. Each taking an arm, they drug him away from where Monique was currently lying. Carlo, beginning to get his bearings, gradually sitting up, putting a hand to his lower back.
Noticing that Monique was rousing as well, Kemper stood in front of his fiancé, his wand firmly in hand. He wasn't panicked, he was fuming. This crazed, psychotic woman had harassed Carlo long enough. They would no longer live in fear of what she would do next. No more would Monique have power over them.
"Monique!" Carlo's ex-wife sat up too fast having to place a palm to her forehead, but Monique's dead eyes remained fixed on Kemper. "You will not win," Kemper's voice rang clear across the crisp night air. "Our love is pure and untainted from selfish desires. You cannot match it!" The wind stopped blowing. The wooded area that surrounded the house and beach were silent. Even the crashing of the waves hushed to a murmur. "You may leave from this place and never come back."
Monique stared at Kemper with cold eyes. A sick looking grin slithered over her lips as her mouth opened to let out a monsterish laugh. She bent at the waist as her guffaw turned into a roar.
The coven glanced at one another wondering at Monique's hysterical laughter. If Monique had not been impressed by their influence yet, she soon would be.
As her laughter subsided, Monique slowly stood, smoothing her skirt and hair. "Surgo!" Monique commanded pointing her withe at Kemper, attempting to catch him off guard again.
Kemper stood his ground. Thrusting his fist in front of him, with his wand firmly held in it. He absorbed the force, causing Kemper to vibrate and tingle from it, only needing to take a short step back to steady himself.
Monique stood slack jawed. The disbelief in her muted green eyes was obvious. Regaining her composure quickly, she changed her stance. Monique squatted down low making a scooping gesture with her arms. When her imaginary ladle reached her waist, Monique popped her arms throwing her force toward them.
A wall of sand seven feet tall started closing in on the group. Kemper glanced behind him making sure the others were nearby. "Protectus aegis egis!" Kemper lifted his scepter overhead. Nothing happened, but Kemper stayed posed.
Veronica let out a cry as the wall crashed down upon them. The sand fell around a lucent shield. The granules spilling down the sides showed the outline of a bubble surrounding the coven. Kemper couldn't help the self-assured smile that spread over his face.
Frustration flashed in Monique's eyes, but not losing a moment she raised her staff in the air.
Kemper decided he was no longer playing defense. "Tortamque durantay!" Monique went flying head over heels through the air as Kemper's command struck her, landing ten feet behind where she began, in the surf, soaking her in salty ocean water.
Carlo and Veronica stood next to him, studying Monique. She lay absolutely immobile on the edge of the water, waves lapping at her skirt. The three knew that Monique was not harmed; just unconscious, because when they listened closely they could hear her heart beating.
Monique stirred. Unhurriedly rolling onto her side, she half crawled, half drug herself from the shore. Carlo took his place a few feet up the beach to Kemper's right. Veronica did the same, standing to Kemper's left. Monique gradually made it upright. She looked at them through the wet hair clinging to her face.
"You may leave this place and never return," Kemper gave her permission in a booming voice.
"Please, Monique, go! Go and leave us alone and begin a new life." Carlo continued to plead with her, knowing full well what the outcome of this standoff would come to.
Screaming hysterically, she told them, "You will never win because I will never give up! You'll have to kill me first!" The friends looked at each other sorrowfully.
Three measures bring upon spells: Motion, thought, or word. Monique began doing all three as rapidly as she could. Spitting out spells and charms one after another, over and over again.
Carlo, Kemper, and Veronica each had a tranquility wash over them. Rinsing them clean of all disruptive emotions, fear, resentment, revenge, and left only love, the love that connected them together. The three stood as one, not needing to read each other's thoughts because they thought in unity. Speaking, "Protectus aegis egis," together without even glancing at one another, they were fortified from Monique's curses.
But to no avail, Monique would not stop her mission. The ground began to rumble, a tree splintered and fell to the beach close to them.
"Hurakan!" They spoke in accord. The torches encircling the strand grew, casting massive hazy shadows across the beach.
"Hurakan,
Bringer of storms of the sea and powerful energy.
God of the ocean winds-
We call on you.
We turn to you for protection.
Give us fire from your own hands to ours.
Pray do not let us be destroyed!"
Black-gray menacing clouds rolled in with speed. An angry roar in the clouds came before the bright flashes started streaking across the covered sky. A gigantic clap of thunder resounded in the air as enormous drops started falling, splashing down their shields and keeping Monique soaking, looking like a drowned cat.
Monique had not noticed the coven's incantation, busy spewing her sorcery like a pot boiling over. With the growing storm she turned her eyes upward, though. A bolt of lightning struck at Monique's feet causing her to be thrown back once again. No matter how many times Monique was knocked off her feet, she never lost her ironclad grasp on her scepter.
The witch never gave up. Monique stood again at a snail-like pace. She stood for what felt like an eternity. The threesome struggled to search her mind for any hint of either surrender or battle, but Monique kept herself guarded.
Monique then began chanting, lifting her arms in the air. Her words were lost on the swirling wind and in the pounding rain. A muddy green color began to encase her as she once again began to rise up from the shore. Lightning struck out over the ocean. Then another bolt nearby on the beach. Monique continued her evil mantra, ascending higher.
With downcast hearts and regret filling their eyes, Carlo, Kemper, and Veronica turned and faced the house. They turned their backs on Monique, the sea, and the scene to come. They heard the boom of thunder echoing in the stormy sky, but they didn't see the lightning that shot out of the bluster and pierced Monique through the heart. They didn't see her body turn into pure energy and scatter across the sea, land, and sky, then dissipate becoming one with the Source.
The coven turned back toward the deep. Kemper had to tell himself that he wasn't dreaming, that this time it was real. He gazed out at his dream turned reality, of Carlo and Veronica at his side, and of a glowing ocean. The rain had stopped and the angry clouds rolled away. The luminescent water cast light over the beach; it was the most striking scene any of them had ever witnessed. The coven stared out at the water, not speaking. Each caught up in their own thoughts of what had passed and knowing that this war was finally over.
EPILOGUE
Six months later found the group of soul mates under a large arbor covered with white and pink roses and the sun shining down on them. Carlo and Kemper were standing in front of one another, holding hands. Veronica was positioned at Kemper's side, Cody next to Carlo.
Cody had come into their lives not long after the confrontation with Monique. Veronica met him at the art supply store. He was an artist as well and had moved to Cat Island to paint. Veronica and Cody had hit it off from the beginning. They looked like the perfect couple as well. Both were blonde, tan, tall, and gorgeous. Carlo and Kemper had loved him from the moment they met.
The only point that really mattered was when Veronica had confided to Kemper while helping him with the bowtie Kemper was to wear that day. Veronica said it almost at a whisper as if scared of speaking it out loud, "I think I'm falling in love." That's all Kemper needed to hear because he knew how difficult loving someone that way again would be for Veronica.
"I'm so happy for you, Ronnie!" Kemper squeezed his best friend's hand. "You deserve to be content, and you will be. Your trying times are behind you."
"Okay Madame Charity, are you reading my future?" They laughed remembering the clairvoyant and feeling like a lifetime had passed since then.
Veronica glanced over at Cody standing next to Carlo and he was looking at her. Her stomach did a flip-flop when he smiled, showing that dimple of his. After he gave her a quick wink, she turned her attention back to Carlo and Kemper who began their vows.
Moving Kemper's ring to his left hand, he said, "I, Carlo, take thee Kemper..."
The commercial had turned out wonderfully and had been crowned a complete success. Chuck sometimes poked fun at Kemper, trying to get him to say how he and Dennis did it.
Carlo was still assisting him with the business, but he was looking into opening an art gallery showing Cody and Veronica's work with others he knew from London.
Later, when the newlyweds were dancing in the garden with the other wedding guests, Kemper had to look around him and smile. He had a business, a home, friends, and the love of his life by his side. He had found his soul mates and a power he could use for good.
He missed the dream that had ceased completely, but what the dream brought him was far better. Kemper looked into his husband's eyes, smiling wider. Carlo bent and kissed him, probably a little too passionately for public. He didn't care.
"I love you!" Kemper told him without uttering a word.
THE END