Working Title: A Witch Who Isn't a Witch

Author: Rachel Hunt

E-Mail: Deastra@aol.com

Rating: PG for now, but it may change in other chapters. I'm going with PG as the same rating as for the regular books, to give you an idea.

Summary: "Someone. Someone you'll never know. A witch who isn't a witch. We made our own alliance."

Disclaimer: Obviously I don't think I own it, considering it's in a section called 'L.J. Smith. Just a bit of logic there. I don't even own Roseclear! Even she belongs to Ms. Smith! But I have given her a life, a plot! …. Mwuhahaha.

Spoilers: The whole series, but especially Witchlight. Roseclear is from The Chosen, if you haven't read it say so in a review/e-mail and I'll work more of her background history somewhere.

A/N: Italics are thoughts.

*~~ Chapter One: Finding What She Needs ~~*

Roseclear looked around the alleyway with little interest. A human, or even average witch, wouldn't have been able to see the door, not between the thick shadows and the dark violet sunglasses she wore. But of course, Roseclear Redfern Harman wasn't human, or an average witch.

She looked at the door again. Yes, she was fairly sure this was it. There was no knob, no sign, but there was something else, something that told her more than a sign would have. A black dahlia.

Behind her she could hear the noise of the crowded side street, just as loud as the Strip. It annoyed her. She sometimes missed the quiet of her young days. Reluctant to use a bit of energy/power to call to someone inside because she knew it would seem off to any witch that caught it, she knocked. The door opened and Roseclear stepped inside.

Looking around she saw all the things she'd expected, incense and crystals, herbs and a few books. A beaded curtain sectioned off another part of the room, a young man organized various colored candles on a display stand. Before her stood a young woman with masses of dark hair and a figure even more curvy than Roseclears own.

Roseclear smiled a small smile and said in her smooth voice, "Unity, Daughter of Hellewise. I'm-" Roseclear racked her brain for a name to give the girl. It had to be something old, to explain the power that she probably could feel on her, but not her true Harman. This girl would know the Harmans near her age—which Roseclear appeared to be. "Ria Arlin."

The girl nodded. "Unity, Daughter of Hellewise. I'm Blaise Harman." She looked at her narrowly. "I don't know you; you're not from around here?"

"No. I'm from… Boston. Originally."

"Hm. Well, is there anything I can help you find?" She smiled, a business predatory smile. Roseclear could feel the suspicion in her thoughts. No exact impression, but a general mistrust. She was glad she'd kept the glasses on.

"No thank you. I think I can find what I'm looking for on my own."

"Sure. If you need anything, Toby or I'll be around." She gestured to the boy now finishing arranging candles then went through the beaded curtain.

Roseclear looked around not moving anything but her acquisitive green eyes, naturally still. She started filtering through a wall of crystals and gems. She picked out amber and garnet, both good power enhancers, and two quartzes, one she would wear for clarity and one as a simple power stone. A small opal for luck and psychic vision, and lapis lazuli for communication.

She looked around the rest of the store, picking up items she was low on. A few candles. A silk pouch to keep the stones in. Orris root, thyme and rose for psychic powers and divination, then ginger for success and power. Many things for power… she would need lots of it, to do what she wanted a second time.

"BLAISE?!" Roseclear was about to go to the boy, Toby, to pay when a petite silvery rocket shot by. It was followed by a girl with long witchy black hair in sleek jumpsuit, and another that had mink hair and seemed tired with the whole thing. Whatever the whole thing was.

Blaise, looking like she might develop a twitch sometime soon, came back out through the curtain. "Yes, cousin dearest?" Her rich voice dripped enough insincere honey-sweetness to kill a bee.

The girl skidded to a halt in front of her. "I can't seem to find the willow."

Blaise scowled. "Why do you need willow?"

"Because! I want to see if I can find out who Nissa's true love or soulmate -or whatever- is!"

The girl with the short hair said in a cool voice, "Don't tell her."

Blaise's lips quirked up, looking tempted. Roseclear liked her already… she looked like the sort to enjoy trouble. "It's right over there by the red woman candles." Blaise gestured with a red-nailed finger.

The girl shouted upward as she went over to it, "Winnie! Blaise told me! I found it!"

A moment later a girl with frothy strawberry hair came in. By now Roseclear was leaning against a wall, watching the melodrama with amused cool blue eyes. The new girl went over to the silvery one, and they, giggling, picked through the pieces of willow bark.

Meanwhile the short-haired girl, whom Roseclear assumed was Nissa, was glaring at Blaise. She could now tell that the girl was a vampire, and the one in a black a shapeshifter of some sort. Neither of them looked very happy with Blaise.

"What?" Blaise said with impressive innocence. "I think it would be good for you to have a soul mate around, Nissa. Really. It might loosen you up a bit." Blaise turned to Roseclear, who was still leaning unobtrusively against a wall. "You find everything you need?"

The other four girls looked at Roseclear. It looked like they hadn't really noticed her presence yet, although she knew the shapeshifter had at least seen her. She had felt her gaze at one point.

"Yeah, I found what I needed." Or what I need for what I need… damn, even my thoughts don't make sense. Roseclear, her basket full, took it over to Blaise where she was standing by a cash register.

Blaise shot her a cautious glance as she tallied up the cost. "You have a lot of things for boosting power in here."

Roseclear shrugged. She ignored the little silver haired girl, the one that wanted the willow, who was now looking at her quizzically. She smiled. Her smile was friendly, open. "Unity. I'm Iliana." She held out a petite hand.

Roseclear wanted to raise an eyebrow. Instead she took the offered hand. "Unity. I'm Ro-" she caught herself just in time. "Ria Arlin."

The girl looked surprised. "Arlin? Then you must be a relative of Winnie's!"

Uh-oh.

"Iliana, what do you think of this for Thierry's Yule party?" The strawberry witch came over, holding out a bundle of flowers to Iliana. She sniffed the flowers, her violet eyes wide. Roseclear realized that she must be a Harman. Iliana Harman… why was that name familiar?

"They're perfect! Winnie, this is Ria, she's a relative of yours."

Oh…double uh-oh.

The frothy haired witch turned to her. "Unity. I'm Winfrith Arlin. Call me Winnie." She dimpled.

"Unity. Ria Arlin." This was supposed to be a quick shopping trip… I'm going to start thinking that really is my name soon.

Winnie looked thoughtful. "I don't remember a Ria… Where are you from?"

"Boston."

Winnie definitely looked surprised. "I didn't know there was any family in Boston!"

Damn damn damn. "Oh well haven't lived there… in a long time. Long, long time. You know. Actually, I've been living in… um, Europe." You used to be better at lying than this, girl!

The shapeshifter looked suspicious, and Blaise too. It was time to get going. "So, how much will that be?"

But Winnie was still talking to her. "Where are you staying? You're in town for Thierry's Yule party, right?"

Party? What party? It's Yule already?

"Of course she's going to Thierry's party. Every witch in the state is going, and all the other Daybreakers in the area too." The shapeshifter was looking at Roseclear though, with penetrating gray eyes.

Okay. I guess I am going. Doesn't look like there's a way out of it. Out loud she said, "Yeah, course I'm going. I actually moved here though… bought this big ol' timber frame house with a pool. Lots of space." Inside, her brain was screaming, WHY ARE YOU TELLING THEM ALL THIS?!?!? JUST LEAVE LEAVE LEAVE!!! At least she hadn't mentioned that she'd had built about thirty years before.

"Oh how nice!" Iliana exclaimed.

Then the shapeshifter said, "Why don't you get a ride with us, Ria? If you give us your address we can just swing by on our way and pick you up. I'm Keller, by the way." Her gray eyes were narrow. She looked like a hunting cat.

"Um… Sure." Damnit.

Roseclear paid Blaise for her supplies then exited with a "It was nice meeting y'all," and relief.

In the alleyway she started rubbing her temples. I am having a bad day. Bad week. Bad month…year, decade, CENTURY. Hell, it hasn't been a great life. Godess, I need to feed…

*~~~~~~~~~~~*