The Covenant

Nemesis Rising

Chapter 2

Men In Black

"Sure, an astronomy class sounds fun." The blonde strode across campus in the bitter cold night. "This is the last time I take a class for a cute boy." Her shoulder length curls bounced. The girl quickened her pace, drawing in her long jacket against the cold. She looked good, that was for sure. But in the frigid New England weather, strappy heels weren't exactly climate appropriate. But there she was, in strappy black heels, walking her way into frostbite.

But it was all worth it, she kept saying to herself. Because he would be there. A smile spread across her face as she pictured him now. Blonde hair, black jacket, orange hoodie, black gloves. She never really understood the gloves part, but he wore them and it was dreamy. "Dreamy? I am such a fourteen year old right now." When she finally reached the Astronomy Lab and opened the door, a rush of warmth spread across her front as the class looked on to greet her.

"Hey Aly!" Another girl walked up to her, her short brown bob bounced like a fat kid in dodge ball. "What's with the getup?"

"Hey Kate." Aly looked around the room carefully, making well sure that she was in the eye range and earshot of her secret crush. Bingo, he was only three people away. She slid her jacket down to reveal a sinful little black dress. She could see that the dress had caught his attention. "Oh you know, I'm going out to Fusion after class tonight."

"I am so there." Kate tossed her hair over her shoulder and smiled wide. "It totally worked." She whispers under her breath. It had been a while since she had a friend like this. Especially considering the last blonde she had befriended totally skipped out of school and bailed without even a goodbye.

"Good. Now watch this." Aly leaned back on an observation counter and slowly pulled her hair up off her shoulders, making sure to let some pieces fall seductively on her back and around her face. She secures the twist with a pair of chopsticks from her purse and then pushes her sidelong bangs away from her eyes.

"Hook line and sinker." Kate dropped down onto the counter next to her and lowered her sweater to reveal a lacy camisole.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Aly dropped her seductive eyes and leaned over to Kate, to make sure her voice was barely audible.

"What, did you think you were going to have all of the fun today?" Kate smiled at a guy across the room.

"Well, those of us who can't reach the level of perfection you are at need a little less competition tonight." Aly giggled and stood up to face Kate. Kate followed. "Please let us mere mortals have our mating dance, you can pick the lucky guy later."

"How about we all end this game of 'Who's Picking Who Up Tonight', and get on with class." Neither of the girls realized their teacher lurking around. Aly just gaped at Kate, stifling her laughter. When the teacher began to ascend the stairs to the main observation deck with the rest of the class, the blonde let out her laughter.

"OH MY GOD! THE LURTZ WAS TOTALLY SCAMMING ON YOU!"

"It's him!" Kris was practically running down the stairs to get back to her room. Night had begun to fall and she hated being outside after dark.

"Are you sure, I mean..." Jessica stopped to fan herself. "He could be the man of my dreams too."

"Jessica!" Kris gripped Jessica by the arm and ripped her down the last few steps and into their dorm. "This is serious!"

"Yea, you totally just bitch whipped me into the room!" Jessica sat down on the bed and began to play with the pleats in her skirt. "You are so over reacting. How can you tell it's him?"

"I just can. Oh my god... the last time I saw someone from my dreams it was prom night and it was Rebecca Valentine."

"You never told me that!" Jessica stood to her feet. Mild anger coursing through her veins. Rebecca Valentine was the biggest tragedy to hit the New England coast high schools.

"I didn't think it was a big deal..." Kris hid her eyes through thick curls. She knew what had happened was a big deal. Rebecca Valentine was everybody's best friend. She was even nice to the handicapped boy with turrets who called her a bloody whore. She was so nice she attracted the wrong kind of guys. Men who would do anything to have her.

"SHE WAS MURDERED ON PROM NIGHT!" Jessica stomped up with anger and clapped her mouth shut with her hand. Volume was kind of an issue with her.

"Don't you think I remember!?" Again with all of the volume issues. Kris ripped off her shirt,revealing a light pink tank underneath. "I have to stop this one. I have to figure out why I am dreaming about them."

"Them?" Jessica strode across the room and joined her friend by her bed. When Kris didn't respond she reiterated her point. "THEM?"

"Yes, both of them,and two others. I don't know why or how, but I need to dream about them again. After I actually saw Rebecca I dreamt of the killer and the place she died. Maybe it'll work this time too" Guilt was overwhelming Kris now. She always thought that is she had ignored her abilities then they would go away. For a while they did when she was in middle school. When she started dreaming of Rebecca she thought she was just having bad dreams. After she heard the news she knew that it was her fault.

Before Jess knew it Kris had changed into a white baby tee and a pair of baggy lime and white tie died sleep pants. She jumped under her covers and clamped her eyes shut.

"If you weren't on some mission to save the world right now..." Jessica plopped on the edge of the bed. "I would so be pissed at you for not telling me about the dreams." It hurt having your best friend not tell you about something so huge. The Valentine murder had hurt all of them, part of Jessica wondered. If Kris wasn't so afraid of her destiny, then maybe Rebecca would be alive.

"Don't worry, you can beat me later. Right now, sleepy time." Kris said quietly. She had this skill of being able to make herself fall asleep whenever she wanted. It was something she learned to do when Grams was teaching them how to hone their skills.

The music raged through the building with a thumping beat as the two girls danced wildly in the throng of college students. Word spread through class and by the end of the night, almost all of them decided to go. All of them except the one guy that Aly wanted to go more than anything. She flipped her curls around as she and Kate intertwined themselves with each other. The music seemed to be going faster and faster.

Kate had made time to drop by her room and 'throw something on'. It just so happened to be a black leather skirt and a hot pink top with a pair of hot pink boots. In the car she managed to pile her hair on top of her head in perfect harmony. In five minutes she went from college student to super model. Tyra beware.

Then, out of nowhere she felt a hand glide across her stomach and a body moving in unison with hers. The music pulsed wildly, knowingly. Aly turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. It was him. Reid Garwin. She had to struggle to keep her cool.

"I thought you weren't coming."

"I thought I would arrive in fashion." He had changed. His blonde hair was now thick with black streaks, he removed his jacket and hoodie to reveal a black tee shirt with silver foil vines up the side and curling around his arm and shoulder. She giggled at his gloves still in tact.

"Oh, I hadn't noticed." She lied. But it wasn't totally untrue. "I mean you always wear that jacket and hoodie, i didn't even know you had a body underneath." Another lie. She had definitely noticed. A smile started to creep across her face as a plan emerged in her mind. "Too bad you just got here, I have to go." She turned without hesitation, and grabbed Kate by the hand.

"We bailing?" Kate practically had to yell over the music.

"Totally, let's roll." The two girls got to the edge of the crowd and walked up to the front desk and handed the attendant their numbers. "Okay, here's how it's going to go, you are going to stay and i am going to need a ride home, and seeing as how you and Garwin have history, you can ask him to drive me home."

"History? I dated one of his best friends, not exactly BF4L." The attendant handed Kate her jacket, but Aly gripped it and handed it back. "Hey!"

"Please, it's the perfect opportunity!" Aly slid her jacket on and grabbed her purse.

"Yeah it is, he's coming this way." Kate gave the attendant her purse and grabbed another number.

"Hey ladies, leaving so soon?" Reid stood in true brooding heart throb fashion.

"Well, Aly is but..." Kate took a deep breath and put on her best worried face. "I want to stay and I need someone to drive her back to campus. Do you think you can?"

Aly sighed. "He just got here, I don't think he wants to go, I'll just ask Ethan if he'll-"

"No, it's fine. I'll take you back to campus." Reid handed the attendant his number.

Kate gave his arm a squeeze and then joined the others back on the dance floor.

"Are you sure, I don't want to make you leave if you don't really want to." Aly watched his back as he slid his jacket on. Was this really happening. Kate was so right in the ways of seduction. She decided then and there to never doubt the little black dress attack again.

"Yeah, it'd be my pleasure." Reid turned to face her, his emerald eyes seemingly piercing into her soul. "It's getting a little crowded in here anyways."

Black. Cold. Dark. Kris had never been in a place like this. It was like the woods, but there was an odd blue light in the distance. All of the leaves were stagnant in the air, like they had been falling and then just froze. She took a few steps before she realized that she was in a long dress. The bodice was intricately detailed with black beads and sequins, all of this over the black netted bottom, that seemingly exploded out from the waist. The layers of fabric on the bottom were almost weightless. She could feel the dirt under her feet. They were bare.

Her pace quickened as she came to a clearing. A strong gust of wind blasted her hair off of her shoulders and behind her back. She shielded her eyes from the storm of debris. Through her black gloved fingers she could see shapes in the trees. Lightning flashed in the sky above, illuminating the forest.

It was then that she read the thick red words on the trees. 'Witch'. They were written in blood. All over the ground, trees, and dripping from the leaves and branches. The word stared back at her, daring the girl to go further. Kris walked faster, she knew something was bad. There was another set of eyes.

They watched her seemingly float through the twisted fairy tale woods, like red riding hood being stalked by the wolf. Kris took a step and stopped in her tracks. "You'll watch them die, prophet..." The words snaked through her mind. Prophet? Who would call her prophet?

The sky lit up again, and she could see them. The boys from her dreams, two more that she didn't know, and two girls, along with the sight that hurt her most... Jessica. She swung amongst them, almost like a faceless victim. There was something special about Jessica and the unnamed girl hanging to her right. They were both in matching dresses, exactly like the one Kris was wearing.

"Bodies hanging in the trees, swaying gently in the breeze, witches all if you please, drown them in the seven seas." A rhyme floated through the air. "Magic floating in the air, dying silently without care, floating gently in the breeze, kill them all, let it be..."

She felt the ground fall from beneath her and a tightening around her neck almost instantly. She was above ground now, hanging. The blank faces stared back at her. Panic spread through her body as she struggled against the rope around her neck, gasping for air. She gripped at the harness but her silky gloves just slid down. Something caught her eye. Movement. There was someone watching them. Someone who killed them.

Everything began to fade into black...

"Thanks for driving me home, I didn't think I would be able to pry her away from her groupies." Aly tucks her hands together and folds them on her lap. She hadn't thought out this part of the plan. It was all about sidelong glances and seductive movements. Conversation wasn't exactly in the mix just yet. But here she was, in the car, basking in silence.

"It's no problem. Back in high school Kate was never one to leave a party before three quarters of the entire group." Reid smiled. High School must have had some fond memories. "Pogue hated it. He was such a jealous boyfriend."

"Pogue?" Aly turned to look at him. He kept his eyes on the road, like he was avoiding her gaze.

"Yeah, he was her boyfriend." His voice fell flat.

"I take it you didn't like him that much?" Aly reached into her bag and pulled out a chap stick and spread it over her lips.

" We used to be really good friends, and then well... the yoko factor."

"Kate?"

"No, someone else. Anyways, it wasn't just Pogue and I, it was four of us. She kind of tore us into three different directions." Reid took a breath. Obviously this wasn't pleasant. Why was he being so open. Reid Garwin didn't exactly strike Aly as the open type. "Caleb and Pogue went to Yale, Tyler went off to Northwestern, and I came here to Harvard."

"And Kate?"

"It just so happened that when she and Pogue split over Christmas Break, she decided on Harvard too." Reid slowed the car to a stop underneath a street light.

"Why are you stopping?" Aly looked out the window into the darkness. She could see a man at the front of his car fiddling under the hood. His hazard lights flashing bright orange beacons through the fog.

Something wasn't right, and Reid knew it. His reckless instinct took over and he stepped out of the car. Before he could shut the door he made up a lame excuse to satisfy Aly.

"It's a cold night, maybe he needs a jump." The blonde stepped out of the car and strode over to the man cascaded in a long black coat. The night air bit at him like hundreds of bee stings. He hadn't realized how warm it was in the car until he had gotten out. The man straightened up but stood with his back facing Reid. "Hey man, do you need some help?"

The man just stood there, his breath visible is thick clouds of fog. Reid took a look at the car, it was on cinder blocks and nearly rusted through. Without any hesitation the man flung himself around, wielding a thick blade. Reid jumped back and began to run to the car. It was then he saw the two men closing in on the door.

"ALY! RUN!" Aly heard him scream to her. Startled she opened her door to find out what was wrong, and was met with two hands shoving her to the ground. The teen looked up to see two men, cloaked in black looming over her. Thick straggles of air escaped from his mouth. "kill the daughter."

Aly kicked scraped to her feet and stumbled over to Reid. She gripped onto his arm and held on tight. "What do we do?" She looked up to read his face for an answer. His eyes were black, his brow fixed in concentration.

"When they fall, you need to run." He didn't look at her, he focused on the two men looming forward.

"What?"

Reid sent out an energy force, knocking all three of the cloaked men down to the cement. But Aly didn't move. She just stood in fear.

"GO ALY!" Reid screamed, his eyes still cole black and fixated on the men lying on the ground. Aly took a few steps before breaking into a run down the street.

"Get the map!" Kris jumped out from her covers, gasping for air. She scrambled to the chest at the end of her bed and threw the top open. Jessica, without missing a beat, jumped from her macbook and rips a map from her bedside table and lay sit on the floor. Kris drops a chain carrying a thick blue crystal over the greater new england area and begins to slowly rotate it.

"Did you see something?" Jessica, almost out of breath from the sudden burst of energy in the room, tucks her hair behind her ear and sits next to her room mate. Her yellow tank perfectly matches the blue and white striped boxers she wears to bed.

"Yeah... something..." Kris concentrates hard on the blonde she saw in the tree. The dresses had to mean something. A blonde and Jessica both had on the same ones as Kris did, and Kris knew in her heart that she was the third witch of their coven.

The crystal dropped, and Kris's mouth fell with it. "I found her."

"Who? Who is her?" Jessica was so far in the dark, the thought of daylight was dim.

"The third. Our third... our sister." Kris looked up at Jessica, but didn't return her smile. "We need to find her. Now."

"How."

"I think I know who can help us."

Kris jumped up from the map and stormed out the door. Jessica followed behind her, tracing her steps up the stairwell of the dorm hall. She was usually the one who lead them into the deep. Something had to really scare Kris to get her going like this. They arrived at an all too familiar door, but without knocking, Kris just opened it up.

The two guys inside jumped from their beds. The longer haired one grabbed a pillow and held it over his barely there underwear. If it were a different situation Jessica would have taken the time to gawk accordingly, but there was a mission at hand. However that didn't stop her from taking a few glances for herself to admire later.

"DUDE! I thought you locked the door!" Caleb griped his blanket and pulled it up over his chest.

"Why do I keep dreaming about you two?" Kris didn't bother to make nice with the formalities.

"Pardon?" The long haired one slid on a pair of lounge pants next to his bed.

"Every night you two, with two other guys are in my dreams asking for help, why?"

"Two other guys?" Caleb dropped the sheet revealing a pair of sweatpants. Jess was a little disappointed.

"A blonde and a brunette." Kris took a breathe and emphasized her point with sever eyes. "This is life and death. You need to tell me who you are or why you are being grouped with us."

"Grouped? Lady what are you on?" Pogue took a step closer to them in full frontal defense.

"You're witches too..." Jessica put it all together. "The other two are your coven members..." She looked to Kris for assurance.

"I don't know where you're getting these ideas, but you need to leave now." Pogue began to usher the two girls towards the door when Caleb grabbed his arm to stop them.

"What do you mean life and death?"

"I mean I saw the four of us, with six others all hanging in the gallows of Salem." Kris paused and moved closer. "I know I sound crazy, and I am positive you think I am acting like a freak but you have to hear me. Drop the act, I saw you all for a reason, so either you're the killers or you're the victims, and seeing as how you were hanging too, I would say victims."

"How do you know that we're witches?" Caleb was more feeling out her intentions now than trying to get answers.

"Because I saw it."

"You saw it?" Pogue was standing behind Jessica. She could feel the warmth from his body emulation gin their cold room.

"I can see things before they happen." Kris was not in a lets feel things out mood. She had to get their information before it was too late. "Now please, where are the other two guys at?!"

Caleb dropped his gaze to meet eye level with her. "Reid is at Harvard and we don't know where Tyler is." The two of them had an instant connection. An unspoken bond was formed.

"Let's go." Kris turned on a dime and headed out the door. Jessica gave a meek wave before following her out.

"Thanks for the pajama party!" Jessica peaked her head in for one final goodbye before heading away on such short terms. She was met with two fully clothes males on their way out as well.

"How did you do that?!" Jessica watched them go down the stairs after her roomy. They really were witches. That meant this little hunch Kris was on really meant something. "Wait!" Jessica ran after the two boys, who seemingly led her to her room. The lights were on and Kris had already changed into jeans and was sliding on a light pink pea coat.

Jessica pushed past the two boys and ran over to her closet and pulled out a pair of dark jeans and changed into them behind the door. Over her tank she slid a thin white long sleeved tee shirt and a brown corduroy jacket. She walked back into the center of the room where the other three were facing each other.

"We're going too." Pogue's voice was thick with resolve.

"Fine, just don't get in our way." Kris moved through the door followed by Jessica and the guys. When she was on a mission she moved fast.

"Where are we going?" Caleb asked, barely keeping up with the petite red head.

"Harvard."