Disclaimer: Wicca/Sweep belongs to Cate Tiernan.

Rating: T

A/N: Shucks, I wasn't expecting a response so quickly! But thank you for giving it a chance! It was enough to spurr me into writing the second chapter quickly :) I hope you enjoy!


First Stirrings...

Sitting at my desk with my pencil tapping my notebook impatiently, I looked up at the clock. Hoping the seconds might pass away a little bit quicker. The final bell would be ringing soon and I couldn't wait to get out of school. I'd been fidgeting and restless all day. It didn't matter what I did, I just couldn't shake it off. Sitting with Kithic in the morning and break like I normally do, didn't hold my attention. Other than to leave me looking around at them all. Thoughts and queries running through my mind as I judged and watched them. Suddenly feeling too cramped and suppressed sitting there.

I'd tried brushing it aside and putting it down to some kind of mood-swing. Never normally so pensive and judgemental of them all. Like they weren't worth my time or something. Because without them, none of us would of been sitting there on the stairwell, talking about tomorrow's circle. It was the fact they had no defence against Ciaran and the dark wave, that had spurred and encouraged me to do what had to be done. That made me break through that binding spell he'd placed me in, and confront him properly. To stop him hurting all the people inadvertently getting caught in the crossfire, of our battle of wills.

'Ciaran had been weak,'

I narrowed my eyes as I stared at the clock on the wall. My pencil clutched tightly in my hand as I went over that moment again. The power that had been coursing through my veins, alongside my adrenaline. The way I'd broken through his spell enough to put my own binding spell on him. And more. Used the name that was beautiful and ancient and power itself, to trap him in return. Pacing back and forth on the dewy grass in the old Methodist cememtry. A power sink, intensifying my rush as I scowled and told him to what I commanded. His life, sitting in the palm of my hand, so easily extinguished within a second if I just thought it.

But I didn't. I gave him something worse than dying. A life without magick flowing and seen in everything around him. Putting a shutter in front of his eyes, so he couldn't see what I see. Feel, touch or taste. Now he's just a no-body who was somebody, I think to myself. Shocked to feel the satisfaction as I thought it. But not shocked enough, as my thoughts carried down that stream. I was the one holding the power then, and he couldn't do anything but obey to my whim. I wonder if that's what made him the way he was. Obsessed, addicted to the control of absolute power. Craving and searching for more constantly.

I can't deny it felt good. To have that rush.

The shrill ringing of the bell pulled me away from my dark wanderings. Everyone moving around me as they got up from their chairs with their books and bags. All rushing towards the exit to escape as quickly as possible. But my own sudden need to get away, was stilted as I continued sitting in my chair, and tried to work out how my thoughts had managed to go so far. So deep. So dark. Unusual and unnerving for me to have even felt that horrible towards my friends. The way I felt and thought when I was with Kithic earlier. My grey mood had startled me so much, I'd skipped lunch with them. Choosing to mediate instead. Trying to clear my mind and find where the source was.

But all I kept getting was faint images of cloaked figures and ancient words. Nothing much else to go with. I knew it was from a dream, but I couldn't remember the specifics. And the more I willed myself to see. Or murmured words of revealance and drew runes to call it to me, the more I got angry and frustrated. In the end I gave meditation up and got myself something to eat. And for a while, I felt a little better. Eating something and meditating to clear my thoughts, I felt a little calmer. But then my mind had wandered again.

Shaking my head, I slipped my binder into my folder and stuffed them in my bag. The class-room was empty around me, as other students and teachers all streamed towards the same destination. Escape to the weekend. Throwing my bag over my shoulder, I dug into my jean pocket for my keys and followed everyone else. Barging and banging into people as I went past. My eyes fixed on the exit at the end of the hall. Not bothering to turn around to their protests as I ploughed through them all. Air. I needed air. I needed to clear my head. I needed to clear the fogginess creeping in.

My pace got quicker as I reached out for those double doors. The crisp air hitting me quickly as I tried to get out of the crowds, suddenly baring down around me. Sweat trickling down the back of my neck as I headed for Das Boot. And I didn't relax, or try to take in a deep breath, until my hands were planted on the roof of my beloved behemoth of a car, and my bag was at my feet.

Bowing my head, I sucked in a deep breath. Hoping the slightly chilled air would cool me down, as my fingers curled into the cold metal. Letting the breath soothe my nerves and calm my mind. The dark oppressive mood was edging back into the shadows again. Almost as if the sunlight was fighting it away. But I knew part of the reason, wasn't to do with me. I was just left confused and surprised by my behaviour. Thankfully, I hadn't said or done anything to make anyone notice my inner battle. Or alerted anyone to my sudden tired and withdrawn state. I wondered if part of my problem, was because I was so tired. That it was the repercussions of so much stress and no rest, catching up to me.

I hoped it was.

Raising my head, I opened my eyes to the bright blue sky above me. The afternoon as clear as water, with not a cloud insight. Adding to the chill making everyone huddle in their coats and cars. But I welcomed it. "Shake it off, Morgan," I said to myself. Giving my head another quick flick, as I bent down and picked up my bag. Fumbling with my keys to unlock Das Boot and throw it in.

"Hey, sis!" Mary-K shouted to me, running over from her fanclub. With her shiny auburn hair, bouncing around her shoulders and looked as perfect and adorable as ever. I felt a stab of jealously, when I imagined how frumpy and dishellved I looked next to her. But threw it aside just as quickly as it had come. It hadn't ever come up before. Why would should it now, I thought to myself. "I'm catching a ride with Jaycee to her house. Are you going straight home?"

"No," I answered as non-plussed as I could. I was used to Mary-K bailing on rides home in favour for her friends. "I'm going to head over to Red kill and Practical Magick for a while. Be careful," I gave her a smile and turned back towards Das Boot. My need for escape still ringing in my ears. I needed to get out of there. I climbed into my car and started up the engine. The cold vinyl seats making me feel more chilled. But before I could think about making a move, there was a quick tap on my window. I turned to see Mary-K staring back at me worried.

She indicated for me to roll my window down, which I did. Suppressing an irritated sigh at my distractions. "Are you okay? You seem a bit . . . off." She commented with a frown. Leaning on my door and peering at my face. "Your kind of pale." I flashed a quick glance at myself in the mirror and saw what she was looking at. Someone who looked white, drawn and tired. The first signs of bags forming under my eyes and making me scowl at my own appearance.

"I'm fine. Just tired that's all." I tried to muster up a smile, that turned into more of a grimace. But seeing her serious concern as she looked back at me, I softened my tone and managed to give her a genuine lopsided grin back. "Honestly, Mary-K. I'm all right."

She twisted her lip and looked at me. A kind of innocence in her eyes, I didn't normally see. Sometimes it was easy to forget just how old she is. She acts and looks so mature, it's impossible not to be blindsided by it. "You're not having trouble with Hunter are you?" She asked timidly. Her expression almost anxious as she waited for my reaction. Which for me, was to laugh. The thought of Hunter and I having any kind of problem, other than the magickal kind, was hard not to laugh at.

"No, Hunter and I are fine. Infact, we've never been better." I reassured her. Still laughing lightly that she would assume it was because of normal teenage angst, like most other people my age. But then again, I wasn't like most other teenagers. Changing into a wolf and being able to create blue witch fire with a single thought, wasn't something everyone was born with. Power like mine, didn't even come close for most witches.

It was just another thing that made me stand out from the rest.

"Okay good. I was just checking. Because you know, if you want to talk about it, I could happily give you some advi - Hey!" She cut herself off laughing as I took a gentle swipe at her. Her mischievous smile shining through, almost as bright as the sun. Sometimes she was just a little too chipper for me. But she straightened back up and gave me one last wave before running off to join her adoring fan-club again. Their giggles and laughs echoing back to me as I watched my little sister go lead her completely different life.

Pressing my lips together, I turned back from the display and made quick work of exiting from the school parking lot. My mind only half paying attention to the road and the familiar route to Red kill. As the other half, drifting back to my thoughts I'd been having just as school was ending.

xXx

Pushing on the door that lead into Practical Magick, the jingle of bell went off overheard and give me the sense of, home. Entering my domain and my element. The shelves stocked with articles and books on anything and everything magickal. Some so old, the pages were crumbling as you turned them. Some marked with hidden spells, so they would reach out to certain people specifically. Others teasing and whispering to anyone who would listen, to lose themselves in the text and verse of the hidden knowledge inside. The candles and other assorted magickal items, spread out far and wide. Each hinted with a small energy or spell to intensify or power that item more. The scent of the gently incense wafting through the rooms.

All a comfort to my weary mind.

Still standing at the door, I let my eyes rove over the shop I had only been too the weekend previous. Trying to see if anything looked different or changed since the last time. Casting out my senses to feel the light and soothing atmosphere. I soaked it up like a sponge. Feeling my skin prickle as the energy tickled over me, enhanced and flowing off again. With a small smile on my face, I walked over to the bookshelf. My hand reaching out without hesitation, to skim along the spines of the tombs and texts. Feeling faint or more distinct energies on the books. Some of from their previous owners. Others because it was their very content.

I moved along the aisle and turned into the next. Letting my senses guide me to where they wanted me to be. My thirst starting to appear like it always did, when I was around such depth and beauty. There was so much here I could learn from. So much I could see and just reach out to touch if I wanted it enough. And none of it had to be with much effort on my part. It would be simple. As easy as picking a petal from a rose. My hunger to learn was insatiable. Drawing me further into the store, than I would normally go.

Without seeming to be aware of it, the light dimmed as I entered the more shadowy part of the store. My eyes fixed on the books in front of me. Almost as though they were calling and daring me to read them. I knew what they were. They were books about dark magick. Spells you're supposed to learn so you know how to counter them. How to look out for the power and the source. But they couldn't all be bad, I reasoned with myself. Some could be helpful. Why shouldn't I learn about dark magick. The one person who could give me traces and snippets of its destruction, was gone. By my own hand. I deserved this. And there was no danger around me anymore, to not try.

I licked my lips in anticipation as my eyes widened and creeped towards a thick black tome. My heart thumping wildly in my chest, giving me a rush I didn't want to come down from. I saw my hand rippling through the spells that distracted and told any lesser person to walk away. Distracting them. Shredding the warnings that were being rained on me. Little flutterings of irritation across my hand. My fingertips just touched the edge of the spine -

"Morgan?"

The sound of the gentle voice behind me had me snapping myself out of my trance. My eyes blinking rapidly as I quickly took back my hand like I'd been burned. Looking down at it, like I was expecting an actual scold to be there. I wiped it down my worn jeans as I turned to look at the older woman dressed in lavender behind me. Amethyst earrings dangling elegantly, with the backdrop of her long white hair.

"Are you okay, dear?" Alyce asked me again. Bringing me back further as I shook off the sluggish and confused feelings hitting me. A dull headache coming to me the more I tried to brush off the lure of the books, I now had my back too. I cleared my throat as I wrapped my arms around myself. Effectively stopping my hands from wandering to the book shelves we were standing at.

"Hi, sorry. I didn't feel you come up to me," I gave her a wan smile as I tried not to let a guilty flush cover my face. There wasn't anything to feel guilty of. But it didn't stop the emotion from hitting me anyway. "I'm fine. I was just lost in my own little world." I moved around Alyce, trying to take myself away from the more shaded and cornered off parts of the store. Keeping myself private and closed off, as I felt her cast out her senses to me. I tried not to feel slightly irritated at her invasion of privacy. I knew she only did it because she was concerned.

"Are you sure your okay, Morgan?" Alyce asked me again gently. Sitting down at the table with me and taking my hand in hers. I tried not to recoil from her touch. Horrified I would be so standoffish with someone who has been nothing but supportive and caring to me. Someone who I share a link with, no matter what. Alyce was like a grandmother to me. Purely gently in her nature, and always trying to see the good in everyone. With a few exceptions. And I was disgusted with myself, for merely thinking her touch and apprehensive presence made me recoil.

What was wrong with me?

"How about I make us a tea?" She asked, not waiting for my answer as she gave my hand a squeeze and left me alone. Once I knew she was out of sight, I leaned my elbows on the table and dropped my head into my hands. I'd only come here to feel the familiar comforting presence. To get away and avoid my home for a little longer. I didn't want to be there alone. And coming to Pratical Magick seemed the logical choice. But now I was seriously questioning that decision.

The headache that hard almost instantaenously started up, when I pushed and severed the connection with the hissed and whispered promises of the books; was steadily growing worse. A thumping that seemed to be dragging up from the darkest recesses. A different kind of pain to the one I felt when the dark wave was coming. This was more like a spike, poking further and further. But with no weighty sandbag pressing down on my every move and thought like before. This one made me feel clammy and agitated in my own skin.

I rubbed at my aching temples and muttered a quick healing spell. But I knew as soon as I voiced it, that it wasn't going to work. Maybe I was more tired than I'd thought. Maybe I wasn't lying to Mary-K after all. But I didn't have time to delve too deeply into it, as Alyce returned to the table and set a steaming mug of tea in front of me. The tendrils of sweet honey coming to me with the steam. I gave her a grateful smile, while I circled my hand around the cup and cooled it. Drinking down half the portion just as quickly.

Alyce sat and watched me the whole time. And the more the minutes passed and I made polite conversation with her, the more the tea revolted in my stomach. Threatening to re-surface much to my horror. I pushed the remaining tea aside and concentrated on taking deep breaths. Even as the spike being stabbed into my head, burned with a white hot pain. The bell on the door chimed not long after Alyce joined me. Her expression warring between sitting with me and going to see who her customer was.

"It's okay, go ahead," I encouraged her. Refusing to look at her very worried eyes. She mulled it over for a few seconds, before finally getting up and leaving me. Giving me a comforting pat on the shoulder as she left. I'd answered her questions with the same answers I'd given to Mary-K. I was just tired. Adding the new knowledge of a serious migraine tearing me apart.

But this time, when she came back, she had my cure with her. I looked up at the feel of Hunter trailing behind her. His white blond hair disheveled and sticking out all over. Like he'd run his hand through it. His long woollen coat extenuating his tall height and broad shoulders. And I almost withered in the chair, just looking up to his striking green eyes. Alyce politely left us alone as he came over to kneel at my chair. His hand resting on my cheek as his eyes furrowed with a deeper and more felt concern. Picking up on my distress and pain, even though I tried to hide it from him.

"What's wrong, Morgan?" He pressed his hand to my forehead. Feeling no fever there, even though I knew I must of looked awful. He left his hand there, as he spoke a familiar and more powerful healing spell to my own. The small tendrils of heat and energy I felt pouring into my, didn't even faze my headache.

"It's okay, don't worry about it," I brushed off. Reaching out to run my hand over his hair in an effort to tame it. "It's nothing a couple of Tylenol and a good sleep won't cure me of." He didn't look convinced, but he sat down in Alyce's chair beside me anyway. His hand reaching out for mine. This time, I didn't even wish to recoil from his touch. But instead, laid my head down on our joined hands, and let him heal me without having to do anything. His hand coming out to stroke my hair softly. Easing the pain with just his slight touch.

When I raised my head back up to him, the thumping and white hot pain seemed to have been abating. Pulling away. I sighed with relief, as I gave him a sincere and reassuring smile. Glad to see him again. A whole message and conversation passed between us, with just one look. Sometimes that was all we needed. All I needed from him. Just to have him looking at me, like no-one else mattered but me. Like I was the only one there to be concerned over. Even at the expense of his own life.

I felt a rush of love course through me as his eyes returned what I felt. His hand lifting my own to his lips, to brush a chaste kiss across my knuckles. Letting me see all of him, with no barriers or guards. I'd seen all of him. There wasn't anything he hid from me. Nothing he tried to hide. And his love was just as strong and overwhelming as my own. I knew that wasn't ever going to change, and I relished in it.

Even as a small voice told me I was hiding something from him.

Unfortunately the phone ringing in the back room brought us back to our surroundings. My head snapping down to stare at my watch and finally noticing the time. I gave a small groan as I looked back up to my boyfriend. "I have to go," I whined, tightening my hold on his hand a little more. "Mom's going be home soon, and wondering where I am." He gave me an understanding nod as he rose to his feet. Coming to help me to mine.

But as I straightened up and righted myself, the full power of the headache that had hit me rapidly earlier, came back in full force. Not in stages or bit by bit. But all at once. "Morgan . . . ?" Hunters slightly panicked voice seemed far away, as my hands clutched at my head. The heels of my palms digging into my skull as I tried not to let my legs give out. I could feel a bitter taste flood my mouth, as I staggered away from the chair. A slight keening making my throat raw as someones arms came around my waist. A distant call not getting through my pain.

Whimpering, I finally lost the fight with my legs and abruptly collapsed to my knees. The sudden action taking the other person - who I presumed was Hunter - by surprise, as he came down with me. My keening and whimpering filtering off, as I tried to concentrate on not blacking out from the overpowering pain. Starting to shoot sparks through my whole body. Burning my lungs and deadening my muscles. Making me curl while I tried to protect myself.

All while images and flashes crossed my vision. None making any sense to me, as captions and riddled words floating around my mind. Bombarding and making my fight not to blackout, start to lose quicker and quicker. New pieces of knowledge I didn't remember ever reading, flooded my thoughts and making me gasp as it filtered to the rest. Until just as suddenly as the pain arrived, it was gone.

I collapsed into Hunter's arms. My hand shakily gripping his jumper as I tried to draw in breath. His quiet hushes and the tears streaming down my cheeks unchecked, were barely connecting, as I tried not to lose. The pain gone so suddenly, I couldn't stop shaking and trembling in his arms. Too afraid to close my eyes, in case I saw more of those pictures I didn't understand. But could feel. I turned my gaze to Alyce as she crouched before me too. Her hand resting on my hair, as she bowed her head and murmured a calming spell. I didn't fight it as it slithered over me. Instead sighed with relief as I leaned into Hunters strong presence more.

"What happened, love?" He asked me. Drawing away to look down into my eyes. His holding uncertainty and a different level of fear to my own. His question softly whispered again, and for my ears only.

"I don't know," I replied breathlessly. He didn't say anything more, as he pulled me back to him. Letting my grip return to his jumper with equal amount of force as before. An overwhelming and unknowing fear overtaking me as I tried to understand where it had come from. "I don't know . . ." But one question remained in my mind. As I struggled to explain my story to Hunter and Alyce, telling of the dark oppression. Was it coming from an outside source . . . or myself.

'It's in my blood . . .'


A/N 2: Thanks for reading! Please review :) Peace out!

Anonymous Reviews:

Jen - Thanks for dropping a review! I wasn't too sure how this would go down. I love the Wicca series, but was too busy with other projects to think about writing a story for it. But once the general idea of this planted itself, it wouldn't shake loose. So it's great to know you liked the opening chapter. I took a little more care with this one. Plus it's a little longer. But I couldn't seem to stop myself, lol. I'll try and watch out for little mistakes like that. But I gotta admit, I do end up missing some :) Thanks so much once again, for reading, reviewing and for the encouragement! I hope you enjoy this one too! Take care! x