Disclaimer: I don't own the Covenant
Chapter Song: Here Comes Revenge by Metallica
Avery never heard from her father after that night. She had caught him lurking around the school a couple of times. However, Mr. Murdoch kept to the restraining order and never came within a hundred feet of Avery. Avery spoke further with Mrs. Morris about emancipation. Avery wanted nothing more than to be completely separated from her father.
The rest of the school year flew by for Avery. She owed most of that to her boyfriend Chase Collins. Avery didn't give in easily at first. She didn't want to move on from Reid before they had a chance to start. It was Reagan that reminded Avery that her and Reid shared one kiss they never dated. Avery argued that they never had a chance, to which Reagan ever so politely reminded Avery that they probably never will due to the spell Mr. Murdoch put over the sons of Ipswich. It was times like this that Avery hated Reagan's logic, however Avery was happy to be with Chase.
Summer vacation had begun. Avery was enjoying her time with the Morris's. Avery and Lexi had become close like sisters. Avery finally had the loving family she could only dream about.
"So what are you doing for Chase's birthday, the big 1-8?" Lexi asked Avery as she peered over the top of her sunglasses.
Avery rolled onto her stomach and propped herself on her elbows to look at Lexi. The girls had taken a day trip to the beach to enjoy the summer weather.
"If you must know, he's heading out to Boston for a family reunion with his parents. I'm taking him out when he get's back."
"And…?" Lexi pushed, winking at Avery.
"Knock it off Lexi," said Reagan as she reapplied sunscreen.
"Give Avery a break and let her enjoy her relationship with Chase without the insinuating," added Cassidy rolling her eyes.
"Thanks…" Avery paused as she heard a rumble in the sky.
The girls looked up at the sky to the dark grey clouds that came rolling in. The girls grumbled to each other as they packed up their beach gear and ran back to their cars to avoid being caught in the storm. Lexi and Avery arrived back at the Morris's and settled in for the evening as the storm hit the town. During dinner, Avery couldn't help but watch the storm through the window, paying no attention to her food, other than to move it around on her plate, her appetite lost in worry over Chase and the Collins'.
Her phone ringing interrupted Avery's thoughts. She apologized to the Morris's before excusing herself from the table to answer her phone, "Hey Chase. Happy birthday! How's the trip? Did you arrive?"
"Av…something terrible happened," Avery could hear Chase choking up on the other end of the phone.
"Chase what's wrong? What happened?" Avery asked as the panic set in.
Avery listened to Chase relay the events and alarm raise in his voice. Avery's phone slipped from her hand after Chase had told his unfortunate news. The phone made a loud thud against the hardwood floor. Avery walked on autopilot back into the dining room.
"Avery, is everything ok?" asked Mrs. Morris as she looked at Avery concerned.
"Chase's parents died in a car accident. He was with them," Avery managed to get out as she stared blankly ahead of her.
"Oh my god," gasped Lexi as she covered her mouth with her hand.
"Is he ok?" asked Mr. Morris.
"Yeah, he's ok physically. He's in the hospital, he won't be home until tomorrow," said Avery as she fell to the floor and the tears began to stream from her eyes.
Lexi pushed the chair out from the table and moved over to her friend. Lexi sat down next to her and held her as she cried.
~*~ July 19th~*~
Once Avery received the call from Chase that he was home, Avery didn't waste anytime; she headed straight for her car and made her way to Chase's house. When Chase opened the door, Avery flung her arms around his neck and embraced him.
"I'm so sorry Chase," Avery whispered into Chase's ear.
Chase led Avery into the large ornate sitting room and over to the couch. Avery sat next to Chase. Her left hand held his hand while her right hand rubbed his back soothingly. Chase was hunched over, his hands covering his face.
"Chase if there's anything I can do to help. I'm here for you," expressed Avery.
"Actually there is something you can do," said Chase, his voice slightly muffled from his hands still covering his face.
Avery gasped when Chase finally looked at her. His eyes were as black as night. Avery scrambled on the couch trying to put as much distance between her and Chase as possible. Chase reached out towards Avery causing her to flinch.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Chase said as his eyes returned back to their normal shade of blue. Chase tempted reaching out to Avery again and placed a hand on her knee.
Avery stared at Chase, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to form the words to say, her mind racing. "How…?"
Chase studied Avery's face and saw the flicker of realization cross over her eyes. Chase's lips upturned into a smirk.
"So you do know. The chances where slim. Sure being from Spencer's I figured you would know their names, but to actually be friends with them. This is just too perfect."
"I…I don't know what to tell you. How is this even possible?" Avery's voice was shaking. Her mind racing trying to comprehend what she had just seen and what Chase was up to.
"You should know the story. I'm sure your friends have told you how the power works. The only difference is that I didn't have anyone to tell me what this was, what I could do. I had to learn about it all on my own, unlike your precious sons," Chase spoke with such malice.
Avery had never seen Chase like this before. Chase had always been this sweet, romantic gentleman and even though Avery had wondered at first if it was all an act, she had never expected this.
"Now I know what you're thinking. How am I, Chase Collins, connected to the sons and their precious little covenant." Chase said in a mockingly sweet voice as he got up and began pacing, "When I had learned that I was adopted, I set out to find my real parents. I thought all was lost when I learned that my biological mother had died and so had the man that knocked her up…supposedly. It was only within this past year that I learned my dad was actually alive…barely. Luckily he was more than willing to fill in all the missing pieces. You see your little covenant friends banished my family during the Salem witch trials. But you would know all about banishment wouldn't you Avery," Chase finally finished his rant and stared hard at Avery.
"Chase that was so long ago. No one knows you exist…"
"That's the problem!" Chase growled as he got in Avery's face, his hands grabbing onto the couch on either side of Avery's head. "Everyone forgot about the Pope lineage," Chase's eyes flashed black briefly before he got up and began pacing again. "So there was no one to tell me how addictive the power is and I wanted more and all my father wanted was to end the suffering and get revenge. So I'm taking care of it."
"Chase just stop and think what you're talking about. You're not a murderer. If you just tell the son's who you are, they'll take you in and help you. They're really good guys. Trust me," Avery pleaded with Chase.
"Good guys. Help me? Take me in. The way they took you in, or rather yet abandoned you. They left you all alone Avery or did you forget?" pushed Chase
Avery ran her hands over her face and through her hair, "It's not what you think Chase. The guys don't remember me. They can't remember me. My dad cast an incantation on them making them forget every memory of me. If it weren't for him they would be here with me right now. I told you what they're like. They'd do anything to protect their friends," Avery continued to plead with Chase.
"Anything? Is that so?" prodded Chase
Realization hit Avery about what Chase was going to do. Avery scrambled off the couch and was running towards the door. She felt something like rope attached to her and pull her backwards until she was pressed up against Chase's chest.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Now that's not very smart. She I've tried doing this the easy way. But your mind is well trained, blocked off, unlike Lexi's. It was like taking candy from a baby. Not only was I able to take information, but feed her some as well," Chase brushed Avery's hair behind her ear and began leaving tiny kisses along her neck and nibbled at her ear. "Now open up and tell me about the son's!"
Avery understood why Lexi had been overly suggestive about her and Chase having sex. Chase had figured out that her friends were the sons of Ipswich and are connected to the families that banished Chase's family. Chase would've discovered everything else from Lexi's mind, every detail Avery had shared about the sons Chase now knew. Avery didn't want to find out what Chase would discover should he gain access to her mind and his idea of being able to do that was for them to be intimate. Avery was not about to let that happen.
As Chase's grip tightened with his impatience, Avery's skin began to burn. Avery allowed the flame to consume her. Avery's eyes turned gold as the flames danced along her skin. Chase screamed in pain as he let go of Avery and looked down at his burnt hands and then at Avery who was now facing him.
"What the hell?"
"I guess your father didn't know about me?" Avery sent a ball of fire towards Chase.
Chase deflected Avery's fire and sent a blast of energy towards Avery that knocked her to the ground. Avery gasped for breath. When Avery tried to stand, Chase moved her along the floor and pushed her up against the wall as he stepped towards her. Avery trembled as she thought about every time her father abused her. How every time she couldn't fight back.
"Now I said I wasn't going to hurt you, but if you're looking for a fight…" Chase let out a low chuckle as he stood in front of her.
"If you think I'm going to let you rape me just to get to my friends…then yeah you better be ready for fight," Avery channeled her rage and a spiral of fire circled around her body breaking Chase's hold.
Avery took a couple of steps forward and sent a blast of fire at Chase, catching him off guard and sending him flying back into the couch. Chase stood up and brushed himself off. Chase took a step forward as he felt the heat from the now burning couch. Chase laughed as he took in the living room that was slowly igniting around him. Avery braced herself for Chase's next move.
"I have to give you credit. Your magic is… something else. Now Avery I don't know what kind of man you think I am but I carry myself with the utmost dignity and respect. I would never stoop so low as to rape someone. Plus something tells me my plan wouldn't have worked anyways," said Chase, that devilish smile never leaving his face.
"You're right Chase. It wouldn't have worked. I don't love you. I could never love you," Avery was shocked at the strength of her words.
Chase let out a wild scream as he sent a blast of energy at Avery. Avery was unable to deflect the blast and was forced back into the wall. Avery's body dented into the wall as it cracked around her and then fell forward in a heap on the hardwood floor. Her head hurt and her body ached. With trembling hands, Avery tried to push herself up off the ground but was forced back down. A hand grasped around her neck and turned her head to the side. Chase's black eyes peered deep into Avery's eyes.
"Not. Very. Smart."
Avery's eyes fluttered as she tried to stay awake. Fighting against Chase's magic. Slowly she drifted off into unconsciousness. Her mind wide open.
It had been over a month since Avery found out about whom Chase really is and his connection to the sons and the Covenant. Avery told the others the next day. She wished she could have left out the part where Chase had gotten the upper hand and was able to access her mind and take away the information he desired about the Sons of Ipswich. Chase was gone by the time Avery came to, leaving no trace of the fight they had.
Avery and her sisters sat around the table in the sanctum. Avery looked at each of her sisters before speaking.
"Chase had tricked us all and now he's going after the son's, my friends, and I can only blame myself for that."
"Avery stop, this isn't your fault," interjected Reagan
"Chase is desperate for power Reagan. He'll come for us next and I exposed us. Everything is my fault. The only thing he doesn't know is about my added power," explained Avery
"That you've never used," added Cassidy
"You don't think that Chase is the one our moms feared coming after us do you?" questioned Lexi, "I mean his family, could they have been the scoures, that crazed group that hunted and tourtured witches?" Lexi added after the looks her sister's gave her.
Avery nodded, "It's possible. Even though it seems ridiculous that scoures would still exist after centuries." Avery turned in her seat and ignited the wall behind her; a family tree appeared that connected the four girls and their families to Paul and Mary Ashworth. "I started this after the incident with Chase. I wanted to know more about our power and us. I was able to connect us back to 1692 Salem. As you'll notice, each one of us comes from one of the four daughters born to the Ashworth's. I also marked the element each daughter and their descendant's has."
"Avery this is incredible. This is some extensive work. But every daughter after the Ashworth's four only had one daughter?" questioned Reagan
"I have a theory. During the trials, a family of four witches would be a target. I think the Ashworth's separated their daughters, hence why we were separated. I also think that out of that same fear, the original four daughters made sure that only one daughter would be born from then on," explained Avery
"Wait, not all elements are represented in each line. Sometimes there are two daughters born under the same element," Cassidy pointed out.
"Avery, why is the fire line dying out?" asked Lexi
Avery looked over at Lexi. Avery knew it was a fools hope to think that her sisters wouldn't notice the pattern. Avery let out a sigh and ran her fingers through her hair before addressing the group.
"I don't know. At first it seemed that each daughter had a daughter born under the same elemental sign thus keeping the power in the family. But timing out pregnancy and birth to have a daughter born under the same elemental sign, that's near impossible. So often there were doubles in our lineage. There haven't been four elementals in over two centuries. I don't know what it means, maybe our magic, elemental magic, is dying off."
Avery and her sisters sat in silence as the grave news sunk in.
A/N – I'm so sorry for the long overdue chapter. I have been dealing with a lot of personal things in my life that have kept me away from writing. I hope that this chapter makes up for it and I'll do my best to update regularly. Next chapter brings us back to our favorite Sons of Ipswich
