*this is three chapters in one*

*blackindiaink is fabulous*

*that is all*

CHAPTER 10

Firestarters

Part I

Down the walk and through the quad, Amy passed the place where she first met Clarice. She also passed the spot where Clarice had freaked her out. Then she was thinking. The sorority house was off in the distance, a few blocks away. She wished she had asked Clarice to pick her up. It really was ridiculous for her to be out walking alone in the dark like this.

A nervousness shook her until she could feel herself holding her elbows in tight and walking much faster than she had intended.

By the time she crossed the campus and hit the asphalt of the abandoned street she was almost blinded by fear. The lamps were mostly out. The whole street looked eerie. When she squinted into the darkness she swore she saw small body-like shadows creeping amongst the blanket of dark.

She heard a crack in the leaves and it set her off running. Her feet led her forward. She crossed the street and met the sidewalk, overtaking the dark and becoming a part of it. Nervously, she felt a presence behind her, like a man or a large person. There was something there and she knew she shouldn't turn around. She ran and it followed. She ran and it came closer and closer, frightening her to the point of almost catching up and almost overtaking her. She ran with the terror driving her. Just a few more steps and she'd be in the yard. Just a few more steps and she could let herself breathe.

She ran, her feet pounding with purpose. When she was about to turn she was stopped by the surprising touch of human hands on her shoulders pulling her off the walk prematurely and stealing her from the night.

"Hey!" Clarice said, she had felt her coming. That terror was pure.

Sensing her there, Clarice stepped out from the yard and caught Amy in her hands, bracing her and wrapping her up tight in her arms to calm her and make her feel safe. Amy had been running fast and she had every intention of running up the old wooden steps and straight into the house without knocking. For some reason she had felt like she was being hunted or pursued. Something had led her to Clarice and a part of that was scary. "Hey, are you okay?!"

"Shit!" Amy gasped. She wasn't expecting to fall into someone's arms but it felt good suddenly to feel grounded after all that. "Wow."

"What happened?" Clarice hugged her tight and looked behind Amy's shoulder, searching for the source of that fear. The street looked calm and normal like it usually did. If anything it was a surprisingly calm night. But Clarice felt it, the fear in Amy, the fear rising like fire, surrounding them both in a blanket like a forcefield. She tucked her chin up onto Amy's shoulder and squeezed tenderly. "It's okay."

"Nothing, I just freaked," Amy shrugged, noticing the softness of her. She tried to hide it her own panic but she couldn't do that, not with Clarice.

"I should've met you, I'm sorry." Clarice wasn't afraid of the dark or the fire. She could use her powers. Strange wandering men couldn't intimidate her either. All of the things Amy could possibly be afraid of, they all seemed mundane to Clarice. But that's because Clarice had dealt with all of this before. Coming into power was actually a bit of a nightmare for her. She pushed Amy's fears away, confronting her with the calm she had inside. Not even rabid mountain lions could threaten Clarice enough to make her wish she had a physical weapon right now. All the strength and power she needed was inside of her at all times and that was a welcome change to her previous life.

"No, it's okay," Amy said. She pat Clarice's back awkwardly. She was so relieved to be in someone's arms that she hadn't noticed how long she had stayed there, comfortably, before reacting at all.

"We can go now if you want. I can get the girls."

"I thought it was just us?"

"It can be… I guess…" The others were beginning to fight with Clarice. After meeting Amy and learning the truth, they were obviously enamored by her, Emily more so than Esterly but fire drew fire and Esterly was every bit a fire witch. Then there was the added attraction of her connections. Any relationship to Alec Raudenfeld was significant but Amy was a direct descendant. The first in line. Her blood, her powers? They would surely be strong once tapped and mastered.

"Is that okay?" Amy asked, backing away from her. Clarice seemed small to her now that Amy was safe.

"It's okay. They just… It's fine," she decided not to say. Amy had a lot to learn. This was already a stretch, escaping in the night to find her father who abandoned her. Clarice wouldn't want to know her dad. Not if he left, but Amy had good reasons. She was left with a magical legacy and no idea how to control it.

But all the girls had spent hours talking about what Alec must've felt after Amy was born. Alec extended his line. For so long he was thought of as the last of the Raudenfeld line. No brothers or sisters, no one left to keep the ancient line alive.

Clarice had found records of Alec in college. Alec had written a very popular and important essay for the magic community. It had all to do with lineage and the rarity of a dying line. For the Raudenfeld's to die out when their blood was so strong? The girls stressed over it, they knew they had to get Amy to see her precious importance.

But Clarice knew they could chase her away. All her dealings with Amy had been careful. The girl was not open to their suggestion that magic was real. Perhaps now she had become a little more tolerant, given her experiences. But Amy had a long journey before acceptance could be had.

Clarice thought it her duty to soften the blow and nurture Amy into the community. She'd come either way but there was a good way and a bad way and Clarice knew that well.

"Come on, we haven't got much time…"

Amy followed her and they hopped into the car. The thoughts went all around that cabin and spun around one after another. Clarice thought. Then Amy. They had no idea that they were switching off sucking the anxiety from their cage until they arrived in Whitford, Texas and both exhaled out at the same time.

"I guess we're here," Clarice said. She turned off the ignition and startled Amy into leaving the car.

They had driven up that long winding road and seen the large mansion long before they even got near it.

Outside in the cool night air Amy hesitated.

If Karma were here, Amy thought. If Karma were here I wouldn't feel this mad.

She walked a few steps before stopping just outside the gate. It lay before her like a giant neon sign. That mansion was sending off fumes and telling her to stay back.

"What is it?" Clarice asked, noticing the hesitance in her friend.

"I feel like it's trying to warn me," Amy said nervously. Her body was feeling all sorts of things. She even felt her temperature rise.

"What is?"

"The mansion."

Clarice wasn't feeling it. How could Amy be feeling vibes if she herself was unaware?

Clarice was well practiced in balancing energy and weeding out currants but this thing Amy felt, it was something she could not reach.

"That's a bad sign," Clarice said. These weren't just magic people these were the magic people: cream of the crop, top of the line, leaders, innovators, the true guardians of all earthly power. These were the people you just didn't mess with. And look where they were.

"Maybe we should go," Amy said, realizing for once that she did have a choice.

"We can't," Clarice said. "You have to see him."

"Yeah, but why?!" Amy thought back on Karma's initial reaction to hearing about her dad. Karma, who knew nothing of the fire or the magic. Karma, who only thought about the simplicity of the situation, the basic problem with the situation as a whole. "Karma thought this was a trap," Amy breathed aloud without meaning to.

"Amy… I wouldn't do that to you," or anybody, Clarice wanted to say. It instantly hurt that Amy could still see her as an enemy or a threat.

"Yeah, I guess," Amy said, letting her head fall down. She saw Clarice's hand dangling by her side and she noticed the expression on her face, the expression that showed great sadness for the way she was being constantly misjudged. "I'm sorry," Amy said, taking her hand

Clarice felt a bit now, that current she wasn't supposed to feel. It was small but strong. It crept inside of her and alerted her instantly. Somehow Clarice knew that it wasn't coming from the place but instead a single person who must be inside. And knowing the situation, it was probably coming from Amy Raudenfeld's dad.

The large iron gates had been open but the mansion loomed over the two of them ominously as they walked without speaking, nearing the front, the steps, and the doors. Inside the sound of clapping escaped through the thick fortress-like walls and it unsettled them.

Amy stood outside near the steps. She was paralyzed by indecision. Her hand clutched Clarice's while that singular wispy voice tried to will her away.

"I can't do this…" Amy said, turning around and heading back towards the car, dropping all connection and walking off as if it could ever really be that simple.

"Amy?! You've got to do this. This is your dad. This is your blood."

"My dad is an asshole," Amy said. She made eye contact with Clarice and let her know how difficult this feat was. This wasn't just some casual trip. It wouldn't be like meeting a complete stranger. Once Amy made the conscious decision to meet her grown and traitorous father she could never ever take that decision back. And that's all she could think now, all she could hear.

"Your dad may be a horrible father but he gave you his blood and his blood is filled with magic."

Amy was torn between laughter and disgust. Clarice was so sweet sometimes. What kind of person would say such a thing and expect it not to sound 100% bananas?!

And then there was the truth of it all...

"Why should I care?!" Amy scoffed.

"You've got a choice Amy!" Clarice stood strong. "Either you talk to him, ask him about it, find out about your life, maybe help yourself to control what you have… Or you can turn around right now and forget this ever happened. Forget I exist. Forget there are people like me who want you in their lives to help them and commune with the forces. You'll always have this magic. It will always be unexplained. But your father knows, he knows what you have and despite how much of a dick he was to leave you both, he may actually be able to help you now, and he's sadly the only one."

It wasn't like her too speak so much. And it wasn't like her to be impassioned.

Amy couldn't help but feel a little inspired but it was all pretty tainted, even though it was true.

She bit down on her lip and tried not to bite hard.

"Asking for help from someone like him? That may actually be the last thing I want to do..."

"He trusted that your mother would raise you strong. And she obviously did."

"Oh fuck that!" Amy yelled. "FUCK THAT!" It wasn't enough that her father existed. She had always been sure that her father was a useless piece of shit. "What kind of father ditches his wife and daughter? What kind of father finds it normal to just leave?!"

"Amy, I'm not asking you to like him… I'm just here to help. I'm just here because I like you and I'm worried about you and I know that maybe he knows something we don't that could help you to feel calm."

"Do you feel calm Clarice?!"

"I feel a lot of things…" She sighed, nearly shaking for the first time in a long time. Amy's energy had collided with her own and turned things up a notch. Clarice was breathing harder than she'd like. She was usually so good at keeping an equilibrium and she did, she did practice the art of balance almost every single day.

A loud roar came from inside the building. The doors were all shut but the clapping and stomping and cheering was enough to gain their attention again.

"I don't want to bring you to him. I have no stake in this. I just want to help you. I just want for you to understand what's really happening."

"Stop talking please… I can't." Amy shut her eyes tight and turned her head away. "None of this makes sense."

"I'm just a girl with powers. I'm just a girl, just like you."

"I can't believe that though Clarice and you know that."

"I could've left you, ya know?"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!"

"I didn't have to try so hard. I could've just waited until you freaked out. They usually come to us but you're special."

"I don't hate you I just can't trust you."

"You don't want to trust me, Amy. That's your problem."

"My problem is this whole fucking thing!" Amy yelled. They were close enough now to find an entrance and weasel their way in. Somehow, amongst the arguing, they both knew they had made their decision.

"I didn't do this to you. I didn't even do this to me."

"Is that what you want? Do you want me to feel sorry for you?"

"I want you to stop acting like I'm not here to, like this isn't happening to me too!"

"I never acted like that," anger filled Amy up. But it was the anger of a person who knows that they did wrong. "You want me to calm down but this is fucking scary Clarice. This isn't a cakewalk. This isn't Friday night eating french fries with friends. This is my life turning upside down and you just want me to get over it."

"I want to help you. That's all I want." It wasn't lost on Clarice that Amy showed that bit of remorse. She wasn't just brushing over the fact that Clarice had powers too. She was brushing over her own wrong doing because it was easier than just saying sorry.

"You've been bothering me. Pushing me. When I turn around you're there. You're pushing this on me."

"I'm sorry Amy… That's not how I meant to be."

"What did you mean?"

"I meant to get to you before anyone else could."

"Why?"

"Because I know what it's like to have feelings that you can't explain or fix or change. And I know how another person can effect that… Negatively."

Amy didn't know what to say to that. It was too much to take in and it only complicated matters. Clarice always seemed so together. Now she was the next wreck, or more importantly, the one just before her.

How did Clarice learn of this world? Amy thought.

Negatively?

She'd been hurt. Maybe even mentored.

But by who?

"Not all of us are good with people."

Understatement of the year, Amy scoffed.

"But I want to be good for you. I want to help."

"Why?! What do you get out of it?"

"I dunno…" Clarice said, calming for once. "Perhaps a friend?"

It was a sad thing to confess but she had been lonely and the other girls got along so well. Amy was a beauty and her attitude was different from the others. She wasn't cold but she was complicated and Clarice liked all that about her, she really did.

"I think we need you," Clarice said. And for once she realized that this wasn't just about Amy's blood it was about the way Amy was and the person she seemed to be.

There had been this allure to Amy's father and his precious, almost royal, blood. Imagine a genius having a child and that child stumbling into inventing things at a very young age all on its own. People would most likely credit the child's father as the true source of that power in knowledge. They would say there was something inherent in that child, something passed on that made the child see more than others and liable to invent at an accelerated pace.

Until right now, that's how all the girls had secretly viewed Amy.

Everyone had heard about that mythic girl who was out there but no one knew who she was and no one ever expected her to land on their doorstep or walk into the quad and send off vibes so strong they could feel her without even touching her.

She had been a siren and Clarice had found her. Clarice was the one.

She felt responsible now, more responsible than Amy could ever understand.

And yes, she was scared for her. Yes, she knew that if anything happened to Amy she would be the one who had to live with it. Frankly, if anything happened, Clarice wasn't so sure she'd be able to live with herself.

Part II

Bang… bang… bang

The knocking woke Lauren in the middle of a dream about dancing dwarves in Chanel. She yanked her bedroom door open and focused her bleary gaze into Karma's agitated face.

"What the fuck?"

With a guilty smile, Karma peered through the darkness into Lauren's face. "Umm, well, Amy's gone."

"What do you mean she's gone?"

Karma shrugged, her shoulders sinking back into place in defeat. "I don't know where she went but I want to follow her." She reached out and tugged at Lauren's arm. "But I can't go alone so come on."

"No way," Lauren spat. Her beauty sleep was far more important than lesbian shenanigans, especially Karma and Amy's. She tried to pull her arm back but Karma's grip was deceptively strong.

"You have to!" She pulled until Lauren stumbled into the common area. "What if Amy is in trouble?" She let go of Lauren and pushed past her to grab the nearest pair of shoes she could find. "Put these on. We've got to go before she's off campus."

The noise that emitted from Lauren was half way between high pitched whine and a growl but she took the shoes and balanced on one foot and then the other, putting them on in the process. "Fine but this better not be some kind of weird lesbian orgy thing."

"Really?" Karma rolled her eyes and waved. "Come on hurry up."

She barely even had the door closed before Karma was halfway down the hall. Thank god she worked out, she thought as she ran off in pursuit. They skipped the elevator and took the stairs down.

"This way," Karma whispered before she took off across the manicured lawn. "I saw her go toward Greek Row. They trotted along the sidewalks, Lauren catching up quickly.

"She better be in some kind of actual trouble or I'm going to kill you both." She wrapped her cardigan around her shoulders. "You're just lucky that even my pjs are presentable in public."

Karma shook her head. "What does that even mean?" They were getting closer to the sorority house so she started scanning the area for any sign of Amy. "Whatever, just keep your eyes open. You're not even look…"

"There she is." Lauren pointed across the quiet road where Amy was talking to Clarice.

"Oh my god! They're about to get in that car. Lauren run… get your car. " Karma smacked Lauren on the arm over and over.

"Oww, stop it." She stepped back. "Damn, girl, you're crazy."

"Just go!" Karma's voice rose to a dangerous level. She covered her mouth and looked over to make sure that Amy and Clarice hadn't heard. "Please, do this for me and I promise I'll do anything you want…. anything."

"Promise?" Lauren smirked and rose an eyebrow

"Yes, I promise. Now, will you go."

"Deal," Lauren said. She was far too pleased with the arrangement to be unhappy that she now would have to run a quarter of a mile back to the parking lot to drive her car around. "You're also lucky I brought my keys."

Her parting jab didn't even register on Karma's radar as she crept closer. She just hoped that Lauren had enough sense to keep a low profile when she drove over. Especially since she would have to pull right up the street from Amy and Clarice.

The waiting seemed interminable. All she could see was that they were standing and talking but she didn't dare get closer for fear of being discovered. If Amy wouldn't tell her whatever it was that she was hiding, Karma was going to find out for herself. She hadn't gone through all this shit just to let Amy drown herself in another heavy secret.

At least they were standing pretty far apart, but the observation didn't stop the jealousy inside her from causing a bitter taste. It didn't matter. As long as Amy was happy. Which she obviously hadn't been lately.

Her head jerked over when she heard the sound of a car pulling slowly up down the way. She glanced back at Amy to make sure she hadn't noticed. She and that girl were still talking too close. She half crouched and ran towards Lauren's BMW.

She reached the car, opening the door and slipping in, out of breath. Lauren was looking at her with a gleam in her eye. "What?" Karma said.

"Nothing." she replied. "What are they doing?"

"Just standing there. They haven't moved."

"This better not be it." Lauren growled.

"No, look they're gonna move." Karma gestured as they quickly got in the car and it turned on. The brake lights of the car in front of them lit up and it began to pull away.

"Okay, now we're in business. " Lauren followed them at a safe distance with the headlights off. It wasn't really the safest thing in the world but when you were tailing someone, it was necessary. That was until they got on the highway and headlights were a must.

They drove for what seemed like forever but finally the car in front of them came to a stop. "Where the hell are we?" Karma hadn't seen a sign to tell them what town this was or even what the building they were parked in front of was but it looked like some ancient school or mansion of some sort.

"How the hell should I know? I'm just the driver in your les-pedition of insanity." She turned the car off and shrugged. "Now what?"

"Now we wait…" Karma said, every bit of her on edge.

"Great," Lauren scoffed. This was just perfect. They didn't know where they were. They didn't know what Amy was doing. And worst of all they didn't know how they could possibly find out without admitting that they had stalked her in the night like wild prey.

"Roll my window down," Karma begged. Clarice and Amy had parked and gotten out.

Surreptitiously, Karma and Lauren both ducked in their seats and Lauren rolled the windows down so that they could hear.

Amy was scared. And meeting a man?

Karma heard her name and felt Amy's fear.

"She needs me," Karma breathed.

"This is seriously so fucking weird."

And then there was silence before the crunching sounds of light steps. The girls were walking away. "Fuck! I have to go," Karma whispered angrily. She couldn't lose them. Not with Amy's fear so obvious from just her voice.

"Shit!" Lauren whispered. "Get back here," she tried, leaning over Karma's seat and looking out after her quite sure she would stay inside.

The road to the doors was long, it wasn't just a driveway it was one of those long winding private roads and cars lined it.

Karma crept alongside Amy and Clarice using the cars as her barrier. If they talked she would hear them but they weren't talking, instead they were just holding hands.

The knot in Karma's stomach tightened. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and turned the volume all the way down just in case.

When they approached the front steps Clarice and Amy stopped and began to speak. Karma peered between two cars and watched. She could hear every word and every word was a troubling mystery.

There was all this talk of blood and magic. Girls with powers. They thought they had powers.

And then there was sadness. Amy wanted to leave and Clarice felt hurt.

It was a lot to take in second-hand. Karma wasn't sure what was happening but those two were both too serious to be pulling some elaborate prank.

Karma pulled her phone out and shot Lauren a text.

Karma: Amy's dad's inside. They're all witches.

Back in the car, Lauren stomped her foot on the ground and wished for a different fucking life.

What the hell did Karma mean: THEY'RE ALL WITCHES?!

Lauren's mind ran the letters, trying to think of what silly typo that could've been.

Wiggin'? Waiting? Watches? Wenches?

Her mind ran but she read what she had read.

"Witches," Lauren breathed, trying the word on for size and causing herself to involuntarily laugh. They couldn't be witches? Maybe just peaceful wiccans… She thought. Besides, Wiccans aren't really witches… They don't really have power… They just dress Misty Day and hangout in the woods and act all spiritual and shit.

Lauren's mind ran 'round itself trying to settle with the thought of Amy being an actual witch. She thought about that movie The Craft and remembered how precious Robin Tunney's character was. She could see Amy all tortured like that. Without meaning to she thought of Robin Tunney and Amy hanging out and talking about binding Nancy and binding Clarice.

"I AM NOT ACTUALLY ENTERTAINING THIS!" Lauren yelled to herself in her empty vehicle.. She stared down at her phone and waited for Karma to see her error and rightfully correct it. There were no witches in Texas. There were no witches in the world.

In this moment, Lauren was sure. But boy was she ever in for a surprise.

Frustrated, because she could not see or hear, she dragged her butt out of her car and began to walk up the drive. She didn't care anymore if Amy knew she was there. She just wanted to know what was happening so she could go back to bed.

Karma waited, hovering low next to the smooth expensive black car second closest to the large steps of the mansion.

Part III

I like you…

We need you…

A friend?

Karma listened to the calming sound of Clarice's honest voice as it shook and said these things.

She's in love with her… Karma thought.

But how could that be? They'd only just met.

If anyone knew a little of love now it was Karma Ashcroft. Liam had been new but he hadn't been love. Amy was love. Amy was nothing but love, even in her anger.

Karma felt her heart speed as panic caught her. It was for sadness really. Poor Clarice...

Not all of us are good with people…

I want you to stop acting like I'm not here, like this isn't happening to me too...

The words all echoed in Karma's ears as she picked up far more than Amy could. Fresh ears lent fresh meaning when they could only get their hands on bits and pieces.

Karma needed the rest. She needed to know what was happening and why they were both so scared out front of a mansion in the middle of the night. Apparently there were others, other people. Perhaps the others are like them? Karma thought.

But it was all too heavy on her mind and she barely noticed just then when Lauren Cooper came power walking up the drive without a care in the world.

Amy and Clarice had already taken to the side of the mansion away from them. They luckily didn't see.

"What are you doing?!" Karma angrily whispered. "Get down!"

She pulled Lauren down next to her behind the car.

"Why can't we just ask her what she's doing?! Amy's a horrible liar!" Lauren wanted to be done, she wasn't even whispering anymore.

"That girl's in love with her," Karma said.

"Yeah, I know!" Lauren said, throwing her hands up in the air all dramatic. "We didn't need to drive out to creepass rich land to figure that out."

"What do you mean, you know?"

"She brought Amy that necklace at the diner, remember? Plus she looks at Amy like she's a fucking goddess or something, it's really embarrassing. She's almost as sick as you."

"Hey!" Karma said, hitting Lauren hard on the chest for good measure.

"Truth hurts, I know," Lauren smiled cockily and stood back up. "Come on, lets go get her so we can leave."

"But Lauren, we don't even know what this place is," Karma followed nervously, jumping to Lauren's side and nervously taking her hand. "Amy's dad's inside."

"What?"

"Aren't you curious?"

"Not really, he's a prick," Lauren said, sticking to her guns. As far as Lauren is concerned, a father who abandons his child should just dissolve into dust like one of those defeated vampires on Buffy. She loved her dad too much to ever think of how horrible her life would've been without him. The thought was almost too much. Lauren wanted to stop Amy. Amy's dad didn't deserve to ever get to see her.

Part IV

Up ahead Amy found a door around the side of the place. It was propped open with a large white bucket and the area looked to be abandoned, probably because of the apparent show going on inside, the show that elicited loud gasps followed by roars of cheering and clapping and then maybe even some laughter. Hesitantly, and hating herself, she knew she had to go in. If she didn't, she'd always wonder. She looked around her, completely missing Karma who had actually thought they locked eyes in that second, but Amy hadn't really seen, instead she turned in toward the dark entry-way of the open-propped door.

Taking Clarice's hand, to pull her inside, she ducked into the darkness and Karma watched as she disappeared.

"Shit…" Karma breathed. She knew to follow. What she didn't know was if it this would be dangerous or not.

"What's wrong?"

"I have to follow her," Karma said.

"Well?" Lauren pushed her but Karma's feet took two steps and then stopped.

"Her dad's in there Lauren…"

"So?"

"This is…"

"Bad?" Lauren asked "Stupid? Ridiculous? Absurd?" It was all of those things.

"Heavy," Karma breathed, squinting her eyes out after the night and trying to breathe Amy in on the air.

The Amy who went in there would not be the same Amy who comes out.

"Move it, Ashcroft," Lauren pushed her, and grabbed her hand to pull her along.

Part V

"Amy, what are we doing? We're invited."

"Maybe I want to see him first," Amy said, thirst overtaking her. She had pulled Clarice too close and it was dark in the storage room that appeared to be for kitchen overflow and extra supplies.

Someone was rustling in a giant bag. They completely ignored them though so Amy pulled at Clarice's hand and led her in through a second open door that led to a very empty looking room filled with wire racks.

"I don't understand why we're here. This isn't a secret event."

"Did you see this place Clarice?! This isn't a place for people like us."

"No, Amy. I do believe that is exactly what this is."

"Fine. Whatever. I don't wanna fight."

"Amy!" A familiar voice called.

"You have GOT to be kidding me!" Amy almost screamed.

Clarice and Amy turned to find Lauren the fighter with her grip holding onto an overly sensitive seeming Karma Ashcroft.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?!" Amy yelled without thinking.

"Karma saw you leave so we followed you."

"WHY?!" Amy yelled in Lauren's face.

"I DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO COME!" Lauren combated angrily, her voice even louder.

"I don't think we should be here," Karma said. She'd heard enough to know it was all very wrong.

"You're damn right you shouldn't be here."

"Not just me," Karma said.

"Are you lost?" They all turned to see a boy watching them.

"No." Lauren said, talking to him just like she would to Amy.

"You're missing the show."

"We know that!" Amy lied, trying to cover.

"If I were new I wouldn't want to miss it."

"We're not new." Amy said, lying.

"Yes you are," the boy said frankly, like he knew it deep down inside.

"It's nice to meet you," Clarice said, moving to him and shaking his hand.

"Likewise," he smiled.

What the fuck was all this about… Amy thought. She couldn't know that Clarice could tell the boys energy was pure. He wasn't trying to fight, more like trying to help.

"Can you tell us what's happening?" Clarice asked. She didn't talk to him like he was a boy. Karma liked that about her. She wasn't fake.

"They're channeling," the boy said. He had a yoyo in his hand and every now and then he would let it go smoothly and it would spin on the string, it was a fabulous trick.

"What?!" Lauren pushed to the front and stood in front of the boy, head cocked and eyebrow raised. "The fuck are you talking about?" She focused on the yo-yo for the first time. "Did somebody give me ecstasy again?"

He shrugged and palmed the spinning toy. "They're bringing energy from elsewhere to this world. It's kind of like a cleansing, power rejuvenation thing." Lauren's face blanched and Karma just stared open mouthed. "Well, anyway, I better get back." He gave the girls one last appraising glance and then casually walked on, releasing the yo-yo again and letting it spin in the air below his hand one more time.

"Okay," Amy said, grabbing Karma's arm and stepping forward to tug at Lauren's. "Why don't you guys get home and I'll meet you there." Karma just clung to her and Lauren… Well, Lauren had, had enough.

"No way am I staying in this freak show." She shook Amy's hand off and turned, bumping into Karma. "Come on, let's get the hell out of here." But Karma stuck to her spot beside Amy.

"You go ahead. I'm gonna stay." Her expression was unsure but her words didn't quaver. There was still one thing standing in her way.

Amy put her hands on Karma's cheeks and searched her face and eyes quickly. "You should go with Lauren. This could be dangerous." She gently brushed hair away from the sad eyes that looked at her from under perfect eyelashes.

"That's why I have to stay. Whatever happens, we're in this together. Okay?" She straightened. "I know you've been hiding this and I don't even care why right now. I just want you to let me help you. I want to be with you and that means you have to let me in."

"Okay, okay," Amy soothed, accepting it. There was no time to fight right now.

Behind them Clarice's face fell. She had no claim on Amy's heart but she had hoped. The way Karma and Amy stood together as if she didn't even exist made Clarice want to completely dissolve into non-existence. She was an intruder in their moment. Inside she felt her dams break and weakness took her but she knew there was no time to be weak in this place. It was taking all her strength just to hold it together.

The double doors across the hall opened, chatter and warmth spilling out followed by three people. One of them was a man who was undoubtedly Amy's father. They all froze. She wanted to meet her Dad, sure, but this was too sudden.

"Amy?"

He was the first to speak, the first to move. She stared into his eyes, looking for something that had no name. There was a softening there when the shock wore off and the curve of his lips went up at one corner. She recognized that half smile because she'd seen it in the mirror.

"Dad?"

The man behind Alec worked his way around the others. "Alec, what is the meaning of this? You know these intruders?"

Clarice put a hand up. "Um, sir, I wouldn't call us intruders really. The flyer said that the lecture was open."

"Open to those of the covens." His eyes flashed red… literally. "Who are you to walk into our gathering?" He allowed no answer. "Alec, take care of this." He gripped Alec's arm and with a meaningful glance he walked out.

"Am I the only one here that thinks this is insane?" Lauren poked Karma in the arm. "Are you buying this shit? Covens, magic, witches or whatever?"

No one answered her. Even Karma, the only other person who had absolutely no idea what was going on even, heeded her concern.

"Tie them up," Alec ordered.

The three men who had come out of the room rushed forward. "Oh shit," Amy cried. She tried to run but the first man caught her around the middle and she was pushed toward a line of chairs against the wall.

Clarice ran towards Amy and her attacker, trying to beat him off. She flung a hasty spell at him, which missed. Unfortunately, he flung his hand out and with magical energy, flung her into the chair beside Amy.

Karma was easily wrangled by an ominous looking black cloaked man with a goatee but Lauren put up the most fight of all.

"Get your hands off of me, you creepy ass weirdo!"

"Shut up," he said and pushed her into another chair.

Alec put his hands up and muttered words toward each girl. Red glowing light appeared at their hands and feet and around their torsos, binding them to their chairs. Amy struggled but the magic binding burned when she tried to fight it.

"Leave us," Alec said, once the three men recovered from their struggle with the girls.

"Sir, are you sure?" The man in robes threw him a hard look. "The Master would want us to stay and help."

"He left me in charge and I am telling you to go. I can handle these… Little. Girls."

Reluctantly, they paraded out one by one leaving Alec alone with his daughter and her odd little friends.

He took a chair from the side of the room and placed it in front of them, sitting down with a heavy sigh. "You shouldn't have come here. There is a reason I have kept my distance over all this time."

"You're kidding right?!" Karma cut in. She was seething. "This is the first time you're meeting your grown daughter and this is actually what you're choosing to do and the words you're choosing to say?!"

"Karma, it's okay…" Amy tried to calm her. Amy was scared of retaliation. Alec obviously had the upper-hand. The look in Karma's eyes had gone from concern to pure rage in just a moments time.

"No. It certainly is not okay," Karma's voice seemed to rise and fill all four corners of the strangely dank room as she bore her gaze into the smarmy face of the grown adult Alec Raudenfeld, the father of the only real friend Karma had ever known.

"Amy, who is she to you?" Alec asked, as if he had any right to demand answers of the daughter whom he had refused to take care of and raise.

"She's her best friend and I'm her best sister and unlike you we have both been active in her life for a very long time and this is NOT okay you fucking creep!" Lauren struggled. She wanted to attack him but the binding burned so instead she screamed.

"Well well, looks like you've found yourself a cute little family Amy. They're not even scared."

"Should they be?" Amy asked nervously. It was all fine and well that her friends loved her but this situation was definitely not good.

As she stared at her father she not only felt scared, she felt ultimately vulnerable. This whole thing had been a terrible idea and she knew that now.

Of course her father was a scoundrel.

Of course her father was the type to tie up under-aged girls in basements and tease them with mocking words while they were bound.

"I don't know Amy. Look around. Are you scared?" The proud smile on his face just sickened her. She struggled to move and felt as the fire inside of her matched the burning in her wrists from the binds he had placed on her. He: her father; the man who was supposed to love and protect her for all time.

So this was Alec Raudenfeld…