Chapter One
A scarlet circle with a dark heart, slowly expanding. A fine spray of hot, red drops. A look of shock and surprise on Tara's face.
"Your shirt..." Willow's voice was edged with concern. Tara's body crumpled, starting from the knees, and she fell to the floor.
"Tara!"
Willow rushed to catch her lover as she fell, still not understanding . She was crouching at Tara's side, cradling her head, with no recollection of how she had arrived there. Even as she tried to make sense of what had just happened, she saw the light fade from Tara's deep blue eyes. As her girlfriend's muscles relaxed, the expression of shock slipped away and Tara was at peace.
Willow stroked Tara's face, crying as she struggled to comprehend. Rocking backwards and forwards, a low keening wail was dragged from her lips.
"Oh, god! Oh, no... please. Please! Come on! Come on, Tara, please! Come on, baby..."
Even as she pleaded with her lover, Willow knew it was too late. Tara was gone. The best thing in her life, this incredible soul that she had lost and then found again, had been snatched away once more, this time forever. Touching the blood that continued to seep from the ragged hole torn in Tara's chest, Willow could no longer deny what had just happened.
A wave of grief, rage and fear slammed through her body. She started to shake uncontrollably as a scream ripped its way from the depths of her soul. And somewhere, so deep inside her that she wasn't even aware that it was there, the dam that held back the magick shattered. As her mind retreated from a reality that no longer contained the person she loved more than life itself, magickal fire raced through her being, controlling where once it had been controlled. The small spark that was still Willow looked on in terror as the magick claimed her. Her eyes glowed red as she looked up and stared into the abyss.
"By Osiris, I command you! Bring her back!"
Willow's voice ripped through the dimensions. Propelled by magick it pulled aside the boundaries of reality. opening a gate to the underworld itself. The ceiling was suddenly obscured by a boiling sky, thick with dark clouds. Lightning flashed, setting stark shadows flying across the room.
"Hear me, Keeper of Darkness!" Willow's voice reached out again, so laden with magick it was an almost palpable presence. Demanding, compelling. The clouds above her head circled wildly, and a painfully loud voice boomed out from the centre of the maelstrom.
"Witch! How dare you invoke Osiris in this task?"
"Please... please bring her back!"
"You may not violate the laws of natural passing."
"How? How is this natural?"
"It is a human death by human means."
"But I..."
"You raised one killed by mystical forces. This is not the same. She is taken by natural order. It is done."
"No! There has to be a way."
"It... is... done!"
"NOOOOOO!!!"
Willow's scream reverberated with power, distorting the air in front of her and hurling Osiris from the Earthly plane. She wrenched her eyes back to Tara's face. Her tears continued to flow, and her body was wracked by heaving sobs. This could not be! She had only just found Tara again. They were going to spend the rest of their lives together. At that thought a small voice popped up unbidden in her mind.
You did.
She screamed again, unable to bear the pain as her soul ripped further apart.
"Bring her back! Bring her back. Make it not true..." she pleaded. She allowed her head to fall forward until her forehead was touching Tara's face, Her tears ran over her lover's face. And a desperate plan started to form. With the magick still surging through her she knew that she had the power. It could be done. The balance would have to be maintained, something given, something taken. But Tara would not die. That was the only thing that mattered. Her sweet Tara would still be alive. Willow looked up once more, her expression cold and hard.
"Temporis reverto!" Once more Willow allowed the magick to flow into her voice, and once more the veil of reality shattered...
