1.

Haunting

"Mum? Hunter?" Moira Byrne called as she opened the front door. She cast her senses to see if her mum and Hunter were home. The fifteen year old sighed when she couldn't sense them in the house. She sensed Bixby purring on her bed and Finnegan lying on the couch. She smiled and went into the living room, petting the dog. "Hey boy."

Moira, it's Tess, can I come over? The voice just popped into Moira's head. She smiled at the fact that her friend had mastered sending Witch Messages. Yeah, come on over. I'll make you a cuppa when you get here. She shuffled into the kitchen and put the tin teapot on the oven. She took the right amount of water and poured it into the teapot.

"I guess I can try." Moira murmured to herself and she rubbed her chin, thinking. She inherited this from her birth father, Hunter Niall. She put out her hand and held it close to the burner. She concentrated on lighting it, like her mother could. Her mother's element was Fire, and she could control it wonderfully. Moira had always wanted to be about the kindle fire.

Pffsh! Moira quickly opened her eyes to see that she lit the burner. She smiled and almost squealed. She heard the water boiling, and smiled wider. The teenager rummaged around the kitchen, keeping her senses cast. She felt her friend Tess, and could quickly read her feelings. Moira looked up and concentrated harder, Tess was frustrated and nervous.

But Tess is never frustrated about anything, or nervous! She thought quickly. She picked several soothing herd and put them in the pot. She heard the musical doorbell and answered it. "Tess, c'mon in." Moira said, smiling. She led her friend into the living room and set her down in a chair. She jumped a foot in the air when the whistle of the teapot shot off.

"Oh Goddess! I left it on too long!" She yelled. The fifteen year old scrambled into the kitchen and snatched the pot off the burner. But she lost her balance and the pot flew out of the air and through the window, shattering it. "My mum's going to kill me!" Moira scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide at the window. All the glass had been shattered and was lying on the ground in pieces, except for a few on the edges.

"Moira, are you okay?" She turned to see Tess looking at her, concerned. The other girl bent over and started picking up the large pieces of glass on the tile floor. "Gosh, your mum is going to kill you." The two girls looked at each other and burst into laughter. "You know, we could do a spell that would repair it." Moira's eyes went wide. "I'm kidding Moira! Gosh!"

"Sorry, after the whole Dark Wave thing, I've been kind of. you know. cautious," she said, smiling. "You can go back into the living room while I make some cider, much more relaxing." She smiled in relief as she friend left the kitchen. She swept up the rest of the small pieces and dumped them into the trashcan under the sink. "What the."

Moira had been looking at the window. The glass was there again as if nothing had happened. She quickly opened the trashcan to see that the glass pieces she had just put there were gone. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was hanging open. Who did that? Did Tess cast that spell? Or had I? The teenager asked herself.

"Hey! Hurry it up in there! I'm growing a beard I think!" Tess called, laughing. Moira nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. She quickly whipped up the two mugs of cider, putting spices and cinnamon in them. She brought the mugs into the living room and gave one to Tess. "Mmm." Tess said, taking a sip. "Just the right temperature."

"I used the Cool the Fire spell, remember my mum taught us that?" The blonde said, smiling. She twirled her fingers in her hair, passing the three green stripes in her hair. She put them in her hair for Saint Patrick's Day, thinking they were wash out, but it turned out she used permanent dye. "What did you want to talk about? You sounded frustrated."

"I want to get initiated now," Tess said, looking at Moira. "But I'm scared. I've always been scared of being initiated. That's why I didn't want to at first. But I was scared that the coven would deny me because I don't study as much." Moira looked at her friend, seeing tears in her eyes. This was the first time she ever saw Tess cry.

"Tess, it's okay. Don't cry. Vita and I will help you," the teenager said to her crying friend. "We'll help you, I promise. You're going to get initiated, with me at Yule. We'll do it together, and I'll be there right with you. We'll start a study group, we'll help Vita too, since she's getting initiated on Imbolc."

"Thanks Moira," Tess said, getting up. Moira smiled as Tess hugged her. "I have to go. Mum is teaching me how to heal a wilted rose. Though, you already taught me." She smiled at her friend and watched as she walked out the door. The teenager cast her senses out and sensed Ian coming up her walk. She jumped up and opened the door before he could knock.

"Hello, love," he said, wrapping his arms around her. Moira sank into him, drinking in his body. She was pulled into a deep kiss, lips shot hungrily at each other. She felt him slip his soft tongue into her mouth a bit. Moira led Ian to the soft couch, watching him lay down. She smiled and lay on top of him, kissing him. "You know, I love you." She nodded under his lips.

"Hunter and my mum are coming up the walk!" She said, practically yelling. The two scrambled off each other and sat on the couch, trying to act normal. Moira heard the door open and spotted the blond hair of her birth father, then the dark head of her mother. "Hullo mum," she smiled. She smiled wider at her father. "Hunter."

"Moira," Hunter said, smiling at his daughter. Moira flushed with red, she knew that her parents could feel the sexual tension between Ian and herself. "Ian, why don't you stay for dinner? Katrina already said it was alright, we asked her at the store." The teenager smiled at her father then at Ian as he nodded.

"I'm going to change for dinner," Moira said, getting up. She wanted Ian to fallow her, she they could finish in her bedroom. Ian smiled and nodded, noting that he needed to use the restroom. The two race dup stairs and burst into Moira's room. They fell onto the bed, the blonde straddling Ian, kissing him deeply. Ian started at her school skirt, slipping it half way off, but before he could get it off, Moira stopped him. "Ian. I'm not ready. Beltane, we'll do this at Beltane."

"Alright," Ian said, sighing. He pulled her skirt back on and kissed her quickly again. "Well. now I really do have to use the Lou." He walked out of the room, leaving Moira along on her bed. She wanted to make love with Ian, but she wasn't ready. But she would be at Beltane. She had read in her mother's Book of Shadows was that she and Hunter had made love for the first time on the night of Beltane, right in the grass. Her eyes slowly closed and she drifted into sleep.

Moira? Granddaughter? I am here to help. I am here to train you. I'm going to turn you into the most powerful Witch this World has ever seen. You will be able to do things that your wrenched mother could never do. Fire will shoot from your hands and you will be all powerful. Toget-- "Moira!" Came her mothers voice from downstairs. "Supper is ready!" Moira shook her head, trying to get the image of the wolf from her mind. She got out of her bed and changed into some of jeans and a green tee shirt.

* * *

"Samhain is coming up," Moira's mother said as they were all seated. "Five more days, actually. And Moira, you know what that means. You're going to have to study harder on your initiation work." Before the fifteen year old could speak up, Morgan interrupted her. "Yes, you still have to go to school, and do all your homework."

"Fine," Moira said, smiling at her mother. She had forgotten all about the dream she had before her came to dinner. "Anyways, I was going to ask what the circle would be like for Samhain." Moira looked at her mother, then at her "father", and then at Ian. She blinked, everything was all hazy, and disoriented. And she couldn't hear what they were saying. She shook her head and everything was back to normal.

"Moira, you know that I can't tell you what will happen. It's only between Katrina, me, and a few other coven members. That's why Samhain is always fun, it's a total surprise," Morgan said. The blonde felt her mother's eyes on her. She suddenly felt Morgan's hand on hers. "Honey, are you alright? You're hand is freezing, and pale."

"Mum, I'm fine," Moira, said pulling her hand back to her chest. "I.I.I just got a chill. I window it's open. Wind's cold." Everyone at the table was staring at her. "No, really. Mum, I'm fine. Can I go to Vita's house after dinner? We kind of formed a study group for initiation. Since Tess wants to get initiated now, I offered to help."

"That's wonderful! Maybe some of the other boys and girls can join?" Her mother said excitedly. Moira really didn't want anyone else to be in her group, but for her mother's sake, she said nothing. "Bring Ian along, since he's already been initiated. He could help a lot with your studies. Yes, this could work out. You've really got a great head on those shoulders, Moira."

The blonde rolled her eyes and got up from the dinner table. She walked up the wooden stairs and into her room. She changed into a brown pair of pants and a black v-neck tee shirt. She put on her heavy black cloak and walked out of her room. "C'mon Ian, let's go," she said clasping the two silver claps together. She went to the coat closet and pulled out his dark green cloak that he had left last time her was at the house. She gave it to him and watched him put it on.

The two walked in silence, their hands entwined. They reached Vita's fairly large house. A large garden surrounded the house; ivy covered one full side of the front of the brick house. Moira knocked on one of the large wood doors. After a few moments of waiting, Vita opened the door.

"Hey you two," Vita said, winking at her. "C'mon in, Tess is in the living room. Oh, so is Lizzie. Tess invited her." They all walked into the living room, all the furniture was gone. Lizzie and Tess were sitting on the floor, smiling and munching on snacks. "Alright I'm going to draw the circles. We're going to work on raising energy." Moira's friend smiled at all of them and drew one large circle and four smaller ones.

"A bowl of water, for the element of water, direction West," Moira said, picking up the bowl of water from the floor. She set it in the West circle. "A candle, for the element of fire, direction South." She placed the candle in the South circle. "Lizzie, your turn." She watched as the younger girl put a bowl of sea sand in the North circle. Then Tess put a bowl with lighted incense in the East circle.

"With these runes, I protect this circle," she drew the Sigils of Kenaz, Wunjo, Sowilo, and Dagaz. "These runes will give us protection and study aids. These will help up through out our studies. When we cast our circles when we are to be initiated use these Sigils and others. You will want a Sigil that will help you bring out the knowledge that is stored in your brain. Tess, please invoke the God and Goddess."

"I welcome the God and Goddess into our circle, and I hope they kind favor in our gathering," Tess began. "I dedicate this circle to our upcoming Sabbat, Samhain. Let the Witches New Year bless us all in harmony, and let the spirits of our loved ones make a safe journey through the veil. Now, let's all join hands and send our positive energy to the universe."

Moira was surprised; she had never seen Tess so serious about something. Her friend sounded so professional in the Craft. She closed her eyes and locked hands with Ian and Lizzie. They stood in silence, raising their energies. The teenager felt her energy forming into a ball and shooting into the universe. They all opened their eyes to see a reflection of their circle in the sky, made in a bluish light.

"Oh my Gosh." Lizzie Hawkstone said, looking up at the blue light. "It's so pretty! I can't believe we made that happen. But. wasn't our energy supposed to go out to the universe?" She's right, the energy was supposed to be a gift to the universe, Moira thought. Why was it hovering above us? Just as the blonde thought this the energy sheet rumbled and shot down on top of them, pushing them all to the ground. When they looked up they saw the edges of the circles glowing in the blue light.

"We did something different. we didn't send it to the universe. We sent it to the Earth, much more powerful Magick," Ian said, looking at the circles. "Not even many initiated Witches can do this. Well, they can, but not as powerful as this. This is some pretty hardcore Magick. Not Dark Magick at all, but hardcore. You four are going to be initiated. with this power, every coven will want you." The four girls laughed. Moira smiles and closed her eyes, focusing on the circles. She put out her right hand and traced a door, then opened it. She smiled and walked out of the circle. When everyone left the circle she closed the door.

"We need to keep people form walking through the circle. I'll put a quick protection spell so no one can enter until we can safely send the energy into the Earth," she said, nodding. She put out her hands and put a wall of energy around the circles, protecting it from anyone coming into it. "There we go. I think that's enough training for one day. That was really intense, and really good. Everyone did a great job. We'll meet at my house in two days for herbology lessons."

* * *

"Moira! Get up! You'll be late for school!" Her mother called from the stairs. Moira groaned and got out of bed. Like she cared that she was late. She went to her closet and took off her pajamas. She pulled on her plaid school skirt, her white button down long sleeved shirt, and her white knee socks. She brushed her blonde hair, yawning. She tried to hide the three green streaks but they just popped back.

"Ugh! Stupid dye," the teenage yelled, stomping her left foot. She grabbed her schoolbag and raced out the door, without a word to her parents. She ran to Vita's house, pulling her out the door. "C'mon! We're going to be late!" Since Tess usually got a ride to school with her parents, it left Moira and Vita to walk. "I think it would be nice if Tess would pick us up for once." She smiled at her friend and started running towards the tall building.

"Tess is always here about seven, and I don't want to get picked up at six thirty!" Vita said, as she caught up with Moira. Moira laughed and went to her locker, spinning in the combination. She dumped her backpack into if and shut slammed it shut. She smiled and walked into Poetry class with Vita. They spotted Tess at the same time and walked over to her.

"Class! Class! Calm down or it's the headmaster for you all!" Ms. McVay said, strictly. Her white blonde hair was tied into a bun, her think black glasses hung at the edge of her perfect nose. "Today we will be finishing the Tall Tell Heart, by Edgar Allen Poe." Moira's teacher cleared her throat and began to read the dark story. She was to the part where the man chops the old man up, when the bell rang.

The rest of the day was as if someone had slowed the day. She practically threw her locker door off the hinges as she got her things. The blonde had no time to say goodbye to her friends. She had to get her report of the properties of aluminum done by tomorrow. Moira sighed as she walked into the house, sensing that no one was home except the animals. She went into the kitchen to find a note from her mother and Hunter saying that they wouldn't be home until six. Something popped into her head. Ian.

Ian, it's Moira. Come over. No one is one. My mum and. da. wont be home until six o'clock. Come over, she sent the Witch Message fast in her excitement. Three hours of her and Ian, alone. She knew she wasn't ready for sex. Not until Beltane, the Sabbat of fertility, vitality and passion as we celebrate the union of the Goddess and God. She smiled to herself and waited for her beloved.