A Raven in the Hand

Chapter 11

Salem Massachusetts, famous for its history, mainly the famous witch hunt. Tourists and locals can find witches of today here, walking around dressed in their robes, shopping and dinning out, just like normal people. The known witches of Salem would even perform some minor rights and ceremonies for the townsfolk, but the true withes hid themselves from the world, in order to protect it.

Lapshook Manner, a giant of a mansion nestled within over five hundred Acers, surrounded by a twenty feet stone fence all around, rested on the outskirts of Salem. This is where the real witches come to learn and teach their craft in secret. A school built in the late seventeen hundreds, it's founder, Samuel Lapshook and his wife Millie, had thought that the they needed a central home, one where they would welcome the small numbers and keep the old ways alive for generations to come. A place of study and to collect the knowledge that they gathered, it was a perfect place to raise the young generations to follow.

Kayla called this place home. She was sent here when she was only ten, her mother thought it would be wise. Kayla was a fast learner, and the school would offer her more knowledge that she could in Washington. It wasn't a bad thing. Kayla would always come back during holidays, spring break, and the entire summer.

She was home now, hiding within the solid stone walls of the vault where all the sacred tomes, artefacts, and power was held for study and to rest until it was needed. The vault doors were located within a room that looked very much like a library, but was built far beneath the foundations of the old building.

She was sitting at one of the many desks, with old books and scrolls scattered all over the table's surface. Scribbling on a note pad as she read an old leather bound brown book, she was not new to the studies. The events of the past few weeks had been picking at her brain, the discovery of Reapers and a Voodoo Priest out of his element, that was quite unheard of.

Kayla decided that it would be best that she did the research alone, usually she would call her fellow brothers and sisters of the goddess, those that did the actual research for the others. But she felt it would be better that no one knew about this until she had finished her investigation.

It wasn't for the fact that she didn't need their help, there were a few researchers that were very knowledgeable about Voodoo, many had traveled to the heart of Africa to learn from Priests and Priestesses and vise versa. Even though the two magical populaces never saw eye to eye, they both new the importance of sharing the magic knowledge and the protection of it from the non-magic.

She had created a perfect cover to the normal…(or muggles as she started to call them after reading the entire series of Harry Potter, she loved those books. It would be hilarious for the people to know that J.K. Rowling was actually a witch herself, a priestess in another Covent in England), Kayla was a photographer for the WWE now, always getting a change to get her subject alone to question, but the Undertaker wouldn't just spill his guts out to her, if he had any that is. He would give her little bits, just to keep her wanting more. She didn't know if he was just going it on purpose, but she didn't care. She liked to be near him. His mysteriousness attracted her like a moth to a flame, she wanted more from him, even to have him touch her again.

Kay sighed as she closed the book, she looked with a frustrated look at all the books. She wasn't finding anything on Reapers, except what everybody knew, the traditional Grim Reaper. That frustrated her, how can there be no other info on them? This couldn't have been the first time that a Reaper has come across the veil, the veil is what keeps the Astral Planes and Prime Material planes apart.

She began to rub her temple, a head ach was forming again. One of the double doors of the library opened, An aged woman, who still seemed to be quite fetching, walked slowly into the room. The black simple robe with silver time and runes writing in the same silver material dressed the bottom of the robes and her large cuffs. Her hair would have been blond in her younger days, now the golden strands were covered in silver, just as it should. This was not just another fellow witch. She was the High Priestess of this Covent, she ruled order with her male counterpart, usually a man of her age dressed in with robes with gold trim. They represented the Goddess and God, the pagan deities, Isis and Pan.

"Child Raven?" She called out in a soft and low voice, "Why are you down so late in the night?"

Kay jumped as the Matron startled her, "Oh! I didn't know anyone was awake…"

The Matron walked to the desk and sat beside her young subject, "What has you up all night in the vault?"

The priestess knew she was keeping something from her, but she was never the kind to push until the time arose.

"Um…" Kay hated lying…

The Matron pulled an open book towards her and began to read a little on the page that was left open, she looked back at Kay a little curious.

"Reapers?" She asked, "Why are you studying Reapers? I believed that you were after a rogue Voodoo Priest."

"I am…that is…Oh Matron Shalla, I found the Vodu after I was starting to investigate another phenomenon…"

"Another? This would have to do with the three names that you had Steven look into for you?"

"Yes, Mother Shalla. I discovered something incredible! But I would rather not say anything until I am finished with my investigation."

Shalla smiled, "You have discovered a Reaper in the Material World?"

Kayla couldn't help but grin, "Not just one…but two! And Shalla, he touched me and I did not die! He's made of flesh…at least I think he's flesh…but he's cold to the touch, like a corpse!"

"This is interesting news, isn't it?" Shalla's smile seemed to just make Kay a little more excited.

"That's not all! There is so much more I can learn from him, he was the one who saved me from the attract by the Vodu…"

"That is what has me worried, child. Please think about this, why would a Reaper and a Vodu be in the same surroundings, and wrestling of all things? And why just come out and attack you?"

"That's what I need to find out! The two have to be related to each other but I still don't know how. The Undertaker doesn't seem a bit worried about my snooping, but I didn't even know the Vodu was there!"

"Perhaps the Vodu feels that you might be a threat to him, how I don't know how." Shalla looked at the books again, "The Reaper had a name?"

"Yes, kind of. He's taken a few names, most were just given to him."

"What do you call him?"

Kay couldn't help but smile when she talked about him, "I call him Mark…he's not frightening at all, now the other one…"

"Unless it was your time and he was the one taking you…"

"I don't think I would mind if it was him..."

The Priestess laughed, "It seemed that you are falling for him…"

"He is really easy to talk to…"

Shalla raised her creaking body and kissed Kay on the forehead, "It is only natural for a Raven to find Death. They are connected you know…"

"I know…"

"The Raven has always been your totem, perhaps it is the Raven inside of you that is attracted to him."

"The Raven is part of my soul, Mother."

"Yes child, she is. I have never told anyone of this, but Kayla, the Goddess has told me of the Reapers' coming. She had not giving me any feelings of fright or evil thoughts about this."

Kay looked at her in surprise, "You knew about them and didn't tell anyone?"

"No, the Goddess instructed me to tell no one until one of my own had found them." The old woman began to leave, but stopped and turned back at Kayla, "Isis had told me that a Raven would find him."

"Mother Shallow?" Kay stood up from her seat, the old woman smiled at her.

"Yes?"

"When did you know about them?"

The High Priestess smiled softly, "Thirty-six years ago." And she left the library, leaving Kayla to wonder if there was much more to this then just another investigation.

To Be Continued…..