Chapter 2
It was three-thirty in the morning when Horatio pulled the Hummer into the driveway of Belladonna's home. Already the crime scene tape was up, the news crews were everywhere, and his CSI team was hard at work processing the crime scene.
Alexx Woods knelt beside the body of a dead black cat. "What do we have, Alexx?" asked Horatio.
She frowned. "This poor kitty got it bad," she said. "What I can tell is that the cat has been sliced open like a piece of meat. I'll know more at the post." She winced. "I can't believe I'll be doing an autopsy on a cat. Who would kill a black cat on Halloween?"
"Black cats are associated with witchcraft," said Horatio, seeing Belladonna on the front steps in her white chemise, her eyes red and swollen from crying. "Excuse me," he said and walked toward her. She didn't even notice when Horatio removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. "Belladonna, you're shivering," he said. "Here you go, sweetheart."
Belladonna flinched and looked at him. "Here's what I want you to do," said Horatio, "I want you to wait for me in my car, OK?"
She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "OK," she said and wobbled off toward the Hummer. Horatio watched her go then went to where Eric knelt on the ground. "Eric," he said.
Eric looked up. "Not much, sorry H," he said. "Whoever killed Miss Llewellyn's cat is pretty sneaky." He pointed his camera at a boot print in the mud and snapped a photo of it. "Except this. It's a print from some kind of combat boot."
"Could be from Pyewackett's killer." Horatio felt odd saying that.
Eric stood up. "You think this has something to do with the threats on Miss Llewellyn's life?" he asked.
A sudden commotion caused Horatio to turn his attention on the vast crime scene audience. Belladonna was arguing with a short man with blue hair and green eyes. "Hang on a second, Eric," he said and walked toward Belladonna. She had just suffered an emotional loss; this was the last thing she needed.
"What's the matter Belladonna?" the man sneered openly. "Pissed off at the loss of your kitty? Why don't you just use your witchy powers to bring him back?"
"Just go away, Jared," said Belladonna. "I don't want your sympathy."
"Hey, I'm just being nice."
"Nice?" Belladonna shouted, and the sound of her voice caused the cameras to turn to her. "You call bringing your fundamentalist Christian pals over to disrupt my coven's rituals nice? Or how about the time you shouted passages of the Bible at a Wiccan gathering and told every Wiccan there that they were going to burn in hell? You call that nice? I call it religious intolerance."
"Aw, cm'on Bella…"
By then Horatio appeared at Belladonna's side. "Sir, I'll have to ask you to get back behind the tape," he said firmly. "This is a crime scene."
"I'm just talking to my friend, Officer," said Jared defensively. "She's upset."
"I believe the lady asked you to leave," said Horatio steadily, feeling Belladonna trembling with rage beside him.
Jared gestured angrily. "Whatever," he shouted and stalked away.
Horatio led Belladonna to the Hummer himself and once she was settled in the driver's seat he leaned against the door and asked softly, "Who was that man, Belladonna?"
"Jared Michaels," she said. "Another one of those zealous Christians you hear about on the news. Another thorn in my side."
"Do you know if he would hurt Pyewackett?"
"I don't know." She turned her face away from Horatio so he wouldn't see her cry. He shifted slightly on his feet and whispered, "Belladonna, I promise you that I'm going to find whoever is trying to harm you. OK?"
When she smiled numbly at him Horatio felt his heart fly to pieces again. What was wrong with him? What was it that she did to him? Why did he feel this way?
"Hey, Horatio!"
Frank Tripp's voice shook him out of his reverie and he said, "Excuse me," before going to meet him. "Frank," he said and Tripp showed him a one-paged letter.
"Looks like Miss Llewellyn's admirer came back for another round," said Tripp. "Take a look."
Horatio looked the letter over then at Frank. "Get this to the lab and test it for prints," he said. "We need to see if luck gets on our side for a change."
"And…Miss Llewellyn?"
"I'll deal with that." Horatio looked at Belladonna across the way. Where could she go after the Samhain ritual tonight? He swallowed as he returned to the Hummer.
"Belladonna, do you have any friends to stay with until this is over?" he asked. She shook her head. "My parents live in Georgia," she replied. "And I don't wish to put my coven in danger. Where can I go, Lieutenant?" She looked at him.
"I want you to stay at my place after the ritual," said Horatio. "An officer will escort you to a friend's house for a change of clothes. Do you have someone in mind?"
"Pandora," said Belladonna. "We're having the ritual at her place anyway." She looked back to Horatio. "You've done so much for me, Lieutenant," she added softly. "I don't want to think that I'm burdening you."
"Go ahead, Belladonna."
She slid out of the car and Horatio caught the faint scent of vanilla and mint drifting off her skin.
"H?" It was Eric.
"Yes, Eric."
"I was just wondering…" Eric looked fairly embarrassed. "…if we were still going to that ritual tonight."
Horatio smiled and nodded. "We sure are, Eric," he said.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
When Horatio, Eric, and Calleigh arrived at Pandora Moore's home, they were greeted by the lady witch herself. Dressed in a black shirred ruffled top and a skirt of multi-colored six pieced tiers, Pandora was in her early forties, with short graying dark hair and green eyes.
"Ma'am, we're," Horatio began but she finished.
" – Lieutenant Horatio Caine," she said. She smiled at Eric and Calleigh. "And you two are Eric Delko and Calleigh Duquesne." She motioned them inside. "Come in. Bright blessings to the three of you."
The inside of the house was, to Horatio, interesting. Framed prints of faeries and other Wiccan memorabilia covered the walls; candles were lit in every part of the room. A fine altar was in the middle of the room, bookshelves were packed with occult books.
"Sit where you like," said Pandora before vanishing into the kitchen.
Eric and Calleigh sat in silence while Horatio remained standing. Finally Calleigh remarked, "God, can you imagine my house looking this cool?"
"I'll admit," said Eric. "It's impressive."
"Why thank you, Mr. Delko," said Belladonna appearing from the hallway. Her appearance literally took Horatio's breath away. Belladonna's hair fell free and wavy down her back in a cascade of molten copper and she wore little makeup on her face. About her neck was a crystal necklace made of amethyst and she wore a black sleeveless dress with a cross-laced bodice, brocade-textured inset, and long falling streaks of purple velvet front and back.
Horatio had never seen a woman so beautiful.
Eric and Calleigh introduced themselves and Belladonna smiled warmly at them and thanked them for coming. Naturally, there were some questions, mostly about Samhain. "What is it?" asked Calleigh.
"Samhain is one of our highest sabbats," explained Belladonna, "where the the veil between the Land of the Dead and the Land of the Living is very thin and the spirits come out and walk for one night. This is the time for honoring the dead and it is also our New Year, according to the Celtic calendar."
Eric smiled. "Sounds good."
Pandora stuck her head into the living room. "I believe we're ready, Lady Belladonna," she said. Belladonna smiled. "Then let's begin," she said.
The room filled with men and women, some dressed in casual clothes, others dressed in costumes, but all of them wearing pentacles around their neck. Horatio, Calleigh, and Eric swept inside the circle around the altar and were greeted by friendly smiles from the witches.
Belladonna came forward and lit the candles on the altar. "In the name of the Morrigan, Goddess of Death and Rebirth, I light this candle," she said. She moved to the next one. "In the name of the God Arawn, God of the Dead, I light this candle."
She then unsheathed a beautiful dagger and drew a pentacle in the air. "Welcome, Lord and Lady, to our circle!"
"Welcome!" chimed the circle.
Horatio watched Belladonna as she conducted the ritual. She seemed to have changed overtime. No longer was she just a woman, who had different beliefs, she was instead the Goddess Morrigan incarnate. Her pale skin was literally glowing with her Goddess energy and it almost frightened him.
"Tonight," continued Belladonna, "we honor those who have gone before us into the Summerland and beyond. Tonight we invited those who have passed on to the Next Life to join us in this simple rite." She raised her arms high above her head. "Welcome, spirits! Be here with us now!"
"Welcome, spirits!" repeated the circle.
The minute she said this, Horatio noticed that the candle flames were brighter than ever before and where not wavering. A slight chill was in the air and it seemed that the atmosphere in the room changed to. It felt like other people were present in the room, though they could not be seen. He had a feeling of being watched and, telling by the startled glances his CSIs gave him, they felt it too.
The ritual continued, though Horatio couldn't remember much of what was said. He did remember feeling the spectral eyes upon him, watching and welcoming. He did remember the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach.
The shots came without warning and immediately the three CSIs were kicked into action. "Everybody down!" shouted Eric over the den of panicking Wiccans, who obeyed him and ducked for cover. Ten more shots rang out, shattering windows and furniture, the noise bouncing off the walls.
"Belladonna!" shouted Horatio, grabbing her almost instantly and falling to the floor with her held tightly in his arms. She flinched with every gunshot but Horatio was more concerned to see if either she or her friends were hurt.
When the gunfire died down, all they heard was the sound of screeching tires going down the street.
"Is everyone all right?" asked Horatio. Nods and murmurs answered him faintly.
Eric and Calleigh helped everyone stand up and Horatio did likewise with Belladonna. Like the others, she was horribly shaken, but unhurt. "Are you all right?" Horatio asked.
"I think so," she answered softly.
"Looks like someone didn't want you guys to go through with your celebration," remarked Eric.
Belladonna answered him with a smile.
"But thank the Goddess and the spirits for protecting us," she said.