Chapter 21 – There is something strange

Later I was freshly showered and in the kitchen chopping mushrooms for Greek spaghetti with my mind flowing and traveling. Cooking is always the best time for me to relax and figure things out. I was cooking when I figured out that Edward was a vampire and I was cooking when I froze the burning tortigias finally accepting that I was a witch.

Today I realized that something was seriously wrong with the Salvatore's. Or rather with their house

Stefan, who while compelled by Elijah, had tried to compel me to forget he ate Mr. Tanner only two months ago, was now acting happy. Lexi who had stumbled over her own words when she asked me to make her a daylight jewel was now braiding Stefan's hair. Rebekah who less than 24 hours ago had attempted to kill me was assisting Lexi in giving makeovers to the boys and Damon hadn't left his house in days. When I first met him he was compelling girls to go to bed with him and emptying the entire scotch supply of the grill!

In fact, the last time either of the brothers acted normally was the day of the bachelor sale. The day I got married, I mused with my eyes traveling to my ring. Grabbing a pan I threw the pasta in, added the now bruised mushrooms and some cream and putting the pan in the oven I grabbed my Book and left the house ignoring the tremble of protest the Book gave as I crossed the threshold.

"'Kay Book. Protect yourself"

I told it and crossed the Salvatore yard quickly. Pushing open the unlocked I wasn't too shocked with the image that greeted me.

Damon and Jasper had military paint on their faces and were playing around with plastic water guns.

Rosalie, Lexi, Caroline and Rebekah were playing with each others hair, moaning over how soft or wavy it is. Edward and Stefan were messing on a sleek, black baby grand piano thinking they could play while Emmett was standing on top of it singing loudly show tunes.

I had to bite my tongue not to laugh at them feeling the general giddiness surrounding me. Doing my best to concentrate I whistled. Loudly.

Nine heads snapped quickly all commotion dying.

"Everyone outside, now"

I shouted in my best Charlie tone. Thankfully they complied, Caroline tripping on an abandoned baseball not he ground. Picking it up I smirked and followed the vampires to the cold night.

"Who wants to play baseball?"

No one answered

"It's the American pastime"

I used Edward's words against them but it didn't work

"I bet the girls can defeat the guys. Rose was amazing last time I saw her and Rebekah can run faster than Edward"

I prodded happy to see that my words were hitting the mark as Rosalie high fived Rebekah as Edward pursed his lips.

"There is a clearing at the falls"

Stefan pointed rubbing his hands together as if they were already playing. With a blink of an eye they were all blurring away, shoving and poking at each other.

"Now it's you and me"

I regarded the dark Salvatore boarding house closely. If I didn't know any better I'd expect a moat in the basement filled with human bones, ghosts and ravens fly around it. Scratch that, ravens are Damon's pets. I shook my head stopping the craziness from claiming me. I lit a white candle and with its flame I set fire to a small bunch of basil and rosemary

"Demons hiding in this place

Be gone and leave no trace

Sewers of discord

Your works must cease

I vanquish thee now

With these words of peace"

Expectantly a wind picked up and with it the air became lighter. The flame of my candle grew and extended warmth. Along the long driveway the lights flickered to life and the house seemed brighter as well. With a smile I closed the Book, walked up to the front door, traced the large double doors with the candle flame and the burning incense and castled the second spell of the night

"Magic forces far and wide

Enchant these doors so those can't hide

Allow this house to be clean

And grand entrance only to those invited from within"

the whole house shook on it foundation as my spell took change and I circled the house making the same motion with my candle and burning incense to the side door and the kitchen door. I finished the ritual by planting four small hex bags in the ground on the four corners of the house casting a lower level of protection around the property. With a look at my watch, I left a post it note on the door for the vampires to come find me and went home to have dinner.

Only to be stopped by a wild haired witch who was casting spell after spell at my house trying to gain entrance.

"Can I help you?"

I asked coldly. She turned around alarmed but did nothing but glare at me when our eyes met.

"What do you think you're doing?"

She spat

"Having midterms, destroying your spells, going to have dinner. The usual for a fall day. And you?"

I replied condescend. Her nostrils flared in anger.

"All has been spoken before your birth. You have no right to upset it"

"Did you ever stop to think that if you were right, everything would fall into place with no sweat? Your coven is now powerless"

I ignored her highly and mighty words with the reality. She didn't seem to like it very much

"You don't belong here"

She spat

"What are you gonna do about that?"

I provoked her. Her eyes gleamed zoning on my Book of Shadows turning completely black as a large ball of blackness appeared between her hands. My body stilled as an energy ball appeared in my right hand, the Book tucked safely under my left arm.

"I'm going to kill you"

She said simply and thrust the ball at me. I sent her my own energy ball but it was engulfed within the black ball that simply grew bigger. The old witch laughed coldly and maniacally. I tried freezing and exploding the ball but it only grew even bigger in size. Now it had almost the same size as me. I was panicking when a spell came to my mind.

"I am light

I am one too strong to fight

Return to Dark where Shadows Dwell

You cannot have this witch as well.

Go away and leave my sight

And take this with this endless light."

I finished chanting just as the ball hit me. I felt like I was immerged in goo and watched as it wrapped around me like liquid wetsuit. The witched eyes widened and she was set on fire. She was gone in seconds and the dark goo turned to bight white and seeped inside me.

I gasped feeling this extra power. I felt strong yet meek, powerful yet little. I shook my head and sat on the porch steps for a moment.

"Paige"

I called softly and the redhead white lighter appeared almost immediately.

"Are you okay Bella?"

"I don't know. I feel sluggish like trying to swim in warm milk"

I told her what had transpired and asked her what Leo had done with the bottled powers I had given him so long ago.

"He said they were flecks of powers. Like there was a family well and the witches you bound only borrowed them."

Her hands traveled over me with a cold white light shining onto me

"You just got yourself the family well. Did you kill her?"

"Yeah"

"Are you going to be alright?"

She asked softly sitting next to me.

"I killed someone. If I got the 'family well' the there's no more witches in their line"

I whispered and let Paige hug me whispering nonsense in my ear.

"Are you going to be alright?"

She asked again. This time I nodded

"Yeah. Thanks for coming"

"If I didn't I'm pretty sure the jiggling in my head would force me to"

She laughed. With a nod and a smile she was gone and I headed inside to turn of the oven and make myself a big mug of an herbal tea.

I was writing my entry of the battle with the Bennett witch and the spells I used to the Book of Shadows in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Opening it I was faced with a few very tired and awkward looking vampires.

"Feel any different?"

I asked them standing just inside my door. They all nodded frowning. Rosalie was slumped in Emmett's arms and Caroline was biting her lip nervously hiding herself in Jasper's side. Lexi was nervous and clutched on Stefan's hand for dear life.

"What happened to us?"

Rebekah asked loudly her hand rubbing soothing circles on her torso, where the dagger was impaled in her. I took a breath

"There were a few curses in the house affecting everyone in it. I took care of it. It's clean now but..."

"But?"

Damon's eyes gleamed. I bit my lip

"I restored an entrance spell. No one can enter uninvited except the owners"

"As if a human owns it?"

Stefan asked frowning. I nodded suddenly thinking I was overdoing it. Stefan smirked

"That's a good idea actually. Do you mind if I don't invite you inside brother?"

He teased Damon who glared under his green pasted face

"Only if you don't mind finding your underwear at the pole at school"

Damon joked back and I snickered relieved. Telling them to wait a moment I took another big mug and placed a few herbs inside it and poured the hot water.

"You should all take a sip from this"

"What will it do?"

Lexi sniffed the sweet tea

"Take away all ... the baggage the blood inside you may have"

Rosalie lifted an eyebrow

"I don't think someone would have spelled the animals and people in the town"

"Dr Fell got hold of vampire blood somehow and the hexes in the house were strong. They weren't put on overnight"

I shrugged a shoulder. Jasper took one for the team and taking the warm mug from my hands he took a sip and almost turned green before forcing it down

"This is horrible"

He commented before passing the mug to Caroline. She liked tea as a human so she sipped it with a smile. The mug traveled from vampire to vampire before returning to me. All the cold ones were flushed as they choked it down and the others wanted alcohol. I rolled my eyes and guided them to claim the house and invite the others in.

"Can we talk?"

Damon asked quietly. I nodded

"Sure"