Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

The next morning Kay woke early as she always did, but she quickly felt the cold of coven and was surprised. She pulled her cloak on over her gown and walked from her room and to the basement to check on the heater. She shook her head when she found the heater broken. “How did this happen?” she asked out loud. She turned to rush upstairs when something stopped her and made her look back at the heater. The heater didn’t break from being old…it was broken by hand. But no one was strong enough…. Realization crossed her face, “Lucas!” she yelled as she stormed upstairs and towards the room she had Dawn take Lucas to. Using magic, she threw the door open. “Lucas wake up,” she snapped, stepping into the room.

Lucas’s eyes opened wide, his first thoughts that they had been attacked, but when he met Kay’s eyes and saw the fury he knew that wasn’t the case. “Kay? What is wrong?”

“Why did you break the heater? I know vampires don’t need heaters but we do!”

“Wait…what? Break your heater? Kay I have not left this room since Dawn brought me in here.” He slowly got to his feet and looked at her. “I would never do something that could hurt you and the others.”

“Kay? What’s going on?” Alicia asked softly, stepping into the room.

“Someone broke the heater downstairs, and it wasn’t done by magic, so it had to be someone with strength.”

“Kay, I swear to you, I did not do this.”

“He is telling the truth Kay…” Alicia said, looking at Lucas. “I would know if he were lying.”

“Well what do we do? Without the heater we will freeze.”

“Do you have fireplaces?” Alicia asked quickly, remembering what she learned about her powers.

“Well yes, every room has one, why?”

“Tell everyone to stay bundled, I’ll get each room warm.” Alicia sped from the room before Kay could comment.

“Do you think…?” Kay looked at Lucas and he shrugged. “Her mother’s strength was fire, so why not hers,” he stated.

Kay nodded and turned to leave the room. “I’m sorry Lucas…you being a vampire just puts me on edge.”

He chuckled. “No problem Kay, I understand. Now go on and get warm.”

Kay nodded and left the room quickly. Once she arrived in the great hall, she saw a fire blazing in the fireplace, and realized the entire room felt warm. She looked around as some of her sisters joined her in the great hall. She walked to Dawn and pulled her away from the others. “Someone broke our heater…did anyone break the wards last night?”

“Not that I know of, but I can ask around.”

“Good,” Kay said and quickly walked from Dawn and to the kitchen where another fire was burning, and the women were making breakfast. Kay smiled as she watched them and listened to their murmurs about Alicia. She knew the women would follow Alicia, that was if Alicia chose to stay and take over. The coven expect Alicia, as Samantha’s daughter to take over, but would she, like her mother, choose to take off instead? She shook her head and walked out of the kitchen and back into the great hall where cheering came to her ears and an interesting sight stopped her in her tracks.

Alicia stood among the young girls and women, playing with fire. The young girls giggled and cheered while the women watched in wonder and amazement. Kay couldn’t help but gape at Alicia, but she straightened as Alicia looked at her and the fire quickly disappeared. “I…I’m sorry.”

Kay laughed. “Child it is fine, I’ve never seen a young witch manage to do that…most of the older ones can’t either. Honestly…I can not control fire that easily.”

Alicia shrugged slightly. “I couldn’t sleep so I decided to try and I found out I’m good with fire.”

“Uh huh,” Kay said, her mind still on what she saw. “Um…did you get fires started in all of the rooms?”

“Yes,” Alicia said softly and glanced around the room. She shook her head silently and turned to walk from the room, she felt Kay watching her, but she refused to allow anyone to see the tears in her eyes. Once she was away from the group she started running until she got to her room. “Oh mom…” she said as she shut the door and slid down to the floor. “I need you to be here, I can’t do this on my own.” As she let the tears fall, she felt a presence in the room, but as she looked up, no one was there. “Hello?” she stood slowly, looking around. Complete silence was all that answered her and she sighed. Walking to her bed, she wiped the tears away, telling herself that when this was over she would go back to her old life.

Lucas sat on his bed, feeling Alicia’s pain, and hated himself for not being able to go to her. Stupid sunlight! He sighed and looked around the room. Maybe he could be in it long enough to cross the great hall. At that he stood and ran from the room, leaving a few surprised witches in his wake. He ran across the great hall, barely feeling the sun as he got into the opposite hallway and to Alicia’s door. He knocked, but when silence met him, he shoved the door open and found Alicia sitting silently on her bed. “What?” she asked, and he heard the tears. He walked to her and sat beside her. “Oh Alicia, please don’t cry,” he said, a bit unsure of what to do. “Come now, everything will be okay.”

Alicia glared up at him. “Everything will be okay? Yeah that’s rich!” she snapped and got to her feet. “My mother was killed because of being in this coven, and now I have to fight the ones who killed her!”

“Alicia please calm down.”

“Do not tell me to calm down!” she snapped, not noticing the fact that fire was flashing from her hands. “My life has been torn apart and you want me to calm down?” she asked, glaring at him.

“Actually I want you to calm down so you don’t burn down the coven,” he said softly, and watched as she looked down at her hands. The fire slowly disappeared and she broke down crying. Lucas walked to her and pulled her into his arms. He petted her head gently, not knowing exactly what to do. “It will be okay, I promise I will not let them hurt you.”

Alicia continued to lay in his arms, suddenly feeling safe and warm. “I’ll hold you to that promise,” she murmured, and he couldn’t help but smile. He lead her to the bed and let her sit down. “We will train some more tonight. I am looking forward to seeing this fire power.”

Alicia smiled slightly. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?”

“Yeah, well you needed me,” he shrugged and smiled. “I will now bid you good day so I can get some sleep,” he said and grinned before turning to leave. He walked from the room quickly and then braced himself to go through the sunlit great hall.