December Moon (The Raven Saga)

  “She's right, of course. We don't know the full extent of the story. We need to know more before we accuse Frank of being a cold blooded killer. Don't jump to conclusions,” said Sammy thoughtfully, knowing only too well what happens when people do jump to conclusions.

  For many years, people had done that very same thing and concluded that Sammy was a murderer. They had assumed he had murdered the love of his life, Neleh, when he was, in fact, nothing but an innocent victim too. He had witnessed Neleh's death at the hands of Vivian before the witch had put the cruel curse on him.

  For fourteen years he had hid from prying eyes and accusatory stares. Oh Sammy knew what it was like to be accused, all right. He had been presumed guilty right from the start and he wasn't prepared to let another man go through the same stigma until he knew for a fact that Frank was entirely guilty.

  Everyone knew what Sammy was thinking. It was written across their faces, those looks of guilt.

  “Yes, Sammy, you're absolutely right. We don't want to go through that again,” said Meredith with a sad smile. Although she had no physical transformation skills, Meredith had a remarkable ability to pick up on people's thoughts every now and again.

  The group decided on the best course of action: the Elders needed to be notified and soon. The victim could easily have been someone the Elders were familiar with. And they would know how to handle Frank.

  The Elders lived high in the mountains, in a series of caves well hidden from the rest of the human world. They were led by the vampire Carmelo and consisted of a large group of wise beings who offered help and advice to any other creature who needed it... including vampires, changelings, werewolves, and so on.

  Living among the Elders was a vast number of such creatures. Creatures that couldn't fit into the world without creating fear among humans. The Elders' caves were a sort of safe haven for them.

  Earlier that year Lilly had met many of these creatures during a journey with her grandfather Gabriel, to try and help find out what might have happened to her missing father. However, the journey had turned into a fight for survival, and Gabriel had become injured.

  So injured, that he was left weaker than ever before, leading him to make the decision to leave his home and reside with the Elders as one of them.

  Lilly had been heartbroken. She had only lived in Powell River a few months and had come to rely on him. Yet she knew it was the right decision for him to make. He was a wise man, after all. It was a tough choice for Gabriel and it was one he made with a heavy heart. But he knew fourteen year old Lilly was mature and responsible enough to live in the house with Tabitha, Zoltan and Sammy alone. The rest of the family lived close enough to be on hand should they need any help. He had been confident that they could get by without him.

  Fortunately, with Lilly's new found ability to morph into a mountain lion, she could always travel to the caves with a certain amount of speed and stealth. He knew he could always count on her.

  Everyone else had left Rose's cottage that night, promising to be extra vigilant and careful. Lilly then remembered what had caused her to visit her aunt in the first place, December. Her bizarre dream had revealed some remnants of truth, and the weird thing with the water in the school gym.

  “Go on dear... tell me. There is something else on your mind. What is it?” asked Rose as she opened the back door, letting in three of her beloved cats.

  “It's December's birthday today and something weird happened to her,” said Lilly as she proceeded to tell her aunt about the odd situation.

  Rose listened intently whilst stroking Scully, the Siamese cat that most resembled the old lady.

  “What do you know about December, my dear?” she asked.

  Again, Lilly explained what had happened with her parents. That her mother had dumped her with a a horrible aunt and returned to Seattle without her.

  “She was a loner until she met me,” Lilly added.

  “So we don't know anything about the mother,” Rose pondered, almost to herself, as Lilly shook her head.

  “It is possible that she could just be extra intuitive. But I think that unlikely combined with the strange occurrence in the school gymnasium. Did you say that she had wished the gym would flood so she could get out of the class? Hmm... strange. Honestly, I really don't know what to tell you, my dear. Perhaps you ought to ask one of the Elders. I am assuming that you are going to visit with some of the others?”

  Lilly nodded. Whenever the opportunity arose to visit the mountains, to see Gabriel and Jo, Lilly jumped at it. This time was no different. More urgent than usual, but still no different.

  CHAPTER SIX

  DECEMBER MOON: U there, Lil?

  No answer

  DECEMBER MOON: Lilly, I really need to speak to you?

  Again, nothing.

  DECEMBER MOON: Buzz me when u get this!

  After listening to Monty's bizarre explanations regarding the truth about her mother, Moira, December had stormed off into the house, slamming her bedroom door behind her.

  Impossible. How could my mother be a witch? It's just, just, laughable, she thought, as she attempted a laugh.

  The laughter was completely unnatural. Oh, like my mother. Where is Lilly? I need to speak to her. She'll laugh with me at the madness of it all.

  Nothing could be further from the truth, of course, but there was no way that December could know that. There was no way that she could know that Lilly had kept her own supernatural abilities from her.

  A witch. My mother. A witch.

  No matter how hard she tried to rid the thought from running through her mind, she failed miserably. Deep down, she knew that Monty would never lie to her. Deep down, she knew that there was something wrong, perhaps not wrong, but something different, about her. Look at the gym. I flooded the gym. I did that, didn't I? Yet I was completely safe... and dry. Huh? What's going on with me?

  There was a tap on the door, “December, are you all right, dear? I'm sorry if I upset you. Can we talk?”

  Sighing heavily, December shut the lid of her orange laptop and jumped up from her oversized bed, complete with enormous fluffy red duvet cover, and plodded over to the door. She turned the brass key and opened the door to find Monty looking sad but determined.

  “There is more to this, isn't there? There's something different about me, I can feel it?”

  He pushed the door open a little more and put his hands on her shoulders. Looking deep into December's eyes, he nodded.

  A couple of hours later, December could be found wandering around Battersea Park alone. She had listened to what Monty had to say and, in the end, believed every word. He had no reason to lie. And she had accepted her recent experience as proof that she too, had inherited her mother's abilities. It was a lot to take in.

  “December, your mother was born a witch, just like her mother before her, just as you have been. You mustn't worry though, witches are not usually like they've been made out to be in the movies and fairy tales. Granted, there are many evil witches in this world too but your mother is certainly not one of those. She is an extraordinary woman, your mother, and she left you in your father's family's care to protect you,” Monty had gently told her earlier.

  “But to protect me from what?”

  “From evil, my dear, from evil.”

  December had gasped. She had never known evil. Not really. Her aunt wasn't a very nice person, but she would never describe her as evil. Vivian could be described as evil, of course, for the awful things she did to Lilly and her father, but December had never actually known her, she'd never even met her. Vivian had forbidden Lilly from having any friends so they'd had to keep their friendship a secret.

  Little did she know, Vivian had been the epitome of evil, one of the most evil witches alive at that time. But December knew nothing of this.

  After her talk with Monty, she had tried, once again, to reach Lilly but she appeared to be incommunicado. She was desperate to speak to her best friend. She knew she could co
nfide in her. Other than Monty, Lilly was the only one she could talk to.

  As she wandered slowly through the tall trees, the sun barely visible through the treetops above, she thought about the last time she'd seen Lilly. Over a year ago. It had been the day she'd had to say goodbye. She'd been heartbroken, but she knew it was for the best. Lilly loved her new life in Canada, even though she was still mourning the loss of her father. Perhaps mourning and loss were the wrong words but he had disappeared. Never to be seen again. Lilly, hoped, of course, that one day he would be found, alive and well, somewhere in the world.

  If I am a witch, perhaps I could help, December suddenly thought. If my mother is reaching out to me now, maybe I can go to America. Seattle, that's where December had been told that her mother was from. And she was sure that Seattle wasn't very far from Powell River.

  The idea that she might be able to see her friend again made December literally jump for joy, before she looked around, embarrassed, in case anyone had seen.

  With a grin on her face, she continued walking slowly through the park, hands in the pockets of her skirt, kicking at the dirt on the ground. A couple of joggers ran by her as she emerged from the trees out into the sunshine and began walking along a well-worn pathway towards the edge of the Thames River.

  Thinking about what had happened at the school previously, December wondered whether she really did have some kind of weird 'witchy' powers, and if so, whether she ought to try them out. But, how? The last time, all she had done was wish the gym would flood and it did. So now what am I? Some kind of genie, she thought. But she shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. I wish... I wish... for huge bubbles to erupt from the water.

  She stood waiting patiently and quietly for something to happen. Nothing. Looking around she noticed a sturdy wrought iron bench so she went over and sat down, willing the bubbles to begin churning up the calm murky water. I wish for the bubbles to appear, I wish for the bubbles to appear. But nothing happened. Not a thing.

  Irritated that she could seemingly make a whole gymnasium flood but she couldn't make a few bubbles appear in the river, December gave up and jumped off the bench quickly. It's all just rubbish. I haven't got any special powers. What on earth was I thinking?

  "You have to want it, December. You have to really want it," said a voice that came out of nowhere.

  "Wh..what the...?" she jumped, nearly tripping over the roots of an old tree that spread along the ground beneath her feet.

  There was no-one anywhere near her, yet the voice had sounded like it had whispered right into her ear.

  Totally freaked out, December zipped up her short brown corduroy jacket right up to her chin, she peered all around her. She was alone. She shivered and whispered back, "is somebody there?"

  But before waiting for an answer, she made herself see sense. "This is ridiculous, December. There's nobody here and you don't have any stupid magical powers," she said aloud to herself.

  Turning to head back in the direction she had come, December suddenly felt someone standing next to her. It was as if she could feel the breath on her hair.

  Terrified as to who she would discover, December turned her head to see... nothing, nobody. Yet she could sense someone. Her breathing quickened and her entire body froze. She could feel the adrenaline begin to course through her veins. She was ready to run. The fight or flight response was ready to kick in and she was most definitely taking the flight route.

  "Who's there?"

  There was no answer, yet the feeling of having somebody standing very close to her remained. But before she could think any more of it, December forced her feet to move and she was soon running faster than she'd ever run before, through the trees, over large rocks sticking out of the ground and across grassy verges.

  After about five minutes of running, the short sharp breaths had become too much to bear. Her lungs felt as if they would give up at any moment. She had to stop.

  As she did so, December made sure no-one had followed her. Not that she could see them if they had.

  But the feeling of someone's proximity had gone. She was definitely on her own. Leaning against a tree, she began to take long deep breaths in an effort to return her breathing to the way it should be.

  She had never been any good at running... and cross country had always been a nightmare for December. It always resulted in her face becoming red and blotchy, so not a nice look. And she knew that she probably had the same air about her now. She blew out a long deep breath and leaned forward, her hands on her knees.

  "Are you all right, love?" said a voice that almost frightened the life out of December altogether, even though it was a friendly one and belonged to an elderly man walking his two little Pekinese dogs.

  Nodding, December had just about got her breath back.

  "Yes, I'm okay thank you. Just a little breathless. I'm not used to... erm jogging these days."

  "Jogging? You're not really dressed for a jog in the park!" he laughed, "You should get yourself a pair of trainers, love. Jogging in those shoes won't do you much good. Go easy now," he added before he smiled kindly and went on his way, both dogs keeping their beady eyes on her until she was out of sight.

  He was right. December didn't exactly look like she was well prepared for jogging. Her brown ballet flats and long yellow skirt wasn't the most appropriate attire for any form of exercise.

  Chuckling to herself, December had almost forgotten why she'd been running in the first place, but not completely. As she neared the edge of the main road to the side of Battersea Park, she pressed the button for the traffic lights, watching the cars zoom by her as she waited patiently for them to come to a standstill.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  In the time it had taken Lilly and the others to reach the Elders, rumours about what had happened were already circulating throughout the mass of caves hidden within the British Columbian Coastal Mountains.

  But before she was ready to explain to anyone what she had witnessed, she first wanted to go and see her grandfather, Gabriel.

  As usual, he was delighted to see her. It was clear from his face that he missed her, as he did the rest of the family. But he was content living with the Elders. He felt like he belonged there.

  The injuries he had sustained at the 'hands' of Vivian had simply made him reach his decision to go and live among the Elders a little sooner than he had originally planned. Although his new life was exactly what he relished, he was always keen to hear news of his family.

  The news that was reaching his old ears now though, wasn't exactly the kind that he wanted to hear.

  "Lilly my dear, you look remarkably well," he said as he embraced her in what can only be described as a bear hug.

  "You seem much stronger, Gabriel," said Lilly as she kissed him on his cheek. "It's so good to see you."

  "And you, dear Lilly. You're growing up to become a mighty young woman and a mighty young cougar too," he winked.

  "It wasn't that long since I saw you, Gabriel," she laughed, enjoying the attention from her grandfather, the man who had lovingly taken her in when her father had vanished.

  They chatted for a while, discussing what they had both been up to, but conversation soon changed to the horrifying event that she and Rose witnessed in the forests by Powell River.

  Gabriel was aghast to hear the truth, but more than anything he was concerned for the safety of his family.

  "You mustn't worry, Gabriel. We're all safe and well. But we wanted the Elders to hear about what had happened as soon as possible. We think it's something that perhaps Carmelo may have to deal with," she said as the two of them began to exit Gabriel's quarters and walk back towards the main hall, where everybody was gathering to discuss the attack.

  Gabriel placed a protective arm across Lilly's shoulders and smiled, "yes, I do believe you are right, my dear. Carmelo is perhaps the one best able to deal with the possibility of a rogue vampire."

  Walking through the maze of caves that were now becoming more
and more familiar to her, Lilly was still struck by the beauty that surrounded her. It was a safe haven for anyone of the supernatural variety that needed protection from the outside world. Not only were there vampires and werewolves, but there were halflings (half human, half animal). Changelings (like Lilly, humans that could morph into animals), enormous beings that resembled apes but walked, talked and lived like people (across the world they were known as all manner of things such as Yeti, Bigfoot, Sasquatch, etc). Lilly had even seen a beautiful woman covered in scales. Although she had never been introduced, she assumed she must be a mermaid. She had assumed correctly, of course.

  The caves were decked with fine old furniture and massive intricate wall hangings and hundreds, if not thousands of candles lit the way along the corridors beneath the mountains. It smelled inviting too, in some rooms there was the distinct smell of gently burning incense. In others, flowers could be smelled, or nearer to the vast kitchen, the odours of slowly roasting meat. It took Lilly's breath away each and every time she visited, and, since her first introduction to the Elders' enormous home months before, she had visited a number of times already.

  As she and Gabriel walked down long narrow corridors and then from one open cave to another, they soon approached the large group of people and creatures. The whispers grew louder and soon she was being greeted by many she knew and a few faces she had never seen before. A young woman with long blond hair sat quietly in a corner, seemingly afraid of all the commotion. She hid her face away shyly when anybody looked at her. As she turned her back, she revealed a set of stunning small wings, pale pink and glistening in the candle light. They fluttered gently, making the candles flicker and shadows shoot across the uneven walls.