The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga by Taliesin Govannon (top 10 novels of all time .txt) 📗

Sorceress.” she said. “You know that you get your power from the energy behind life itself. On a certain level, that includes the procreative power as well. Sex, sexuality… even if you never create a human life out of it, it’s still the power of creation. Aside from babies, sexuality can also create bonds of love and friendship that take relationships to the next level of intimacy. If mishandled, it can create incredible problems, as well.”

                “So you’re saying that sexuality is a part of my powers.” I said, shrugging. “Makes sense. I mean, sex is a part of life. Even asexual people were started by someone doing the nasty. But why is it turning on the queer women?”

                “I’m not saying that it didn’t turn on the men,” Tiffany said, “but I just noticed the gals. Well, except for that guy with the bitchin stag head-dress. I could tell he was turned on, but his Junior Patrick made that obvious!”

                “That was a God.” I said casually. I sipped my coffee while Tiffany’s face showed confusion.

                “A God?” she asked. “What do you mean, ‘a God’?”

                “That was Herne, Horned God of the Witches.” I replied. “He showed up at my Samhain rite in Hawaii last year. Nice guy. Great dancer.”

                We looked at each other and then burst out into laughter.

                                                                                                *                *                *

                Tiffany and I wound up spending the rest of the day together. We ran into our friends from time to time, the biggest group of them being at the opening ritual for the festival. Drucilla, Raina, Darla, Evelyn, and Vincent wound up joining Tiffany, myself, and about seventy other attendees in doing a spiral dance to weave protective magick over the entire campground.

                This is a good spell I thought as we danced. I could see waves of positive energy pulsing out into the surrounding landscape, mixing with the powerful Fae magick that those in my party had already cast.

                Nothing bad is getting in here!

                We wound up back at the cafe for dinner, and the seven of us sat around a table talking about the day’s explorations.

                “There’s this stone circle we found… “ Darla said.

                “It’s not far from where we’re camped… “ Cordelia continued.

                “The energy is delicious!” Drucilla finished, and all three of them smiled.

                “Well, I got a full body massage from this gorgeous hippie goddess this afternoon.” Raina said, stretching. “She’s monogamous, so that’s as far as I’m getting with her, but… “ she added, grinning, “… that was enough.”

                I didn’t want to bring up my next thought, but I thought that it would be weird if I didn’t. “I haven’t seen Angelique.” I said. “Is she here?”

                “She’s here.” Vincent said, nodding. “She’s currently… locking down the festival.”

                “Locking it down?” I asked. “How so?”

                “Well, we’re not the only campsite with incognito supernatural beings.” he answered, his voice low. “There are a bunch here, and some have old grudges against Fae, vampires, etc. Hell, a dozen have bad blood with Trevor alone. Angelique is visiting all of them to let them know that she would be very upset with them if they caused trouble.”

                Angelique may have looked frail and sounded soft-spoken, but she was nobody to trifle with… as an unfortunate were-roach discovered the previous year.

                “Well,” I replied, “tell her not to be a stranger. I know that things have been weird between us for a while, but I’m just feeling too good about life to let that get in the way this week. Who knows?” I continued, shrugging. “Maybe the magick of this event can do us some good.”

                We finished dinner and wandered towards the stage where the opening night concert was going to be held. The sun had dipped beneath the treeline, casting shadows across the road as we walked. All along the way, booths and campsites were buzzing with activity as people prepared for the evening.

                We got to the hill above the stage and looked around. People were already streaming into the amphitheater-like space, some with chairs, others with blankets to sit on.

                “I guess we should go back and get some chairs.” I said.

                “I’ll go get some.” Vincent said.

                “I’ll go with you.” Drucilla said next. “Naked’s good for the day, but my sisters and I want something shimmery to dance in tonight!”

                They left, and musicians on the stage started sound-checking their equipment. Nearby, a few young women were hula-hooping, glow-sticks wrapped around their ankles like luminescent jewelry. There were people aged newborn to ninety, all unified by their excitement over the festival.

                I looked at Raina, who was grinning as much as I was. “This is so cool.” she said.

                I glanced to my left and saw Jack approaching. He was actually wearing a festive looking tie-dye. It still had a Batman logo on it, but it was a tie-dyed Batman shirt.

                “So, going native?” I asked sarcastically as he reached us.

                “When my insanely hot girlfriend says I look cute in something, I wear it.” he replied. “I saw Vincent heading back to the site, probably for chairs?”

                “That is correct.” Raina said.

                “Katsu and I met some really cool dudes this afternoon. They’re camped right across the road.” he said, pointing. “You guys want to come over and say hi?”

                Tiffany, Raina, and I were game. The Fae sisters decided to try their hand at hula-hooping, especially since a couple of twenty-something hoopers were relentlessly flirting with them for several minutes.

                Jack led us to a couple of ten by twenty pavilions, bungee-corded together to create one long forty-foot shelter. Inside was a couple of long tables surrounded by comfortable-looking camp chairs on one end, and a full camp kitchen on the other. An assortment of tents were set up behind the pavilions, and tiny rope lights gave off a warm glow.

                A few people sat around the tables on one end, Katsu among them. She