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

sheet of paper. “You guys never smoke your roaches, and that wastes a lot of weed. I just can’t handle that.”

                She opened all of the roaches and dumped the empty paper bits back into the ashtray. Tiffany then broke out her own rolling papers, rolling a reasonably fat joint out of the reclaimed weed.

                “Besides,” she said, holding the joint up, “this stuff is hella resonated. It is going to be strong.”

                “Well then fire it up!” I replied, handing her a lighter.

                Tiffany lit the joint, took a big hit, and then handed it to me. I took an equally big hit, held it for a moment, and then erupted in a fit of coughing that lasted five minutes. Tiffany choked the second I started, only she coughed for seven.

                “Damn!” I said after it was over. “I don’t know if I’m high from the weed or the oxygen deprivation!”

                “I think it’s both.” she replied. Then she took another hit.

                Twenty minutes and three coughing fits later, and we were as high as an astronaut’s booster rockets, if you know what I mean.

                “You know,” I said, “Even though the lake thing is done, I’d still like you to stay on in my court. I still don’t fully understand just what ‘the Sorceress’s court’ even is, but I’d like to have you on it.”

                “I’d be honored to, thank you.” she said, a smile on her face. “Oh wait!” she said, remembering something. “I have something for you!”

                Tiffany reached beneath her into a canvas bag she had set there and pulled out a zip-lock bag with a book inside, along with a thumb drive. She handed it to me, and I looked at the handwritten title on a label on the front.

                In the Court of the Crimson Cauldron: an account of life within the Court of the Sorceress it read.

                “I told you that I didn’t want the original… “ I started to protest, but Tiffany held up her hand.

                “It’s not.” she said. “This is my Uncle’s personal copy that he copied by hand before I was born. It’s what he used to make his printouts… he just didn’t feel right giving the Sorceress herself printouts. The flash drive is the scan of my Uncle's copy. The original is still in a very secure location.”

                “That’s good.” I said, looking at it through the plastic.

                I can’t wait to see what you have to tell me!

                                                                                                *                *                *

                “It’s not always going to be this busy, is it?” I asked, running my hand down Angelique’s thigh.

                “Define ‘busy’.” she replied.

                “Not that I’m complaining,” I said, “but I spent the early morning making love to Gaia, the late morning making love to Vincent, and now I’ve been making love to you this dinner-hour. I’m loving the orgasms, but there is the risk of chafing… ow!” I winced.

                “There might be a little ‘making up on lost time’ thing going on for me.” she admitted.

                We laid in bed together, both of us naked, our bodies intertwined in the afterglow. Angelique stroked my hair as we spoke.

                “Well, if what I’ve heard is right, then I’m going to have a longer than average life span.” I retorted. “We don’t have to do everything all at once. “

                “Very true.” She then did something I’d never heard from her… a contented sigh. Yes, I had heard many an exasperated sigh, but never the sound of… or any sound of… contentment coming from her.

                “You don’t get here that much, do you?” I asked, knowing the answer.

                “I’ve spent far more nights without you than lying in your arms, yes.” she said. “Since I was turned, I so wanted to just turn you as well, so that we could spend the centuries in each other’s embrace! But I had been warned, warned by Petronia herself, to not interfere in your passing and rebirths. I was told that you… the person you are now, Annabelle… had to be born and become the Sorceress.”

                “You tried once.” I said, remembering one of our many lives together. “I almost said yes, as well. But I chickened out at the last minute.”

                “You’ve always been… wiser than me.” she said, twisting some of my hair up in her fingers.

                “So why?” I asked. “Why me? Why this incarnation?”

                “Here is where my knowledge fails me.” Angelique looked genuinely sad. “I do not know. All that was said to me is that you, Annabelle Dupre… and yes, I think you should take our name, to shield your family if nobody else… you have the strength of character needed to survive the tests and trials demanded of this Sorceress, who reigns now, here!”

                Annabelle Dupre… I liked it! The other stuff… eh, I could do without.

                “The only thing I want to do ‘here, now’ is to make love to you a couple of times more, and then go for the big poignant ending!”

                “That sounds splendid!” Angelique had me pinned in an instant. “But you’ve done me twice already… it’s your turn!”

                Oh. Shucks and darn, and stuff.

                                                                                                *                *                *

                The sun had just touched the horizon when Raina and I got settled and lit up our evening joints. We sat on the balcony off of one of the collection rooms, comfortable nest-like chairs arranged to watch the sunset.

                “So… “ I said, exhaling.

                “So.” she replied.

                “Life.” I sighed.

                “Fuck! Right?” she grinned.

                “It’s not too bad now.” I said. “Even for you, right? I mean, you may not have a steady honey, but you’re loved. And you’re not lacking for willing, enthusiastic bed partners.”

                “True on all counts.” Raina smiled. “In fact, I have a standing invitation from the Fae sisters to drop by anytime. I may take them up on it.”

                “Tiffany might be there.” I said.

                “All I can say is ‘hot damn’!” Raina looked off