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

                As if polyamory wasn't enough, Vincent, Gaia, and I had become something of a semi-permanent trio… including in the bedroom. While it blew my mind at first, it also felt as natural as a spring rain.

                Annabelle, if those kids a High School could only see you now! I thought with a grin.

                “What’s everything look like?” I asked Gaia, who’s back was to the mountain.

                “These clay beasties are no match for any of us.” she replied. “Whoever set this up, they weren’t expecting the kind of magickal firepower that we’ve brought.”

                “To say nothing of the brute force brought by two elder vampires.” Tiffany followed Gaia out of the woods, shaking her head. “I just came from Vincent juggling with three golem heads before using them to decapitate another two.”

                Tiffany, being both fully human and with no Fae crystals in her anywhere, carried a wicked-looking rifle. She was dressed in camouflage, with a grenade belt strapped around her waist.

                I had run into Tiffany the year before, while taking refuge in her Uncle's own mountain stronghold. She had been raised by her Uncle to revere the position of the Sorceress, and so was thrilled to be asked to become a part of my group… or 'court', according to the book that Jexo had lent me. She had also become a friend. Her knowledge of regular arms and explosives added expertise that was lacking otherwise.

                “How many more are there?” I asked.

                A drone buzzed overhead, as if in answer to my question. I heard Jack's voice crackle over the speaker that he had installed on the flying robot.

                “A lot of the perimeter has been cleared.” he said, the drone hovering over our heads. “There might be another couple hiding in the bushes, but your way to the main gate is clear.”

                Jack, another best friend since grade school, was sitting in his computer nerve center… what we called ‘Jack’s Playroom’… back in Ohio. His specialty was tech, not weaponry, so he tended to stay far away from conflict. His ‘eyes in the sky’, however, had proven vital on more than one occasion.

                “Nothing else is on its way, either." Katsu said next over the speaker.

                Katsu, along with her sister Hatsu, were five-thousand-year-old Japanese Witches who had come to help us with a mysterious lake, and the monster living in it, last year. The fact that Katsu had been chosen to be one of my guardians… a mysterious stage mark appearing on her body after a visit from Herne, the Horned God during the past year's Yule ritual… as well as the fact that she and Jack had fallen in love, had meant that the ancient Witches were a part of my 'court' now as well. Katsu had been learning tech stuff from her beau over the past year, so she often stayed home to help with logistics. The fact that her sister could watch over our home when we were away was a bonus.

                “Then let’s crack thus damned thing open.” Raina said, and we followed her into the forest.

                We emerged from the woods into another clearing, the mountain that we had come to raid towering above us. Iron doors stretched two stories high, and there was no discernable way to open them. Vincent and Angelique were waiting for us.

                Yeah, those two vampires are two of the hottest people I’ve ever seen. Vincent, his long black hair freely flowing over his powerful shoulders, didn't bother to dress for a different climate… preferring his usual outfit of tight black pants and a white dress shirt, unbuttoned halfway to allow his well-toned body to move freely in battle.

                Angelique was also dressed as she always did, her preference being for skin-tight dresses. She had recently added some color to her wardrobe, dressing in black or white for much of our early interactions, because streaks of her own black hair had turned purple after we made love for the first time. The vampire that had turned both Angelique and Vincent had the side effect of turning his progeny's hair black, but being with a Sorceress had altered that somewhat. Her black dress was streaked with purple, like her hair, to celebrate.

                “I would normally ask if we should knock,” I said as we got to where they were standing, “but, seeing the reception that we’ve already gotten, that would probably be a bad idea.”

                “So how are we going in?” Tiffany asked, patting her grenade belt. “I could fashion these to blast it if it comes to that.”

                “I think that we can avoid any permanent damage to the structure.” Angelique said, turning to Raina. “Go back to basics… look at the door. It’s different. How?”

                Raina studied the towering metal door, an intense look on her face.

                Here’s another perk to relations with Angelique being less awkward I thought. Ever since our return to each other’s arms was complete, and I could be around her without being driven to distraction, she’s been a Goddess-send to my human friends! Angelique had taken a real interest in my friends’ development, and Raina was at the top of the class.

                “I’ve got it!” Raina said, snapping her fingers and snapping me out of my thoughts. “There are exposed hinges on one of the doors, which means that one door opens out while the other opens in.”

                “And what tools do you have at your disposal to deal with such a setup?” Angelique probed further.

                I could almost see Raina’s thought processes as she thought about how to deal with the obstacle before us. I saw her eyes grow wide as she looked at me.”

                “Annie,” she said, using a name that only she was allowed to use, “You use your OG push spell while I pull. The combined stress should be enough to pop the closing mechanisms and open the gate.”

                “Sounds like a plan!” I grinned.