they formed an equidistant cross pattern.
“The candles represent the four elements,” Jessica explained as Tilly put them in place. “Green goes to the north to signify the earth, the blue to the east for water, the red to the south for fire and the yellow to the west for the element of air.”
Sabrina had seen rituals done before, but she’d never actually been a part of one. It was exciting and scary all at once.
“The white candle goes in the center to represent purity and protection.” Jessica placed the final candle in the proper position. “Before I cast the circle I’m going to purify the space.” She lifted the small bundle of herbs to her nose and sniffed them before offering it to Sabrina to smell.
The scent was slightly sweet and somehow comforting. Sabrina liked it a lot.
“This is a combination of sage and sweet grass. It’s very good for clearing negativity out of a space.” Jessica opened a box, struck a match to the side and used the flame to ignite the tip of the bundle. The flame flared briefly and then Jessica blew softly until the fire went out leaving embers smoldering. Whitish smoke rose from the bundle as she set it carefully in the large shell. Then she picked up the large white-and-black-striped feather. “Come with me,” her friend instructed.
The three of them walked the perimeter of the apartment, including the bedroom, tiny kitchen and bathroom. Jessica even opened closet doors and gently waved the feather through the smoke so it dispersed inside. Every corner, every nook was gently bathed in the fragrant smoke until the entire apartment was perfumed with its scent.
Jessica returned to the center of the circle and carefully placed the shell with the still-smoldering bundle on the coffee table. “The salt is next.” She opened a small wooden container. “It’s been blessed already.”
Sabrina followed her friend, curious as to what she would do with it. Jessica went to the living room window and started there. She laid a thin line of salt across the windowsill. “The salt will provide a protective barrier, keeping out evil.”
Sabrina wasn’t so sure about that, but she’d take any help she could get. Her friend did the same thing at each window and finished by adding a line across the threshold. “Be sure not to smudge or scuff the line when you come and go,” she instructed.
Sabrina nodded even as she wondered how long the protection would last or if it would even work at all, but she didn’t voice her concerns aloud.
Tilly went to her bag and brought out a small leather pouch. Sabrina immediately knew what it was, had seen her grandmother make them—a voodoo gris-gris bag. “You need something personal from me to make that.” A few strands of hair or a piece of clothing was the preferred item.
Totally unrepentant, Tilly placed the gris-gris on the table. “You wore your sweater to the cafe when you last worked. There were three stray hairs on it that I took. I knew the dreams were getting worse.” She stood, hands on hips, dominating the room with her sheer height and presence. In another time, Tilly could have been the high priestess for some ancient religion. “I took them to my granny and asked for her help.”
Sabrina knew Granny Ledet. She’d been a close friend of her own granny, the two women spending much of their time together, their friendship going back to childhood, much like her and Tilly’s friendship. Sabrina respected Granny Ledet’s power and was more than willing to accept any help she could get. “I’ll call her tomorrow and thank her.”
Tilly shook her head. “You know she doesn’t want any thanks. But maybe you could bake her some of your cherry tarts on the weekend. She likes those.”
“We should begin.” Jessica shifted the gris-gris so it was sitting next to the still-smoldering bundle of sage and sweet grass. “Stand inside the circle and, whatever you do, don’t leave it until I tell you.”
The tension was rising with each passing second, as was a sense of anticipation. Sabrina wasn’t certain how much of it was real and how much was simply generated by her own fears. Not that it really mattered. The fear she felt was real enough.
Jessica began at the green candle, raised her arms and invoked the element of earth to join them and to protect them. She went around the circle in a clockwise direction, stopping at each candle and invoking the particular element to join them. Sabrina’s skin tingled and she could feel the power rising in the room. The short hairs on her arms rose and her body felt as though it was humming. She’d always known her friend was a witch, but she’d always thought it more a personal belief system than an actual, tangible power.
The circle closed and she felt it all the way to her bones like a resounding thud even though the only sound was Jessica’s voice as she lifted the white candle in the center of the circle and invoked the protection of the goddess.
“Lady, with your light so bright, lend your power, lend your might. Banish darkness with your light and protect your daughter through the day and night.” Jessica walked around Sabrina as she chanted. Sabrina felt a gentle warmth envelop her like a cloak. It was such a comforting sensation it brought tears to her eyes.
Tilly picked up the gris-gris bag, which was suspended on a long leather thong, and slipped it over Sabrina’s neck. Real or imagined, Sabrina wasn’t sure, but she felt another layer of protection settle over her. Her granny had often told her that intention was everything and her friends’ intention was obviously to protect her.
Something dark and deadly crept across her consciousness. Beside her, Tilly and Jessica both sucked in a breath. “Whatever happens, stay inside the circle,” Jessica warned.
Tilly began to chant, a mixture of Cajun and English, speaking so fast Sabrina couldn’t make out all of it, but she understood enough to know it was definitely a spell to drive back evil.
Sabrina could feel the evil creeping up on her, pressing against the windows and walls of the apartment as though trying to get in. She could sense its anger when it was repelled. “What the hell is that?” she whispered.
Jessica’s head whipped around. “Whatever you do, don’t name it aloud. That only gives it power.” She turned back to the white candle and began to invoke the goddess, banishing darkness, pushing it back.
She might not name it aloud, but in her heart Sabrina feared she knew what was out there in the darkness. The devil card from her tarot deck had only solidified what she’d already expected. For some unknown reason, she’d attracted the attention of Satan himself. Some folks might scoff at the notion, but not her. Evil was as real as goodness, and the devil personified it.
She whipped her head around when she heard her name being called. Her friends continued to chant and pray as though they’d heard nothing.
The dark, cultured voice echoing in her head was the same one from her dreams. A huge lump formed in her throat, making it almost impossible for her to swallow.
She’d never been a very religious person, but she began to pray, begging God to help her, to save her from whatever was out there.
Male laughter exploded around her and she clapped her hands over her ears to try to block it out. It did no good. The laughter was all around her, inside her.
Like poison, she felt it trying to seep into her very pores. “No,” she whispered. Closing her eyes, she pictured her wolf, the one from her dreams, the one tattooed on her back, asking, no pleading, for protection.
Once again, male laughter split her skull.
A long, low howl far in the distance filled her with hope and a burst of strength.
It retaliated swiftly. Sabrina’s eyes jerked open and she fell to her knees, clutching her throat as her air was cut off. It was as though someone was choking her.
She heard Tilly’s yell of concern. Jessica said something to her, but she couldn’t understand it. Her skin was clammy and her heart pounded, lungs strained as she struggled to breathe. Someone hit her hard on the back, jolting her. She sucked in a small amount of air but then it was cut off once again.
Her vision grew dark around the edges. She was going to die.
A woman’s voice sifted into her consciousness.
