For Mature Readers Only

#3
November '02

Strange Tales Presents

Witches

"Cold Dreams"
Written by Megan Curtis

A dark mist covered the island of Avalon like a blanket. The shores were invisible through the thick shield. Stone towers stretched into the sky, trying to breach the cover and feel the touch of sunlight that was so often denied.

Avalon first appeared in written history in the pages of Arthurian legend. King Arthur was carried across a lake to the fabled island to heal fatal wounds sustained in battle. Since the fall of Camelot, the true Avalon has fallen out of human remembrance… except to a few.

These few have passed on teachings that survived since before Arthur's time. The ancient civilization that had once inhabited Britain found a rip in dimensions and stumbled upon the island. Many religious centers had already been built around Britain, and Avalon was no different. Eventually the accessibility to Avalon began to fade as the dimensional rip slowly closed.

Centuries went by. The Saxons came, and after them, the Normans, destroying the civilization that had preceded. Kings and Queens rose and fell losing and gaining power like clockwork. Those special people who knew of Avalon became fewer and fewer.

Leaders to guide Avalon became rarer too. The women who had been chosen as priestesses were chosen because of their command of power and fairness. Slowly these two attributes were becoming rarer and rarer in those who learned at Avalon.

Many women, centuries before, had fought against armies trying to lay siege to Avalon and the power held within. All were beaten back until the armies stopped coming.

But a new battle begins to stir. One from within. It is brought about by the current head priestess and her lack of fairness. The women and men within the shores long for a new leader before the old one destroys them all….

Topaz walked along the fog-covered shore, staring out into nothingness. Her thoughts touched on Vicki and Lilith and curiosity about what they were doing. Clea was another person whom she spared a thought for. She had gone off to talk to the head priestess almost an hour ago.

So many unanswered questions flittered through her mind. Another important one concerned Liz, Jessica, and Kelly, the three girls that had been brought to this island to reside after they were nearly killed. In Kelly's case, she had died and Topaz had used one of her powers to bring her back.

A shiver ran along Topaz's spine as she thought of the conversation she had just had with those three women. Each one wore a haunted shadow in their eyes, something that would take a long time to be rid of. They did seem to be a bit more relaxed and had not argued when a teacher had come in to discuss their future training with them. All three seemed pleased to embrace a new and hopefully peaceful way of life.

This peacefulness seemed to concern Topaz. Would she be forced to see that similar haunted look across other people's faces? Would she glance in the mirror one day and see that same look in herself? To be a good and helpful person did that mean that one had to become jaded as well?

What had brought her to this state of being? She had spent months in a prison camp in India until her savior, Taboo the sorcerer, had brought her to California. Only then had she met Jack Russell, a werewolf, and turned her back on Taboo. She smiled a little at the thought of Jack, but there were no fond memories to look back upon. Only since she had become a student of Clea's and Dr. Strange had she known a moment of peace in her young life. Was that small inner tranquility destined to be gone if she embarked on this new crusade of Clea's?

She found a patch of grass beside the gray beach she had been walking along. Ruins of buildings stood in heaps and she was able to see the wall that ran along the length of the island. The size of the island was another mystery and she began to think about all the magical things that must have occurred here at one time. She stared back out at the mist, which seemed to be taunting her by shielding the view.

Absorbed in these thoughts she did not hear the gallop of hooves approaching her. Only when the great beast burst out of the fog only a few feet away from her was she aware of its presence. The gray stallion reared back and pawed at the air, coming to a stop next to her.

When the horse had first appeared, Topaz jumped up in surprise but stumbled backwards, falling back onto the ground. As she glanced up at the horse she had a sudden memory of being told stories about Princesses rescued by a Knight in shinning armor and had a sudden rush of giddiness as she realized there was someone on the back of the horse and whoever it was, was diffidently male.

A concerned face peered over the broad shoulder of the horse. "Are you all right?"

His voice sent shivers down her spine and she took a few shallow breaths before answering but nothing came out so she nodded vehemently.

She stood up and brushed her hands off on her pants. The man meanwhile had dismounted and walked a few paces towards her. He was a foot taller and towered over her. His crystalline blue eyes glanced at her body briefly before staring intently at her face. She took a quick glance at his muscular frame and curly brown hair before staring into those eyes that seemed to swallow her whole.

They stared at each other for a moment before he smiled apologetically. "I am sorry, but it has been a long time since I have had occasion to meet the eyes of any who learn from the Priestess of Avalon."

Topaz could not take her eyes from his lips as he formed the words and she found it difficult to do the same. She was taking so much time that he shifted his weight.

"Are you mute then? That would be my bad fortune."

"No!" She managed to spit out and it came out more forcefully than she wanted it to. She covered with a nervous laugh. "No, I'm not mute."

He smiled then and she felt her knees begin to turn to jelly.

"Are you going to vanish now and go whisper to your sisters that you have met one of the Knights?"

This time when she made a noise it was filled with confusion but she clarified his thoughts, "I'm not one of the priestesses or whatever they are. I am just visiting."

If it was possible his smile grew even wider. "Only visiting? Not a priestess?" He patted the nose of his horse then and absently stroked its neck. "I'm afraid Hern and I nearly ran you over. May I ask why you have wandered so far from the main priestess quarters?"

"Oh I was just…" Topaz trailed off as she caught his eyes and saw the hint of laughter in them. "Who are you?"

He seemed to be continuously smiling as he mulled over her question. "My name is Arthur. Not," he had seen her eyes widen at the name, "that Arthur. I am in no way a comparison to King Arthur; this island is magical, but not so much as to sustain a life that long. I am a Knight of Avalon, charged with protecting her shores and those who reside on those shores." He gave her a bow and smiled again. "As such I am forbidden to speak to the Priestesses. They are of a higher station than I and it would not be appropriate. I must say I was shocked when you did not run from me."

If he had been honest he would have said that he nearly fell off of his horse in his surprise. It had been the fog today that had caused him to ride out in his restlessness. He had been riding on this stretch for nearly an hour when his horse had reared up in surprise and he had seen this beauty stumble back. She had not run away which had caused a sudden elation. To have something so beautiful run from him would have caused his mood to go sour. In fact he was having a hard time controlling himself around her. He had gone too long without a wench and stumbling across this little morsel was causing all sorts of unwelcome reactions in his body.

She smiled slowly at him now and he almost missed what she said he was staring at her lips so intently. "How did you come to be on this island?"

He restrained himself from laughing at her as she tried to match speech patterns to his. "My mother is one of the priestesses. Where on the outside did you come from?"

"All over. Do you know magic then?"

"A little." Hern snorted just then and Arthur patted him soothingly. "I am afraid he does not like to be left out of the conversation for long. May I offer you a ride back? You've wandered far and it's about two hours on foot with all this fog."

Topaz smiled at the gray horse and ran a hand down its neck. "I don't like riding very much, but you're welcome to walk back with me if you have the time."

"Miss, I believe that I will find you to be well worth the time."

Vicki opened her eyes and tried to take in her surroundings before they took another spin in her brain. There was a noise off to her right and she turned to look, regretting the decision as her neck gave a tweak of pain.

She closed her eyes and ran her hands across the sore spot; it was then that she felt the indents on her neck. It took a moment to trace the marks and realize it was a bite mark she was touching.

Forgetting about the hangover she was experiencing, she sat up and swung her legs off the side of the bed. Her clothes were in a pile on the floor and she quickly pulled them on, listening for any noises in the other parts of the house.

Because she was concentrating so hard, she was surprised that she didn't hear Lilith sneak into the room. It was only as the other woman made her presence known that Vicki realized she was there.

Lilith wrapped her arms around Vicki's waist and kissed the back of her neck. "Good morning," she murmured softly.

Vicki twisted out of her grasp and slapped her hands away, backing up against the wall. "What are you doing?" she spit out angrily.

If this action surprised Lilith, she didn't show it. Instead she sat on the bed they had spent the night on. "So you're one of those, huh? I suppose you just want to forget that last night happened?"

Self-consciously Vicki placed her hand over the bite marks. "Nothing happened last night, ok? Nothing!"

Lilith gave a soft chuckle and shook her head. "Hate to burst your bubble, princess, but something happened last night and if I remember correctly, it left you screaming my name at the top of your lungs."

Vicki resisted the erotic memories that were flowing through her body. Instead she focused on her rage and removed her hand from her neck. "I don't remember this, bitch, so maybe you want to explain?"

It was genuine surprise that appeared on Lilith's face as she stood up from the bed. She slowly reached out a hand and traced the bite marks. "What the fuck?" Vicki hit her hand away.

"Exactly, what the fuck? If I'd known that I was going to wake up this morning as a fucking vampire, I wouldn't have let what happened last night… happen." A sort of helplessness had set in and a coldness was in the pit of Vicki's stomach as she realized the ramifications of the previous night.

"But…" Lilith stared around the bright room in confusion. Vicki didn't notice that she was standing in sunlight and nothing was happening. Lilith pointed downward and Vicki directed her eyes.

The light danced across Vicki's bare calf. There was no smoke, no pain shooting through her. It was with a definite purpose that Vicki marched to the door and threw it open, letting the sunlight spill fully into the room and onto her.

She laughed a little and ran her hand across the bite mark again. "I guess I'm not a vampire." She turned around to apologize to Lilith and saw the confusion on her face.

"When I bite people they become regular vampires. I was not turned into a vampire in the normal sense. No one bit me, it was a spell, but I can still turn people into normal vampires." She walked towards Vicki again and leaned forward towards her neck, mouth open. She didn't bite down but matched her teeth into the existing grooves. "Those are my teeth marks."

Vicki was having trouble breathing and took a step back. "Well I guess you didn't puncture the skin, it must have been a little nibble or something."

Lilith grinned. "So you acknowledge that last night happened? Everything better now that you're not one of the living dead?"

"Look, I'm sorry I freaked out, but it kind of scared me. Here I thought we'd connected that night and then it looked like you'd used it as some excuse to turn me into a vampire…" she trailed off as Lilith's smile didn't fade. "What?"

"Nothing." Lilith grabbed her hand and pulled her into the small kitchen. "I made you breakfast. I thought maybe we could go hiking or do something else to keep us busy." This time her smile wasn't teasing; it was diffidently sensual.

It was Vicki's turn to laugh. "Let me eat something first, then let's try that hike."

Lilith nodded as she wandered into the next room. "I always wanted to do it outdoors."

Vicki just laughed but cried out as a vision assaulted her. She heard chanting and saw the page of the Darkhold. The spell looked familiar but the vision vanished as abruptly as it had come. A feeling of sickness washed over her and she fell to her knees, holding her stomach.

"Lilith!" She tried to gasp for air but it only made her feel worse. She crawled across the floor and tried to yell for help again but only managed a weak mewl.

She was passed out on the floor when Lilith came back into the room. Vicki was lying face down on the floor, one hand curled under her and the other reaching towards something.

Lilith fell down besides her and rolled her onto her back, smacking her across the face a few times, trying to bring her back into consciousness. Nothing happened and it became obvious that she wasn't breathing. Lilith laid her down and tried not to laugh at the irony of one of the dead breathing life into someone. She began to perform CPR thanking numerous patrons along her long life for inspiring her to learn it. She had only been pumping Vicki's heart for a few moments before Vicki gasped for air and struggled against her.

"I'm all right!" She coughed violently and continued to gasp for air. Lilith rubbed her back, hoping to keep the air flowing. It was a few moments later, when Vicki was breathing normally, that she began to speak.

"It's the Darkhold! I never even knew there was a spell that existed like it! He's using it against me!"

"What are you talking about? The Darkhold is gone. Last night you saw the vision of your father…." Lilith broke off her train of thought in horror. "Your father? He's using a page of the Darkhold to kill you?"

Vicki nodded in fear. "We have to stop him before he does it for real next time."

Topaz leaned back and smiled in surprise at the blue eyes staring back at her. "I don't usually do that."

Arthur laughed lowly and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "I should tell you, that I have never shared that particular sensation either. I'm usually the one to initiate anything like that."

They were sitting under a tree in a small meadow Arthur had shown her. Topaz had just leaned across the space that separated them and planted a passionate kiss on his lips. They had been talking for hours neither one growing bored with whatever subject they happened to chance upon. She was amazed that he knew so much about her Earth dimension and he was fascinated with her stories.

Topaz did not realize how interesting her life could sound to one unaccustomed to such adventure. She supposed that it was the way he had been looking at her, his eyes absorbing every move she made, every breath she took. To have someone pay such attention to her while she talked about herself had been out of the ordinary, to say the least.

Arthur could not stop staring at her. She was so animated; and despite the horror she had witnessed or experienced in her young life, she managed to stay positive. Coming from a life of routine, he had never had a conversation last as long as this one. Most of the other Knights, male or female, were content to discuss nothing more serious than attacks to the island or the thickness of the fog surrounding the place. Topaz however discussed such things as culture and history he had only heard whispers about. But now the thought of talking fled his mind as he stared at her lips. There was definitely something they could do that would make this afternoon end perfectly.

Slowly he ran a hand through her hair and leaned forward, pulling her towards him. Her hair smelled like roses as he kissed her, pulling her even closer. Her heart was beating frantically where their chests were pressed together. Of all the beautiful things he had seen in his life nothing could compare to the vision he was holding in his arms.

Topaz had never experienced a perfect moment, something in her life that made her want time to stop. But this kiss made her wish time would at least slow down.

The perfection of the moment was not meant to last and she should have at least sensed it. A flash of light intruded into the murky brown and green of the meadow. It was a portal and Arthur and Topaz watched as Clea stepped out of it.

"Topaz!" Seeming oblivious of Arthur's presence, Clea strode over to the couple, panic across her face. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, Clea, I'm fine." Topaz stood up slowly, hiding the disappointment she felt. "Clea, this is Arthur, he's one of the Knights who protect Avalon."

Arthur gave a low bow. "Lady Clea, it is a pleasure to see you again."

Clea looked surprised at the young man. "Arthur? I barely recognized you! It has been almost five years, though. You look wonderful."

It was Topaz's turn to look surprised. "How do you two know each other?"

Clea's face was bland as she looked at the young man. "He is the Priestess Beth's son."
"She birthed me, Lady Clea. That is all the relationship I have had with the Priestess Beth." He spoke with such blandness that Topaz was sure he had been through this argument many times before.

"I know, Arthur. It's too bad your father died when you were a child. He never would have allowed you to be a Knight. You have enough power to be a great sorcerer." Clea began to walk away, ending the conversation, but stopped when she noticed that Topaz was not following.

Before she could speak Arthur gave his last argument. "If my father was still alive, Lady Clea, I would never have been driven to become a Knight. I see your opinion of me has not changed."

Topaz stepped between the two and looked at Clea pleadingly. "Why did you come to get me?"

"Lilith and Vicki have left the cottage they were waiting for us in. They have gone to Rome and we are following, now. Say goodbye to Arthur and let us return to say our goodbyes to the other girls. Then we will leave Avalon."

Clea had the courtesy to walk to the far side of the meadow, giving them enough privacy for what she considered an appropriate goodbye. Topaz and Arthur did not agree.

"Clea has always thought badly of my mother and me as well." He stared with animosity in Clea's direction.

Topaz glanced in her direction also, confusion on her face. "I have never known Clea to make such a decision before. I am sorry she dislikes you so much. I, however, do not."

Their eyes met then and she gave him a shy smile. "I am sorry that I must leave, just as we had been lucky enough to meet."

He smiled back at her, but with sadness. "You do not have to go with her. You could stay here. There is much to see in my world, more than I have ever seen before. Perhaps we can explore it together." He saw her hesitate for a fraction of a moment and interrupted whatever she was about to say. "Never mind, I will not force you to choose. But we will see each other again and...if I have my way...it will be very soon."

She didn't speak another word, just walked to where Clea was waiting. She did glance back in his direction as the portal enveloped them but the fog was suddenly thick and she saw no sign of him. The portal enveloped her in a white light as they began their transfer.

Next issue: It's off to Rome to keep Vicki's father from killing her! Plenty of new characters and all sorts of goodies in the next issue. See you then.

Authors Note

This was a long time in the writing and I can't apologize enough for that. This semester has been hell on earth for me but with finals approaching in a few weeks I'll have plenty of vacation time to spit out some issues.

I had a ton of letters but they were lost somewhere in the shuffle but I'm hoping to change this. I got a new e-mail addy for all things fan fiction related. So if you want to comment on this issue, positive or negative, send it to witch_wench@hotmail.com and I'll mail you back as well as putting it at the end of my next issue. Or just drop me a line on the Startling message board, I check that occasionally too. Thanks all! See ya next month.