Runemaster: The White Witch Pt. 01

Mages of all kinds filled the promenades, practicing their craft, selling their wares, hawking their skills. Wizards, witches, clerics, shamans, any type of magic user you could think of and there would be one in Undertown.

Rafe considered his own abilities for a moment and the newly returned McCallister on the streets above.

Well nearly every type.

The ring he was on was the middle one of three dedicated to commerce, above that at the very top there was another ring dedicated solely to boardrooms and security services for Undertown. Going down deep into the earth was Undertowns version of apartments, ring after ring of lodgings for those that couldn't exist above ground and finally below all of those was where the warehouses and utilities were housed.

The magic and engineering that kept the city running and safe was mind blowing. He never tired of seeing it.

Rafe looked around, taking it all in again before admitting to himself he was procrastinating. Putting off seeing her.

Sighing heavily, he pushed himself off the railing and re-joined the crowds. It had been two years since he has seen her last. Since he had ended things between them. He still ached when he thought of her, of what they had shared.

But it had been for the best. They had wanted different things from life, and no matter how good you were with someone in the moment, unless you saw a future together, it would only end in heartache. So, he had done what he considered the right thing. He had left, distancing himself from magical society as best he could, allowed himself to be taken in by the Greys and buried himself in his 'normal' life.

But now he needed her.

He could only pray she didn't slam the door in his face.

Moving easily through the crowd and taking one of the bridges downwards it didn't take him long to arrive on the boulevard in front of her shop.

'Nevermore: Potions, Protections and Enchantments'.

The shop was exactly how he remembered it, painted black, its name painted in white gothic style lettering across the sign that hung above the door. It sat between another witch owned potion store to its right and a goblin owned alchemy supplies store to its left.

Two small gardens of various herbs and plants stretched beneath the iron barred windows to either side of the door, and a pair of stonework ravens, their eyes enchanted to glow a soft gold light guarded the entrance.

It should've looked slightly ridiculous, but somehow it worked, the store had never had trouble attracting customers, the aesthetic apparently being exactly what people expected of a modern witch.

Squaring his shoulders and readying himself Rafe climbed the pair of steps that led off the public walkway, pulled the door open and strode into the shop.

There was a smack and a dull thud as he collided headfirst with someone rushing from the shop, the other person falling backwards as they ran into him. Rafe reeled back, clutching his head in pain from the knock.

"Fucking hell!" he growled.

"We're closed!" came the angry voice from the floor.

Rafe froze when he heard it.

Soft and smooth like velvet, with a hint of something Scandinavian, it rolled through him like a wave, calling to memories of it soaring in sweet ecstasy as they spent long nights wrapped around each other.

Then the scent hit him, incense and jasmine, the smell of her shop, the smell of her. More memories. Of hours spent together, his face nestled in her hair as they rested and slept.

He uncovered his face and looked down.

She was just as perilously beautiful as he remembered, still the vision that haunted his dreams. The blackhole that had consumed his every waking hour, the woman whose touch he hungered for even now.

She was sprawled on the floor, looking angrily up at him, he didn't think she realized who it was yet. He drank in the vision of her before she did, and things potentially went to hell.

She was slightly shorter than him, though it was hard to tell with her laying on the floor, they were the same age too. Her skin was pale, almost ethereal, her hair as white as snow, so long the ends of it reached the tightest ass he had ever seen. Rosebud lips painted a dark crimson, eyelashes dark and heavy above eyes the colour of blue steel. A choker of black silk encircled her throat, a crescent moon made from amethyst sitting in the hollow of her throat.

A black tank top that left her shoulders bare was moulded to her chest, her breasts small but perfectly shaped under the fabric. The soft curves of her waist and stomach were bare, more tantalizing skin on display before reaching her matching black mini-skirt, killer legs lay wrapped in fishnets before heavy doc martins completed her look.

She was the dream goth girlfriend.

Natalya Ashcroft.

The 'White Witch' of Undertown.

His ex-girlfriend and the only person he trusted to help him.

He could tell the moment she realized it was him standing above her. The sudden intake of breath, her eyes narrowing as she studied his face.

"Rafe," she whispered, barely audible to his ears.

He shivered, the sound of his name on her lips, thrilling him beyond words.

"Rafe" she said again, louder this time, as if confirming it was actually him.

"The one and only," he smiled down at her.

Natalya smiled back, her entire face lighting up as she did.

"Help me up you ass."

Rafe offered her his hand, Natalya taking it in her own and he heaved her upwards off the floor. The pull was slightly too strong, and Natalya staggered as she came to her feet, Rafe catching her to his chest as she stumbled.

They stood nose to nose, Natalya's boots giving her the height needed to match him. The air between them felt electric, crackling with old tension and desire.

"Hi," she smirked at him, eyes drinking in his face, not backing away from the sudden intimacy.

Rafe couldn't help himself, he leant forward slightly and pressed his lips to hers. Soft, inviting, Natalya tasted like sweet wine and was far more intoxicating.

Natalya didn't pull away, opening her lips to welcome his kiss, she teased his with her tongue, trying to taste more of him.

Rafe wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tighter, his hands caressing the bare skin of her back and Natalya moulded herself against his body as their kiss continued, neither of them willing to break the seal. Oxygen could wait.

He wasn't sure how long it lasted, it felt like an eternity spent in bliss. Eventually though, they needed to breathe, and the kiss was broken. He grinned as he leant his head against hers, their chests heaving as they both tried to catch their breath.

"Ummm hi," he finally managed, the corner of his mouth curling into a half smile as he stared deep into her eyes.

"You sure know how to say hello to a girl," Natalya chuckled, eyes sparkling

Rafe took a step back, realizing how forward he had been. They weren't together anymore. He couldn't just kiss her like this, no matter how much he desired her.

"Natalya, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he apologized.

The spark faded from Natalya's eyes as he spoke, and those steel blue pools darkened when she heard his apology, her entire demeanour changing with them.

She took a few steps back as well, retreating into her shop and widening the gap between them further.

"You're right, you shouldn't have," she said.

"What are you doing here? she demanded, her attitude sharply shifting towards the anger he had first expected, "I thought you'd left Undertown behind."

Rafe could hear the unspoken meaning in her words. 'I thought you'd left me behind.'

"I uhh... I came because I need your help Nat. You're the only person I trust for what I need," he admitted somewhat bashfully, rubbing his hand through his hair, and looking away from the irritated woman.

"Oh, you need my help? Really? You waltz back in here after two freaking years, kiss me and then tell me you need my help? What? You expect me to just drop what I'm doing and come along?" Natalya asked, voice dripping with so much sarcasm, Rafe almost looked around for a mop.

"Well, it was a hell of a good kiss," he replied.

Natalya just gave him a flat stare.

Rafe just chuckled easily. Raising his hands appeasingly when the stare only hardened.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself," he apologized.

"Well why don't you help yourself out of my store?" she snapped back at him.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Rafe protested, "I'm sorry Nat, I was serious. I really need your help.

"Please."

Something in his tone must have gotten through to her because she stopped whatever she had been about to say and peered at him intently.

"The almighty Runemaster asking me for help? There really is something wrong isn't there? What's going on Rafe?" she asked him, eyes locked to his.

"I'll tell you as we go Nat, I need to get back to my bunker as soon as possible, but trust me I really need your help," he replied.

"I can't go to your bunker Rafe, I'm busy, I need to go see U-Sec, tell me what you need, and I'll bring it to you later," she told him brusquely.

Undertown Security. What the hell did she need them for. Rafe quickly glanced around the shop. It was surprisingly empty of customers, but it was still extremely neat and tidy, no sign of anyone breaking in and Natalya wasn't visibly distraught. Well hadn't been till he showed up.

"U-Sec? Are you in trouble Nat? Can I help?" he asked urgently, his own problems forgotten in an instant.

"It's nothing," she dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

"Oh yeah, going to see U-Sec personally is nothing, c'mon Nat, this is me. You know you can tell me," Rafe responded with his own dose of sarcasm.

"If you'd been here the past two years then maybe I would," Natalya cracked back at him angrily, "but you weren't.

"You don't get to just waltz back into my life and my trust Rafe. You made your choice."

"Natalya," he started, "I..., I was...," before trailing off.

He looked at her.

"It was for the best," he said eventually.

"You don't believe that any more than I do," Natalya replied sadly, her anger fading as quickly as it had risen.

The desire he felt, the cravings to touch and kiss her, the almost overwhelming sense of possessiveness he felt by being near her, the sheer magnetism of her presence. All of them spoke to the truth of her words.

He had been a fool then.

He was being a fool now.

He should not have come here.

This 'thing' they had shared. That they still shared. It was too strong, too fierce. It would consume them both again if he stayed.

"This was a mistake, I'll find someone else, I'm sorry Natalya," he told her grimly.

"Take care of yourself, ok?"

With a small smile and a final moment spent drinking the sight of her in, treasuring one last memory, he turned in the doorway to head back into the street.

And found himself face to face with another woman.

"Aaghh! Fuck me!" he screamed in fright, backing away and out of the doorway, retreating into Natalya's shop.

"Miss Lydia!" Natalya cried in relief when she saw the woman standing outside.

The woman who had managed to sneak up on him smiled as she stepped into the store, "Miss Natalya," she answered warmly in greeting.

Natalya clasped her hand to her chest, "Where have you been? I've been so worried! I've been trying to contact you for two days!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry Miss Natalya," the woman replied, "I lost my phone and I've been so busy; I haven't had a chance to get a replacement yet."

The woman, Lydia, moved deeper into the store and Rafe moved aside so that he wasn't in the way. He went and stood by a rack of light healing potions, ones designed for clearing up a head-cold or small wounds. Pretending to inspect them, he listened curiously to the two women.

Going by the use of honorifics, he could tell that Lydia was also a witch, probably even part of Natalya's coven if his ex-girlfriend had been trying to contact her so fervently but he didn't recognize her. Probably a witch that had joined in the two years they hadn't seen each other.

"I was just about to head to U-Sec to report you missing! Something terrible has happened and when I couldn't find you either I was so worried," Natalya said tearfully, still clutching at her chest and moving around the store.

"My dear please! There is nothing to worry about, I'm right here. Come," Lydia said beckoning to Natalya, "come tell me what has happened. What is wrong?"

Natalya stopped moving, but she didn't move towards the other witch, simply deflating as if in defeat, all the strength fleeing from her body, her head bowing low and Rafe could hear true sorrow in her voice as she spoke.

"It's Madam Reilly and Miss Alexis, they're dead, they found them in their homes two days ago.

"They were murdered."

Rafe's head shot up with that revelation. Those were names he knew. Women he had known.

Madam Reilly had been the head of Natalya's coven when they were together. Stern and unwavering, he remembered a woman who had been confident and commanding in her power and ability despite her appearance.

She had been even shorter than Natalya, barely topping five foot, grey-haired and slim, she had looked like any normal old woman except her face. Appearing almost ageless, the power of her potions and spells extending her life and slowing the ravages of time to a little more than a crawl.

Madam Reilly had been a pillar of Undertown witches for decades and Miss Alexis hadn't been that far behind.

"Oh my," Lydia managed to murmur, her face greying and the warmth fading from her voice as she was stricken with the weight of the news.

"Madam Reilly is dead? Miss Alexis is dead?" Rafe asked almost on top of Lydia's response.

"How is that nothing Nat?" he demanded angrily, "what happened?"

Natalya moved towards him, coming to stand beside him and gripping his arm tightly with one hand, her nails digging into his flesh. Rafe tensed, something was very off about this.

"I'm sorry Rafe, it was a coven problem, not something for you to worry about. I didn't want you involved.

"Madam Reilly was found at home after she missed several meetings and when she didn't appear at a council gathering, they went to check on her and they found her body.

"Her head was missing. Someone had managed to get past all her wards and protections, they got close to her, and then they killed her. Miss Alexis was the same, they found her the same day when they were looking for Madam Reilly. Only someone they knew could've done that," Natalya explained.

"Or someone they thought they knew," Natalya added, the veiled accusation hanging heavy in the air.

Rafe narrowed his eyes and studied Lydia, searching for some clue that would explain why Natalya was wary of this woman. Tall for a woman, Lydia stood several inches over six feet in his estimation, brown hair tied back in a long braid and dressed in a simple short sleeved dress, she looked like any normal woman off the street going about her day. There was nothing about her that screamed 'I'm a murderer'.

"I don't know what you mean dear," Lydia said, shaking her head in denial and taking a step towards them, "Please, we should go see U-Sec together, help them find answers, tell them what we know."

"I know Madam Reilly and Miss Alexis aren't the only ones that are dead," Natalya said with dread certainty, "Miss Lydia is as well."

Rafe stiffened with every word from Natalya's mouth, that was far too much death in a single coven for it to be coincidence and Miss Lydia was dead? She was standing right in front of them, and he might be slow on the uptake at the moment, but he was damn certain she wasn't a vampire, zombie, or ghoul.

Lydia stopped dead still, she didn't breathe, didn't blink, her advance upon them halting with Natalya's declaration. After a moment, she tilted her head to the side, the unnatural stare never wavering and questioned them.

"How did you know?"

The voice that came forth was not Lydia's. Gone was the faux politeness and cheer, all trace of accent and expression stripped away. It was toneless, empty, as if everything that could provide any sort of humanity to it had been erased. The lifeless unnatural voice grated in Rafe's ears and his whole body trembled at the sound.

If it troubled Natalya at all, she didn't show it, a sneer planting itself across her face as she hissed at the intruder.

"From the moment you walked through the door. Those ravens aren't just for show."

Rafe's eyes flicked out the door to the stone ravens that stood to either side, their glowing eyes unchanged and unwavering. They must be part of some sort of protective enchantment or ward.

"You are a Fae," Natalya declared, "and Miss Lydia was no half-blood or Fae at all. She was human from head to toe."

"Heh heh heh, oh you are a clever one, pity your coven was not as careful as you Witch," the Fae laughed, the sound as empty and barren as its voice.

"They didn't even suspect a thing, not until I had my hands around their neck and started to tear their head off. Their screams were so sweet, so satisfying. For all their vaunted power they did nothing but wail and weep as I ripped them apart inch by inch.

"And now I'm going to do the same to your friend and you are going to come with me," the fake Lydia announced, a Cheshire grin of impossible proportions spreading across her face.

Without waiting another second, the Fae pounced, launching at Rafe with supernatural speed. He was lucky he had been ready, he flooded power through his body, activating the multitude of runes etched into his skin and bone. The first blow from the Fae still sent him flying, his body crashing through a shelf of potions and tumbling limply to the floor.

Natalya was ready as well, the hand she had held to her chest held outstretched, the gem from her choker gripped tightly in her fist, an incantation flowing from between her lips as she focused her power upon it and forming a barrier of pure magic between them both and the Fae before it could attack again.

"So, the 'White Witch' does have a few tricks then," the Fae hissed, "they won't be enough to save you girl."

"It's not me you should be worrying about Fae!" Natalya spat back, bracing herself and forcing more power into her barrier as the creature began wailing on it with its fists.

Rafe rose from the rubble of the wooden shelving and broken glass with a shake of his head, shifting debris from his hair and clothes with his hands, he turned to face the Fae. The sky-blue glow of his runes infusing his body, he looked his opponent up and down with disdain.

"I'm really beginning to dislike today," he muttered.

"Now," Rafe said raising his fists, "let's do this you fuck."

With a speed similar to the Fae's Rafe rushed his opponent, his rune boosted body pushing him beyond ordinary human limits, and just as he reached the barrier Natalya let it drop and Rafe smashed into the fake-Lydia with a flying fist.

The sound was meaty as his fist met the Fae's face with bone-shattering force and Rafe felt the cheek collapse beneath his blow. The Fae spun away from him, snarling, and spitting blood. It staggered to a stop after a few feet before turning back towards him. Rafe could only watch in revolted horror and no small amount of fear as the ruined cheek bone popped back into shape before his eyes, Lydia's face returning to its normal state in the matter of seconds.

"Well fuck a duck, that's not fair," Rafe complained.

"You are going to pay for that blow human," the Fae sneered.

Rafe didn't reply, he just launched himself at the would-be assassin again, rune-enhanced speed and strength flowing through his body. The Fae matched him this time, its own inhuman speed and strength allowing her to block, dodge and swing back with vicious blows of its own.