The Witching Hour Ch. 05

Okay, I swear. Things are going to start kicking off now. Remember to let me know what you think. I'm really interested in getting better, so all input is appreciated, even the harsh stuff.

*

Jack finished loading in the last of his groceries and closed the door to the refrigerator. It had been later than he expected when he had finally come back to the apartment with an armload of food and various other things he had picked up while he was out. Instead of going strait to the store, he had decided to grab a bite to eat at a little diner not too far away. It was never good to shop for groceries on an empty stomach, not unless he wanted an empty wallet too.

The food had been excellent. Pretty much the standard American greasy comfort food he had come to expect from mom and pop places in the south. He had settled for a nice pulled pork barbeque sandwich and fries. One of the first things he had found out immediately after he had arrived in Georgia the first time was that they took their barbeque extremely seriously. As he had heard a comedian somewhere put it, "In the state of Georgia, barbeque is a noun, not a verb; and a holy one at that."

When he had finished his meal, he had sat back and contentedly waited for the portly waitress to bring him his change. From out of the windows next to his booth he had spotted a movie theater. Deciding that he could use some light entertainment tonight he had dropped a tip on the table and walked across the street.

It had been a small movie theater, with only two screens, so his choices were limited to the latest war movie and a comedy that he hadn't heard of. Jack didn't really go in for the Hollywood version of war -- he figured some things were better to watch if you hadn't actually done them before -- so he had decided to give the comedy a shot. It had been forgettable, but it served its purpose in distracting him and killing a little time.

So, by the time Jack had finally arrived home and put away the food, it was already well after eleven. He had left his party animal days behind him when he'd married, so this was actually late for him. But tonight for some reason he felt wired by the days events and he wasn't in a hurry to go to bed. Opening the freezer he pulled out the bottle of Jack Daniels he had bought and retrieved a glass from the cabinet.

Pouring himself a small glass, he put away the bottle and moved to the couch to relax. It had been an extremely interesting day. He took a sip and felt a warmth spread through him as the bitter liquor burned down his throat. Jack grimaced; whiskey was definitely an acquired taste. Normally he would have mixed it with a soft-drink or something, but having completely forgotten to pick any up while he was shopping he simply nursed it slowly.

He thought about his coming not-date with Ashley tomorrow. She was cute. When he had talked to her today, she had seemed so flustered about the whole thing, not quite knowing what to say. He couldn't help but find that endearing. Jack found himself looking forward to spending time with her. He could admit to himself that it was not exactly love at first sight, but he wasn't going to complain. It wasn't like he exactly had girls beating down his front door, and having a good looking girl want to spend time with him did something to stroke his sensitive male ego. She was pretty too; not exuding sexuality like Britt had, or even close to Jennifer's heart stopping beauty, but pretty nonetheless.

Jennifer… he thought, a mental picture of her appearing uninvited in his mind. She was a mystery to him. Ever since his first day here, when their lives had been briefly and violently thrust together, he hadn't been able to get her out of his mind. It must have just been everything that had happened since he arrived that was confusing him. Everything that had happened so far had revolved around her.

He found himself suddenly interested in what she had been thinking while she looked at him as he had spoken to the police. The only other time he had actually seen her, she had been furious. He had no clue why. But, as she had watched him tell his story, he had almost got the feeling…

Yeah, he thought condescendingly at himself, right.

Looking down, Jack suddenly realized that his glass was completely empty. He could feel the lightly pleasant fog of the alcohol working its way through his mind. He hadn't really drank much at all for a very long time and the strong, strait whiskey was going to his head. It did feel good though. Maybe he would top off his glass just one more time, and keep the enjoyable buzz going, but as he got to his feet he felt a rushing in his head. Maybe not.

Moving into the kitchen, Jack rinsed his glass of and left it in the sink. He wasn't really interested in getting drunk tonight anyway. The day was starting to catch up to him and he could feel his energy beginning to drain away in the warm haze of the drink.

A small contented grin on his lips, he leaned up against the island counter. He should probably head back to his bedroom and call an end to the day. He knew he didn't have to get up too early to meet up with Ashley, but he had a few other things he wanted to take care of as well. Thinking about Ashley, he was surprised to find that in his mind her fiery red hair kept shifting to soft auburn locks, and steel-blue replaced sea green.

Shaking his head, Jack moved around the island, starting for his bedroom. What was with him? Jennifer was beautiful, sure, but she definitely wasn't his type. He had enough baggage of his own to deal with; and from what he had seen, she clearly was carrying her share.

As he passed through the living room, something caught his eye. From underneath the edge of his couch he saw a small golden glint as the light from the kitchen reflected off something stuck under there. Curious, Jack stopped, bending over a little unsteadily to take a closer look. He wasn't quite able to see what it was so, leaning his weight into the couch, he slid it a few inches to the side.

Lying on the short tan carpet was a strange looking piece of jewelry that Jack had never seen before in his life. The antique looking golden band was made up of strips of metal that looked like they had been woven together in an intricate pattern. Along each strip ran some kind of strange script that was slightly raised off of the gleaming surface. Though it was obviously writing of some kind, he had no idea what it said. Jack couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen something like it before though.

While he got the distinct impression that the bracelet was very old, he definitely couldn't tell from the way it looked. The brightly polished gold looked like it had come strait from the local jewelry store. As he looked, Jack started to feel the undeniable urge to pick it up and inspect the script more closely. It was as if he could feel a tangible force, coming from the bracelet and drawing on his mind. Reaching out his hand, Jack's finger's wrapped around the bracelet.

Instantly his eyes flew open wide and he gasped in pain, all traces of the alcohol induced haze driven from his mind. Pulses of molten fire were radiating from the scars on his chest, and he felt every muscle in his body spasm and lock as his back arched in agony. The searing, unending pain drove his breath from him so he couldn't even let out the scream he felt trapped inside of him. For long moments he knelt on the floor, the hot brands of his scars buring into him anew.

Just when he thought that he could no longer take it and was praying for the relief of unconsciousness, the pain suddenly was gone from his body, leaving him empty. Jack let out a shuddering breath and his shoulders sagged as his muscles loosened. The bracelet, still clutched in his hand gave off a soft heat that he didn't notice as he tried to pull himself back together.

It took a moment, but slowly Jack began to be conscious of the growing heat coming from the golden surface. Confused, he looked down and opened his hand. There was a soft light coming from it that sparkled against his skin. The script along the band impossibly seemed to glow from within. He tried to drop it, abruptly more frightened of this tiny thing than he had ever been of anything in his life. His hand wouldn't move, and the heat was growing faster now.

It wasn't pain this time, not really; it felt more like the electrical tingle he would get putting his hand too close to a live wire. When the glow seemed to peak, he suddenly felt something flow out of the bracelet and into his body. The power crashed into him with a tangible force that slammed into him and he fell backward onto the floor. It saturated every cell of his body as it washed over him. It was too much for Jack; his mind having experienced too many sensations to handle, he passed out.

Unseen by Jack, the clock on his bookshelf flashed as the time showed 12:01. Far above him the planets, unconcerned with the events below, moved out of alignment and continued on there heavenly journey.

*****

Jennifer knew where she was even before she felt the hands touch her. She could see nothing, the inky blackness closing in so tight that it didn't matter whether her eyes were open or not. Floating, she felt the presence of her dream lover near by. She waited, somehow knowing that even though she could not see him, he was caressing her body with his eyes.

Time seemed to stretch out forever as she waited, anticipation building. She arched her back and writhed in the darkness, straining for the touch she knew was coming. Finally, when she couldn't take it any longer and was about to scream with frustration, she felt his fingertips brush lightly along her side. It felt like liquid lightning to her sensation deprived body. She shuddered with delight.

The hand traveled up her side all the way to her neck, barely grazing along her skin as it went. She felt it move up and caress the sensitive parts just behind her ear lovingly and then trace the line of her chin until it brushed sensually over her parted lips. Breathing him in, she caught his scent; clean, but unmistakably man.

Her breath came in a gasp as she felt a second hand touch her hip, moving ever so slowly upwards towards her tender breasts. She ached with her need for that touch. Moving at a tortuous pace, it slowly rounded her curves and she felt the fingertips run over the top of her chest and travel around the outside in lazy circles. It was still far away, but with every pass it came closer and closer to touching the sensitive crests.

The first hand meanwhile, had moved back down from her face, sending little sparks of pleasure through her body as it lightly traced the little divot above her collarbone. Slowly -- Gods, ever so slowly, -- it moved downward, forging a trail between her breasts. Reaching her stomach she felt it begin to explore; the hand painting invisible pictures onto her flesh and inching ever lower.

The sensations pouring out from his hands and shooting out over her entire body were finally starting to come to rest between her legs. From deep inside of her, she felt the pressure begin to build; a fluttering heat that was slowly building to a raging inferno. She could feel her wetness beginning to build.

In the building grey of her dream she could make out the hand moving on the mound of her breast, still teasingly circling one and then the other. From somewhere deep within her mind the thought came that this was strange. Normally she could never see anything during her dream time with the man. But it was a small thought, and it was washed from her mind when she felt his fingers graze lightly over her sex.

Laying her head back as he ran his fingers rhythmically up and down over her soft lips, she longed for him to put her out of her misery. For him to stop teasing her, as he did ever time, and give her the release she so desperately needed. As if he sensed her unspoken need, one of his fingers suddenly slipped deep inside of her. As she let out a plaintive moan of sheer pleasure, he began to move it in and out of her. Instead of quenching the heat of her need as she had hoped, this only served to stoke the flames of her desire in ways she had never dreamed of before.

Picking her head up, she looked down between her breasts to where her torturer was slowly manipulating her every nerve to bring her closer and closer, while never quite letting her get there. Even in her pleasure distracted, dream-fogged state she was shocked to, for the first time ever, see the face of her dream lover.

Unlike the other times she had seen this face, the hard grey eyes that looked back into hers seemed filled with love and compassion. His lips smiled on his work tanned face, and his strong chin was not set in anger or annoyance, as it was the last two times she had seen it.

She felt his weight press against her as he leaned forward, bringing his face up to meet hers. His magic fingers never missed a beat as he shifted positions. As he lowered his head down to her his strong masculine scent washed over her again. Her lips parted in anticipation and she closed her eyes with a little shiver as his lips touched her own.

Jennifer suddenly woke with a start. Washing over her, a wave of pure magic like she had never felt before crashed into her senses. It felt like an intense electric fire was burning its way through her mind. Startled, she lay on her bed wide eyed and staring at the ceiling as it flowed through her. As abrupt as it had come, the tide receded and she was left panting for breath, all thoughts of pleasure momentarily forgotten.

What the...

Her mind quickly pulled itself back together and she sat up out of the satin sheets of her bed. She could feel the cool air kissing the beads of sweat on her forehead. There was only one thing she knew that could produce that much power at once. Jacob.

Getting her breathing under control she projected her thoughts outward. Britt, I need you in here, now.

Almost before she had finished the thought, the spiral of smoked snaked down into the room and with a flash Britt appeared before her. Unlike last time, she was fully clothed -- well as fully clothed as Britt ever got, in a pair of tight sweat shorts and a baby half-tee -- and for once she wasn't wearing her normal mischievous smile. She looked unusually concerned.

"Jacob has activated the Bracelet of Akasha." Jennifer explained.

"Obviously." Britt snapped at her. Startled, Jennifer raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry, Mistress," Britt stammered, "I'm just-- Wow! It was just a shock. Every magical being and witch east of the Mississippi must have felt that in their bones."

"Can you tell where it was? We have to stop him." Jennifer was frantic. All she had done, everything she had worked for, it couldn't be in vain.

It was Britt's turn to raise an eyebrow now. "Are you kidding, Jenny? That was like a nuclear bomb of magical power. It went off everywhere. I couldn't track it, even if I wanted to. Which I don't. 'Cause right now we don't know what kind of power he's got." She shook her head. "Gods, how could that boy be so stupid."

"Huh?" Jennifer said, not following Britt's logic.

"Jacob," she explained, "he tapped all of the bracelets power at once. I'm not an expert or anything. Hell, I was a lot younger then," she flashed a brief grin, a little of the old Britt coming back, "and I hadn't really discovered the joys of human companionship all that much quite yet. But I remember that even as powerful as the witches were a thousand years ago, none of them would ever have done more than access just a trickle of the power. That's why it was made so only an anointed High Priestess of Spirit could use it. She would be the only one who could control it." She paused and looked at Jennifer thoughtfully.

"Whatever Jacob did to access its power," she continued, "he forgot to use safeguards. The old ones knew that if the bracelets full power came forth at once, it would destroy a witches' ability to access any other power but its own, if it even left them alive."

"Ha," Jennifer shook her head, "We should be so lucky. But, this may be our one slim chance."

"So," Britt asked, looking at her, "what's the plan, Mistress?"

"I guess we wait," she shrugged her shoulders. "Not much else we can do anyway. The bracelet gives him powerful magic, but if he has lost the rest of his powers, we may still have a chance."

They both stood for a moment in silence, lost in thought. Jennifer's found her mind drifting back to her dream. She felt her body flush slightly with pleasure at the memory. She could still feel the hollow wetness between her thighs. It had been so intense, and the first time that she had seen a face in the recurring dream. Why him? she wondered to herself. She could still feel his body pressed up against hers...

"Britt?" She asked, hesitantly, but then she cleared her throat and continued on in a slightly clearer voice. "Are you still keeping an eye on Jack for me?"

As Britt looked knowingly at her, her lips formed a wicked smile and Jennifer felt a blush creep onto her face. "Every now and then," she said. "He went out earlier, but I didn't tag along. Not like he can get into too much trouble out there. Anyways, he seems okay now."

"Oh, okay."

"We could pop over and check, if you want to spy..." she paused, frowning a little, "He's probably sleeping, I can't quite tell. There're a lot of confused witches freakin' out right now."

"No," Jennifer sighed "that's okay. He's probably the only one who's going to get any sleep tonight anyway. Just..." She trailed off.

"I'll keep an eye on him, Mistress."

*****

Jacob's eyes were wrenched open as he felt the powerful electric surge of witch magic flow through his senses like a lightning bolt. His mind snapped immediately awake and he sent his senses outward. Underneath the flowing pulse of Spirit, he could feel his own familiar incantations flaring to life and riding the same wave of power.

Lying undisturbed next to him, Tasha's soft naked body shifted against him as she moved in her deep sleep. Being only a mage, she wasn't attuned to the flow of natural magic that he had controlled since childhood. The two sides of human magic operated in totally different ways and, as far as he knew, he was the only person in over a thousand years with the ability to master both. She was completely unaffected by the massive release of power.

As quickly as it had come, the feeling ebbed and passed over him. His heart was racing and his nerves were left raw. Careful not to wake her, he untangled himself from Tasha's sleeping form and rose from the bed. In the darkness of the room he heard her sleepy, disappointed groan, but she instantly fell back into her dreams.

Crossing the room, Jacob stood at the window and looked out into the night, his nude body glowing with the silvery light of the full moon. His thoughts were running a million miles a second as his brain mulled over what he had felt. Obviously someone had released the power from the bracelet. But the question was who?

If the anointed High Priestess of Spirit, or any witch for that matter, had touched it; he would not have felt his incantations trip as well. They were attuned to the bracelet's defensive power, which would only strike against a sorcerer or a sorcerer's creation -- a leftover from the old wars --, neutralizing it before it could cause any harm. Any witch could have touched it, and he would have felt nothing. So who then?

Sighing angrily, Jacob turned away from the window. He knew he would not get anymore sleep tonight. He had much to find out. Once again, something unexpected had been thrown into his well laid plans. This time however, he was going to be ready to turn it to his advantage. He just had to find out what and how.