Raven and the Dragon

Beyond Dark Magic

Raven

“What the f**k,” I yell at Claude while he grins in my face. I brush past him, and Donato is desperately trying to douse the flames. I say a quick spell, and water appears in my hand, and I splash it on Donato, putting out the fire. I help him to his feet, “I’m sorry,” I say to the vampire.

He shakes his head, “I didn’t know you had a beloved,” He grumbles

“I don’t,” I scowl at Claude, who is still grinning.

Donato shakes his head, “I am ain’t getting involved with no spat between witches,” he says and quickly walks away.

“Donato,” I call to him, but he quickly disappears, and I glare at Claude. “What the f**k is your god damned problem?”

Claude steps towards me, but I step back, “You are my beloved, Raven. I will try anything for you to be mine finally.”

“I WILL NEVER BE YOURS!” I scream at him. “I hate you! I f*****g hate you!” I spit at him and storm away, only to have him grab me.

“Raven,” He says while holding onto my arm.

I turn to slap him as hard as I can. He lets me go and glares at me. “When will you get it through your thick skull that I do not want you? I do not want you. I have never wanted you. And I never will want you,” I keep screaming, drawing people out of the club.

Loki runs up to me, “Raven,” He glares at Claude. “What is this asshole doing here?”

“Trying to ruin my fun,” I scowly at Claude.

Claude looks at Loki with disdain, “Back off, orphan. She is mine.”

Loke rolls his eyes, “She does not belong to you, Claudio.”

“Ignorant buffoon,” Claude sneers at my best friend.

I grab Loki's hand and start to walk away from Claude, “Let’s go home.”

“You can walk away, Raven Starsky, but I will always find you,” Claude bellows.

I stop while facing away from him and chant a spell that my grandfather taught me. I turn and launch a green ball at an unsuspecting Claude, and before he can react, the ball explodes, covering him in slime that smells like a mix of skunk musk and rotting garbage. I smirk and pull on Loki’s hand, and we walk out of the club.

“There you are,” Loki’s friend Carly appears in front of us. “Who was that guy you were screaming at?” She tilts her head.

I look back at the club, “No one,” I respond. “Or no one I want around.”

“Hmm,” Carly touches his nose. “He was cute.”

“Go for it,” I shrug. “We are going home.”

“Oh,” Carly pouts. “Anyways, I am going to go back in.” She winks at Loki before disappearing back into the club.

Loki and I hail a cab and sit silently in the car.

“I have to leave tomorrow,” I finally say to Loki.

He sighs heavily, “f*****g Claude. Why won't he get a clue that you hate him?”

“Because he is a dense motherfucker like the rest of his family,” I grumble. “I hate to leave,” I trail off. “You know you are free to come with me.”

Loki shrugs, “Where are you going to go?”

“West,” I respond.

“West, where?” He chuckles.

“Colorado,” I blurt out randomly.

“You know weed is legal here in New York,” Loki counters.

I huff, “No, I just maybe want to go hiking.”

“Hiking?” Loki laughs. “You have never been into hiking.”

“I don’t know, Loki. I want to get away from Claude,” I sigh.

The cab stops in front of the building, and we slide out after paying the driver. It takes about five minutes to get up to the penthouse.

“Hey, sweetie,” Papi’s voice calls out as Loki, and I enter the penthouse. He is sitting on the couch, waving at us.

“Papi?” I say as my grandfather comes down the stairs dressed in a black trench coat. “Grandpa?”

“Sorry, Raven. Jeremiah and I had to come to take care of some business in town,” He walks over to kiss my cheek.

“No, it’s alright. Loki and I are leaving tomorrow,” I state.

“You just go here,” Papi frowns at me.

I sit beside him, “I know, but I want to leave already.”

“Claude Moonstone followed you, didn’t he?” Grandpa asks while standing in front of the couch.

I nod slowly, “He appeared at the club.”

“You went to a club?” Papi asks in his sing-songy tone, “Which club?”

“Jeremiah,” Grandpa shakes his head.

“What, Merlyn?” Papi counters. “You know I like clubs.”

“We went to Morte Diem,” Loki chimes in from the other side of the room.

“Oooo,” Papi laughs.

“Anyways,” I look at my grandfather, “I was dancing with a vampire.”

“Dancing,” Loki mumbles, and I glare at him.

“Dancing?” Papi waggles his eyebrows.

I elbow him as I hear my grandfather sigh, “We were dancing outside in the back of the-“

“Yeah, I don’t need those details,” Grandpa holds his hands up.

“Next thing I know, Donato was pulled off of me and lying on the ground engulfed in flames,” I finish my story.

Grandpa’s face turns red for a split second, “That f*****g Moonstone. They don’t take no for an answer,” He growls while flames dance on his fingers.

“Calm down, Meryl,” Jeremiah rises from the couch to touch my grandfather’s arm.

The flames dissipate, but I can still see Grandpa’s anger etched across his bearded face, “I am sick of the Moonstone messing with my family. Claude has been harassing Raven since she was seven.”

“I know,” Papi responds calmly. “But getting angry and setting our home on fire won’t solve anything.”

Grandpa’s shoulders fall. He kisses Papi on the lips and looks at me. “Where are you wanting to go?”

“Colorado,” I declare.

“Hmm, I don’t have a house there,” Grandpa laughs. “But I know some people you can stay with.”

“It’s okay. I’ll book a hotel or find a hostel,” I wave my hands.

Papi sits beside me again, “It will be alright, Ravy,” He pats my knee. “Meryl will find some way to keep that damn Moonstone brat off your tail.”

“Why can’t I just reject him like wolves reject their mates?” I ask my grandfather.

“Beloveds are a little different, Raven,” He responds. “After so long apart, your heart and soul will stop desiring them.”

“How come I feel nothing for him, though? I look at Claude and feel disgusted,” I nearly yell.

Papi pats my arm, “Sweetie.”

“You don't feel any sort of desire for Claude?” Grandpa asks while gritting his teeth.

“No,” I shake my head. “He thinks me being half wolf disguises my desire,” I use air quotes for desire.

“No, you have no wolf at all,” Grandpa huffs.

“He’s just obsessed with you,” Papi adds. He brushes my hair from my eyes, “I mean, who wouldn’t be obsessed with you.”

I lean against him. “I just want to be free.”

Papi wraps his thin arm around me and kisses the top of my head, “It will be okay.”

“I’ll teleport you to Colorado tomorrow and hope it may keep you ahead of Claude,” Grandpa kneels in front of me. “I wish I could do more, but our families have used so many spells on one another that we are immune.”

“Claude didn’t seem immune to the skunk bomb I used on him,” I say.

Papi bursts out laughing, “That’s my girl.”

Grandpa stands up, “Little tricks like that are one thing. But I can’t do any spells that will disguise you from Claude. His father has ways of countering anything I do. However, you may be able to cast your own spell. I’ll give you some of Mom’s old books.”

“I’ll try anything,” I nod. “I am going to shower and then go to bed,” I stand up. “Thank you, Grandpa,” I hug him, and Papi scoffs. “I didn’t forget about you, Papi,” I say while hugging him.

“Call your parents or at least send them a message,” Grandpa says as I head for the stairs. “Your mother is worried sick about you.”

“I have only been gone for a day,” I whine.

Grandpa laughs at that.

Loki has already gone upstairs and is sitting on his bed, playing with his phone. I poke my head into the room, “So? Are we going to Colorado?” He asks.

“Yep, Grandpa said he could take us there in the morning,” I tell him.

“You know I heard Merlyn saying he can’t cast a spell to keep Claude away from you,” Loki mentions while keeping his eyes on his phone. “I may know a spell you can use,” He lowers his voice and beckons me towards him. “It’s a little illegal, though.”

“How illegal?” I whisper.

“Even Merlyn won’t touch it,” Loki grins.

“Grandpa dabbles in dark magic all the time,” I shrug.

Loki nods slowly, “Oh, this goes beyond dark magic, Raven,” He whispers and shows me something on his phone.

I gasp, “You want to remove Claude’s soul?”

“Just the part that desires you,” He states.

I look at my best friend for a moment, not saying anything. “You are willing to do something like that for me?”

“You are family to me, Raven. I am sick of Claude harassing you, and I hate the son of a b***h too. He was always a d**k to me,” Loki explains.

“You could lose your soul in the process,” I counter.

He nods, “I know.”

I shudder at the thought, “I don’t want you to risk yourself like that for me.”

“I don’t have much to lose, Raven,” Loki explains.

I sigh and look at the phone. There is a picture of a human heart being roasted over a fire emitting a green flame.

“It may take me a week or so to gather the right ingredients,” Loki closes the phone. “So, I won’t be in Colorado right away.”

“Loki-“

He grabs my hand, “Raven, you have always been in my corner, always had my back when not even Humphrey had it. We may not be lovers, but I love you, Raven. And I want to see you finally free from that asshole. Your happiness is worth losing my soul for.”

Tears well up, and I throw my arms around him and kiss his cheek, “I love you too, Loki.”

“Be safe in Colorado,” He whispers in my ear and lets me go.

I sniffle and stand up, “Goodnight, Loki,” I touch his shoulder and walk out of the room.

I flop on my bed and send my mother a text assuring her that I am fine and not out having s*x. I giggle as I send it.

“Goodnight, Sweetie,” Papi’s voice makes me jump, and I turn to him. “Sorry if I scared you.” I notice he is wearing flashy leather pants and a striped shirt.

“Why are you dressed like that?” I laugh.

“Hey, don’t make fun of my outfit,” He huffs playfully.

Grandpa pokes his head in, wearing red leather pants and a black shirt causing me to laugh. “I told you she would laugh.”

Papi covers Grandpa’s mouth, “We are going to that club to shimmy,” Papi dances while Grandpa rolls his eyes.

“Are you sure they’ll let you two in?” I say while still laughing.

“I have connections, child,” Grandpa winks at me.

Papi grabs him, “We’ll be back in the morning to take you, kids, to Colorado.”

“It will be just me,” I state. “Loki is staying to chill with some friends,” I lie point blank.

I can tell my grandfather doesn’t believe me, but he says nothing and just waves. I wave back, lie down, and play with my phone until I fall asleep.

Two days later, I find myself standing at the top of Bridal Peak Falls near Telluride. I take a few pictures and marvel at the beauty around me. I had checked into a lodge in town and spent the last day or so hiking and being with nature. I take a deep breath of fresh air and look up to see what I swear is a black dragon flying overhead. It seems to notice me and disappears into the clouds, and I get a strange feeling in my heart. I return my eyes to the falls and shudder as it seems the dragon is the only thing I can think about.