The Witch's Eye

 

Seraphina shut the door to her flat and locked all four different deadbolts panting. Leaning with her back against the door she unwrapped the black veil from her face. Her pale freckled face was glistening with sweat. She pulled off her hood and practically tore off the heavy white sweater that she wore. She hated the summer months with a definite passion, especially since she lived in the desert. She rushed across her studio, tossed a tote bag onto the kitchen table, ran into the bathroom and jumped into the shower, washing herself with the semi-cold water. Grabbing her washcloth and soap she gently washed off a long night’s work. She loved her job and the work she did, but in the quickly coming summer months it was getting harder to hide herself from the sunlight.

The ivory skinned, copper haired beauty was no vampire by any means. She was just born with a severe skin condition called Solar Urticaria. It was an illness which caused horrible red painful rashes to break out all over her flesh anytime the sun touched it. Anytime she went out into the light it was mandatory that she take powerful antihistamines, slipped into two layers of pants, two pairs of white long sleeved blouses, and a huge white parka with a black veil to cover her face. Going out at night was no problem. She loved being able to go out and feel the fresh air without having to bundle up. But there was no mistaking that she missed the sunlight. Closing her golden eyes she tried her hardest to remember her earliest memory of being in the light. She remembered being about five years old when she last enjoyed the sunlight. Seraphina rinsed the conditioner out of her hair and shut off the water. Ringing out her long hair she reached for the towel and dried off. She was so light skinned she hated it. Unlike most people that hated their freckles, she loved hers. It made her feel normal despite her unusual condition. The freckles did not blanket her, but they were sprinkled gracefully upon her shoulders, arms, and cheek bones. She looked at her face in the mirror and wished she could bare a rosy cheeked glow. Sighing she pulled her long orangey hair into two braids and made her way into the kitchen. Reaching into the tote she pulled out a loaf of Italian everything bread. She made her way to the fridge and pulled out two eggs and some bacon. She loved breakfast. Her mother always told her that a beautiful woman always ate daintily, but Seraphina didn’t care. Her full hour-glass figure needed to have a hearty breakfast or she would feel like she was starving all day. Slicing a quarter of the loaf and splitting it in half she sprayed it with canned butter and tossed it on the grill. Firing up her little stove she grabbed her large skillet, cracked both eggs onto it and placed the bacon next to them. After a long nights work she needed to refuel. Piling her meal onto a plate she sat at the small bistro-like table and began to eat. She was totally hungry. Last night’s shift was one of the busiest ones, especially since it was the beginning of the weekend. Birthdays, parties, and all sorts of occasions that called for pastries always meant a busy night for the bakers and pastry chefs at the café. She just wanted to eat, read for a bit, and then crash out before going back to work. But just as she was finishing up her last bite of toasted bread someone knocked on her flat door. Well, that puts a halt to my plans I guess.

“Who is it?” It was odd for anyone visit her at this time of day. Even her landlord knew of her condition and knew not to come at a time where she could be exposed to light.

“Miss Solis, I am accompanied by your mother.”

“Damn it!” She swore angrily. The last person she wanted to have any interaction with was her mother. She stomped over to the door and unlocked all the locks before rushing off into her bedroom. The last time she was around her mother, the woman was pressing the issue of Seraphina being married off in an arranged marriage, which was their custom. So, she packed up her things and moved out.

“Sera, come out. Everything is sealed up.” The woman’s shrill voice made the pale girl’s skin cringe in annoyance.

“Mother, I’ve asked you to let me know in advance when you plan to visit."

“Why should I do this, eh? You are my daughter, are you doing bad things that you must hide ahead of time?”

“Augh! You know that if you come during the day it is a danger to me! I’ve already told you and you already know that I would prefer if I could call into work and just request a night to meet with you!”

“Well there is no reason to be angry.”

Seraphina growled in frustration. “Besides, there was an important reason and it could not wait to be scheduled.”

The copper-haired daughter plopped down onto one of her elegant chairs, “What is so important mom?”

The older woman with golden hair looked at her curvy daughter, “You have not been taking care of your eating have you?”

“Seriously?” Seraphina’s temper nearly flew off handle “You know what, if that is what you came to bother me about, just leave. I am not going to put up with the ridiculousness about being perfect enough for some man to marry!”

“It will not just be any man! It will be someone that is worthy!”

“Mom, leave. I am not going to consent being married off.” Seraphina stood and stepped toward her blacked-out bedroom.

“That is too late Sera. We have made arrangements for someone that will make the perfect match.” The young woman stopped dead in her tracks.

She struggled with all her might to keep from jumping onto her mother and bang her head against the floor boards, “You did no such thing.”

“Yes. It is done. We have found your future husband. You cannot back out.” “You had no right to go forth with those plans of yours! I left so that you would finally understand that I was not going to abide by any of those rules of yours!” Seraphina’s mother finally lost her temper, “They are not rules, they are traditions! Even if you left home and found a job you know that you are still at the age where your father and I can continue our traditions.” “He is not my father!”

“Enough Sera! He has been in our lives long enough for you to stop saying that! He has always done his best to make sure that you feel as much a part of his family. You will not stray far from tradition, no matter how much you protest! You come from a long line of pure bloods and it is about time that you stop your childish fantasy of breaking from it. You will marry to carry on our lineage!”

“Why?!” the red-head growled, “Why should it be my duty to carry it on?! Did you not give your husband a son so that he would be the one to carry it for him? Why do this to me!?”

“You would be carrying on my lineage! And not just my lineage, but also the lineage of your father’s! Have you so easily forgotten that?!”

Seraphina’s tensed rage immediately deflated in defeat. “Guillermo will be the one to carry on the legacy you created with my father. Do not look to me to do the same.”

“Ha! Your brother? The one who pulled this exact same stunt that you are pulling right now? The one that abandoned you and your sister to carry on this tradition? You trust that he will be willing to come back just so that you will not have to suffer? Please. Grow up and see that you are making Evangeline suffer just the way Guillermo made you suffer. Why don’t you just open your eyes and realize that this is what must be done?” She walked over to her daughter and placed her hand gently on the girls copper-red hair, “Even if your brother had stayed to fulfill his duty as the head of your father’s name you would not have been spared the duty to tradition. Neither will your sister. Please, understand that you do not have a choice. You know this very well. You are bound by blood.”

“Who?”

“What?”

“Who is to be the one I am bonded to?” Sera asked angrily through grit teeth

A knock at the door stopped the older woman from answering. “Madam, the Lord is here.” The pale woman glared at her mother and walked to her room to wait as the stranger entered. The feeling of utter dread filled her guts. She heard the door open and shut quickly followed by the sound of dress shoes clicking on her wooden floor.

“Come out, dear.” Her mother called to her and again her flesh cringed

Closing her golden eyes she took a deep breath to calm her nervous stomach I can’t do this. She opened her eyes, cursing her father and her brother. She slowly stepped out of the bedroom and her eyes saw the back of the man she was betrothed to marry. He was tall, roughly about 6’2. His shoulders were broad and his hair was blond and styled. And with the way he was dressed in a suit she knew he came from money. “Ah! Here she is!” Her mother announced. Turning around the gentleman turned out to be Sera’s worst nightmare.

“Oh hell no!” She remarked rudely with an attitude. The sexy man that stood before her was the guy that had made her life miserable all throughout school. He was one of their own kind, pure and wealthy to boot.

“It’s nice to see you too Seraphina.” He chuckled pompously looking her up and down so obviously that her mother did not fail to notice

“I know she is still a bit thick, but that can be easily remedied.” Her mother quickly noted

Sera sneered, “There is no way I will be willing to marry him. Kill me, sell me to a whore house, or turn me into a mindless zombie but there will be no bonding between he and I.”

“Now, now Seraphina I can’t believe that you still hate me after all this time. It’s really childish to hold onto a grudge, isn’t it? Mrs. Villaluz, don’t be critical about Seraphina’s weight. She’s just naturally curvatious and voluptuous.” He smirked as he walked around his future bride. Her large breasts, tiny waist, large hips and perky round ass made his mouth water. He had always found her attractive. She had the body of a retro Hollywood actress, but with the dumpy way she dressed it just made her look like she was heavy and lumpy. “All she needs is a new wardrobe.”

“No. There will be no new wardrobe and absolutely no union.” Sera growled “I have a life. I pay my own way. I have no need of this bonding with him!”

“Sera!” Her mother angrily whispered in chiding

“No worries Mrs. Villaluz, Miss Solis here will have to understand that there is no way to undo our engagement. Don’t mind my abruptness, but just how large are her breasts?”

“36 DD” her mother responded without pause

“Don’t tell him that!” Sera shouted at her mother throwing her hands up in the air. She turned her burning attention back to the asshole she hated with a passion, “What the hell do you mean that this engagement cannot be undone?”

The golden-tanned Adonis walked up to her biting his bottom lip seductively, “Little Seraphina.” He tsked looking down at her, his gaze pausing too long on her breasts. He was a good foot taller than she was, “We have been engaged since your birth. Blood signed and everything. You’re practically bound to me already.”

She stared at him dumbfounded. His grey eyes sparkling humorously at her just as if he had won the grandest prize of them all. “Why are you doing this to me, Gideon? What do you have to gain out of this? You know for a fact that there are other families that would be more than happy to be able to marry their daughter off to you. What sick game is this? Whatever I have done, please over look it, and just end this quest to bond.”

He reached out his large manly hand and stroked her cheek with it. Though she scowled in disgust he was pleased with the fact that she would be his. He had always wanted the strange little beauty that was Seraphina. “There is nothing I can do, love. This had been arranged by our parents years ago. Our contracts have been sealed by blood.”

She smacked his hand away and stomped towards her mother, “This is a lie! Tell me that all of this is a lie and that it can be undone!”

Her mother was usually understanding and did nothing to really upset her children so what she did next was completely out of character. Looking her daughter straight in the eye she replied, “What was is done. You were Blood Contracted to Gideon Embers and his family. Nothing will change that. You are to be his. You will carry on our lineage.”

“I hate you.” Sera seethed vehemently

Her mother shrugged and made her way to the door. “It doesn’t matter.”

“I won’t go through with this!”

Her mother stopped shortly enough to look skeptically at her daughter, “You and I both know that’s impossible. You know how much power a Blood Contract holds, I just dare you to try and break it. And if you are so willing to try, I will kill you myself.” The woman opened the door and left closing it behind her.

Sera hissed in pain as a streak of light had touched her left arm. The sun always had an immediate effect leaving a line of red bumps and hives that stung and itched. “Damn it!” she rushed to the kitchen and went for her antihistamines that she kept next to the fridge. Popping the cap she poured a few in her mouth and swallowed them down.

Two strong hands reached around her waist and moved her suddenly into one of the kitchen chairs. The handsome jerk knelt in front of her and pulled out a tube of ointment from his pocket, taking her hand into his he began to apply the ointment to her wound. “This will make it feel better.”

“Let go of me Gideon.” She demanded angrily

He held onto her hand though she tried to pull it back. He put more ointment onto her skin and continued to massage it in “You know, I’ve started carrying this with me. Seeing as how you will soon be my wife I want to be sure that I will be able to protect you.”

Sera closed her eyes in frustration, “Why are you going through with this Gideon? We hate each other. You have the power to call off this charade.”

He laughed as he stood up and put the ointment away, “I am not calling it off Seraphina.” He bent down so that he could look her dead in the eye, “You will be my wife. And together we will continue our legacies and our traditions through the many children we will have.”

“Fuck you!” She spat at him

He wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, “Oh, I plan to.” He said seductively as he looked her over sensuously. He suddenly kissed her full on the lips. She pushed him back with all her strength and slapped his face as hard as she could. Before she could run off he grabbed her around the waist, lifted her up and slammed her hard down on the kitchen table. Using his legs he parted her thighs and he rubbed his hardness against her center. As she began to struggle against him he held her down by gripping her throat, with his other hand he felt up her thigh, her flat belly, and finally grabbed her breast gently, “You forget the rules of the bond, Seraphina.” He kissed her again and moaned as he did. He savored as much as he could. The copper-haired girl was a fiery one and it would be difficult for him to tame her. He let her go and non-challantly made his way to the door. “I suggest calling the café and letting them know that you will be resigning. I’ll be by tomorrow to get you moved into my estate. Hurry on into your room, I don’t want you to get hurt by the sun.”

Not wanting to suffer the same pain as earlier Sera slide off the table and hurried into her darkened haven. As the door opened and closed she collapsed onto her bed and began to sob. She thought that she would be free. She didn’t think that she would be subjected to the same cruelties what had been bestowed to all the members of her people. But she should have known better, no enchanteress was able to escape bonding.

She hated her brother for this, had he been the one to accept his own bonding she might have succeeded escaping the tradition. She was to be bonded to Gideon Embers, an enchanter of high status and rank with great powers. The guy that she had hated all of her life that harassed her all throughout their childhood for no reason and made sure to mention the painful downfall of her father every chance he got.

She grabbed the hand mirror that rested on her bedside dresser and flung it against the wall. She could not break the Blood Contract. The enchanted document that held her blood would ensure that she and Gideon be together forever. Should she run or try to end her life the powerful ancient spell that was encrypted to the contract would ensure she would suffer in great agony and it would not let her die. And if she were to lay with any man that was not her of her bonding, it would kill that man and burn her body with markings that would scar her branding her for life. Should she refuse the bond the spell would horribly curse her entire lineage so badly that if her brother and sister should ever have a family of their own it would carry on through them with misery and shortcomings at every turn.

She stood and cracked her neck. It was not easy being an enchantress of her class, but if she was going to be miserable she was going to make sure that Gideon would be miserable too.