Girls from Costum Coast

The swaying water welcomed me to my special place. The birds chirped in their nests above in tall trees. The silence was bliss I hadn’t had in a while. With all the yelling and doors slamming of the last three or four days the solace of the willow woods was all I needed. I brought a book with me, a comedy to raise my soul.

I climbed on a rock, gazed out at the lake and pulled out my novel. A couple hours of this were all I needed. After a couple minutes into my book, my needs were completely discarded. It sounded like a rhino had landed behind me. I slammed the book shut.

‘Well, that’s the end of that.’ I pulled my bag off the ground and stuffed the novel inside.

‘This is the only place you come to hide Liv, it’s predictable. You might need to find another spot if you don’t want to be found.’

I sighed, ‘Hi, Logan.’

At least he had a shirt on this time.

He scooted me over on the rock and draped an arm over my shoulder.

‘I saw you with Leo earlier,’ he narrowed his eyes.

I chuckled, ‘You’ve turned into a part time stalker now, huh?’

‘It’s what best friend’s do,’ he lifted his chin.

Well, at least all the butterflies and unexpected blushes were under control. Ever since Logan introduced his new girlfriend Piper to me. His eyes lit up like tiny flames, he spoke about her as if she was something so precious it was worthy to be worshiped. I simply lost him. Demi said I had to deal with it or live a life sulking. Pearl told me to run her off.

Demi’s was the only voice of reason. I had to let him go and he’d never know how I felt about him. At least I had him though.

‘He’s a nice guy Logan.’ I said.

Logan scratched his sandy blonde hair before he snorted. ‘I’m not so sure about that.’

‘You don’t even know him!’

‘Exactly, I haven’t approved.’

I groaned. He did this all the time. He laughed squinting his pale green eyes. That laughed used to cause heat to rush to my chest, it still did. Why didn’t anyone tell me moving on was hard?

‘Anyways, that isn’t the issue here Liv. You know you—’

I hopped off the rock and groaned. ‘I know, I know! I don’t actually plan on going through with it.’

‘I don’t think it works that way. Look, I don’t want you to get your hopes up with another guy then be forced to move on to another one.’

I rolled my eyes and turned to the glistening lake. ‘I don’t want to go through with it.’

Logan slid off the rock and wrapped his arms around me.

‘Maybe you might get out of it. You said your dad was pushing as hard as he can.’

‘Ugh, and my gran is the brick wall he’s trying to push.’

A couple days ago my gran came home the happiest she’s ever been. Heck, I thought she found herself a shinny new boyfriend. She’s been single since my grandpa died when my dad was in high school. Turns out she entered me in something called the Deer Maiden Trails.

Let me start from the beginning the real beginning. I’m a witch. My dad’s a warlock that refuses to use his powers and my mom’s an ordinary human being. My gran on the other hand is a powerful witch in the Coven council. She was as stubborn as anything the earth could present!

I’m not sure what I have to do in the deer maiden trails. My friend Tanya offered to find out more. She’s a dark witch and their coven didn’t practice deer maiden trails. All I knew was this was some ritual to determine the next leader’s consort. Gran bulldozed in and signed me up and I can’t get out of it!

I haven’t even seen our leader. I know he’s young since our old leader who was seventy passed away a couple months ago. His son took over and he hadn’t lived in Costum Coast for years. Mom was over her head when gran announced it, dad was worse that’s been causing all the friction in my house.

‘Hang in here kid. Anyway, Leo’s a human.’

Back to this! Leo and I had been speaking for a couple of weeks. Long before this fiasco. The good thing about humans in Costum Coast is they knew about us. About the witches like me and the werewolves like Logan and the small community of vampires and mermaids at sea.

Majority of them did anyways, if you were a local you knew the people running the herbs and spice store was a real witch. Those who moved here were greater sceptics. Leo on the other hand was a little bit of a sceptic despite being born here.

I folded my arms and smirked, ‘So?’

‘So… it’s less complicated to date someone from your own… circle.’ He grinned.

‘I’m pretty sure Piper isn’t a werewolf and you have no problem dating her.’

‘It’s different.’ He dusted himself and stood.

Logan once told me a heart-breaking night, he couldn’t be with me because I was a witch and werewolves could only mate with their own kind. It would kill me if we tried. He never said he wanted to be either. He found Piper years later and I’m sure he’ll fight for a way.

I spent countless hours searching for stories of werewolves and witches. Only the most powerful could survive the mating. Giving birth was another tale…

I rubbed my shoulders and I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. I certainly didn’t want to talk about Piper either. I had to go, the girls and I were going to a party at a warlock’s beach house.

‘You’re coming with, right?’ I asked Logan.

He nodded, ‘Definitely. I’ll see you there.’

***

I cracked the front door to the house open. It was as quiet as a library. Good, no one was home from work. The lights hadn’t been turned on. I needed to leave before anyone got home and the arguments began. I commanded the lights to come on and the living room and kitchen lights flickered on. The lamps came to life and the curtains shut themselves.

I rushed upstairs to shove my clothes in a duffle bag. I’d shoot mom a text later about where I was. Didn’t mean she’d like it. Hoping I hadn’t left anything I hurried down the stairs and out the door. I got into my Camaro and drove to Tanya’s.

Tanya lived across town. My kind didn’t frequent there since it was dark witch territory and the two covens weren’t friendly with each other. I on the other hand had been going there since I was a kid. Whoever didn’t want me there failed to stop me. Pearl’s truck was already in the driveway which meant Amber was there too.

I walked in knowing Tanya’s parents were home. They travelled a lot. I followed Amber’s laughter upstairs and found the three girls had turned Tanya’s room upside down. Make-up – which all belonged to Amber— covered Tanya’s bed. Bags upon bags filled the wooden floor.

‘Yes, just throw more bags on the floor!’ Tanya was somewhere on the make-up mountain.

Pearl sat on the floor attempting to paint her nails. Amber jumped out of the bathroom in a white robe, half of her face already done.

‘There she is! You’re wearing my red dress. It’s an order.’ She flipped her shinny blonde hair over her shoulder and walked back into the bathroom.

Tanya was in black leather jeans and a white crop top. I was sure she was ready.

‘It’s just a party Amber,’ I dumped my bag on the floor.

‘Yeah… but Leo’s going to be there.’ Amber cooed.

‘Uh!!! Leo huh?’

‘Leo?’ The girls teased. I smacked my face.

‘We’re just talking…’

‘Girl you’re boring jump on him.’ Tanya threw a pillow at me.

‘I will not be jumping on anyone!’ I hurled it back and she grinned.

‘Someone that isn’t Logan.’ Pearl teased and the girls burst into laughter. ‘I could seriously help you run his girl off. Just leave me alone with at night in a dark alley.’

‘Oh geez.’

The laughter continued then died when a window slammed shut. Pearl and Amber gasped.

‘Some wind,’ Tanya got up to inspect it. The lights flickered and went black. My heart pounded like a hammer against a wall. The bathroom door banged shut. Amber screamed. The bedroom door opened and slammed shut.

‘Tanya, do something!’ I screamed.