28 comments/ 20768 views/ 16 favorites Turning Seasons By: MagicaPractica Sarah leaned forward and looked down into the foaming water. Just a little farther and she could topple so easily into the water, let it pull her under. Just... let go. Far below, the waves crashed so loud it was like constant thunder. Nobody to miss me. If I died out here, someone would eventually come looking, not because I mattered to them but because I'd stopped doing my job. Sarah sat down and pulled her standard issue Park Ranger jacket tighter around her, sinking her chin into the neck opening and pulling her hat brim low to block the setting sun. The cold of the rock quickly penetrated the seat of her pants but she needed to sit, if only for a few minutes. Just long enough to breathe in the marine salt. The sun heated her dark jacket but it didn't warm her much. She was tired; tired of being alone but, more than that, tired of being lonely. That was the way it had been most of her life, in one way or another. As a true witch, the need to hide her powers had always kept friends at arms length. She'd gotten too good at hiding. Life went on around her, with or without her. She observed like a shadow; ignored, sometimes even stepped on. She could make people pay attention but it wasn't the same as having people that cared about you. She stood slowly, balancing precariously for a moment on the boulder's edge, then turned and made her way back over the rocks and grass to the gravel parking area where her four wheel drive sat, emblazoned with the National Park system logo on the doors. She fired the truck up and headed back to her cabin, through the hills and into the mountains. It was October thirty-first and the sun was starting to set. Time to get ready for the Sabbat. Campers had dribbled to a stop. She might get a few here and there. Technically the park was open year round but the visitor center was officially closed for the winter and she could relax a bit, turn her mind to other pursuits. She wouldn't be seeing nearly as many people come through. It was a bit too cold and rough out there for most. Sarah was torn by the setting in of winter solitude. The people were fun to watch in the summer time sometimes, little kids running around, laughing and playing, couples walking hand in hand. At other times it just reminded her of what she didn't have in her life and she wanted to crawl into a hole. She was always the outsider, alone even in a crowd. Now they were gone. It was just her and the animals again. My cat and my little cabin, she thought as she pulled into the clearing and stepped out onto the soft carpet of pine needles. Her eyes swept the area. There was the cabin. Where was the cat? "Sam! Sam! Here kitty, kitty, kitty..." She turned and headed for the cabin. She was starting to get worried. He'd been gone for three days. He wasn't usually gone for more than one and never more than two. "Probably took off, just like every other male in my life. Hell, even my imaginary friend took off on me." Of course, that had been when she was about eight. Sometimes she thought she remembered something about him but then it would dissolve into a shadow. The only thing she remembered for certain was his name, George. She'd fantasized him into complete romanticism during her adolescent years. She still couldn't let go of him completely. Sometimes she found herself imagining what he'd be like as an adult, as if he were a real person. She chuckled dryly. How pathetic was that? "Come on Sam. Where the heck are you?" A huge Maine Coon cat in cream, brown and black stripes flashed past her into the cabin as Sarah opened the door. 'There you are, you naughty kitty." He stopped and rubbed up against a table leg just inside, looking up at her with wide eyes as if to say, "were you looking for... moi?" Sarah flicked a couple light switches on. She could have simply told the lights to turn on but it was best not to get into bad habits when she was alone. For a time, she'd tried to deny the power that coursed through her. That had not gone well. Men had been drawn to her dark Irish looks; black hair, fair skin and blue eyes. They soon left when they began to sense the strangeness underneath, something they couldn't quite fathom. I must have some kind of freak flag. She tossed her hat and coat onto the loveseat near the door. In the kitchen area, she took out the cat food bag and filled Sam's bowl then opened a can of wet cat food and dumped it onto a plate. He didn't seem interested in either. Instead, he rubbed against her knee then stretched up her leg, his paws high on her thigh, a precursor to starting to climb her. That could be quite painful so she picked him up like a child. "You big bruiser," she grunted. "You've probably been out hunting or fishing and ate all you wanted anyway." Sam, short for Samhain, purred loudly and butted her chin, snuggling in close. Sarah knocked a chair out from the kitchen table and sat down, turning Sam on his back over her lap and supporting him with an arm. She rubbed his chest for a few minutes and his tail lashed in pleasure. "Alright bud, that's all I've got time for tonight. Time to get ready." She rolled him over and dropped him to the floor then started opening cupboards and pulled out the ingredients for a pan of cornbread. It was soon in the oven with the timer set. The second bedroom where Sarah kept her altar set up with a circle for casting. Nobody ever came around anyway. She checked to make sure she had all the various items she would need that night for her ceremony. If she were in town, she would have readied this earlier in the day then spent a good bit of time preparing for trick-or-treaters. Little kids were so cute in their costumes, little ghosts and goblins. In college, she and her roommates had made elaborate preparations at the house they shared in the city. They'd all dressed up and set up tricks to scare the pants off the kids that came to the door. She'd always done a few little enchantments that wouldn't be speculated on but added to the fun of the holiday. When she was a child herself, Sarah had trick-or-treated then gone home to help her grandmother with the Sabbat ritual. That had been until she was fourteen. That year she had refused. It was a regret she still carried with her. It had hurt her grandmother but she had let Sarah walk her own path. Sarah had just wanted to be normal, to feel a part of everything. Of course, she'd quickly found out that denying her magic had not made her any more popular with the other girls. That freak flag again. Her grandmother had died when Sarah was nineteen, away at college. She'd truly been alone then. Now, she was thirty-six. Tonight, she would offer one last plea to the universe before she would accept that this was just the way her life would be, solitary. As it had been, was now, and ever would be. Sarah finished preparing the room just as the timer went off on the oven. She set her besom broom aside and went to take the cornbread out. She headed into the bedroom. She quickly stripped down, tossed her clothes into a laundry basket and headed for the bathroom, pulling the elastic from her hair where it was bound into a tail at the nape of her neck. She put the plug in the old claw-foot tub and turned the hot tap on full blast. She'd be lucky to get a lukewarm bath. She reached for a bottle of bath oil that smelled of cinnamon and ginger, spices she associated with fall. The spices would carry over nicely into her ritual that night, both for the Sabbat and what she had in mind afterwards. As the tub filled with water, Sarah took her hairbrush and bent over, careful not to let her hair touch the ground. She ran the brush through it, bringing it together to tie it high on her head so it wouldn't fall into the bath water. She didn't want to have wet hair when she was naked for the ritual. It was too cold for that. Ready, she checked the temperature of the water with a finger. Hmmm Not quite optimal. Pretty dang cold in fact! Guess it wouldn't hurt to give it a little zap. She reached in and spread her fingers, picturing the water beginning to steam just a tiny bit until she could see the wisps actually rise from the water's surface. She pulled out her hand and stuck a toe in. Ahhh, much better. Sarah grabbed her little inflatable pillow and settled back against the tub. She let her mind wander as she relaxed. Tonight was a time for remembering loved ones who had gone on. It was also the changing of the year. Perhaps this would turn out to be a particularly auspicious time to ask for a man in her life. The tip of her tongue against the back of her teeth, she inhaled deeply through her nose for a count of four, held her breath for a count of seven then slowly exhaled through her mouth and around her tongue. She did this three times then tried to just let her mind float. It didn't take long before she felt ready. She pulled the plug on the tub. Climbing out, she dried off with a big fluffy towel, slipping into her midnight blue terry robe and belting it around her waist. She let her hair down and gave it a cursory swipe with the brush. In the kitchen, she cut a few slices of the honey-sweetened cornbread, set them on a plate and took a bottle of hard cider from the refrigerator, opened it, and poured it into a goblet. She took both items with her into the second bedroom, Sam at her heels. He jumped onto the bare mattress pressed against the wall and curled up to watch. Plate and goblet placed on the altar, she untied the sash around her waist and removed her robe. The cool air on her bare flesh after her warm bath caused her to shiver, but she would soon be warm. She laid her robe across the end of the bed and returned to the circle. Her necklace of jet, amber and moonstone, representing the triple Goddess, lay on the altar. She picked it up and placed it around her neck so that the amulet nestled between her breasts. Then she picked up the garnet ring. It was a large, square cut stone, set in gold. It had been her father's, her grandmother said. She thought of the picture she had of him and recalled the stories of what a kind man he was though she'd never had the chance to meet him. She pictured her mother, who looked so much like her. Finally, she imagined her grandmother in the pose she'd taken so often, sitting at the kitchen table, a teacup raised to her face, inhaling. I love you all. Sarah looked over the items filling her small altar. There were rosy red apples, a small orange pumpkin and marigolds in deep red and yellow. Four candles stood on the altar, a white candle for the Goddess, a gold candle for the God, a black candle for the southern point and a pink candle for the spell she would work. The censer was already filled with spice incense. She lit it now, along with the black candle and the candle in the clay pot. The white handled knife and silver pentacle lay ready to hand, as well as her dull athame blade. Her hands face up on the altar and her eyes closed, she drew the power in the room to her. Then, picking up a small bowl of Earth, she moved around the circle clockwise and stooped to place it at the most northern point. She did the same with the censer, candle and chalice, leaving them at the east, south and west points respectively. Back at the altar, she again meditated, drawing energy in. She pictured a bubble of pure white light in the center of her chest expanding outward until it filled her circle. Turning Seasons His arms wrapped around her, holding her tight to him. He seemed so strong. She felt safe and secure wrapped up in him and around him. She felt the wall leave her back and his head came up, breathing hard. "Bedroom," he explained as he carried her through the door and over to her bedroom. She burrowed her face into the crook of his neck, smelling his clean hair and then licked his neck. She felt him shudder so she kept licking and sucking down the side of his neck and over his shoulder. She stopped and dug her teeth in. "God, woman..." he gasped out. They were in the bedroom now and he set her on the bed. She let herself fall backward, bouncing and ready to launch herself at him. His gaze pinned her to the bed. "Undo your pants," he urged, taking a hold of the cuffs at her ankles and tugging them off as soon as she had them unfastened. His big hands curled around her ankles and she shivered as they slipped up her calves. He fell to his knees at the edge of the bed and pulled her closer. His fingers came around and skimmed the inside of her thighs. She watched him. His gaze was intent on her sex. Just the way he stared exhilarated her. She saw his face move closer and closer to her moisture then felt his breath across her flesh. She jumped and groaned at the first touch of his tongue. It had been so long since anyone had done something like this to her. His hands were holding her thighs now and as he licked, the tip of his tongue tickled her flesh, pressing in... penetrating her. She groaned, clawing at the bedding as his tongue slid between her lips, teasing. He pushed her legs up onto his shoulders and she felt his fingers add to the pressure. Oh God! He was sliding a finger all the way in and ohhhhhh, her body gripped it. She bucked as his tongue finally touched her clit. "Oh merciful sweet... ahhhhh." Her head thrashed as he brought her to climax. Her mind went blank and she drifted for a minute. When she roused, she found him standing over her, removing the last of his clothes. He grinned down at her, "Nice trip?" She grinned back but didn't say anything. Her eyes just drifted down his body to watch as his pants were divested and his erection revealed. She looked at him, locking her gaze with his and spread her legs, inviting him without words. He leaned over and skimmed his hands up her legs, bringing his lips down to her belly. "Blessed be the womb, for it is the cradle of birth." He kissed her softly all the way up between her breasts on his way to her lips. Sarah felt the delicious weight of his body settle over hers. She lifted her arms and ran her fingers through his crisp hair, slightly damp. She sucked at his lower lip as he pulled his head back. She looked into his eyes as he moved over her again and she felt the head of his cock pressing into her. She closed her eyes to savor the feeling. She wanted more and he gave it, sliding in slowly all the way. Her mouth made a silent "O" and his lips covered hers urgently, his tongue lashing hers. His hands went to her hips and gripped her to him as he started to roll to the left. She held on as he rolled them over so that she was astride him. His dark eyes blazed into hers and she laughed a little wildly. "Ride me," he rasped. She gave a little feral grin and pushed up on her arms as she thrust her hips forward, her eyes locked on his. Her hair cascaded down around her arms and brushed his chest as she moved into a rhythm, riding him slowly and liquidly. Suddenly she stopped and rolled her hips with a twitch that made him cry out. Then she rode him furiously, like a demon astride a dark horse. "Yes, oh yes," he gasped out. He shuddered and the time seemed to freeze for a second, neither of them moving or breathing as they stared into each other's eyes. Time slid back into place with a bang and he was thrusting up as he came. She arched her back and keened her release, still riding him until he was spent. She slumped forward, her forehead resting on his chest. He pulled her down to cradle her against his chest, slick bodies pressed together as their breathing returned to normal. He laughed and reached out to touch her lips. "You look well kissed." Looking down at him, she pressed her fingers to his shoulder. "You look a little worse for the wear yourself." He tried to look but it was too close. She explained. "Somebody appears to have bitten you." "I wonder who that could be?" he laughed, pulling her around to his side so they were face to face. She shivered and he pulled a blanket up from the bottom of the bed to cover them. She reached out and ran a hand down the side of his face. "I can't believe it's you." He took her hand and pulled it around to his lips, pressing a kiss into the palm. "I always knew I'd find you someday. Premonition runs fairly strong in my family." "And you're a witch to boot?" She felt incredulous and hopeful at the same time. He nodded, smiling at her surprise. "I've never known another witch except my grandmother." "Well, you knew me. I'll introduce you to all of my family and friends at home when we visit them." Sarah's eyes started to sting. "Hey, hey, what's this?" He reached up and wiped a tear from beneath her right eye. "I've been alone for so long," she whispered. He drew her to him. "You're not alone anymore and I promise, you never will be again." Exhausted and comforted, Sarah fell asleep in his arms. When she woke a little while later, she found him just lying there, watching her sleep. "You aren't a dream." She reached up and touched his mouth. He leaned down and kissed her. "If this is a dream, I hope I'm in a coma."