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Beatrice didn’t bother turning around. “You call it a gift, but gifts do not have conditions.”
The woman in front of her said, “They were not conditions. They were sacrifices. The Gods never give gifts.”
Beatrice turned to the woman behind her. “When I came across my sister’s body, I sang a song of lament to you—” she pointed, “Selene. I never called on you to help.”
Selene smiled. “Your song was so moving, it broke my heart. I could not bear to hear one of my daughters in so much pain. I called on Hecate for help. We brought back your sister.”
Beatrice was losing her patience. Her life of servitude to these two only brought her pain and suffering. It wasn’t until she turned her back on the Tribe and allowed her power to grow that she realized she never needed their help. She didn’t need her sister. She didn’t need anyone.
“Why summon us when you don’t belong to us anymore?” Hecate said.
Beatrice used her growing anger to fuel her magic.
Selene raised a hand, and Beatrice fell to her knees. “We gave that power to you. We can take it away whenever necessary.”
Beatrice tried to stand but couldn’t. “I bring you a woman, a woman who died a violent death at the hands of a man. You swore to always restore a daughter who was not meant to die. I am holding you to that oath.”
Hecate and Selene circled Victoria’s body. They argued. Beatrice recognized the ancient Greek, but as the argument grew louder and faster, the voices hypnotized her, making it hard to understand. She was running out of time. “Stop,” she screamed.
The voices stopped. The power holding her eased enough for Beatrice to stand.
“You will not leave this woman to a forever death. She will be able to do what none of us have. She will bring supernaturals to heal, protecting humans.”
“Who caused this woman’s death?” Hecate said.
“A man.” Beatrice lied.
The two goddesses exchanged glances.
“We see a future where she will replace you as a leader,” Selene said. “Are you ready to make that great of a sacrifice?”
Beatrice stepped back and clutched her chest. There had to be a way to answer them without lying, but without admitting it, she would never give up control. She didn’t when Isabeau betrayed her, and she wouldn’t now.
She inhaled and let out a slow breath. “I will always do what is right for the Tribe.”
The goddesses exchanged another glance and appeared to have a silent conversation. After nodding to each other, they walked over and placed their hands on Heather’s body. A white light glowed under their hands, and Victoria’s wounds began to heal.
Flames escaped the fire and circled the women. The heat singed the hairs on Beatrice’s arms. Her lungs filled with smoke, making it hard to breathe. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Hot pain seared through her chest and gripped her heart. The last time she knew this kind of pain was the night Isabeau had been killed by a savage vampire known as Ambrogio, the first vampire.
Beatrice dropped to her knees again and pressed her face against the cold ground. Her nails dug deep into the palms of her clenched hands. She wanted to absorb the pain and let it consume her, but when the pain became too much, her soul floated above her, and she watched from outside her body.
Victoria’s eyes opened. She cried out, and the goddesses disappeared.
Beatrice heard the goddesses’ voices in the dying wind. “Be careful, Elspeth. We will always be watching.” The wind disappeared, and the fire returned to a normal bonfire.
Heather helped Victoria sit up, and she looked around, saw Beatrice, and screamed. Beatrice crawled over to her, fighting to wrap her arms around the hysterical woman.
“It’s okay. You’re okay.”
Victoria stopped fighting and sobbed. “What happened? Where am I?”
“Morris found you in the parking lot of that bar. He brought you here.” Victoria buried her face against Beatrice’s chest and cried. Beatrice rubbed her back and hummed the song she sang long before her life truly began. Heather wrapped her arms around Victoria, holding the woman between her and Beatrice.
After several minutes, Victoria calmed down and asked, “What song is that?” Beatrice smiled. “Oh, just a song I sang to my sister long ago.”
Victoria started to say something, but her words were cut off as she screamed in pain. “What is happening?”
Beatrice held her close and rocked her. “It’s the pain of rebirth.”
