Devils Roses 04 - Witch

feel like Frodo."
    A younger witch snickered. Sam smiled at her reference. Aimee had forced the three movies on him a while back. He remembered the feeling of liking them.
    Ophelia glanced at him. He nodded, "We have to go. She can't be out and about without attracting her father's attention."
    Beth squeezed his hands, "I miss you son. Come home more often."
    He hugged Beth, "I will." He wanted to feel the warmth of her. He wanted to enjoy the relief of coming home. But his heart was empty.
    He took Ophelia's hand. She squeezed it. He squeezed back. He looked deeply into Beth's dark brown eyes and smiled weakly.
    The muggy heat of Alabama hit fast and hard.
    He felt the tension of the black magic in the air.

Chapter Thirty-One
    Ophelia

    The feeling of nausea and disgust filled her as they took their first steps.
    "It's hot. It's too hot here. I feel something not good Sam."
    He nodded. She couldn’t help but love him in a messed up stalker sort of way. She blushed watching him walk.
    "Stay close. I need to be able to flash us instantly."
    She watched his lips move when he talked. They were perfect.
    "I think we need to go this way." He pointed to a road.
    She felt her stomach tighten. She wished Oliver were with her. She felt safe with him, unless he was wearing a dress shirt or anything that let the smallest slip of his tattoos hang out.
    "You okay?"
    She blushed and smiled at Sam, "Sorry."
    He put a hand out, "I need to flash us forward. Probably smart for us to hold hands anyway. Easier for me to flash us home."
    His huge warm hand closed around hers. Her heart jumped.
    They flashed a few times but the dirty feeling in the air was making her feel sick. She put a hand up, "I'm going to be sick if you do it again."
    He nodded, "Sorry I forget not everyone is used to it."
    She fought a puke shiver, "I will never be used to that. So gross."
    Her heart was pounding in her chest. Suddenly she felt a slice like a knife cut across her hand. She went to pull her hand from Sam's but his grip was intense, "Don’t let go."
    She looked up to see a group of women walking toward them, stretched across the road.
    'Lillith's daughter, interesting thing to find on the road so far from anywhere.'
    She shivered as the voice rolled through her mind like the thunder in the clouds above that had come from nowhere.
    'Why have you come, daughter of Lillith?'
    She stopped and stood her ground, "Uh look my name is Ophelia. You can call me O or some variation of that but I'm not digging Lillith's daughter much. I'm here for a spell."
    "You bring a Siren with you?" A dark haired woman with black eyes asked.
    A blonde chubby lady next to her laughed, "Not just any Siren, sister. He is Nephilim if I'm not mistaken."
    "I can smell that in the air. He smells like sex and chocolate. How can you stand to be near him?"
    "I'd eat a tasty little treat like that."
    They laughed.
    Ophelia looked at him and smiled. She couldn’t fight the blush that crossed her cheeks even though she was terrified of the black witches.
    They didn’t look like black witches. They looked like a group of nice ladies, except that their eyes were filled with black. No whites and no colors, just black.
    They wore regular clothes and had their hair done nicely.
    Sam squeezed her hand.
    She turned and focused on the women.
    "I need a spell."
    The dark haired woman stepped forward, "You have no business here."
    Ophelia felt her skin shiver. The threat lingered in the air.
    "I need something, surely you have a need."
    The dark haired witch cocked her head and smirked at Sam. Ophelia felt her inner rage starting to rise up.
    "He is not a part of any bargain. What else can I give you?"
    "Blood."
    Ophelia frowned, "What?"
    Sam shook his head, "No not her but you can have mine."
    The dark haired woman glanced back at the other twelve women. She sucked her teeth and nodded, "Deal."
    "I'll tell you the secret to the spell after we get the blood. You need to absorb the broken ends of the match. The other person he was in love with needs to be present. She has to offer you his blood and him hers. They need to offer you the blood bond. It must be done in a dark room or outdoors, where no guard is present. The shadows must be able to reach in and touch your soul."
    The chubby one grinned, "Risky move for a pure little girl like you. Your full magic hasn’t even come in yet."
    Ophelia felt Sam's grip tighten again. His fingers were cutting the circulation off.
    The dark haired woman