Once Upon a Steamy Night
Chapter Twenty-four

"Scot? What are you doing here?!"

Scot smiled as he juggled the balls in his hands and gleefully entertained the audience who dropped money at his feet. "I'm having fun," Scot shrugged.

Claire eyed his countenance and frowned. "This doesn't look like fun. You're miserable and you never juggle balls." "Aye," Scot replied dryly.

"So then why..."

"Scot, don't talk to the customers!" A harsh voice yelled from inside the shop.

"Aye, master," Scot quivered.

"Master? Since when did you have a master?" Claire queried.

No response.

Claire frowned. "So, you were compelled by a vampire to do his every bidding. Well, sorry I can't help right now I'm super busy and I have to find my mom." "Help, Claire," he whispered.

Claire rolled her eyes. She had come on a strict mission, but she couldn't resist the urge to help Scot even though he wasn't part of her plan.

She entered the tavern where the rest of the crowd were drinking and eating, making merriment because the witches weren't going to kill anyone today. Pathetic, Claire thought. They had to stand up for themselves and all live together. She hadn't saved the world to make it more harmful and toxic for humans.

She saw a human girl wrapped up with a blanket as she settled on the laps of a man who eyed her greedily.

She wasn't supposed to cause any trouble, but she couldn't resist showing off a little of her power when she made the man lose consciousness leaving the poor maiden free. She headed to the barman and smiled at him. "Hi, I need a glass of whisky."

The barman eyed her. "You don't look up to twenty-one."

Claire shrugged. "I could be a thousand years old."

The man chuckled and handed her a drink. "I haven't seen you around here before. Where are you from?"

"Everywhere. But I never come here unless on coven day when I can wipe the witches' memories and get a free pass," Claire replied.

"What did you do to them?"

Claire frowned, a puzzled look on her face. "Now that I think about it, I don't know."

The barman chuckled as he clinked glasses with her. "I'll drink to that."

Claire chuckled as she gulped down her drink.

"I have to find someone before I can continue my journey."

"Who? I know everyone here."

"The vampire who held my friend hostage and turned him to an entertainer," Claire replied.

"You have to be careful. He's a dangerous vampire," the barman shuddered.

"Then I'd be doing y'all a favor," she grinned.

"It's Filch," he whispered.

Claire followed his line of vision and saw the handsome young vampire with wicked brown eyes and a taunting smile as he watched two girls strip before him dancing while he fed on two other girls. Hmm, a badass vampire, Claire mused.

She approached him gently and opened her mouth to speak.

"Whatever you have to say, no," the vampire echoed, "Unless you join my show."

Claire sighed. "No thank you. I guess we'll do this the hard way."

A stake appeared in her hand and before he could take a step out of his seat, the stake found its way to his heart.

Claire skipped away joining the crowd of supernatural people celebrating on the streets as Scot ran away, finally free.

Today was the witches' festival and they had made it a point to celebrate with the other supernaturals.

Claire was so happy she had arrived today because a witch would be in a good mood to grant any of her wishes especially since she was a faerie princess who could end them with a snap of her finger.

She walked faster locating their coven where they were huddled together in a church. It looked like they were preparing for a ritual, she mused as she took in the symbol carved on the ground surrounded by black ash and different burned leaves, sage included.

Whatever ritual they had to prepare must be a strong one, Claire mused.

"Hi, I'm Claire. My father sent me," she smiled, approaching the woman she had her picture with.

"Claire Adam Slytherin?" The witch asked.

Claire nodded. "Since you know my full name then you must be Devina."

The witch nodded and Claire noticed the panicked look that crossed her eyes but disappeared immediately.

"Come, let me introduce you to the coven," she smiled.

Claire nodded and followed her into the church.

"Witches, this is Claire Slytherin," Devina announced.

Claire noticed the change in the atmosphere, and she frowned. "Is there any problem?"

"What are you here for, Elementalist?" One of the witches asked.

Claire frowned. "My dad sent me. I'm here to find my mother."

"Sorry, that's not possible. You sealed the veil, you can't open it again," Devina said.

"I didn't know my mother was there and I can open the veil whenever I want. I just need you guys to perform a spell when the veil is opened because I need to focus once I start saying the spell," Claire cried. "We can't do that," Devina said.

"Today is your supernova. Each witch is at her highest power and today is coven day so please help me!" Claire cried desperately.

"Sorry, Claire but we can't let you destroy the world again, not after the first one!"

Claire frowned but the frown turned to anger when she realized she was in the middle of the circle and she couldn't move. Her powers weren't working either.

"What are you doing?" She cried in panic.

"Doing what we should have done the day you were born."

Their chanting started and she felt herself become weaker as she sank to her knees trying to connect with anything, but she couldn't focus.

There was no air in this room except...

She stared at Davina and focused on her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath ignoring the pain and only opening it when she saw Davina gasping in pain. "C-can't br-breathe..." Davina trailed off gasping and clutching her chest.

The connection was broken as the witches ran towards Davina trying to help her as Claire sucked the air from her lungs.

Claire stepped out of the circle and she didn't stop until every one of the witches lay dead, their body shriveled up.

A triumph smile formed on her lips as she left the church heading to the hidden portal at the outskirts of New Orleans.

She knew where Liam was now. He was guarding the veil portal.

When she got to the portal, she said words and the portal opened.

"Claire, wait!" Liam called after her as she stepped in yanking him with her.

"I've missed you!" Claire exclaimed, kissing him furiously.

"I missed you too, but you shouldn't be here," Liam replied, pulling away.

"What are you talking about?" Claire frowned.

"Us, Claire!" He sighed, "Our being together causes nothing but chaos. It's dangerous for us to be together."

"It's not. Who said so?" Claire growled.

"Claire, we both agreed that since our relationship is doomed, there was no point in being together, but we should stay apart," Liam replied.

"I would never agree to that," Claire snapped.

"Exactly. Which is why you're here," Liam snapped.

Claire frowned. "I'm here for my mom and to convince you to come back with me. Nothing will happen again, Liam."

"It's dangerous to open the portal," Liam warned.

"I know the words, Liam. Relax."

Claire focused her energy on the veil and chanted the words resounding in her mind then she said it aloud.

It didn't take long for her to feel her powers being drained by the veil, but she focused on opening it before she stopped, collapsing.

"Claire!" Liam exclaimed, running towards her.

Claire sat up, massaging her temples. "I'm fine, Liam."

"You need to close the veil and rest. Your nose is bleeding."

Claire touched her nose and felt the red sticky liquid on her finger.

She handed Liam the crystal. "Say the words on the paper and the veil will close."

Liam glanced at her skeptically, but he followed her instructions, scared she will try to do another magic and harm herself.

Liam said the words on the paper as he touched the crystal and felt it glowing till the veil was sealed up except it didn't just seal up, a woman appeared before it could be sealed completely. Claire stood up and patted Liam's cheeks. "Good job, darling. Meet my mother."

Liam regarded the weak woman and frowned. "This is happening all over again, Claire."

Claire frowned. "No, it's not."

She went towards her mom who took two steps back.

"Behind you, Claire!" Her mom exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

Claire gasped when she felt the sword plunged into her chest.

Liam appeared in her line of vision, pain in his eyes.

"I can't let you ruin the world again."

"Y-you can't live without me..." she gasped.

"I know," Liam chuckled dryly as he pulled her into a hug, she dragged him closely as he gasped.

The sword pierced through his heart and her lips claimed his.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"This is sad, but I have a place where I need to be so..."

Claire whispered the words with the last of her strength and watched as her mom turned to ashes.

"I'm sorry, mom," she cried, "Liam is right. We're all doomed."

Suddenly, she saw the words appear on the ground.

"Electra," She whispered.

The pain faded and the scene faded away as she felt herself being pulled back to reality.

Does this mean she had passed the test? By killing the people she was searching for and killing a coven of witches?

When she felt herself being yanked into reality she opened her eyes and realized she was stuck in a dark dimension, a world away from hers.

"Hello! Somebody let me out of here!!" She cried, "I passed the fucking test now bring me back!"

"But you haven't passed mine."

Claire's blood turned ice cold at the sound of his eerie voice..

"Let's be real, Claire. You were already wondering why you didn't see a way to find me and kill me in your little test," he chuckled.

Claire looked around her but all she could see was darkness.

"Come out and face me, bastard!" She snapped.

"I will, Claire but be honest with yourself first," he chuckled again.

"Yes, I wanted to know how to end you and stop your torments!" She snapped.

"You've been a bad girl, Claire," he sneered.

"Don't talk to me like that!" Claire snapped.

"I altered your test and built a separate test for you and me. If you can find me then you'll kill me and I'll be gone forever but if I find you first, Claire..." he chuckled maniacally again leaving his sentence hanging. Claire frowned ready to scream at him. "This place is dark, bastard!"

"That's because I'm in darkness," he replied.

"Incips!"

"No, Claire. Your magic won't help you here," he cackled.

Claire's shoulders sagged In defeat when she realized her light spell hadn't worked and she couldn't find him.

Hell, she couldn't feel his presence!

Focus, she chanted in her mind as she closed her eyes and tried to blend in with the darkness.

She had done magic, fought, and trained in the darkness by a blindfold so this was no different, she just had to hear... "Tick tock, Claire..."

She thrust her hands out and stabbed with the sword she didn't realize she had until now.

She saw him as he crumbled to the floor writhing In pain, amusement shining in his green eyes.

"What's so funny?!" She queried.

"Because...I am you," he gurgled before collapsing and turning into mist.

Slowly, Claire looked down at her stomach and saw the red liquid staining her clothes just as the darkness faded.

When she opened her eyes again, she was in the room with Morgana and Scot staring at her worriedly.

"What's the matter?" She asked, her heart skipping a bit.

They didn't have to reply because she felt the searing pain in her stomach. She let out a blood-curdling scream and fainted.