Chapter 32

I moved away from the vampire’s embrace and said,” I am sure that seducing me is not the only reason why you have come to meet me tonight.”
Credence chuckled and replied,” Of course not. It is just an added bonus, little wolf. You have awoken a thirst in me which I have not known in quite a few centuries. But my main reason of visiting you is something utterly different.”
“Then how about we get down to business?” I asked him and he sighed.
“You are so young, little wolf, yet you utterly amaze me with the seriousness that you display. You have got a head which is a lot experienced than your years and I would know that because I have spent those years,” said Credence as he sat on the couch. I was trying to keep my distance from him but the coldness of his skin did nothing to repulse me, instead it was calling out to me strangely…why I had no clue yet.
“You did not tell me who you were when we met in your manor!” I shot at him and he laughed.
“But then again, little wolf, neither did you tell me anything either in my defense,” said Credence. That was true, I had also not told him anything. But I was not going to give him that win.
He chuckled and said,” You have lit a fire in me, little wolf and your blood smells like ambrosia. Just like as if you were made just for me but I made you a promise and I intend to keep it.”
I could not tell him that his touches and his drugging kisses were an assault on my sanity and I wanted to drown in them and stay immersed there but accepting that would mean a defeat for me and right at this moment I could do with something else that that.
“So today at dinner, I saw your friend. This white haired sorceress, that you refer to as magicals,” said Credence and my brows furrowed. Was he here to talk about Serafina? I only nodded at him.
“I am going to show you something, but you must not scream or freak out. Alright?” he asked and I nodded again. He slashed his tip of the finger and came to me and pressed his blood on my eyelids before I could react and my eyes were glued shut and suddenly it was like I was watching a movie with my eyes closed. I wanted to scream but I could not.
"My wife is not a witch!" Richard Crow cried as the jailors drug hum away. Reverend Phillips followed him at a hurried pace.

"I'm sorry, Richard, but the evidence is... I'm afraid... damning." the reverend replied. "We received word that there was witchcraft going on in your home. The city's patrol's investigated, and found three accused witches in your basement. And not only did we find the witches, we found suspicious paraphernalia as well."

"Jonathan, I had no idea about any accused witches in my home." Richard pleaded.

"For what it's worth, I believe you. But as the owner of the home, I'm afraid the blame will fall on you." Phillips replied.

The jailors tossed Richard into a dirty jail cell and locked him inside. The reverend stuck by him as the jailors left. Richard got to his feet and grabbed the bars of the cell and spoke quickly to the reverend.

"Listen, Jonathan." Richard began, appealing to his friend. "This witchcraft business is nonsense! You know that right? There are no such things as witches or ghosts in the night."

"Richard, I... I... it's just, bad things have been happening in town. Things I can't possibly explain. People doing things that I believed they'd never do. People committing sins in the eyes of the lord. People I trusted. I believe in the best in people, so the only explanation can be that there is evil afoot."

"If you believe in the best in people, believe in me, believe in Madeline! We traveled to the colonies together! You knew my wife as a child. You know her. She is a woman of the church! She teaches the children. She is no witch. How could you of all people believe that?" Richard cried. The reverend looked pensive.

"Then explain how three accused witches ended up in your home without you knowing. If you had no idea about this, then why would Madeline do this? Why would she house the accused?" Jonathan asked.

"Because she knows, just like I do, that there are no witches. There is no witchcraft out there, and the only true evil is the distrust invading this city." Richard stated, pleading for his friend to listen to reason. "My wife is a good person. She housed the accused because they are wrongfully accused! There is no such thing as witchcraft. This hunt is madness!"

"I'm sorry, Richard. God knows I believe you. I believe in you... and Madeline. I believe that you both believe what you say. But there are powers greater than mine that I cannot change. Once word has spread, there is not much I can do to change their minds. The accused women, the women found in your house, they have been accused of terrible things. Many of the men in town have admitted feeling something very... dark... about them. And, I hate to tell you, Richard, I have heard similar rumors from men when they are around Madeline." the reverend admitted.

"What?!" Richard cried.

"Yes, I have heard the whispers for some time. It is, of course, not my place to spread rumors." Jonathan stated.

"These whispers are born out of jealously and envy. My wife is what others aspire to be. What men wish of their own wives. My wife is not one of those cursed women. She is no witch. I have loved her, I have lain with her. I have had children with her. I know more than anyone who she is. And she is not a witch, the devil's minion. She is good. She is pure! People are just spreading vicious rumors! That is the problem. People are afraid! They are scared and are seeing any little thing as witchcraft! Or demonry! You know my wife! You know she is a good, church-going woman! She would never even think about anything as ridiculous as witchcraft! Anything she did she did out of the goodness of her heart! She was protecting the wrongfully prosecuted, not encouraging witchcraft!" Richard pleaded.

"I know, Richard. I trust Madeline, just like you do." Jonathan stated. "But, I don't know what I can do. Richard, this doesn't look good. I don't know if I can stop this."

"Is there anything you can do?" Richard begged. "Not about me, but about Madeline. Whatever happens to me is irrelevant. I will go to the gallows before I let anything happen to Madeline. All I care about is her. Is there anything that can be done to save her? To protect her?"

"Well." Jonathan began. "There is something."

"What? Anything!" Richard begged.

"The church has some... abilities as well. Things not publicized, but things we have been forced to use more and more as this witchcraft, this devil's work, has increased. Unfortunately, the truth is, your wife will never be fully trusted again. That's just the way it is. Once an accusation has been made, you know as well as I do that it can never be the same again. We can't go back to how it used to be. But, we can use these... special abilities... to save Madeline. It will come at a cost. You will of course have to fully admit to the crime, admit to helping these witches, and absolve Madeline of responsibility. You will hang for this, unfortunately. And Madeline will pay a terrible price, but she will live." the reverend said cryptically.

"The children?" Richard asked, afraid.

"They will be fine. I will see to it. Unfortunately, the devil's influence has found its way into your home. You and your wife will pay the consequences, but she will live." Jonathan assured.

Richard stepped back, contemplating his suddenly approaching demise.

"I'm sorry, Richard." Jonathan said to his old friend. Richard looked fiercely at the reverend.

"Just make sure you save her. Give me your word she will live. Save my wife, save my kids!" Richard demanded.

"You have my word." Jonathan replied. Richard nodded.

"Innocence must be protected." Richard stated.

"Richard Crow was hung to death shortly after admitting guilt. Even though he was beloved in the town, and no one ever had a bad thing to say about him, he was still put to death! In exchange for admitting his guilt, Madeline Crow was spared. She was imprisoned in her home by the church. How they imprisoned her has been lost to time. Some said the church used their own brand of magic to imprison her. To bind her within her home. Others say they simply posted guards and posted fences to protect the townspeople from the darkness within. Her children were ripped from her, raised by others. She was practically tortured for the crime of protecting the innocent. Supposedly, her screams, her pleas of innocence were so constant that people couldn't stand to hear it. They say those cries drove people away from the town. And when these people put it together that this supposed witchcraft was nonsense, it was too late. The cries had stopped. When they finally opened the house and granted her freedom, the House of Crow was empty. The church claimed there was no way for her to escape, so even though they never found her body, she was marked as dead. Madeline Crow, an innocent woman, was dead, as was her husband, for no crime whatsoever. And those responsible for spreading this idea of witchcraft were never held responsible. The reverend Jonathan Phillips was the one claimed as being responsible for spreading the paranoia, but he was supposedly promoted within the church. But he eventually left the church mysteriously and was never heard from again."

My eyes opened and I went on to slap him again but this time he caught hold of my wrist and placed a kiss there. Just right on the top of my throbbing vein.
“What was this?” I asked. I was so damn scared watching that…I could still hear the cries…
“That was the last of the sorceresses who were taken and imprisoned somewhere four hundred years ago. And that woman was a full blooded sorceress, Madeline Crow. I know you could not see her, but if you did then you would also realize the one thing that I know today that your friend is the daughter of this Madeline Crow. She might be the last ones alive,” said Credence and I nodded my head vehemently saying no.
“That is not possible. It cannot be…Serafina grew up with me….she was left abandoned near our castle grounds…Mother felt that it would be good for me to have a companion. She is like my own sister,” I cried out and he just smiled.
“Sin, don’t you think that it was rather cleverly orchestrated?” Credence asked and then he added,” And I have seen worse magic than putting a new born babe in a time loop so that she can be taken out when it is necessary!!”
My mind was reeling with all this information what he said…I could not believe what he was talking of….
“You need to find out the sorceress, Sin. She is going to tell you the truth,” said Credence as I blacked out in his arms.