Chapter 37 - Meeting Brielle

Kaleigh and Celeste came to an abrupt stop when they reached the bottom of the dark hole. They landed on their feet without any trouble. However, where they were was very dark and seemed like an underground cave. Kaleigh's vision took a minute to adjust to her wolf's eyesight and what she saw gave her chills.

They were indeed underground in what looked like a mass grave of some sort because there were piles of bones all around them. Kaleigh couldn't tell if they were human, animal, or shifter. The scene was enough to fill her with dread as she glanced toward Celeste, who looked just as weary as Kaleigh.

"Come forward. He won't bite unless I tell him to." The shrill voice in the distance made Kaleigh shiver, but the words Brielle said caught her attention. What did she mean by he won't bite?

Kaleigh looked all around and took a couple of steps forward. She could feel the energy of something in the cave with her, Celeste, and Brielle, but she didn't know what it was. As she and Celeste tentatively walked forward, Kaleigh heard something breathing heavy. Whatever it was, Kaleigh could tell by the sounds its breathing made it big.

Skylar was growling in Kaleigh's head. Kaleigh mindlinked the others outside to ensure they could still hear her, even with her being underground. They all three responded loud and clear, saying they were in the forest a few yards from where she and Celeste had fallen through the hole. Skylar continued growling and told Kaleigh to proceed with caution; she didn't like the smell of whatever was ahead.

They came to a fork in the path they had been following, and Kaleigh could hear the beast right ahead. She and Celeste exchanged a look as they cautiously stepped forward toward the fork. On the left, a path went deeper into the cave.

On the right was a giant grizzly bear standing on all fours. When he saw the two witches, he growled loudly, making the rocks in the cave shake and some fall to the ground. Kaleigh could tell by the grizzly's scent that it wasn't a typical grizzly. It was a werebear.

Werebears didn't typically mingle with witches, especially those of dark magic. Kaleigh assumed that Brielle had placed a spell on this werebear. His large golden collar probably had something on it that prevented him from shifting to his human form. Even though this grizzly was growling at her, she felt sorry for him. Kaleigh didn't like seeing anything in pain, and this werebear looked like he was in pain.

"Well, I see you have finally graced me with your presence." Kaleigh looked behind the werebear and saw the source of the voice; Brielle. Brielle was beautiful and so tiny that she looked like she couldn't hurt a fly. Kaleigh wasn't fooled.

"I am not here by choice Brielle; I am here by force. I wondered when I would meet the evil bitch who killed my parents." Kaleigh saw a look of surprise on Brielle's face.

"So Jasmine had a daughter. She did an excellent job hiding that from me when I put the death spell on her and her mutt of a mate. Why don't you tell me where the sacred stone is, and then I won't have to torture you." Brille gave Kaleigh a sickening smile.

Kaleigh was not intimidated, she knew what Brille was capable of, and she didn't come unprepared. Kaleigh had to convince Brielle that she had the stone on her so she would not kill her and then go for the pack. Celeste was standing off to the side, Kaleigh could feel her nervousness, but she didn't feel anything to cause her alarm that she may decide to side with Brielle.

"Brielle, you will never get my stone. If you attempt to take it or touch it, you will die instantly. You know that stone is meant for good and not evil. You are evil to the core, so the stone will not give you the same power it has given me." Kaleigh mindlinked Skylar.

*"Skylar, without the stone, my spells won't be as effective, but yours can be. You have the knowledge of both pure and black magic. Can you undo the spell she placed on the werebear? If you can do that, but she thinks it is me, she will believe I have the stone with me."* Kaleigh could feel Skylar thinking.

*"Yes, Kaleigh, I think I can. Raise your hands up and speak under your breath. I don't want you to say the actual words that I am saying. If Brielle hears them, she will know something is up."*

Kaleigh did as Skylar said and raised her hands up in the air. Luckily Celeste had cuffed her hands in front of her and not in the back. Kaleigh began mumbling under her breath, too quietly for anyone to make out what she was saying.

Kaleigh looked at the werebear as she chanted, and he stopped growling as he sat down and whimpered. Suddenly his collar fell onto the ground, and he shifted into a man right in front of their eyes.

The man was large and muscular, at least as tall as Dominick, with light brown hair and dark brown eyes. He looked around, confused at first, and then when he spotted Brielle, he became furious.

"You did this to me, you evil witch. I told you I wanted no part of your evil ways, and you enslaved me, forcing me to help you against my will. I will rip out your throat." Brielle was standing in stunned silence. Kaleigh was the one who spoke to the werebear as she didn't want Brielle to kill him.

"Excuse me, sir. My name is Kaleigh, and I am a good witch. I have released you from the evil that Brielle placed on you. You can leave now if you would like." The werebear turned toward Kaleigh, and he looked at her with gratitude.

"Thank you, Kaleigh. My name is Noah. Are you sure you don't want me to stay and kill her for you?" He looked back at a still speechless Brielle.

"No, Noah, I can take care of her. You leave now before she tries anything else." Noah glanced between the three witches in the room and nodded. He didn't want to be a part of whatever was about to happen, but he felt like he owed Kaleigh for saving him. He understood, though, that his bear strength was no match for the black magic of Brielle, so he reluctantly left.

"Now, Brielle, where were we? Oh, that's right, you thought you would get my stone from me. Well, think again. I will never tell you where it is."

Kaleigh glared at Brielle, who had finally wiped the shock off her face. She didn't really think the Emerald Stone witch could overpower her magic, but she had been proven wrong. That didn't deter her, though.

Brielle flicked her hands from side to side, and suddenly Kaleigh was suspended in the air. She threw Kaleigh against one of the stone walls where a hook was attached. Kaleigh landed with her hands above her head, hanging on the hook. She looked at Brielle and laughed.

"Is that all you've got? I just undid your evil spell on Noah. Do you really think that I can't get down from here?" Kaleigh was challenging Brielle and was about to remove herself from the wall when she felt something slither around her. She looked down, and long black tentacle-looking things were coming out of the wall and holding Kaleigh in place. There was one around her waist, legs, arms, and neck.

"Oh, Kaleigh dear, we have just begun. I will get what I want. You are too young and too new of a witch to know your power. I will break you until I have that stone, or you can die. The choice is yours, but the sooner you tell me, the less you will have to suffer."

Whatever the black things that held Kaleigh in place were, they stung her through her clothes and made her feel weak. Even Skylar was whimpering in her head; she was too weak to use her magic. Kaleigh began to feel real fear now. What if she couldn't get out of this, and Brielle killed her and the entire pack.

Brielle looked at the worried look on Kaleigh's face and laughed. She was not going to let the young witch beat her. She would get what she wanted no matter what she had to do.

"Let the fun begin." With those sinister words, Kaleigh felt the black things tightening around her.

The one around her neck was so tight she was having trouble breathing. Her eyes began to fill with tears as Kaleigh thought about Dominick, knowing she may never see him again. Kaleigh was not giving up, she would fight with everything she had, but would it be enough?