Title:  Giordano's Mask -- Chapter 1 of 6

Codes:  fff, rom, con, magic, viol

Summary:  Rachel takes Lauren and Jessica with her to Italy.
Will her friends be whisked away by the mysterious witches 
of Milan?


*****


Lauren squeezed my hand.  I took hers into my lap and cupped
it.

"Don't worry," I said, "We'll be fine."

The pilot announced the final approach, first in Italian, 
then English.  The flight attendants made a quick pass down 
the length of the plane, checking our seats and tray tables.
Our belts were still clasped.  Lauren tightened hers.

Pressure built in my head.  I looked out the window and saw 
the wings change, the flaps pulling down and out.  Tendrils 
of air became visible.  The plane shook.

I gave Lauren a reassuring glance.  She peered back at me 
and smiled.

Then out of the clouds!  I saw low green hills and the vague
orange hue of a city in the distance.

The plane rumbled more.  The tune of the engines changed.  I
saw buildings and highways and cars.  Currents of air tossed
and buffeted us.  We seemed to be flying so slowly.  Then 
the outbuildings of the airport whizzed past, and I saw 
hints of a runway.  The plane touched the ground.  The tires
screamed, and once again I felt connected to the spirits of 
the Earth.

I thanked the goddess.  Lauren kissed my cheek.

As the plane crawled up the taxiway, Jessica woke up.

"Are we there?" she asked.

"Yes," I said, "Yes we are."


*****


We cleared customs easily, even with Jessica's fake 
passport.  The official seemed tired and not at all pleased 
to be processing Americans.  He perked up, however, and a 
glint showed in his eyes, when I thanked him in my halting 
Italian.

He said to have a fun trip.  I smiled at him.

Two girls were waiting for us in the terminal.  Both were 
pretty, the older in her early twenties, the younger 
probably fifteen.  I guessed they were sisters.  Both were 
olive skinned with dark hair and the same deep set eyes.  
The older was fashionably dressed with designer labels on 
everything, even her sunglasses.  The younger seemed 
rebellious.  She wore American jeans and a sleeveless 
t-shirt.

They recognized us right way.  "Are you Rachel?" the younger
asked, in English.

"Yes," I replied.

"I'm Katia, from the Milanese coven.  This is my sister 
Fiorella.  Will you need help with your bags?"

"Yes, please," Lauren said, handing the older sister her 
little orange tote.  The girl took it with that vacant 
expression that said she didn't understand.

"Fi doesn't speak English," Katia said.

"So I gather," I replied.  Lauren frowned.

I handed my blue suitcase to Katia.  It was heavy, but I 
guessed that the girl was stronger than she looked.  I was 
right.  She hoisted the bag easily, and we headed outside.

Jess had only her backpack, which stayed on her back.

They had a small blue minivan.  Fiorella drove, and I popped
into the front passenger seat.  The remaining girls piled 
into the back.

She started the van and backed out.  She pulled down the 
ramp and exited the garage.  When we got onto the highway, 
she looked over at me.  I smiled.  She gave me a pinched 
expression.  She looked me up and down.  Her eyes lingered 
on my little denim skirt and nineteen dollar sneakers.  I 
could tell that she didn't approve.

"The Americans have ugly clothes," she said to her sister in
Italian, "Except the one.  She's nice."

I was sure she meant Lauren.  I agreed.  Lauren indeed 
looked nice.

"Don't be mean!" Katia said, "Their clothes are fine."

"Oh, but they show bad taste.  A woman should dress nice 
when she travels."

"You'll offend them."

"They don't even understand me.  Stupid Americans."

Fiorella glanced at me, then over her shoulder.  Lauren 
smiled nervously, seeming to sense the falling mood.  Jess, 
with her eyes glued to Katia, sitting pressed next to the 
girl with their legs touching, seemed oblivious.

"So, Fiorella," I said in Italian, "How long have you been a
witch?"  I gave her a big grin.

I wry smile crept across her face.

"Since I was Katia's age," she replied.  She showed not a 
hint of embarrassment.

"And you, Katia?"

"Oh, they started training me when I was eleven, I think it 
was."

Back to Fiorella.  "So, it's too bad Lauren can't speak 
Italian.  I think you'd make great friends."

"Oh?  Why is that?"

"You're a fashionable Milanese girl.  That's pretty much her
fantasy."

She glanced back at Lauren again.

"She is pretty.  I like her jacket."

"She really wants to go shopping in Milan.  Perhaps you can 
take us, show us the best shops?"

"That would be nice."

We drove on.  We passed through a town, then switched to a 
six lane highway.  The signs showed that we were heading 
toward the city.

"You know what," Fiorella said.

"What?"

"I want to buy you something nice.  Maybe a little dress?  
An Ana Pires I think."

"No," I said flatly.

"Oh?  But why not?  You'd look so beautiful."

"I just don't want that."

She frowned.  She pursed her lips.

"I don't like you," she said.

I said nothing.

We entered a stretch of road with green fields to our left 
and a town to our right.  The buildings looked modern.

The girls in the back began giggling.  I turned to see that 
Jess and Katia had retreated to the far back seat and were 
hugging and kissing.  Lauren sat in the middle seat with a 
bemused look.

"Your sister likes us fine," I muttered.

We passed the buildings and were back in the countryside.  
Fiorella kept her eyes locked on the road.  The sounds in 
back got more intense.  The kissing changed to wet sucking.
The giggling changed to pleasant moans.  I glanced back.  
Jessica had her panties off, and Katia was wedged on the 
floor of the van eating her.

Leave it to Jess, I thought to myself.  We were in Italy 
less than an hour, and she already had a pretty girl lapping
at her cunt.

I glanced at the older sister.  She looked displeased.

"Would you like to start over?" I asked, "You're very 
beautiful."

I smiled and touched her leg.  Her frown only deepened.  I 
stroked her arm.  She twitched her shoulder.  I leaned away,
sitting back in my seat.

Pity, I thought.  Fucking her would have been fun.


*****


Our Hotel was in the northern part of the city:  the Hotel 
Bernina on the Via Torriani.  It was a modern building on a 
modern looking street.  Fiorella parked the van against the 
sidewalk.  We got out and got our bags.

Katia got out with us.  Fiorella stayed in the van.

"Do you need help carrying up your bags?" Katia asked.

I could sense her sister's baleful stare.

"No.  We'll be fine."

"OK.  So -- I guess you'll want some rest.  We'll come back 
around dinner time to pick you up.  Signora Borghi is 
looking forward to meeting you."

"That'll be good," I said.

"Yeah," Lauren agreed.

Jess stood there, her hands in her pockets, waiting.  Katia 
went to her.  They embraced and kissed.  Then the girl got 
back in the van with her sister and they drove off.  We 
grabbed our bags.  We entered the hotel.


*****


It was a lovely room, with twin beds, blue sheets, and a 
beautiful parquet floor.  We had our own bathroom.

After a shower, I lay on the bed with wet hair and wearing 
only a towel.  Falling water could still be heard -- Lauren 
taking her own shower.  Jess lay on the other bed, grinning.
She'd been grinning since we'd left the other girls.

"Katia!" she said, "Ka-ti-a," sounding it out.  She grasped 
her hands in front of chest and rolled over smiling.

"So -- you like her?" I asked.

"Yes!"

"She's quite lovely, but don't fall too in love.  We're only
in Milan for two days."

"I know.  That is why I have to get all my love in at once.
I hope we see her tonight."

"I'm sure we will.  The Milanese Coven is feeding us."

She lay back again, and spread out her arms.

"Katia!"

I looked at her again.  She looked back at me.

What if she really fell in love?  What if she decided to 
stay?

"You're worried I'm going to stay, aren't you?"

"No."

"Yes you are!  I can see it."

"OK.  So I am."

She lay quietly for a bit.

"Katia," she said again, "My dear Katia."

She fell in love so quickly.  How quickly could she fall 
out?

She rolled entirely on her side and stared at me.  Her face 
turned more serious, as if reflecting on something.

"Don't worry.  Come kiss me."

I went and lay next to her, wrapping her with my arm.  We 
kissed.  She snuggled in close.  I had left my towel on the 
other bed.

The water stopped.  Moments later Lauren came out, drying 
off her hair.

"Well, look at the little lovebirds," she said.

I kissed Jessica's cheek.

"So, how long do you think we have until dinner?" Lauren 
asked.

"Well, they just said 'dinner time', but they eat late.  I 
expect they'll show up about six-thirty or seven."

It was a shade past two O'Clock.  Lauren got a big smile.  
"Maybe we could go shopping?"

"Tomorrow, sweetie.  We have to take the train to get to the
fashion district.  And we still need to change money."

"Couldn't we just shift?"

"I'm afraid to use such powerful magic here, before I know 
more about the spirits of the place.  I don't want anyone to
know how easily I can shift."

Lauren shrugged.  "Fine!  You obviously underestimate the 
importance of shopping!"  She smiled.  "Anyhow, maybe we 
could change money now, so we don't have to tomorrow."

"Yeah.  We can do that now."

We got dressed.  We left Jess laying on the bed, mooning for
Katia.

"So, Jess is in love," Lauren said, as we exited the hotel.

"Yeah.  Seems so."

"Katia was cool -- well -- in that 'holy crap she's fucking 
my friend' sort of way.  What's up with her sister, though?"

I shrugged my shoulders.

"I liked her shoes," she went on, "Too bad she was a bitch."

"Yeah.  She hated our clothes."

"Oh?"

She frowned.

I smiled.  "'Cept yours, sweetie.  She thought yours were 
nice."

I nudged her with my elbow.  She grinned and nudged me back.

"You sure know how to hurt a girl," she said.

"Really?  How so?  I didn't even notice."

"Ha!  Don't pretend you're oblivious to my commitment to 
style!"

"Of course not, my dear.  One couldn't fail to notice."

We were within walking distance of the train station, and 
there were plenty of places to change money.  I found a bank
just across the street and left with six-hundred euros.  I 
hoped it would be enough.

Back to the hotel.  A guy and girl whizzed by on scooters.  
They waved.  Lauren spun and waved back.  A cute boy ran up 
and opened the door for us.  I thanked him.  We strolled 
through the lobby.  There were modernist paintings on the 
wall, originals as far as I could tell.  Even the hotel had 
good art.

"I like Italy," Lauren said.

"Yeah.  It isn't bad."


*****


We passed the rest of the afternoon napping and lazing 
around the room.  We called down to room service, and had 
them bring us coffee and snacks.

Our window opened over the street, so I pulled up a chair 
and leaned out a bit.  I sipped my coffee and watched the 
world pass by.

It drew into evening.

"We should probably get ready," Lauren said.

"Yeah.  So look -- about that."

"Yeah?" Lauren asked.

"I have sort of a weird feeling.  I'm not sure how much I 
really trust these Milanese witches -- "

Jessica heard me, and sat up.

" -- so," I went on, "I want you to stay close to me, 
Lauren."

"OK."

"Actually, I guess you should both stay close to me.  
Alright Jess?"

"Sure," she gulped out.

"I mean it.  Its cool if you spend some time with Katia, but
stay on guard."

"Yeah, OK.  I can still see Katia?"

"Yeah."

"Then I'm good."

"And I'd like Lauren to recharge us before we go."

Lauren smiled.  Jessica's eyes got big.  Suddenly she seemed
real excited.

"I have no problem with that," Lauren said.  She leaned to 
Jessica and they kissed.

"Right.  So, I don't know what sort of rumors they've heard 
over here, but we have to assume they might have heard of 
you and have some idea how powerful you are."

"Mmm hmm," Lauren mumbled as Jess kissed her face.  She 
rubbed Jessica's ass.

"So, I want you to be very careful.  They might try 
something."

"Yeah, sure," she said, as she pushed Jess down on the bed 
and rolled her over.

"Good," I said.

Lauren pushed Jess's skirt up and started kissing her ass 
through her panties.

"We can't be too careful."

Jessica's panties came down.  She got up onto her knees with
her butt in the air.  Lauren pressed her face up between her
legs.  I heard very wet sounds.

Jess let out an long, soothing moan.  She yanked on the 
sheets.  She squirmed.  I knew that it wouldn't take long.  
Lauren was a very powerful wellspring, perhaps the most 
powerful ever.  Her magic was intense.  For a normal witch, 
like Jessica, it was almost too intense.  Even I could 
barely handle her.

Suddenly Jess threw her head back.  I kissed her mouth.  
Magic flowed, from Lauren's mouth, through her, into me.  
Her body went rigid, her mouth hung open, and she let out a 
deep groan.  I tried to keep my lips locked to hers, but I 
couldn't.  I grabbed my pussy and cried out.  I rolled onto 
my back, quivering.  Jess rolled onto hers.  She stretched 
out and laughed.

We lay there.  We locked our hands together.  I stared at 
the ceiling and just breathed.

Lauren crawled up and kissed me.  More magic flowed.  My 
eyes fluttered.  She went down.  My panties came off.  Her 
mouth on me.  Her tongue.

I felt magic pulsing up my body.  Somehow, I didn't cum 
right away.  I thanked the goddess.  This was going to be 
one of the good ones, the lingering ones, the miraculous 
ones.  I curled up and squealed.

Jess kissed me, and I felt magic flowing on into her.  That 
was her gift.  Just by kissing them, she could share the 
recharge with other witches.

More licking.  More sucking.  Jess kept kissing me.  She 
pinched my nipples.

"Wow!  You're holding out a long time," she said.

"It's going to be a big one," I replied.

Lauren said nothing.  She pressed her tongue into my hole.

That did it.  I fell over the edge.  My body went rigid.  I 
let out a long, perfect groan, and magic shot up through me,
from Lauren's sweet mouth.  Jess tried to hang on, but was 
blown off by the force.  There was a popping sound and a 
flash of light.  I heard Jess hit the floor with a thump.  I
closed my eyes and groaned again.

When I opened them, I noticed that the electricity had gone 
out.  I heard honking and shouting from outside.  I looked 
over at the window.  The building across the street had gone
dark.

"Oops," Lauren said.

"I think we just took out the neighborhood," I replied.

I cast a small illumination spell, just a little mote of 
light.  It danced and flickered, casting wisps of shadow 
across the room.

I heard giggling.  I peered over the side of the bed.  Jess 
was laying on the floor, curled up, smiling, with her hand 
on her cunt.  She looked up at me.

"Holy goddess of fuck that felt good," she uttered, 
breathlessly.

"Yeah, it really did."

Lauren rolled over onto her back.  She pulled her pants off,
her panties too.  She tossed them aside.  She spread her 
legs and stroked her pussy.

Jess climbed up onto the bed.  We sat on either side of 
Lauren -- our beloved wellspring -- and stroked her body.  
She moaned and pinched her own nipples.

"Who gets the honor?" Jessica asked.

I smiled.

"Me!"

I went in.  I licked and sucked.  I tasted and probed.  I 
drank deep.  She squirmed.  Jessica knelt next to her, 
reaching out, unbuttoning her blouse.  They kissed.  Then 
Jess went down, sucking on her breasts.

I licked more.  I stuck a finger in.  I wiggled and probed.
She moaned and bucked her hips.

I heard Jess moaning.  I looked.  She had sat up and was 
fingering her own pussy, right by Lauren's face.  She got 
her fingers nice and juicy, then stuck them into Lauren's 
mouth.

Lauren sucked hard on Jess's fingers.  I sucked hard on 
Lauren's cunt.  Suddenly she went rigid.  She came, crying 
out.  Then Jess again, frantically fucking herself.  She 
rolled forward onto Lauren, groaning, kicking out her legs.

I gave Lauren's pussy a deep, sucking kiss.  So delightful.
I kissed it again.  I sucked more.  I swallowed.

We curled up together, Lauren in the center, Jess and me on 
either side.  We kissed and touched.  We said sweet things.

Fifteen minutes later, the lights came back on.  Lauren 
checked her watch.

"Not bad," she said, looking very proud.


*****


We quickly changed our clothes and put on makeup.  Before we
finished, we heard honking from the street below.  I glanced
out of the window.  It was the blue van.

We hurried.  We rushed down the stairs, Jessica running full
tilt.

When we got down, Katia wasn't there.  Fiorella sat in the 
driver's seat alone.  Jess just stopped.  I caught up with 
her and took her hand.

"Come on, sweetie.  I'm sure she'll be at dinner."

"Why didn't she come to pick us up?"

"I don't know.  I'm sure it's fine."

We got into the van, me up front again.

"Hi Fiorella," I said.

She said nothing.  She put the van in drive, and pulled out.

"So -- Where's Katia?  Jess was really hoping to see her."

"She isn't feeling well," Fiorella answered.

"Oh."

She drove us deep into the older parts of the city, to a 
secluded piazza.  She parked the van in front of an old 
palatial building with a clock tower.  We got out.  She led 
us around the corner and into the neighborhood.  We walked 
up a lighted street lined with brick buildings.  We passed a
few hunched strangers.  No one greeted us.  We turned into a
dark alleyway.  Lauren's and Fiorella's heels clicked 
against the flagstones.  Jess and I, wearing sneakers, were 
as quiet as mice.

We came to an old iron grill guarding an arched entrance 
with faint light visible within.  Fiorella removed a key 
from her purse and opened it.  We passed under the arch and 
entered a brick courtyard with a dry fountain.  Arched 
windows surrounded it, casting down a warm glow.

"Wait here," Fiorella said.

There was a bench set against some shrubbery.  I sat and 
Lauren joined me.  It felt cold, like marble.

Jess paced in front of us.

"What did she say about Katia?" she asked.

"That she isn't feeling well."

Jess kept pacing.  I heard the faint tinkle of bells from 
one of the upper windows.  A soft breeze managed to work its
way down into the courtyard, making the shrubbery rustle.  
My legs felt clammy.

I felt magic, just a bit.  Jess froze in her tracks, feeling
it too.

"What's wrong?" Lauren asked.

"A spell is being cast."

Jess and I both incanted at once, a quick counter-spell.  I 
held Lauren's hand, including her.

It passed.  Whatever the magic had been, it was subtle.

Fiorella emerged from one of the buildings.

"Follow me," she said.

We entered the building.  It was old, with low plastered 
ceilings.  Down a short passage and around a sharp turn, we 
came to the dining area.  A long, low wooden table stretched
before us.  Around it, lit by flickering candles, sat the 
Milanese coven.

I knew Signora Borghi right away.  She sat at the end.  Her 
chair was high backed and sturdy, and much larger than the 
others.  Behind her hung a tapestry, a domestic scene of 
women weaving.  I had no doubt that it was hundreds of years
old.

The other women, of which there were six, sat in lesser 
chairs.  Fiorella took a seat, along with three adult women.
Two younger girls, our ages, sat near the end.

"Where's Katia?" Jess asked.

"I don't know," I answered.

"Please come and sit," Signora Borghi said, in Italian.

"Let's sit," I repeated to Lauren and Jess.

"I wonder if anyone speaks English," Lauren whispered.

"I do," one of the girls said, with a thick accent.  She was
fair skinned with brown hair.  She was maybe seventeen years
old.

Signora Borghi shot her a stern glance.  She sat back and 
was silent.

"So, where is Katia?" I asked in Italian, "My friend 
Jessica" -- I motioned to Jess -- "is concerned about her."

"Katia is resting upstairs," the Signora replied, "She is 
not feeling well.  If your friend wants to visit her, she 
can go up after dinner."

I relayed this information to Jessica, who nodded her head.

We sat down.  Signora Borghi then introduced us to the coven
members.  Of the women, one was the Signora's wellspring, 
the other two were a witch and wellspring pair.  The girl 
who had spoken to us was Ines, the wellspring of Fiorella 
and Katia.  Finally, the youngest girl was an apprentice 
serving the coven.  Her name was Tiziana.

"Shall we start with some wine?" the Signora asked.

"Want wine?" I asked my friends.

"Sure," Lauren said.

"Please," I said back in Italian.

Tiziana brought out a carafe of red wine and a big plate of 
sliced meats and cheeses.  We passed around the wine and 
food, each person filling her glass and plate.  I took a sip
and ate quietly.  I looked around.  Everyone else was doing 
the same.  We all just looked at each other.

Ines asked, in English, "Are you Jessica?"

Jess answered, "Yes."

"OK."

"How's Katia?"

The girl seemed nervous.  She glanced over at the Signora, 
who said, "You can answer her, Ines."

The Signora had spoken Italian, but the girls were speaking 
English.  I could tell that she understood.  I wondered how 
many people at the table could understand English, and were 
pretending not to.

"She's feeling pretty sick," Ines said.

"I'm sorry," Jess replied, "I'm going to see her after 
dinner."

"Good.  She'll like that."

We finished the first course.  Tiziana got up and brought 
out a big bowl of risotto with saffron, and more wine.  We 
served ourselves.  We ate.

"Ines," Lauren asked, "How long have you been a wellspring?"

"A couple years."

"Do you like it?"

The girl blushed.  She glanced at Fiorella.  "I like it very
much."

The next course was a beef stew with tomatoes, carrots, and 
potatoes.  It came out in an iron pot with a giant serving 
spoon.  We each took a generous helping, except Lauren and 
Fiorella, who each took one spoonful.  We ate.

I noticed the Signora gazing at Lauren.  When she caught my 
glance, she smiled and fixed her gaze on me.  I took a bite 
of food.  I took a sip of wine.  I kept my eyes locked to 
hers.

I heard a shattering sound.  I looked over.  Ines had 
dropped her glass.

There was a brief commotion as Ines, Fiorella, and Tiziana 
scrambled to soak up the spill.  When I looked back at the 
Signora, she had turned and was quietly chatting with her 
wellspring.

We finished eating.  The plates were taken away.  Signora 
Borghi spoke, "So, why doesn't Ines take your friend up to 
see Katia.  Then you and your wellspring can join us in the 
council chamber."

Jess popped up from her chair.  Lauren gave me a nervous 
glance.  Did she sense it too, that this was a trap?

"OK," I said, "Go ahead Jessica."

Jess grabbed Ines's hand, and they left the room.  Muffled 
by the twisty passages of the old house, I heard the thumps 
of their feet running up wooden stairs.

"Shall we, then?" the Signora asked.

The remaining women rose and headed back through a large 
wooden door.  We followed.


*****


The room was circular with a round table in the center.  
There was a concave ceiling, with an ornate fresco depicting
the zodiac, the planets, and the thirty-six decans.  There 
was one high backed chair, where the Signora sat.  The other
women filled in around the table.  Two chairs were left, for
Lauren and me, immediately opposite the Signora.  We sat.

Signora Borghi spoke first, "So, how long will you be in 
Milan, and where else do you plan to travel in Italy?"

"Two days, and mostly the north, Lake Garda, Venice, and 
Padua."

The women murmured.

"You won't be visiting Florence or Rome?" the other senior 
witch asked.

"No."

"Why Padua?" the Signora asked.

"It looks like a fun town."

"It remains a stronghold of the Hermeticists.  That is no 
safe place for a witch."

I smiled.  "The Hermetics don't concern me.  Speaking of 
which, the decorations on your ceiling, they are Hermetic 
symbols, correct?"

"Yes.  The building is very old, and once belonged to a 
wealthy family.  They thought that the Hermetic mages could 
bring them fortune and long life.  Naturally, their line 
died out, and their house came into our possession."

"Ah.  So why don't you just paint over it with more witchy 
symbols?"

The Signora coughed.  Everyone looked stunned.  They stared 
at me.

"In Italy," the Signora said, slowly clipping her words, "We
do not paint over things."

I smiled.

"Of course not," I said.

"So, Padua," she went on, "Is a very bad choice.  You may 
hold the Hermeticists in low regard in America, but in Italy
they are still powerful.  We have an uneasy peace with them,
and it would do us no good for you to be running around 
Padua causing trouble."

"Really?  Surely no one will mind if we just see the 
sights?"

"Just stay in Venice.  It's neutral ground, and much more 
interesting for a tourist anyhow."

"They should get to Florence in any case," the older witch 
added, "It's only a few hours by train."

"I'll think about it."

I had no intention of skipping Padua.  It was my entire 
reason for coming to Italy.

Lauren was sitting with a blank look.  She leaned to me.  
"What is everyone talking about?"

"They don't want us to go to Padua," I said.

"Oh -- well neither do I, actually.  What's there anyhow?  
It is a silly old town.  Uh -- Why don't they want us to 
go?"

"Is is occupied by Hermetic mages."

"Who -- what?"

"An ancient order of magicians who summon demons using 
astrological symbols.  They don't have wellsprings."

"Oh."

"They are a historic enemy of witches."

"Oh.  Why?"

"Lots of reasons.  They don't like women.  They think the 
human body is unclean, and sex magic bothers them.  A bunch 
of stuff like that."

"Nice.  Add my vote to no Padua."

"We'll discuss it later."

Signora Borghi watched this with a curious gaze.  It was 
even more obvious than before, that she could understand 
English.

"So, Signora," I said, returning to Italian, "What do you 
want to talk about?"

She gave me a long look.  "I would like to speak with Lauren
alone," she said.

So it began.  I was glad.  I was getting bored.

"She doesn't even speak Italian."

"That will be OK," the Signora said, in English.  She 
smiled, as if it were a big revelation.

"No," I said.

"No?  This is my coven.  I can speak to her if I want."

"You can speak to her with me present, or not at all."

"Are you challenging me?"

"Hell yeah I am."

Our eyes locked.  I cast first.  I spoke the words of a 
spell.  I let my power flow.

She tried to counter, but was overcome.  She jerked back, 
one arm flying behind her as if it were yanked.  The force 
lifted her, sending her chair falling back.  The bones in 
her arm snapped audibly.  She slammed against the wall, her 
hand above her.  A spike appeared and pinned her wrist.

She hung, writhing, like a half crucifixion.  She tried to 
pull herself up with her other arm, but failed.  She tried 
to raise herself with her feet, but they scrapped against 
the plaster, getting no purchase.  Her broken bone gave no 
support.  Her arm stretched.  She kicked back again, rising 
a bit, but she dropped.  Her flesh tore, her arm hanging 
together by the bare sinew.  She shrieked.  She kept 
shrieking.

I looked at the other witches.  They sat stunned.  Fiorella 
reacted first, trying to cast.  With a wave of my arm, her 
mouth snapped shut.  She clawed at her own face, her eyes 
filled with terror.

"Stop!  No one has to die," I said.

Fiorella continued to struggle, her face deformed by spasms.
She slipped to the floor.  The other witch sat forward, 
poised ready, but she waited.  Everyone looked at me.  The 
Signora stopped shrieking.  She whimpered and writhed.  
Tiziana started to cry.

"Oh my god," Lauren muttered, "What happened?"

"They wanted to take you, sweetie."

"Oh."

I released the magic on Fiorella.  I hoped that she would 
submit.  She gasped for breath, and climbed back into her 
chair.

"Someone help Tiziana," I said.

One of the wellsprings went to the girl and hugged her and 
covered her eyes.  The woman looked at me, pleading.

"Go ahead," I said.

She rushed the girl from the room.

"Now, someone go get Jessica, and she'd better not be hurt."

Fiorella said, "I'll go."

I gave her a look.  I let her go.

Only three of the Milanese were left.  The older witch, the 
Signora's wellspring, and Signora Borghi herself.

I got up from my chair and walked to the Signora.  I gazed 
up at her.  She wore a grimace.  I smiled.

"Did you really think you could take my wellspring?"

"She would have had a choice," she grunted.

"I don't believe you.  Now -- tell me the truth, and I'll 
release you.  Is Katia really sick, and what spell was cast 
in the courtyard?"

"Katia isn't sick.  We were trying to get you alone."

"And the spell?"

"We cast no spell."

I paused.  I decided that I believed her.

Katia, Fi, and Jess entered.  Katia saw the Signora and 
screamed.

Jess said, "Fuck!  What happened?"

"They tried to take Lauren."

Jess looked at Katia.  Katia looked back.

"Come Jess," I said, "Let's go."

"You can't leave her like that," Fiorella said.

"Of course not."

I turned my back to them and waved my hand.  The  magic 
released and I heard a thump.  The Signora's wellspring 
leapt from her chair and rushed to her mistress.

I took Lauren's hand, and headed to the exit.  Jessica 
followed.

"I expect to never hear from any of you again."

We left the room.


*****


It had grown cooler outside.

"We can shift back to the hotel," I said, "Take my hand."

"What the fuck just happened?" Jess asked.

"They were tying to take Lauren."

"Are you sure?" Lauren asked, "I mean -- they didn't seem 
hostile."

"Of course they didn't seem hostile.  They were tricking us.
Katia was faking being sick."

"No way!" Jess said.

"The Signora admitted it to me."

I couldn't see Jessica's face in the darkness, but her body 
stood rigid, defiant.  She didn't believe me.

"Come on.  We can discuss this later.  Take my hand."

Lauren took my hand.  "Rachel hon, you might have 
overreacted," she said.

I held my hand out to Jessica.  She looked at it.  She 
waited, then she reached out.  Our hands grasped.  I cast.  
We shifted.

I took us to the courtyard behind the hotel.  There was a 
back entrance.  We went up to our room.

Jess and I didn't speak.  She got into bed, and pulled the 
covers over her head.  Lauren went and lay with her.  They 
stroked each other and whispered.

I went to the chair by the window.  I heard the nighttime 
murmur of the city.

I watched a couple on the street below, a guy and a girl, 
wearing backpacks, thin and attractive, the girl with 
dreadlocks.  They were just off the train, I guessed.  They 
started fighting, in German.  She shrieked at him.  I 
couldn't understand, but it was intense and guttural.  They 
walked away in different directions.

Lauren came to me and stroked my arm.  I twitched my 
shoulder and kept watching.  She pulled up a chair and sat 
close.

"Rachel -- " she said.

"I don't wanna talk about it now."

"Fine.  We don't need to talk."

She got real close and touched me.  I leaned back, into her.
I kept watching the street.


*****


When we awoke the next morning Jessica was gone.  We 
searched around the hotel, but she was nowhere.  We looked 
for a note, but found nothing.  We called the front desk, 
but she had left nothing, and they knew nothing.  Lauren and
I sat together in the room, not wanting to admit the 
obvious.

There was a knock on the door.  I answered.  It was 
Fiorella.

"Is Jessica here?" she asked.

"No.  She's missing."

"Katia and Ines were gone this morning."

"I'm not surprised."

She looked at me.  I looked at her.

"We have to find them."


*****


(To be continued ...)


*****


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