West Salem, Massachusetts, population... what's left... the time? Not so easy to measure...dimensionally speaking.
"How's the honeybees Nagatha?"
Granny hobbled along with a cane, her shared black cat Sabastian at her feet as she paraded through a farmer's market full of locals, and unsuspecting visitors. The locals respected the travels of motorists stopping along the highway out of financial gain. Today being so beautiful, the sun high in a bright blue sky, birds singing, bees buzzing, eyes glaring.
"What do you care Outcast?" A careful wink was covered by a gnarled knuckle.
"Better name than none I suppose! Just trying to get along Nag."
"The gathering meets at midnight. Outcast or not... be there. This malady concerns your offspring." The gray-haired old crone grumbled. "The bees are finicky today. Their honey is droll." It was obvious the off-road tent covered booth was hardly buzzing. Pun intended! "Elders only!"
"21... got it!" Granny senses a birdcage with a raven within it hanging from a hook one booth over. Wincing behind her black shades she feels Nagatha warning her not to get nosey. That went over blindly even as a table cloth under her honey jars wrapped around Granny's walking stick as a warning, future blindfold as if needed. "Don't patronize Nag... I'll be gentle." Her oldest friend simply released her cane and went back to reading the book she had in her lap. While to some in the know how of Wiccan religion it should be some ancient tome. Not today, this one was a romance novel by an author known as Helen Earth. Ehhh? Dark romance! Paper made from a tree.
Hobbling to the next door Naybore... NOT! Granny puckered her lips at the raven through tree branch bars, "Mornin' Woden...or should I say Wooden?" She taps the branch, "You're sounding exceptionally quiet today. Cat got your tongue?" Sabastian circled her legs below looking up at something tasty. The birds response led to a single blinking eye. "Whatcha see out there today Winkypoo?"
"Leave my familiar alone Outcast!" A younger woman who appeared in her 50's carried up a case of apple cider from her van parked behind the tarp. "He's only got eye for me."
"Freya Lou! How ya been?"
"Ignoring your despicable offspring as best I can. You give a Succubus a good name. The Mother is not appreciative."
"Never meaning to offend Momma and you know it. If she even still exists. Blah-Blah-Blahsphemy... don't bother I know it well. Can't tell me you don't care about your girls."
"In my own way." Freya too winked, this round the opposite eye compared to her raven's.
"I miss you too." Granny slyly whispers to the bird, "Don't go gettin' all misty you one eyed Rooster." Code for she missed his cock. You see Woden here used to be Granny's voluntary mate, but when she became an outcast to her central coven her love was taken away. Freya while not entirely evil swiped her man and made him hers eternally bonded. Poor guy!
"You always try to make me jealous. I'm younger than you and he always did have a rovin' eye."
"Raven! Rovin'! Come on Freya Lou... it's his job."
"To entertain me... not you." Freya was a stunning woman with blond hair even with a slightly chubby chin. Not a perfect beauty but certainly not any supermodel... even though she fancied herself as one.
"You been tanning?"
"Vacation in the Bahamas." She smirked then altered it just as fast so as not to be detected by any prying eyes that might judge her loyalties. "Quick trip." A stare between them spoke volume. There was more than meets the eye. A final rub along Woden's beak Granny said goodbye. Freya threw a glove at the cage riling the raven's wings into a fluttering storm. She was a jealous one. "I'm hotter dammit!"
Granny slyly grinned as she moved on down the line, eyes everywhere sneering at her journey. Rounding the corner of a small moving truck Granny and Sabastian were gone. In a single breath Granny exited her antique bedroom mirror into her bedroom and tossed her cane aside to walk without her portrayed hobble. Peering out her window she sighed, reflecting on old times, a whole lot of loneliness until her kids came home. Now... she had a granddaughter that had somehow evolved beyond the average Succubus. Claiming her birthmark from her Mother Jezzie should have led her on a darker path. Instead it challenged the religious practices of her Coven. What was going on? Midnight would be a tedious conversation.
"Ah Woden... I could use a hug. A feather to tickle my bottom at the very least."
Woden? Moden? DeMon? Endow?
Sounded like a spell.
********
6:30 PM... time measured by an actual clock... digital.
"Steaks on the grill. Baked potatoes too."
Hector Alonzo spoke through his ex-wife's vocal cords. Her daughter Jody relaying the message from inside the house let Raven Mourn and Detective Heather Choi in on dinner. Jody was inside the kitchen prepping small salads with what she had to work with. Tomatoes good, lettuce wilted but salvageable.
Hearing Jody, Raven who lay next to Heather on the bed with a handsome black leopard showing off intriguing white spots rather than the other way around, reared up. "Food! Finally! I'm starving."
"You go ahead I'm going to stay here with Keith." The Korean beauty said as she snuggled against the big cat's side, he formerly being her human lover now a witch's familiar. Something Heather had in common a mere two hours ago. She needed time with her man to apologize for getting him into this mess. Having saved his life was the important part, but the trade off seemed just plain evil.
"I'll see if Gwen saved a raw steak for Keith. If not I'll give him mine."
"You eat! Right now I don't think either of us has an appetite."