Lux blinked once. Twice. Three times before her vision focused. She was in her bed. The ceiling fan turned in lazy circles above her, barely disturbing the air. Turning it to the highest setting would make it tremble until she feared it would come crashing down. Pushing back her comforter, she sat up, rubbing her eyes as she peered around her room with confusion.

The door to the bathroom was cracked, and the shower was running. But Lux didn't remember Kitty spending the night, and Travis was too much of a southern gentleman- although female body parts held no appeal- to shower while she was sleeping in the next room.

"Mama? Memaw?" she called, drawing her legs to the side of the bed, wincing as her muscles protested every movement. The water shut off, but no one answered her call.

Getting up, Lux stumbled to the full-length mirror. A stranger stared back at her. The luster in her hair was gone; the strands hanging heavy and limp down her back. Dark bruises peppered skin that had turned from bronze to sallow, and the lush curves that once padded her tall frame seemed to have diminished overnight. Either her eyes were sinking into her skull, or her cheekbones were pushing through skin too thin to hold them back. She was a hollow girl, a collection of bones in a flesh bag.

The breath she drew in rattled her frame, and she swayed on her feet. Fingers pressed against the mirror, she traced her image and fought the panic that threatened to overwhelm her.

"How?"

"You okay?"

The voice did not belong to Mama or Memaw, but the disturbance in her soul outweighed any shock Lux felt at seeing a stranger coming out of her bathroom.

"What happened to me?" Not who are you? Lux didn't care.

The girl tightened her grip on the towel covering her petite frame. Hair the color of russet leaves in autumn curled in damp pieces around her round cheeks, pulling out flecks of gold in her brown eyes, and full, berry colored lips were pursed in concern as Lux examined her. She looked like a living doll, but Lux Knew there was nothing fragile about the girl.

Satisfied Lux had looked her fill, the girl replied, "You were roughed up by an incubus."

A vague memory of a seductive song and a crushing grip rose through the murky mists clouding her thoughts. "Is that why I look like death? Did he steal some vital part of me?"

"Umm? You should be sore, and you might have a headache. The calming tincture I used can cause a bit of a hangover. Sorry, potions weren't my best subject, but besides looking like you could use a few more hours of sleep, you look fine."

"Fine?" Lux shouted, turning back to the mirror and gaping. The skin beneath her eyes remained discolored, and the bruises around her neck were just as bright. But she looked as the stranger said. Tired but healthy.

"Let me see about getting the sorcerer up here."

"No. I'm fine. I- I guess my mind was playing tricks on me. Speaking of, who are you?"

"Name is Audra," the girl explained. "I'd offer to shake your hand, but then I'd risk losing my towel, and I usually like to get to know a person before flashing them."

"Appreciated. But I still don't know who you are."

"I just told you," Audra said. "The answer you want is to the question, 'what are you doing in my room?'"

Lux drew in a breath and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Go on."

"Considering you were unconscious last night, you missed my introduction. I'm the newest member of your Circle."

"Oh... welcome?"

"Thanks. I'm overwhelmed by your excitement. But I've been informed you all are woefully behind in your training, and therefore, you may be unaware that my arrival means that our Circle has met the minimum requirements to be fully functional and recognized. So, I'll cut you some slack."

"How generous of you."

"Sarcasm. Nice. Did you know that multiple studies have shown that people who use and understand sarcasm are more intelligent than those who don't? One particular study even went as far to suggest that people who use sarcasm are sexier, but I'm not sure if I'm convinced if sarcasm is the key factor in sexiness. It's really more along the lines that most people prefer having a partner with a well-developed sense of humor."

"Point?" Lux snapped, rubbing her temples and contemplating who was worse: the incubus's song or Audra's prattling. She was too tired and sore for this mess.

Audra paused. "Ignorance is often confused with a lack of intelligence, and I'm pleased to find your command of sarcasm shows you may possess a healthy intelligence, which will make the coming days much easier on all of us. Now, Kitty... I don't know if there's much hope for her. That girl..."

Lux didn't bother to defend her friend. Kitty enjoyed playing the brainless blonde, and she wouldn't ruin the carefully crafted image. If Audra was as smart as she thought she was, she would discover it was wise to not underestimate the earth witch.

"I'm gonna let you get dressed while I grab a bite to eat."

The redhead waved her away and pulled a suitcase from beneath the bed. Humming a cheerful tune, she pulled an outfit from the luggage and set it aside. Lux shook her head and headed downstairs. Someone upstairs had a funny sense of humor. Every girl in this Circle was as different as the day was to night, and while the details about their purpose as witches were still fuzzy, she was certain about one thing: it'd be a miracle if they all survived each other.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she placed her hand against the wall to catch her breath. She had run up and down those stairs more often than she'd walked them, and never had she been winded afterwards. The ghastly image in the mirror flashed through her mind, and she Knew it was a vision of her future. Her future without her channeling stone.

Bypassing the kitchen, her stomach a writhing knot, she felt a desperate urge to get outside. Lux bolted out the front door and into the yard. Muggy air, soil damp with morning dew, and the heat of a bright sun infused her with energy, and she lifted her arms to the sky in thanks. Her fingers curled towards her palms while her wrists twisted and twirled in some ancient rhythm, sparking the power in her blood.

"Well met Sister."

Declan's voice added to the furor within, and she did not stop. The movements in her hands drifted through her arms, to her hips, to her feet. The light swallowed her shadow, and she danced to the music it played, the song cleansing the incubus's darkness, drugging her system. There was no beginning or end to her in this moment. She simply was.

And then it was over. Dropping her arms, she turned and smiled, receiving a blinding one in return. The lack of focus which had been plaguing her since waking was gone, and the ache in her chest had dwindled to a twinge.

"I don't know what just happened."

Declan stepped off of the porch and gathered Lux in his arms, reminding her of the moment they'd shared before the incubus ruined the evening. She rested her cheek on his chest, relishing the thud of his heartbeat echoing in her ear. So steady and powerful. Until last night she would have described him as steadfast and kind- traits she found appealing, but after witnessing him fight in a blur of shadows and leather, she understood there was something dangerous and wild inside of the sorcerer. And it thrilled her even more than his kindness.

"In ancient times, when witches fought in the Uprising, those who survived the battles from the previous day would greet the morning the way you just did. It was a way to give thanks and to open themselves up to the surrounding magic. It was healing and calming and worshipful." His voice trailed off, and when he spoke again, emotion smothered his words. "I forgot how beautiful it was."

His arms tightened, and his chin rested on her head. Her whispered reply rumbled against his chest, "I'm not very coordinated so it can't have been too mesmerizing."

Strong fingers slid under her chin and pushed until she had no choice to meet his gaze. An emotion she couldn't name warred within his eyes as he studied the marks on her neck. Rage she recognized, but there was something else there. He released a tortured sigh and claimed her mouth with his.

The slide of his tongue against hers made their previous kiss chaste. With one hand at the small of her back, he pressed her body against his. His free hand tangled in the ends of her long hair and tugged gently. Fingers that only moments ago were curled towards the sun, curled towards his body. They gripped the soft fabric of his t-shirt, and she didn't know if she was holding on to it to stay upright or to take it off. Teeth scraped her bottom lip and her answer became clear.

But as she tried to deepen the kiss, he pulled away and pressed fervent kisses along her neck. He paid special attention to avoid the bruises, but he found plenty of free skin to tease. She tensed as his lips settled just below her collarbone. She wanted to beg him to continue, but she was afraid a single word would shatter the lust filled haze driving him to ignore his prim and proper ways. That talented mouth remained motionless, and she formed the words to urge him on when she felt his lips curve into a teasing grin before dropping an inch lower. And lower.

"Damn, who needs cable television around here. Just step out the front door."

As if scalded, they broke apart. Lux couldn't find her footing, and she tilted backwards, wincing as she prepared for impact. But Declan moved to catch her with the same lethal grace from the previous night, and he held her long enough to ensure she was steady before snatching his hand away. Knowing she was blushing, she couldn't help but to smile foolishly when she saw the pink tinting his own cheeks.

"Audra," Declan greeted the witch with a forced smile. "I believe you have a gift for impeccable timing."

The small woman shrugged and leaned against the porch rail. "You two know your little bout of tongue tangling is frowned upon?"

Lux fisted her hands against her side. How dare this girl stick her nose into their business? More than one boy had tried his luck with her over the last few years, but she'd never been interested. Declan stirred something within her from the first moment, and as much as her body wanted him, her heart did too. This thing between them was more than teenage hormones- it was magic, and she'd be damned if she would let old prejudices stand in their way.

Audra winked. "There's that sarcasm again. Hope for you yet, girl."

"Where's Hanish?" Declan asked, his voice huskier than usual.

"Hanish?" Lux looked at him with surprise. "Is that another sorcerer?"

Audra answered. "Hanish is Fae. A Sylph. He went off somewhere this morning. Something about enjoying the clean country air for a few hours. Being in cities is tough for him. The soot and smog can make him ill if it's bad enough."

"What else did I miss?" Lux questioned, "Oh dear lord. My mother! She must be super pissed."

"Bella is fine," Declan assured her. "She didn't see your bruises, and I told her we were late because we met Audra. She wasn't happy, but she was more concerned about you not finding your channeling stone."

"Is there a way to make these go away? Or hide them?" Lux asked, pointing to the bruises.

He reached out and touched the tender spots on her neck. His jaw clenched and the light around him flickered and faded. A black aura streaked with red billowed up and remained until he pulled away. "I can brew a potion that will speed the healing, but until then I'd suggest you cover it up with makeup."

"Kitty will love that," she grumbled.

"Speaking of old kitty cat, when will she and the other girls show up? After last night, we need to get started on training ASAP."

"I think they need a day of rest," Declan cautioned.

Audra paced. "The Gateways are going to fail. We do not have time for rest. We have to be ready. Lughnasadh is in August. It's almost July. Witches start learning this ritual when they learn to read."

Declan watched the witch and crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't you think I understand that, but they're more likely to get hurt than to learn anything if we rush into it. You know as well as I do that the song of an incubus is draining. Let them heal. One day won't make a difference."

"One day could make all the difference," Audra shouted. "The Gateways weaken every day. Statistically-"

Lux cut her off, not willing to listen to another teaching moment from Audra. "Will someone just tell me what these damn gateways are?"

The witch on the porch came to a complete stop. "If you know nothing else, you must know this one thing. It is our sacred duty."

"Which is why I'm demanding that someone tell me."

Audra scowled at Declan, who nodded. "Witches guard the Gateways, the entry and exit points of hell."