The Moreau Witches Trilogy
Part Three
Wormwood
by Julien Gregg
Copyright © 2025 by Julien Gregg
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact the author by email. The link is below.
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
Sixteen
Before she knew it Bart was there in Moonlight Bay for the Samhain celebration. He arrived two days before the celebration was to be held. He stayed with them. He and Lisette took walks through Keller Village. She showed him an empty apartment. He grabbed her and kissed her. She kissed back and wrapped a leg around his.
“We shouldn’t do this,” Bart said as he kissed her neck.
“We must,” she said. “I want you, Bart. Take me and make me a woman.”
“You are a woman, Lisette,” he said. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
“Take me Bart,” she said.
He took her. Goddess be damned he took her there on the carpeted floor of the rental unit. He made them one and kissed her face, neck and shoulder as he made love to her. It was wrong on so many levels but he didn’t think of that. He thought of the pure animal that was the human. He loved this woman with all of his soul but he knew he could never have her past this night. He nearly wept from the hell of it.
She met him thrust for thrust. She was an ever attentive lover, devouring his ear and neck turning him on and making him thrust harder into her. She whimpered and moaned. He sighed and uttered his thanks to the Goddess for bringing them together finally. He knew it was only going to be this once so he made it count. Three times they made love that night.
When he could make love to her no more they went back to the car and he drove them back to Grand House. Mother gave her a look. One blush from her and Mother’s eyebrows lifted in shock. She knew. Lisette was all right with that. Mother took Bart into another room to have the talk with him. They were in there forever. When they came out Bart looked whipped. She cast her eyes at her mother who smiled at her.
“I told him to be careful with your heart,” she said. “I told him I can’t condone this but I won’t stand in it’s way but you are to be the next heiress so a marriage won’t be possible.”
“Oh, Mother,” she said. “We don’t want to get married.”
“No, he said the same thing,” she said. “I should take offense but you’re not hurting anyone. But you don’t have to sneak off to Keller Village to be with each other. Just be discreet and you can be together in the house.”
Bart looked at her like she was crazy. He still expected her to beat him with her power but she didn’t. Mother loved him and that was all there was to it. Oh how she loved Bart. He’d told her it would only be the one time but she was sure it would happen again. She was still vibrating from their love making as they stood there embarrassed before her mother.
She went up to her room and fell onto her bed with a sigh. He loved her! She was so happy that he felt the same about her as she felt about him. Mother had told them to just be discreet. She’d said that!
Lisette couldn’t believe it. It was like she’d been given a gift that no one could give her but her mother. Oh how she loved him! She couldn’t stop thinking about him. It was just a few minutes later when he slipped into her room. Then they were on each other again. Damn the consequences they had to be with each other. She knew that he’d leave after the celebration and he wouldn’t be back until summer.
They made each other feel good and they tried to be quiet so Maria and Walter wouldn’t hear them. They tumbled over the bed and became one and it was so perfect. Lisette felt her heart pounding as they joined and she loved every minute of it. She knew that they would never marry but she loved him so much that this was very special.
He loved her so completely that he made her sleep. He left the room discreetly and no one was in the hall so he got away with no one knowing he was in her room. She heard him go and rolled onto her stomach and smiled. He loved her. She couldn’t believe that she’d had him so many times already. She couldn’t wait for the next time.
The next day he had many things to do with Mother. She floated through the house on cloud nine and didn’t even noticed when Maria gave her a dirty look. She had her breakfast and then went to sit in the sun and soak up the air outside. It was still in the fifties so she sat in the rocking chair and just rocked.
She floated through her day but she was with it enough to know that Maria was unhappy. Walter kept trying to satisfy her today but she wouldn’t be satisfied. She sat in the dining room and stared at Lisette.
“What’s got that dreamy look on your face?” she asked gruffly.
“Leave me alone Maria,” Lisette replied. “I’m in a good mood today and I don’t need you spoiling it.”
“Well I’ll be, Lisette’s in a good mood today, Walter can you believe it?” Maria said in her sickeningly sweet voice.
“Let her be, Maria,” Walter said. “You have enough on your plate with the baby.”
“Yes, yes, take her side,” she said. “You’re all the same, aren’t you? You see her and you love her. That’s all you men do.”
“I didn’t say I loved her damn it,” Walter said a bit loud. “I said let her be.”
“Fine,” she said. “If you want to be a lemming I won’t stop you.”
Lisette got up and walked away from them. She went to play cards with Josette. Lorette was in the house somewhere. She’d heard her talking to Maria but she hadn’t seen her yet. Josette was happy to play cards with her so that’s what she did. They played Old Maid until Mother came for Lisette to take her back to heiress classes.
Today they went over the budget for the year. This was harder for Lisette because she didn’t know where all of these figures had come from. She paid attention but Mother was going a bit fast today. Lisette offered concise feedback and Mother was pleased. In the end she just explained to her that the numbers came from the Legacy and all of the reports from the men at Keller Village. Then it made sense.
They worked on the budget until lunch. Then they stopped long enough to eat. Maria was sneering at her but she ignored her. She ate her food and tried not to pay any attention to Maria. Mother was still talking to her about the budget so she tried to pay attention to her mother instead of her rotten sister.
“Now we’ve gone over budget with this project,” Mother said. “That’s why we keep having to meet with the partners to explain why we’ve spent so much money on this. It’s nearly complete but until it is it’s costing money.”
“Yes,” Lisette said. “Can’t they work a bit faster?”
“Not if we want quality work,” she said. “You let me worry about the partners. I’ll get them straightened out. You’ll learn to do this when you’re the heiress.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she said. “I just don’t understand if the Legacy is so much money why are they worrying about what you’re spending on Keller Village?”
“Because no heiress has spent as much money on one project as I have,” Mother said patiently.
“Okay,” Lisette said. “That makes sense to me. At first I was just like why bother with the partners when you aren’t making a huge dent in the Legacy anyway?”
“I understand what you were thinking and I’d agree with you if I weren’t spending more than the last two heiresses combined,” she said with a smile. “They just see the money going out. They don’t see how beneficial it will be for the family.”
“And it will be beneficial for the family,” Lisette said. “I can see it Mother. There will be houses for the family to live in and apartments for people like Bart who have no wife and no children to take up more room. The school is for Moreau children that will be living in Keller Village, right?”
“Right,” she said. “You and your sisters will go there, too.”
“I’ll miss my friends,” she said sadly.
“Yes but this has to be done,” Mother said. “If I don’t send my own children to the school I just built for the family then why would anyone else?”
“I understand,” Lisette said.
“Good,” she said.
“I’m going to have to go to that school after the baby is born?” Maria asked.
“Yes Maria now don’t try my patience today, child,” Mother said. “I know you’re miserable but you don’t have to make the rest of us as miserable as you are.”
“Yes, Mother,” she said and went back to moving her food around on the plate.
Mother was done with the budget after lunch. Then they went to Keller Village and got new reports and talked to the foremen. They were working on the last of the houses today and they’d be done by the beginning of November. She could move people in any times she wished. She was happy with that.
They went to look at artwork for the center and the school. Mother purchased many paintings and sculptures for the center and school. She filled the back of her car with all of the artwork. She drove to the center and took most of the artwork in there. She hung it on the walls and put the sculptures on pedestals.
They went to the school and Lisette got her first look at the place. She took in the hardwood floors, the beige walls and the tables instead of desks. The classrooms were smaller as well. That meant fewer students and it was a better student to teacher ratio. She liked that. She’d miss her friends but this place looked nice.
Then they went back to Grand House. Maria was in her room now so Lisette was happy. Bart and Lorette were sitting in the dining room reading newspapers. She smiled at them and then went to her room to change for dinner.
At dinner Bart kept looking at anything but her. She knew they had to be discreet but this was a little much. He carried on a conversation with Mother for a while and then with Lorette. Maria just glared at everyone. She was miserable. Lisette just ignored her. She ate her dinner and kept to herself.
After dinner they got ready to head over to the center to decorate for the Samhain celebration tomorrow. They took flowers and decorations for the center. Bart and Walter did most of the hanging of decorations. Lorette and Maria did the flowers. Lisette and Josette were just kind of there. When they were finished Mother checked the kitchen to make sure that the food had been delivered.
Then they went back to the house and went their separate ways. Lisette had no more heiress classes today so she hung out with Josette. They played a board game until it was time for Josette to go to bed. Lisette went to her room and Bart was with her before she knew it.
They talked about what this was and how they would meet in secret until they could be open. She told him she didn’t care if they were ever open as long as she had him. He kissed her for that one. Then they were naked together again and she marveled at his body. He was so muscular and fit. She lay beneath him and moaned lightly as they became one.
He took her to heights that she had never gotten to on her own. He touched places inside her that she had never known would bring her pleasure. He kissed her with his burning lips as they coupled. She loved the way he smelled and the way he felt on top of her.
When they were spent he laid there with her and kissed her. He cuddled her against him and she felt safe and warm. Then he kissed her one more time before he got up and got dressed. Oh what she would have given for him to be able to just sleep in her bed with her. But she knew that this was not going to happen. He dressed and kissed her one more time before he sneaked out of her room.
She lay there reliving the whole experience and basking in the after effect a little longer. She was so happy that she had him that these little secret meetings didn’t bother her too much. She had a part of him that none of her siblings ever got. She was thankful for that.
The next day they were all preparing for the Samhain celebration. They dressed in their best and headed to the center. Alice and the other staff had been cooking over there all day long. The celebration started with a dumb supper. That was when everyone ate but in total silence. Another plate was made and left at the head of each table to represent those that had passed. The meal was eaten in silence because the dead don’t speak. At the end of the night those plates would be sat outside for whatever wildlife passed by.
They all filed into the center. There were so many of them in town and so many who had come for this event from other places. They were served and they ate in total silence. When they were done eating, they said prayers for the dead and then music played and they could dance and be merry.
Lisette danced with Bart and her dance classes paid off. He twirled her around the floor but she was more advanced than he knew and they really put on a show for the family. They were applauded when the dance ended. Then he danced with Mother and then Lorette. He even danced with Josette. He did not dance with Maria. She was just sort of there.
Mother began telling the family that had come from other places that there were houses available and apartments for those who wanted to move to Moonlight Bay. They were all really excited about that and set up times to come and see the properties. Mother was pleased. It seemed that Keller Village would finally get tenants.
When the dance was over they cleaned up the center and went back to the house. Lisette couldn’t find Bart anywhere. She looked for him but he must not have come back to the house. She went up to her room to get ready for bed upset that she hadn’t seen him. He was leaving for school again in the morning.
She walked into her room and there he was. He was lying naked in her bed. She smiled at this. She quickly stripped out of her dress and hose and panties to climb in bed with him. This was the last time until summer that they’d be together. She was ready. They made love for hours that night. He kissed her all over her neck and shoulders. He took her to heights she’d never been to before and she loved it.
When it was over he didn’t leave the room. He just cuddled up and went to sleep. She was overjoyed by this and snuggled down in the bed to sleep with him. He got up very early in the morning to dress and sneak out of her room but not before he kissed her and said goodbye until summer.
Then he was gone and she was alone in the room. She got up and put on her nightgown and lay back in the bed just lying there and thinking about what it would be like to miss him this time. She’d miss him in a completely different way this time. She hated that she was already starting to miss him. She left her room and stood in the hall. She heard him leave the house and that was it for him. She wouldn’t see him again until summer.
She didn’t have school that day so she went back to her room and got more sleep. Mother woke her at nine to come down for breakfast. She got up and changed into a day dress and went down to the dining room.
They had breakfast and Mother gave her a knowing smile. She smiled back and then went to back to her food. Maria watched this with a curious expression on her bland face. Lisette ignored her and ate her waffles.
After breakfast Mother wanted to spend time with her going over things that would have to happen before anyone moved in to any of the houses in Keller Village. These were loan papers and the like. Lisette was really good at calculating interest and all of that. Mother was pleased. She said she had meeting set up with several members of the family to go over their assets and find out if they qualified for a loan from the Legacy.
There were so many of them wanting to move into Keller Village. Lisette was happy about that. More people in town meant more kids in the school. She had no way of knowing she and Maria would not attend that school. At that point in time she was just happy to know there would be kids in the school.
Mother told her later that day that she and Josette would remain in their current school because the school in Keller Village was only set up for the younger kids and pregnant girls so far. That made her feel better about her friends. She’d have time to tell them goodbye.
Over the next few weeks she learned quite a bit about the Legacy and how things were done. She learned how to calculate assets and check the criteria. They issued seven loans that she was a part of. Many more were issued while she was in school. She had fun doing all of that for the legacy and Mother was pleased with what she’d done.
But then Mother seemed run down. She slept longer and wasn’t always awake enough to respond to anyone throughout the day. She took long naps. This wasn’t her grief over losing Philippe and Daddy. This was something else. She made an appointment at Moreau Medical and Lorette drove her.
Maria kept telling Lisette that Mother was going to be fine but Lisette was not so sure. The had thought Marcel would be fine and he hadn’t been at all. She worried about Mother until they returned from Santa Barbara with the news that Mother had cancer just like Marcel’s. Lisette was devastated by the news.
Then Mother shocked her by telling her she was ready to take over the Legacy. She was stepping down. That had rocked Lisette. She had not been prepared for this but if Mother thought she was ready then she was ready.
Mother told her that she’d still be on hand to answer any questions she had but she was too weak to do the day to day parts of the Legacy. Maria said she’d help but Mother reminded her that once Lisette became the heiress the house belonged to her and Maria had better treat her right or she’d find herself on the street.
Lisette took a day off of school to go to Santa Barbara and be confirmed as the heiress. They asked her a bunch of questions about what she wanted to donate to and all she could think of was cancer research. They told her they were already donating to cancer research so she said that for now she was done with the donations. They understood.
They went over much of what Mother had been going over with her. Mother took off the ruby necklace and placed it around Lisette’s neck. She clasped it as her final act as the heiress. Lisette had to sign a bunch of papers and she was shocked to find that this elevated her to adult status. Yes, she should continue to go to school. An education was important but the heiress didn’t need a job. Her work with the Legacy was her job.
Lisette’s head spun as they went through all of the paperwork that made her the heiress. She signed the deed to Grand House and all of the businesses were in her name now. She now sat on the board of every one of them. Of course they’d be there to help her with her board duties. She was thankful for that.
A checkbook was issued and a credit card from the bank. They went over to the bank and she signed signature cards and account paperwork. She was all paperworked out by the time they headed back to Moonlight Bay. She told her mother that she didn’t care if she signed another thing. Mother laughed and said that she’d be signing her name for the rest of her life, which she hoped was long.
“You never know,” she said. “Maybe you’ll be teaching your son or daughter to do all of this in the future.”
“I’d have to have a son or a daughter first,” she said, smiling.
“Well, Lisette, I think you’re going to,” Mother said. She was always right about these things. Lisette was scared that she’d done something wrong. “I see it in you, Sweetie. You’re with child.”
“Oh Mother I didn’t try to get pregnant,” she cried.
“Don’t cry, Lisette,” Mother said, caressing her face with the backs of her fingers. “No, it happens when we least expect it some time. You’ll need to tell Bart that you’re pregnant.”
“I’ll tell him after the test confirms it,” Lisette said. “It isn’t that I don’t trust your intuition, Mother. I just want to have something to show him.”
“Lisette, you’ll be showing by the time summer comes,” Mother said. “Why I’d not be surprised if you gave birth before the middle of July.”
“Can we not tell Maria just now?” she asked. “I don’t want her to know about it yet.”
“We won’t tell anyone until you’re ready, Darling,” Mother said. “It’ll be our little secret.”
“Thank you, Mother,” she said.
“Girl, you’re the heiress to the Legacy now,” Mother said. “Sit up straight and dry your eyes. The world is at your fingertips.”
They got back to Moonlight Bay and Lisette went to her bathroom and washed her face. Then she changed for dinner and came back down. She’d put on her baby blue dress that really brought out her eyes and thought she wouldn’t be able to wear them soon.
“So you’re the heiress now,” Maria said as Lisette came into the dining room.
“That’s right,” she said. “Mother stepped down.”
“All for you,” Maria said hatefully.
“Mother has cancer you idiot,” Lisette said.
“I’m not an idiot,” she said coldly.
“Then don’t act like one,” Lisette said. “Maria why would you bother me when you know I can throw you out of here and don’t give me the I’m pregnant crap. I know you’re pregnant but there’s a whole village to put you in now.”
Maria just glared at her. Lisette sat at the table and waited to see if Mother was going to come down. She did and then Alice put the plates in front of them and gave Maria a cold look. The staff knew how she was.
“Maria have you been agitating your sister?” Mother asked.
“No, Mother,” Maria said.
“Not much,” said Lisette. “There was just the one comment about you stepping down for me.”
“I stepped down because I’m sick and can’t do the job,” Mother said coldly, looking at Maria. “You will not tease or torment your sister about this ever again. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Mother,” Maria said, looking chastised.
Dinner was had with no conversation. Lisette noticed that Walter was smiling at her so she smiled back. Maria was too busy staring at her plate to notice. Mother asked Lisette where she got the dress she was wearing.
“Daddy bought it for me,” Lisette said. “It’s one of the few that he bought that I can still wear.”
“It looks good on you, Sweetheart,” she said.
“Thank you, Mother,” Lisette said. Then she went back to eating. She never felt completely comfortable when Maria was in the room.
After dinner Lisette went to her room to change out of the dress and hang it back up. She sat on her bed and rubbed her stomach vowing that her child wold never know the dark side of Maria. She didn’t know how and she didn’t know when but she would get out from under Maria one way or another.
She wrote Bart a letter telling him that Mother had stepped down and she was the heiress now. She told him all about Maria’s cold comments and dirty looks. She told him about the paper work and all of the accounts and all that was connected to her confirmation. She wanted to get it all out on paper.
When she was done she stamped it and sealed it. Then she took it to the post office and dropped it in the mail box. On her way home she noticed kids playing on he beach and smiled as she thought of her own children playing there some day. She went back home with that though in her head.
She thanked her lucky stars that she wasn’t afflicted the way Maria had been with morning sickness. Her stomach was as calm as a pond on a windless day. She was happy for that. She did have strange cravings though. She asked Alice to make liver and onions tomorrow and Alice gave her a look. Then she said she would but she shook her head. The others wouldn’t appreciate the meal but she was craving it.
She also craved candy bars. She went the next day and got herself a candy bar from the corner store. She went back to Grand House and sat in the living room eating her candy and thinking of ways to get Maria out of the house. She hadn’t come up with anything that would actually work by lunch.
She sat at the table with the nasty Maria and ate her sandwiches and her carrot sticks. She drank her juice and her glass of milk. Then she got out of there. She went upstairs and played cards with Josette. They didn’t play Old Maid today. Lisette taught Josette to play Rummy. They played two games and Josette was very good at Rummy. She beat Lisette both games.
And time went on. She continued to mark days off her calendar until she’d see Bart again. She had many meetings with the partners after school and she was tired more than not lately. She knew that was the baby but she hadn’t told anyone about the baby yet.
Maria sure got big. She was getting bigger and bigger and Walter was complaining about it. Lisette could hear them arguing about it ever night. She had to put a hand over her mouth many evenings to keep from laughing out loud and letting Maria know she was listening to her shame.
By Christmas or Yule as they called it, she was showing as well. The very fact that she was pregnant seemed to anger Maria. Had she put it together that the father was Bart? If she had that was just too bad for her. Lisette knew that Maria had a crush on Bart. Anyone with eyes could tell that. But Bart loved Lisette not Maria. So she could just try to keep her husband happy.
On Yule they opened presents and had a meal. Mother was awake for the festivities but she looked washed out, and her dark hair was thinning from the treatments. She had to throw up twice while they were at dinner and Lisette was worried about her. Maria never seemed to worry about anyone but Maria.
Letters went back and forth between Bart and Lisette. She’d written to him that she as pregnant with his child. The letter he’d sent back was from a man over the moon about the pregnancy. This was the man who never wanted children? She was glad that he was happy because the baby was coming no matter what anyone thought.
Lisette went with Lorette to buy maternity dresses and made sure that hers didn’t look like a tent. She used her Legacy credit card to buy five dresses, three pairs of maternity pants, and five shirts. They took it all back to Grand House and had it all washed and put in Lisette’s room.
Lorette was so happy for her and knew that it was Bart. She’d always known it seemed so that was to the good. Maria had it confirmed for her from a conversation that Lisette and Lorette had. She was furious after that. She snapped at everyone including Walter after she’d learned for sure that Lisette was carrying Bart’s child. Lisette thought it was funny.
By New Year she was in agony. Lisette watched and wondered if she would be in agony when she was that far along. Maria seemed to be in pain all of he time. Of course she treated Walter like her personal whipping boy. Lisette felt sorry for him. He was at his wit’s end with Maria. He took to leaving the room whenever she came into a room. It was funny to watch. Of course Maria bitched about that, too.
Their fights at night got louder and Lisette was hard pressed to keep from letting them know she could hear them. When it started to interfere with her sleep she yelled at them to shut up and went to sleep. The next day Maria was even worse than she’d been the day before.
“I suppose you’ve been listening through the wall to every conversation I’ve had with my husband,” she snapped at Lisette.
“I don’t hear anything from your room usually,” she lied. “But last night you were screaming so loud that you woke me up. Do remember that other people live here. This isn’t your palace, Maria.”
“Oh you think you’re so smart,” Maria said. “You wait. I’ll take my revenge on you for what you’ve done.”
“What I’ve done?” Lisette scoffed. “I was woken up by your screaming remember. I’ve done nothing.”
“I’m talking about the child in your stupid womb, Lisette,” she snapped. “You knew that I was in love with Bart.”
“I knew no such thing,” Lisette said. “You married Walter, not Bart.”
“I married Walter because Mother made me,” she said.
“That baby in your womb isn’t Walter’s,” Lisette said. “I know what you did to Bart, Maria.”
“What do you think you know?” demanded Maria.
“I know it all,” Lisette said. “You sneaking into his house at night, into his room while he slept. You invading his dreams with your power. Who did you make him think he was having sex with, Maria?”
“That’s none of your business,” snapped Maria. “Keep to your own lane, Sister Dear or my revenge will be legendary.”
“Oh shut up Maria,” Lisette said as Walter came into the room. “No one wants to hear your mouth.”
“Don’t you tell me to shut up,” yelled Maria. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
“She’s the heiress to the Legacy of the Moreau family,” said Walter. “You seem to forget that we’re here on her dime now, Maria. She could throw us into a tiny apartment in Keller Village for what you’re doing right now.”
“Oh to hell with you both,” she snapped and struggled to get up.
“You know what the doctor said,” Walter countered. “Rest and no stress. You wouldn’t want anything to happen to Bart’s baby now would you?”
That stopped her in her tracks. She looked up at him with such anger. She mumbled something but Lisette couldn’t understand what she said. Walter must have because he laughed.
“You two aren’t as quiet as you think,” Walter said. “You witches and your spells and powers. Did you ever stop to think about what you were actually doing to Bart? Maria you raped him. You had sex with him against his will. That’s rape.”
“I don’t have to listen to this,” she said as she finally got to her feet. She held her belly and walked away.”
“How long have you known?” Lisette asked him.
“She talks in her sleep,” he said simply. “I’m sorry for whatever she throws at you, Lisette. You’re a fine young lady and you deserve a better sister.”
“I have two better sisters,” she said with a smile. “Thank you Walter.”
She got up and went upstairs after that. They had the New Year celebration at the Keller Center. Maria didn’t go. Lisette had a grand time. Everyone talked about her pregnancy. They asked her who the father was but she wouldn’t say. She’d had enough static about it from Maria. She didn’t need the gossips to be talking about it.
Then it was the Valentine’s Day party, and she was there for that one, too. She wasn’t yet so big that people could tell right away. She didn’t dance with any of the cousins that night though. She wasn’t as comfortable on her feet as she had been. Instead she talked with them sometimes one on one about this or that.
Then Maria was moved to Moreau Medical in Santa Barbara. She was there to keep her in bed and away from stress. She could deliver any day now. Lorette kept driving up there to see her. Lisette didn’t care if she lived or died. She hated Maria.
Lorette came home and told her that Maria had given birth to a boy. He was seven pounds and fourteen ounces. His hair was black and his eyes were icy. She named him Pierre Bartholomew Moreau. Lisette wanted to puke. Naming him after Bart. He was Bart’s first born son however. She supposed she’d let Maria get away with it. She hoped that their children would get along better than she and Maria.
She took to hanging out with her cousin Angelique. The girl was frivolous but better than Maria. She was thrilled that Maria had given birth and to a boy no less. Boys were scarce in the family of late. Everyone was having girls. Lisette secretly hoped her baby was a boy.
“So what’s Maria’s problem with you?” Angelique asked.
“She hates me,” Lisette said. “She always has. Mostly because Daddy showered me with gifts and wouldn’t give her the time of day.”
“That explains the animosity,” Angelique said. “I’ve been keeping my eye on Ian Moreau. He’s a good looking boy.”
“That he is,” Lisette agreed. “And he’s your fifth cousin. You can marry him.”
“I don’t know about marrying him,” she said. “But dating him is another story.”
It didn’t take long and Angelique and Ian were married and expecting their first child. By the time Maria came home from Santa Barbara with Bart’s son in her arms Lisette had heard that several couples in the family were expecting around the same time. Robert and Angelica were expecting, Gayland and Sarah Beth were expecting, and Douglas and Stella were expecting. There were going to be plenty of babies for everyone to spoil soon enough.
Bart II
Bart rolled into town on May second of nineteen seventy-six to a spell on the Moonlight Bay sign that said “All Witches Will Die.” He stopped his car and looked at the sign. Someone shot a bolt toward him but he turned and used his power to send it back. He watched as the witch hunter died. He was satisfied with his kill but he needed to know more about him.
He walked over to where the man had fallen. He was a dark haired younger man probably around Bart’s age with blue eyes and a five o’clock shadow. His identification said his name was Gavin Newman. He had a card in his wallet for Arrows, a group of witch hunters that were legendary in the witch world.
Bart got back in his car and drove to Grand House. He had to warn the family that Arrows were in town and they were planning to kill all the witches. This was not a good thing to be happening with Lisette walking around with his baby in her belly. He had to put a stop to these hunters quickly. The more they knew the better prepared they’d be.
He walked into Grand House and got on the phone to Robert. Robert called Bastien. Bastien called Gayland. Gayland called Douglas, and Douglas called Charles. That’s the way it went the phone tree was activated. They’d all walk a bit more carefully for the next few months. He’d told Robert about Gavin Newman and that he’d killed him. Robert congratulated him on his first kill. Bart wasn’t in the mood to be congratulated. He was scared for Lisette. They’d come for the heiress with everything they had.
“Bart you’re here,” Lisette said.
“Yes, and so are witch hunters that will be gunning for you,” Bart said. “I’m going to be keeping a protective eye on you. Where are the girls?”
“They’re upstairs waiting to hold Pierre,” she said. “He’s beautiful Bart. You have a son.”
“I suspected as much,” he said. “She raped me.”
“I know,” Lisette said. “She vowed revenge for me carrying your child.”
“She can go straight to hell for all I care,” he said.
“Tell me how you really feel, Bart,” Lisette joked.
“How can you joke at a time like this? I have no idea how many of the witch hunters are in Moonlight Bay but they’re here,” he said.
“Witch hunters are here?” she asked. “I thought they were a wive’s tail.”
“Well they’re not,” he said. “One tried to kill me when I stopped to read the sign. They’ve used a spelled rock to write on the sign that all witches will die.”
“Goddess,” she said, grabbing her belly.
“Don’t worry I won’t let them get to you,” he said.
“So it’s lock down?” she asked.
“Not exactly,” he said. “For those of you without an active power it is. Robert, Gayland, and Bastien can be out if they watch their surroundings. Witch hunters aren’t very clever. They shoot first and ask questions later. Innocent people will die with the Arrows in town.”
“The Arrows?” she asked, looking startled. “Daddy always said they were the worse of the bunch.”
“They are,” Bart said. “I won’t let anything happen to you or the baby you’re carrying. That baby is our future.”
“Oh Bart, I’m scared,” she said.
“You should be,” he said. “No legacy meetings. The word is already out so they’ll be closing ranks pretty soon. If they need you to sign something they will come to you.”
“Okay,” she said.
“Bart, I thought I heard your voice,” said Lorette as she came in the room. “What’s going on?”
“Witch hunters,” he said. “Arrows.”
“In Moonlight Bay?” she asked, looking startled.
“Yes, so those of you without active powers have to stay in Grand House. I’ll be staying with you to keep them from shooting you. Pull all of the blinds and shades. I don’t want them seeing in here. I’m going to spell the windows to make them bullet proof here in a moment.”
“Oh it’s you,” said Walter as he came into the room.
“Walter you can hate me later,” Bart said. “There are witch hunters in Moonlight Bay. Bad ones. You and the girls are to stay in this house. I’ll be staying with you. I’m going to ask that you stay away from the windows.”
“I’m not a witch,” he said.
“No you’re not but they’ll kill you anyway because you’re married to one,” Bart said. “Now do as I say. Go back upstairs to your wife and baby.”
“That baby isn’t mine,” he said.
“Fine go upstairs to your wife and my baby,” Bart said. “And stop telling people that baby isn’t yours or you’ll get him killed.”
“All right,” Walter said and walked out of the room.
He went around and spelled the windows as Lorette pulled the shades. The phone rang and it was Bastien telling him that they’d engaged the witch hunters and killed four of them. Bart was pleased but until they got the head hunter they were vulnerable. Once the head was down the rest would leave Moonlight Bay and wait for orders. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to come back with the witches warned.
At last count four innocent people had been killed by the witch hunters. The police were involved now. They were looking for the killer of these people. They came to Grand House and took everyone’s statement though they’d been in the house all day long and hadn’t been near the scene where the four people were killed.
How many of them were in Moonlight Bay? He knew that Arrows usually traveled in packs but how many were in this pack? He didn’t know. He’d killed one and they’d killed four of them so five were dead. There shouldn’t be many more out there.
Charles came to the house and dropped of Angelique and his wife. They didn’t have active powers either. They were expecting Bart to watch over so many on his own. He could if they just stayed in the house.
More calls came in about more hunters killed. How many were there? He didn’t know but it went on like that for days. Finally they said it was all clear and they could go back outside. Bart wasn’t so sure. He knew the Arrows wouldn’t give up so easily. He’d know if they killed the head hunter.
He didn’t let his charges out of the house but Charles came and took Angelique and Saraphine with him. Bart was proven right when a hunter shot Saraphine in the head with one of their darts. She died instantly. They were still out there.
Time moved slowly for those in Grand House. They were getting on each other’s nerves but it wasn’t safe outside for any of them. Charles had found out the hard way and brought a very distraught Angelique back to them. Charles was a man on a mission now. He’d killed the hunter that had killed his wife but he wanted blood. Bart tried to tell him that it didn’t work that way. If he went off like that he’d get himself killed because he wasn’t watching his surroundings carefully enough.
Bart knew how they hunted. You could see the threat before you but two more flanked you and came at you from the side. It was pack hunting one oh one. He knew it and they knew it. Why Charles was going out alone was beyond Bart. He couldn’t stop him.
He received word that Charles was dead the next day. Then before he knew what was happening six more hunters were killed. It seemed that Bastien and Gayland were doing their job. They hid out for the entire month of June. This was not the way that Bart wanted to spend his time.
When July rolled around the women defied him and went out on their own. Lisette stayed behind because she was obviously ready to deliver at any time. Bart left the house on the tenth early in the morning and searched with Bastien and Gayland or the head hunter. They found him and killed him quickly. His name was Jason Newman. Bart thought he was old enough to be Gavin’s father.
He went back to the house in triumph and when he got there he got the shock of his life. Lisette was in labor and Maria was delivering the baby. She had used her power on Lisette but it wasn’t working. Lisette was crying.
“Take your baby and get away from here, Bart,” she said. “I made a deal with the hunters. You have to marry the daughter of the head or they’ll keep coming and they’ll kill Lisette.”
“What are you talking about?” he demanded.
“They were here, Bart,” she said. “They threatened to come back and kill Lisette if you didn’t do what they wanted. You’re the one they were after. They followed you here. Do this for us or I’ll go to my mother and tell her all of it.”
“So I have to marry the daughter of the head hunter even though I killed her brother and her father?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “Her father was only one head in town. If you don’t take your baby and marry Constance we all suffer.”
“Fine,” he said, not knowing what else to do.
“They know you’ll be in Boston,” she said. “That’s where they tracked you from. If you don’t marry her we’ll pay for it.”
“I’ll marry the woman,” he said as the baby came. Maria muttered under her breath.
And what was Garland doing here? He was one of the partners of Moreau Legal in Santa Barbara. What did he have to do with the deal that Maria made with the hunters? Bart was at a loss but then suddenly he heard a baby cry. Maria was holding his baby boy. He’d name him Quinn after John Quinn and Marcel after his nephew.
“Take him,” she said. “Get going. Constance went to buy a carrier for the baby she should be back by now.”
Bart took his son and wrapped him in a blanket. Then he went outside and found the dark haired woman standing beside his car. He took the carrier from her and put it in the car. He put the baby in it and buckled him in.
“We’ll be on the road for a long time,” he said. “You know that from following me here from Boston.”
“Is that all you have to say?” she asked. “You’re going to marry me after all.”
“But I don’t love you and I never will,” he said. “I love Lisette.”
“You’re sick,” she said as he got in the car with her suitcase.
Don’t I know it, Bart thought.
Maria I
“Come on Garland,” she said. “We’re going again.”
“Again? She already had the baby,” he said. “Bart just took off with him.”
“Well apparently it was twins,” she said. “Now help me.”
The baby was born rather quickly. She told him to take her away and give her to Anna and Garrison. They were waiting for him. He was beside himself. They were waiting for a baby that Maria claimed she didn’t know about?”
“Why don’t you just give the girl to her mother?” he asked.
“She’s not keeping Bart’s children in this house,” Maria spat. “I’m not keeping that brat you just take her to Anna and Garrison.”
“All right,” he said and left with the baby.
“There you have it, Lisette,” she said, smoothing her hair. “It’s over now.” She stopped using her power on her.
“Where is my baby?” Lisette asked in a pitiful voice. “Where’s Bart?”
“Bart has left you, Lisette,” Maria said. “He took the baby with him and he’s going to marry Constance Newman, the daughter of the head hunter.”
“You did this,” Lisette cried. “You! It’s always you!”
“You’re right,” she said, smiling. “I told you that you’d pay for what you did. Now you’re paying.”
“I’ll send the spirits after you,” Lisette said.
“Go ahead,” she laughed. “I’ll exorcise them.”
She left her lying there on the table and went up to tend to her own son. Bart’s son. Walter was right about the fact that he wasn’t his child. He was Bart’s son. His first born son. She would love him for the rest of her life. Just as she still loved Bart Moreau.
“Did Lisette have the baby?” Walter asked when she got to her room.
“Yes, and Bart took it to live with him in Boston,” she said.
“Just like that?” Walter said. “He’s in love with Lisette.”
“Well he’s marrying the head hunter’s daughter,” she said. “I brokered a deal when they were here. They won’t kill anymore witches in the family if Bart marries Constance and takes his son to live with them. They think they can train him or something.”
“You’re an evil bitch,” he said. “You did this to take revenge on Lisette for having Bart’s baby.”
“Yes, I did,” she said, smiling at him. “I told them they would pay for what they’d done.”
“My God, Maria,” he said. “I don’t even know who you are.”
“I’m your wife, that’s who I am,” she said. “You had better act the faithful husband, Walter. Your life depends on it.”
“You bitch,” he said.
She took Pierre out of his arms and nursed him as she laughed. She laughed about Walter and she laughed about Bart, Lisette, and her evil spawn. She laughed and laughed and laughed.
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