The Goddess' Blessing, Ch. 1

The Goddess' Blessing
By Angie "kitn" Hughes, AKA Hueloovoo

         Spring equinox had finally arrived, tonight was the night.
The moon was nicely full, too, an added bonus.
         Tracy turned off the monitor on his computer and walked
over to his personal altar. All the components for the spell he
was researching were gathered and waiting. He looked around his
room to be sure everything was in place, his bed neatly made, his
clothes clean and put away, his floor clean as he could manage...
All of the windows and doors were closed, and salt sprinkled
around them. He quickly stripped, and started the sage incense
burning. With a softly whispered prayer to the Goddess, he began
drawing a careful pentagram of sea salt on the floor around his
little altar.
         The symbol drawn, he mixed lavender oil and his own seed,
fresh from the source, in a copper bowl, then set it aside. He
carefully placed his wax effigies, one of himself and another of
a girl, upon the altar facing each other. He lit a wick in the
top of the wax image of himself, and then looked up.
         "Oh goddess of nature, beauty and love, please bless this
ritual with your presence, and help me to create the change I
desire!"
         So saying, he lit the candle image of the girl with the
burning image of himself.
         "Let one life begin as the same ends, let my physical form
become one with my soul's desired form!"
         He put out the candle of himself with his fingertips.
         "Let my old life end and the new begin!"
         Just then, a small white kitten with a pink patch in the
shape of a star on its chest nuzzled Tracy's leg, unnoticed by
him. As it crossed the circle of the pentagram, Tracy felt
suddenly weak and dizzy.
         Blackness engulfed his sight, and time stood still.

---

         Tracy awoke on the floor, the remains of the previous
night's activity scattered nearby. Tracy stood and shut off the
alarm that had been buzzing, then gasped in shock. The spell had
worked, as he had hoped and trusted it would, but it was still a
shock to find this new body, this *wonderful* new female body!
         'Omigods...How am I going to explain this to Mom and Dad?'
she thought, grabbing a robe to go take a bath. Tracy's mother
passed by in the hall on the way, with nary a second glance.
         "Tracy, honey, you better hurry. You slept in this morning,
and school starts in half an hour."
         "Alright, Mom, thanks!" Her voice was different, higher
now. She bit back an excited giggle, it had really worked! And
her mom didn't even notice!
         "Oh, Tracy, I went to the store last night, they're under
the bathroom sink next to your bath herbs."
         Tracey wondered at this, but shrugged and went to the
bathroom. She loved getting up early to take long, hot cleansing
herbal baths, so sleeping in wasn't a problem anyway, but she did
want to get in a short bath at least, to make sure this new body
was cleansed of all unhealthy influences. Especially sweat, she
felt really sticky.
         She turned on the bath, grabbing some lavender, her
favorite herb, and bath salts for the bath, and knocked over a
small package. Picking it up, she looked curiously at it, what
was it doing in here with her bath stuff?
         On closer inspection, she realized what it was. A box of
tampons. Then what her mother had said sank in: her mother
thought she had always been a girl! This was even better, if
everyone was like this, she wouldn't have to explain anything!
         Putting the box back, she hopped into the bath, relishing
the feel of hot scented water against her skin. She carefully
scrubbed every inch of her skin, getting rid of the sweat of last
night's exertions. She couldn't stop a need to pay special
attention to her more intimate parts, making sure they were real!
On inspection, a thin trickle of red told her the box in the
cupboard would be necessary already.
         "Man, my first day as a girl, and I'm already having my
period." She was reminded once again of the difference in her
voice, and decided it was well worth it. The blood showed her
that the transformation was absolute: she had all the right
parts, and could even get pregnant!
         Climbing out of the tub, she drained it, and opened the
box. The tampons were small, thin tubes with fabric in the
middle, she had never used one before, so she read the box
carefully and tried to follow the instructions.
         "Damn thing!" She growled, trying to get it in right. The
thing just didn't seem to want to go anywhere comfortable inside.
"Ow..." After more struggling and cursing, she finally figured
out exactly where it went, and tried to forget about it, going
back to her bedroom.
         'I hope my clothes changed, too... I should have planned
ahead better than this...' She thought, reaching her room. Seeing
the mess, she scuffed the salt symbols into the carpet for later
vacuuming, noticing but dismissing the small kitten pawprints in
the pentagram, and replaced the altar and candles back into their
little corner of the room. Strangely, the male candle was burned
down to a puddle of wax, while the girl candle she had left
burning still looked as if it had yet to even be lit.
         The mess cleaned up, she checked her dresser. Thanking the
Goddess for making the transition as easy as possible, she pulled
on a pair of pink panties and a matching bra, glad for the simple
style of both, as well as the front clasp of the bra. Then she
found some jeans and a Tommy t-shirt, and slipped her pentagram
pendant under the shirt.
         Slipping on her tennis shoes, she went to the kitchen for a
quick breakfast, brushed her long brown hair and left for school.
         On the walk to the high school, Tracy saw a few of her
friends, and waved to them.
         "Hey, guys, what's up?" She greeted them, and was shocked
when they ignored her. One, Victor, even laughed when he realized
she had been greeting them.
         "Hey, guys, get a load of the lesbo tryin' to make nice!
Hey, Tracy, sack any chicks lately?"
         Tracy stared in open-mouthed shock at the angry tirade.
         "What are you talking about? Vic, we've been friends since
fifth grade, why are you being such an asshole?"
         "If I remember right, it was you bein' a bitch last year,
carpetmuncher. Sarah was into me, till you butted in."
         Tracy backed away, and hurried on toward the high school,
wondering what other nasty surprises were waiting. 'I guess it
makes sense, I'm not really into guys... But damn, he was
pissed!' She kept her mouth shut the rest of the way, ignoring
anyone else she recognized.
         As she sat at her desk in her first class, she thought back
to the meeting with Victor. 'I don't remember him knowing any
Sarah last year... But he might just have not told me. But I
wouldn't steal my friend's girlfriend...'
         "MISS Campbell... Are you present today, or should I just
write you off as absent? Now if you will pay attention, please
explain to the class why Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was an
uplifting story, even as a tragedy?"
         "Yes, Mrs. Dalton, I'm sorry." Tracy wanted to die, but
settled for paying attention.

         Lunch came around, and on the way to the cafeteria, Tracy
heard her name from the side.
         "Tracy! Hey, what's wrong, why are you so air-headed
today?" Three girls were looking worriedly at her, and Tracy had
no idea who they were.
         "Oh... Hi, guys... Sorry, lot of stuff is going on
lately... Sorry. So, what's up?"
         "Same old same old. Sarah's party was great, too bad you
didn't show." Sarah must be the one nodding and looking upset...
Tracy made a mental note to apologize later.
         "So... Whatcha girls doing after school? I don't have
anything to do today, and I'm gonna die of boredom." Tracy tried
to find something to say, still reeling over new friends and the
loss of her old ones.
         "You mean after cheerleading tryouts?" That didn't sound
good... "Well, I don't have anything planned, do you, Tara?" That
must be the brunette...
         "No, I was just going to finish up my homework and write
some more... I just started the hot scene where the main
characters finally hook up. But I'm still kinda blocked on it."
         "Well, why don't we do something then?" Tracy was getting
the hang of this, socializing with these girls wasn't much
different from the guys, except the cheerleading bit... She hoped
she wasn't part of the squad, she didn't know the first thing
about it.
         "Like what? There's nothing to do in this little hole of a
town." Tara looked disgusted.
         "I don't know, just something. I'm tired of being stuck at
home."
         "Well, it's not much but we could go to the mall again. I
still haven't decided on a homecoming dress yet!" The girl Tracy
had yet to place a name to chimed in.

         The rest of the school day passed swiftly, and to Tracy's
dismay, she found her name on the tryout list, but after a half-
hearted attempt at a few cheers, she was relieved to be sure she
was not future cheerleader material. Tara, however, displayed an
amazing proficiency at cheering, and Tracey found herself
enjoying watching her new friend perform.
         "Hey, Tara, that was pretty good! I must have looked like a
total klutz."
         "Thanks! But what happened to you? You were a lot better
than that when we practiced together last weekend." Tara
remarked.
         "Well, like I said, I've had a lot on my mind lately."
         "Well, let's hurry back to the locker room and clean up,
then we can go look at dresses. I bet you're really excited to be
nominated for homecoming, huh? I know I was shocked to see my
name on the list!"
         "What??? I mean, yeah, I can't wait..."
         "Try not to say anything in front of Casey, though. She
wasn't nominated, so she must be disappointed."
         'She can have my nomination...' "Casey?"
         "Duh, you ARE air-headed lately! You know, short red hair,
lives next door to you, suggested the mall at lunch?"
         "Oh, yeah, Casey."
         The two reached the showers, at which Tracy blushed and
forged ahead, knowing she couldn't show any hesitation. Changing
beforehand hadn't been bad, but the showers looked to be an
exercise in courage for Tracy. She stripped and followed Tara,
managing not to stare.
         As they were changing back into their regular clothes, Tara
pointed out Tracy's sweats from tryouts.
         "Tracy... You forgot to change your tampon! You better
change it before you put your jeans back on."
         "Oh shit! I didn't bring any with me, either!"
         "There's a machine on the wall over there. Are you sure
you're alright, Tracy? I've never seen you this absent-minded
before!"
         Tracy blushed and dug out a few coins for the machine,
putting in the fresh tampon with a bit more skill than that
morning.  She made a mental note not to do that again, or she
might actually die of humiliation!
         After that embarrassing scene, they dressed again, and
walked back towards Tracy's house. Tara turned a few blocks ahead
to go home, and Tracy watched her go, noting which house she
entered.
         Returning home herself, Tracy was greeted by her mom and
went to her room to clear her mind a bit and listen to music. At
least her taste in music seemed to be the same; none of her CD
collection was missing or changed. She popped in her Alanis CD
and hit track eight, 'Head Over Feet,' and lay down on her bed,
trying to sort out the day's events. Tracy had never imagined how
minutely the details of her life would change when preparing the
spell; she only had known that being male was NOT right. Now,
things were starting to feel right, even though it seemed like new
surprises were massing to leap at he every few seconds. She
resolved herself mentally to enjoy every second of this new lease
on life as the Goddess-given treasure it was.

         A short while later, the telephone by Tracy's bed rang. She
muted the music and answered.
         "Hello?"
         "Tracy, it's Sarah. Just wanted to check with you, can you
make it to the mall with us?"
         "Sure, but it'll have to wait till 5:30 when my dad gets
home, if I'm going to borrow his car."
         "No problem. Your dad's nice about that! Mine doesn't trust
me to drive; he says I don't have enough experience driving. Like
I'm supposed to practice without a car to practice in!"
         "Oh, he'll get over it eventually I'm sure. Or maybe he's
planning to get you one of your own for your birthday or
something!"
         "I hope so, it sucks having to bum rides off of everyone
else, when I worked hard to make sure to pass the driver's
license test!"
         "I know the feeling. I hate waiting till Dad gets home
every night, it's so boring hanging around home for two hours
after school!"
         "So, what dress were you thinking of for homecoming? I saw
a few last time we checked the mall, but you didn't point out any
you liked."
         "Well, I... didn't see any I liked at all. I'm hoping they
have something new this time."
         "Go with something green, it matches your eyes, and you're
one of the few people I know who can wear green well, so you
might as well flaunt it!"
         "Sure, I'll look."
         "So I hear Vic caught you again before school. Is he still
trying to spread that crap about you being lesbian? I can't
believe the nerve of guys like him, just because you told me he
was the one that started the rumor last year. It was his own
fault, but just because you let me know he's a jerk, he calls you
a dyke."
         "Well, what can you do? I just ignored him anyway, it's not
like he knows anything." Tracy lied.
         "Yeah... Still, it pisses me off..."
         "So, where were you and Casey during cheerleading tryouts?
I didn't see you there, and you were the one who reminded me
about them at lunch!"
         "Well, you know Casey's parents won't let her, and I just
didn't want to spend all my after-school time next year on it. It
just lost its appeal to me, since some of the other girls
believed that gay rumor. I'm surprised you tried out, really."
         "Call me thick-skinned, what they think won't hurt me. I
know who I am."
         "Lucky you, I thought I was going to die when they all
stared at me this year."
         "I'm sorry... And it's partly my fault..."
         "Oh shut up. It's ALL Victor's fault. So get over it and be
happy when we go to the mall, kay?"
         "Alright. Have you already called the others?"
         "No... I need to go, I'll get a hold of Tara and Casey.
Talk to you later!"
         "Laters!"

         The mall was a small town affair, hardly a mall at all. It
consisted of several specialized stores in one long strip,
leaving customers to travel outdoors between shops. The girls
chattered about nothing and everything as they visited a pre-
selected route... A bath supplies store, a beauty salon and
supply outlet, three different clothing stores and, of course, a
candy shop. Tracy bought a few herbs and bath salts at the first,
some shampoo the others coerced her into at the last second, and
then scanned the clothing stores. She had little experience
shopping for girls' clothes, and didn't say much, but Tara, Sarah
and Casey didn't seem to notice.
         "Tracy! There it is, the perfect dress for you! You've got
to try it on!"
         The gown Sarah so enthusiastically pointed out did look
good, Tracy admitted to herself. It was a velvet green color,
with silky black trim and a deep V-neck decollatage. The skirt
was long, and flared outward, with a subtle black design in the
velvet green cloth.
         "Ooh, you're right, Sarah! I think I'll ask Mom to buy me
it for homecoming."
         "You have to try it first, silly! Besides, I want to see
how you look in it!" Sarah almost dragged Tracy to the counter,
and asked about the particular dress in Tracy's size, then herded
her to the change room while Tara and Casey looked at other gowns
in the store. After a short time, the saleswoman returned with
another dress the same style and color, in Tracy's size, showing
that peculiar ability good salespeople have for judging exact
size at a glance.
         Moments later, Tracy reappeared from the changing room
door, spinning a small circle for her friends' benefit.
         "Wow, Tracy, that's perfect on you! How do I look?" Tara
gushed, spinning her own little circle in a tight red number.
         "Great, Tara! Who are you planning on springing that on?
Whoever he is, he'll probably pass out!" Tracy giggled.
         Tara blushed almost as red as the dress, mumbling something
vague about nosy friends, and returned to the change room. Tracy
followed suit, returning the gown reluctantly to the saleslady
for now. Tara bought hers on the spot.
         "How about you, Casey? Find anything to wear to
homecoming?"
         "Oh, I don't know. Nothing really caught my eye." Tracy
looked at Casey, sensing some reluctance, and decided to pay her
neighbor more visits soon.
         "Suit yourself, but it's not that long until Friday..."
Tracy offered. Casey didn't answer.

         The four finally reached the end of the strip mall, a small
candy shop. It seemed the perfect place to just hang out and
talk, which the girls did at great length. Tracy noticed again
that Casey seemed reticent, and tried to get the girl to come out
of her shell a little.
         "So, Casey, do you have a date planned for Friday?"
         "No, not really. All the guys that asked me were lamers. I
don't know, I never was much for dances anyway."
         "Aw, come on... Are you even planning on going?" Tracy
managed a pouty look without consciously trying, and Casey smiled
a little.
         "Well, I guess... It's just... I dunno. I'll go." Casey
smiled wider, and changed tack. "So who are you going with,
Tracy?"
         All eyes centered on Tracy, and she had absolutely no idea
how to answer.
         "Ummm, well, no one's really asked me." Sarah and Tara
looked on with what could be considered shock, while Casey seemed
thoughtful.
         "How about we go together then? After all, surely there'll
be a few... cute guys there without dates, right?"
         "Is that a good idea?" Sarah asked, "With all of those
rumors going around about Tracy being gay?" Tara nodded.
         "Well, maybe that's why no one's asked me. But I said it
before, I'm not about to let some jerk spreading rumors bother
me. I know who I am, and no stupid rumor can change that. If
people buy into that kinda rumor without bothering to get the
truth from me, I don't want to know them, and I don't care what
they think."
         Sarah and Tara looked dubious at this, but shrugged and
decided to support their friend's courage. Casey simply stared a
moment, then smiled.
         "Alright then, it's a date!"
         A moment later, something made Tracy look to the right,
away from the shop. Spotting a small mass of white, she walked
over to check it. A small kitten, white except for a pink
starburst pattern on its chest, looked up with wide eyes.
         "Hello there, cutie! Where's your owner?" The cat looked up
soulfully, and Tracy noticed it had no collar.
         "Are you a stray? You look too clean and healthy, are you
lost?" She somehow sensed this wasn't the case, and picked the
cat up, feeling a strange connection to it. When she returned to
the place her friends sat, eating snacks, they instantly circled
her.
         "Wow, what a cute kitten, can I hold her?"
         "Is she a stray?"
         "I've never seen a cat that looked like that before!"
         The three all wanted a chance to hold and pet the kitten,
falling quickly in love with the small animal. Logically, Tracy
knew she should be worried the cat might have rabies, or fleas or
something, but it just seemed impossible, somehow, that this
kitten could be less than perfect.
         "I'm going to keep her. She's so cute, and I don't think
she has a home." Tracy stated, and the other girls looked
crestfallen, each had wanted the kitten themselves!

         "So, can I keep her, Daddy?" Tracy gave her best impression
of cuteness, and it seemed to work.
         "If you can take care of it, then you can keep it, I guess.
I just better not find any messes in the house."
         "Thanks, Daddy!" She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.
This was so right; she had never been able to let out her
feelings like this as a boy... Her dad would have freaked if the
old Tracy had called him "Daddy" like that, much less kissed him
on the cheek. She felt much closer to her family than ever
before. Speaking of which...
         Tracy took the stairs two at a time and found her mom in
the kitchen.
         "Oh, hi, Tracy! Did you want to help me with dinner
tonight?"
         "Sure, Mom, I'd love to!" She smiled and took over cutting
some vegetables. "Mom, I saw this great dress for homecoming at
the mall today, would you come look at it with me tomorrow? I
want your opinion, especially since I can't afford it myself."
         "Sure, honey! I was starting to wonder if you were even
going this year!"
         Tracy added the carrots and cucumber slices to the salad,
and took it out to set the table.
         "Thanks, Mom, I was too. No one even asked me until today."
         "Well, at your age, boys are amazingly blind. Especially if
it took one this long to ask you!"
         "Yeah, you could say that, Mom... But I'm glad, really. I
wanted someone I felt comfortable going with anyway."
         "Good for you, honey!"

         After supper, Tracy went to her room. The kitten had waited
obediently for her; looking up with eyes Tracy could swear were
more intelligent than any animal's should be.
         "So, what should I call you, huh?" As if in answer, a word
appeared in her head before she had a chance to think about it.
         "Baidh, huh? Kinda unique, I like it! Come here, Baidh!"
         The little cat hopped obediently onto her bed.
         "Why do I feel so strangely connected to you? Are you a
familiar, come to seek me out? Cats are a little cliche, you
know."
         The cat looked back as if to say, "Yes, and with good
reason."
         "Why do I feel like you know exactly what I'm saying, and
are answering me?"
         'Because I do know, and I am answering you.' Wow...
         'You don't have to speak aloud, I can hear your thoughts,
as you can hear mine.' Tracy shut her mouth, and decided not to
be surprised. After all, only twenty-four hours ago, she had had
a male body.
         'Okay... So did you seek me out just because my spell
worked?' The cat shook its head.
         'No, the spell worked because I sought you out. The anguish
in your soul called to me, and I wanted to help you fix it. So, I
unlocked the power in you the power to do so. But it won't be an
easy road, either. After all, such gifts are NEVER given without a
price, and often more of a price than even I know.' Baidh lectured.
         'I know, but anything is worth this. I could die happy
right now.'
         'That is a distinct possibility, Tracy. You are in a lot of
danger, you are a new witch and don't know your own abilities
yet. Without guidance, you could do yourself and others great
harm. And there are others who will want to take your power from
you.'
         'What, you mean demons and such, like in that TV show
"Charmed?"'
         'No, as long as you don't try to summon nasty things, they
shouldn't bother you. It's other humans in search of power you have
to watch for. You made waves in the balance of power. And sadly,
few humans who realize their own power are content with what they
are given. You aren't any more powerful than most witches, but
you don't have the experience to protect yourself, so you are an
easy target.'
         'Well, then, I'll have to learn, won't I? But for now, I'm
exhausted. Is it safe for me to go to sleep, at least?'
         'I will watch over you while you sleep. Be prepared to
start learning tomorrow.'
         "Goodnight, Baidh!" Tracy laughed, happy to at least have
one friend who knew her secret life.

         Morning arrived, and Tracy turned off her alarm two minutes
before it would have gone off, thankful for that small reminder
that she was the same as ever, only with the correct body now.
She went for the bathroom, followed by Baidh, and turned on the
bath, filling it with very hot water. She was in the middle of
adding her favorite herbs and bath salts, when Baidh displayed
her approval.
         'Lavender and sea salts... Herbs and sea salt are good,
though people overestimate their significance. Still, they do
help focus your mind and beliefs, so you should use them whenever
you feel they are appropriate.'
         'Is that my first lesson, then, Baidh? Follow your
instincts? I just use them because the salts and lavender make me
feel more cleansed. And it smells nice, too. The guys used to
tease me about it, smelling like a girl they said.'
         'Well, you should have been proud. After all, girls are
supposed to smell like girls, right?'
         'Yeah. They just got over it and accepted it anyway,
eventually.'
         Tracy relaxed in her bath, relishing the feel of the hot
water on her softer, more sensitive skin, as Baidh reinstructed
her on the basics of witchcraft that she had read long ago when
she first started believing in it. She cleared up a few small
misconceptions, and laughed when Baidh asserted that the witches
she saw on television were the worst examples of stupidity for
misleading the unwary.
         'Baidh... I don't mean to seem ungrateful, but this is all
stuff I've been reading and have believed for a long time. I know
that witchcraft is all mental ability, and that all the herbs,
rituals and tools of the craft are just ways to focus your mind
on what you want.'
         'Perhaps, but you can't afford to harbor even the least of
misconceptions. These are the basic principles of everything you
need to know, if you don't believe them all completely, you will
never be able to reach your potential. And other witches will
quickly take your power, kill you, or worse.'
         'Alright then, teach on.' Tracy listened attentively as she
dried off, and went back to her room to dress for school. She had
set the alarm even earlier than usual, so that she could spend a
little more time examining the changes in her room and wardrobe.
After all, it was her sacred space. And despite having had the
body she wanted all of her life for more than a day now, she
didn't even know her own measurements or taste in clothing!
         Checking her drawers and closets, she found that she wore a
32B bra (modest, but she hadn't wanted to be spectacular anyway),
and her clothes ranged from a size 6 to 8, depending on the type
of clothes. She liked her selection, some girly dresses, 2
cheerleading outfits, plenty of jeans and t-shirts, and an
impressive variety of shoes. She decided to keep things simple
for the moment, and went with a tight pair of jeans and a t-shirt
emblazoned with the word "Angel." She also was very careful to
bring a few extra tampons in her backpack today, reminding
herself to change them every few hours to avoid a repeat of the
previous afternoon's embarrassment.
         'What will you do while I'm at school, Baidh?'
         'I'll be nearby. You can talk to me across any distance
like this.'
         Tracy went to the kitchen, kissed her parents good morning,
and started in to breakfast. Minutes later, she was on her way to
school again, this time with Casey in tow.
         "You look particularly happy today, Tracy... I take it your
mom is going to get you the dress?"
         "Yeah, and I just feel more... myself today than in a very
long time."
         "Yeah... Me too..." Tracy completely missed the sparkle of
joy in Casey's eyes as they walked.
         "Hey, you two, you look all cheery today... Guess you
really weren't all that upset about tryouts, huh, Tracy? I
thought it was just an act. You seemed so happy about
cheerleading last week."
         "Well, it just wasn't as important as I thought. But I'm
glad you made it, Tara!" Tracy changed the subject slightly.
         "Yeah, I love the workout it gets me, and being the center
of attention, I guess!"
         The other three laughed at this, and they headed on to
school. From a block away, Victor watched, rage clearly evident
in his eyes, unnoticed by either his friends, or the target of
his fury: Tracy.

         School passed rather quickly for Tracy, and she was having
the time of her life! Classes seemed almost pointless now, but
she used the time to socialize, passing notes and chatting in
class. Just before her last class, while retrieving her books
from her locker, Tracy noticed a golden glimmer. Someone had
slipped a ring into the vents in her locker!
         Feeling flattered, Tracy immediately slipped the ring on,
turning it to view the stone embedded in the top. It was a red
stone with small black flecks swirled into it, polished to a very
pretty sheen. Under the ring, she found a note.

         'From my heart, I send this to you
         A ring to show my intentions are true
         A stone set in red, the color of passion
         A ring of gold, forever lasting'
                   An admirer

         Tracy looked into the stone, wondering who might have sent
her such a beautiful gift. The ring might be gold-plated, or low-
quality, but somehow she didn't think so. Someone had gone to
great lengths to give her this, and she would find out who
tonight. Maybe it was Casey... She found herself humming happily
as she walked to her last class of the day.

         "Hey, Tracy, where'd you get that ring?" Casey asked on the
way home from school.
         "I... I'm not really sure; I found it in my locker with a
note... Someone's trying to get my attention with a "Secret
Admirer" act. It is kinda sweet, though" Tracey said, deciding
maybe it wasn't from Casey after all.
         "Well, whoever it is, is trying pretty hard! That ring
looks expensive."
         "Don't worry, I already promised I'd go to the dance with
you, Casey!" Tracy giggled conspiratorially.
         Casey made big goo-goo eyes at Tracy. "Oh, thank you, that
would have broken my fragile little heart!" That said, the two
girls descended into a giggling fit.

         "Mom, I'm home!" Tracy called out, stepping in the front
door.
         "Hi, honey! How was school?" Was the answer from the
kitchen.
         "Not bad. Same old, same old." Tracey walked into the
kitchen, made herself a sandwich and watched her mom do dishes.
         "Tracey, hon, are you ready to go to the mall? I wanted to
see that dress you want so much!"
         Tracy nodded, her mouth full of sandwich, and went to her
room to put away her homework for now. As she stepped into her
room, she suddenly felt dizzy and weak. A headache formed
suddenly, driving all thought from her as she fell to her knees.
Then the room went black.
         Tracey woke seconds later, to the feeling of a sandpapery
tongue licking her cheek. 'Wake up, Tracy, it's me, Baidh!'
         'Wha... what happened?' Tracy thought, feeling the odd
headache and weakness gone already.
         'Your life energy dropped suddenly, almost dangerously low.
Did anything happen to you?'
         'No... I just got really weak and dizzy for a-'
         "Tracy, are you ready?" Her mom called out from downstairs.
         "Yeah, Mom, just a minute!" 'Baidh, we'll figure this out
later, I have to go.'
         'Be careful, Tracy. Something isn't right about this.'

         The mall was exactly as it had been the day before,
somewhat busy with teenagers hanging out, gossiping and looking
for just the right dress for prom, or snacking at the candy shop.
         Tracy led her mom to the store where she had found the
dress, then pointed it out to her. Tracy then dutifully tried on
the dress again, spinning a little dance to show it off, and Mrs.
Campbell smiled in response.
         "That looks wonderful on you, Tracy!" Ignoring the high
price tag, Mrs. Campbell bought her daughter the dress with a
credit card, and then carried the package as the mother-daughter
pair went to visit the candy shop. Over sodas and cookies, Tracy
learned about her mother in a way she had never been able to
before. They talked about school, social life, Tracy's father,
and the merits of living as a housewife. It seemed Tracy's mom
loved her place, unlike many modern women, as a homemaker. It
gave her free time to follow her own pursuits, including the
mystery novels she loved reading and writing.  She had even been
published a few times!
         Then, Tracy's mother asked her about the ring. She seemed
to have just noticed it, and was asking if Tracy had an admirer
when the weakness struck again. It didn't seem as strong this
time, but Tracy still reeled, as her vision went momentarily dim.
         "Tracy, are you alright? You almost fainted!" Tracey looked
up, gathering her wits.
         "I'm... okay Mom, it was just a little dizziness."
         "Well, we should get home anyway. I want to start dinner
before your father gets home, want to help?"
         "Sorry, Mom, but I have a lot of homework tonight."
         "That's alright, homework comes first."

         'Baidh?' Tracy walked into her room, closing the door
behind her. The white kitten hopped into her lap. 'This is
getting bad, it happened again.'
         'I know. I think this is your first challenge... Someone is
using your life energy to cast his or her own spells.'
         Tracy thought about this, not having the slightest clue
what to do.
         'How can anyone do that? I haven't let anyone know about
me, much less given them any of my power.'
         'It has to be some kind of link, this kind of thing isn't
possible unless your enemy is drawing through something you're in
contact with.'
         "The ring!" Tracy jumped up, almost yelling out loud, as
she removed the gold ring she had found in her locker.
         "Tracy, are you alright? I heard a shout..." Her mother
peeked in the door; to find Tracy holding a ring the way one
might hold a live scorpion. "What's going on in here?"
         "Oh, um... Mom, I just remembered I had this ring... A
friend lent it to me, and I need to return it."
         Tracy's mother looked unconvinced, but seemed to accept
this.
         "Well, make sure that you do, it looks very valuable, and
whoever owns it will be glad to get it back, I'm sure."
         "Yes, I just bet they will..."

         The next morning, Tracy watched everybody surreptitiously
as she walked with her friends to school. Nothing seemed out of
place, no one was giving her covert looks, or glowing black, or
anything. Sarah, Tara and Casey were getting upset at her
inattention, however.
         "Tracy, what is your problem lately? One minute you're
ignoring us, and the next you're acting like there's someone out
to kill you! Are you on drugs or something?"
         Tracy looked surprised for a moment, had she been that
obvious?
         "Sorry... It's just, somebody gave me a ring yesterday with
a 'secret admirer' letter, and I'm trying to figure out who it
is."
         "Jeez, Tracy, is that all? The way you act, you'd think it
had been a death threat, not a ring!" Tara frowned at her.
         "Come on, Tara. She's probably just afraid it's Victor
again. Maybe he wants to make up for the rumor thing, you know?
They were pretty close before she dropped him. You never did say
why you did that, Tracy, you two were a hot couple, and he didn't
turn into an asshole until Sarah told him off, too," Casey pried.
         "I dunno, I guess it just wasn't working out." Tracy
stalled. She was stilled shocked to find out she and Vic had had
a thing, and had no idea what might have happened. After all, a
lot of this changed life was new to her.
         Sarah looked down for a moment, and then looked sadly at
Tracy when no one else was looking. Almost as if she knew
whatever it was that had happened, and was keeping some secret
about it. Tracy decided to try and pry it from her later.
         
         "Tracy, is it bothering you again?" Sarah asked at lunch.
The other girls hadn't shown up yet, so the two were alone at
their usual table.
         "What do you mean?" Tracy had no idea what the other girl
meant.
         "You know, Victor. You got over the whole thing pretty
fast, last year, and what Victor did to you... Well, it worries
me the way you're acting today."
         "I don't even know what you're talking about. I don't
remember Vic doing anything to me."
         "You can't hide it from me, Tracy, I kept the secret, but I
won't let you just bottle it up. I mean, jeez, he tried to rape
you!"
         Tracy just gaped. Vic had done that? Victor, the guy that
was always so self-conscious before?  This change went really
deep, and for once, Tracy worried that it might not all be good
changes.
         "Listen, Sarah, don't worry about it. I can handle Victor;
he's not what's been bothering me. I can handle it, okay? I
really am alright."
         "Well, okay, but let me know if you ever need help. I still
owe you for the warning about Victor, after all." Tracy smiled,
and agreed, just as the other girls came to join them.

         Tracy dropped her books in her locker, and grabbed some
others. Another note caught her eye, and she held it like one
might hold a live scorpion, before opening and reading it...:

         'I see you enjoyed my little gift.
         I enjoyed what it gave me from you.
         Can you find me before I strike again?
                   Your admirer...'

         Tracy crumpled the note and threw it in the trash. This was
getting scary, somebody was stalking her, but she couldn't tell
anybody because who would believe it? She had to find this
person, and soon.
         
         After school, Tracy went straight to her room.
         'Baidh, are you in here?' The kitten crept out from under
her bed.
         'Yes, Tracy?'
         'Is there any way I can use this ring to find out who's
stalking me?' To an observer they looked like a girl just playing
with her pet kitten, but Tracy closed the door and curtains
anyway.
         'Yes, but you'll have to put it back on. You'll be
vulnerable to your attacker then, but if you're quick enough, you
might find out who it is before they try to drain you again.'
         'I have to try it, Baidh. Whoever it is sent me another
note today, and I can't stand not being able to do anything about
it.'
         
         Tracy stood in her little sea-salt pentacle, staring into a
copper bowl full of water, incense smoking at the sides of her
little altar. Waving her ceremonial knife over the bowl, she
concentrated on finding the source of the enchantment on the
ring, then, feeling prepared, she slipped the ring over her
finger.
         Slowly an image formed in the water, brown eyes seemingly
stared back at her, being the first part of the image to clarify.
Baidh stood at her knee, eyes closed, but Tracy was sure she
could see the image form as well.
         The image suddenly cleared up completely, as the lips
moved. Tracy gasped, feeling her life begin to ebb.
         "Victor!" She gasped, and Victor's face seemed to laugh
cruelly at her. She fumbled the ring off of her finger hurriedly,
sure that this time he wouldn't stop when she passed out.
         'Tracy!' Baidh's mental voice screamed as all went black.

         Lights. Bright lights were shining into Tracy's eyes as she
opened them. Starched cotton sheets of an unimposing blue lie up
to her neck, and she saw her mother leaning over.
         "Tracy, you're awake!"
         "Mom? What happened? The last thing I remember..."
         "Tracy, what are you involved in? When I found you in your
room, you looked like something out of a witch movie! You're not
doing Satanic stuff or something are you?"
         "Mom, relax... It's nothing like that. You know I wouldn't
do anything evil!"
         "Well, the doctor said you were anemic to the edge of
death... I was so scared I was going to lose you..."
         "Mom... I'm alright. I just passed out, is all." Tracy
lifted her arm to hold her mom's hand, feeling incredibly weak.
         "Tracy... The doctor did a test, and said you weren't on
drugs or anything, but why did you pass out? Are you in some kind
of trouble?"
         "Don't worry, mom... It's just stress. Some guy at school
is giving me some trouble, and with the dance coming up
tomorrow..."
         "Well, just take care, okay? You really scared me tonight."
         "Okay, Mom, I promise. Can we go home now?"
         "Yes, the doctor already told me we could go when you wake
up. He just said to make sure you eat tonight, to rebuild your
strength."

         Baidh's mental voice spoke up the moment Tracy entered her
room.
         'Tracy, are you alright? Whatever he did that drained you
so badly must have been big! Before you passed out, you said it
was Victor that did this, do you remember?'
         'Yes, I remember it all, Baidh. And I intend to deal with
him as soon as I figure out how. In the meantime, I have to
wonder, what DID he do that took so much out of me? As you said,
it has to be big, and I'm sure it's not done with my best
interests in mind...'
         Tracy flopped down on her bed, looking up at the ceiling.
         'Baidh, I'm going to take a bath, and think this stuff
through a bit.' Baidh hopped onto the bed, the ring in her mouth.
         'Maybe you should do something with this?'
         Tracy sat up, put the ring in the bottom of a drawer,
hidden inside a rolled-up pair of socks. Then she left for the
bathroom.
         'Poor kid, she's still not ready for this...'