ade was silent in thought trying to grasp everything that had happened. Her recent shift had her slightly disorientated and she had never stayed that long in wolf form. It made her wonder just how long she could stay. A thousand other thoughts ran through her head.

"Why do you hate Michael?" Kat asked
Jade sighs
"I don't entirely hate him. I hate what he has done plus I don't really know him. Darryl shuts his mind off to me every time he thinks about dad and that hurts. In essence dad pushes Dazz and me apart in those times. I wish however that Dazz would open his mind and share his memories so that maybe I can see the good things to"

Kat sensing Jade's discomfort changes the subject

"What exactly is this towns ball?"
Jade smiles gratefully
"It's a yearly celebration. It started out as a wiccan festival to remind us of our roots in this town and while the ceremony is still practiced it has become more of a dinner dance than a real festival. This town was formed originally by a coven and it grew. Eventually people from all sorts of backgrounds moved here and so the coven decided not to force anyone into the ritual and agreed that a ball would suffice as it was general enough not to upset anyone. However the magick still is strong here and we still celebrate but normally after the ball. I guess you would feel the magick more than me since you are wiccan yourself"
"Wouldn't you?"
"Only in wolf form and then it is the strength of the trees and the rocks and so on"
"Anyway like any dance you tend to take someone with you..." Jade drifts off in thought

They arrive at the shop and were surprised to see Marc there. They pull up in front of him and get out

"I thought you were going to tell your parents... were going home" Jade said
"I was but I just needed to get my wits about me. I knew you were going to come here so I thought I would get some stuff and then head home."

Jade opened the shop and walked in leaving Kat and Marc outside. She went to the storeroom where the clothes where kept along with other expensive items. She browsed through all the dresses and other items of clothing she made. She grabbed a few of the dressed and walked back into the main area of the shop. Kat was standing there with a smile on her face and it grew as she saw the dresses.

"Your quite a seamstress Jade" She complimented
"Thanks. Where is Marc"
"Oh he left. He just wanted to invite me to the ball officially, isn't that great?" Kat said smiling again
Jade laughed and Kat looked a little hurt
"I forgot to inform you that when you go to the ball you either go alone or you get asked. To be asked means that the asker likes you"
"Oh dear. That could be a problem"
"Only if you don't like him back" Jade teased and then looked at Kat "You like him don't you?"
Kat blushes
"Well in that case I suggest you take this dress"

Jade hands Kat a deep purple dress with forest green symbols on it. The symbols meant a variety of things but mostly meant joy and happiness. Kat beamed falling in love with it straight away and nodding her agreement.

"So who are you and Dazz going with?"

***

Meanwhile Donna had walked into town and gone to the inn to retire to her room. No-one seemed to have noticed she had blood all over her, in fact strangely enough no-one noticed Donna at all. As she reached the room she had hired out the other night incase she was betrayed by Alex. She had done this several times but this time he had betrayed her. She washed and then when she was all clean set about casting a very extensive spell. She had to be fully cleansed to cast it and so she shifted into her real body. She sighed gratefully. She was going to keep helping Alex but only because it suited her. As she looked into the mirror she still couldn't understand why Michael never loved her. He would pay now and then Alex would pay for his deception. As she fetched all her crystals and candles she thought about what she could do. She had decided to change form to look like Michael's current wife and kill him that way and she knew that if he saw through her spell she was dead but it was a chance she was willing to take. The only question was how was she going to make sure she would be able to see him and catch him off guard. A piece of paper was laying on her bed and suddenly caught her eyes. A maid must of left it there she thought and went to ignore it. Every time she turned around she kept seeing it and eventually picked it up and read it. It was a reminder note about the annual ball. The more Donna read the more the idea that was forming in her head seemed plausible.

***

In the meantime Michael had returned to Jade's bedroom. When he had walked in earlier he was surprised to find Jade let alone her being in human form. She was in the room that he and Irene had created by magick alone and was amazed to see Jade healing. He was even more amazed to feel the energies flowing that were clearly not of his or Irene's doing. Now that he had a chance he wanted a closer look. He noticed the runes around the door edge. There were a few bindrunes but what was even surprising to him where symbols he didn't understand. They were as he knew them as truth symbols. Pretty lame name he thought for such a complicated symbol. As he looked at them closer he felt strange. Time and distance had lost all meaning. As the symbols danced alive he saw the past, the present and future. In that brief moment he saw the death of Alex and the sorrow of an old flame and then the feeling was gone and the symbols where gone. He shook his head trying to clear it and next thing he knew he was trying to remember why he was up in the room. He looked around and then remembered. All memory of the truth symbols where laying dormant in his mind. He hadn't entirely forgotten. That was the problem with the symbols, they answered the very question you really wanted answered and then the memory was gone. You no longer felt the urge to ask the question and when the time would come as it always did you would get a strange sense of deja vu that would remind you that existence and the universe where only the tip of the iceberg.

Needless to say Michael was so busy with what he was doing he never noticed Irene watching him from the doorway. Irene had been in the vicinity and she too had shared the vision simply because she was close. However unlike Michael the vision stayed with her. She pushed it to the back of her mind. She had made the truth symbols one night when the magick was high and had grown to love and hate those symbols. She left the room quietly

Irene called Kate who was the towns high priestess. They talked for a while and then she got of the phone and went to the kitchen for another cup of tea. She was going to attend tonight's ball and later tonight for the first time in years she was going to attend the ceremony. Kate had welcomed her back into the coven with blessing. To long she had left returning and she was not going to waste any more time. Naturally she was not a full member of the coven, and had to go back to being an initiate, but both Kate and Irene knew that she would rise quickly. Irene went to her room and began preparing for the ball.

***

By evening the entire town was decked out in their best for the ball. Darryl had left to pick up Sarah, and Marc had picked up Kat and Jade. Jade had been going with Tristan, but his... current circumstances... meant that she was now going alone. Not that she minded. It meant that she got to dance with all the unattached men at the ball - although she did feel just a little strange. Michael had been rendered speechless when Irene had entered the room in her gown. Jade felt somewhat smug - she had made it. All in all the conflicting emotions were making her a little nervous, and she sat in the backseat of Marc's car, fiddling with the braid around her waist. The dress was exquisite, Nicole had excelled herself, if only it didn't remind her of Tristan... and seeing him in the clearing... Marc opened Kat's door for her, breaking Jade's reverie. He then opened Jade's door as well, and they met Darryl and Sarah at the front door. Marc's parents had decided not to attend the ball this evening - they would not announce Tristan's death until the following morning.

After a couple of hours at the ball, dinner had been served and eaten, and people were dancing. Jade was standing by the bar when she noticed a woman who looked a lot like Kat enter the hall. Jade knew everyone in town, and she knew that this woman didn't live there. As Jade watched, the woman scanned the hall, looking for people. Jade became more suspicious when she noticed her staring at Kat and Marc. Jade watched the woman watching them, then turn back to scanning the hall. When her eyes rested on Michael and Irene, who were dancing slowly, she scowled and started across the hall towards them. Jade hurried to intercept who she suddenly realised must be Kat's mother.

Unfortunately, she didn't quite make it in time. The woman gripped Michael's arm and pulled him away from Irene forcibly. She was scowling.
"So this is how much I mean to you? I travel all the way from Romania to be with you, and I find you here with your ex-wife?"
"Hello Maya, how are you?" asked Irene in an icy voice.
"I'm fine Irene, and you? I see you've dyed your hair since the last time I saw you," Kat's mother sniped back.
Michael looked very uncomfortable.
"Why don't we go outside, ladies? No need to ruin the ball for everyone else."
"I'm sure they're all enjoying the show," announced Maya, then turned and walked out of the hall, followed by Michael and Irene.
Jade reached out with her mind and got Darryl's attention, then Marc's. As Kat and Marc were in physical contact, Jade could reach her too. She directed their attention to Michael, Irene and Maya, and all four of them followed, after Darryl had excused himself from Sarah.

Michael, Irene and Maya were standing a short distance away. Kat walked straight up to them, whilst the others hung back a little.
"Hello, Mum," said Kat. "You're looking well."
Maya looked her over.
"That's a very revealing dress, daughter."
Kat didn't know quite what to say to that. Jade came to her rescue.
"It's a feature of the dress," she said, "and it's *my* opinion that when you have assets like Kat does, you should show them off - and when you don't, you shouldn't."
Jade looked very pointedly at Kat's mother's somewhat flat chest.
Maya flushed, then turned her back.
"This time you've gone too far, Michael. I always knew you never loved me, but I thought that at least for our daughter's sake you would pretend. I... Alex!"
Michael swung around in the direction Maya was staring, but there was nothing there. Irene screamed as Maya swung a very familiar ceremonial dagger at Michael's exposed back. Jade instantly recognised it as the knife that had killed Tristan, and exclaimed as much out loud. Michael swung back around as Irene threw herself at Maya, raking her face with her nails. The illusion shimmered, then shattered, revealing the true form of the shape-shifter who had called herself Donna for 5 years, and Maya for 20.
"YOU!" exclaimed Irene, staring into the face of Courtney.

At that moment, Alex materialised beside them.
"Well, isn't this cosy," he drawled. "It's just like old times. Except, of course, your have a different date, Michael."
"Hello Alex."
"But then, you never could decide which of us you wanted, could you Courtney?"
The shape-shifter thrust Irene off her and jumped to her feet. She hissed like a cat, and threw herself at Alex, scraping her nails down his face. Darryl rushed forward to his mother, and pulled her back out of the way. Courtney suddenly stiffened and pulled away from Alex. He twisted his wrist, and Courtney fell to the ground, blood soaking her top and the ground where she lay. Alex had slipped a knife between her ribs.
"You made a mistake, revealing yourself here," said Alex softly. "Though I have wounded you often, I have never killed you, but tonight will be different. For tonight is All Hallows Eve, and the veil between the world is thin. Tonight I will send you back to where you came."
Courtney screamed in rage, as Alex performed a banishing ritual. At the completion of the ritual, Courtney's body disintegrated, leaving nothing but ash. Alex fell to the ground, and looked at Michael.
"Brother," he said in a strained voice.
Michael looked at him from where he stood.
"I understand that you despise me, brother, but please, listen, and try to understand. Ever was I jealous of you, and your powers, and it was that quality that allowed me to be corrupted by the demon who was Courtney. I have committed great wrong under her influence, but tonight, perhaps, I have redeemed myself. I am dying. Courtney's power was such that it gave me great power and health, but now that she is banished back to hell, I will shortly die. I would ask your forgiveness, brother."
Michael knelt by Alex's side, and took his hand.
"I am sorry for my jealousy. I am sorry for not warning you about "Maya". Pray that your daughter does not grow to be like her mother... I never had great magick, but even I can see that she has the qualities of a shape-shifter in her. She will have difficulties, she is half-demon, remember that. Curb her streak for vengeance, watch her, love her, and ever will she be your daughter, and not her mother's. Marry Irene, she loves you as no one ever loved me, and that is worth more than anything."
Alex coughed, and blood stained his lip.
"I will die soon, brother, will you bless me?"
Michael took both of Alex's hands.
"My brother, I love thee, and forgive thee."
He then spoke a short shamanistic blessing, and kissed Alex's forehead.
Alex smiled.
"Thank you."
And then he died.

***

6 months later...

Kat and Marc stood by a young tree, watching as Irene and Michael were handfasted. To their left stood Darryl and Sarah, and to their right stood Jade and her new beau, Leonardo. They had been dating for 3 months, and Jade had never been happier. Tristan had been buried and mourned, and people were slowly getting on with their lives. Irene's studies into wicca had progressed, and she was soon to become a full member of the coven again. Life without Alex had been peaceful, and relaxing. Kat was still somewhat troubled about being the daughter of a demon, but with the help and love of Michael, Irene, Darryl, Jade and Marc, she had pulled through the worst of it. With Michael and Kat firmly entrenched in the house, the feeling of "family" was strong, and all of Jade's animosity towards Michael had vanished - coincidentally about the same time she'd started dating Leo. Life was going well for all involved. Mike had been caught hunting illegally in the woods almost 4 months ago, and he'd been put in jail for 6 months. His guns and traps had all been confiscated, and the social humiliation was catastrophic. His wife and children had moved out of town, and it was expected that he would be leaving as soon as he was released, which relieved *all* members of the family greatly.

Standing at the alter, Michael smiled at Irene, feeling her bound to him by more than the cord that bound their wrists. The sun was shining brightly, the perfect setting for a wedding. Late spring was the perfect time for a wedding, he reflected. So much new life, so many new beginnings... His family was together again, and nothing could change that now. Irene had even told him last night that she thought she was pregnant. A surprise, to be sure - both had considered themselves to be too old for more children, but the Goddess worked in mysterious ways. It would be a boy, he knew.

Standing in the sunlight, all his family around him, he bent and kissed his new wife. The wolves in the trees howled in satisfaction. The circle had turned, and it was finished.