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happened before. Usually she was on the outside looking in, or sometimes she witnessed events through the eyes of the person she telepathically connected to. She didn’t end up being part of the vision in any way.
    Cate looked down at her hand, seeing the birthmark on her right palm. The Goddess Mark, in the shape of a blue, seven pointed star; it often glowed or sparkled when she used her powers.
    She raised her head and saw a woman with dark, red hair and brown eyes. She wore a long, dark red, almost black silk, sheer and low-cut robe, unlike the other witches who wore loose-fitting, practical cotton robes in earthy colours.
    Clearly, it was Bethany and she’d done nothing to disguise her appearance. She was doing something within the centre of the spell circle, placing what looked to be some kind of black crystal there. “Now ladies, I want each of you to take this athame and cut your hand with it. Be sure your blood touches the crystal.”
    One by one, each witch blindly and automatically did as they were told without question or hesitation.
    Compulsion; a true High Priestess would never do such a thing. This went against all Denai training but then Bethany wasn’t a true Denai.
    Why would she make them smear blood on a crystal? Cate wondered.
    The crystal crackled with red sparks as Bethany added a few drops of her own blood to the mix. It pulsed with energy, like a bright beacon in the night.
    Bethany muttered a few words Cate couldn’t quite make out, probably a spell or a command of some kind. The crystal blinked before a projected image of a woman with short, red, cropped hair appeared in glowing red light.
    Tasha Phelps.
    Well, bugger me, Cate thought. Fancy seeing you here.
    “What do you think you’re doing, Bethany?” Tasha demanded. “How dare you try to speak to her!”
    Bethany’s eyes narrowed, but she smiled. “Tasha, how nice to see you again.” Obviously Phelps wasn’t the one Bethany had planned to contact. “I need to speak to Raven.”
    “I’m not in the mood for your grovelling, Turner.”
    “But Tasha, I could be of service to you.”
    Tasha glanced around. “The Thorn looks even more pathetic than it did the last time we spoke.”
    “These aren’t part of the Thorn,” Bethany sneered. “I’m just using these fools for energy. Tasha, we did as you asked when you last came to the city. My coven has started distributing the drug just as you told us to.”
    “Only two dead – you call that progress?”
    “People are different here in the city. Seline has spies everywhere.”
    “Which is exactly why I want more victims to test the drug on. We need the Denai coven to be distracted. You know how important this plan is.”
    Bethany nodded. “I know, but we can do more than passing the drug around. I’m trying to recruit new, powerful members to Thorn. We could add to the Covenant’s collective power.”
    “Just do as you’re told, or I won’t bother using you as a lackey again!”
    Bethany bowed her head. “Yes, Tasha.”
    “Good. Do not disturb me or Raven again. Or suffer the consequences.”
     
    The image blinked out and Cate gasped as her eyes snapped open. She felt something wet roll down her face and reached up to wipe it away, only to find that her nose was bleeding. Argh, not again!
    “What happened?” Jason quickly handed her a hanky.
    Cate swiftly covered her nose and fled from the room. Goddess! She couldn’t believe this was happening again. It was the second time this week her body was having an adverse reaction to her powers.
    She rushed into the women’s toilet. Going to the nearest sink, she splashed cold water on her face and washed away the blood. The buzzing in her head grew more intense and she could feel a headache already throbbing across her temples. Damn it, why was this happening so much lately?
    Usually, Cate only had some form of bleeding when she used a lot of power and pushed her magic to its limit, but lately she seemed to be drained from