Free Salem Moon by Scarlet Black Page B

Lily said. “ I converted to Christianity recently, but still there are many that won ’ t let it go. Lilac, she ’ s still Wiccan. ”
    Witches! Gabriel thought . My, how the times had changed, when a member of the Snow family was labeled a witch . The very family who ’ d accused him and his sister of witchcraft.
    “ What is…Wicca? ” Gabriel asked.
    “ It is a religion of wisdom, knowledge and magic. Its philosophy is one of empathy with nature. We consider ourselves a part of nature, not separate from it, ” Lilac explained.
    “ Its origins come from the great, ancient Celtic lands. The word ‘ Wicca, ’ actually means ‘ The Wise Ones. ’   Because they used potions and spells to cure the ill, they were greatly revered. The church changed all of that. The rituals of the Pagans and Wicca became the religion of old. And the Gods of the new religions, Christianity for one, made the gods of old the demons of new. Some things never change. ” Lilac sighed. “ Anyway, people still look at us like we ’ re freaks. At least they don ’ t burn us like in Scotland and Europe, or hang us like the in the olden days of Salem. ”
    “ I remember reading about the burnings in Europe when I was a child , ” Gabriel mused.
    “ How awful to make the accused build the pyre themselves . To watch them stack the wood so they could be tied to it and the fires lit. I suffered many a nightmare after reading these tales. I visualized the agony of such a death… ” Gabriel ’ s voice trailed off as he remembered his own suffering.
    As awful a thing as it was to be buried under layers of stone, to be slowly crushed to death, the very thought of being burnt alive, no matter that it took less time to die was unimaginable . He couldn ’ t help but remember the burning death of Thomas Snow. He felt a pang of guilt that he ’ d felt no mercy for him, even though Thomas was far from innocent.
    Lily, Lilac , and Gabriel sat on the shores of Salem Willows, each with their feet in the water. They persuaded Gabriel to remove his boots , even though he felt somewhat shy an d already exposed by the modern- day clothes he wore. The clothes revealed much more than the white linen shirt, leather jerkin, britches and boots that were his normal attire.
    He was at once enchanted by the breeze coming off of the ocean as it played with Lily ’ s hair, whipping it about her face and neck, untamed and lovely. She continuously tucked the strands carefully behind each ear, and Gabriel thought, even her ears were small shells of perfection.
    He wished he was alone with her, that Lilac would leave them, but then again he feared what he would say to her without Lilac to fill in the empty gaps of conversation. He knew he ’ d most likely become mute in his awe of her.
    Although Lucien had read her thoughts, how could Gabriel be sure about what she felt in her heart and soul? And what were Lucien ’ s intentions toward Lily? He suspected what his intentions were when it came to Lilac. How could he prevent him from touching her? He was silent now, but what would he be capable of as time went on and he drew strength from Gabriel ’ s own soul?
    As the long summer day drew to a close, twilight emerging along the ocean ’ s horizon in all its glorious colors, Lily and Lilac said they needed to get home.
    “ May I…call on you tomorrow? ” Gabriel shyly asked Lily.
    “ That would be nice. ” Lily gave him her address. “ I ’ ll show you around Salem if you like. ”
    “ I would love that. ”
    Before then, he must try to find out more information about Lucien. What it meant to be a fallen angel. Gabriel knew of angels only as t he peaceful and reverent cherub s carefully carved into many seventeenth century gravestones.

Chapter 22
     
    W hen Gabriel returned to the Blackstone residence, he marveled at the new gambrel style home that had been constructed in the late nineteen-eighties. He stopped just before the front gate and that was when