Club Luna

"Hi Violet. Come on in," I greeted our neighbour at the front door. "You're just in time, we're all ready to get started."

She smiled as she stepped past me into the house, "Thanks Cass."

"Can I get you something to drink?" I asked as I closed the door behind her. "We're all in the living-room, if you want to go in there and get comfortable."

The nymph asked for a can of cola, so I grabbed one for her from the fridge then followed her into the living-room where the rest of Club Luna was all waiting.

Melanie and Cerys were sharing one of the big recliners, while Nina and Sasha sat together on one of the sofas. Willow was on the other sofa, and Violet took a seat there next to the ravenette sorceress. I settled into the other recliner, and as soon as I was comfortable my girlfriend perched on my lap and cuddled up against me.

It was about eight o'clock Friday night, and we'd all just got through our first four days of classes. That had been an interesting experience for me and Sasha, and for Kaylee too. It wasn't so much for the others, things at the high school hadn't changed that much over the summer. But for now we had something else to focus on.

The full moon would be happening tomorrow morning, which meant we had a club meeting tonight. And finally, we'd invited Violet to sit in on the meeting. Mostly because she knew we were planning to go visit Island Lake tonight, and if we didn't bring her along she'd have just gone over there on her own and gotten involved anyways.

"If everyone's ready let's get started," Cerys announced. The blonde wolfgirl looked at our guest and smiled, "So this is Club Luna. Like we said at the party last weekend, we investigate strange and unusual stuff. I mean like paranormal or supernatural events and incidents."

She continued, "The club's been around for at least a decade, but none of us have been in it that long. Kaylee's our most senior member, she's been in it for about four years now? I've been in it for three years, and Cass will have her two-year anniversary at the end of next month. Mel's two years will be at new years. All of us are supernatural in one way or another, and we all have different roles in the club."

Violet grinned, "This is really cool. So I know you two are werewolves, and I know Kaylee's a demon and Cassandra's an actual goddess! And I figure the rest of you all know about me, I'm half nymph, specifically part plant nymph. So what about the rest of you?"

"Nina, are you another goddess like Cass?" she added as she looked at my sister.

Nina grimaced and shook her head. She let her horns appear, which reminded me I hadn't seen them in ages. I'd almost forgot she even had them, it'd been so long. Then my sister replied quietly, "I'm actually a demon."

Willow went next, "I'm a sorceress, but I'm still learning how to control my magic. I have lots of it, but it's kind of overpowered and a little wild I suppose."

That just left Sasha. My cousin told our guest, "I suppose I'm a retired goddess, now a cambion."

"Melanie and I are also witches," Cerys added. "So in addition to the fangs and claws we've got some magic too."

"Wow," Violet seemed impressed as she looked around the room. "This is incredible. The seven of you must be pretty much unstoppable!"

Both Nina and I grimaced slightly, neither of us liked to brag or show off or anything. Kaylee grinned though, and so did Cerys for that matter.

After a moment our club leader dialled it back a bit, "We're pretty formidable now, but it wasn't always like that. Anyways we should get on with the meeting. Now that we've got through the introductions, our main topic is the ghost at Island Lake."

"So what's the plan?" our guest asked. "I know they close the gates at eight, so the place is already locked up for the night. I don't imagine that'll stop you lot though."

Cerys grinned, "Not really. So first thing is we have to wait until it's properly dark out? Like half-past nine, maybe ten o'clock? Then we'll take the Lunamobile over, we'll head to the north access point and get in through there. It'll be locked, but I'm sure at least one of us can handle that with a bit of magic."

"Then we take a walk around the lake," she continued, "We'll head over towards the amphitheatre and boat rental area. Spread out, and see if we can't find our ghost. Anyone with magic sight will use that, and Violet I guess you'll be talking to the trees or whatever to track the guy down? Everyone else just use whatever magical senses you have."

The blonde wolfgirl looked at my girlfriend and asked, "Kaylee can you still use the same spells as before, for laying spirits to rest? Or if not, do you have a demonic equivalent?"

The small kitsune grimaced, "Sorry Cerys. I lost access to all the magic May taught us when I became a demon. And I don't know any equivalent spells for that."

"I can try it with you," Melanie volunteered. "You've taught me all the magic you know, right? I don't know if I'm that good at it, but I can back you up anyways."

Cerys nodded, "Sounds good. It'll be the usual routine, we try and establish communications with the spirit first. If they're sentient and harmless we ask what they want, try and help them out. If they're not sentient or poses some kind of threat, or if they want peace then we lay them to rest."

It was kind of funny hearing the young wolfgirl say all that stuff, considering two years ago she was all gung-ho about putting the spirits down and seemed to act like communicating with them first was a boring hassle. On the other hand I knew she'd matured a lot over the last year or so, and she took her role as club leader seriously.

It turned out I wasn't the only one thinking about that sort of thing either, as my girlfriend commented "It's kind of funny how history repeats, you know? Twenty-three months ago we had almost exactly the same plans. It was a Friday night right before the full moon, and we'd just had a new club member join us unexpectedly."

She slipped an arm around me and pulled me into a tight hug as she said that last part. That made me blush, but I couldn't help smiling too as I hugged her back.

"So what else is going on?" Violet asked after a half minute. "We've got a long wait before ten o'clock, is there more to the meeting?"

Cerys shrugged, "I don't know that there's much else going on now? I guess the only other thing is after we're done at Island Lake someone else can drive you all back here. Me and Melanie are probably going to stay out and enjoy the full moon."

The ravenette wolfgirl nodded in agreement, "We'll be out late. Maybe till just before dawn? We'll be quiet when we get back in, and I know y'all will be quiet tomorrow while me and Cerys are sleeping."

Everyone nodded or otherwise agreed, while Violet just smiled. She seemed excited about being part of our group, at least for tonight. We hadn't invited her to become a full member yet, this was more of a trial-run to see how she'd fit in with the rest of the gang on an actual investigation.

Cerys didn't have anything else on the agenda for the meeting, so she and Melanie fired up the games console. Willow and Nina joined in on that, while the rest of us watched and talked a bit more about club-related stuff. Like Violet had some more questions, about stuff like how often we met and what the meetings were like, what else we did, that sort of thing.

We answered her questions, or most of them anyways. There were a few details we kept back for now, stuff we'd tell Violet if she did become a normal club member. Beyond that it was a fairly typical night, up until it was dark enough for us to head out.

Cerys got behind the wheel of the minivan, with Melanie next to her. Me and Kaylee and Violet were in the very back, while Sasha Willow and Nina sat in the middle row. During the drive over to the conservation area we let Violet know about leaving her phone in the car or turning it off, while the rest of us all did the same.

Just like two years earlier we parked at the end of that dirt road on the north side of the conservation area, just a couple dozen meters away from the fence and gate. The weather was pretty good and with the moon almost full it wasn't hard to see where we were going. In fact once my eyes adjusted and I realized how bright the moon was, I worried someone might spot the eight of us sneaking around in there.

The gate was locked when we got there, and this time it was up to me to unlock it since nobody else was as good at the unlocking spells that Paige knew. I didn't really know them either, but Cassandra used some divine magic to pop open the padlock without breaking anything. We all quietly filed in, then we closed the gate and set the lock again behind us.

And in a replay of two years earlier, Kaylee and I held hands as we all set out for the long walk around the lake. The wolfgirls were in front as usual, then Violet was walking next to Willow. Nina and Sasha followed them, and my girlfriend and I were at the back this time. There was a little more talking, but everyone kept their voices down. And most of the conversation was on topic, like the wolfgirls reported there weren't any new or unusual scents. And Violet said the trees didn't sense any disturbances on this side of the lake.

We made pretty good time, and it was just about an hour before midnight when we finally passed the amphitheatre and reached the area where the ghost had been active again. The group came to a stop at a crossroads where the path went in a few different directions, to discuss our next moves.

"Should we split up again and spread out here?" Kaylee asked.

The plant nymph responded before anyone else could. She kept her voice down as she said, "There's something going on in a little clearing just south of here. I think it might be the ghost. Want me to lead the way?"

Cerys nodded, "Me and Violet up front, Cass Kaylee and Melanie behind us, and everyone else in the back. Take it slow, and be careful everyone. We're not expecting any danger, but let's be ready just incase."

It only took a moment to get into position, then we all started moving again. Our new friend led us south along the path, then off the trail in between some trees. It only took me a couple seconds to realize this was the same little clearing where Cerys and Kaylee took care of the other two ghosts that very first night I joined the club. And the same place where I met and talked to the third ghost.

We got about a half dozen meters into the clearing when Cerys whispered, "Stop! Everyone else see that?"

Sure enough on the opposite side of the clearing was one of those orb things, just sort of hovering there. A few of us nodded, while Violet shook her head.

The plant nymph whispered, "I don't see anything?"

"It's an orb," our club leader explained quietly. "Just hang back here, ok? Mel, you're with me."

The two wolfgirls slowly started approaching the orb, but as they got to within a couple meters it began to move away from them and towards the rest of us. In fact I realized with a lurch it seemed to be coming directly to me.

As it got within a couple meters it shimmered and resolved into the same forty-something year old guy I saw that first night. He was wearing the same brown trousers and button-down jacket, and he had the same old-fashioned tweed cap on his head. Except he pulled that off as he stopped directly in front of me.

"Miss Cassandra," the ghost greeted me. "I'm so glad you came back. I've been looking all over for you, but I seem to have gotten myself all turned around again."

Everyone else was silent, and from the way they were staring I was pretty sure they could see him this time. Or at least they could see something anyways. And they all knew better than to interfere with whatever was going on.

I gulped but nodded, "Hello again. It's uh, Henry right?"

He smiled and nodded, "That's right miss. I'm flattered you remembered me."

"So um, you said you were looking for me?" I asked. "Did you need more help finding your way to town? Or what can I do for you Henry?"

Henry shook his head and grimaced, "No miss, I reached town all right thanks to your directions. That was mighty kind of you by the way, and I don't mind saying I found some peace after I located a phone and made my call."

That sounded like good news, but at the same time it was also confusing. Like if he found peace then he shouldn't have come back, according to everything I'd learned about ghosts.

"Thing is, something woke me up around about a month ago?" he continued. "Something roused me and sent me back here, told me to find you and deliver a message."

Hearing that left a cold weight in my gut, while Cerys and Kaylee both looked somewhere between disturbed and worried. They didn't even need to say anything, it was clear from their expressions that this was extremely unusual behaviour for a ghost.

"I see," I nodded slowly. Then after gulping again I asked, "What was the message? And who's it from?"

Henry scratched the back of his head then apologized, "Sorry miss, I can't say who sent me as I don't rightly know that myself."

"Anyways here's the message I was sent to deliver," he added. The ghost paused a moment to clear his throat, then he recited a strange little poem.

"Serendipity is a lie; reason begat you, now ask why.
Your cousin's plans enacted late; becoming real did seal her fate.
An agent for your greatest foe, until a nudge from down below.
My door's open, you I entreat; the time has come for us to meet."

By the time he was finished a chill had run down my spine and the cold feeling in my gut spread to the rest of my body. I didn't actually know what it all meant, but a couple of the things Henry mentioned seemed to refer to conversations I'd had with Sasha and my therapist, stuff that nobody else could have known about.

My cousin was looking kind of freaked out too, which made sense since she was literally called out in the second couplet.

Before any of us had a chance to respond Henry slipped his cap back on and gave me a smile, "Have a good evening miss Cassandra. I'll be heading back where I came from, now that my job's complete."

With that he turned as if to walk away, then vanished completely.