"Since your Mother isn't here to stop me there is something you should know about the women in this family. You see generations and generations ago long before my time or your Grandmother's from way back there was a curse put on this family. I'm not sure about the exact details. I think it was a feud over land or something but from that day on all the Maclay women have been cursed with being demon."
Tara was stunned and couldn't speak.
"Now I'll take care of you and I'll even allow you to go off to college in Sunnydale but I'll come to take you home right before your 20th birhday."
Tara who was always painfuly shy and missed her Mom dearly was glad that she'd be allowed to go way to school. She hoped that she'd be able to find some way to stop the demon from emerging so she wouldn't have to come home. She would obey her Father's wishes but she was terrified of him and her brother Donny wasn't any better because he was always big with threatening her to do whatever he wanted.
She went to her room and got the rose quartz crystal that had been her Mom's. She looked at it and felt her Mother's presence. She often looked at it and thought of the good times she had had with her Mom and all the things she told her for it was her Mom who taught her the ways of Witchcraft without her Father knowing about it. It was their special time together and she cherished every moment of it.
With the death of her Mom it seemed as though the life had gone out of the house. She put the crystal away and went downstairs to start dinner for she was expected to cool all the meals and clean the house. Time seemed to drag till graduation and her impending freedom. Finally the time came for her to go off to college where she had a dorm room awaiting her. She was lucky since she was able to get a single. It was like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders. She felt like she could breathe again and just loved her classes. Tara found out about a Wicca group on campus and decided to go.
She had no idea that going to that group would end up changing her life. The group itslef turned out to be a big disappointment since all they seemed to be interested in was bake sales. There was a pretty redhead that she was drawn to and who was for real since she asked about doing spells. As for the rest of the group they would probably run if they saw a real witch. She was smitten by this girl from that moment on and it turned into love.
Meeting Willow was the best thing that happened to her she got up the nerve to go to her when the entire town was struck mute. There were these creepy monsters attacking and stealing away hearts and she thought that maybe they could do a spell but instead of that she ended up knocking her down and they were chased in the dorm but they were able to get into the room with the vending machines and as one they were able to to move the soda machine across the room to block the door.
The next day they talked and from that point on they spent a lot of time together and so began a very beautiful relationship. Tara was the happiest she had ever been and her secret got pushed to the furtherest corners of her mind. She hoped that someone she'd find a way to stop that day from coming but in the meantime she'd cherish every moment spent with Willow and blossom into the wonderful person she always was but didn't know herself to be because of her domineering Father.
It wasn't until her actual 20th birthday and did that spell that made her friends unable to see evil was when she found out that her Father had lied to her about everything since it was just a way to get her home so she'd be his virtual slave in gratitude for him taking care of her. She was finally free of having to hold back because of who she thought she was and was able to have a wonderful birthday with the girl of her dreams.
By Barbara Desmond