Long Live. // Luke Hemmings 5SOS (Vampire)

Chapter 13 - Damage

"The Duality of Man." Helena spoke as she carried the book over to the desk on the other side of the room. "That symbol is meant to represent two contrasting states of being - asleep and awake being the most obvious one."
She laid the book flat and placed her hands on the desk, leaning forward slightly as the boys came and stood opposite to her.
"There's more to it, of course. Think of the conscious and subconscious, the physical and the spiritual, dark and light, good and bad... uh... life and death." Helena cleared her throat as she flipped the book open and revealed the contents list - once again in that ancient language.

"Life and death, huh?" Michael murmured, sharing a side glance with Luke.

"Life and death, yes. There are complex spells in this book, things that I couldn't even dream of doing... Some of them are risky, and some of them are downright impossible. For most of us, that is." Helena admitted, slowly flipping through the pages and scanning over the old texts and illustrations as she did. Finally, she looked back up at the men. "So you're saying you saw someone with this symbol tattooed on them?"

"This girl..." Luke began, unsure of exactly what to say... and what not to say.

"Rosemary. Her name is Rosemary." Michael piped up, Luke suddenly glaring at him as he did - he hadn't even realised that he wanted to keep that information to himself until Michael shared it.

"Wait, like the Rosemary that Calum was looking for?" Helena asked abruptly, earning a confused look from Luke.

"How did you...?" He began, furrowing his eyebrows at Helena before his eyes narrowed in contemplation - then his stare turned right back to Michael, who had a guilty look on his face. "Wait, you told her?"

"He told me a lot of things." Helena spoke quietly, giving Michael a once over as he winced at her words. Luke frowned to himself. "So, have you told Calum that you found her?"

"...No. We haven't." Luke admitted, and Michael pursed his lips as Helena gave them both a questioning look.

"You haven't...?" She frowned. "Why wouldn't you tell him?"

"I wanted to tell him." Michael confessed, clearing his throat and glancing at Luke before he reluctantly made eye contact with Helena. "But Luke wanted to make sure - make sure that we were right about her."

"Well, this is the confirmation you need, isn't it?" Helena scoffed, shutting the book on the table and turning it around to show the symbol once again. "Nobody just gets these symbols tattooed on them for no reason. She's a witch, and she's the witch that Calum was - and probably still is - looking for." She shook her head exasperatedly, making Luke bite the inside of his lip, suddenly stressed. Michael looked at him, unsure of how to respond himself. Luke sighed.

"I already knew she had to be a witch from the moment that Victor failed to compel her." The moment the words left his lips, Helena's eyebrows stitched together in shock and confusion. "But-"

"Wait, that's Rosemary?" She interrupted with a sharp, questioning tone. "The one that Steph brought in? I saw you guys talking to her at the bar, and I just thought she was another one of Steph and Victors playthings-"

"Don't say that about her." Luke cut in with a huff of breath, making Helena's eyebrows raise curiously.

"...Right. Sorry." She half smirked, slowly sitting down in the chair behind her desk. "Anyway... You're telling me that's the Laveau witch?"

"Yes. But we don't know if she actually has her powers - we know that powers can be lost, like with Benjamin." Luke shook his head to himself, running his hand through his hair.

"What happened to Benjamin?" Helena questioned.

"Oh, so Michael didn't tell you that part. Good to know." Luke rolled his eyes, Michael's eyes immediately widening in defence.