My Little Witch (the invitation, tvd universe crossover)

Chapter 5

After Walt left, I found myself too restless to sleep. The conversation with my mom, Walt's late-night visit—everything had left me on edge. Needing to clear my mind, I decided a late-night jog might help.

The night air was crisp, a bit chilly, but refreshing as I jogged through the quiet estate grounds. The moonlight cast long shadows across the path, the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze the only sound breaking the silence. I had been out there for a few minutes, my thoughts slowly beginning to settle, when I suddenly heard something—a noise from behind that made me stop in my tracks.

I turned around, my heart beating a little faster. "Hello? Is anyone there?" I called out, my voice echoing slightly in the stillness. There was no answer, just the rustling of leaves in the distance.

I hesitated, looking around but seeing nothing in the dim light. The shadows seemed darker here, almost unnaturally so, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I took a cautious step closer. The noise had come from somewhere near the trees, but it was too dark to see clearly.

Feeling a prickle of unease, I bent down and grabbed a nearby twig. "Incendia," I whispered under my breath, a word that had been passed down from my mother. The tip of the twig burst into flame, lighting up the area around me like a makeshift torch.

With the small fire in hand, I took a few more steps forward, peering into the darkness. The flickering light cast eerie shadows on the ground, but it didn't reveal anything unusual at first—just the usual trees and shrubs swaying slightly in the breeze. I let out a breath, feeling silly for getting so worked up.

But then, as I lowered the torch to the ground, something caught my eye. A dark stain, just barely visible against the earth. I knelt down, bringing the flame closer. My breath hitched when I realized what it was—blood. Fresh blood, smeared across the ground in a small, unsettling patch.

A cold wave of fear washed over me, my mind racing with questions. What had happened here? I felt a sudden urge to get out of there, the unease turning into outright panic.

I quickly blew out the flame, the darkness closing in around me as the light disappeared. Without looking back, I turned and jogged back toward the manor, my heart pounding. By the time I reached the door, I was out of breath, but I didn't stop until I was safely inside.

As I walked up the stairs, still trying to catch my breath, I noticed a line of maids standing in numbered order with Mr. Fields. Curiosity got the best of me, so I quietly hid nearby to listen in on what he was saying.

"We must wait here for your assignment. Ladies, it should be any moment now," Mr. Fields addressed them. There was a brief pause as the maids exchanged uncertain glances, clearly wondering what was about to happen.

Just then, I felt a chill run down my spine, as if someone was watching me. I turned slowly to check but saw nothing. When I turned back around, Dee was suddenly in front of me, causing me to jump.

"Jeez, you scared me," I whispered, trying to keep my voice low.

"Clove, you should return to your room. It's not safe in the dark," Dee advised.

"Sorry, I just came back from a jog," I explained, still catching my breath.

Before Dee could respond, a bell started ringing, drawing my attention back to the row of bells labeled with room names. The bell marked "Library" rang twice. I glanced back down at Mr. Fields and the maids.

"Two... You are to clean the library. The rest of you, return to your quarters," Mr. Fields instructed, dismissing the other maids. He then led one of the maids toward the library.

"What are they doing down there?" I quietly asked Dee, hoping for some insight.

"Final cleaning rounds, miss. Now please go back to bed; you must be terribly jet-lagged," she said, gently urging me to leave. I nodded and started to follow her, but something made me glance back one last time.

I saw Mr. Fields retrieve a key from what looked like a hidden compartment. He unlocked the library door, allowed the maid to enter, and then closed the door behind her. He stood outside, whispering something under his breath that I couldn't quite make out. A sense of unease settled over me—something felt off about this whole situation.

Reluctantly, I continued walking to my room, my mind racing with thoughts about what I had just witnessed. As I reached my door, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this manor than met the eye.