Malefica

Chapter 4

The days went by turning into weeks, the shop was up and ready to open Tris was planning this big opening day for tomorrow. Where I on the other hand, I was keeping myself busy with my studies, but mostly just staying out of Tris’s way. Luca and I were actually getting to know each other seeing that he was at the shop almost every day to help us, my secret was still unknown. He was someone different, in a good way of course, I caught myself always listening to his stories, laughing, and then when he was gone I would still think about him.

Today we were packing the books on the shelves while Tris was on the phone planning away, when I turned to grab a box I caught Luca looking at me “What?” I asked. He smiled “Nothing,” he shook his head and continued with his task. I smiled and went into the back to get a box, when I came back Luca’s smile was gone and a scowl was on his face. I placed the box down and looked back at him, he had a book in his hand “What ya got there?” I asked. He turned to look at me and showed me the book, shit! “Well you tell me, why are you selling these?” in his hands was one of my spell books, he didn’t know that though. I shook my head and plastered a smile on my face “Come on Luca, we’re a bookstore of course we would be selling fantasy and such. Or are you trying to tell me you believe in that kind of things?” I gave a soft laugh. After a while he shrugged “Just asking, you never know though…” he trailed off leaving me gaping at him.

With the shelves stocked and ready for tomorrow we left for a light brunch, “Everything is ready for tomorrow. The whole town will know by tomorrow that TE Books is open for business!” Tris squealed in delight. We got our meals and sat outside, talking about some random things, it was Luca who almost made me choke on my Ice Tea, “Do you guys believe in witches?” Oh well this can’t be good, Tris looks to me for help, though I didn’t know what to say either. When I recovered I smiled at him, “Witches?” I scoffed, “Really Luca, I thought you were the realistic type of guy.” He looked at me with a questionable look, then like a switch was flicked and he smiled, “I am, though you never know what or who’s out there till you go and look. It was just a question we all have our interests, like Tris here and books. Though I don’t know what is yours?” he looked at me and I shrugged, “I’ll let ya know when I know it myself.” At that Luca only smiled and talked to Tris, and me- well I wasn’t really going to tell him my interests.

Tris had left saying she wanted to make sure the website was up and all, with a wink to me, said she would see me later. That left me with Luca, alone! I didn’t really mind it, not at all, but it was weird since he brought the whole ‘witch’ thing up. I followed Tris with my eyes as she got in the car and drove away, having the cheek to wave me off. I was brought out of me revere when Luca chuckled, “Don’t look so terrified, or horrified. I am not gonna bite, even when you ask.” He smirked at my reaction, “What? Who- what kind of girl would do that?” I asked curious as to why or even who would ask such and absurd thing. With amused eyes he looked at me and smiled, “You’d be surprised Alda, girls here would have you running for your money.” He inspected his empty cup before grabbing Tris’s she had left and took a sip, I looked at him, “Alda? Where’d you come up with that?” he stiffened. Taking a big gulp of coke before turning to me he shrugged, “Esmeralda, Alda for short. I wanted to give you something new, different. You seem like a girl who would stand out, of course in a cute way. Uh- what I mean to say is, that you’re different from the girls I have met, even grown up with.” The way he said it made me flush, and when I saw that he had the slightest flash as well I cracked. I stood up and with a smirk said, “Well then how about you show me around then, I am new and all.” He smiled and nodded, stood up and gestured to the door, “Ladies first.”

I never quite understood the whole hiking in the woods thing, most girls found it to be romantic, I on the other hand found it to be creepy. Well I used to anyway, Luca made the whole hiking thing work, it had nothing to do with nature of course, no it had to do with him helping me when I struggled. Every time he lifted me over a tree trunk, he would hold me to him, every muscle I once saw I could feel and couldn’t help the flutter. He seemed to know every tree and every turn, I had a fear of getting lost in the woods, but he assured me that he knew the woods like a girl knew make up. All and all the- date?- went well, Luca was perfect and couldn’t quite understand why he was single, so that’s why I asked, “Luca?” he turned to me and raised his eyebrows, “Yeah?” I swallowed “Why is it that you don’t have a…” I trailed off. He looked away and sighed, “A girlfriend? To be honest- you’re the first girl I have ever spoken to who wasn’t- well related to my family’s business- and those girls weren’t really my type.”

I shouldn’t have, but couldn’t help the feeling of being satisfied. I smiled and turned to the open sky and gasped, while we were walking he had lead us up a hill to an open clearing. The sun was setting and the orange-red colouring reached over the meadow, it was something you only saw in pictures or in movies, but never not like this. I was still staring in awe when I noticed Luca looking at me, I turned to him with what I felt like a goofy smile, “It’s beautiful.” He smiled and turned to look at it “That it is,” the turned back to look at me and gave me a lope sided smile, “think this is when I say it’s getting late? Come on I’ll take you home.”

The car ride home was what Tris would call ‘super cute’ or even ‘fuadorable’, while I would say it was sweet. I learned more of Luca and couldn’t help but think, was this really the same guy who tried to kill me? The answer, no. He might be a hunter but I felt like if our worlds weren’t so different, or believes a million light years apart… we might have been able to work. I was starting to rethink of keeping my powers, Tris might have the whole being normal thing in the bag. When we pulled in front of the house Luca, being the gentleman he was, insisted of walking me to the door. I was surprised when I saw that there was no lights on, and started to think Tris went to bed. When we reached the door I turned to Luca, “You- uh want to come in for some tea? Tris bought this ama…” I trailed off when I smelled it. Decay.

I whirled around and left a confused looking Luca gaping at me, throwing the door open the smell came on stronger, only succeeding to make my panic grow with it. The place was trashed and I could see tail tales of a struggle, I heard Luca coming in and saw his nose wrinkle but his eyes were alert. He turned to me, “You need to-“ I cut him off “No! Tris is here somewhere and I am not leaving till I know she’s fine.” His gaze held mine for a moment before he nodded, “Then stay behind me, and when I say run. You run.” I nodded and followed him while we searched the house, I could see and feel the dark magic that was used, signs where everywhere and I saw that Luca saw them too. But what shocked me the most was how powerful the signature was that was left behind, I have never felt anything like it before. Then again I have once, in my dreams. I took a deep breath fighting the urge to yell for Tris, also willing the tears away. I needed to be strong, for both me and Tris.

We searched the kitchen and lounge, only finding that both rooms was trashed, no Tris. I had the smallest of hope that maybe Tris wasn’t here, hoping that she had gone to the shop or something. That would have been an option if her purse wasn’t hanging on the coat rack by the door. Different scenarios kept on playing in my head, through all my thoughts, fears and torturous imagination Luca had said nothing but showed that we were going upstairs now. When we reached the top of the stairs I saw a splutter of blood on the floor, and gave a shaky breath. The second floor wasn’t as bad like downstairs, that being that there wasn’t really much to destroy. We turned into the hall and came to a standstill, I craned my neck to see past Luca and gave a whimper.

I pushed past a protesting Luca and raced down the hall toward the figure that was purged up the wall. The small body of my aunt was somehow glued to the wall, glued not being the right word though. The pixie cut dark hair was hard with what looked like dried blood, and her face frozen in an expression of utter pain. Her chest was ripped wide open and her heart was missing, I could see that she had tried to fight whoever the perk was. Her neck was ringed with a bruise and I knew her necklace was ripped off, making her vulnerable and weak against even the lowest darkie. The pain and guilt grew more and more, I knew that this was my fault. I heard myself screaming and didn’t recognize the voice screaming in pain, anger and loss.

The power surged through me without me really knowing it, the house creaked and groaned with the power leaving my body. I knew what I was trying to do would never work, no witch could ever do it, bringing back the dead was impossible, yet also not quite. A witch-in-training like me would never be able to do it, yet I felt myself trying, I heard the Latin words being chanted of the necro spell I once read. The surge grew and grew, yet I knew while it grew my energy would soon give away, because I was too weak for such a powerful spell. The power was too much and I blacked out, the last thing I heard was Luca calling my name before darkness took over.