I Hate Myself but I Love You

Chapter 45

Laura's POV

Carmilla reaches out and holds my hand. I smile at the gesture. It's something we've been doing often, but now instead of just holding her hand platonically, I'm holding my girlfriend's hand.

We walk back toward Carmilla's cabin and my dad's tent. Dad's standing outside his tent with LaFontaine, an old book open on a nearby log. He looks up and smiles, noticing our entwined hands (he gives me a knowing look. We're going to have to tell him soon).

"Hey girls. I found the spell. I can read the description for it, but the spell itself... it's in a language I've never seen before."

Carmilla saunters over to the book and crouches. Recognition lights up in her eyes. "Mattie! Get out here."

Mattie glides out, looking annoyed (more so than usual). "Well that was rude, Kitty. Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?"

"That was centuries ago, sis. I need you to read this. Please."

Their bickering is so like the sisterhood I've seen in shows and movies; I almost expect them to stick out their tongues at each other. But I know they're more subtle than that. They just call each other "existentialist" or other philosophy terms I don't quite remember (I passed my philosophy course first semester, but with everything that's happening, classes are in no way the priority in my mind right now) and chase each other around.

Mattie huffs as Carmilla hands her the still open book. "You're lucky you're cute, little monster."

"I've heard."

Mattie mutters something about "no respect" and "children" and "I could just kill them all".

"Well, no wonder you called me out here, Kitty. This language is almost impossible to learn unless you're not a mortal. Only a few beings can read it, let alone speak it. This is the spell we need?" She waits for our confirmation, and I nod. "Of course it is. Luckily for us, I am one of the few that can read and speak in this language. It looks like this spell needs very specific items in order for it to work. We'll need to subdue the ginger."

Danny (who followed Mattie outside like a curious puppy. I will never tell her or Carmilla I ever thought that) and LaFontaine exchange a look, both of them paling.

"I think Mattie means Perry, not you two." I explain.

"Yes, you fools, the one you call Perry. We will need to tie her up or knock her out. There are more things we need to do, but I can take the wolf with me to fetch them."

"Wait, me?" Danny asks.

Mattie gives her an unamused look that makes Danny whine and back away slightly. It's almost as if Danny can tell that Mattie's older and stronger and backs down. It might just be a wolf thing, though.

"I'll need today and tonight to look through these old musty books and figure out where everything is. I understand that you might be useful in this." She looks at my dad, who nods. He seems excited and happy to be able to help.

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