The Vampire's Heart [Sequel to the witch's heart]

Chapter 5

"Listen, I'm telling you that's not how it happened." Elspeth nearly growls. "He bit me to save my life. I was dying and, if we could find the amulet, I'd be turned back into a human anyway. If not, then I'd still be around to try an help the situation."

"Ok, yes. My apologies. And Gregory is your lover?" Taun asks.

"He's my boyfriend, what are you? 60?" Elspeth scoffs.

"No, far older than that," Taun says quickly. "And so did you follow in the fog with them? Or did nothing happen to you?"

Elspeth lets the question of Taun's age go until another time. "I followed in the fog and woke up in my own bed the next day. I thought everything had gone according to plan but I tried to find Gregory and couldn't. At some point I realized that I could still hear the Mother's voice, which was something I could do only after I'd been turned."

"So you are a born witch then, I noticed but thought it rude to ask," Taun says smoothly.

"Yes," Elspeth replies.

"What is your gift?" Taun asks lightly, his tone letting her know that she doesn't have to answer if she does not want to.

"i'd rather not talk about my magick right now, let's talk about the situation." Elspeth says. "What we need to figure out is why i haven't gone back to be human. what caused it?"

"I believe its because youre not quite a vampire, not like the others, so the amulets power did not work on you. Or, at least, it didnt work in the way it was supposed to. its unusual to say the least but not an isolated incident. it has happened before," Taun reaches into a tattered leather bag at his side and produces an ancient looking tome. "this tome holds great insight to history, you will find many answers but also many more questions in its pages." he holds the tome out to her and she hesitates before taking it.

surprisingly, the tome is light in her hands despite it being about the size of a large text book. she runs her fingers over the rough leather of the cover. there is nothing, no symbols or words, on the front of the tome, only wear and tear from what must have been eons of use.

"where did you get this and why are you giving it to me?" Elspeth questions. Taun doesn't look up from the flower in his hands as he answers,

"i found it in a tomb that had been raided and took it to keep it from getting stolen like the other belongings had been."

Elspeth waits for him to continue, but he doesn't, "ok, but why give it to me?"

"i cannot read it. i've held this book for years and never once was i able to see its secrets. the moment my hands connected with its leather, i knew i'd need to hold onto it util the right person came along to give it to. and here you are," Taun looks up from the ground now, his eyes trailing fondly over the tome in her hands. "i brought it home."

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Elspeth slips into her room quietly from the balcony, her hands grasping tightly to the tome. she places it on her desk and just stares at it wondering if she should open it right away or think about the situation a little first.

"Not an isolated incident...I wonder if others have figured this out or if they too are still wandering around as not-quite-vampires." Elspeth sits on the edge of her bed and sighs, gesturing at the curtains so they'll close. she sighs, her shoulders visibly lifting and dropping. For a moment, she thinks to slip out of the house to see Gregory.

A terrible pain, that's not quite real, blooms in her chest. Maybe, just maybe, he's better off not knowing she's alive at all.

Hey guys! I'm super sorry about how long these updates are taking. My father's cancer has come back and I'm his primary caretaker. So I'll be updating as much as I can but my focus is mostly elsewhere. Thanks for sticking with me and I'm sorry this chapter is mostly uneventful.