Carmilla falls asleep on the couch and Laura doesn't have the heart to disturb her, so she simply slips out, carefully catching Carmilla's head on a pillow and throwing a spare blanket over her. She contemplates going to bed herself, but finds herself too wired and winds up cleaning up the rest of the house and whatever had been trashed in the battle with the demon earlier.
Soon, the sun's up and Laura gets started on making breakfast, which, unsurprisingly, gets Carmilla's stirring.
With a yawn and a stretch, she wanders over to the kitchen area.
"I didn't even think whitelighters need to sleep," Laura comments, stacking pancakes and checking on the omelets.
"Just because we don't have to, doesn't mean we can't," Carmilla replies. "These are some flat looking waffles," she remarks, pouring a cup of coffee.
Laura rolls her eyes. "Keep that up and there'll be no food for you."
Carmilla actually pouts and Laura giggles, serving out the rest of the food and putting it on the table.
"I'm gonna go get the mail," she says, placing her own coffee mug across the table.
Carmilla mumbles an incoherent reply and takes a sip from her own. She's enjoying the aroma of the food when there's a panicked squeaking from outside that she can only assume is from Laura. She runs outside and it takes a moment to locate her charge.
Laura is across the street, bending over a fallen figure on the lawn, frantically motioning for Carmilla to come over.
Laura's eyes are brimming with tears. "I-Is she––"
Carmilla holds her hands over the young woman, and sighs when nothing happens. "Sorry, cutie. DOA."
"Oh, SJ," Laura sobs.
Carmilla's eyes widen. "You knew her?"
Laura nods, wiping tears from her eyes. "We grew up together as neighbors. I didn't know she'd moved back here..."
Carmilla slowly pats her reassuringly on the back, unsure of what to say.
A small haze forms around the body and Laura instinctively jumps back. A soft-focused figure rises from the ground and Laura's mouth drops open.
"SJ?"
The figure, identical to the one on the ground, but more ethereal, cocks her head to the side in confusion. "Laur?"
Before Laura can process what she's seeing, a shadowy man appears beside them.
He glances over at Carmilla and his lip twitches upward for a moment.
"Who are you?" Laura asks, getting up.
He laughs softly. "I go by many names. The Grim Reaper. The Ferryman. Death."
Laura lets out a small gasp. "Wait... I've met you before."
He pauses for a moment, examining her. "Yes... Yes. You're Laura Hollis. I took your mother from you."
She swallows hard and clenches her jaw, vaguely aware that Carmilla's got a hand on the small of her back as if to support her.
He points at SJ. "Sarah Jane. It is your time," he declares.
Laura shakes her head and stands between him and Sarah Jane. "No!"
Carmilla sighs and tugs Laura back. "Cupcake, you can't... fight death."
He stares at Laura for a moment with an unreadable expression before turning his attention back to SJ, hand reaching out for her. "Come, now."
Laura stares at SJ, eyes wide. To her immense relief, SJ shakes her head.
YOU ARE READING
Forever Charmed
Fiksi PenggemarLaura Hollis is a half-witch, half-human who's just graduated from Magic School. She joins her friends' coven, but they're overly protective of the newbie, especially since Laura doesn't have any powers. When her new guardian angel Carmilla shows...
