Little Witch

Chapter Five

The next days I was going to the university as usual, only watching over my shoulder a few times more often than usual. After my last class I head to the library, just like on any other day. I greet Mr. Carson, the librarian, with a nod and a smile and make my way to my favorite section of the library: Occult History.

The library is old and enormous. Because there are so many books, shelves and hallways, that nearly no one walks through the corridors of the occult books. This is the reason I simply sit down cross-legged on the ground and put a big book on my lap. As I read, I fiddle with the quartz of my necklace; this became a routine forever whenever I'm concentrating.

After a while, I hear footsteps coming down my hallway and my spine starts tingling. Thinking whoever causes the steps might just get a book and leave, I don't look up from my book. Only when I hear someone cough not far away from me, I force my eyes away from my reading material and to the person towering over me.

The vampire from the bus is looking down at me with his cold eyes and a small grin. For a moment I freeze, unable to do anything but staring at him.

"Hello witch.", he says, "Isn't it a bit obvious to the humans, you reading occult books in a public library?"

I don't answer but stand up slowly. My fight-or-flight response nearly overwhelms me, but I manage to stand still, staring at the creature in front of me.

"What do you want?". I ask quietly in order to not disturb the other people in the library.

"Father wanted to know if the witches contacted you yet.", he said in a smooth voice.

"I don't know what you mean.", I say, compelled to just turn around and walk away. But the vampire grabs my left upper hand. Even though I'm wearing a long sleeve jacket over my dress, I can feel the coldness of his skin. His grasp is strong, but not painful, not yet.

"Not so quickly.", he replies, pulling me towards him, "My father suspects they already contacted you. Maybe indirectly?"

Could the witches, that he is talking about, have sent the book or the necklace?

"Even if it was so, why should I tell you?", I answer, feeling brave for a second. But the firmer grasp of the vampire squeezes it right out of me again.

"I might have gotten a book.", I blurt out.

A smile appears on the vampire's face and his grasp loosens again slightly.

"Where is it now?", he asks.

"My therapist took it.", I lie quickly. It is the first thing I could come up with.

"Don't lie!", he replies, his grasp tightens again, "I can hear your heart rate increasing and you are beginning to blush."

"If you don't let me go now, I will scream.", I say in a weak voice.

"You wouldn't dare. It would give us too much attention. The humans might see through us.", he hisses.

"Try me.", I answer braver.

After a moment his hand leaves my arm, letting my blood flood it again.

"When I come to visit you again you will tell me anything I want to hear. You don't want to anger my father.", he says and is about to leave when he turns around and adds: "Beautiful necklace."

I look down at the blue quartz and when I look up again. The vampire is gone.

I leave the library soon after, borrowing a few books, and make my way home, utterly confused. Why does the mysterious vampire want my book? And who is his father and why is he is so interested in me and my contacts to other witches?

As I turn around the corner of the dorm, I find someone in front of my door. A girl with long straight white-blonde hair is sitting on my porch. From the tingling in my fingers I know she is a creature; from her posture and attitude I know she is a fellow witch.

"I hope you like our book.", she says with a sweet smile.

For a moment I wonder what I should tell her and what I shouldn't, but she is a witch, just like me.

"Yes, I love it.", I say and let her into my home.

"Why did you send it to me?", I ask as we sit down on the small table in the kitchen.

"We wanted to help you understand yourself and study about the hidden world that you are part of.", she says in a high cheerful voice.

I can't help but ask: "Why now?"

"What do you mean?", she answers, not understanding anything.

"Why did you send it now and not before?", I explain.

"Oh, we thought you were ready.", she answers.

I want to tell her how I have been struggling for the last years, being thought crazy by my parents and people in my school. But I don't; I don't want to scare her away.

"Ready for what?", I ask instead.

"Ready to join our Covent.", she replies and quickly adds: "But before I tell you more, I need to ask you a few quick questions." I nod and she begins.

"I feel the presence of a vampire on you, have you met one recently?"

"One was in the library, but we didn't talk.", I answer. The lie is impulsive, but my body tells me it's the right thing to do. She nods, believing my lie.

"Did you tell anyone else that you are a witch?"

"I told my parents, but they don't believe me.", I reply. Again, I lie. I don't know why I didn't tell her that Dr. Hutton also knows.

"Who gave you that necklace?"

"I brought it in a vintage shop.", I lie. The words fly out of my mouth as if I'm unable to tell the truth.

"Well,", she says, "Blue quartzes protect you from mind reading as well as outside influence. So, it's a good thing to have. I'm just asking because it's a very rare stone."

Then she tells me about the Covent. According to her, there are more than 50 witches around my city, nearly all belonging to the Covent. They meet every week and talk as well as practice spells.

"Are there also groups of other creatures around here?", I ask interested.

"Oh, yes.", she replies, "The mermaids are a tightknit community here because of the limited number of rivers and lakes here and the werewolves have some small packs on the forests."

"What about vampires?", I ask, hoping she wouldn't find my interest in them too strange.

"They are separate into families. I believe there is one here in the city, but we don't interact with them. Vampires are the most dangerous and aggressive creatures and they don't really want contact to others unless to feed on them.", she answers.

We talk a little bit more. She invites me to the next meeting of the Covent. Then she leaves.

Only a week ago, I might have believed Dr. Hutton that I was simply crazy. But now, with both a vampire and a witch talking to me on the same day, I can't help but be overwhelmed by all of these new developments.