Crime and Punishment

Part 4

"Have you lost your ever-loving mind?" You demand. "You want to do what?"

"Retaliate!" Amanda responds angrily, slamming her hands down on your kitchen table, blonde ringlets bouncing against her shoulders. "We can't just let this go unpunished! Someone is attacking us outright!"

"Yeah, I'm aware. But we don't know who," you remind her, scowling. "So getting vengeful right now isn't going to solve this issue. I called this meeting so all of you could be informed and aware of what's going on." You explain, glancing around at the men and women gathered in your home. It isn't typically where you have your meetings, but at such short notice, not all of your coven could make it. "I want everyone to prepare, leave the city if necessary until I figure out what's going on."

"You think we would just leave you to handle this on your own?" Keith asks, looking insulted; he's a damn strong warlock and his potions are top notch. He's probably mid-thirties, with dirty blonde hair and a goatee that's meticulously groomed. He's admittedly one of your favorites, especially since he's so direct and to the point. "We're here to support you. You're weaker without your coven."

"I understand that, but I won't be a leader of anything if my coven is dead." You say flatly, wanting to get your point across. You scan the faces in front of you, hoping your point is sinking in. This is serious. "You need to be safe, keep your families safe. If you're infected, and you die, I can't even get your bodies back to your families, you get that right? You need to evacuate, or be prepared."

"Do our runes not protect us?" Amanda scowls, her blonde brows furrowing. She's always ready for a fight, but you like that about her. She's tough, bullheaded and likes to argue, but you need that different viewpoint. 

"Not on any witch I've seen so far." You say with a shake of your head; your mind goes to the witch's hand you'd seen, how the gash struck right through them. No, runes won't do anything against this type of curse.

"How many of us are dead?" Someone else asks after a moment, an older witch tightening her shawl where she stands by your kitchen table. You don't see her often, she's not a frequent visitor at your meetings but she probably has grandchildren to tangle with and bake cookies for.

"Three from our coven, five that I don't recognize, looks like they're free roamers. Were, I mean. They killed four vampires in the compound when they attacked the other night."

"Is the vampire king not upset over this? Does he blame us?" Keith asks, his voice tight; no one wants a tangle with the undead; well, unless they're naked, usually that he doesn't mind. Still, the fact that this nonsense has you so worked up, the usual queen of cool, is enough to set them all on edge.

"No, he knows what's going on. The vampires are no threat to us." You assure, glancing around the crowded room. The real enemy could be any one of them, that's what you're so worried about; what if you can't trust your own coven?

"No more then usual you mean," Steven scoffs, a middle-aged banker who's shirt is too tight and hair a little thin. He's always grouchy, full of contempt and negativity; you're not sure why you even allow him around, other then he's capable and even if it's a snarky comment, it has some weight to it. "The vampires are always causing us grief."

"We've existed just fine together here, that's not going to change. They're not the enemy," you remind, refusing to be taken off topic. Your painted eyes flick between the faces of your coven. "The issue is that there's a traitor witch that's causing all of this trouble. She's infecting witches and vampires alike, it doesn't matter the species. right now at least nine witches and five vampires are known to have been infected, but that doesn't mean that there's not more." You can't even guarantee the people in the room with you aren't.