Captive Witch

Chapter Twelve

"Ah, so you are still alive, how fortunate for you." I whirl around in surprise, not having heard him even enter the bar. It was just after sunset and I was still feeling a little antsy after the witches had come to collect their dead this morning, it was not exactly a pleasant affair, what with them staring at me in horror once they seen what I had done to their brethren.

"You! You stole Jim's ashes! Give them back!" He smirks from his perch on one of the bar stools.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that." I scowl at him not impressed with him already, before he had seemed handsome but now all I saw was an ash-stealing bastard.

"Why not! I was arranging final preparations for him." The vampire tilts his head at me looking curious.

"How odd that a witch would want to make funeral preparations for a vampire. And as to your previous question, I cannot give the ashes to you, because I no longer have them." I sputter on air, utterly horrified, what had he done to Jim!

"What do you mean you don't have them! Where are they!" I can feel my magic rising in response to my anger, but he doesn't seem threatened by me in the slightest.

"They have been scattered to the wind, as is our way." I slump back down into my chair in shock, unable to believe what I was hearing.

"You had his funeral without me?" He nods like that was obvious, like I shouldn't care that they hadn't waited for me.

"Of course, that is our way, we die, the ashes are collected and released on the next night, so we may begin the cycle of life again." My head slumps down onto my arms, unable to truly understand what he was telling me.

"But I never got to say goodbye to him." He gives me a baffled look, seeming to be confused by something I had said.

"Why would you be able to say goodbye? He is dead." He says is slowly as if I won't be able to understand him, but in the next moment his eyes light up. "Ah, this is a human notion yes? To say goodbye to the already deceased." I nod slowly and his face takes on a solemn expression. "Well, I apologize, unfortunately it could not be helped, our traditions are steadfast, I was unaware you did not realize this about our people, I had assumed that you collected the ashes to make it easier for me." Easier for him? Like he hurt so much more over Jim's death then I did. Arrogant much. "Caius was like a child or brother to me, the bond between progeny and sire is difficult to understand for anyone not of our race. I appreciated that you had attempted to make Caius' death easier for me, though I see that I was mistaken about that now, nonetheless my confusion over the matter is resolved." It was interesting to talk to Jim's Sire, he didn't speak like Jim had, this vampire was polite but firm, he didn't seem to see the need to act like a human anymore, it made me wonder how old he was.

"Did you have a reason to come over here, or did you just want to see if I was dead or not?" The semi-friendly expression he had been portraying disappears instantly upon hearing my rather rude words.

He became instantly cold and emotionless again, like a switch had been flipped. "Ah yes, I am here to uphold the promise I made to you." He reaches into his suit and pulls out a large envelope. "These are the papers transferring over the bar to you in full. The land is completely paid off, so you will only need to worry about property taxes as well as keeping the bar license up to date if you choose to keep it open. If you don't mind me asking, what are you planning to do with the place?" It was strange, there seemed to be a cold stone façade hiding the inquisitive person underneath, and speaking with me seemed to bring out his inquisitive side.

"I'm going to make it into a sanctuary of sorts." He nods as if that had been one of the answers he was expecting.

"For witches, that is an honorable way to live." I shake my head and he looks at me with confusion, not understanding what I was refuting.

"No, not for witches, well not just for witches, for any creature who needs a place to stay. Vampires, faeries, witches, and werewolves alike. I don't share the same bias towards the other species as everyone else seems to." I just couldn't bring myself to hate a race, maybe a person but why use one person to signify an entire race that was full of both good and bad people.

"Sounds intriguing, I wish you good fortune on your journey to build this sanctuary." I dip my head in acknowledgement of his well wishes.

It was an odd experience talking to him, he seemed to flash back and forth between old age mannerisms and modern day as if his mind wasn't exactly sure what year it was. "Thank you, many blessing in return to you. Wait! Before you leave, I was just wondering, what is your name?" He looks affronted for a moment as if having expected me to just know it.

"My name is Lucius, Lucius Darkthorn." I raise an eyebrow, not really impressed with his name, for some reason I expected something more exciting or dark. "I shall leave you to your work." He gestures to the herbs placed haphazardly over the bar top and the bottles of liquids, I had been in the middle of trying to make something when he arrived, a potion to make vampires immune to daylight, but it wasn't finished or tested yet, so I suppose I should keep it to myself. "If you ever feel up to it, my coven would hire you to do some work for us, your unique gifts would be put to good use."

Strange that he called my gifts unique, I understood that they were rare but he almost made it seem like they were something else entirely, of course when I go to ask him about it, he is already gone, though this time he left me a card with a phone number on it, how nice...

Now I just needed to go through Jim's apartment upstairs, renovate the warehouse, and make a potion that's never been done before or even thought possible, no pressure, none at all.