Chapter 4.21 – Disruption

With plenty of hesitation and frustrated sighing, Lilith had finally been allowed to shower and given a change of clothing. The shower had been unheated and the dress she’d been given looked ridiculous on her, especially with her mini wellies, but Lilith was hardly about to complain in the minutes before an assessment of her character and intentions. So, she thanked Leyla for the icy, soap-less shower and the tired and faded dress that had the same smell Bruno wore so poorly, and followed the raven-haired witch to the place where her fate would be decided.

Waiting outside, like the dog she still smelled of, Lilith listened to the world around her. The sound of water trickling from somewhere. The distant sound of children playing. The buzz of mosquitos that paid her no mind.

Mosquitos. Lilith had never really been bothered by them, being both bloodless and from the North where mosquitos rarely travelled. But she wondered if that’s now the witches here would see her. Like a mosquito. Just another blood-sucking parasite. She wondered if she’d convince them that she had feelings, however deeply buried and calcified they were, or whether she’d simply get swatted away. Dismissed. Or maybe slaughtered, squished under a giant, magical fly swat—

“Lilith, you may enter now.”

Lilith jolted from what was becoming a pretty disturbed daydream and hauled herself to her feet to follow the voice through the curtain.

Her caller was skinny little fellow, hunched over an ancient looking typing device. He looked to be in his late teens but knowing the witches he was probably over a hundred. He motioned Lilith to a waiting seat as he typed. Lilith couldn’t resist a little sneak peek at what he was typing as she passed but wished she hadn’t.

Lilith appeared at the hearing unkempt, odorous and ten minutes late.

Damn Leyla. That witch knew what she was doing.

Leyla was already seated, so Lilith took her own seat as three elderly witches shuffled into the room, each taking a seat at a long table at the head of the room. A tinny voice, that seemed to be coming from the glowing ball on the long table announced, “Hearing on the character and intentions of Lilith Charlotte Vatore. Counter argument from Leilani. Overseers Dierdre Snoot…

…Bernard Legg…

…and Bo Milt. Please now be seated.”

Lilith had been so startled by them knowing her middle name – she was certain that not even Broof knew that – that she didn’t register the last comment. She hadn’t realised that she was supposed to be standing at all. Beside her, Leilani gracefully took her seat and threw Lilith a brief smirk behind her hair before settling in on her chair.

Lilith simply smiled, although doing that was getting harder by the second.

“Welcome to our village, Ms. Vatore,” Deirdre said, without a hint of emotion. “I’m sure you understand that we are required to vet all visitors before allowing them amongst the general population, to gauge your intentions with us. Should you pass you shall be allocated a host for the duration of your stay. Should you fail you will be required to leave. I want to assure you that there shall be no prejudice towards your affliction in this hearing. However, to protect the integrity of our villagers, should we deem your endeavours incompatible with our own, due to your vampirism, you must be placed in detention for your own safety until we can establish a method for your removal from our compound. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Do you wish to proceed?”

“Yes.”

“Allow me to explain how this process will work. Firstly, we will hear from Leilani who will detail her encounter of you and her suspicions. Then you will have the chance to provide a counter-argument. The exchange will be overseen by my peers here, who have conducted a series of small enchantments in this chamber to help us establish what is truthful and to ensure that no mind manipulation is occurring. These enchantments are fully reversible, but will temporarily suspend the controllable magic of both yourself and Leilani. Please do not attempt to use any of your powers while you are in this room as that will at best be highly uncomfortable for you. Do you understand?” 

“Uh, yes.”

“Do you wish to proceed?”

“…OK,” Lilith said, not really sure if she wanted to be stuck in a room full of witches with no powers of her own, but also slightly enjoying not having the tendrils of her minds reaching out wildly to every surrounding brain.

“Very well.” Deirdre leaned forward and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Leilani, if you please.”

Leyla brightened, sitting up tall and shaking her long hair back as she addressed her elder. “Yes, ma’am. This is a rather unusual case in that Ms. Vatore’s travel companion, Broof Angiosperm Hogwash is a previous visitor to our village and been pre-vetted, which, as you know, would ordinarily work in the favour of any guests he wished to bring along. However, we cannot take his vouching for Ms. Vatore in good faith as we have reason to believe that he is under the influence of her mind control.”

“He’s not.”

Deirdre tilted her chin up. “Let’s not devolve this hearing into a circus, Ms. Vatore. Please wait your turn to speak; it will come. Leilani please continue.”

“Thank you,” Leyla said smugly, shooting Lilith a sly sideways glance. “We believe this is the case because the man is obsessed with her, yet is unable to put into words exactly why that is—”

“Sounds like he’s in love,” Bernard chuckled, raising a small wave of laughter from the other wrinkly witches at the table.

Lilith didn’t know which of them was more startled by this interruption, her or Leyla, but the witch had the floor so Lilith remained dutifully mute. “It could be,” Leyla said with a beat of annoyance. “But she has been using him as her sole food source for months and, from what we gather, giving him very little in return.”

“Sounds like my ex-husband,” Bo joked under her breath. The wisened witch lifted her chin, fixing Leyla with her striking eyes. “Tell me, Leilani. Do you have any other evidence of Ms. Vatore performing mind control?”

“No…” Leyla conceded. “But if I may add; if it is not mind control in the dark magic sense, it may be control through other means.”

“That’s quite the accusation. Do go on.”

“Yes, do,” Lilith whispered, her ire starting to rise, her eyelid twitching.

“Well,” Leyla began. “I first encountered Lilith in the woods out by Bear Meadow. Bruno and Brodie had come to find me, hauling an unconscious Broof along, claiming that he was travelling with a young vampire woman who had become lost. Well, of course, I was concerned for her wellbeing, I had to go and find her to guide here—”

“Give me a break,” Lilith muttered.

Unperturbed, Leyla continued. “We found her where Bruno had found Broof, at the base of the Bottom Tree. She was extremely unpleasant to us. Threatening, intimidating, calling us all manner of names—”

“I thought you were going to attack me!”

“Ms. Vatore! Please wait your turn.”

“But this is untrue! I wasn’t even in dark form.”

“You will get your say! Leilani, what happened next?”

“We extended our hospitality, naturally; we understand how the most tragic of souls find their way here and they need compassion and understanding. But Ms. Vatore’s demeanour made it extremely difficult to communicate with her. Both Bruno and I felt intimidated after only being in her presence for a minute. I can only imagine what months of being called a ‘pathetic witch’ can do to a person’s spirit.”

“She called you that?” Bo asked.

“Thrice.”

Lilith couldn’t argue with that one. She grumbled silently, trying in vain to stop her face slipping past ‘annoyed’ to ‘going to rip someone’s head off’. She wished she had her mind powers right at that second so she could scream PATHETIC WITCH! right in Leyla’s head.

“I see,” Deidre said quietly. “So that explains her occupation in the hutch?”

Leyla nodded. “We had to keep her from Broof, naturally, and of course we couldn’t risk her being around the children with that mouth and her freely-used dark powers…”

“Interesting. Thank you Leilani,” Deirdre said smoothly, turning her sharp gaze to Lilith. “Ms. Vatore, your time has finally come. Your own version of events, if you please.”

“Well, firstly I wasn’t in dark form when they found me. That form is an uncomfortable place for me to be and I frequent it as little as possible, not even when I drink. I admit to being upset, yes, but I was very polite given the circumstances. I simply wanted to know what had happened to Broof…”

“I explained that I was looking for the village, that I’d heard there might be a lead here on finding a cure for my vampirism.”

“You want to be cured?” Bo asked.

“I want to be cured. I’ve been living peacefully with humans for centuries – I just want to return to being one. Bruno was quite receptive to me and very polite, but Leilani, well, talk about using a life state as a slur…”

“I didn’t know your name!”

“You knew my name this morning.”

“Is this true, Leilani?” Deirdre asked in a stern voice.

“Yes but… but… you know why…”

“Is that an excuse?”

Leyla shrank back in her chair. “No. Sorry Lilith.”

The room had gone quiet barring the tip-tapping of the young witch on his keyboard. Lilith wondered what on earth he would be typing.

Room gone silent. Room still silent. I hope it’s pie for tea.

“Ms. Vatore, may I ask you a personal question?” Bernard enquired.

Lilith faltered. No one ever really asked her personal questions. She hoped it wasn’t about her feelings for a certain bearded someone. She tentatively nodded.

“Encountering a female vampire, on her own, is very unusual. Were you ever bound?” Bernard asked. Lilith breathed a sigh of relief and shook her head.

“No. My mother was,” she replied. “She turned me to prevent me meeting the same fate.”

“How old were you at turning?”

Lilith hesitated. She had an inkling that Bernard knew a lot more about vampires than Leyla did. “I was fifteen.”

“Fifteen,” Bernard repeated, looking to his fellow witches. His voice very soft, he said, “That’s quite young. I’ve heard stories of vampires turned too young—”

“Haven’t we all.” Lilith huffed. She shifted in her seat. “I know the stories are unkind and vampires do horrific things – especially rogue ones. And I admit that I’m no angel. Yes, I probably house some rogue elements, but I was almost sixteen and pretty mature and well-socialised when I was turned. Well-socialised by vampire standards, I mean; I spoke to the food, I mean human captives, I mean…” she rambled, feeling her chances slipping away. “I… I was dealt a really shitty, uh rubbish hand and I try my best. And I understand you being so reluctant to give me a chance. Broof has given me more of a chance than I honestly think I deserve and, um,” she paused; so choked up she couldn’t get her words out. “He, um, he’s great. A willing blood donor, sure, but also a companion for me, I… I haven’t had that for a long time…”

“He’s your sole diet?” Deidre asked.

“Yes. He takes erythrocyte elixir daily to replenish his blood stocks so I’m not forced to hunt.”

“Oh,” Deirdre breathed softly. “That explains how he’s still alive.”

“I’m extremely grateful for him,” Lilith admitted, mostly to herself.

“Do you use any form of mind meddling on him?”

Lilith swallowed back a lump. “I… I try not to.” She admitted in a small voice. “I can’t control the mind-reading—“

“Is it restrained now, under our spell?”

“…Yes?”

“Then you can control it,” Deirdre insisted. Lilith pouted, almost hearing Leyla’s smug smirk appear. Deirdre leaned back into her chair and turned to her cohorts in turn. “I think I have heard enough. Any further questions?”

Bernard shook his head, but Bo nodded hers. “I have one final question,” she addressed Leyla directly; her gaze fixed and serious. “Is that your dress that Lilith is wearing?”

“Uh… yes?”

Bo’s eyes twinkled. “Do you think Lilith is a threat to us?”

There was a soft whooshing sound and Leyla’s eyes glowed bright for a second. Her hand shot up to her hair and pulled away in an imaginary fist. “Disruption,” she whispered, in a strained voice. “I see her bringing disruption—”

“—But not danger?”

Leyla looked like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. She looked to the side and whispered. “Not danger, no.”

Lilith had no idea what was going on but was relieved that she wasn’t being considered a danger, although ‘disruptive’ didn’t sound too good.

Bo turned back to Deirdre. “I’m ready to confer.”

“As am I,” Bernard agreed.

“Very well,” Deirdre said. She shifted her weight on the chair and focused on the ball before her, as did her fellow witches. “We will now combine our thoughts into the fire and reach our decision. Should the decision go in your favour, Ms. Vatore, the fire will glow yellow. Should it not, it will glow red. It should only take a moment. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Do you wish to proceed?”

“Yes.”

Lilith continued to stare at the fiery ball as it gradually grew bigger and brighter, so bright. Too bright. Lilith couldn’t even look it.

The light faded as quickly as it arrived. Through her eyelids it had looked sort of orange, but she noticed that most members of the room were smiling at her.

“Welcome to the village, Lilith.”

“I… can stay?”

“You can stay,” Deidre confirmed. “But we do have a few conditions. One: you must only consume blood from Broof or our livestock and only the minimal amount. Two: you must not be unsupervised in the village at any time. Finally: we shall cast an enchantment to ensure that you cannot enter your dark form for the duration of your stay. Do you understand?”

“Yes, and I wish to proceed,” Lilith said anticipating the next question, dizzy with the thought that she had actually been accepted somewhere. Well, somewhere she wanted to be, anyway.

“Very well,” Deirdre said, turning to Bernard. “If you will.”

Bernard nodded and stared at Lilith, enveloping her in a soft warmth that radiated through her fingertips and the top of her head. She felt her lingering rage subside, replaced by something she’d call a warm flush, or at least what she imagined a warm flush would feel like.

“It is done,” Deirdre confirmed. “Now, the final thing to sort.. You can’t be supervised without a host.” She turned to Leyla. “Leilani, you shall host Lilith.”

“What?!”

“You are both dismissed. Enjoy your time in the village, Lilith. I sincerely hope that you find what you seek.”

Kitty had described ‘the manor’ as a vast and luxurious place and maybe it was, four hundred years ago. Now it was a rundown, overgrown, dank castle full of broken junk and endless corridors. It smelled mustier than Seth had and that was really saying something. And her claim that it was full of interesting, immortal people was a huge stretch.

Caleb had given her the ‘grand’ tour, showing her the various cluttered sitting rooms, the sweeping staircases that should’ve been condemned, the endless bedrooms with their moth-eaten sheets and peeling wallpaper. Each room was lined with threadbare velvet and draped with cobwebs. The solid wooden doors were so heavy with rot and bugs and fungus that even Faith struggled to open them. Finally, after weaving through an endless candlelit rabbit warren, they arrived at a corridor with only one door.

It looked like somewhere you’d go to be murdered.

“This is my room,” Caleb announced with pride. “Come on in.”

Faith prepared herself for more lung offensive but was surprised. Her first thought was that it was neat and clean. Her second was that it actually smelled good.

This room had a few other features that the other rooms lacked, such a computer in the corner and the promised huge television. But just like the others it lacked one vital thing.

“There’s no electricity in place at all is there, Fringey?”

He shrugged. “Kitty says she’ll try and sort it – once she’s figured out what electricity is. And once she’s ‘fixed up a few things’.”

“Right,” Faith tried to smile, casting her eye over the huge bed, the crisply folded sheets.

It was so quiet in here. Dead quiet. Silent. The previous night had been replaying wildly in her head throughout the whole tour. All the things she should have said and didn’t, all the things she did say. The finality in Melinda’s tone, the feeling of being alone…

“Fringey— oof!” she gasped as she turned and he appeared right in her face.

“Yes?” he asked, a goofy grin splayed across his features. Frothing with the giddiness of having a girl in his room, no doubt. His good eye was drinking her in, unashamedly eyeing her cleavage. “What do you think of the house?”

“It’s a dump, but your room is okay,” she chewed her lip. “So, what do you do for fun around here?”

“Whatever I like.” He laughed in that sizzling, icy way as he slid his hand around her waist and drew her closer.

Shit, he smelled really good. Had he always smelled so good? “But I really wanted to watch TV,” Faith teased.

The shadows moved rapidly around his broken skin. His gloved fingers toyed with hers, walked up her arm, traced the edge of her bra. She couldn’t blame him; by this point her mind was already off and her body was just taking over. She might as well have had ‘fuck me’ written on her forehead.

“Ah,” Caleb sighed. His eye flashed but he didn’t let go of her. “See, I had other ideas…”

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