Her witching hour

Chapter One

Isobel walked down the street, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt it was so loud everyone around her could hear it. She didn’t know why she felt someone was watching her, but she did. Even though she couldn’t see them, she just couldn’t shake that feeling. It was dark out so Isobel kept her eyes peeled for anyone dangerous, anyone that might want to hurt her. Her dark brown hair whipped around her face as the wind blew.

Her petite frame allowed her to move through the huddles of people quite easily, but because she was only five foot she felt it also left her at a bit of a disadvantage if anyone did try to hurt her. But the truth was she was a lot more powerful than anyone would ever expect and even when left with hand to hand combat she was quite scrappy, especially when backed into a corner.

Everyone says that everyone has a reason for being and for some these are just words of comfort, but for a lucky few the world has been waiting for them and their reason for being isn’t questioned, once they find their path, when the time is right.

Unfortunately for Isobel, she had no idea why she had come to be. Her parents were very powerful too and unfortunately that hadn’t helped them at all. When a group of highly motivated, blood thirsty killers wanted her parents out of the way, they fought as hard as they could, but to no avail. They hadn’t survived. But they had managed to protect the one thing that meant everything to them, their daughter, Isobel and to them that was worth dying for.  No one believed anyone had survived the attack that terrible night. The house had been torn apart and had even appeared to have been burnt to the ground.

But that’s the funny thing about illusions; they can make you believe all sorts of things. Isobel’s parents hadn’t had time to protect themselves, but they did have time to cast a spell to hide Isobel from sight. Vampires swarmed their home, they knew Isobel’s parents were incredibly powerful witches and they wanted to eliminate the threat, thinking the witches would come after them and kill them.

They broke into the house and started trashing the place.  Both Isobel’s parents instantly went to protect their daughter. They made her invisible and cast a protection charm around her. Unfortunately the protection charm was sealed with their death. As two vampires began sucking the lives out of them, they cast one last spell that would make the house appear to be on fire. The vampires fled, believing the fire could kill them. The vampires got away unscathed, however Isobel’s parents bled out on the kitchen floor, using every ounce of energy they had left to finish the protection charm and to complete the illusion of the house burning down.

Their protection charm was a very powerful one; it meant that the vampires that were there that night would ever be able to harm her. It also meant that any vampires that had any blood relation, whether human or vampire would be able to harm her. This also meant any vampires that they had turned. Isobel was unaware of the protection charm.

Isobel had been fourteen when she lost her parents. It had forced her to grow up a little quicker than she should have had to. It had been two years since then. Isobel still suffered anxiety about that night sometimes. Maybe if she had known about the protection charm, she wouldn’t have worried so much. However her instincts were very good and there was someone watching and following her.

Isobel didn’t have much money. So once a week, she would go to the supermarket, turning herself invisible, using a spell from one of the many spell books her parents had left behind in the house. She would also charm a large bag, so that anything that goes into it also becomes invisible. She would get as much food and drink as she could carry. Then she would run home, remaining invisible, being careful not to bump into anyone, or anything.

Luckily the house was still standing and everything was in working order. The fridge freezer for instance, was still working and that was great for Isobel as it meant that she didn’t have to run to the supermarket more than once a week.

Isobel put her shopping away, lay down in her bed and looked up at the ceiling, although it was late and it was dark, so she really couldn’t see anything. She swept her hand up towards the ceiling and smiled to herself as little lights dotted themselves around her room, near the ceiling. She lay there wondering if her parents could see her and if they could, would they be proud of her. While she was contemplating that she fell asleep, with a smile on her face. She dreamt about her parents.

The next morning after she woke up Isobel was more determined than ever to practice her craft and better herself. She got dressed into dark blue jeans, a black vest top, with a dark blue hoodie over the top. Finishing off her look with black and white converse trainers. She thought it would be better to make sure she was comfortable.

Isobel walked to a field that she knew no-one really went to, she knew she wouldn’t be disturbed. Isobel looked up and the bright blue sky, without a cloud in sight. She lifted her right arm above her head and began swirling her arm, until the sky turned grey. She snapped her fingers and watched the lightning bolts in the sky and watched as the wind picked up. She snapped her fingers again causing the storm to stop. The sky went back to the beautiful clear blue sky and Isobel couldn’t help but smile.

“Little witch. I hear the blood of a witch is supposed to be the nicest. I guess it’s time for me to find out.” Isobel heard a voice say, with a harsh laugh. Isobel looked around and saw a young man, no more than a year older than herself perched in a tree watching her. He had pale skin, dark blue eyes and black hair. He was tall and clearly muscular. She couldn’t help but notice he was clearly a very attractive man. His eyes looked almost scary and he had a smile on his face that was making her insides squirm and not in a good way. She knew he was anything but good news.

Suddenly he showed her his fangs and lunged at her causing her to gasp and send him flying with a flick of her hand. He landed with a thud on the ground, quickly got back to his feet and went to lunge at her again, looking even angrier than before. Isobel swept her hand back and forth across the front of her, creating a shield. As the young man hit the shield he was thrown away from her, far enough that Isobel couldn’t see him anymore.

Isobel could hear footsteps loudly in the distance. Isobel quickly cast her invisibility charm. The man stood right in front of her, glaring. She thought he could see her and felt her heart hammering again. But then he let out a low growl. “Little witch I will get you one day.” He muttered angrily. Isobel realised that he couldn’t see or hear her and she let out a sigh of relief.  “Luke what are you doing here?” A woman no older than 24 asked. She looked concerned and Isobel felt a tug on her heart, she knew that look, it was the same look her mother would give her when she was concerned.  “Mum,” Luke groaned, confirming what Isobel thought. “I was just trying to clear my head and get away for a bit.” He continued. His mother still looked concerned. She didn’t know what to think, Luke had been acting up a little since she had turned him. He had wanted it and she had waited until his 17th birthday, thinking he was old enough to know what he wanted. “Luke you need to be careful, we need to keep a low profile. What were you really doing here?” His mother asked, feeling something was off. Luke thought to himself and wasn’t sure why, but he felt it was probably for the best to not tell his mum about the discovery of his witch.

Luke didn’t know much about witches, but he had heard that their blood tasted different than an average human’s, it was supposed to taste better. He knew one day he would taste the witch’s blood. He was intent on it.

Isobel walked through the front door of her home and sat on her comfiest arm chair. She thought about the vampire she had met. She knew he would be waiting for her if she went back to the field. She thought about not going back, thinking it might be good for her survival. But the more she thought about it, the more she realised she could use him to better herself. She figured there is nothing better than life experience. She knew she would definitely be going back to the field, to see him again. She never thought that one day she would be planning on seeing someone she knew without a doubt that they wanted to kill her.

Isobel had gone through some of her parents spell books, more time had passed than she realised. She couldn’t believe how dark it had gotten while she had been reading. She made herself something to eat, thinking it was best to keep her strength up for the following day. She wondered how her parents would feel about her being a bit reckless. She felt guilty while she thought about it, her parents had done everything possible to protect her from vampires and here she was thinking about purposely going up against one.

Isobel knew no amount of guilt was going to keep her away from that field. She had to know how to protect herself from vampires, so she didn’t die the same way her parents did and she thought fighting a vampire, might just be the way to make sure that doesn’t happen. Although she wouldn’t admit it to herself, there was a part of her that didn’t mind the idea of dying, as it might mean being reunited with her parents. Even if she had admitted it to herself, she wouldn’t purposely let herself die, not after her parents sacrifice. If her parents hadn’t fought so hard to save her, they would have been able to save themselves.

She had been an ordinary teenager, her parents had tried to keep her life as normal as possible. If they had taught her more spells on how to protect herself, she could have helped them fight. But at that time her knowledge on magic was rather limited. She wasn’t sure if it would have made much difference and the truth is it wouldn’t have. Her parents were very protective and would never have let her fight the vampires that were there last night. Their daughter was their whole world and their first instinct was always to protect her. Even if she had, had more knowledge on how to fight them, they would have still reacted the same way. Deep down Isobel knew this, but she couldn’t wonder if she could go back now, with all the knowledge that she had, could she protect her parents.

She had tried to find a spell that would allow her to go back to that day, change the past and come back to the present and see what had changed. She had, had no such luck. She knew going back to the past was possible, as she had read warnings in her parents books about how things can change in ways you may not expect. She had ignored the warnings and tried to find a spell anyway, but she wasn’t sure if her parents had hidden those spells, or had never possessed them, as they believed everything happened for a reason. Isobel wanted to believe that, but she couldn’t understand what possible reason there was for her parents being taken from her, when she still needed them so desperately.

She chose to not take time out of her day feeling sorry for herself, but she couldn’t stop herself missing them. She climbed in the shower and felt the warm water wash over her, it had a calming effect on her, it was somehow soothing. After her shower, she decided it was time to go to bed as it had gotten very late.

Isobel dreamt that night of her parents and the vampire she had met during the day. She woke up, her breathing heavy and her heart racing. She sat up and noticed how nice and sunny the day looked already. She let the thoughts of her dream slip from her mind. She didn’t want to dwell on the past. She wanted to find a way to move forward, but she was desperately lonely.

She got up and dressed and headed back to the field, again dressed comfortably. She bought a jacket with her, as she wasn’t sure how long she would be waiting for Luke to show. It turned out there was no waiting period. Luke was already there when she got to the field. He had a dark smile on his face. “You really must have a death wish, don’t worry I’m happy to oblige.” He told her, the smile never leaving his face. “What about what happened last time makes you think you have what it takes to kill me?” Isobel asked, knowing she was goading him. She knew it wasn’t a smart thing to do, but she also knew that was what she was here for.

In the blink of an eye Luke was no longer standing in front of her. She suddenly heard noises in the bushes and trees all around her. She spun round, but she still couldn’t see him. Before she even had time to comprehend what was happening he was on top of her, pinning her to the ground. His face was different, his eyes looked blood red and she could now clearly see his fangs. His mouth got closer to her neck, she purposely let him bite her, wanting to try a new spell, but she never got a chance. He recoiled from her, getting off her, screaming out in agony. She was so confused and so was he. He looked at her looking angry and then ran off in a blur. She was left standing all alone in the field, feeling confused, the only way she knew it was definitely real was the pain she felt in her neck, from where he had bitten her. She knew he was wounded and she could have gone after him and killed him if she wanted, but she wanted to figure out what had happened.