🪻《The Witch's Sister》🪻

The vampire named Charles was engulfed by Claude's blue flames. Out of fear, Clodette sat there unmoving as the blue flames scattered and scorched Charles' body. His skin oozed with an unpleasant scent, he continued to burn until his bones were left but that too, was reduced to ashes in mere seconds.

Clodette swallowed deep and found her voice, "Clau–Claude"

When she gazed upon his face she was mortified! Claude was smiling, not a warm kind of smile but a smile that would send shivers through your skin.

He turned to her, "Clodette" his voice was laced with an eerie sound. It wasn't his voice, but someone else!He reached his hand to her but she jerked away from his touch.

"No–no" She whispered.

"No?" His reply sounded like a question, "Don't be afraid"

"Claude come back! This is not–"

"Not me?" he cut her off as he continued, "This is me!" He touched her face gently, "This is me!" he smiled so broadly.

"You are not! You are not my Clau–" argh! before Clodette could finish her sentence he suddenly wrapped his hand tightly around her neck! She clutched on his wrist and tried to push him back!

"I am your Claude" The eerie voice kept insisting.

"Please–please come back–to me" she grasped for air "Come back to–me"

Come back to me, Claude!

Clodette nearly lost consciousness when the tight grip suddenly loosened. Claude quickly grabbed his head as if he was suffering from a painful headache, he screamed and screamed! He grappled on his hair and slammed his head on the ground.

Clodette took a hold of his head and gave him a tight embrace! "shhh–it's alright", she calmed him down "We are alright" his arms tightly wrapped around her waist as he cried.

As soon as the symbol disappeared Claude fell unconscious. He fell back on the ground from exhaustion then all Clodette could see was darkness.

...

A loud sobbing woke Clodette. She opened her eyes and saw Evangeline. Her eyes began to wander in search for him. Claude.

The moment her clouded memory returned, she suddenly sat up on her bed too quickly that startled Evangeline. Clodette stared at Evangeline before asking:

"How did I return home?"

"Madame, Lady Anastasia was the one who brought you here. She saw you laying in the garden two nights before. She quickly ordered her servants to bring you here!" Evangeline choked, holding back her tears.

"I am so glad you are alright, Madame" she took Clodette's hand on hers as she continued;

"Lady Anastasia stayed here for two days to make sure you are alright"

"How about Claude?" Clodette looked at her tear-filled eyes.

Evangeline shook her head. Clodette threw the bed covers from her body as she struggled to get out of bed, She used Evangeline's shoulders for support. Her knees shook slightly but she tried to step forward and as she did she immediately fell down!

"Oh! Madame!" Evangeline grabbed her by her right arm gently and helped her up.

"Take me to Claude", Clodette ordered!

"But you are not in the best shape to walk, madame" Evangeline's concern was evident in her voice.

"Please I have to see him" she persisted.

As they entered his room, Clodette hastily walked fast and kneeled down on his bedside, watching his sleeping face. Claude was still unconscious, she glanced on his body and saw his chest moved up and down slowly. Knowing that Claude was out of danger Clodette sighed with relief.

She touched his hand and held it close to her lips. His heartbeats were evenly beating. She planted a kiss on his hand. "You are alright" she whispered.

Suddenly the door bursted open and Anastasia came running toward her, she gave her a tight embrace!

"Clodette" She sobbed, "I thought you were a goner"

"shhh..Claude is still sleeping" Clodette patted her back , "Let's go outside"

"You never change, you're still a cry-baby" Clodette teased her as they sat on the divan outside the garden.

Anastasia glared at Clodette with tears streaming down her face, "How could you make a joke of this situation!"

She really did look like a child, Clodette placed both her hands on either side of Anastasia's face and used her thumbs to wipe away her tears.

"I'm immortal! I don't die, remember?"

"With vervain, you're not!" She choked.

One thing Clodette loved about Anastasia was that she never asked her a lot of questions. Her family had close ties with hers and regarded each other as close as sisters.

They were the descendants of a powerful witch, Zarrah Emer. Zarrah was Clodette's mother's confidante and now, her descendant Anastasia was her beloved friend.

"Thank you" Clodette kissed her left cheek. "–for helping me and Claude"

Anastasia pouted her lips and sighed, "Even you only give me letters for the past six years and not showing your face! You are still my best friend!"

She gave Clodette a tight embrace and continued "I am sorry this had to happen in my estate" She sat back "–my father was mortified of what happened"

So he had no idea about Julius' plan.

"He already send some people to investigate about this matter and I, too, discovered something"

"What is it?" Clodette asked,

"The vampires that attacked you were from the crescent coven" Anastasia hesitated "and–" She took out a white cloth and placed on the table she quickly showed Clodette what was inside.

a knife.

"I saw it on the ground just inches away from where you lay" She licked her lips and continued; "I took it with me as evidence"

Anastasia pointed at the knife, "Look at the design"

serpents.

"Marcus' insignia" Clodette replied, "Did you show this to your father?"

Anastasia shook her head, "No, I think you should know first"

"Good. Let's keep this a secret for now"

They both went silent as they kept on brooding about this matter only the rustling of leaves were heard. Their reverie were broken when Evangeline came up with a tray filled with tea cups and cookies.

Evangeline carefully set the tea cups on the table and filled it with lavender tea. She sprinkled a bit of sugar and stirred the spoon. Anastasia and Clodette both took a sip and sighed, after a moment of silence Anastasia suddenly placed her teacup on the table with a loud clattering sound.

Evangeline and Clodette both looked at her. She scowled and looked at them, "I cannot believe Marcus would send those vampires to attack you!"

Evangeline fell silent and so did Clodette, Anastasia went on, "–and Marcus of all people! Your own brother attempted to murder you! He's a psychopath! What a nutcase!" she glanced at Clodette, "no offense" as she took a sip on her teacup.

"None taken" Clodette replied, He is a psychopath.

Marcus was the last man Julius would approach, he must have been desperate. Marcus had been jealous of my position in the coven but my brother will not attempt to murder me. No matter how envious he gets he still cherishes me, her thoughts trailed off.

"Marcus was the one who banish you here in the Americas, how can Julius –", Evangeline didn't finish as she was busy wiping her tears.

Anastasia looked confused and then grasped loudly;

"Julius was in it too!?"

Clodette nodded and answered "He has his reasons"

"You are too lenient with him Clodette!" Anastasia replied.

Anastasia stood up and put her hands on her waist. "Come on then! if they are brewing something against you we need to be prepared and also we need to find a cure for Claude" Clodette nodded in agreement.

"Why is Claude still unconscious?"

"The incantation he casted was one of the forbidden magic" Anastasia sat down, "I never thought that magic existed until now"

"Will your sister know about it?"

Anastasia smiled, "She knows everything about magic"

"Can you write her a letter?"

"That I can do" Anastasia smirked, "It has been six years since she has seen you, she'll be glad of your visit"

Clodette turned to Evangeline and spoke, "Please take care of things while I am away" she gave an affirmative nod.

🥀3 days before departure

Clodette visited Claude in his bedroom and sat beside him. She held his hand close to her bosom.

"I'll be back" she whispered and planted a kiss on his warm hand. Evangeline stood behind her as she gave her the final instructions;

"While I am away—The Smith family will take care of you. Anastasia has set up a powerful protection spell around the mansion, so you will be safe"

"My family will also protect this mansion, my lady" she assured Clodette, "I will protect Claude"

Anastasia and Clodette will be traveling to Romania, where her sister Annabeth lived. Annabeth was regarded as a prodigy in an early age. She became one of the high priestesses of Sodom at the tender age of eight. If anyone could make a cure for Claude, she can.

...

After a several days of traveling by ship, they had  arrived at Annabeth's doorsteps. Her house was  not as grand as her family home rather it was a small modest hut with red roses planted in front of her walls.

Anastasia knocked once and the door opened by itself.

Annabeth stood at the middle of the room wearing an emerald dress and a white undershirt, her brunette hair hanged around her waist with an emerald pin bejeweled with black tourmaline fastened her side braids neatly behind. Unlike Anastasia who was curvaceous with a massive bust to allure men, Annabeth was doe-eyed with a tiny waist and had a frigid air about her.

"Annabeth!" Anastasia exclaimed as she embraced her sister.

"Annie!" She returned the embrace and reached out for Clodette, "It's good to see you again Clodette"

"It's nice seeing you too, Anna"

...

They were sitting in her living room as Anastasia kept on fluffing the pillows. The fireplace was made of bricks and at the far end of the house was a table filled with potions, herbs and animal's skin.

"You never clean Anna!" Anastasia scowled, "It's so ghastly in here"

"Oh shut up, Annie! as if you clean" Annabeth replied as she placed a tray of three teacups on the table. She turned to Clodette.

"So, you have the moon-eyed boy in your possession" Clodette nodded at her, "the witches in my coven were surprised as I am, I thought they were extinct" she took a sip on her teacup.

"How did they know?" Clodette asked.

"Well, you know–news travel fast" she eyed Anastasia, who coughed a little. Clodette rolled my eyes at her and spoke:

"Julius was the one who found him"

"Why didn't you give him up to your father?" She asked as she stood up and walked towards the table filled with her self-made potions.

Clodette fell silent, Why hadn't I done it? It was the original plan. Why do I keep him next to me?  She looked up seeing both sisters staring back at her, waiting for my response.

Anastasia's eyes widened, "Don't tell me ..." Clodette raised her hand signaling Anastasia to keep quiet.

Whatever thoughts she harbors they are untrue!

Anastasia squealed delighted at the her discovery while Annabeth just shrugged.

"He is not Claudius" Annabeth said with a tone of an elder sister, "You know that your father needs the blood of the moon-eyed warlock to wake him up from his slumber"

Annabeth continued, "Not only that this boy has an immense power everyone would try and take him"

She turned to Clodette, "Everyone" she enunciated eve try syllable in the word.

Marcus is afraid that once my father wakes up he would choose me as the next heir. Now, that he knows I have Claude he will stop at nothing to have him. For his blood is precious.

"The moon-eyed creatures are very powerful and rare–" Annabeth reminded them, "Their blood can give eternal life and power. It can also make vampires walk under the sun and procreate with immortal beings however I have never heard of a moon-eyed creature wielding such strong magic"

Annabeth opened her black book and fidgeted with the pages, flipping it aggressively.

"Anastasia told me in her letters that you saw blue flames" she continued.

Clodette stood up, "yes, Claude drew a weird mark on the air and a symbol appeared–then blue flames burned the vampire" She stood behind Annabeth as she peered at the book.

Annabeth stared at her,  "What kind of symbol? Can you draw it for me?"

Clodette took a pencil and paper then started to draw the symbol to show Annabeth. Anastasia hovered behind them to see what Clodette drew.

Clodette gave it to Annabeth and as soon as she saw the symbol. Her face was distorted with a horrific expression and with a trembling voice she said;

"This is the symbol of the Pale horse! One of the four harbingers of Apocalypse" 

🪻《Author's Note》🪻

Hey Lovely People! 🫶🏻

Finally revealed what the book title is! 🤣 Lmao. I hope you guys get your detective glasses on.

Special Note:
Credits to Pinterest and the artists for the pictures!

Question of the day:
What do you think about Claude's background?

🪷| Glossary
Harbinger: A person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.

Tell me your thoughts and don't forget to "vote"!

Love, Julia🪸