Page 40 of Blood Witch

“You claimed him, Mabel.As your mate. Vampires have mates, you know. They only claim the one whose blood lights for them, and then that is the person who feeds them. Exclusively,” Armstrong explained with a small smile on her face.

“I will only crave his blood?” I whispered.

Happiness filled me at that the revelation.

Was it wrong I did not want to feed from any other vein?

I had no idea. But from the look of pride on his face, I was more than relieved he seemed to be on the same page.

“Indeed. Now, tell me why? What about him first struck your fancy?”

“I don’t know,” I murmured, but I knew. I swallowed and cleared my throat before answering. “His eyes. Fin’s eyes are brilliant, silver pools. I thought I was going to drown in them,” I told her honestly, flicking my gaze to his.

“I see. What else?”

“His scent. The sound of his bloo—oh my Goddess, you are right! I heard his blood rushing in his veins, and when I looked at him and his pale skin and silver eyes, it was just likebam! I knew I would only ever want him,” I turned to face him then because Fin deserved to hear this directly from me.

“When I saw you, I felt a spark ignite deep in my soul, telling me I wasn’t alone anymore. Feel this,” I murmured, taking his hand and placing it over my chest. He nodded, tears swimming in his beautiful eyes.

“Feel my heartbeat, Fin. That’s how I hear yours all the time. In fact, I can hear everyone else’s all the time. All the blood rushing through their veins. That’s my magic. I’m not a blood witch,” I said, more to myself than anyone else, but a collective round of giggles had my head whipping to see my friends in various stages of celebration through tears.

“My magic,” I said, turning back to Armstrong,er, Aunt Helga. That was going to take some getting used to. “It’s not about bloodletting or drinking or the hunger that plagues me. It’s about life. Blood is always about life. It’s about sharing, and caring, and love!”

“Good girl. You have found your place with these witches, Mabe. And just know that I am here if you need me.”

“You sent me to 563A because you believed I could help them save magic,” I said, eyes wide.

Me.

She wanted me to help?

But how?

I was a hybrid witch vampire just learning my powers and weaknesses.

What could I do?

“Yes. They will need you, Mabel. Magic needs you. We all do.”

After a few more minutes in the office, we left together in companionable silence. Fin’s touch warmed me as we walked, and I appreciated he knew I needed quiet. Everyone seemed to.

With my powers, I could hear more than just the blood rushing around in those around me. I could hear magic. I could see it too. Traveling through planes and realms of existence. Seeing magic the way only I seemed able to. It all made sense now.

Yes, vampires were secretive, but I was a nerd girl at heart, and I read more than my share of vampire books. Vampires were from a different kind of magic, and though I was certain to have some of it wrong, I knew now that my magic was special.

“Sanguinem Council. That’s where you belong,” Fin supplied.

He grinned, his eyes flashing lightning at me and I felt the excitement buzzing inside him through our blood connection. It was hard not to get distracted by all that. Fin was gorgeous and my own reactions to him were all hyperaware and caught up in my fierce attraction to the Enforcer.

“What?” I asked, still in shock and more than a tiny bit confused.

“The other missing coven from witch history. They erased the Sanguinem Council. You see, both vampires and the witch world decided hybrids were too unpredictable, that was about two or three hundred years ago. Anyway, they outlawed inter-species matings. It is something Enforcers of old used to have to police,” he said, his cheeks flaming as he rubbed his head.

“Outlawed it?”

“Yes. People always ban what they are afraid of. Even supernatural people. But before they decided there would be no more hybrids, there used to be a coven of them, the Sanguinem Council. I could bring you books—”

“Yes! From the Enclave? The Enforcers’ base? Fuck, Fin, I would give you my left nut for that!” Enok said, making everyone laugh.

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