Page 16 of Vampire's Vixen

The strip mall down by the ferry was laid out in a long row of shops in a building tucked under the hill, the concrete walls built into the face of the cliff like a rammed earth house or a hobbit hole. They held a diverse group of offerings.

There was a pot shop—A Little Help From My Friends; a pizza place—Just A Slice; a bar—Papa Mojito’s; a gift shop for Otherkin—Baby’s First Fang; and then the magic shop—Ona Sera’s Roots. The shops were all colorful and?—

“Ona Sera? She’s the woman you wanted me to meet last month, isn’t she?”

“Yes, she owns this shop.” Astra led me over to the brightly lit magic shop.

As we entered, I felt the subtle twinge of magic surrounding me. It was gentle, but powerful, and I had the feeling that—at full force—whoever had cast the wards was an incredibly powerful witch.

The Strega weren’t exactly Fam-Trad, born to a family lineage, but rather a branch of the witchblood who had evolved with their own talents in magic. The Voudoun practitioners were the same—they had their own magical structure. Not all of the outlier witchblood clans answered to the Court Magika, but neither did they break the rules. At least, most of them didn’t.

The woman behind the counter could have been forty or one hundred and forty. The moment I laid eyes on her, I understood that she was one of those women who confounded time—battling it with genetics and with her own form of magic.

She was short and thin, wearing a long skirt of deep forest green that flowed to her ankles, beneath which I could see a pair of suede boots. Her top reminded me of a thermal underwear tank top, mustard-colored, and she wore a brown suede belt. Her brown hair was caught back in thin braids that dangled down her back, and her skin had an olive undertone that brought to mind the people of the Mediterranean.

As her eyes lit up and she headed our way, I found myself stepping back. There was an intensity about her that made me feel nervous.

But she stopped by Astra and spread her arms. “Mama Astra, give us a hug!”

Astra embraced her, towering over her by several inches. “Ona Sera, you’re back!”

“Of course I’m back. I can’t stay on vacation forever,” Ona Sera said. “And you’ve brought company! Is this your niece?”

“Yes, this is my niece, Maisy. Maisy, meet Ona Sera,” Astra said pulling away with a smile on her face.

“Maisy, you look just like your aunt told me you would. A pretty thing you are.”

Before I could mutter a hello, Ona Sera had pulled me into a bear hug, then let go just as quickly. For such a slight woman, she was incredibly strong.

“Well, then, what’s the occasion for the visit?”

Grateful she hadn’t asked how I liked being back in Midnight Point, I deferred to my aunt. It seemed like everybody I met who found out that I had once lived in town wanted to know how I felt it had changed and did I like being home and why did I return, along with a dozen other questions I didn’t fancy answering.

“Maisy’s joining the Dark Moon Society this weekend. We need appropriate regalia for her.” Astra sounded as proud as she had when I had won the state spelling bee at age thirteen. I hadn’t continued in my pursuit of the perfect vocabulary—the spelling bee world was fiercely competitive—but I still loved playing with words.

“Well then, let’s see what we have.” Ona Sera led us over to the area of the store with clothing racks. There were magical gowns and cloaks galore, in all colors and sizes, along with what looked like Ren Faire garb.

But Astra knew what she wanted. Well—wanted for me, and she headed directly for the rack of long, black gowns. She thumbed through them, finally pulling out a gown that looked like a sundress. Chiffon, it had a fitted corset-type bodice, cap sleeves, and a flowing skirt.

“This will work well. Do you like it?” She held it up for me to look at.

It was pretty, though out of my usual comfort zone. But I noticed the detail on it. The bodice was embossed with black-on-black roses. The skirt had garters that could be used to shorten it by gathering it up in scallops. The dress had a side zipper, making it easy to get on and off. And as I examined it, I realized the stitching was exquisite—straight, even, and pressed to a smooth finish.

“This is extremely well made,” I said, holding the hem as I examined it. “It’s really pretty. Does this come in my size?”

Ona Sera took the dress from Astra, then flipped through the dresses on the rack, finally pulling one out. “Right here, and it’s a petite, so it’s not going to drag on the ground. Would you like to try it on?”

I nodded, so she turned me toward the dressing rooms and gave me a little push. “The room on the left has the best lighting,” she said.

Surprised by the generous size of the fitting room, I stripped. I’d dressed for clothes shopping: a pair of gauchos, an easy-off tank, and slip-on flats. I cautiously stepped into the dress. It seemed the easiest way to get it on. As I zipped the side, then adjusted my boobs and stood back to look at myself, I wasn’t prepared for the image in the mirror.

Whether it was the dress, or just me and the way my mindset was changing, when I saw my reflection, I gasped. For the first time in…perhaps ever…I truly felt like I could see my own beauty. I was glowing with magic.

I pressed my hand to my chest, my eyes welling up. The dress signified something. I knew that, though I wasn’t sure yet exactly what it meant to me. But in this dress, I felt like I was magic incarnate. In this dress, I felt worthy of being Aphrodite’s priestess. It was as though I could see into my own nature, and for the first time, I wasn’t dissatisfied.

I opened the dressing room door and stepped out. “What do you think?

My question came out almost shyly, but as Astra and Ona Sera looked at me, they both gasped. Auntie stood there, tears in her eyes as well.

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