Season of the Witch – Donovan
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"Do you really think this is a good idea?"

"Well, if we want to try catching a glimpse of this hunter then we have to try." Michael mumbled under his breath.

"But did the girls have to come?" John stressed glancing over his shoulder at the booth filled with giggling girls. 

"Well, it was either take them with us or leave them to get drunk within my home." Michael chuckled.

John would have loved that ten times better than putting any of them in harm's way. He glanced over his shoulder one more time and caught the eye of the woman he'd forever love and lust for no matter how many times he takes her to bed. 

Her shy smile toward him made him smirk right back. Despite her sister and best friend being in the country until the third of January, they'd spent the three days after Christmas together. She'd spent the days with the girls but spent the nights with him which was good enough for him.

"They're talking about you." Mike broke into his thoughts. 

John expanded his hearing and started smiling as he stared down at the sticky bar table.

"...understand. Why?"

"Because it's none of your business." He heard Amy snap. "Can we not, please?"

"We're all intrigued." He recognised the voice belonging to Chelsea. 

"I don't think I am." Amy's sister injected.

"In a way I am," Evie said and John started to wonder what they could possibly be talking about. "But maybe now isn't the time."

"We're in a bar, we're drinking, and we're having fun. How is this not the time to talk about your sex life?"

Ah. Oh.

Michael started chuckling and John nudged his arm. 

"I wouldn't care if we were about to be sucked into a wormhole, I am not talking about this." Amy whispered. He knew her heartbeat well enough to know it was accelerating in embarrassment.

"Oh stop being a spoil sport, Ames. John is a beautiful man and I'd like to know whether his hands prove how big his-"

There was a slapping sounding and a small sharp cry before John turned around to watch Amy and Chelsea slapping each other's arms. 

"Is the hand thing true?" Michael asked him. 

He glanced down at his large hands and punched his own best friend in the arm. "Now that's none of your business is it?"

"Oh, come on. Is seventy years together not enough?" 

"I should drive a stake through your heart, Mike."

"Spare me of your empty threats." He chortled. "Enough of that. We are here to track any vampires that can tell us about this hunter."

"He hasn't done anything to us."

"Yet."

John glanced at Pam and Nick playing pool in the corner of the room before turning back. "What do you mean yet?"

"I mean, Katherine and Ana have been very jumpy the last few days but they're unsure why. They aren't seeing much."

"Meaning?"

"Either it's something big..."

"Or?"

Mikes green eyes sliced toward him before he gazed at Evie. "Or Nate's back."

"Is it his barrier?"

He shrugged. "They thought it was but they said it's a little different then again they haven't felt it in a while."

"Nathaniel wouldn't do anything bad, we both know that."

"You may know that but I'm not entirely convinced." The door of the bar opened and John felt his nostrils flare at the scent of a vampire. Mike's eyes darted over John's shoulder before he nodded his head. 

He noticed Pamela's frown as the older in appearance male vampire walked in and sat at the opposite end of the bar from John and Michael. The environment in the bar became almost hostile as Pam stopped her game to move over to the girls. 

Amy's gaze met John's almost as soon as Pamela joined them and the slight flash of fear on her features wouldn't have been distinguished by a human. 

She and Evie were aware what was going on and she'd tried to convince Chelsea and Morgan to stay with them when they heard Mike and John mention a bar but it was no use. So they joined them much to his and Michael's dislike. John wanted Amy as far away from this bar as possible but there honestly was no convincing them. 

Michael gave John a pointed look go talk to him and he rolled his eyes. As usual.

John walked casually down the bar after ordering two Stella's and sat beside him with a contented sigh. The older man didn't look too threatening. Curly mess of short brunette hair, a rough jaw of stubble, not much muscle but not skinny at all. Appearance wise, he was probably in his late twenties early thirties. 

The man glanced at John from the side with a pair of dark blue eyes and tutted.

"Thirsty?" John asked him, placing one of the beers in front of him.

John watched as he inhaled and quietly laughed. "I'm guessing there is a double meaning behind that." He spoke in a strong British accent. 

"How so?" He challenged taking a small sip of his own beer.

"Oh, now now. A vampire of your age should know better than to play with an older vampire."

John smirked. "A vampire of my age?" 

"One hundred and fifty eight."

His smirk disappeared.

The older vampire held his beer up to him in mock salute with a crooked smile. "A gift of mine. Comes in handy when I pick my fights."

He certainly wasn't expecting this. "Alright then. Let's skip the small talk. Why are you here?"

The humour vanished and he scowled like the answer was obvious. "Why'd you think I'm here? I'm looking for that bloody hunter like every other vampire in this town is."

"Why are you?"

"Because he killed one of my protégés and if I'm being completely honest I'm not the happiest of bunnies about it."

"You've seen him?"

"No one's seen him, not even me." 

"Then how do you know what you're looking for?"

He shrugged. "I don't."

John glared at the obviously older vampire and waited for him to carry on. But instead he just drank his beer in silence, glancing at each table and each human with a look of distaste. 

Until his gaze landed behind John. The vampire narrowed his eyes briefly and then chuckled. "I assume that table of human's belong to you and your friends?"

"We don't own them, but they're not to be touched."

"Sharing is caring," He teased.

He found no amusement. "Maybe you should find your meal elsewhere."

"Let me guess which one does belong to you." He spun around on his stool and faced them all. John didn't want him to guess, didn't even want him laying his hungry eyes onto Amy or even any of the rest of them.

But when Amy made the slightest mistake of glancing toward them, the vampire made an appreciative humming noise. "What a stunning creature. Bravo."

John could feel his anger boiling to the surface. His hand clenched around the bottle. 

"I see no ghost of a bite on her delectable neck. Where is the fun in that?"

"You best watch your tongue-"

"Or what? You'll 'break my neck'? Animal blood serves no vampire well."

Before he could attempt to do so, a hand lay on his shoulder. He assumed it would be Michael but Nicolas was standing beside him with a scolding glare. "The girls are leaving."

The older vampire frowned. "A shame. I was having so much fun. But I think it may be time for me to leave as well. I have friends waiting on me and it seems I see no hunter. Farewell, friend." He stood with a polite bow and walked out. 

John watched his every move. His confident stride out of the bar had him wary. 

He stood and met Amy by their abandoned table. 

"What's going on?" She whispered.

"Evie will take you and the girls home."

"I'm coming with you." She said not as a question but as a statement. Her brown eyes dared him to say no.

"Fine." He relented although he'd feel better if she were with him anyway. "Quickly. We're going to Anastasia's."

Pam and Nick exited first staying as vigilant as ever. The parking lot was far from empty but they had a bit of a walk to get to each of their cars. Amy and the girls all came together in Evie's car whilst everyone else took their own.

John kept a protective arm around her as they walked as calmly as possible to the end of the lot, Morgan and Chelsea chatting away about god knows what with Evie. Evie had a calm persona as well but her darting eyes and quick footsteps said different.

Just as Morgan and Chelsea closed their doors, the sound of more than a pair of footsteps filled his hearing.

Michael nudged Evie to get in the car and leave just as the older vampire circled around him. Three other vampires, one male and two females, and not young ones dammit, joined them. "What do you want? A fight?" Nick asked.

"No. Just a little fun." The British vampire said. "And a little attention."

"Amy, get in my car and go." He mumbled into her ear after unlocking his car and handing her the keys.

He was highly aware of how her heart was escalating at an alarming rate. 

And he wasn't the only one to notice.

Before he could blink, one of them had swiped him away from her. A growl erupted deep from within his chest as he advanced toward her.

But almost too quickly, a sharp cry of pain pierced the air. A female cry.

But it wasn't from Amy.

Evie's car left before the scream so the thought of Morgan or Chelsea seeing this moment flew straight out of his mind.

Everyone's gaze landed to one of the vampires approaching Pamela and Nick. She'd stopped moving. But it was because a large wooden stake protruded from her chest.

The night stilled as the vampire fell to the ground in a heap. Her face turned a deathly grey and the veins that outlined when we fed filled her face. 

And before anyone else could think or gather their senses about what just happened, the sound of something whooshing past John's ear made him dart to the side. Another stake hit the vampire holding Amy away from him.

She ran to him and he grabbed her as each vampire was hit so effortlessly one by one, stake after stake. Michael, Pam and Nick hurried into their own cars shouting to run and leave quickly. 

John briefly glared to the side as the older vampire fell to the ground with a stake to his shoulder nowhere near his heart. He smiled at John as if he knew this meeting of theirs would lead him to the vampire hunter. Well lucky him because it did, dick.

He quickly opened the doors to his truck to let Amy into the driver side.  "Go straight to-"

"No, I'm not leaving you here by yourself."

He shut the door without an answer and turned around. 

But then he paused. He grunted and jolted backwards, his back hitting the car door. He glanced down at his chest and actually laughed, probably from the shock.

Well, isn't life a bitch.

The stake settled inches away from his heart thankfully. He barely heard the door on the other side of the car open and the small fast footsteps of Amy as she approached him. His eyes watched her frantic pale facial expressions and his ears caught onto every frantic syllable she yelled at him to get in the beeping car now or I'll beeping carry you. The beeps are an obvious substitute for a swear word, of course.

She hastily helped him into the backseat of the car but he couldn't stop chucking; probably because he'd been in this same situation five times over. And the damned wooden stake was still deep within his chest. Amy swung out of the spot and John watched out of the window as a figure emerged from the darkness to approach the English vampire kneeling on the floor. The figure was hooded, his face completely covered from his view. As Amy sped out of the parking lot John carefully spun around to watch out of the window as the figure took another stake from his backpack to shove it right into his heart with no remorse.

The bump in the road caused him to groan as the pain increased. "You can slow down a little, now."

She didn't reply and he grunted when she hit another bump. He looked down at the stake and at the blood seeping through his t-shirt and jacket. What kind of archery or gun type weapon could this hunter of invented to penetrate my skin this deep?

He curled his hand around the wooden handle and flinched when Amy turned the car sharply. The road was dark and he knew for a fact it was far away from the bar. There were no cars following or even approaching so they were okay.

"Amy can you pull over? Please."

This time she listened and turned off onto a dirt road. She stopped the car and turned the engine off.

Before he tried to pull it out, he watched Amy exit the car and join him in the darkness of the back seat. For a second when the light overhead switched on he saw the paleness and the sweat forming on the top of her head. Her breathing was horribly uneven, her heart beating unhealthily.

"Close your eyes." He said. "And breathe in and out slowly."

As her eyes closed and she inhaled, he yanked the stake from his chest and tried to stop his painful cry but he couldn't. A sob escaped her lips and he grabbed a towel out of the back of his car to press to his healing wound.

He watched as she quietly broke down. Her cries were silent but the tears pouring down her cheeks portrayed her pain. Her hand grabbed his bloodstained one and squeezed.

"Hey, look." He lifted both of their hands, painfully sure, but enough to peck the back of her palm. "I'm okay. Hm? I'm here."

"But... But-"

"There are no buts. I'm here with you right now. See?" He was weak. But he was here.

"It was so close I swear... I thought you'd..."

He pressed the towel harder flinching as he felt his skin and his insides healing. His body weakening from the amount of blood loss. "I wouldn't leave you so soon." He tried to lighten the mood with a lazy smile but the terror in her eyes said different.

"There were so many bodies... And blood. I don't... I'm not the best when it comes to blood."

He angled himself out of sight. "Are you okay?"

"I might throw up." She mumbled and his eyes flickered to her throat as she swallowed deeply.

"Keep breathing. I'll step outside."

"No, no. I will, I just need to think for a second." Her gaze never left his for a full minute before her bottom lip started trembling again. "I really thought I'd lost you."

He leant his forehead against hers and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead.

As Amy leant against the car and bent over, hyperventilating a little bit, he stared at the ironically beautifully carved oak wood stake. He snarled at the polish and smoothness of it. Professional, obviously. Cocky bastard as well. He numbered his stakes. Number 16.

He dropped it on the floor of his car and shut his eyes. It must have been another half hour before he could remove the towel from his chest. He sighed relieved that it was scaring over. Amy had remained outside pacing around the car, occasionally mumbling to herself or cracking her knuckles. 

John removed his jacket, the action causing him to tire quickly. He was weak. Meaning he was thirsty. But the strength to move or even get out the car and drive to Ana's left him.

Amy got back to the driver seat and asked him where he wanted to go. She was much better now, he'd noticed. The colour had returned to her face but the worry was still there. Her heart wasn't beating as fast but the adrenaline was probably still pumping through her veins.

He gave her quiet directions to Ana's house which took another ten minutes. And by the time Amy helped him from the car, bravely glancing at the hole in his shirt where the wound was and touching her fingers against the still healing taut skin, he felt drained, thirsty and ready for bed.

**

Ana had welcomed her and John into the house already expecting them. Honestly her mind was running like a cheetah on crack. She was still unbelieving of everything that had just happened. 

They were all in the kitchen except for John, Mike and Pam. Nick was watching Morgan and Chelsea silently at Amy's house. 

Evie was currently stroking her cheek constantly asking if she was okay. Of course she wasn't okay! She just about caught sight of the wooden stake piercing through John's chest before it actually happened. Her heart had literally stopped when his back hit the car door.

For almost an hour, they'd been sitting here discussing the same thing over and over. Katherine, Sam and their mother were stood whilst Anastasia sat opposite Evie. Michael and Pam weren't in the room probably with John. 

She wanted to be with John. But Evie insisted she stay with her. 

"We've seen and said the same things over and over again." Katherine said slightly agitated. Amy couldn't blame her. They had been repeating themselves. 

This was the first time Amy had acknowledged her as a witch but now wasn't the time for jokes or smiles.

Ana had briefly embraced her, whispering a thank you she still didn't understand. Ana was also watching her a lot. Of course Amy felt a little uncomfortable especially when she mentioned another family of witches that could help them.

"Will they be coming?" Evie asked.

"Well," Katherine's mother interjected. "They live in Chicago. The man comes from a long line of witches. And the woman is a Shaman."

"A what?" Evie asked.

"Shaman. They work completely with nature: rivers, rocks, trees, animals. They know the body and the mind and they practise healing."

"They'll be coming here then?" Amy wondered speaking for the first time.

"Soon. They have a son. He'll visit from time to time for them. He's a powerful witch, one I've never seen in my years." Ana told her, her eyes flashing with mischievousness. She couldn't understand why. "He doesn't like channelling his power however. He likes to keep himself to himself. He should be arriving later on tonight."

"What kind of witch is he?" Kate asked intrigued. Obviously she hasn't met him.

"Well, he's received it so it would be hereditary. He can see things no one else can not even you Katherine." Ana smiled at her granddaughter. "You wouldn't be able to sense him unless you touched him directly."

"Like when I touch?" Sam asked. 

"No, in general my darling." Ana winked at him and then turned to Amy. "Sam's power, he touches to know every single detail of someone's life. Or just as much as he wants to know. Down side: it leaves them a little... Odd afterwards."

"Okay, so. Other witches can sense each other normally but in order to sense this boy someone like Kate would have to touch him?" 

"Correct, Amy." Ana smiled. "Witches are fun."

"Being a witch sounds like its crazy." Evie said and Amy started smiling. Everyone started to disperse from the kitchen leaving Evie and Amy to talk. 

"Are you sure you're okay?" Evie asked.

"I'm fine." She reassured. "I'm just worrying, that's all."

"He'll be okay." 

"He's so pale. And weak. I could see it in his eyes when we were talking."

"He's thirsty." Evie mumbled with a sad smile. "I'm sure he'll feed."

Amy glanced into the living room and watched as John slowly walked in with Pam by his side. His face was still a deathly pale. His throat bobbed up and down as he swallowed and his mouth was pursed. They sat on the couch slowly. He was in a brand new t-shirt now but his hand still rubbed at his chest as Pamela spoke to him.

Amy still hasn't had a chance to ask Evie about John biting her. She turned back to Evie and frowned at the grin on her face. "You're thinking about it? About him... you know."

"Honestly, yes and no."

"You want to know if it hurts."

She nodded.

"Truthfully, it does. Only for a second maybe even two. But the pleasure masks it completely, trust me. It's completely inappropriate for me to say here but it's better than an orgas-"

"Okay, alright." Amy stopped her, the blush spreading across her cheeks. 

Evie laughed. "The only reason it feels good is because you both love each other and trust each other. If you were his victim and you were scared you'd be hurting like a bitch. The fear is what makes it worse."

"How do you know?" Amy wondered.

Evie showed her the scar on her neck and shrugged. "Lucky guess. Long story short, Mike's crazy ass Maker bit me. I'll tell you about that one day. But enough about me." She leaned closer to her and laid a hand on her arm. "You trust and love that man, it'll be good for the both of you, you know? Mike was pretty reluctant at first but I worked my magic. Unlike Mike, John would pretty much do anything you ask."

She glanced at him. His eyes were closed and he looked as if he were asleep. But then he opened his eyes, caught her gaze and graced her with one of his slow smiles.

"Okay." She said. "Thanks Evie."

"Anytime, babe. Maybe you should take him home. Waiting on this witch might take all night."

"Yeah, you're right-"

"No need." Ana entered. "He's here. Amy sweetheart, why don't you answer the door."

"Sorry?" Did she hear right?

"You can answer the door. It's alright. Just don't hit the poor boy. He won't see it coming."

Amy frowned at the odd older woman. She stood and frowned deeper as Evie gasped and joined her. "Oh my God." She said. "Answer the door."

"What's going on?" Amy was confused. 

"Come on." She took hold of her hand and led her to the front door. "Remember that day in the cafeteria, before the game?"

"Um..." 

"Katherine met somebody."

"Okay yeah..."

"You asked him if he'd met her and for a good minute he sat there before he said no."

Amy didn't know what this had to do with him. "So, what?"

"They hadn't met."

She wasn't getting it. "Is that your big conclu-?"

Evie swung the door open just as a car drove away and a familiar man with sunglasses walked up the drive with a solemn look on his face.

Of course the only thing she could feel was anger when she recognised his lazy stroll, the familiar frown to his forehead, and his stick.

"My big conclusion was that she hadn't met him but he may have heard of her."

Amy glared at Micah as he stopped in front of them. "Yeah he definitely won't see my punch coming. He'll get one right to the nose."

"Don't be so hasty." He held his hand up.

"There have been absolutely NO signs for this nothing at all, not a thing. I can't believe this."

"Amy-"

She hit his arm. "You're an asshole Micah!" He started to smile and she hit him again. "You-!!"

"Can we talk about this inside?" He laughed and she wanted to hit him again. "First of all." He announced as the all made their way into the living room. "Some may know me but for others I'm Micah." He grinned and Amy scowled. "Before Amy asks again, I'm a witch yes but I don't consider myself one as I haven't practised as much as your friends. And Amy the story of how I became blind is still true. It wasn't some super natural thing it was all due to crappy luck and my cat." Amy noticed Katherine smile. "And thirdly, as I'm blind I have just about seen who the hunter is but I'm a little unfamiliar with whom it is. I can only say he's got a dark head of hair. He seems to have some sort of witch on his side stopping me from 'seeing' him more."

"What is this, the season of the witch?" Pamela mumbled beside John and he began to smile.

As they conversed Amy was glancing around the room realising how crazy this all was. Three vampires, five witches and two humans. An unlikely group. And then her gaze landed on Micah again. Of course she was freaking pissed. There hadn't been a single sign that he'd been a witch or not normal. 

Because he was normal. Ana said he didn't like channelling in which explained his normality. Sometimes he would say things that Amy would wonder how he knew. But she just thought that was just how he was as a person. 

"Why are we only officially meeting and hearing of you now?" Sam asked.

"Because there wasn't a need for him my dear," Ana answered. "Why reveal this boy as something he doesn't wish to be called? But there is something far greater happening. I can feel it. It's not just this hunter but something far bigger."

Amy's mood plummeted only for a moment before her gaze landed on John. His breathing was even and she'd seen him enough to know he was sleeping. It was almost half eleven, the time had gone so fast what with the attack and deaths and all that.

So she announced she was taking him home and helped him to stand. 

She glared at Micah and wasn't surprised to see him smile. She promised she would see him tomorrow to scream at him and left with a few hugs. In her mind as she drove to John's house she was still shaking about the whole of tonights. She was definitely going to be dreaming about this. Honestly she'd remember this forever. That horrible moment where she thought she'd lost John forever. Her heart broke in two. And tonight, as she glanced at him resting in the passenger seat, she'll let him have her. He needed to heal himself, feed himself. And she wanted him to from her. 

It might be a bit of a stretch for her considering tonight's events but she would try for him. She took his hand and squeezed. He needed her.

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TA-DA 

OMG SO, Check out the movie trailer I made for BSLB :P!!! ON THE SIDE AND SENT THROUGH A MESSAGE AND EXTERNAL LINK!

CLOSE CALL FOR JOHN!!

AND WAS MICAH A SURPIRSE OR WHAT? And yes, from the beginning I was always planning on making him a witch! You may not have noticed it through the chapters but I have put in subtle hints of curiosity glances from him MWHA :D!

NOW ALL YOU GOTTA DO... Is figure out the hunter dun dun dunnnnnnnn