"A spell is just a blank canvas. What you do with it depends on your imagination. There are unlimited possibilities to be explored. So, if you need to incapacitate an enemy drawing near to you and you have the ability to make a storm but the pathetic and feeble version of it, then, by all means, make that flimsy cloud over their heads and imbue it with poison. They won't know what hit them when it starts to rain."

~Meredith Allesium, The High Commander of the Battle Witch Forces;

from the speech at the induction ceremony of a fresh batch of Battle Witches

II.

Merton's was...for the lack of a better word, flashy. A huge disco ball, which should've ended up in a dumpster a few decades ago, dangled in the center of a dance podium. Walls were adorned with glitter which sparkled when colorful lights fell on it.

Music was pretty loud, and Nicole wondered how a vampire like Giuseppe was fairing with his a-lot-better-than-average hearing sense. He must have used some kind of a safety enchantment, so the loud sounds didn't damage his ears and hinder him. Or he had perfect control over his senses. She didn't have any problems with her hearing enhancing enchantment she used for eavesdropping; it was like having volume control knob, she just had to be conscious of her magic to adjust it when needed.

Giuseppe led them through the middle of the room and a few people scrutinized them from where they sat. The party wasn't in full swing and most of the patrons opted for sitting rather than dancing. The cozy booths they passed were almost packed with different people some dressed classier and some more modern. Nicole identified them by slight magic output as supernaturals. Merton's was the most popular club for non-humans.

Nicole didn't really know anyone here while Giuseppe just politely nodded here and there, head held high, his steps confident and strong, inching them toward the back of this place.

They kept going and neared the VIP section. She'd never been there before even though she tried to get in many times. Presumably, her investigations would be easier if she could go there, but no, the fates hadn't smiled at her even once. Now that she knew what kind of clientele they catered there; she wasn't sure if she wanted to go in.

Giuseppe led her through a door and into a room that wasn't as flashy as the one before. It was a known fact that all the town's big-shots visited here at least a few times a season. 

She glanced at him when he paused. Then, realized she had to crane her neck. She knew he was tall, but walking beside him made it more evident. Nicole managed to reach Giuseppe's chin only because of her ridiculous, high heels. What had he eaten before being turned, whole horses?

A reflection in one of the antique mirrors brought her out from her musings. It was placed around the room as a decoration and had a thick wooden frame into which were carved elegant, wavy shapes 

When it finally registered in her brain, Nicole realized their position made them look like a couple: walking hand in hand as even their clothes complemented each other, her orange-reddish dress along with his dark gray suit and a beige shirt. Under that suit, his body was strong, though lean, but she could still feel the muscles coil where she gripped his arm like a lifeline. She might not be at ease with the situation, but it was either this or who knew what, and he was smiling normally, mouth curving softly which kind of made her more amenable.

She stopped staring at the reflection to sweep a glance over this part of the club, noticing it wasn't as crowded as the part for the general public. Even the music wasn't as loud; a somewhat slow beat was leading a melody of violins and wind instruments. The prices here were probably higher if you consider the rich clientele dispersed throughout the room, all in fancy suits and dresses that probably cost more than she could earn in three months' wage, but she didn't care. If Giuseppe wanted her to accompany him, she would bleed his account dry if needed.

After passing most of the tables and booths, they sat in the semi-private booth in the corner of the giant room. Giuseppe must be pretty paranoid to only turn his back on what was probably the thickest wall of the building.

When the waiter arrived to take their orders a few moments later, Nicole decided for some cocktail with as little alcohol as she could find on the menu since she didn't want to get inebriated and become dinner for the vamp beside her.

It wouldn't be the first time he tried to get in her pants; at least she thought he wanted that every time he would plaster himself to her. Or he just loved messing with her for his own aggravating amusement. Nicole knew Giuseppe was quite aware she was somewhat scared of him, so he must be getting kicks out of pestering her.

"My dear you should not look so mad at me, others are watching and waiting for a chance to take you away from me."

Giuseppe's sharp smile could cut the tension in the air. His face was slightly averted to right and lights fell on it in such a wrong way that would make that grin seem deranged if she hadn't already been slightly aquatinted his usual intimidating tactics. She must give him that, this vampire sure knew how to use light and shadows to his advantage.

"What if I want to be taken away from you?" she asked grumpily.

What kind of question was that? She screamed inside her head. That was a huge mistake. You don't just talk back to...to... to a vampire! Or at least she shouldn't. well... if she wanted to survive this evening

Giuseppe just smiled idly. "Who says I would let you go?" He leaned back and put his elbows on the handrest. His fangs were showing through the smile.

It was quite alarming how the atmosphere could change with a few teeth slipping out of someone's mouth.

That was precisely the development she wanted to avoid. Every time she would want to argue to be left alone, he would show his fangs and the argument would be over in his favor before it even began. Why? Because she wasn't suicidal, that was why. Giuseppe was a very strong vampire and if he decided to kill her, nothing could help her, her fate would be decided in an instant which he would need to pounce. Her next move wasn't something she would ever remember of with pride. It was a stupid move really. Oh well, maybe it was alcohol, or maybe she was becoming immune to his fangs.

"Possessive much?" She mocked as she raised an eyebrow.

He blinked. And then blinked again. And again. She thought she had crossed a line with that taunt since he was acting weird, weird even for him, her eyes widening in slight horror at her second mistake that evening.

Just as she hastily started to prepare a spell to defend herself if needed, he started laughing. Loud and boisterous, his head falling back, mouth open, and procuring a sound she'd never imagined she would hear from him. His laughter was pure and innocent, perplexing in Nicole's eyes. What was more, he was laughing so hard other patrons started eyeing him like he had lost his mind.

"You really are one of a kind," he said through snickers, seemingly rather entertained by her reaction and watching her with shining eyes.

"I-I'll take that as a compliment," she said, unsure how to proceed. Then after a pause, she decided to change the subject and continued with a question he should be expecting, "What do you know about kidnappings happening these days?"

"Not much, I would love to find out what has been happening in the town during my absence, too," he said, using a straw to mix some dark red cocktail that had arrived just a second ago. It must be blood in there. Or maybe a cherry juice. Nah, her bet was on blood.

Just as Nicole opened her mouth to retort and question him some more, she was interrupted by a male voice she didn't recognize.

"Master Viola. May I be of assistance with that matter?"

One moment they were alone, and in the next there was a blond man standing beside their table, holding a glass in his hand.

"Mark," Giuseppe greeted and made a motion with his hand that could be interpreted as an invitation to sit. "Just the man I wanted to speak with."

"We were expecting you," Mark said expressionlessly with an even tone of voice, just like the one he used when she had first heard him speak.

Nicole was surprised by his arrival; it was like he had appeared out of thin air. How...oh. Oh! A vampire, she could see it when he opened his mouth to speak. He had fangs, too. Great! She was collecting leeches around her. It would be amusing if it wasn't terrifying.

He must be fun at parties with that bored expression, Nicole mused based on his dull expression while trying to remember where she had seen him before. She took note of the man's appearance: longish blond hair reaching broad shoulders, stern, but handsome features and green cat-like eyes. Those eyes focused on her.

"I wasn't aware you had company." He didn't seem pleased, although his tone didn't indicate anything less than politeness and his face stayed perfectly blank.

"Ah, yes. Meet Miss Nicole Hallian. She is one of the SIB investigators," Giuseppe explained blithely, and then glanced at her. "My dear, this is Mark. He is one of my men and the owner of Merton's."

Her eyes widened a fraction more at that. That was why he looked so familiar; he was the owner of one of the most popular clubs in the town.

There was a break in Mark's blank expression and quite a frown was it. "What is SIB operative doing here?"

Depending on the focus of their business, some supernaturals didn't like to cooperate with SIB, meaning they had a connection to some shady dealings. And some were just wary of them. Nicole wasn't sure in which category Mark fit into, but it was obvious he didn't want her present here.

"Miss Hallian is my guest," Giuseppe replied coldly, leveling Mark with a sharp stare. "It seems we have more in common than I thought we would have. You have nothing to worry about Miss Hallian. I'm planning to inform her of whatever we find out."

If she hadn't been looking at him at that particular moment, Nicole wouldn't have noticed the slight narrowing of his eyes after stressing the word 'we'. At that point Mark flinched, body going taut with ...trepidation?

She wasn't sure and she opened her senses...cold! The power seeping from Giuseppe was very, very cold; a metaphorical frost in the form of highly condensed simmering energy was radiating from the vampire in concentric circles.

Nicole quickly stopped herself from carelessly probing around and shuddered at the awful and frightening phantom feeling which persisted and shook her entire being even after tightly closing her supernatural senses.

It just served to remind her in whose presence she was sitting. Giuseppe was, as all the gossip said, one of those powerful individuals you didn't want to encounter on the wrong side of a scuffle, although not the first one she had had the unfortunate pleasure to meet. Giuseppe's aura all but screamed as that of her boss; Adrian was also that crazy strong, which was probably the reason why he was in charge of the Callahan's Morrow Investigation Office and not someone else.

While the two vampires had their staring contest, Nicole glanced around the room to see if others noticed the tense atmosphere, but no one was paying attention, a pale-haired woman was even trying to dance the waltz though failed spectacularly. Ah, that was that woman, the one that made Nicole to wonder if what she had seen could be classified as a dress or a rag. Really, some of the modern pieces of clothing were just ridiculous.

"Fine. I get the memo, boss." Mark spoke.

From the tone of voice, it seemed he finally lost the stick up his ass and the sound made Nicole bring her attention back at him. It was a big change from before, like a puppet whose strings were chopped, his whole demeanor altered, and the light missing from his eyes entered them when he threw himself in the booth.

"We have nothing!" He shot them an exaggerated meaningful look filled with unnecessary drama, surprising Nicole even more with that change in character. 

"Finding out about those things is harder than one would think," Mark continued, using his hand to wave around. "No trace left behind, no evidence, nothing. The only thing we know is the number of abducted. And that's a freakin' estimation since we don't have the pattern to look out for."

"I see," Giuseppe said as his brow furrowed, his eyes forming slits fixed on the glass in his hand but seeing through it. After a long moment of obvious ruminating, he shifted his hazel eyes on Nicole, not bothering to mask curiosity spilling through them. "Do you know anything except that?"

"That's that. Before I came here, I was at Shark's trying to make him talk. He said the same thing," she answered truthfully, knowing he would find out about it anyway and keeping herself on his good side.

"Of course, he did," Mark deadpanned as he reached for the drink he'd brought along, before switching to an angry growl. "He heard it from us. That bloody bastard. Shark should keep his mouth shut."

His glare that flashed brightly could only be interpreted as a warning, but Nicole wasn't as apprehensive as she should be. Giuseppe was lounging right beside her, looking like he was having the time of his day and she was pretty sure he wouldn't let anything happen to her. If only because she worked for SIB. Right?

"Woah! Hold your horses!" Nicole said as if she was conversing with her colleagues and didn't expect to get hissed at by the vampire whom she spoke to.

She just blinked at his fangs forgetting to get scared. One would think she was getting used to those razors peeking out from someone's mouth. Anger coursed through her body at his reaction, because she knew that them offering information to SIB could be beneficial and had been in the past which Mark should have been aware of.

"Oh, don't you hiss at me! If those who give me substantial data didn't exist, you would have had to deal with a raid on Merton's after the first three kidnappings."

"My, my. Do tell why." Giuseppe joined the discussion, losing the seriousness he had just a minute before, his voice dripping with amusement as he leaned his head on right hand levered at the table.

He hadn't been here at the time; rumor had it he went to see his homeland, Maritonia, just a few mountains away across the continent, though that could mean anything. For what it was worth, Giuseppe was a businessman first and foremost, his little vacation trip could have been on every existing shade of good and bad.

Mark reacted before she could. "You are wrong," he said looking far too pleased with himself given what Nicole knew. "We took care of it with Adrian."

Yeah, right!

"Nope," she huffed. "Adrian was the one that thought you were hiding something since you were adamant about preventing the raid."

Did I say too much? Whatever, Adrian can deal with the shitstorm that is bound to follow. Those thoughts entered her mind while making her point clear.

"I listened to every rumor from every nook and cranny of the town, and finally dissuaded him from it since I considered the raid would turn out to be a dead end. Who do you think divulged enough info for us to drop the course of action?" Arching one brow in a sure manner, she finished her speech, "Shark is quite useful to both you and me."

"Little humans should be more careful."

Mark's warning got her hackles up. Just as she was prepared to bolt, she felt a weird sensation probing at her mind, like there was a door and knock reverberating of it. Shifting her eyes around the table and not seeing anything suspicious, she rummaged with her sense, touching whatever it was so, so gently, because she didn't disturb it, whatever it was.

"Don't show it!"

She almost jumped out of her skin hearing an amused male voice speaking directly in her mind, bypassing the simple enchantment there which should have exercised some safety from this kind of thing happening so easily. Granted, though, she had opened her tightly stiffened coils to probe around the sensation but never would have thought it would present her with someone else speaking inside her head.

The hell...? I must be going mad, she thought to herself, purely privately.

"I'm speaking in your head." A male voice spoke again.

No shit...

That delighted voice, slowly crashing at the edge of her consciousness could only be Giuseppe's. What kind of sorcery was that? The man was obviously using a spell she had never, in all her twenty-eight years of age, gotten acquainted with. How did it work, she didn't know, but one thing was for sure: she would need magic to use it.

"Please teach him a lesson, he is getting full of himself," Giuseppe bemoaned silently, his tone kind of whining, and pleading, and childish, all at the same time, something she had never thought to associate with the 'big and bad' supernatural sitting beside her, currently all serious in staring down at Mark.

She wasn't sure how to respond or if he would be able to hear her. So, she did the most logical thing in her mind: she bellowed her answer as loud as she could and added some of her magical power into the mix.

"Fine." I hope he heard that.

There was a long moment of silence before he spoke in a pained tone, "Don't worry, dear, I heard you loud and clear. When you do it like that it's like a bull's entered a china shop, but china shop is actually my poor mind. Next time, please watch the volume."

She almost smiled at the remark at the end, his voice was dryer than the most vicious desert, but still, it was his own fault for trying out such a complex and strong spell on short notice. A spell which clearly needed a fine-tuning on both of their ends, if one of the participants didn't want to go deaf.

Oh well, if I'm doing this, I guess I should do it with a bang, she thought to herself after feeling something unusual, probably Giuseppe canceling whatever spell or ability he utilized to talk directly inside her mind.

A beverage in the glass nearest to Mark that was apparently his own glass suddenly soared, swiftly forming a sort of quadrate, traveling at high speed to its target, and then the cream-colored liquid splashed Mark's face. The look of incredulity Mark gave her prompted a giggle from her mouth. Giuseppe wasn't much behind him if one would score the astonishment written all over their faces.

"Don't tell me that was what you wanted to do to me," Giuseppe mock-demanded, seriously looking startled with painfully clear disbelief swimming in his eyes.

"Then I won't." She wasn't planning this when she thought she had stepped on Giuseppe's toes – that one was supposed to be a defensive spell – but he was currently on her radar for teasing, she would let him think splashing his face with a drink was her intention all along. Nicole's giggles became a full-blown laugh. That was when Giuseppe joined her.

The only one not laughing was Mark, looking lost on their exchange and a bit uncomfortable with some kind of cocktail dripping from his face, darkening the collar of his light pink dress-shirt.

"Boss?"

"Just imagine she splashed the drink into your face. That's what happened. In the future, don't piss off ladies that can get one back at you," Giuseppe offered to Mark casually, making Nicole think she could get used to normal conversations with vampires, something she would have never thought could happen.

That thought froze her where she sat. Because no. Vampires would never be trustworthy in her eyes. They were cold-blooded killers. Awful, awful beings that had lost their humanity when they got changed. Humans just didn't have the capacity to live such long lives, and Nicole's bet was that once transformed it ate their mind, making them lose every shred of morality left. Just how fucked up the person had to be to accept killing others in cold blood to feast? It had to change them somehow besides acquiring fangs.

Something must have shown on her face because Giuseppe shot her an inquiring look. "Is something wrong?"

"N-No," Nicole answered too fast, though struggling to form proper words. "I have to go. Bye." With that she jumped out from the booth, barely remembering to grab her tiny bag, and rushed out from the VIP section as fast as her heeled shoes let her.

She didn't remember going through the club when she found herself outside, trying to stifle down her ragged breathing. I could have gotten myself killed with that stunt I pulled, she thought, slightly hysterical, even when the rational part of her brain told her that they couldn't just get rid of her like that in public.

A dark smudged memory of paltry skin tainted with puncture bites rose to the surface of her mind and she felt like losing air from her lungs.

Quenching her uncontrolled breathing, she started walking home, gripping her arms tight as she took step after step.

She'd known it would end up like this.