Chilling Cadence

Three

Cadence looked back and forth between Grimm and Lorelei, both of who were unmoving and just watching each other with equal wariness in their eyes. Cadence was surprised for multiple reasons: Lorelei breaking and entering, the uncharacteristic undercurrent of fear in Lorelei’s face. But mostly, she was surprised because Lorelei had called Grimm by his true name. The name that had been his before Cadence gave him a new name to bind him as her familiar.

“You know Grimm?” she whispered, annoyed that her voice was not stronger. Her Grandmother would be strong in this situation. She would be a Witch so terrifying any Vampire would flee. Even the Old One herself.

“Grimm?” A little quirk of her eyebrow. “That’s your name now?” Her eyes slid over to Cadence and, thinking of her Grandmother, Cadence managed not to flinch. “Yes. I know your Grimm. I met him a long time ago. Almost two hundred years ago, if we are to be exact.”

Cadence was stunned into silence. She wasn’t sure how to reply to that.

“Why are you here, Lorelei?” asked Grimm who kept his gaze steadily on her.

Lorelei’s eyes fell back on him. “When I sensed you, I was surprised. And when I saw you had been forced to submit as a familiar, I was even more surprised. I guess you could say that I was—that I am—curious.” Her eyes went back to Cadence, unquenched curiosity thrumming there. “To summon one of the Four Demon Lords who reign over Hell as your familiar is a feat that not even Witches twice your age can accomplish. What are you?”

Cadence was uncomfortable by the question, by Lorelei’s knowledge of Witches, and by the intense look in her eyes.

“So, that’s why you broke into my house?” Cadence snapped. “To pry about Grimm. You could have done that any other time.”

Lorelei seemed unfazed by Cadence’s sharp tone. “I could have,” she admitted. “But you want to keep a low profile, don’t you? I’m not the only Vampire in Glasskeep. While I don’t care to continue on with this rivalry that was started before you were even born, I can’t say that all the Vampires in Glasskeep feel the same.”

It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice-cold water over Cadence’s head. She struggled not to shiver underneath that cold. So, there were more Vampires in Glasskeep. And she was running a shop that basically declared she was a Witch.

“So?”

Lorelei smiled. “So, I wanted to make a deal with you.”

“I don’t want—”

“Let her speak,” Grimm suggested.

Cadence looked at him in bewilderment only to find he was looking back. Due to his bond as her familiar, she could feel him thinking of Lorelei’s usefulness.

And Cadence couldn’t disagree with that.

Sighing Cadence gestured for Lorelei to continue.

“It’s only a matter of time before the other Vampires in Glasskeep find out you’re here. While most of them don’t really care for such rivalries, I can think of one in particular who wouldn’t be as…easy going as the others. You’ll most likely set up spells to protect your home and your shop, but, for a Vampire, that little distance between your shop and your home is all they need to rip your throat out.”

Cadence did flinch at that despite her best efforts.

“There aren’t any other Witches in Glasskeep?” Cadence spoke up, trying to redirect the attention from her flinch. She knew Lorelei had seen it. A Vampire’s eyes missed nothing. “Is this particular Vampire just going around killing all the Witches?”

“Only the ones who refuse my deal.”

Cadence recoiled as if she’d been slapped. “Are you threatening me?”

Lorelei looked at Cadence with exasperation. “If I’d wanted to kill you, little Witch, you’d be dead already. I’m merely offering you my Protection.”

Cadence knew of Vampire Protection from her Grandmother. A lot of supernaturals took that Protection. Vampires were a superior species and, even with her powerful spells and potions, Cadence wasn’t a Necromancer, and therefore she couldn’t revert a Vampire from life back to death. If one came after her, all she could do was wound it and hope it wouldn’t chase her to the ends of the Earth.

Which it probably would. Vampires have long memories.

She cleared her throat. “Does accepting your Protection mean I have to give you blood.”

Lorelei grinned and when she did, two needle-sharp fangs appeared where her canines had been. Again, despite her best efforts, she recoiled in disgust and fear.

“Not unless you want to,” Lorelei said with cloying sweetness. She seemed to enjoy Cadence’s fear.

Cadence straightened her back and glared at Lorelei. She knew it would be a bad idea to say no outright. Not very many Witches got the offer to receive a Vampire’s Protection. It would give her a little peace, she thought, to not have to worry about other Vampires wanting to kill her.

Still, there was something bothering her…

“What do you get out of this?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. “If you’re not taking my blood, what do you get?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “I get a Witch powerful enough to summon one of the Four Demon Lords and force him to submit to her will.”

“So, you plan to use me for something?”

“I do.”

Cadence blew out another sigh. “Give me a day to think about it. I’ll give you an answer tomorrow night.”

“Very well.”

Lorelei unfurled her limbs in that same languid motion, standing to her full height. She moved toward the door and as she twisted to doorknob she said, “If I were you, I’d start putting protection around the house. By now, most Vampires already know you’re here. The only reason you were safe tonight was because I was here,” over her shoulder before she headed out into the night, closing the door gently behind her.

Cadence spent the better half of the night setting up barriers. She drew symbols of protection on the floors and chanted the words of power given to Witches by Camulus, the god of strength. She prayed for his protection as she drew, and then she set her rug over the symbols, hiding them from view before she moved on.

By the time every part of her home was protected—from her front door to the window upstairs—Cadence was exhausted. Every place where something could enter was spelled and sealed up nice and tight.

Slumped down on the couch, Cadence was grateful for both the house and the town of Glasskeep. Casting spells was easy here. It wasn’t at all like New York where it required the utmost concentration or everything would fall apart. Here, magic flowed like water from a tap—abundant, fresh—all Cadence needed to do was cup her hands together and drink.

When she was upstairs, Cadence chucked off her clothing and threw on an oversized sweatshirt before crawling into bed. Grimm curled up beside her. He was wary about leaving her alone, she realized. Not that she wanted to be left alone. The events that had transpired in a mere forty-eight hours were more than anything that had happened in her twenty-five years.

She was afraid.

She was not a strong, capable, powerful Witch like her Grandmother had been. She could not look a Vampire in the eye without flinching. She could not face Witch Hunters without batting an eyelash, casting spells and speaking words of Power with ease. She could not call on the gods and have them respond to her, sending down bolts of lightning from the Heavens and summoning demons from below.

Her Grandmother had told Cadence she could do it. She had told Cadence that if she just abandoned mortality, doing such things would be second nature. She would be the most powerful of witches. She could even be a High Witch.

But, Cadence couldn’t give up on her mortality. It was the only thing that kept her who she was. Who would she be if she had no soul, if all the parts that made Cadence herself were gone?

A shell. She’d be a shell.

Still, sometimes she thought her Grandmother was right. In a time like this, where she was being hunted, it would be nice to be able to call on such power. Her Grandmother wouldn’t need to rely on the power of a Vampire for protection. If a Vampire tried their luck with the High Witch of New York, she’d summon all manner of demons to make them sorry for it. Her mother, if she lived, would revert Vampires back to death, using her Necromancy to return their bodies back to earth where they belonged. Her father would summon Camulus and the god would take hold of his body, defeating his enemy for him.

Cadence could do none of these things. Not because she didn’t have the ability—she very well did—but because she knew the price that came with those kinds of power. Such strength had drained their souls. First her mother, then her father, and then, lastly, her Grandmother.

Cadence rolled over and shut her eyes tightly, determined to sleep.

“You should accept Lorelei’s offer,” said Grimm.

Cadence didn’t realize she was digging her nails into her palm until the pain of it started to hit her. She relaxed her hold and breathed in deeply.

“I said I would think about,” she replied, “and I will.”

Grimm said nothing else, and she was glad her back was to him so he couldn’t see her face, then.

The face of someone who knew they had no choice but to do something they didn’t want to.

The moment Cadence stepped out of her house, Glasskeep was alive. She could see parents loading their kids into cars, and people popping in and out of Spellbound Coffee Shop. Ruth Cavanaugh, who was fiddling with the sign outside of Bibliophile, spotted Cadence and held up her hand in greeting. Cadence waved to her.

“Cadence,” called a familiar voice.

Cadence turned in the direction of Spellbound Coffee Shop and saw Chau coming toward her, a coffee cup in hand.

“Oh, Chau. Good morning.”

“Good morning.” Even so early in the morning, Chau was cheerful. Cadence didn’t know whether to be impressed at that or vastly annoyed.

She looked at the keys in Cadence’s hand, and she could see the lightbulb in Chau’s head turn on.

“You’re opening your shop today.”

Cadence nodded. “If things don’t work out with the shop, at least there are other options.” She gestured to the shops on either side of her.

“Don’t worry about that,” Chau encouraged. “Everyone’s really interested in the things you’re selling. The Inquiring Siren is pretty popular among…people like us.”

That was news to Cadence, but she knew she shouldn’t be surprised. Inquiring Siren had been her Grandmother’s shop originally. Cadence had just worked there; stocking and restocking, checking out customers, and making potions. People would file in the shop often, though. Humans, Witches, the occasional Werewolf looking to repress changing during the full moon.

It had never really occurred to her that the shop was popular but, now that she really thought about it, it was pretty apparent that that was the case. The shop was popular enough that her Grandmother was able to make a living for the two of them. Popular enough that, even after her Grandmother died, Cadence was able to continue paying for their expensive high rise apartment.

“Oh, I see,” Cadence said lamely.

Chau giggled. “I’m gonna go with you. I wanna see what you have. Don’t worry. I’m a paying customer. I’ll buy something.”

And Cadence, not willing to turn down a paying customer, led Chau to Inquiring Siren. When she unlocked the door and the two stepped inside, Cadence flicked on the lights to the place, revealing the interior in all its glory.

Chau gasped a little in surprise and immediately went on her way, looking through all the items without another word. Cadence left her to it, making her way to the service desk, draping her coat over the back of the chair there before taking a seat.

She watched Chau look through the amulets she had charmed, the rings that had been spelled with blessings from the different gods, her eyes wide with curiosity the entire time. Finally, she picked up an amulet blessed with words of Mimir. It was meant to boost intelligence and focus. It worked well. Cadence had used it pretty often back in high school.

Chau skipped up to the counter and place the amulet down. She placed thirty dollars down and as Cadence took it, she explained that she had a test later today and she needed all the help she could get.

As she placed the amulet around her neck, Cadence asked, “Isn’t school starting right about now?” The last time she had checked, it was nine, and that had been at least ten minutes ago. “I saw parents loading their kids onto busses not too long ago.”

“Those were for middle schoolers. I’m in high school now.” She seemed proud of that and Cadence found it so endearing that she had to force herself not to smile. “School doesn’t start until—”

She looked at the clock above Cadence, and her face froze. For a moment, she stared at the clock with horrified comprehension.

“Oh, I’m late. I’m late,” she cried in horror. “Mrs. Robinson is going to kill me.” She was already practically out the door when she shouted, “I’ll come by to see you later.”

Cadence watched her disappear and she couldn’t help but think of when she was Chau’s age. She had never been so carefree. Back then, Cadence had made mistakes that were irreversible. She had never been able to just worry about school. She always worried when her Grandmother used magic to protect her from hunters. Little by little, she could see the kindness drain from her Grandmother’s eyes, replaced by the cold that came with using powerful spells in exchange for pieces of the soul.

Cadence sighed and rested her chin against her palm. Was it because of her near-death experience that she was recalling such things? Things she had spent years trying to forget?

She hoped the next customer came in soon so she didn’t have to think anymore.

Maybe Tyche was smiling down on her, because one by one, curious customers droned in. Four Witches who she learned were part of the Brightly Burned Coven to the North. They came seeking supplies; dried plants, Witch stones, Werewolf Claws, Valerian root, and the like. People poured in like a flood all morning and afternoon and she scarcely had any time to think.

When she did have time, though, she thought through her conversation with Lorelei. The Vampire had said she wanted to use Cadence for something, and Cadence was wary about what that something was. She could have asked Lorelei, but she had the feeling she wouldn’t have said anything.

Vampires were naturally shrewd creatures, according to her Grandmother. Cunning, they were. They would tell you only what they wanted you to know at the moment they wanted you to know it. And, the older they were, the more cunning they became.

When mid-afternoon rolled around, Chau came in. Cadence was surprised since she was sure school was still in.

Chau came skipping up to the counter. “Have you eaten?” she asked.

Blinking, Cadence said, “Not yet.”

“Cool. Let’s go to Spellbound. You can repay me for yesterday night.”

Cadence really didn’t like being in the debt of others, so she agreed. She shut off the lights, switched the sign to CLOSED, and locked up quickly.

Curious, Cadence asked, “Isn’t school still in?”

“It is. It’s lunchtime. I have permission to go out to eat.” She waved her permission slip around as proof.

Cadence wanted to ask where Chau’s friends were, but, looking at the girl’s face, she got the feeling she shouldn’t ask that.

Instead, she let Chau ask her a bunch of questions about Witchcraft. The amulet had apparently worked wonders for her, and Chau excitedly stated that she was certain she had aced the test.

“How does it work?” Chau asked. “Is it like the movies where you chant stuff in Latin and make things float?”

Cadence laughed in spite of herself. It was the first time she had laughed in three days. It felt foreign to her, but it not unpleasant.

“Yes and no,” she answered. “There are spells in Latin, but there are spells in other languages, too. Celtic, Old English, French.” She ticked them off on her fingers. “And Witches don’t necessarily need to cast spells for something as simple as levitation. A word of Power would do.”

Chau tilted her head. By now, they had reached Spellbound Coffee Shop and, when they walked through the glass doors, they were greeted by the smell of coffee and baked goods. The place wasn’t exactly packed, but there were a good number of people waiting to be served. Most of them had that air of either having just got off of work or being on their lunch breaks.

When it was their turn, Chau ordered a frappuccino and a sandwich. Cadence went for a sandwich, too, but got a coffee instead of a frappuccino. Those things were usually a little too sweet for her liking.

Venus, who had come from the back of the coffee shop—from a glance it seemed to store supplies since it was piled high with boxes and stocked with refrigerators and counters that were probably used to prepare food—waved at Cadence and Chau in a friendly manner before she offered to take another customers order. The line split in two after that.

Only when they had received their order and they were seated in a booth did Chau speak. “What are words of Power?” she wanted to know. “Are they different than spells?”

Cadence who had already shoved her sandwich in her mouth, had to chew and swallow before she could answer.

“They’re pretty different,” she finally said. “Spells normally come from spellbooks or Grimoires. Words of Power are…how would you put it…ingrained into Witches, I guess. We’re all born knowing the Words of Power.”

Chau’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “Do you know why?”

Cadence shook her head. “It’s just the way it is. Words of Power—being able to speak them and call on their power—are what make Witches what we are.”

“So, this amulet…”

“Was made using words of power. It can be made stronger using a spell but spells can be dangerous.”

Chau looked like she was ready to ask Cadence what she meant by that but, maybe because she saw the look on Cadence’s face, she just steered the conversation in a different direction.

After lunch, Chau went off in the direction of the school and Cadence reopened her shop. The moment she got to the service desk, more customers began pouring in. Tyche was really smiling on her today.

The sun had long since slipped behind the horizon by the time Cadence closed up shop. As she locked up, she could smell food from The Sizzling Griddle, and despite herself, she pulled her phone out of her back pocket to check the time. It was seven. That discount Chau said Eleanor gave locals should still be in effect right about now.

When Cadence thought about that gumbo and that apple pie, she couldn’t stop her mouth from watering. She had made a good amount of money today. The shop had been busier than she had expected.

Surely, she should treat herself.

Cadence began walking in the direction of The Sizzling Griddle and wasn’t very surprised to see a lot of people seemed to be doing the same. A woman pushing a stroller, a group of teenagers, a couple holding hands. Up further, she could see the frame of Venus surrounded by a group of adoring men.

She didn’t know how long she had been walking when she suddenly sensed a now all too familiar presence beside her. She didn’t start this time, although her skin prickled at Lorelei’s nearness.

The Vampire walked beside her like she had been doing it for a while and maybe she had. Even though her movements were slow and languid, she kept pace with Cadence well. Her long black hair tangled in the wind and her strangely bright eyes stared straight ahead.

Cadence was closer to Lorelei now than she had ever been before, and she couldn’t help admiring her. She had never seen a more beautifully terrifying being in her life. Up close, her stark white skin was free of pores or any blemish. And although looking at her under streetlights and shop lights was painful, Cadence couldn’t tear her eyes away. Lorelei’s face was like an ocean, the more she stared, the further in Cadence could feel herself leaning. Leaning and leaning until she fell over the edge and drowned.

“Have you decided yet?” Lorelei asked.

Cadence snapped out of her dazed state and cringed from Lorelei a little. Her Grandmother had often told her of a Vampire’s allure, but she had never imagined it to be so strong. Lorelei—as far as Cadence could tell—hadn’t tried to be alluring and Cadence had still felt herself wanting to drown.

Every day, Cadence found herself understanding more and more why her Grandmother always called Vampires the most fearsome beings on Earth. Those old stories of Vampires seducing Demons and Angels didn’t seem too far-fetched now.

“If I agree, you really won’t make me give you blood.”

Lorelei gave Cadence an exasperated look. “I already have Thralls. Besides, I have something a little different in mind for someone with your skills.”

Cadence let out a sigh. “You’re assuming I’m strong because I summoned Grimm. You might find yourself sorely disappointed. I haven’t chanted a spell since I was thirteen.” Cadence’s lips tightened when she thought of that incident.

“That’s not the only reason I assume you’re strong. I assume you’re strong because you’re Alisyn Nightingale’s descendant.”

Cadence stopped in her tracks at the sound of her Predeccesor’s name. Cadence herself only knew the name because her Grandmother had ingrained it into her memory. Alisyn had been the best of the best when it came to Witches. Cadence’s family was so respected among Witches because of her. She held power over Demons, the stories said. She had slain angels with a passing wave of her hand. She could wield life and death as she chose. Kings would kneel to her, begging her to help them. And for the right price, she would. She would stand on a battlefield, chant the oldest, darkest spells, and men would fall at her feet, dying before her. And then she would raise them up as undead soldiers to do her bidding and s*******r their former comrades.

Witches viewed Alisyn Nightingale as a goddess. In Witch schools, there were statues and shrines dedicated to her.

“You know…”

Lorelei, who was a little ahead of Cadence, turned and raised an eyebrow. “You look a lot like her. I realized who you were the moment we met.”

Cadence froze at that. She looked like Alisyn? Did that mean Lorelei had met her? Alisyn had died during the Witch Hunts. The entire society of Witch Hunters had made it their business to get together and kill her. It had taken twenty of the best to bring her down, and the battle had lasted for three days. Or so the stories said.

How old was Lorelei anyway?

“You knew my Predecessor?”

“Knew her would be a strong word,” Lorelei responded. “I only met her once.”

Something about the look on Cadence’s face made amusement shine in Lorelei’s eyes.

“I’ve lived for a long time,” she said, tilting her face up to look at the moon overhead. “You’d be surprised at the many people I’ve met during that time. Alisyn was…particularly memorable.”

Something about the way she said that insinuated something had happened between them. Cadence’s mouth dropped open and she screeched, “You screwed my Predessecor?”

More amusement flashed on Lorelei’s face. “Define ‘screw’. If you’re referring to s*x, no, we didn’t do that. Vampires can’t have s*x. But, we had an…interesting night together.” She grinned slyly.

Cadence didn’t even know how to respond to that. She had learned too much about her Predecessor. More than she wanted to know, to be completely honest. In a time where Vampires and Witches were at war, a Vampire and a Witch hooked up. Whatever hooking up entailed with a Vampire since they apparently couldn’t have s*x. All the people who wrote fan-fiction about Vampires would probably be very disappointed if they heard that.

Cadence thought that piece of information was the least surprising of the things she learned. Vampires were technically dead, after all.

“So, you’re interested in me because you think I can do what Alisyn did?” Cadence was forcing herself to recover from the shock of what she had learned. “I’m not nearly as powerful as she was. Maybe my Grandmother could do it, but not me.” Cadence shook her head.

“That’s not exactly true,” Lorelei said. “You could do it if you wanted to. You just choose not to.”

Cadence’s lips pursed. How much did Lorelei know about Witches? Considering she’d spent time with one, probably a lot.

“That’s right,” Cadence agreed. “I choose not to. For me, it’s not an option. So, if you’re looking for me to summon demons or use spells to bring the dead to life or something like that, I’m going to have to pass on your offer.”

Lorelei looked back up at the sky, thinking to herself.

“I wasn’t going to ask you to do anything like that,” she said after a while. “But, I do need you to take care of something for me. It’s something only someone of your talents can do. Believe me, other Witches have tried.”

Cadence’s eyes narrowed. “Tell me first. Then, I’ll decide.”

Instead of outright refusing the way Cadence thought she would, Lorelei just let out a loud sigh which Cadence was shocked by. Vampires don’t breathe so hearing one let out a breath was…disconcerting, to say the least.

“Very well,” she said exasperatedly. “I’ll tell you. You should come along. It’s a pretty long story, you’ll need all the food you can get.”

And she headed off in the direction of The Sizzling Griddle, not looking back to see if Cadence was following.