Moira Nail took a small mirror from her pocket and ran her fingers through her light, reddish-gold hair. She was very glad to see that her four green streaks – the result of an experiment for St Patrick's day, gone wrong – had finally almost grown out. She snapped the mirror shut and slipped it back into the pocket of her faded blue jeans. Glancing impatiently over at the clock she was glad to see that it was quarter to two. She was supposed to be meeting Ian in fifteen minutes.
"Mum, that's me off ok?" she shouted upstairs.
"Be back in time for tea at 6:30 please!" Morgan Nail her mother shouted back down.
"Will do." Moira said before jumping out the front door. She thought pleasantly of the next hour she had with Ian before they were to meet Tess and Vita for coffee. Her and Ian had been dating for just over six months now and were as happy as ever.
Things were finally settling down again and beginning to seem almost normal since they had rescued her biological father from an Island were he had been held prisoner for … years presumed dead. Hunter had progressed to having his full powers back. He and her mother had, had their long awaited hand fasting last month. She had been initiated at Yule as planned and now everything was working out nicely for everyone. Today was going to be one of those regular days that she loved spent with friends and boyfriend then back home for dinner with the family. That was the way things should always be. She spotted Ian at their usual meeting place standing with his back to her. She walked up behind him and put her hands over his eyes playfully.
"Guess who." She whispered in his ear. She felt him smile.
"Could it be the most amazing girl in the world?" He asked.
"Hmm, I seriously doubt it." She laughed, as he turned round to kiss her.
"I don't." he said as they pulled back, Moira smiled looking into his blue eyes briefly before they headed into town arms round each others waist.
"So, how are things?" Ian asked.
"Great for once, mum reckons Hunter's powers are fully back now and she's been so happy recently going about the house singing – badly – but no one really minds. She's making dinner tonight." Moira cringed at the thought of Morgan's food. Her mother had never been known for good cooking; in fact she had been known to turn simple dinner into a disaster. Hunter was so much better at it.
"One of the great things about living my own eventually is that I don't have to suffer my mum's bad cooking."
"Lucky you!" Moira said seriously. He seemed to be ok now about this mum. He had moved back into his old house after a while at Katrina's. Moira had been round quite a lot and the difference was amazing. The place had been totally cleaned out and purified long before he moved back in but now he had sorted though a lot of the stuff. It was over all a lot tidier and nicer. She didn't feel uncomfortable there anymore.
"What about you then, how are you doing with everything?"
"Hmm well things were weird at first, mum getting married again but Hunters great and I'm glad she did marry him."
"Well I'm still sorting through some of the things at the house, there's still a hell of a lot of crap about but nothing dangerous and I'm not that bothered cleaning it up, it's the first time the whole house has actually been tidy since we've lived there."
"I think it's looking loads better." He grinned.
They strolled along slowly discussing each other's lives. That was one of the great things about Ian; she felt she could talk to him so easily. She was totally comfortable with him. When they reached the high street they didn't really have much time for browsing through shops and only went onto a few before heading to Margath's Faire and headed to their usual table in the back corner of the café on the second floor. Tess and Vita were already sitting with espressos. Moira and Ian went over to order their drinks Moira having her usual latte.
"How are you two here so early?" Moira enquired.
"We came in because I needed to buy a few books downstairs and thought we would just come up because it was only fifteen minutes until you guys were going to come." said Vita.
"Ah right, did you spot the poster on the way up?" Moira asked
"No, what poster?" Tess looked interested.
"….. are having a gig on Friday." Ian said.
"Great! You going?" Tess asked, looking at Moira and Ian
"Yeah may as well, its only £3.50 to get in." Moira said
"That's good because I'm broke just now but I might be able to give my mum the old "everyone's going and I would hate to let them all down" thing, she won't mind lending me £3.50." Vita laughed. They carried on excitedly talking about the gig and then went onto Wicca. Tess was the only non-wiccan out of all of them she was a blood witch but had decided it just wasn't for her and was never initiated. Time seemed to fly as they talked and every so often ordered more coffee. Eventually Vita was the first to get up.
I need to head, mum said I was to be back for five, you all welcome to hang for a bit though." Nobody ever passed hanging out as Vita's, she joked about being broke but her mum never minded giving her money for anything. Her house was amazing and she happened to have a 43-inch TV in her room.
They walked quickly round to Vita's, which wasn't too far. In her room they all sat on her double bed leaning against the back wall. Moira cuddled into Ian playing with his untidy thick brown hair while Vita flicked through the channels.
"Your hairs getting long now." Moira commented as she ran her fingers through his hair.
"Yeah, I was going to get it cut soon but just haven't really got round to it." He wriggled self-consciously.
"Nah you shouldn't I like it like this."
"Hmm yeah it just annoys me too much though." Tess broke up with laughter.
"Listen to you two arguing about hair, you going to turn into one of those old married couples that just bicker all the time.
"Were not arguing." Moira objected, "Were just discussing it."
"Oh my gosh, you guys listen to this!" Vita whispered urgently, pointing to a new documentary on TV. Moira sat up to see what she was talking about.
"The body was identified as Tracy Wilson a fourteen year old from Youghal" The reporter said as a picture of a pretty looking girl with long wavy blond hair came onto the screen. "She had been reported missing just two days ago, the body was found two miles away from her home town covered in what seems to be ancient runes. Experts are working to translate the meaning of them but it believed to be the work of some occult group sacrifice. Police are still looking for evidence that might lead to the identity of the killers."
