"Again," the teacher demanded from her pupil.
"Please," pleaded pupil, "I need rest."
"You may rest when you do it right," the teacher instructed, "Or when you are dead. Depends on which comes first."
Exhausted, the girl pupil dusted off her faded jeans and sleeveless top before she stood and took up a mysterious stance. The girl pupil, in her early teens, stretched out her hands as if she held a basketball between them. Then, she exhaled deeply and slowly as all her attention focused on space between her hands.
"Good," the word may have meant to praise the pupil, but the teacher's tone signaled a spiteful intent, "now concentrate." The teacher watched with an intense stare upon her pupil, and waited for her pupil's next move.
Soon, a spark ignited in between the girl's hands. She stared at the spark like her life depended on it.
"Steady," the teacher instructed.
With all her attention focused on the spark, she didn't notice the presence of another female who peeked down at her from atop the hill.
"Sally," the other female called down.
Instantaneously, the distraction disrupted Sally's focus and the spark exploded, and knocked her off-balance and slammed down on the ground. Disgusted by the scene, the teacher bent down to check if Sally was alive. The teacher poked Sally's check and frowned as Sally did not awaken.
The teacher stood up at the other woman on top the hill; without notice, she disappeared from Sally's side and reappeared next to the other woman.
"She needs a break," the other woman said, unfazed by the teacher's abrupt appearance.
"You asked me to instruct her, mentor her," the teacher said in a condescending tone.
"I asked you to teach her in the way of magic, not run her into the ground," the other woman argued. She stared intently into the teacher's eyes not willing to back down.
"Same difference," the teacher shot back. "If I recall correctly, I worked you in the same way when you were her age. However you had real power, unlike that girl.."
"My great-granddaughter," the other woman corrected.
"Great granddaughter," the teacher, surprised by the fact, questioned, "you don't look a day over twenty-five. I guess that charm which brings your youth back worked perfectly."
It's true. The other woman looked too young to be that girl's great-grandmother let alone a grandmother. Especially in the outfit she wore, a short dress with black leggings. Her long brown hair bore no grey color, and her peach color skin clear of any wrinkles. There was no evidence to suggest that she was that child's great-grandmother.
The other woman nodded, and as she did, the teacher noticed a small rash on the side of her neck. "However," the teacher added, "it comes with a price."
"Small price," the other woman said. "You, on the other hand, don't look a day over a thousand."
Insulted, the teacher's eyes changed to the color red and fangs protruded down and said, "I've killed for less, Rachel."
Rachel bowed apologetic and turned away to lead the way up to the cabin. The teacher followed, her eyes returned to their normal grey color and her fangs withdrew.
They walked further up the hill until they reached a small cabin. The teacher looked down at her surroundings. The teacher noted that the forest, north, filled with tall oak trees and large lake, east, which provided seclusion and privacy. "A perfect place," she remarked.
"Yes," Rachel agreed, "perfect for training in witch craft."
"Among other things," the teacher said sarcastically.
Rachel ignored the comment, walked on to the porch, and sat on a wooden rocking chair. Rachel gestured for the teacher to sit down on a replica wooden rocking chair which sat next to hers'. Rachel never invited the teacher inside the cabin, for she knew that the teacher could never enter without an invitation. Also, the cabin provided a nice getaway for Sally, a sense of protection from the teacher's monstrous side; the one which the teacher showed when insulted. They both settled into their seat and let the earlier conflict rest without any need to pursue it further.
"And how did you come to own such a marvelous property," the teacher asked.
"I married the grandnephew of the owner. Before I met you" Rachel remarked.
"And how long ago was that?"
"Many decades ago," Rachel answered, "Do you still go by the Alexandra, or did you change it again?" Rachel recalled the name of her teacher.
"You may call me that, but I will change it soon."
"I liked that name," Rachel remarked.
"Me too," Alexandra smiled at the name. "I must change it. It's that time where the name will raise suspicion."
"Will you change your face too?"
"Perhaps, " Alexandra contemplated the thought further. As Alexandra pondered, she unknowingly played with her blue crystal ring which she always wore on her right middle finger.
Rachel noticed the ring and exclaimed, "It's beautiful!"
"It was gift, centuries old, it matched a necklace which went missing years ago" Alexandra said.
Is that what keeps you from burning in the sunlight?" Rachel asked innocently.
"Yes, a spell I did not make; however, it sufficed and provided the needed protection during the sun light hours, so I would not revert to an ash state. Remind me to teach that spell to your granddaughter one day."
"You never taught me."
"Your destiny was for greater things. Your great-granddaughter, who are you to her?"
"I introduced myself as a distant relative, nothing more."
"Her parents do not suspect?"
"I faked my death early, after my husband died. I only carried one child, and she never knew this face."
"Yet, Sally does not have your power."
"Sadly no. My daughter and her daughter showed no signs so naturally I thought the gift of magic ended with me; however, I was sadly mistaken. I found out that Sally had the gift about a month before I called you. Your name and face changed, but I knew you were the one who helped me and previous generation in my bloodline." Jamie explained.
"My curse and my burden," Alexandra casually remarked. "For thousands of years I helped generations, blood lines, and random novices who have the gift, find their magical pathway and teach them spells for them to pass down."
Alexandra stared up at the blue sky with a sad expression. Rachel knew Alexandra didn't like to recall her past and when she did always spoke with a monotone which signaled boredom or annoyance brought upon by the topic. Rachel decided it best to not press the subject further, though she has always wonder about Alexandra's history and how she became this great mentor.
"I've found her. The one you are looking for," Rachel broke the silence.
Alexandra closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief.
"She lives in Mystic Falls, Virginia; several hours south from here," Rachel elaborated.
"Are you certain?" Alexandra asked eagerly.
"I travelled to Mystic Falls and saw her with my own eyes," Rachel then extended her right hand to Alexandra. Alexandra gently placed her hand on top. Images flashed in Alexandra's mind of a teenager with long black hair and a face she immediately recognized.
"The last of the last" Alexandra commented as she pulled away from Jamie.
"Will you be able to rest in peace?"
Alexandra chucked at Rachel's question, and replied in a malevolent tone, "Maybe when I slice open her throat and drink every last drop, I will at last be at peace."
"You must tread carefully where you go, other supernatural forces dwell there," Rachel cautioned.
Alexandra smiled mischievously, but before she could question Rachel about the supernatural forces, a distinct sound alerted her. Alexandra stood up and peered down on the hill. Alexandra watched Sally as she got up from where she laid. Sally looked around and noticed her teacher stared down at her. Sally, then, slowly made her way up the hill to the cabin. Rachel, too, got up to see what snatched Alexandra's attention, and relieved that Sally was okay.
"Thank you," Alexandra calmly said with her attention still to Sally, "for your years of service."
Rachel, a little shocked by Alexandra's kind words, smiled cautiously.
"Your great-granddaughter," Alexandra started to say.
"Will miss you," Rachel finished, "you are leaving I presume."
Alexandra extended her hand to Rachel, "Sadly I must depart."
Rachel shook Alexandra's hand firmly. Rachel smiled, but her expression changed as she noticed Alexandra's fangs slowly slide down in Alexandra's nefarious smile.
An hour later, a foul odor of burning flesh and ash filled the air. Alexandra carelessly kicked a canister of gasoline to the side as she watched the cabin burn to the ground.
Alexandra replayed Rachel and Sally's death in her mind. How she first broke Rachel's neck and then when Sally screamed out for her great-granddaughter Alexandra threw a small knife at Sally's neck. Alexandra then lifted Rachel's body and drank every last drop of her blood. The sweet blood still lingered on Alexandra's taste buds. Alexandra did not regret the kill, because she knew the moment she left Rachel would alert other witches in the area or whoever her contact was in Mystic Falls. No, Alexandra did not regret a thing she has done.
Alexandra reached into her jean's pocket and pulled out a cellphone. She pressed some buttons and spoke, "pick me up at the spot. We need to go to Virginia." With a click, she hung up the phone and placed it back into her pocket.
"Mystic falls," she exclaimed out loud, "here I come."