Disturbance
To quote a movie the humans seemed fond of, there was a disturbance in the force. My heightened senses feeling it and so was my blood. I made it to the courtyard outside the library trying to pick up what had caused the disturbance, when I heard the conversation between two witches. Well, actually it was more of a one sided conversation. And the side which was conversing was annoyingly whiney.
There was a smell of burnt flesh which appeared to be coming from the blond witch who was cradling one hand in the other. How had she burnt her hand in the library? Which Ashmole had she been looking at when it had happened? Could it be Ashmole 782? I had been looking for that book for over a century.
I did my research as any good academic would do and found out who the witch was: Diana Bishop. She had written a couple of books which were quite well written. Something drew me to her. Something other than her ability to call up a book which had been missing for years. Something other than the sweet scent of her blood. But I couldn't put my finger on what it was.
She was powerful. I could feel her power from a distance. It was even greater when I stood in front of her. I recalled seeing her rowing so I knew she had strength. This wisp of a woman who was startled by my presence yet not afraid, even though she knew I was a vampire.
It appeared that I was not the only creature interested in Diana Bishop. Although I was possibly the only creature who was interested in her for more than her ability to summon Ashmole 782. This was confusing me more than the book's choice on whom it would reveal itself to. According to her, she didn't use her powers often, so I doubted she had bewitched me. At least not on purpose or in a magical way.
For someone who didn't use her powers, it surged off of her. Perhaps she didn't have control of her power. Something she denied vehemently. In fact she seemed uncomfortable with having powers at all.
I had seen her reach for a book and her have it leap off the shelf at her. The burn on her hand still smelt fresh even a day later. Something about her called to the book and I would need her help to read the book if I was to help my species and others survive. And yet she didn't seem keen on helping me. That in itself wasn't unusual. Vampires and witches had never been exactly friendly.
Without her help, I couldn't look at Ashmole 782. It had been waiting for her, so there had to be something special about her. Her lineage was impressive. It went back to the first witch burnt at the Salem witch trials but I doubted that was the reason the book was drawn to her.
I had given her my card after checking the burn on her hand without being obvious. It was a strange shaped burn. But she had been direct and dismissive so I left her to her research.
However that didn't stop me from keeping an eye on her. And she busted me on it. I decided to be upfront with her and warned her to be careful. I only hoped she listened to my warning. She had more to fear from her own kind, than from me and mine.
Determined not to look as though I was stalking her, I decided to do some of my research at the library. It was immediately noticeable that there were a number of witches there. Clearly they were there for Diana Bishop. She obviously wasn't comfortable with my presence as she left soon after finding me there. And yet I couldn't help but wonder if it was only my presence and not the abundance of witches that had driven her away.
I waited for her to go rowing before searching her rooms, but found nothing unusual. It was getting dark so I went down to where I knew she kept her boat. She seemed unaware of how strange it was that the book had appeared to her or how many creatures wanted to get their hands on it or how dangerous it was to be out alone this late.
Intending to walk away from her I made the mistake of picking up the jacket she had dropped earlier. The smell of her on it made my mouth water. It was all I could do to stay still as she walked past and away from me. I waited there in the night air long enough for her to get home before leaving her jacket in her mail box. Still she had not seemed to fear me, at best she seemed curious.
There was nothing else I could do, I needed to leave town until I was certain I could control myself around Diana Bishop. It wasn't going to be enough to just stay away from her rooms or the library. I needed to go somewhere I could hunt. The problem was, could I stay away?