Chapter 1 – The New Girl
During all his time at the Academy of Unseen Arts, Nicholas Scratch never questioned the habits and customs of lust and desire in the witching world. How could he? As early as teenage days kicked in, he was thought that lust and desire were nothing to be ashamed of. To the contrary, the Dark Lord encouraged carnality and the fulfillment of the passion of the flesh. No shame. No regrets. These were only good to the False God. That is how he started to date the Weird Sisters, Prudence to begin with, before Dorcas and Agatha got into the mix. Quite naturally. It was hot and steamy, very simple, with no strings attached apart from those of desire and hormones. Even when orgiastic excitement wore off due to the Weird Sisters' unhealthy mind games, he would still go back to them when he had an itch to scratch. He experienced multiple partners during his nights at Dorian's – including Dorian himself – although he always preferred girls, a man's body once in a while could not harm. When push comes to shove, sex demons were the easy option, with the same goal, have a good time, let the bodies sway freely.
That day in early November was no different than the others. He had spent the last night his body entangled with Agatha's after drinks at Dorian's. Of course, once the needs of the body were fulfilled, he crawled bad from Agatha's bed to go sleep in his bed. He would only sleep alone, and Agatha did not seem to mind – neither did Prudence, Dorcas or any of the others. It was not even a topic really. He woke up in the morning and spent most of his time at the library. Life was not all about whims of passion, Nicholas wanted – needed – to become the best conjurer since Edward Spellman. Ever since Nicholas discovered his work, he was fascinated with his teachings, his witchcraft and his ideology that were radically opposed to Father Blackwood's teachings. Nicholas was not sure he agreed with all of Spellman's positions, but he found him controversial enough to satisfy his need of a companion to an aspiring top-boy with a rebellious side craving to surface. Lost in his research, he had almost forgotten about the choir class with Lady Blackwood. He never understood why after so many years, he still had to take choir classes and sit through Prudence's solos. Not that Prudence did not have a pleasant voice, because she did, but it was starting to get old. Actually, it started to get old at least three years earlier.
As he roamed through the Academy's corridors, he heard whispers from Melvin, Elspeth and others about a new girl that was expected today. It was fairly uncommon to welcome new kids around, he could not bring himself to care. This must have happened when he was away for a couple of weeks visiting long-lost relatives in the Old Continent. He was able to catch some chatters here and there, "part-time student." Equally uncommon. "Ran away from her Dark Baptism." Was she able to survive this faux pas? At least the new girl seemed edgy, rebellious. Exactly the way he liked his witches. May she be hot. Then, Dorcas approached him, roaming a finger on his chest: "Nice to see you back around Nicky. We've missed you. Have you heard the news? The half-breed is expected to arrive today. Some say they saw her with Blackwood earlier today." The word stuck with him "half-breed". What did Dorcas exactly mean? Why was everyone talking about the new part-time girl?
He shrugged his shoulders as he entered the choir room and began scales with the rest of the cohort, when Father Blackwood interrupted the session, accompanied by a tiny gorgeous blonde, with that headband that had awaken all his schoolgirl fantasies, standing there, some intriguing wordless confidence radiating from her:
- Forgive the interruption my dear, we have an addition to your ranks. Sabrina Spellman, my wife Lady Blackwood.
Spellman. Nicholas was not sure his mind was working properly. The new girl was a Spellman. Dorcas' words came back to him. "Half-breed." Of course, this was Sabrina Spellman. Daughter of Edward Spellman. everyone in the coven knew about Edward Spellman's scandalous wedding to a mortal that almost got him excommunicated, a wedding his was only able to run away with because he was High Priest. Nicholas respected Edward Spellman but could not shake off the despise he had for him, a powerful warlock marrying a mere mortal. That did not sit well with him and years Blackwood's teachings. Lady Blackwood's sharp voice got him out of his thoughts:
- I've heard a lot about you Sabrina. We've all heard a lot about you. Welcome.
- I'll leave Miss Spellman in your capable hands then, Father Blackwood added before leaving the room. As his steps were slowly fading away, his wife turned back to Sabrina:
- Now, Sabrina, can you cite weave music? Just a verse or two so I know where to place you.
It's time we put our love behind you
Illusion has been just a dream
Valley of death and I'll find you
Now is when on a sunshine beam
So bring us the young perfection
For there, us shall surely be
No clothing, tears, or hunger
You can see, you can see, you can be.
- Oh my. Prudence, I do believe you have some competition finally.
Lady Blackwood got it all wrong, Nicholas thought when he was able to compose his thoughts again. Sabrina was no competition to Prudence. She was in whole other league. It was not even close, he thought eyes still unable to look at anything else but Sabrina. He let out a heavy sigh. His breath caught when the first words came out of Sabrina's crimson mouth. It was as if he got into a trace. He could only see her, listen to her. Everything else, everyone else became a joke. Nicholas was deeply troubled, he, who praised himself for his great control, was left aghast. There was something about this girl. He could not put a finger on it. It could have been anything. Her confidence when she picked that music sheet from Lady Blackwood. Her serenity when she belted those notes so effortlessly. Her celestial voice. Her poise. Her attitude. Her small smile. Her crimson plump lips. Her blonde hair. Her headband. Her energy, so peculiar, so different from the rest. Her obliviousness on the effect she has on others. Probably all of this. Never had Nicholas been so intrigued by a person before. The rest of the choir class passed as a black hole during which he could only focus on Sabrina. Sabrina Spellman and the way his eyes irremediably focused on her. The way his chest tightened when looked at her. Barely perceptibly, but still. The way he could barely distinguish any other voice when they were all singing. The little shivers her voice, her presence sent down her spine. She was something else. Probably trouble.
Sabrina could feel the eyes of this black-curled handsome warlock boring into her back. She was not sure what to make of it. Even though she was able to put on a show face and get her voice steady after a slightly rocky start, behind it all, she was nervous. She was setting foot in her father's world, where her background was odd, at best; in a place where she knew she was not wanted. She had no safe place, no safe harbor to run to in case of trouble. No Roz. No Susie. And most importantly, no Harvey. So, when the mysterious handsome warlock – she could still find a man handsome even if she was totally Harvey's, for eternity – asked if he could sit with her at lunch, she could not deny a friendly hand metaphorically extended to her:
- I am Sabrina…
- Spellman. You are Edward Spellman's daughter.
- I am.
- Your reputation precedes you. Sabrina wished it did not. She knew what the handsome warlock meant. He knew about her mother. They all knew. They all disapproved. Yours fathers as well. I am reading his journals right now.
- You are? How do you have them?
Sabrina's heart was thumping. All she could think about his how little she knew about her father's legacy, his work, his beliefs. She felt ashamed that she was not more interested in it. She knew about his reputation, about the qualities he displayed as High Priest, of course. Her Aunt Zelda would tell her about it all. But this guy seemed to have access to a realm of her father's that she never really thought about. She would never let it show, but she was barely hearing his explanation about the Sanctum and the journals being only available to advanced students.
- Your father was a controversial figure in the witching community. There was it. Of course. Here it goes again. And it was not the beginning of Abba's Mamma Mia's verse.
- You mean for marrying my mother?
- This and his more radical ideas. Radical to others, by the way. I personally think he was brilliant, ahead of his time. The greatest conjurer the Church of Night ever produced.
It is when Prudence and the Weird Sisters arrived, that she figured his name was "Nicholas", or maybe he told her and she let it slip her mind. After that, the conversation turned to asinine attacks exchanged between her and Prudence before she left, Nicholas – or was it Nick now? – walking her to her next class. She was not sure what to make of him. He was charming, that was a given. She also felt the edge in his tone when he spoke about her father. She did not doubt he admired his conjurer's spells, but she could see he tried to sugarcoat the truth on his "radical" views and family choices. She was not surprised, yet she could not help but feel a little disappointed. On the other hand, he readily defended her against Prudence, calling the latter a "bitch" for bugging Sabrina. That backfired a bit, when he was referred to as "man whore." Sabrina did not even question that she was replaying a conversation with a boy, a boy who was not Harvey, and was trying to figure him out.
Little did she know that Nick was doing the exact same thing. Consciously, though. It was not easy speaking to her. It is as if his confidence vanished when he was around her, and he had blurted that her father had "radical" ideas. He saw her brows furrowing, he tried to make it up to her, arguing he thought her father was brilliant, which was not a lie. At least, not a complete one. He did admire Edward Spellman for his witchcraft, his smarts, his intellectual legacy. He was less sure he was supportive of his theories and the social reforms he wanted to bring onto the Church of Night. He was not necessarily opposed to it, but he had his reservations. He hoped Sabrina did not see them. Then Prudence came, and things went a bit off control. He called her off for how she treated Sabrina and she conveniently let slip that he was a horny teenager. Not that it was secret. But it was unknown to Sabrina, and for some reason, he wished it stayed that way a little longer. The idea that she'd see him in any other way but the charming friendly warlock that spoke to her on her first day at the Academy bothered her. Never had he been bothered by what a girl, a boy, a demon or any other creature thought of his lifestyle and choices. But for some incomprehensible reason, her opinion mattered.
