Eight
May 1995
Through the crackling sounds of Pantera, Saben was at once daydreaming, cigarette smoke and incense rolling through her mind, the feel of a microphone scratching her mouth, her breath amplified in the dark.
Her memories came back, sluggish, mass of images, names, tastes, smells. She remembered Geoff Deckard, his fingers in the dark, pulling, prodding, calluses scratching her soft parts. She had been a singer, remembered the intimate embrace of an anorexic mic stand.
Celeste Morgan had reassured her these memories were normal, that they would return to her often now and more perhaps in overpowering extremes.
She remembered other things too, dark things, things she'd rather not remember but there was still that one thing that eluded her, the thing that brought a frown to her sweetheart lips.
As she sat behind the antique register, fingers stroking the counter, her mind and fingers itched to express, to write, to splay her phantoms on a page, a wall, through her throat.
She didn't hear the bells tinkle or sense someone walked into the store. Saben didn't look up for moments but when she did the breath was stolen from her lungs. The most beautiful woman she had ever laid eyes upon stood before her, towering over her, staring down at her.
It was known that the Night People were uncommonly beautiful but it did not prepare her for this woman. For an instant she was convinced that her life had lead to this one moment.
The woman looked pouty and quite upset to see Saben slouched behind the counter. She approached, nay rippled toward her, black hair like smoke stopped in motion hanging tumbling over her shoulders, her eyes sparkling grey, quick and cutting.
Saben pulled an earphone out of her ear as if seeking the dulcet tones of angelic choir that would herald the oncoming of the goddess on earthly feet.
"Where's Tobias?" The woman's voice was husky and hypnotic.
"The boss is out on...business," (six feet of blond babe). "Can I help?"
"Who are you?" She asked.
All thoughts went flying out of her mind, her tongue was tied and she could not recall her own name, her own self and she stared, mute, eyes turning liquid and distressed.
"Your name?" She snapped.
"Saben."
The girl smiled but it was not a friendly expression. "That's nice dear. What in the name of Ereshkigal are you doing here?" she tapped the counter.
Saben looked around the store and then back at the girl. "Working."
The girl gave a nasty expression that made the pit of Saben's stomach fill with dread. She swallowed around the lump forming in her throat.
Her eyes fell on the ruby and a black dahlia hanging between her breasts. Dahlia. She was a witch. The revelation made Saben sneeze and the pungent scent of her magic made her choke as subtle spells were being woven about her head.
Tobias walked into the store moments before Saben felt she was going to collapse into a spluttering frenzy. "Blaise?" He addressed the woman, ignoring Saben altogether.
The girl spun round and Saben sagged against the counter in relief, recovering from the intense scrutiny and suffocating press of magic.
Blaise and Tobias embraced tentatively. "Welcome home." He murmured in her ear.
"It's almost the Summer Solstice, I wouldn't miss one of Thierry's shindigs for anything." Her tone was guarded. She was all too aware of Saben's presence.
Saben wanted to slip out unnoticed, she was tempted to move, she made the smallest movement: sliding off her stool and both witches whipped round to stare at her.
Tobias hand went to his curls, and he massaged his scalp looking anywhere but at Saben. "This is Saben, she helps in the front of the shop."
"She's human." The contempt in the girl's voice did not go unnoticed.
Tobias winced. They had grown close the past couple of weeks Saben and Tobias. Working together in the little store amid the dust and potions. She was used to him running in and out, used to his smile, his smell, his being around her.
Tobias ran classes at the back of the shop whilst she sat at the front and dealt with customers. Lots of tourists came and always gushed at how wonderful the store was, they bought many things that baffled Saben.
Most clients called in advance and Tobias dealt with any major queries, Saben was exempt from such dealing and she didn't mind. With her ears stuffed with music and her fingers working the register, she was content to deal with the pocket change and use her spare time to write more material.
Before Day Break she was a writer. A writer and a singer.
There time had passed in peace and Saben was starting to find pleasure in coming, drinking the hotly brewed coffee in the morning and going home ready for sleep.
"Sabe. This is Blaise Harman, she owns this store."
Saben stared at the woman not knowing how to respond. She could feel the animosity rolling in bitter stinking waves and she covered her face as she sneezed again.
"Sorry, she gets sensitive."
"We need to talk, Tobias." Blaise said and smoothly walked through the beaded curtain expecting Tobias to follow. Her heels echoed as she ascended the staircase.
Saben looked to Tobias who returned her confused stare. He couldn't spare time to chat but squeezed her arm as he walked past. He picked up Blaise's bags and followed her into the back and up the stairs.
Saben listened from beside the beaded curtain, their voices carrying down the stairwell. "How dare you allow vermin to serve in my grandmother's store. She would be turning in her grave if she knew a little street rat was tapping at her register."
"Saben's a good kid. She works hard. If it wasn't for her this store wouldn't be functioning."
Saben felt both distressed and pleased by his response. She was a 'good kid'. There was a time when she was more than that. More than just this work. More than keeping out of trouble. She was more than a child too, she was a woman with hips, tits and fingertips.
She sat back down on the little stool and waited. They argued a long time before Tobias ran down the stairs and stormed out of the back entrance, the light fixtures rocked as he slammed the door on his way out.
She felt instantly nervous. Like prey, left alone with the woman Tobias had called Blaise Harman, owner of the store.
No one came into the store for the rest of the afternoon and Saben was dutifully stuck to the stool, her eyes seeking the sight of Tobias through the dusty slits in the front windows. When Blaise Harman did come down stairs, Saben was sweeping the floors.
Saben had begun to sing along softly to the music in her earphones, it was her singing that brought Blaise down to her.
She froze. Taking out her headphones to face the formidable young witch. "He speaks highly of you, human." She said placing hands on her hips.
Anger filled her and she felt her fists begin to shake with it. "I don't need him to speak for me, lady. If you want me to leave I'll pick up my stuff and go. I don't want any trouble. He's a good guy, doesn't need any shit."
Blaise cocked her head. She blinked and her lips parted as if she detected something wrong. Celeste Morgan often had that look in her eyes when she focused on Saben's face. "What?" Saben asked.
Blaise shook her head. "Nothing."
"Just let me finish up and I won't bother you again."
"No. Wait."
Blaise took her hand and lead her to the stool. She stroked her palm, smoothing out her fist. The contact of her cool hand, the cold metal of her rings made Saben shiver and she felt a distant jolt. The feeling of de ja vu. Whatever Blaise may have read or felt of Saben she kept to herself.
"Do you know who owned this store before me?"
"Before Toby?"
Blaise's eyes flared but she nodded.
Saben shook her head, no.
"My grandmother. She was a great woman. The Crone of all witches. Do you know what that means?"
"She was powerful?"
"Yes." Her eyes flared again. "You don't belong here Saben Mariley Frost yet here you are."
Saben pulled back and slid of the stool, reaching for her bag and her Discman, packing away to storm out as Tobias had done earlier. Blaise merely stared at her all the while.
She was about to leave through the back when Blaise Harman's husky voice piped up. "Don't be late tomorrow." Saben glanced backward. "Or we'll dock your pay."
Saben nodded and headed home, slamming the door behind her on the way out.
It didn't take long to get home. Saben luxuriated in the feeling of her newfound anger, the emotion sung in her veins and she felt more alive than she had in months. Blaise Harman's eyes were imprinted on the back of her eyelids. Bewitching and dangerous.
She climbed the staircase of her building, Cathedral thrumming through her headphones, she was outside number 52 and was surprised to see Tobias sitting by her door.
His shirt was crumpled and hair out of place, no sunglasses on his head and no sense of swagger. She slumped down beside him pulling her head phones down. "You okay?" She asked when he didn't speak.
He turned his head toward her, staring at her profile too closely as if checking her over for any signs of abuse or distress. "Are you?"
The sound of his voice deflated any sense of anger and she dropped her head to hide a small, sardonic smile. "That's a loaded question."
He laughed, short and strained and she glanced at him, admiring his smile, the way his eyes sparkled in the dim hall light. Kind blue eyes, so different from…from…Her eyebrows came together as she frowned.
"I suppose you heard everything?" He blushed and she didn't expect to see it, she turned her head away.
"Some. Enough to know when I'm not wanted." She replied feeling the sting of his words 'she's just a kid'. But that's not all I am, she wanted to say in fierce defence but bit her lip to stop the words from escaping her mouth.
She was sure she was more, more than the sum of her butchered memories too, if only she could remember, if only she could forget…They sat in silence for a while, listening idly to the noises of the building, the rattling of the pipes and the reverberation of many voices.
"I want you to know, I don't think like that." His voice was soft, kind and unexpected.
"It's okay." She said and gathered herself to stand unable to sit with him a moment longer or else be reminded of how shit she was, how low a priority on the agenda of the Night and least of all in the Day. "It's fine." Because that's the way it had always been.
He stood too, grasping her arm and forcing her to look into his face. "No it's not."
His hand was hot on her skin and she grit her teeth trying not to let the sudden thrill ignite inside her. You're just a kid, remember? She thought viciously to herself. He can' think you're anything more than that and you shouldn't want him to. But she feared that she did. It had been so long since…
"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She said shrugging out of his grasp, trying to make him leave. She felt awkward, as if her skin was swelling and the air turned thin to choke her. The energy between them was too charged, crackling ,static energy amplifying the fluttering in her stomach.
"Okay." He breathed and a shiver rippled through her.
He watched her close the door between them and she leant against the door until she heard his footsteps retreat toward the staircase.