The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga by Taliesin Govannon (important books to read .txt) 📕

                “Why don't you give her shit for eating that much?” Jack asked Raina as he resumed eating.

                “Because she's eating for two.” Raina answered, grabbing a fried rangoon.  “Herself and her magick energy baby.”

                “And this baby has the appetite for an entire X-Box convention.” I said, shoveling the spicy shrimp into my mouth.  “I don't know who's diet is more disgusting these days, mine or Vincent's, and he drinks blood!”

                “Yours.” Raina said, pointing her chopsticks at me.

                “Seriously?”

                "Sorry, but I'll take a pint of O-positive myself before I watch you eat pizza again."

                “Now wait a minute...”

                “I'm not saying that the six pieces stacked together that you ate last time wasn't impressive, but...”

                “That was a dare from Jack!” I stood and pointed at him.

                “Yeah, but I didn't think you'd do it!” he replied, laughing.

                “Why you...”

                I snapped my attention to the carton in his hand and flexed my mind.  It shot out of his hands and dumped upside down on his head, the bits of meat and rice cascading down his shoulders.

                “Two points!” Raina exclaimed, laughing.

                “And you!” Soon, what was left of the chicken fried rice found itself dumped on her head.  She shrieked playfully, and then all three of us dissolved once again into puddles of laughter.

Chapter Three

                From the diaries of Angelique Dupre

                08/25/1588

                Roanoke Colony

                After much hiding and observation, I have finally found the correct Sarah.  I could list all of the criteria that I used to determine her identity, but I just know.

                Also, Petronia visited me in a dream last night to tell me that my deductions were correct.  While it encouraged me, it also reminded me that I've spent entirely too many years without being able to hold her, and that hurts a heart that has felt precious little for ages.

                My Sarah ventures out from the colony to gather wild herbs on a regular basis, edging the forest in her search.  She looks completely average for the day... her hair is the same chestnut as so many around her, and her build is sturdy but not corpulent.  If I were hunting for a new human body to share my bed, she would be a good candidate.  Of course, what looks to be her brother would be just as enjoyable in that way.

                Or her Mother.  The family is quite attractive.

                Oh Petronia, whenever you visit me in my dreams, I see bed-partners everywhere!  See what you've done to me?

                I shall make contact with her tomorrow.

                                                                                                *                *                *

                The morning dawned with a slight mist clinging to the forest surrounding the mansion.  The air was crisp, and it swamped my senses with hope and potential.

                It was unusual, having company during my morning coffee on the back patio.  Normally I had a chance to take my extensive morning walk before the other non-vampires would greet the day, however, Raina and a very bleary-eyed Jack had risen earlier than usual to join me.

                They were actually there to see who our mysterious guests were, and to see them arrive.  I had skipped my morning walk for the same reason.

                Jack was having a hard time.  He sat, slumped in his chair, sunglasses guarding his eyes from the morning light.

                “Do you have to wear those?” Raina asked, pointing to his shades.  “The way you're crumpled in the chair, the glasses make me feel like I'm having coffee with someone in the witness protection program.”

                “This is entirely too early for the light to be this bright, and you know it.” he replied.  “It’s how I imagine the morning light on Mercury must be.”

                “But Mercury doesn't have my patented coffee blend.” I retorted, draining my mug and setting it down with satisfaction.

                “Believe me, the coffee is the only reason I'm still semi-conscious.”  He rubbed his eyes and yawned.  “So, any idea when these mystery guests are supposed to arrive?”

                “Vincent said that they were supposed to get here early.”  I looked around.  “I don't know how we're supposed to see who pulls up out front from back here, though.”

                “I just know Angelique told me that this would be a good place to meet them.” Raina poured some more coffee from the carafe into her mug, and added a generous dollop of creamer.

                “Maybe that's where Annabelle's lake comes from.” Jack said.  “Maybe they have a magic ship, Durmstrang-style.”

                It was then that I noticed Raina staring at the sky.  I turned to look where she was, and saw several birds circling high overhead.

                “What?” I asked her.

                “Those birds are circling the property.” she said.

                Jack looked up and then immediately regretted it.  Shading his sunglass-shielded eyes with his hand, he squinted upwards again.  “What's so special about that?  Don't birds circle?”

                “Only when circling prey or carrion.”

                The birds started getting bigger, descending at a rapid rate.  It was only then that I noticed just how big they were.  Once they got low enough, I could see that each was as big as a pickup truck, with a wingspan several times that size.  They looked to be some kind of hawk.  Two of them seemed to be carrying something in their talons.

                “Should we take cover?” Jack asked, though he looked to be in no position to run just then.

                “I'm not getting any sense of threat from them.” I told him.

                Just then, one of them landed in the yard nearby with a plop!  It walked away, and the crumpled form of a very muscular man was left behind.  With a groan, the man started to push himself up.

                “Bloody hell, warn me about the rough landing next time, will ya?” he said in a thick British accent.

                I knew that voice.

                “Ladies and gentlemen,” I said to my friends, “may I introduce Trevor Hawkins.”

                He looked the same as he had when he came to my graduation