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

situation and location, and Vincent’s given him coordinates to pass on to us.”

                I was surprised. “He knows where we’re at already?”

                “He tracks the GPS on my phone whenever I leave the compound, especially for an emergency evac.” She hit a few buttons on her screen. “That way.” she said, facing east.

                “Lead on.” I said, gesturing.

                We walked into the treeline and through the woods. After a mile of nothing more menacing than the occasional icy patch, Tiffany finally holstered her sidearm.

                “Keep it handy in case we run into any feral death metal bands.” I said, winking. “I hear that there are a couple who came out here to shoot promotional photos that never came back.”

                “Why do you think I avoided all of those Finnish park ranger jobs?” Tiffany grinned. “I didn’t want to spend half of my life rescuing teenage boys with bad Kiss fetishes.”

                “Where are we going, anyway?” I asked, stepping over a fallen branch.

                “My Uncle said that it’s an ally of Angelique and Vincent’s.” she replied. “Some guy named Seamus.”

                We eventually came out of the forest on the shores of a massive lake. On the water’s edge stood a very Scottish-looking castle, which made me pause.

                “That doesn’t look very Finnish.” I said, pointing at the structure.

                “Neither does a name like ‘Seamus’.” Tiffany shrugged.

                “Good point.” I said as we resumed walking.

                “So, what’s it like, sleeping with a vampire?” she asked after a few more minutes.

                “You heard about that part, huh?” I asked in return.

                “You’ve gotta admit that it’s  not strange that it came up in conversation.” she replied, casting a side glance and a grin my way.

                “I guess I’m not used to being in a relationship that people talked about.” I said.

                “Well, I will admit that your friend Jack talked about it mostly” Tiffany said. “I think he was compensating for the fact that his girlfriend is five thousand years old.”

                “What,” I said, smiling, “something like ‘my girlfriend might be as old as the last ice age, but at least she’s human!’?”

                “Exactly! She said, laughing.

                “It’s… “ I said, searching for the words. “It’s great. The sex, I mean. Just think about being with someone who doesn’t have to take a breath if they don’t want to.”

                “Woah.” she said, her eyebrows raised.

                “Other than that, it’s just… sex with a soulmate.” I continued, shrugging. “I have no idea what unconnected sex with a vampire is like because I have a ten thousand year history with the person behind the fangs that I sleep with.”

                “And they don’t sleep?”

                “I haven’t had to make my own breakfast if I don’t want to since I moved out of my Mom’s house.”

                “Sign me up!”

                We laughed again as we walked up to the door. We paused before knocking.

                “How on guard should I be?” Tiffany asked, hand on her gun.

                “This is a Vincent and Angelique ally, not a Trevor Hawkins one, so we can be sure that we’ll come to no harm.” I replied. “They’ve most likely spoken with… Mister Seamus and paved the way for us.”

                “Very well.” Tiffany took her hand off of her sidearm and knocked on the wooden door.

                We heard some amount of shuffling and muffled cursing on the other side before the door swung open, revealing a tall, thin man with red hair tied back in a messy ponytail.

                “Aye,” he said, his Scottish accent cutting through his rough, grizzled voice, “You must be Vincent and Angelique’s friends!”

                “Sargent Tiffany Collins, sir.” Tiffany said, standing ramrod straight.

                “I’m Annabelle.” I said, nodding.

                “And I’m Seamus.” he said. “Now get your asses in here before you attract something damaging… “

                We followed him in and he led us down a stone corridor. Electric lights burned in the places where torches used to hang, the permanent soot-marks in the ceiling attesting to the castle’s pre-electric past.

                “So,” Tiffany said, “vampire?”

                “Only for five hundred years.” Seamus replied. “Not nearly as long as Angelique, but I’ve seen my fair share.”

                I looked at his simple attire… a plain white dress shirt and black slacks... and smiled. "You don't dress like a five-hundred-year-old Scottish vampire."

                “What, you expect me to be running around in a kilt with flaming bagpipes or something?” he grinned. “I’ve gotta save something for parties!”

                Our host led us to a brightly decorated dining room, it’s large window showing the brilliant sunset happening outside. We sat down and Seamus pulled an embroidered rope.”

                “TARA!” he shouted as he pulled. “WE HAVE GUESTS!”

                An annoyed Irish accent from the next room answered him. “I know we have guests,” it said, not shouting but being heard just fine, “I fucking well told you about them! I’m the one who read Vincent’s fucking text!”

                “Well then get them some fucking drinks!” the vampire shot back.

                A dark-haired woman, just over five feet tall, walked in the room carrying a tray full of drinks. “Well what do you think I’m fucking doing, you cock-hungry bloodsucker?" she said, walking over and setting the tray down by us.

                “Sargent Tiffany Collins.” Tiffany said, smiling. “And you are?”

                “Tara J Brennan.” the Irishwoman replied, extending her hand. “The ‘J’ stands for Jazz, me Dad was a sax player, and me friends call me Jazzy. I take care of mister cranky pants over there.” she added with a jerk of her head towards Seamus.”

                “And what about your girlfriends?” Tiffany asked next, shaking her hand slowly.

                Jazzy grinned. “They call me often.”

                “Yeah, well, you’ll get kind of cock hungry after I turn you!” Seamus said, a smug grin on his face.

                “Ugh, don’t remind me!” Jazzy grimaced.

                “What?” Tiffany said, confused.

                “Whatever part of us that dictates who we like to canoodle with… “ I explained, “…  doesn’t really survive the transition from human to vampire. Gay, straight… it all becomes this messy pansexual mush around vampires.”

                “Yeah.” Seamus continued, crossing his