I went to Clarisse's room to look for her, but she wasn't there. I checked the garden, the kitchen, the potions room, and the weapon room, but I couldn't find her anywhere. Our four-story house has a kitchen, dining room, living room, and weapon room on the first floor. The medical room is on the second floor, one of the libraries and bedrooms on the third, and the fourth floor has the unused library with our potions and spell books. Giving up on searching the house, I decided to ask Fred. I've had a crush on him since I met him, and this would be a great chance to talk and get to know each other. I found him in the living room watching the news, so engrossed in it that he didn't notice me entering. The news was about a girl drained of blood found in an alley, unusual for a vampire kill. Fred seemed preoccupied, possibly searching for clues.

As I approached him, he turned, his concern evident in his light brown eyes. With curly dark brown hair that he hadn't cut recently, he appeared charming. "Hey, are you okay? You seem worried about something."

"Hi, Fred. Yeah, I'm okay. I was actually looking for you. I can't find Clarisse, and Daisy wants you to go with someone else to deal with this banshee. She's now -" I stumbled, unsure of how to proceed. "Well, she's busy with James, and I'm new to this, so I could use some help. Would you come with me?"

He looked surprised as if my request caught him off guard. I expected him to decline, but he replied, "Sure, let me get ready. Do you have potions and spells?"

I thought about being witty, like a newcomer, but I decided, "Of course, I do."

He smiled at me. "See you at the front door in ten minutes."

"Okay," I responded, turning and walking out. On my way to the front door, I stopped by the room to grab Arit's dagger and Kuna's blade. I hadn't trained with them yet, but it felt right to be prepared. When I reached the door, a six-foot-tall wizard was already there. He looked incredibly attractive in his combat gear. I had to suppress a blush at my own ridiculous thoughts. He noticed me approaching and glanced curiously at the gun on his belt but said nothing about it. Instead, he held out his hand, offering a potion bottle. I looked up at him and asked, "What's this for?"

"This will protect our ears from their screams. They can't change me, but they can still hurt me. They might transform into a banshee, and reversing it is challenging. So please, take this. It won't block out everything we hear, but her cries won't be as deadly to our ears." He held out the potion, and I took it. As I opened the bottle, its smell hit me, and I immediately dropped it. The foul stench turned my stomach. I glanced at Fred and exclaimed, "Are you trying to poison me? What's in this? It stinks."

He looked down at me and smiled warmly. "It's got everything you need. Here, watch." With that, he opened the bottle and drank it down. He made a bitter face, but he swallowed it. Then he held the bottle out to me, and I followed suit. After I finished, I looked up at him and playfully threatened to punch him for subjecting me to such a putrid drink. He seemed to be holding back laughter, and I couldn't help but chuckle too. I wasn't very intimidating, and I knew he sensed it.

"I shouted, 'Let me go! I'll make you suffer by vomiting that disgusting, foul drink through my mouth,' I couldn't help but chuckle. Being an intimidating woman wasn't my strong suit, and I knew he was laughing too, even if he tried to hide it.

"Laura, don't be silly. We both needed it. If you're ready to leave, you should be able to do so before it gets dark tonight. It's a different situation, and Daisy needs the support of all of us if the worst happens."

I sensed she wasn't keen on that idea, so she nodded and headed for the door. "How do you teleport there? Teleporting is the one thing I envy about being a witch. I'd love to use it just to get there, and keep it for other troublesome situations. But Daisy mentioned it should only be used in battle."

"Well, miss, is there a more practical way to reach there besides teleporting?" he asked with a wink, knowing my fondness for teleportation. It had taken me a while to master, but now it was second nature. Just focus on your destination and poof, you're there. Fred's grip weakened in my hand, but I brushed it off. When I arrived at Cross Street, it was eerily empty. That was unusual for this part of town.

"I know I need to be more cautious while I'm here. I feel quite vulnerable. Is there a vantage point where I can observe while seeking refuge?" he inquired.

"Absolutely, but there's no upper limit to it. We're outside, but we're high up. Banshees are more likely to target there than here. But I'm safe from the people on this block." I turned and led the way to the faded pink building. We ascended the stairs and hopped over the railing onto the roof. He seemed content, and I enjoyed his company. "Wow, I didn't expect you to come here, but yeah, there's no cover-up here. So, let's not linger too long, okay?"

I smiled and said, "I used to come here with my friends as a kid. You take the top half of the road, and I'll take the bottom half."

"Well, that sounds like a plan. Just keep an ear out for any unusual sounds, like shattering glass or strange noises. But if the glass breaks, it'll be too late."

I nodded and turned to the guard. Turning right, I nearly jumped. There was a group of people at the end of the street. They weren't the only ones who had caught my attention; I thought I saw "vampires"!

"We need to leave now!" he urgently exclaimed. But I stood firm, refusing to go.

"They can't see us. I don't know why you're so eager to leave. Wait until I'm finished. We can't let this banshee escape. We have guns; you've seen mine. And I always carry a gun. So, stay here."

He looked at me like I had ten heads. Did I say something incomprehensible? "Are you kidding me? There should be at least ten people. I can't risk being here with an untrained witch unless I have proper weapons to fight them off. Let's go, now!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "We're not having that discussion right now!" My voice grew louder, and anger simmered inside me. "Yes, I'm new at this. I've been a witch for ten months, but don't treat me like a child. I can handle myself. I carry weapons, and I know how to use them well enough. I'll guard if needed. Don't treat me like the helpless child you're trying to protect. I've been through worse." I turned my gaze to the group of vampires who had vanished. They were ascending the stairs right next to us, and I felt a warmth surge through my hands. Looking down, I realized they were on fire. Not the kind of fire I hold, but actual fire. Fire was a vampire's greatest enemy; they died instantly.

Without thinking, my body reacted. I threw fireballs at them, and they fell, consumed by the flames. The last vampire stared at me in disbelief. I couldn't believe it either. Before I could process it, a tall, slender Asian vampire rushed toward me, fangs bared, aiming for my neck. He knocked me to the ground and struggled to pin me down. In an instant, he vanished. I didn't understand until I saw Fred holding a peculiar sword, the vampire's lifeless body in two pieces on the ground. "Oh, thank you. What kind of sword is that? And why haven't I seen you wield it before?" I didn't get an answer as the last three vampires charged us. I unleashed fire, and he raised his sword. A swift swing down and a follow-up swing up, then back to back with me. But I spotted him on top of Fred, and it looked like he was biting him.

I didn't have time to learn the intricacies of using daggers on my belt anymore. I grabbed one, Arit's dagger. I aimed my arm at the vampire and sent it flying. I hit my mark, but he disappeared as swiftly as he'd come. There stood Fred, lying on his back, blood pooling around him. Without hesitation, I bent down and took his hand. "Do your best, Fred. I'll help you. I won't let you die." I closed my eyes and concentrated.

A scream pierced the air when I reached the block, but I wasn't afraid. It was Clarisse. Rushing toward us, she knelt beside Fred, her face drained of color as she saw his bite. "What happened?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. I almost stepped back, apprehensive of her reaction. I did my best to remain calm and recounted the events.

Once I finished, Clarisse seemed taken aback. "Few of us have the strength to do what you did today. I can't even summon fire; the only two capable of it are downstairs in the basement. And one of them might not survive if things go wrong. I'm deeply impressed by you. Thanks for saving him. Few bites lead to vampire transformation than you'd think. He'll be alright unless that's what the vampire intended. They have to introduce their poison during feeding, and since they didn't anticipate your intervention, he should recover. So, don't worry."

I nodded and looked at Fred. Peter came in and carried him to the infirmary. I turned to Clarisse, a petite girl with dark brown hair and vivid blue eyes. "You know, Daisy wouldn't allow anyone to do this to her, nor would she do it herself. She despises fire, so how can I use it when I'm new here, and you can't? Why can't all of us do that?" I trailed off as we descended the stairs to the basement. We were on our way to tell Daisy what happened to Fred and me. "I have so many questions now. How did I instinctively know how to throw that dagger? And why am I just waiting here for Fred to recover? What if he doesn't get better

? If he dies, I never told him I liked him. It's silly to realize now, with all these changes, that day ended in disaster. And if he recovers, he probably won't want to talk to me, because it'll be my fault."

As we walked, I glanced ahead, waiting for Clarisse to address me. She stayed silent for a while, and when she finally spoke, she seemed to have calmed down and regained patience.

"Only the blood of powerful wizards can conjure fire with their hands. You likely lost your parents in battle, which led to your adoption. Even though covenant members often support those who've lost family, I don't understand why nobody here has acknowledged you. But that's a discussion for another time. We're nearly at Daisy and James'. Just tell them the story of what happened on the roof. We'll figure out the rest later, dear."

We turned a corner and spotted Daisy with James, but her expression was different. As we drew closer, we both exclaimed simultaneously, "Daisy, your eyes!"