Imprimatur

Pagan Blog Project - "K" for "Knot Magic"

Thu, 24 May 2012 21:24:08 GMT

I'm not talking about the Witch's Knot, I mean knitting and crochet. There is absolute magic in hand making an object stitch by stitch for someone you love.

When I found out I was pregnant (after freaking right the fuck out) I took up crochet again after years of hanging up the hook. My grandmother had taught me when I was 7 or so and I could think of no better way to relax myself and prepare for my little one than to make her a baby blanket. I worked on it my entire pregnancy, line by line, and made it big enough to use as a lapghan when she goes off to college. I still have the dress my grandmother made for me (she was an awesome seamstress) so if my kid still loves me when she's an adult, I wanted to make something she would treasure.

As I worked, I found myself thinking of all I hoped for my child. I wanted her to be healthy, happy, smart, and strong. I wanted her to wrap herself in this garment and know that she's loved by her mama even when her mama isn't around. The result was, quite frankly, staggering. It's her favorite blanket and not just because I lord over her saying "I bloody made this and you will USE IT!!" she picks it. And I have a healthy, happy, smart, and strong little girl who just loves the shit outta that blanket. >D

I've also made items for other people, like a scarf for my husband. Same effect. You channel your wishes into the hooks or needles into the yarn and it comes through in your finished project. It's the entire concept of Prayer Shawls with a Pagan spin. I still make things (when I have time) and eventually I'll have a shop section on my website so I can share what I make with others. There's nothing like a great big ole hug of positive energy. :)

Book Challenge Update!

Sat, 19 May 2012 14:53:13 GMT

1. Lightning, by Jean Echenoz

2. The Demon Lover, by Juliet Dark

3. Netsuke, by Nikki Ducornet

4. Smut, by Alan Bennett

5. Never Cry Wolf, by Cynthia Eden

6. Feral, by Joley Skye

7. Lothaire, by Kresley Cole

8. The Woman In Black, by Susan Hill

9. No Longer Human, by Osamu Dazai

10. The The Lady Flees Her Lord, by Michele Young

11. Eternal Hunger by Laura Wright

12. A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison

13. Eternal Captive by Laura Wright

14. Eternal Blood by Laura Wright

15. Eternal Kiss by Laura Wright

16. Phoenix Rising by Kimberly Gardner

17. Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk

18. River Marked by Patricia Briggs

19. Bound to Please by Kimberly Gardner

20. Fool Moon, by Jim Butcher

21. The Navidad Incident by Natsuki Ikezawa

22. The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter

Devil May Cry: The Complete Series - Anime Review

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:06:03 GMT

I was so excited to get this dvd collection as a big fan of the first two games. Sadly, this anime is completely forgettable. Even the battle scenes and gratuitous posing are standard anime fair. I would have liked to see the plot from the games play out without risking dying in the game play and I was very disappointed.

Speaking as a girl gamer/geek, I was also let down by every major female character. Lady and Trish are so freakin annoying! Patty is a little girl. She's supposed to be annoying at times when its convenient to the plot but the hunters are catty poseaholics who live only to cause Dante trouble and drive him deeper in to debt. They seem to help him only by accident.

And don't get me started on Dante being a perpetually poor demon PI. If I want that, I'll get the DVD set of Dresden.

All in all, I'm glad I borrowed this form a library instead of buying it. It's so very bland and formulaic I would have kicked myself for spending the money.

Pagan Blog Project - "J" for "Just"

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:32:10 GMT

Notice the above is not "justice." I am referring here to what feels "right" and what is "fair." I am big believer in what is fair, and this may not be what justice IS to many people. It is enough for me to have the man who cheated on me unable to be with anyone else no matter how hard he tries. I don't wish for the lawyer who tried to screw me over to lose his practice; I want someone to do to him what he tried to do to me. I don't wish the same pain, I wish frustration to the same tune as my own because I believe that would be just if not necessarily justice.

I suppose part of me sees "justice" as "revenge." But there in lies the added bonus of a punishment. While all actions have consequences, in a spiritual sense, I am not a fan of punishment. If you cause someone hurt, the consequence should be equal to but no greater than the original offense.

Well, sure I say this now but watch. Next time my kid talks back, I'll yell a lot longer than the time it took to sass me. XD

A list of 50 things to do with 50 Shades of Grey

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:03:30 GMT

I'm honored to be asked to review books for Otakus and Geeks but a horrifying thought did occur to me. What if I'm asked to review a book just because it's popular? What if I get asked to read 50 Shades!? Inspired about the possibility, I have compiled (with help from friends) a list of things I'd rather do with the book than read it.

Yes, this is meant to be funny. XD

Use pages to pick up dog scat

Door jam

Coaster

Shred paper to line pet cages

Straight edge

Practice target for BB guns

Chew toy for goats

Cutting board

Paper weight

Nail it to the door to repel proselytisers.

Emergency Hard Hat

Emergency toilet paper

Material for papier mache to construct model starship

Pillow for naps on a crab boat

Weapon of death in the Hunger Games

Make paper cranes... fuckton of paper cranes

Bonfire to save on heating costs

Compost

Fly Swatter/Bug smusher

Dust bin to go with your broom

Hammer

Poorly constructed frizbee

Cut out the pages to make a book safe

Use as bookends to hold up other books

Attach to a chain for use as Melee weapon for Zombie Apocalypse

Buff out scratches on car

Pages can be balled up and used as insulation for The Day After Tomorrow

Potions ingredients

Padding for worn out insoles in old shoes

Paste the cover on a video game box as a joke

Emergency grappling hook for repelling off the roof

A pestle for your mortar

Raised mousepad

Gavel

Soaking up small spills

Meat tenderizer

Pressing flowers

Nutcracker

Blend in to milkshake for extra fiber

Put inside the doors of your car to make a quick and easy armored car (thank you Burn Notice and Mythbusters)

Cheese plate

Stepping stones in your grass

Cooling rack for cookies

Quick and dirty way to embarrass your kids by reading it as you wait to pick them up in front of school (next time, pick up your socks)

Use it to drag the remote closer when you drop it

Make collages

Make Japanese lanterns

Paint pallete (make up works, too)

Play Hot Potato

Put it next to your thesaurus as a warning

Pagan Blog Project - "J" for "Jinx"

Sat, 12 May 2012 16:00:39 GMT

I've had friends and acquaintances come to me believing they've been jinxed; believing their run of bad luck is supernatural in origin and hope their friendly neighborhood witch can to something about it. They fill me in on the situation and are frequently are disappointed when I tell them they're not jinxed; they're repeating bad behaviors and wondering why it all turns out shitty.

"Lenni, can you cast a spell for me?"

Sure! I can cast all freakin day but if you don't study? Your grades won't improve. Guy broke your heart again? Stop messing with him. Perpetually out of money? Stop over-shopping. Tired of being fat? Take a freaking walk.

Of course there are always mitigating circumstances but on the whole, it seems people will jump on the supernatural explanation rather than look within and see what the root of the problem is. It may not be all "witchy" and "pagany" but it works. I do believe in a little magical help but I always combine it with good ole fashion hard work. And who knows? The application of my will towards change may be the transformative magic; not the spell. If not, it certainly can't be said I didn't have all by bases covered. ;)

Fiction Friday - Winter Boot Chapter 5b

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:00:07 GMT

“Me?” I back away from the sticks as if they’ll come after me. “If you can’t do it, how am I supposed to?”

“I wish I knew, hon.” Marsalla looks at me sadly. “Mama was the original witch of this house; the lady everyone was scared of. She had a way of knowing things. She knew she would die facing the Cold One, she told me never to go there, and she knew about you.”

A clock chimes nine in the other room. “You better go home, I don’t want you to get in trouble and if you’re seen here, you’ll have a lot of trouble.” She lifts Rabbit up to her shoulder. “Can you take her home?”

“We’ll keep her out of sight.” Rabbit chirps.

“And keep close to her.” Frog pipes up from my shoulder.

“Yes.” Marsalla lowers Rabbit and lets her jump to the floor. “She’s gonna need you two.”

I pull my coat on in a daze. “If two witches couldn’t win, what can I do?”

Marsalla hands me my hat with a smile. “Like Mama always said; the answers will come when they’re ready. You just have to pay attention.”

Photo of the day: Funny Donations

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:10:18 GMT

It just amuses me that these who books both came in with the same batch of donations. Talk about mixed messages! XD

Wordless Wednesday - Sponge Manicure

Wed, 09 May 2012 13:08:11 GMT

Didn't turn out too bad. This was made using the Blogger Set from Birchbox. :)

Pagan Blog Project - "I" for "Initiation"

Sat, 05 May 2012 14:00:50 GMT

As a solitary, I am "self-initiated." That's pretty much the entire story. Pagans can (and have) sit around all day debating if that "counts" or not but you know what? Who cares? You walk the path, it's what you are. So many churches squabble about little details, splinter off or try to annihilate each other. Do we really want to walk that line?

I did a formal ritual to initiate myself but I was practicing long before I did. Just like my marriage, I never felt I needed something "official" to declare my love to my husband or my gods. The paper's nice and it comes with it's perks, but without it, me and him would still be a loving couple and good parents. And I would still be a tree hugging, dirt worshiper. ;)

Fiction Friday: Winter Boot Chapter 5a

Sat, 05 May 2012 02:14:08 GMT

This chapter is short not because I was late or had no ideas... It just seemed like a good place to build tension. XD

Chapter 5

"Come to think of it, you do look familiar." Marsalla says to me, turning a cup of tea in her hands. I dunno why but I expect more after I finish telling her my story. She scratched her nose, picked at her sweater, tucked a fussy curl behind her ear but that's it. I expected something... Witchier.

Rabbit, after she stopped shacking, looks up from the warm nest she's made for herself in Marsalla's lap. "Looks just like the guy, right? And she can hear us."

"And your Mother could talk to animals?" Marsalla scratches between Rabbit's ears.

"That's what Auntie told me."

Marsalla stops scritching Rabbit's ears and picks her up so she can stand. "C'mere, kid. I want you to look at something."

I bring my cup with me and Frog balances on my shoulder as I follower her out of the cluttered living room into an eaually cluttered library. It's like a book store exploded in here with only one clear area left untouched; a wood stand with a glass case on top.

"Take a look, Boot." Marsalla points her chin at the case and I step towards it. Inside are a bunch of scattered sticks.

I watch them like she said. I tale in the ceramic plate, the clean glass, the knots on every twig but nothing happends. "Am I supposed to see something?"

"Not unless you're a witch with training in divination." Marsalla smiles. "My mother cast those sticks. It's the last reading she did before she died. She knew the winter would come and it's because that guy is stuck in the lake." Marsalla looks sadly down at the case, her eyes watering. "She tried to stop it but the Cold One was too powerful. It killed her."

"I'm sorry." I whisper, missing my mother, too.

Marsalla shrugs, blinking more than normal. "Thanks but that's not important." Her hand goes back to Rabbit, who fattenes her ears in happiness. "My mother told me the reason for the endless winter is the Cold One put that man in the lake. To free him and end the winter, the Cold One has to be defreated." She looks down at me. "And it has something to do with you."

Book Challenge Update

Thu, 03 May 2012 17:16:04 GMT

Book Challenge Update

Tue, 01 May 2012 14:24:15 GMT

Finished that Book Review!

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:20:40 GMT

The nice fellows over at Otakus and Geeks (who think I know stuff for some reason) have asked me to be their book reviewer. :) Here is my first review for them if you'd like to check them out.

They're a good bunch and friends of mine so be kind when you drop by. ;)

Pagan Blog Project - "I" for "Inspiration"

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 13:46:31 GMT

I guess I'm a bad Pagan in that I don't have a super regular practice. I make up my rituals on the fly, communing with deity whenever I can in whatever manner seems best at the time. I do the same thing with my writing, rarely using a plan or an outline for my stories. I have a general idea and flesh it out as I go along.

Honestly, I feel this connects me more to my spirituality and my work than if I had a formal plan. The creation is visceral, like a lightening strike to my senses and it's very invigorating. Nothing beats the sudden wave of words flying from my mouth or flooding through my soul. I truly believe nothing makes me feel more alive than the feeling of pure inspiration.

Sometimes, inspiration needs a kick in the pants. That's why I enjoy feeding it with massive amounts of books, movies, anime, and comics. XD I'm not afraid of bad movies because that can be a great way to spur it on. The moment I mentally check out of a movie with the list of things I could have changed, I feel invigorated and justified in the time I spent watching it.

I also inadvertently serve as inspiration to others. Or so they tell me. It always shocks me when friends and family somehow believe I know anything about anything. XD But hey, if I am one of the things that inspire you? Go for it.

Fiction Friday – Winter Boot Chapter 4

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:46:08 GMT

Chapter 4

The trip down the tunnel is a blur of sound; Rabbit struggling and Frog squirming in my pocket. The way I'm being dragged, my coat is bunched up, trapping Frog in the folds. My hat id pushed halfway down my eyes so I don't get the full force of the light when we reach it but when we do, the hard grip loosens and I tumble to the floor. Frog hops out and lands on my knee and Rabbit runs for the nearest hiding place.

"What were you doing outside my house?" I can hardly make out the words with so many scarves over the mouth in the shadowed face above me.

"You're scaring her!" Frog scolds from my knee. "At lease take your head gear off when you talk, Marsalla."

The shadow starts pulling off clothes till a face is finally revealed from under a hood, a hat, and two scarves. The olive colored skin still blushes form the cold. I expected Marsalla to be a scary old lady from the way people talk and how she was hunched over. But the pumps on her back where the overlap of the scarves and the packages strapped under her coats. Her face is round and she looks younger than Auntie.

"Why were you out in front of my house in the middle of the night?"

I notice adults use the phrase "middle of the night" to mean "any time after when a kid should be out of my way." "Frog told me you know about the man in the river."

A smile makes her cheeks round and Marsalla tosses her coat on top of a growing pile of outerwear. "Well, any friend of Frog's and blah, blah, blah." Marsalla rolls her shoulder so her bag slips off, a long fingered hand catching it before it can hit the floor. Her teeth are small, straight, and very human, smooth skin and hat hair all say normal lady just come back from the cold. How is she a witch?

"You might wanna get up off the floor and get comfortable. You're already sweating." Marsalla reaches out to me, short nails so clean, they look like ivory, and takes my hand so I cans get up. "Sorry about the drama. I got tired of kids busting windows since before the winter came."

"Go on, Boot. You're safe." Frog whispers before jumping down to the carpet. "You come out too, Rabbit!"

Marsalla's blue eyes light up. "Rabbit?" She darts off to where Frog is shouting and snatches up Rabbit with a quickness I didn't think a woman of her size could do. Auntie is all bones and can't move that fast but Marsalla is all curves and moves like lightening.

Rabbit only has time for one squeak before she's pressed against Marsalla's chest. "I haven't seen a rabbit in years! And so adorable! Aren't you, sweetie?"

Some of her baby talk is muffled as I pull off my coat and look around. Books and picture frames and mirrors are everywhere, the only bare spots on any flat surface clean from a fresh dusting.. The carpet stops in front of the kitchen and a wide circle around a fireplace as big as Auntie's dogs. Once my coat is off, I notice how warm it is; my heart stops pounding and I notice the room smells like soft incense.

"Marsalla, you're smothering her with your mammal parts." Frog teases and I giggle when I see Rabbit's baffled expression as she's snuggled ruthlessly into the front of the woman's sweater.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" I disobey every rule about staring at people, my mouth open in disbelief.

"You lookin' for the witch who lives in this big, scary house?" Marsalla says.

"Yeah."

"Then you're in the right place." Marsalla puts Rabbit down on the floor gently before planting her hands on her cocked hips. "And who are you?"

April Birchbox

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:18:19 GMT

Ah, it's been some time since I posted about my Birchbox.

I am a tea lover so I'm excited to try the tea. But I'm at a loss as to what to do with the beauty balm. I am the type of chick who is lucky to remember her spf 15 face cream in the morning so I'm sure I'll beg my much more knowledgeable friends for help. XD

The Be Fine Moisturizer was expired but Birchbox sent me a 100 point credit for that. I used that credit with the 110 I got for signing up and purchased the Zoya Blogger Collection. With my points and including shipping, I got it for $3.95! :D And I enjoy bright nail colors when I have the time to put them on. I'd love to use these colors to try the Sponge Manicure. I think it would make this really cool sunset/fire looking effect. :D

Tomorrow it's back to writing news but if I ever do that sponge thing, I'll post about it. I've got to get back to prepping the house for my husband's birthday "party." (meaning just a couple people and an ice cream cake)

Pagan Blog Project - "H" for "Healing"

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:05:36 GMT

In yet another lesson brought to me courtesy of that burn, I was inspired to talk about how interesting it is to watch my body go through the healing process. This is not about the healing magic so much as it's about how healing itself is magic.

To see my body damaged is a little traumatic; all of a sudden there's a charred mess where normal skin should be. But once the blisters started to come up and the pain went away, I got to see what my body is capable of. It was pretty awesome.

There's something very primal about the need to pick and poke at it. Even if the feeling of the fluids sloshing inside is stomach churning the mere notion that a body filled with helpful and harmful germs can produce a sterile environment in which to grow new flesh under the damaged flash is remarkable. Slowly, over the passing week, the fluid either reabsorbed or steadily leaked out without me having to open it up. My body let me know when it was time to get rid of the junk by it just letting it go; all I had to do was keep up with a clean bandage.

Now, after all the dead skin has flaked away, I am left with a smooth, clean, pink scar. I look at it in awe of how horribly I'd mucked it up and my body just said "Alright, you dingus. Just sit back and let me handle this." Usually, I trust my body to betray me; sending my period late/early, burping at inappropriate times, pimples, etc... But this time it came through for me. That's the magic of nature.

You all are owed and I aim to pay

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:30:16 GMT

Remember waaaayyy back when I said I wanted to post some art to celebrate getting 110 fans to my page? I'm overdue. So, here it is:

Something strange and wonderful happens when me and Melody get together. XD I sketched this and as I am shit with color, nocturnian used colored pencil to color it. These two are my vampires from my book; Auris and Kizu, having a little celebration. I put them through such crap in my books, they deserve a drink. ;)

So, I hope you like it! :D

Updated Book Count!

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:45:56 GMT

Pagan Blog Post - "H" for "Hellion"

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:50:28 GMT

"A mischievous, troublesome, or unruly person"

There are certain instances in life (for me, anyway) where it has been to my benefit to be fall under this definition. In general, I can most certainly be described as a hellion simply for being who I am.

I am ok with this.

My mother and her mother before her were trailblazers in their own way; my Grandma for never letting her dark skin keep her from being a business owner and my Ma, who never let society tell her what was the "right" or "wrong" definition of a family. As their descendant, I try to live up to their example by never allowing others to dictate how I live my life.

This includes how I practice my religion. Of course there are correspondences and certain rules to be followed, but how I practice and my choice to practice at all was a huge departure from what would make most of my family comfortable. My Ma and Grandma nay not have agreed with my choice of spirituality but they certainly wouldn't begrudge me my choice. After all it would be disrespectful to their memory if I were to simply let sleeping dogs lie.

As one in a long line of hellions, who has given birth to who I am SURE will be another, I honor their memory by not simply accepting, forging my own path. I know it's what they would have wanted.

Fiction Friday - Winter Boot Chapter 3

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:21:54 GMT

Chapter 3

It shouldn’t be so much fun to keep a secret. Auntie always said I should be grateful for everything she’s given me; clothes, food, a home. She tells me she doesn’t have to share her life with me and it’s a gift and a privilege for me not to be in an orphanage where I would have to share everything. But the secret is all mine. I found it and I don’t have to share it, ever. If Auntie knew I was going to see Marsalla… I can’t imagine how she would punish me.

I have to try really hard to do my chores at my normal pace so Auntie doesn’t suspect I’m trying to sneak away. I’m nearly bouncing by the time she gets to bed and I make sure the dogs are so full, they can barely watch me walk towards the back door. When I step out the back steps and don’t see Frog and Rabbit waiting for me, I panic. Did they forget? Did they go without me? Did Auntie find them after all and I’ll never see then again?

“Pssst!” I hear from the front porch. “What is it with you and the back door?” Rabbit peeks around a snow drift twice her size the wind piled up on one corner of our porch.

“Her Aunt’s room is the front.” Frog scolds, hopping from her back. “Ready?” He says to me.

I tug my mittens tighter on my wrists and nod. Frog jumps right into my pocket and shouts in a relieved voice, “Follow my directions. Rabbit’s never been there.”

“With good reason!” She squeaks. “I’m sure the witch would love a new pelt to keep warm.”

Yeah, everyone calls Marsalla a witch. Her house is always lit with odd colors and different ones in very window. She never foes out, even for food, fuel, or firewood, yet her greenhouse is dark with plants. Neither kids nor adults dare to try and steal anything from her even if they were brave enough to go near the metal fence and cross the evergreen snarls in her yard to face the hunched figure whose shadow is seen in the windows. The old woman must live all alone because not a single sound comes from her walls.

Marsalla lives in the tallest house in town so following Frog’s directions isn’t necessary several blocks from her home. My footsteps slow and more than just cold makes me shiver.

“Go on, Boot.” Frog says, peeking up from my pocket.

“Sure. ‘Go on’ he says.” Rabbit cowers by my foot as I stare at the house from the street. “Marsalla doesn’t eat frogs or little girls.”

I shouldn’t feel so relieved when I find out I won’t be on the menu. My shoulders drop and I relax until a shadow looms behind me.

“What are you doing here?” A scratchy voice muffled by wool demands from all three of us.

Rabbit goes to run but the shadow is too fast, snatching her up in one hand and my collar with the other to drag us both to the lightless side of Marsalla’s home. There’s nobody on the roads to hear me scream for help but as the reflection of the street lights on snow fades into black, I hope Rabbit was right about not getting eaten.

And the winner is...

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:17:58 GMT

NATALIE!!! :D Here is the winning entry for my fanfiction/fanart contest! Since nobody sent art (waahh!!) Nobody wins for that category but the winning fanfiction entry is "Reaction!" Natalie wins a copy of Dreamhunter and a cute vampire cupcake button!

Congratulations!!

Here's the winning entry! It will also be posted on my site. ;)

Author: Natalie C.
Title of Work: 'Reaction'
Characters: Auris, Tiffany, other childer mentioned and two very different vampires.
Link: http://clockworklady.livejournal.com/
Word Count: 2122 (4 A4 pages)

Reaction

“Things just can’t stay this way.” Auris said to himself, shaking his head as he lifted his childe to the sitting room.

Terrence had just placed Tiffany in Auris’ arms and moved to turn on the kettle. “This can’t keep happening. This is a risk to her and to all of us.”

“What can you do? You can’t lock her up and we all have lives of outside of here.” Kizu, as always, had a point. She wasn’t putting anything on hold just because of possible danger and politics- after all, she had to face them in the mortal realm.

Emma leaned back, hands on the table; she always had too much grace to shrug her shoulders. “I can’t stay here, I have my own brood.”

It was only when Auris hauled Tiffany onto the couch that he finally had a brainwave.

“Terrence, consulting detective,” he called to the kitchen, “put me in touch with your brother.”

When Auris saw what appeared to be an abandoned dilapidated shack, he knew Terrence had given him the right address.

After knocking, he received a note under the door:

‘Where do you sleep?’

Auris was relieved that someone who had helped him out once before and Terrence out many times had the common sense to change the password every now and then. He wrote back

‘In a tub at the marketplace.’

Locks quickly slotted open and a charcoal-sleeved pushed open the door.

“Auris! Thank goodness!”

“Did you miss me, Mycroft? How’s Danielle?”

Tiffany was smart enough to bite her tongue but couldn’t stop her eyes blankly scaring at the bald, scrawny creature greeting them in a refined voice.

“Michelle Holdcroft, to be accurate, but you can see why it’s shortened. Sherlock’s been behaving himself?” Articulate and feminine, for withered lips with two teeth missing. Pale skin was nothing new amongst vampires, but this was downright grey…except for the scars, of course.

“As much as he can for his age and profession,” Auris returned the grin, turned to Tiffany and patted her shoulder to break the trance. “You see…a very small percentage of the Turned population have a…”

“Allergic reaction. Don’t worry, we’re not contagious. Our health is actually pretty good, considering most of us don’t have shiny hair or clear skin.” That established, Mycroft held out her hand. Politeness aside it was clear that Tiffany wanted to get back in the car, but if a staggering hangover wasn’t enough hindrance, Auris was there.

This new one must be Tiffany. Terrence filled me in on her history, but calling her by name right now would be creepy. Well, creepier than an open-mouthed smile from me, anyway.

Tiffany slipped back into her daze, only to perk up on a very plush crimson sofa to Auris saying “I’m not surprised. Good to put people off from setting up camp inside or buying up the place.”

“Sorry, we’ve only got ‘cask’ right now,” another voice was chirruping. Pink gloves were squeezing a red plastic pouch on the other side of the coffee table. “But we do have proper wine glasses!”

The new speaker was beginning to come into focus. No wrinkles, there was something slightly…green about this…allergic vampire? The word ‘burnish’ came to Tiffany’s mind, it sounded like something Isaac would say. There were ‘burnishes’ and tears all over the arms where the gloves didn’t cover. Stringy dark hair, greasy on top…no eyebrows. Pits over the face, a nice smile, but still un-nerving.

Was this…girl actually wearing a purple dress and a string of big sky-blue beads? Were those blue ribbons? Why was her hair plaited that way- it clearly didn’t hide the large bald patches…or was that beside the point?

Mycroft had removed the hood, but kept the long coat on. It was actually a stylish trench coat, the type worn by over-ambitious twenty-somethings or confident thirty-somethings. She thankfully wore long trousers, probably part of a suit, also charcoal- though her knobbed knees stood out when she changed position. She waited for Auris to pick up his glass before she took hers, answering,

“When you have many years, and hobnobbing with the beautiful people isn’t an option, you want to put them to good use. Danielle’s getting her degree online, I share every tidbit of knowledge I can wrangle in freelance articles and stories everywhere. Living in this area, I’m usually the first to know about dealings in the, ahem, ‘illegal field’ and tip off to law enforcers I actually like. I finally finished the kitchen myself the other day. If I had to, I could get enough rats to feed three for a week in one night.”

The one with pink gloves, that must be Danielle, noticed Tiffany could hardly hold a glass now and gently placed it in front of her instead, reassuring

“Ha, don’t listen to her! That’s only if there’s nothing in storage and our couriers are too busy for a milk run.”

“Couriers?”

“Yup, even though we can’t go outside ourselves without shadows, a few good and perpetually broke souls take care of the daytime stuff, and one of them’s a night owl. If you’re going to stay, I hope you don’t mind taking care of the shopping we can’t do online. See, the public tend to call us ambulances…and that’s if they’re nice people.” Dani’s forehead seemed to scrunch up but Tiffany realized she was raising non-existent eyebrows. She scratched a ‘burnish’ with one finger, and it bled slightly.

“Dani, if you’re going to scratch, wear the cotton gloves. You wouldn’t have so many sores otherwise.” Mycroft had an unfortunate habit on jumping on any health risk she saw, no matter how indiscreet the circumstances were.

Danielle pouted, but it looked like a twisted sneer. “I don’t care if you were the EMT. Pus doesn’t leak through rubber!”

“Tiff- bathroom’s in that direction.” Auris’ hand pointed…just in time, it seemed.

The only sounds heard in the lounge room were those echoing unpleasantly across the hall.

“My apologies, everyone. I’m fine with the jokes about my gross shortcomings, bring ‘em on, but not the public service announcements.” Danielle spoke stiffly before forcing a smile. “After all, I think the public can see them well enough!”

“Don’t worry about it, Danielle. Tiffany shouldn’t have gotten so drunk in the first place.”

The rubber-gloved ‘allergic’ chewed her lip uncomfortably and busied herself in her kitchen. Despite Auris obviously not blaming her, Dani felt it best to let the two get down to business.

While there was no contract in front of them, Mycroft took notes of Auris’ proposal, and put the pad to one side after she had finished nodding.

“Just to be clear: are you punishing her?”

“No, I was hoping she would learn how to look after herself.”

“I’ve got nothing against a punishment that teaches her some responsibility, but wouldn’t her washing our windows for an evening be more appropriate than staying here until you’re satisfied?”

“For all of her hard life, Tiffany’s coped very well, but she’s still young. These recent incidents, and these dangerous times we’re heading into- she needs someone who always has one eye on her.”

“I see.” Despite Mycroft’s opposite intentions, she knew adding And you can’t always be there would come across as scornful. “Don’t worry, even when we’re both asleep, we usually have a girl named Hannah here. And, while we’re busy, it’s not like…”

She trailed off but both of them were very aware that the ‘allergics’ never Turned a childe. Everyone was sure someone had tried it, but no one knew the result- an allergy shouldn’t be contagious, but why risk doing that deliberately to an innocent life? Many of the vampires that sired them were always remorseful- and either showed it by providing every resource needed or running when the poor nosferatu was shivering in a pile of vomit, tears and hair clumps.

Mycroft had been lucky, and many years later, saw that a tiny form slumped in the street hadn’t been and promptly carried her home. Danielle, as it said on her student ID, was torn between scraping her wiry remaining hair with a metal lice-comb, losing most of her weight from vomiting and constantly cleaning the bathroom for two months. The illness and very strong cleaning chemicals made her break out in hives and pustules. The itching was only starting to go down now. Despite all this, and her sensitivity to people bringing up her symptoms seriously, Danielle had adjusted, managed and thrived. She even stopped rolling her eyes when Mycroft lectured her about ‘treatment plans’- well, Mycroft was pretty low-maintenance in everything else. As long as the house was clean and secure, and all the occupants were happy and ‘healthy’, that was important.

There was no way to cure the condition. An allergic was healthier when well-fed on healthy blood, but the skin ravages never left and any hair, teeth or even limbs lost could hardly grow back. It had taken long enough for Kizu to get a working eye again and she was in peak condition. Ideas of total blood transfusions were thrown around, but any consequences were yet unknown. Public opinion contorted: some wished for no mention of the ‘infected’, some enjoyed having a ‘disgusting’ population to feel contempt for and others romanticized the allergics into some of the wisest, bravest and kindest of all vampires. It was hard to tell if the name ‘Nosferatu’, after the famous film character, was applied with affection or scorn, and the Nosferatu themselves were very divided on the matter.

“Bring her things over tomorrow. I’ve already got a room set up, and she can meet the couriers over the next few days. If she wants to leave during the daytime, she would have to wake one of us up to bring the house out of lockdown. Your idea of her being in a safe place, taking on responsibilities like an adult, carries good intentions but I’ll let you know if they form a dangerous path for her. If I don’t reach you within a week, I’ll call Terrence. If you change your mind tomorrow, take her home at this time. If not, I’m expecting you to stay with her until she understands you’re not abandoning her. How long do you want her to live here?”

Until all the unworldly dangers are done with. They both knew the real answer, and Auris barely remembered his half-hearted one.

“Hey there.” Danielle’s voice still had some of that chipper quality (so, it was genuine) but was calm and inoffensive. A plastic bottle with clear liquid appeared on the sink next to the toilet Tiffany crouched over.

“Don’t worry, it’s not paint stripper, it’s flat lemonade. Sorry for overloading you back there, we’re so used to the gallows humor by now. It could have been worse, you could have met Kurt. He actually does the whole Vampire: The Masquerade stereotype: he lives in a sewer, can recognize types of rat by flavor and the smell makes other allergics turn greener.” Probably not the smartest thing to say, she decided, but it could hardly make the poor girl any sicker than she already was. “I think you would like him though, despite the gross-out routine, he actually is funny. Kurt usually turns up on Fridays and stays for a few hours.”

Maybe holding back some of that hair would help. Sure, it clearly needed a wash anyway, but goodwill is goodwill. Dani decided to wear some softer gloves- still hygienic but unlikely to be cold and slimy- and put them over her rubber ones without realizing. Why hadn’t she thought of that before?

“Thanks, Tiffany. You’ve just inspired a way to get Mycroft to shut up about the gloves. She’s been doing it for months now!”

Wait a moment, stop crowding her. That’s…long enough.

“Since you’re staying the night, I’ll take you to your room some time later- it’s the cream one with green curtains. In the meantime,” Dani opened the shower door, “all the towels have been freshly washed.”

Tiffany got up, washed her mouth out in the sink and took the bottle. The tang stopped the sugar in the lemonade from choking her. She tilted her head at the glass door.

“There’s a lot of shampoo in this shower.”

“Well, my hair has a lot of grease in it.” Dani sounded almost normal when her peppiness came with a side of self-snark.

“Thanks.”

“Do the same for me one day.”

Of course, there was no guarantee that Tiffany was entirely safe from the remains of those with hunter mentalities or the Puhrum, but for that moment she was safe from herself and for Auris, Emma and Tiffany’s beloved siblings, that was enough.

Updated book count

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 18:20:19 GMT

Fiction Friday - Winter Boot: Chapter 2

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 18:23:45 GMT

Winter Boot: Chapter 2

I shouldn't have told Auntie.

"Your mother would bore me to tears with such nonsense. Don't you mention it again." She was so mad, I thought she would hit me. But she hasn't done that in years. I'm a really good girl now. Except that I talk to animals. Who talk back.

Even if Auntie hates it, I promise myself I'll look for Rabbit and Frog again today. If my Mother could do this, too, she's given me a great gift.

When I bring scraps out this time, they're waiting for me, Frog on Rabbit's back on top of the frozen snow. I try to bring something that's still warm but the toast crusts and stew veggies are nearly cold by the time I reach them.

"I saw someone who looked like you." Frog said, leaning forward on Rabbit's head. "Over in the lake."

"IN the lake?"

"If you got time, kid, we'll show you." Rabbit flicks her ears to shake Frog off as she bites into some carrots.

I look back at the door, shut tight in front of the dogs. I can see them bounding in the window for me to come back. "Auntie is already mad at me because I can talk to you."

"So let her be mad." Frog smiles at me and it's a little scary with no teeth. He's right. Auntie is always mad.

The lake isn't too far and Auntie went to bed hours ago. The dogs would never scratch at the door loud enough to wake her, the fires are all down, and all the food is put away. I've got on plenty of warm clothes so I won't freeze and I know to be careful around the lake. It's frozen real firm but I could still fall and break a bone. If I hurry, I could see this someone and be back before Auntie ever knew.

"Ok. But let's go fast. I don't want Auntie to catch me."

Rabbit looks at me with one ear flopped down to her cheek. "You humans have names. What's yours."

"Boot."

Frog laughs so hard, he nearly falls into the snow. "Well those sure are important these days! Bet you're just as important as they are!"

"You hush yourself and hold on tight." Rabbit turns towards the front yard. "I hope you can run fast, kid."

I keep up pretty good with two huge Huskies, so I point to the furry heads bounding in the window. "If I can follow them, I can follow you."

Following a rabbit with a frog on her back is much harder than two high-strung dogs. Auntie’s dogs couldn’t hide in the snow if their lives depended on it, insisting on bounding though the drifts like they were wrecking balls. Fur and snow would fly everywhere, telegraphing where they are. Rabbit may be brown but she slips smoothly into the piles of snow and I can’t find where she’s gone till she pops back up again. It’s like a game of whack a mole. Only no whacking.

Just like the game, it’s fun to watch. Rabbit dives into the icy powder with an energetic puff and comes up with a burst of glittering flakes. Each time, I’m able to catch up a few steps. All those walks with the dogs prove to be good practice in keeping sure feet on the slippery snow.

The twisted, frost covered trees come into view first, frozen in stasis by a motionless river. The only life here is myself, a frog, and an impatient rabbit tapping on the riverbank. The fish either froze or escaped to warmer waters.

“Over here, Boot!” Frog calls to me, hopping off of Rabbit’s back and pointing down into the ice. When I reach him, I pick Frog up and cup him between my mittens to keep him warm. “He’s down there.”

“Ok.” I put Frog in my pocket where he’ll be safe and crawl to where he pointed. The ice is solid, not making a single creek, but I’m more worried about slipping on it than falling through it.

The snow sticks to my mittens as I brush the ice clean and I see the face of a man. His skin isn’t blue like you’d expect a frozen man to be. Even with the ice reflecting blue all around him, his face is bright and healthy under the motionless water. I expect him to blink up at me and tell me little girls shouldn’t play on the ice just like any other adult.

And he’s got my face. Just like Frog said.

Rabbit pads carefully to my side. “Boot, do you know this man?”

I squint like it could remove the layers of ice between me and him. It doesn’t bring him any closer or spark any recognition of him in my life. “No. How’d he get in there?”

“Marsalla might know. None of the animals can remember; even the ones who remember Summer.” Frog croaked from my pocket.

Rabbit’s ears fly up, her brown eyes wide and looking to the riverbank. “No time for Marsalla. You should get back home before your aunt notices you’re gone.”

“Yeah!” Frog leaps from my pocket and right onto Rabbit’s back. “We’ll lead you back so you don’t get lost. He’ll keep till tomorrow.”

I nod and crawl to land before I stand up. I feel colder now and run fast to warm myself up. All I can think of is how to get to this Marsalla without Auntie knowing about it.