Chapter 3
FAYE
Across the town square, Faye stood outside Grams Hawthorne’s tarot shop.
She hesitated when she caught sight of Grams – former High Priestess and acting grandmother to the entire village of Foxford – through the window, adding herbs to a bubbling cauldron on the glass counter for a customer.
Faye considered going inside for one of her rejuvenating tinctures.
She worried that Grams, who had known her for most of her life, would ask questions.
Faye didn’t trust herself not to fall apart if she did.
Grams was the embodiment of warmth and affection; she’d never judge Faye for letting Ian feed from her, or for not leaving him, unlike her parents, who’d left Foxford when she fell in love with a vampire.
They hadn’t wanted to be involved in anything that could cause trouble, even if it meant leaving their daughter behind.
Foxford had been a refuge for Faye’s family when her accountant father got in trouble with some warlocks.
He’d discovered they were laundering money from magless, and they’d wanted him silenced.
Grams had granted them Foxford’s protection, and Faye had spent most of her teenage years at Hawthorne House with Lucinda – Lucy – Hawthorne and Rosie, the werewolf the Hawthornes had taken in after she left her pack in the woods.
When they’d left town, Faye had felt relieved because she was free to be with the person she loved.
Now, years later, she was relieved they hadn’t returned because Ian couldn’t threaten them into forcing her to stay with him.
Unlike Faye’s human parents, the Hawthorne women were powerful witches, far too strong to be scared by Ian, so he’d decided to isolate her from them instead.
They’d often hinted their door was always open for her, and now she was ready to come home.
Grams Hawthorne came to the door with the customer, catching Faye on the front step.
“Faye, it’s so good to see you! I was just telling Lucy the other day that I found some photo albums of her with you and Rosie from your school days.
I’ve already given it in to the photo shop to make two copies, so you can each have one,” she said, tucking a strand of short silvery-grey hair behind her bejewelled ear.
The Hawthorne women had style in their blood, always glamorous, yet cosy and colourful.
She launched straight into a tight hug, and Faye couldn’t resist the embrace.
“Hi, Grams. Sorry it’s been a while since I stopped by.
I’ve been busy with the café since Betty decided to retire.
Working in a café and running a café are two very different jobs.
I’d love to see the photos, but could you bring them to the café?
Or can I collect them here?” She would keep it in the apartment above Stoker’s, so it was one less thing to move.
“Of course. You’ve come at the right time. I just made a pot of tea,” Grams said kindly.
Tea with a friend was just what Faye needed. The warm smell of incense and dried herbs wrapped around her as she stepped inside the shop. Grams closed the door and hung up the closed sign to keep them from being disturbed.
Faye sat at the tarot table and waited for Grams to return from the kitchen.
Ian would be furious if he knew she was here.
Grams might be a retired coven member, but she was still the grandmother of the current High Priestess, Lucy.
It was well within her power to report Ian to the Vatican Order for what he had done to Faye.
But they were forbidden from getting involved in Sanctuary business without an express invitation, and since Ian was a vampire feeding on a citizen of a sanctuary, it put her situation in a grey area.
For years she had agreed to the feedings, but consent had turned into an obligation, and then she was too frightened to refuse.
Grams returned with two steaming cups of rose tea, silencing her concerns. Faye swallowed hard, staring at her cup as Grams waited for her to speak.
“I need your help,” she blurted out. “I’m leaving Ian.”
She rolled up her sleeve to show Grams a bluish bruise from the transfusion.
“My poor girl. Tillie at the blood bank desk told me you’ve been coming in more often, and I’ve been worried,” Grams said, taking Faye’s hand and squeezing it gently. “Anything – just name it.” She put down her mug to focus on the conversation fully.
She didn’t ask why. Ian’s treatment towards Faye was an open secret in town. Many people had tried to help, but she’d fallen in love at sixteen and thought she knew better. Ten years later, here she was. Ashamed to face anyone who’d been proven right.
The Hawthornes always checked in on Faye.
Still, she’d kept her distance from them.
Since they’d ruled the coven for generations, she’d once feared they might kill Ian to protect her.
Some days she wanted him dead, hence the hate-my-husband cupcake fantasy; others she found herself defending him. Now, she just wanted to survive.
“For starters, I’m human. I know we’re supposed to report this to the coven and the Order, because it involves both magless and magical folk, but I need to ask you not to for now,” Faye said, her voice trembling with fear. “The thought of testifying in front of the Order terrifies me.”
The Order, a secret section of the Vatican, kept law and order between magless and magical folk.
In the past, sanctuaries like Foxford had been overly protective of their citizens, since the Order didn’t differentiate between magical folk just trying to live their lives and creatures who were dangerous.
Now, a fragile peace held between the groups, who wanted to live freely and harmoniously to protect both human and magical folk.
“I understand why you’re nervous about reporting Ian. But telling the Order won’t put you in danger. The Vatican created the Order to protect magless for situations like this,” Grams explained, trying to comfort her.
“You forget they don’t look kindly on magless who date magical folks, especially vampires,” Faye reminded her.
“I’m not saying never, but I want to keep my plan quiet.
If we report him, the whole coven will know, which means the entire town.
It’s too risky. I need to protect myself first. Right now, I just want to stop the feedings and get away from him. ”
Grams hesitated, then sipped her tea. “Okay, we won’t inform anyone for now. Let’s get you safe first. How can I help?”
“Can you help me with a spell or potion to taint my blood? I need something to protect me until I can move out. If he finds out what I’m planning, he’ll force me to leave with him.
I’ll be in danger, or worse, turned into a vampire.
I can’t be trapped with him forever. He’d never let me go from the maker bond. My only chance is to stay human.”
She had once considered letting Ian turn her into a vampire, since she would be faster and stronger. But she’d learned it was almost impossible for a vampire to attack or leave their maker unless freed from their maker’s bond.
“It’s dangerous. Any ingredient we use to taint your blood might make you sick. But I understand your situation, and curing you might be easier than preventing Ian from killing or changing you,” Grams said sadly.
“It’ll just be for a short time. I’ve already started moving into the apartment above Stoker’s. Ian’s leaving next week for the annual vampire gathering in New Orleans, so I’m going to use the opportunity to leave for good,” Faye said, finally breathing some life into her plan.
“The gathering is a good opportunity, since he’ll be gone for weeks,” Grams agreed.
“It gives us time to put some protections in place before he returns. I should be able to brew a potion that will flush out of your system after a week. It won’t be too dangerous, since it’s only short-term, and it should work out of your system naturally.
” She got up slowly from the table. She didn’t move as fast as she once had, but she still had the composure of a great High Priestess.
“That sounds perfect,” Faye said, eager to get started.
“Or we could forego the risk of using a potion, and send you to another sanctuary?” Grams offered hesitantly.
“Moving to another sanctuary would be the safest option, but I don’t want to leave Foxford – what I’ve built at Stoker’s – you, or Lucy.
Even if I hide in the furthest corner of the earth, he’ll find me if he wants to.
You’re my family, and I don’t want to hide.
I want to come home,” Faye said boldly. “I’ve been hidden away for long enough. ”
Grams accepted her plan, but her creased brow revealed her concerns. “Once you start living in Foxford again, you’ll be under the coven’s protection. If he tries to harm you again, the coven can charge him with crimes against a magless.”
“I’m counting on the coven’s help when the time comes. When Ian returns from the gathering, he won’t be happy, and I’ve read that those who leave abusive relationships are in more danger once they leave,” Faye said, her voice trembling slightly.
“We’ll keep you safe. I promise you that,” Grams said firmly. “Outside our borders, our hands were tied. I’m sorry you’ve had to endure so much.”
“It’s not your fault. I understand now that he wanted me out of Foxford to protect himself from the coven.
I could’ve found a way to report him to the Order, but he knew that I’d be too scared to ask them for help.
I was in love, and too trusting to see his motives.
I wanted to focus on the future with him,” Faye said, squeezing her hand.
“It wasn’t anybody’s fault that I fell in love with a monster. Not even mine.”
She didn’t use the term ‘monster’ lightly. It was a derogatory word in Foxford, as it had been used to vilify magical folk since the dawn of time. Still, if anyone had earned the title, it was Ian.