Willan
I’m in the library when I find the answer to a question I didn’t even know I had—how to give a vampire magic again.
Deep within the maze-like stacks of the library the tomes have a familiar, dusty scent that’s comforting.
Bound in leather and fabric and some with skins I really don’t like to consider the origins of, a lot of the books in this section are extremely rare.
I’ve been here a lot recently—it’s where the vampire literature is kept.
If anyone realises just how much time I’ve spent researching vampire lore in my spare time, they’d probably be concerned.
If they knew how much time I spent thinking about vampires—not just one in particular—they’d definitely be concerned.
Not that any of the beings I’m close to would care if I turned, but they would definitely question my reasonings.
I wasn’t even going to bother with the book—I’m sure the cheaply printed, fabric bound book had just been improperly put away at some point over the decade—but amongst the conspiracy theories and incoherent ramblings are hints of something I’ve never really considered.
Something that actually seems plausible.
I want to try something. If you’re game?
I regret the hasty message as soon as I send it and immediately make it worse trying to overexplain what I mean.
Not like that—nothing weird.
Just with magic. It seemed like you were interested in it the other night when you were at the shop. When I braided your hair.
I was reading this book, it’s a bit of a weird one. I’m not sure if it will even work. But I think there is a way to, like, pass magic through you? Like an electrical circuit or something.
I’m about 70% sure it’s not dangerous. I’m fact checking now. But this website looks like it was made before we were born. It’s not even formatted for my phone and has that dancing poltergeist animation that was popular back in the internet dark ages. I always thought it was so creepy as a kid.
Sorry, that was a tangent. Okay. Site is terrible but the information seems legit? I’m about 90% sure it’s safe, but will keep researching.
Unless you’re not interested. In which case please disregard all of these msgs and pretend I said something witty and cool instead.
Oh! And how was the band?
I add the question about the band like it will somehow erase the seven other messages sent in rapid succession before it, and make me seem like I’m totally chill and not dying to see him again.
Outside the maze-like depths of the library stacks, it’s still broad daylight, so I have plenty of time to stew in my regret.
The sun is barely down when the phone buzzes on my kitchen counter. I abandon my dinner cooking on the stove when I realise it’s Nikolo calling.
“You’re gonna have to explain this to me. Slowly. Little words. Why do you want to electrocute me?” His voice is scratchy from sleep, sending hot sparks through my guts, straight to my dick.
“I’m not going to electrocute you.” I huff. “I’m going to raise some magic and… flow it through you.” Still holding my wooden spoon, I flick sauce everywhere waving my hands as I talk.
There’s a lengthy pause following my pronouncement.
“I—what? How does that even work?”
“It’s exactly like what I said, like an electrical circuit.
” Nikolo makes a confused, disbelieving noise.
Which is fair—my understanding of electrical circuits is shaky at best. It’s probably a terrible metaphor, but I persevere with confidence.
“Magic is just energy, right? Like electricity. So, we create a circuit. I raise the energy, and pass it to you. At the very least I should be able to pass the energy through you, back to me, completing the circuit, and you’ll be able to feel the magic. ”
“And at the most?” Gods, is that a hint of curiosity in his voice? I tamp down my excitement to get the rest out.
“At most, you may—with practice—be able to hold the energy. Not use it, but like, hold the magic.”
“You’re having me on, right?”
And we’re back to disbelief. I go back to my sauce, giving it a quick stir and turning off the heat before it burns.
“I’m not having you on, Nikolo.” I sigh. “I mean, it’s not a guarantee. But it’s possible. Apparently.”
“How come I’ve never heard about it?”
“Well, the practice’s legitimacy is mostly disputed.
” Ignoring Nikolo’s snort, I carry on. “But there are sources. It’s not like anyone’s ever encouraged vampires to seek out magic.
And it’s not a practical skill. I haven’t seen anything written anywhere about vampires being able to use the magic, to direct it or channel it.
It’s just… there. So it’s not exactly information beings are going looking for. ”
“Except for you.” Nikolo’s voice is soft and warm. I’m extremely glad he’s not here to see the way I’m blushing.
“Well, yeah. You seemed to like when I did your hair. I wanted… I wanted to see if there was anything else. Any other way you could have that.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing, seriously.” I manage to sound casual, thank the Gods. “But what do you think?”
There’s another long pause.
“Let’s do it.”
It’s well after midnight when Nikolo arrives at the shop three nights later, adding an illicit air to the whole endeavour.
“Are you sure this is going to work?” He whispers, even though we’re safely locked away in my ritual room.
Carefully, I close the cabinet doors and join him on the cushions in front of the altar, trying to not get distracted by the tight fit of his cropped singlet top, or the way the candlelight highlights the muscles of his biceps.
“Not in the least.” I smile. Thankfully, he laughs, bumping his knee into mine. “But I’m pretty sure no one’s going to get hurt, so it’s fine.”
“Pretty sure?” Nikolo’s knee stays pressed against mine.
Tipping my head from side to side, I hum. “Eh, there’s a risk with everything. But no pain no glory, that’s the saying right?”
Nikolo blinks rapidly at me, then stands up, brushing his hands on his ass then holding them up. “Yeah, I’m out.”
Quickly, I grab hold of his leg, yanking on his pants to pull him back. “Sit down, you big baby. You won’t get hurt. I won’t let anything happen to you. I got you, remember?”
Tsking, and barely smothering my laughter, I wave him back down to the cushion. Thank the Gods, he parks his perfect behind down again, though he gives me a playfully dirty look as he does.
“Fine. How do we do this?” He grumbles, shuffling forward until our knees are touching again.
“No idea, really.” He throws another look my way and I smile.
“The information on this really is scarce. Vampires and magic is pretty taboo. Beings prefer to not put it out there how they’re doing it.
But I figure we can play around with a few things that we do with the novice witches and see what works?
” I hold out my hands, palms up. “Wanna get started?”
“Willan,” he lays his hands over mine, a smirk playing on his lips. “You had me at taboo.”
“Oh for the love of—” I groan, making him cackle with glee. “Shut up and close your eyes, you dork.”
He listens—but only after winking at me. Once the candle flames flicker to life, he’s all business.
It’s not easy, though. We try a few things, meditations, visualisations and me raising energy to push through one of our joined hands. Nothing works, though, the magic fizzling out before it can complete my proclaimed circuit.
There is, at least, a not insignificant highlight of the evening—the look on Nikolo’s face the first time I manage to push my magic into his fingers. It only lasts a brief second before it peters away, but the awe on his face will be embedded in my mind for eternity.
It’s enough to make me keep trying until the small hours of the morning when I’m too tired to keep going.
“I better go.” Nikolo whispers, rubbing my thigh after I blink a little too long.
Half-asleep at the door, I dither about kissing him goodbye. Nikolo makes the choice for me. Coasting his hand up my arm and over my shoulder, he grabs the back of my neck, hauling me against him for a searing kiss.
“Thank you.” He whispers against my mouth, slipping out the door before I can form a coherent thought.
Work keeps Nikolo from being able to come back for the next couple of nights, but then he’s back again, casually following me past Egbert's curious glances up the stairs to my ritual room. On our second night of trying, it’s easier to push the magic into Nikolo—much to his delight—but it doesn’t last long before fizzling out again.
“I don’t think I can take any more, Teach.” Nikolo says, removing his hand from my hold and giving it a shake. “That one kinda sizzled.”
“Fuck. Sorry.” I cringe. “I was getting frustrated. Not with you!” I quickly amend, when I realise what I’ve said. “With me. I feel like I’m close to cracking this, I just can’t… homework!” The answer comes mostly out of reflex. “I’m giving you homework.”
Nikolo groans loudly, flopping onto his back. “Nooooooo.”
“Oh please, I’m not going to make you write lines or anything.
” Rolling my eyes, I lean back on my hands and let the plan form as I talk.
“With our novice witches we get them to start building rituals into their life, even when they have about as much magic in them as a radish. It’s about building their connection to the Gods.
That’s what I think you need to start doing. ”
“And how do I do that?” Nikolo perks up, rising up onto his elbows.
“Anyway you want. Anything that makes you feel connected, it doesn’t have to be a big fancy thing.
Meditation, dancing, gardening. Light a candle and think about the universe and your place in it and The Gods and magic and shit.
” Nikolo raises a questioning eyebrow. “No, seriously, it doesn’t have to be some great big complicated thing, unless you want that.
It’s about consciously building a personal connection to the Gods. ”