Chapter Twenty-four

Cassie kept on turning and tossing, she had never felt so restless in her life. She felt this primal urge to kill and feed on blood. She came down from the bed and stared at the full moon that casted its rather haunting glow directly on her face. The more she looked at it, the more her hunger persisted.

"Cassie? What's wrong? Why aren't you sleeping?" Asked Linda, rubbing her eyes. Cassie turned and looked at her.

What was she feeling? Why was Linda looking like a prey before her eyes?

"Cassie?" Linda called, standing up.

"Stay back! Don't come close" Cassie said as Linda wanted to take a step.

"Cassie, is everything okay? You can talk to me".

"I said stay back!", Cassie growled, her eyes turning red, "I don't want to hurt you".

"You won't hurt me, I know you can't" Linda said moving closer.

Cassie stepped back, holding the irresistible urge. She pushed Linda aside and ran out of the room. Linda rushed after her but Cassie was too fast. Devastated and worried, Linda ran to the principal's chamber.

"Principal Margaret! Principal Margaret! Please wake up!".

"Melinda?" The principal called, stepping out of a door.

"Principal Margaret! Cassie... Cassie... She..."

"Easy, catch your breath. Is anything wrong?".

"Cassie ran away".

"What do you mean? Why would Cassie do that?".

"I woke and I saw her staring at the full moon. I wanted to come close to her but she told me to step back saying that she might hurt me. Her eyes were dark red, I think she was about to turn before she ran out of the room".

"Cassie doesn't turn unless she is triggered by something or someone. Did you guys have any argument?".

"No. None that I can remember".

"Then why would she... Wait, you said she was staring at the full moon?".

"Yes, why?".

"What I was worried about has finally come. Follow me".

"Where to?".

"The Coven of the Forgotten".

"You can't be serious! Even the strongest of witches dread that place!".

"Do you know want to save Cassie or not?".

"You know I do, even if I have to put my life on the line".

"Good. Now let's go".

They came across a tomb like entrance.

"So what do we do?" Linda asked principal Margaret.

"What do you mean?".

"I mean what next? Is it like the stone door back at school? Do I have to cut myself to open it?"

"You don't have to cut yourself, it'll open any moment from now"

"What? How?".

"There are spirits guarding here Melinda. They've sensed our presence..." The stone blocking the entrance, slowly rolled away, "See?".

"Woah. It's creepy and cool at the same time".

Principal Margaret nodded and walked in, Linda hurriedly followed her.

"It's so dark in here, I can't even see myself" Linda said staring blankly into the dark space.

"Here" principal said, handing Linda an unlit lantern, "light it".

"How do you expect me to light it up? There's no possible..."

"You're a white blood, aren't you?".

"I am. What does it have to do with..."

"Since you're a white blood, you should be able to light it".

"Uh, no? I can't. I don't know any spells and there's no magical energy here for me to channel my powers".

"Even a five year old white blood can light it up. You just need to think it".

"I seriously don't get anything you're saying, principal Margaret".

"You're a white blood, a witch. You being a witch means that you have the ability to make your inner thoughts come to life".

"So I should summon fire by thinking about summoning a fire?".

"Exactly. You're smarter than I thought".

Linda looked at the lantern. She closed her eyes for a while and opened it, her eyes shining pristine white and the lantern instantly became lit.

"I did it! I can't believe it!".

"What're you expecting? A handclap? Congratulatory message? I'm a bit disappointed, I'm not going to lie. How old are you Melinda?".

"Sixteen, why?".

"Sixteen and I have to tell you what... I'll talk about this later with you" Principal Margaret replied taking the lantern away from her. They walked for a while until they came across a staircase. The lantern immediately turned off and every effort made my Linda to turn it back on failed.

"Welcome to the Coven of the Forgotten. What information do you seek?" A voice asked.

"I seek information about the birth of Cassandra Olsen, daughter of James and Maria Olsen" principal Margaret replied.

The whole place immediately lit up showing its mesmerizing beauty. There were hundreds of scrolls and books and Linda's jaw dropped.

"Follow me" principal Margaret said to Linda and started going up the stairs.

"I said follow me!" Principal Margaret said in a louder voice to Linda who was still admiring how grand and beautiful the Coven of the forgotten was. Linda apologized and followed the principal.

"Is this where all the births of every creature are recorded?".

"Yes and how they were given birth to".

"What does this have to do with Cassie?".

"Cassandra is an unidentified black blood. We need to know the secret behind her birth as it could help us" the principal replied, her eyes searching for a particular scroll.

"There, at the extreme, get it for me" she said to Linda, pointing at a scroll.

"What do you want me to do? Bring it down using the power of my thoughts?".

"There's a ladder over there but I don't care what method you use, just bring me the scroll".

Linda sighed and stared at the scroll waiting for something to happen but nothing did. She dragged the ladder and slowly climbed up and got the scroll and she climbed down. With a smile on her face, principal Margaret opened the scroll but the smile on her face turned upside down when she saw it was blank.

"What's wrong? Why is it blank?".

"I forgot that we need to have Cassandra's permission before we could look at it. Let's get out of here, we need to find Cassandra and fast".

Behind S.U.M.S stone door sat Cassie shivering in fear and uncertainty, constantly digging her teeth into her skin trying to satiate the persisting blood thirst but it was futile as all the wounds she gave herself instantly healed before her eyes. She growled loudly in anger and frustration. She heard the door open and immediately stood up.

"Who's there? Don't come any closer if you don't wanna get hurt".

"Cassandra?".

"Principal Margaret? Is that you?".

"Yes. How are you feeling Cassandra?".

"I'm scared principal Margaret. Please help me".

"Cassie?".

"Linda? You're here too?".

"Of course I am. You can't just tell me to stay away without a reason. I will never leave you even if you had a reason" Linda said approaching Cassie.

"We have your birth record which might hold the secret behind your current state but..."

"But what?".

"But we need your permission for it to be visible to us".

"How do I give my permission?".

"We need your thumbprint on it. Here's a needle you can prick your thumb with" Linda said giving Cassie a needle from her pocket. Cassie did exactly as she was told and they waited. The once blank scrolled became filled with writings:

NAME: Cassandra Izzy Olsen

D.O.B: 31 October 2007

NAME OF PARENTS: James Stan Olsen/Maria Anne Olsen

CLASSIFICATION: Black Blood(type unidentified)

"It says unidentified here too" Linda said to principal Margaret.

"Wait, it'll soon be revealed" the principal reassured.

"There lived a couple, they were red bloods. They were unable to bear any seed. Desperate and without choice, they secretly met with a white blood who was banished for practicing insane dark magic. They asked them to give them a child but it came with a price; the child wasn't going to be a red blood as they wanted but a black blood...*

"No wonder they treated me with so much hate. I was only a monster to them" Cassie said getting angry.

"It states here that you're a product of a blood sacrifice done on a full moon. That's why you've been cursed with bloodthirst every full moon. You have to feed before the night is over unless you'll die".

"I rather die Linda. I can't become the monster my parents took me for".

"Don't say that Cassie. It's okay. Here, you can drink my blood, I'll be fine".

"No Linda, I can't hurt you to save myself".

"You're not hurting me. I don't care if I get hurt, all I care about is that you're fine" Linda said stretching hand.

"I can't..."

"Just do it! It's almost dawn!".

Cassie, having no choice bit into Linda's arm, the blood giving her her long awaited satisfaction. She fell to the floor as she slowly turned back into her normal self. Linda placed her palm over the hand Cassie bit into. She muttered a few spells and healed herself.

Okey dokey, end of chapter

What do you think about Linda's willingness to allow Cassie hurt her?

Kim Vallie