Blood of My Blood, Flesh of My Flesh (Bughead)

25. Bleed Magic

Happy Riverdale Day! I haven't gotten a chance to watch the new episode, so no spoilers. I do know it's in honor of Luke Perry and I ASSURE YOU I will probably bawl my eyes out.

This is it! The big chapter. It's literally ten pages of a singular spell. There's a lot of artistic/magical choices I made, and if you want to know the reasoning on all of it, go to the end of the chapter where I'm sure there will be a VERY long explanation. This is really me frakenstining a lot of different magic practices, so keep that in mind, but it was sure as hell fun!

Song is Blood Magic by IDKHBTFM! This a fantastic new band that I am literally obsessed with, go def check out all of their songs!

Two days later, on the 22nd, Sweet Pea packed his bag full of magical items, double and triple checking he nicely printed sheet he and Cheryl had agreed upon in the library a few days previous. He'd typed it all up and then even paid extra to have the sheets laminated. The college kid working the library resource desk had glanced over the sheet with a raised eyebrow, looked at the two unlikely allies, and just rolled her eyes. She probably thought that they were doing some weird occult faux sort of magic. He chuckled inwardly as he used an expo marker to double check; she'd probably have a heart attack if she actually knew what they were doing. He made little 'x' marks once he checked he had his share of the load, trying to quell the nervousness that was rising inside of him.

There was a reason that people didn't practice raising someone from the dead. Even the best of sorcerers usually didn't touch necromancy with a fucking ten foot pole. Things often went wrong. Even the slightest miscalculation could kill everyone involved, or they could make a monster without a soul, or they could invite back the wrong spirit.

Cheryl was well aware of this risk. Even Betty was, since he couldn't not tell her. Both girls were in staunch agreement that they needed Jason back; not just to tell them what had happened (and put the whole matter to rest) but because Polly needed her boyfriend and his unborn child needed a father.

Sweet Pea, if he could have helped it, would not have involved Betty in this whole mess at all. Or Toni or Fangs. Cheryl? Well, he didn't have any long lost feelings, and while her death would be minorly upsetting, it was something he could have lived with. The idea of Betty coming inches from death, literally, made him that much more jumpy.

It would do no one good if his mind wasn't in the right place tonight. He had to dismiss these moon-eyed worries away.

It wasn't hard to leave his trailer. No one noticed him, mostly because it was 2:30 am. The guard, Mustang, was half-asleep at his post. Sweet Pea had been prepared to hit him with some instant-sleep powder, but apparently he did that all on his own. Thank god for tired werewolves!

Night and the moon was a perfect time to raise a vampire. He figured leaving by this time would give him enough time to set up before their starting time; 3:33 A.M. Outside, he met up with Toni and Fangs, who although would not be needed until later, insisted on going early with him.

"You know, I don't wear a lot of red," Toni said, rubbing her hands over the red tank-top she was sporting.

"Cry about it," Sweet Pea snorted, "You think I own much purple? I had to go out and buy this yesterday," He said, picking at his own color-coded shirt, "Chances are I'll never wear it again, but we do what we have to do to literally bring someone back from the other side."

"Gray was easy for me!" Fangs interjected all too happily.

"Yippie for you," Toni said, rubbing her eyes. She stifled a yawn, "Is it wise to be doing this so late? When we're all tired?"