WitchBite

Not You.

 It was numbing. Like the phantasms of bullets, the rain struck the metallic hide of the vain in a constant, rhythmic hush of heavy pings. It lulled me into a trance like patience that even the would be pounding of my own nervous heart seemed calm.

My mouth was a blur of dryness, uttering eldritch spells and whispering veils, as Bethany and Simon poised themselves with a static stillness. Watching out the tinted windows of the vehicle.

I couldn't see, I was too focused on what I was doing, which was to say; I was hiding us. Making us as inconspicuous as possible. It harked back to the time of the picnic with Aramis, and for the briefest of moments I dropped focus. Which was apparently enough to garner some attention as Bethany immediately snapped her head around to glare in my direction. I rolled my eyes as I picked up the threads of the spell once again.

Confidence spiked somewhat within my core, noting how much more competent I had become at this, but even that confidence seemed to be spitefully tinged with the same sour taste of melancholy.

"She's in." Simon said, causing me to drop the spell. Immediately grasping at the hip flask in my bag and taking a swig of the throat burning liquid inside, while also lighting up a cigarette.

"That's bad for you, ya know" Bethany cooed, causing me to huff a cloud of smoke in her direction in disdain.

This had been the sixth time this week that we had watched Victoria enter the building. So far it had been almost exactly the same each time. Arrive at nine in the morning, usually in a sleek black vehicle although red, or white, doesn't go amiss. She is often flanked by two, undoubtedly steroid-swollen, men, but is occasionally accompanied by a spindly thin man walking beside her like a puppy at her heels. She leaves at around ten at night, in the same manner as she arrived.

Each time, it sparked a tiredly retributive spark of dwindling anger within me. To say I was exhausted would be an understatement, but I had yet to find an explanation as to why, so I ignored it.

It was at Simon's insistence that we do nothing, and just observe. He was smart. Prepared, and uneager to allow Victoria's escape, citing that if she managed to do so without any form of notice before, we couldn't afford to underestimate a maybe more paranoid Victoria.

Bethany, was bored. She was growing impatient. Lording her vampirism as the key to any lock. I'd no doubt she would get far, but Bethany is smarter than that. Which is the only reason she hasn't just charged in there yet. Her restraint is waning though, and every day her blood-lust grows louder in it's cries for satiation.

I found myself somewhat deterred from this course. I was dragging myself behind Simon, and Bethany. Of course, trying with what I could to help where I was needed. But some defeatist side of me willed that I just give up, and go home. Live on the rest of my life with the swirling voids of "what ifs" and regret. I would most probably do this alone.

"When are we going to do something?" Bethany whined, in a somewhat exasperated tone, and dramatically throwing her hands upwards while slumping down the interior of the van. A valid question.

"We have to be sure, Bethany. For all we know, she could be very much aware that we're watching her and is prepared. We have to make sure that we are more prepared." Simon responded for, what could've been the twentieth time as he unfolded his laptop.

"This is absolutely dreadful. If I have to spend another moment stagnating with the pair of you, because we're not ready yet, I will go insane."

"Not. Yet." Simon ordered

"I'm older than you, Simon. You do not get to order me like that." Bethany snapped, her eyes met with his in a silent challenge, and I found myself smiling in stuttered amusement as the air became glaringly charged.