Balance Beam

I sighed heavily, looking away from the lore book I was reading. Janis and I have been trying to research about hybrids for the past few days. So far, we didn’t have much luck. It was always some story; a hybrid that looks like a human, no one can identify it by eye, blah blah blah. I ran my hand through my long hair and sighed again, pushing myself from the couch.

It was rare for me to be here at the apartment by myself. But Janis had went to the library to find some more books and Summer had to work tonight. I had decided to stay behind, despite being offered to tag along to the library and to stop by the tavern, to read more about hybrids. Now I had grown bored and was starting to think that Cecile had played a trick on me.

Just as I was about to mix up a whiskey and blood drink, my best friend came inside, her arms filled with books. She dropped them lightly on the coffee table, looking over at me and rolling her eyes, huffing loudly.

“Do you have any idea how crazy I looked checking out all these books?” she asked me dramatically, throwing her arms in the arm wildly. “The librarian looked at me like I was a nerd, or something.”

I chuckled at her, glad for her to be home. I was starting to feel gloomy being by myself and Janis’ presence made me feel much better. “Find any good books, or just shit ones like the rest?”

We both flopped on the couch and Janis shrugged. “I doubt the humans have any good books on lore, Giselle. But this is the best I could find. Probably just as useless as the last thirty books we’ve read.”

I sighed, groaning loudly. “Maybe she lied about the whole thing.”

Janis rolled her eyes at me, grabbing a book and skimming through it. She sighed herself, slamming the book shut and gently tossing it back on the table. Janis stood from the couch and ran her fingers through her straight hair, pacing the living room floor. She continued to do this for the next half hour as I read. She suddenly clapped her hands together, earning my undivided attention.

“We obviously need to find a witch. Do you still talk to your old maid? Oh, what was her name? I always forget,” she rambled, tapping her chin.

I had nearly forgotten about Geneva. Truth be told, we haven’t spoke for years. I wasn’t too sure where she was these days, or if she was even still with us. It pained me to think about her. I missed her very much. Geneva would know exactly what to do, she always did. I wish I had her here to guide me, like she had several years ago.

“I haven’t talked to Geneva for years,” I sighed, realizing it sounded horrible aloud. “A few decades at the very least.”

Janis nodded but wouldn’t accept defeat. “But there’s other witches, right? So we could just go out, find one, and hope they can help us. Where do witches even hang out?”

I chuckled at my friend. She was still new to the whole supernatural thing since she wasn‘t even a hundred years old yet. In our world, she was considered young. Janis couldn’t tell you much about other creatures, let alone her own kind. I’m not even sure if she was aware of the three different types of vampires. Of course, the only reason I was so schooled was not just because of my age, but because of Alcurd.

He just had to teach me everything, while treating me like a child in the process. I shivered thinking about him. Why couldn’t he just do normal vampire things and not throw tantrums? That’s all he was doing by trying to over-throw the Council, throwing a big fucking tantrum. All because he’s not getting his way. Alcurd was a seven-hundred and three year old child and he annoyed me to no end. He always had this habit of ruining things when they were going so swell. It was what he was good at, actually.

“Janis,” I began, sighing. “In all my six hundred plus years, I’ve never even heard of a fucking hybrid. Starting to think Cecile was just trying to lead me astray and it’s obviously working.”

My best friend shook her head, just not having it. “No, Giselle. Hybrids are fucking real. Now go get dressed up, we’re going out to find a witch. There has to be some in the city, I know it.”

Janis and I went to so many vamp and human bars, but didn’t find what we were looking for. Morning was approaching and Janis had to get back to the apartment, but I decided to keep looking. My best friend was right; there had to be a few witches, at the very least, in the city. I was really hoping to find a Mother Witch, but I’d settle with a Norm. I wasn’t picky as long as I got one step closer to figuring out more about hybrids and how it would stop Alcurd.

I walked Janis home, only to find Aroldo waiting outside our apartment door. The stern look on his face couldn’t mean anything good, it never did. My friend and I exchanged glances and silently agreed to not mention anything about what we were just doing. I’m sure Alcurd would have a fit about our plan. We finally approached him and I smiled at my boss.

“Mr. Veneratio, how nice to see you. Is everything alright?” Janis asked. Her voice was too genuine.

“Giselle I need to speak to you privately,” he said, completely ignoring Janis. “Care to join me in my office?”

I nodded at him, trying not to gulp. My stomach immediately felt uneasy and I couldn’t shake the thought that something had happened. Something involving Alcurd, of course. I bid farewell to my friend and followed Aroldo to his apartment office that was on the ground floor. He was silent as we walked. But that only lasted until he shut the door to his office, which was designed much like his office at the tavern.

“Please have a seat,” he icily said as he poured himself a drink. Something was definitely wrong because he didn’t even offer me one, not that I was complaining though.

“Did something happen?” I asked cautiously as I sat in the plush chair. I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to know the answer.

“Alcurd should be coming into the city within the next few days. I think you should go out of town for awhile,” he said matter-of-factly. I sat silently for a few minutes, not sure if I heard him right.

“Wait. What?” I asked confused. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“But if Alcurd finds out you’re in the city, he’s going to try to do something to you. I just know it, Giselle. Please, you just have to be safe.”

I shook my head violently. “I’m not going anywhere. You don’t even know if he’ll find me here,” I pointed out.

He groaned, obviously frustrated. “Orbit had a vision about it.”

I laughed at him, shaking my head in disbelief. “She’s just telling you that to get me away from you. It’s well known she doesn’t like me and is jealous because she thinks you want me. Great job for giving her that idea, by the way.”

Aroldo glared at me. “I don’t like your tone, Giselle. That’s my wife and she wouldn’t lie to me about a vision, even one about you. Now listen up, Alcurd will find you once he’s here. He’s your Maker, he’ll sense you.”

“No,” I said flatly. “I’m not running from Alcurd, not anymore.”

Aroldo slammed his empty glass on his desk, shattering it and making me jump. “Stop trying to be so tough,” he snarled. “As your boss and Mayor, I’m ordering you to take a vacation until this blows over.”

I glared at him and leaned forward. I’m sure my eyes were red with anger and I could feel my canines growing. “That’s one order I’m not taking. I‘ll agree to being put into protective custody or having a bodyguard, but I‘m not leaving New York.”

Aroldo’s face contorted with concern. I instantly regained my control and hid my fangs, my eyes changing back to green. The slight blush on my cheeks told Aroldo I was sorry for my actions.

“If anything were to happen to you,” he paused, avoiding eye contact. “I just couldn’t deal with it.”

My facial expression softened. This poor man had intimate feelings towards me, and bad too. He’s told me during work that he’s never had feelings for anyone besides his wife for centuries, until he met me. Aroldo was always finding any excuse to touch me, or spend more time with me. His wife knew of his crush, his other employees knew of it, it seemed like everyone did.

Aroldo raised from his chair and walked around his desk, sitting on it in front of me. I thought he was going to go into one of his long talks, but he didn’t. Instead he stared at me intently and I stared back. As I looked over his features, I couldn’t help but think of Bram; they both had the same dark brown hair.

Bram started to flood my mind for the first time all week. If I hadn’t been so rude to him the last time we talked, maybe I could hide out with him for a bit. No, I wouldn’t want to endanger him. I just couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to him…

My own words were like a slap in the face. I liked the human, I liked him a lot. I wanted nothing more than to just see him and for him to make me escape reality for a bit. But unfortunately I couldn’t do that. I did my best to push him away and so far, much to my dismay, it’s worked.

Something cool and soft were against my lips and it took me a bit to register that Aroldo was kissing me. I pulled away quickly, staring at him bewildered. He stared back at me with doe eyes, almost as shocked as I was. Aroldo relocated to the chair behind his desk, avoiding eye contact with me.

“I’ll have a few guards follow you as soon as I get word he’s in town. Now go along,” he said quietly, waving me off. I rose from my chair and he cleared his throat. “I hope you keep this… incident between us.”

I nodded and made my way to the door, not saying a single word to him. Aroldo crossed the line and he knew it. The things that he already did was pushing it, but I couldn’t deal with him kissing me or anything of the like. If anyone found out, the stares would just multiply and the last thing I needed right now was the attention being on me. My plan had to remain a secret and people being focused on me would ruin it.

I left the building and stepped into the early morning. As I walked among a few humans on the sidewalks, I tuned into my senses trying to catch anything that would be a witch. So far I got nothing. As I approached a closed vampire bar, a familiar laugh caught my attention. I stared down the alley and nearly gasped in surprise.

Bram was conversing with a male vampire. They were laughing and obviously joking, almost like they weren’t different at all. The vampire had to be young considering he didn’t even sense me being so close. I was confused to see such a young vamp in the sunlight though. He had to possess a piece of bewitched jade stone jewelry. I smiled at this.

He had to know a witch.

Just as I was about to approach the two, a woman joined them from what seemed like nowhere. I stared intently, feeling like I recognized her from somewhere. Suddenly I froze where I stood. It was my old maid, Geneva.