Rose- Feelin Thorny

by Jewels Arthur

  “Har har har. That research paid off excellently if I do say so myself. Vee wouldn’t be half what it is today if we had just jumped into it without preparation,” Dean states pointedly, making us all just laugh harder. “This is obviously hopeless,” he huffs, then looks at Pumpkin, squatting down to get to his level. “PUMPKIN. WOULD. YOU. LIKE. SOME. BLOOD?” he yells the words, enunciating them very slowly.

  “He isn’t stupid, Dean,” Sebastian says emphatically.

  “Nor is he deaf, mate. Why are you screaming?” Finn grumbles.

  I can’t escape the laughter that leaves my lips, and it feels as if my stomach will burst from the laughing cramps. Relief is flooding my system that Pumpkin is okay, that I haven’t lost my best friend. That he is alive, and isn’t leaving me.

  I am so glad you are okay. I think the words, looking straight at Pumpkin.

  I will always be here for you, Rose. I promise, Pumpkin replies with a loud purr. He crawls into my arms, and I squeeze him tightly. Please tell Dean I would love some blood, and that there is no reason to yell at me.

  “Pumpkin would love some blood, and also for you to stop yelling at him,” I say with a smile before placing a kiss on the top of my baby boy’s head.

  Rose

  I sit in anticipation, waiting for Amber to text me back. Looking at my phone, I see that I sent the text message only two minutes ago.

  Rose: Would you and Julian be able to come over today? I need to talk to Julian, and I’m still on lock-down.

  Rereading the message, I confirm that I did indeed send it. I’m just so anxious to learn more about the possibility that I could be a witch. I mean, wouldn’t that be fucking crazy? I could magic shit around. Though, knowing my luck, I would have magic just as wonky as Julian’s. Dean has gone to the library to do research on the situation while Finn and Sebastian stayed behind with me. Babysitters, I think ruefully. Pumpkin is curled in a ball on the couch next to Seb. I grabbed his bed and threw it in the washer to get the horrid blood stains off. If that doesn’t work, I’ll buy a new bed when we go to the pet store in town. That is, if Dean actually lets me leave the house to go to Beastie Besties. I need to do something about this lock-down shit because it’s getting real annoying, real fast.

  “Have we heard anything from Reg about the video? Does it show Pumpkin’s killer?” I ask Seb and Finn.

  “I mean, Pumpkin isn’t dead. I don’t know if they can still be labeled a cat-killer if they didn’t finish the job,” Finn states dryly.

  “They still broke into our business and tried to murder our cat. I mean, they would have succeeded if we hadn’t all given him our blood,” Sebastian argues.

  I smile at Sebastian’s use of our cat, loving that they have accepted my baby boy into their home. Even though he has been living here for months, it’s still nice to hear.

  “This all has to be connected. The citations, the brick, then Pumpkin. This isn’t a coincidence, and once we figure out who is doing this, I am going to kill them,” I state matter-of-factly. I’ve never been a bloodthirsty person—four months ago, I was a normal human—but since the whole Jason fiasco and becoming a vampire, something changed in me. I am not a weak, frail thing that needs protecting. No, I am a force to be reckoned with.

  “Let me check with Reg, see if the person is on the surveillance footage,” Sebastian consoles. “Has Amber texted back?”

  I look at my phone, and my heart leaps when I see an unread message with Amber’s picture next to it. Yes!

  Amber: Of course, we can be there soon. But, you have to know it’s dangerous leaving Wes and Chase in charge. LOL!

  Rose: Tell them I will give them all the honey and carrots they want!

  Amber: Chase will take the carrots but Wes will pass on the honey. Hates the stuff. See you soon!

  I gape at my phone, ready to type something along the lines of what kind of bear doesn't like honey, but refrain. Maybe another time when Wes can explain his bizarreness to me himself.

  “They are coming over,” I squeal, getting excited. Even though Julian isn’t excellent at magic, he has still had a magical education. He can at least explain stuff to me.

  “Perfect. Let’s go downstairs, Reg has something he wants to show us from the footage of last night,” Sebastian says while pocketing his phone. “We can meet ‘em at the doors.”

  “You are going to let me see the footage?” I ask, surprised.

  “I suppose since Pumpkin lived, it will be a little easier for you to bear. Besides, Reg thinks we should all see it, and I trust his opinion. Dean’s thoughts be damned; he isn’t here anyway.” Sebastian grabs my hand with a wink.

  “Think we should bring sleepy along?” Finn asks, pointing at Pumpkin snoozing on the couch.

  “Nah, let him sleep. We’ll fill him in later,” I say, looking at my baby boy lovingly as we exit the loft.

  Downstairs, Reg sits in the office where we hold all of our security equipment. Several monitors are set up that show live footage of all sections of the nightclub. We have never felt the need to have someone sitting here viewing the footage at all times, but I am honestly questioning that now. If someone was able to get in so easily, our security is obviously lacking in a big way.

  “Reg, what can we do to enhance security? You all can only be in so many places at once. Could we install an alarm system, maybe triggered by the doors opening?” I ask our bouncer and now head of security. Calling him just a bouncer seems lacking, especially now that he is tasked with protecting the nightclub and its inhabitants from an unknown force.

  “Of course we can, Rosie,” he replies, using his nickname for me that he knows I hate. Although, I must admit, it is starting to grow on me. I wouldn’t want people to start calling me that, but having Reg call me ‘Rosie’ has kind of become our thing. “Now, about what I want to show you from last night. It’s graphic, let me know if it’s too much.”

  He hits play on the video, and we watch. Pumpkin is lying on the makeshift bed that I made with the girls, sleeping soundly and twitching a bit, as he has always done. Then a shadow appears, its shape impossible to tell.

  “What is that?” I ask, pointing at the shadow. Suddenly, claws appear and cut at Pumpkin’s soft belly. I grit my teeth and wince. The creature continues to attack my poor defenseless cat without being seen. It’s just a dark blur on the screen.

  “I can’t see anything; it’s like a smudge on the screen. What the fuck could that be?” Finn asks.

  “I’m not sure. I’ve watched this video over and over, but I still can’t figure it out. I was hoping you guys would maybe know something,” Reg replies.

  “I’ve never seen anything like that in my existence. The creature has completely cloaked itself. You can see its claws when it first begins its attack, but then nothing.” Seb looks at Reg. “Pumpkin said he smelled a feline, but one he’d never encountered before. Do you know of any felines that have cloaking abilities?”

  Reg shakes his head. “No. Fuck, I’ve never really heard of talking cats either before you filled me in on what’s going on with Pumpkin and Rosie. This is all new ground for me.”

  “I’ll text Dean. Give something else for Poindexter to look up at the library,” Finn jokes as he types up a message on his phone.

  I continue to stare at the screen, hoping to find a glitch in the shadow, when I hear banging at the door. Amber! I run out of the office and to the door, Sebastian on my heels.

  “Let me get the door,” Sebastian says, and I roll my eyes but allow him to open it.

  “I’ve never heard of murders knocking,” I say sarcastically as he opens the door.

  “Well, I’ve never murdered anyone, but I think I’d still knock first. It’d be rude otherwise,” Amber says with a smile. Her mate and childhood best friend, Julian, stands next to her, looking gorgeous as ever.

  “Come in, come in!” I squeal, staying in the shadows so that the sunlight outside doesn’t hit my sensitive skin.

  “Long time no see, Rose!
” Amber exclaims, giving me a quick hug before turning to smile at Sebastian and Finn, who has now joined us at the door. “What can Juli and I help you with?” She cracks her knuckles in a joking manner.

  “It might be easier to show you. Come upstairs,” I say. I don’t plan on showing her the security footage. I’m only going to explain what happened, then let her and Julian take a look at the revived Pumpkin. Amber is too sweet to watch the footage, and I think it would hurt her as much as it hurt me.

  We all go upstairs and sit on the couch and chairs in the loft’s living room. The room looks no different than it normally does, and Pumpkin is nowhere to be seen, but it doesn’t really worry me now that I know he is a vampkitty. Is that a thing? I’m definitely making it a thing. Plus, he would be able to communicate with me if he was in trouble.

  “Last night after you and Sapphire left, someone broke into Vee. We’ve seen the footage, and some kind of supernatural creature was able to cloak itself and brutally attack Pumpkin.”

  “Is he okay?” Amber cries in dismay.

  “Yes. But, when Reggie found him, he was barely alive, covered in blood, and hardly breathing. As a last ditch effort to save my poor baby boy, we all gave him our blood,” I explain, watching Amber and Julian wince and gasp as I tell the story.

  “You gave your cat vampire blood?” Julian gasps, shock clear on his features. “Can you change a cat into a vampire? Is that wise?”

  “We didn’t know. I just wanted to do anything to save him. He has been my best friend for eleven years. I couldn’t lose him,” I explain, my voice cracking a bit as the feelings from last night resurface.

  Amber grabs my hand, squeezing it slightly. “Of course, I totally understand.”

  “Did it work? Is Pumpkin a vampire cat? Cat vampire? Catampire? Whatever it would be called?” Julian asks excitedly.

  “It did, and Pumpkin is now a vampkitty,” I say, using my new word for his species. “Pumpkin! Come here, baby boy!” I yell loudly, watching as he comes prancing in from Finn’s room. He leaps onto my lap and purrs loudly, pushing his head into my hand so that I will pet him.

  Were you worried? I ask him, petting his soft fur.

  No, of course not. You’ve left me alone before, Rose, Pumpkin replies sassily. I was alone for days when Jason took you.

  I wince, looking at him sadly. I know. I never really got to apologize for that. I’m sorry.

  I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to help you more. I haven’t been a very good protector, but that’s over now, he states proudly, straightening a bit in his posture.

  “Rosalie, you are doing that weird silent thing again,” Finn says, reminding me that we have company, and I have been communicating with my cat in silence for longer than what is probably socially acceptable.

  “Silent thing?” Amber asks, looking at me in question. “What’s going on, Rose?”

  “As you can see, Pumpkin is not dead. He is very much alive. After he woke up as a vampkitty, I discovered that something else had changed. We can now communicate with each other,” I try to explain, hoping that since they are supernatural themselves, this won’t seem too outlandish to them.

  “Whoa! Your cat can talk now? Let’s hear it!” Julian says eagerly.

  “He can’t talk out loud; I am the only one that can hear him,” I explain, knowing that I am once again sounding crazy. This takes crazy cat lady to a whole new level. “We can talk to each other telepathically. Like, hold conversations without saying anything out loud. I thought I was going crazy, that something in me had broken due to the trauma of what happened to me. But I am fine, and he is fine.”

  “This is insane,” Julian blurts out. “I’ve never seen anything like this! Some witches get familiars, but other than that, I have never heard of anyone communicating with animals.”

  “See, that’s why I wanted you to come over, Julian. Pumpkin says he is my familiar.”

  “But—but that would mean you are a witch!” Julian exclaims. “One of my sisters has a familiar. They are very rare, and only happen to witches who form a genuine connection with an animal that has magical capabilities. The connection can’t be forced. Some witches try to buy a magical animal and force the connection, but it doesn’t happen often.”

  “Is that possible? Could I be a witch?” I ask in disbelief. “I was just a regular human, what, four months ago?”

  “You being changed into a vampire could have activated magic within you. I’m sure it’s happened before. I need to go to the library…” Julian trails off as he starts to ponder the situation.

  “Jesus, the library,” Finn says with an eyeroll. “That’s where Dean is.”

  Julian shrugs. “It’s a great place to start, and I know that there are some great books there. Violet, the librarian, is super helpful.”

  “So, let’s go to the library!” Amber says cheerfully.

  “And bring Pumpkin!” Julian adds. “Violet doesn’t mind animals.”

  “Plus, we can take him to Beastie Besties and see if the owner knows anything about vampkitties!” I agree, standing up and walking towards the door.

  “I don’t know—it will really piss Dean off if we let you leave the house,” Sebastian says worriedly. “We don’t know if it’s safe.”

  Finn rolls his eyes again. “Oh, who gives a fuck? He’s not here, and we’ll be with her.”

  I put my hands on my hips and glare at Sebastian threateningly. “I’m going.”

  “Fine,” Sebastian groans, relenting like I knew he would.

  “Now that we’ve got that sorted, let’s go!” Amber exclaims, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the door.

  “Come, Pumpkin,” I command, earning me an annoyed tail flick.

  I am not a fucking dog, he hisses in my head.

  You aren’t going to run off, are you? I ask, hoping that his new familiar nature makes him a more trustworthy pet.

  Of course, I’m not. Like I said, I’m not a dog, he replies, padding behind us.

  Dean

  “Is there anything else you need, young man?” Violet, the old librarian, asks me as she makes her rounds through the library.

  “No, I am good. Thank you though, ma’am.”

  “Great. Let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with,” she replies, her voice cracking with age. She smiles at me warmly, and I watch as she leans on her walker and slowly makes her way across the library.

  “Sorry, Violet. Thank you,” I reply, returning her smile. She is a generally nice woman, and the town is lucky to have such a good librarian. As far as I can tell, she is a shifter, though her scent is different than typical shifters, and I can sense a sickness in her. Word around town is that she has lost the ability to shift in her old age. Either way, she is a treasure to the town and a tremendous help, even if her age sometimes gets in the way.

  I had burst into the library, barely coherent of my actions. Information, I needed information. I had rushed up to her and let the words rush from my lips. “I need books on familiars, everything you’ve got. Also, vampiric animals if you have anything of that sort.”

  “Use your indoor voice, young man. You’re in a library,” Violet told me, looking perturbed by my loudness. I repeated my sentence, and she sighed loudly, looking over at the two old ladies gathered at one of the desks. One had a cellphone out, and the other was holding two books. “Kids these days,” she muttered as she stood up from her chair and winced, as if the act itself caused her old body pain.

  “If you could just tell me, I’m sure I can find them myself,” I told her since I didn’t want to inconvenience the elderly woman.

  “I’ve already gotten up, let’s go!” she replied, leading me to the supernatural section.

  Now I sit here, reading through every book on familiars in the old library. Familiars are physical and sometimes spiritual animals that manifest a special connection with a witch. The connection is created when a genuine relationship exists between the witch and the animal, though it is still
very rare. There are many witches that long to have a familiar but are never successful in gaining the connection, as it cannot be spurred by magic and the animal must already have magical capabilities. When a witch does meet his or her familiar, the bond between the two is unbreakable. Familiars are protectors of their witches and assist in different types of magic, such as meditation, incantations, and divination. Familiars are also able to pick up on the moods of their witch and can help calm them. They can also be a close confidante for the witch. Though it does not always happen, some witches are able to speak with their familiar telepathically. This ability to speak telepathically with a familiar shows a very strong bond between the witch and familiar.

  “Holy fuck,” I say quietly after reading the words.

  “Tsk. Such language,” Violet retorts from the other side of the room, looking at me disapprovingly. The elderly man she was helping over in the shifter section nods in agreement.

  I’ve looked back down at my book, reminding myself to keep quiet, when I hear quite a commotion from a group of people entering the supernatural section of the library.

  “How can I help you kids?” Violet asks, and I look up to see who has entered the library.

  “What are you guys doing here?” I growl the words as Rose, Finn, Sebastian, Amber, and Julian approach.

  “We are fine, thank you though,” Rose replies to Violet, walking straight toward me. She smiles, and I struggle to keep my frown in place. She has a way of breaking my carefully placed walls and turning me to putty.

  “Seb. Finn. You were supposed to keep her at home, not escort her to the library,” I chide, but I know that they too are defenseless against Rose’s persuasion.

  “Fuck that,” Rose states, ignoring a loud shush from Violet. She pulls the hood down that protects her skin from the sun and removes her gloves, shoving them into the pocket of her hoodie. “We’ve come to help and to do a little research of our own.”