I spent most of the day with my Aunt in her laboratory as Arne and Duncan had to go and get some shut eye. While vampires could be out and about during the day, they weren't really all that energetic until it got dark. They could genuinely pass as regular humans during the day time as their supernatural strength and speed was massively reduced, but ask dusk was settling in; they came alive. Even though alive wasn't exactly the correct word for them. We did however have some company, Auntie M had been and collected our familiars; my Domino and her Duke earlier on that day as they had been on their own for a little while. The two cats were now curled up sleeping in a large squishy cat bed that was tucked in a corner near a warm radiator.

My Aunt and I were both sat on high stools at the central island doing some reading. My Aunt was flicking through some ancient, dusty old book which she was taking notes from whilst I was reading through the My First Coven handbook.

"The Rowan Tree. Whilst many plants and tress have long been used by witches in spells and potions, there is one that most witches; if not all witches stay clear from and only use when absolutely necessary. That is the Rowan tree. The Rowan tree has long been associated with protection from evil, specifically witchcraft and whilst most traditional methods and remedies used to ward off witches do not actually work; the Rowan tree (it's branches and berries) can cause witches some discomfort. E.g. sneezing, nausea and/or vomiting, dizziness, headache, lethargy and brain fog. Because of these various reactions most witches display when being exposed to parts of the Rowan tree, many hunters tend to carry small bags of the Rowan berries or anoint themselves in an oil made from its flowers and bark. The smell can be sweet and pleasant to humans, but smells foul to witches."

'Auntie M, what does Rowan smell like?' I asked her as I glanced up from my handbook. Her face instantly turned sour.

'It stinks, it's absolutely disgusting.' She grumbled. Sliding a post-it note in to the pages of her book and gently closing it, she slid off her stool and made her way over to one of her cabinets; opening the door then pulling out a large Tupperware box which she opened to then pull out strange canister that looked like a Thermos flask. She nodded over to the orangery beckoning me to follow her. I made my way over as she opened the big glass doors and stepped out on to the patio that surrounded the glass building. She spun the lid off the metal container and dropped another smaller metal container in to her hand. Holding the larger one under her arm, she slowly twisted the cap off the small container.

Then I smelt it. My nose started burning and my throat instantly became dry and scratchy from the stench now flowing out of the container. Auntie M coughed as she screwed the lid back on as tight as she could. Her eyes were all red and watery now and her nose was running.

"That's what it smells like, it's fucking vile.' She croaked and sniffled.

I started coughing again and rubbed my eyes as if it would bring some kind of relief. This felt like I was suffering from a sever allergy, the kind that could almost send you in to anaphylactic shock.

'Why... why would you have that?!' I choked at my Aunt.

'Because.' Auntie M coughed again and grunted. 'Because unfortunately, it's used in certain spells. I have the berries in here, but the flowers are worse still.'

I didn't want to imagine what the flowers smelt like if the berries gave off this disgusting stench.

'A word of warning Maddie. If you ever smell this and there's no reason for this smell to be around and by that I mean if there isn't a Rowan tree in somebody's garden or a park, woods or whatever. Try and I mean try your hardest not to show any reaction. Because smelling this when there isn't a tree, usually means it's a hunter and you gotta get the hell away.'

Auntie M looked at me with the most serious face she could muster. I nodded yes at her. A few moments passed before I spoke again.

'Have you ever been found by a hunter?'

'Twice. The first time I was around nineteen and I had gone clubbing with some of my uni friends. He was only a young hunter, a bit wet behind the ears but I managed to escape without him getting a proper look at me.'

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'And the second?' I asked. Auntie M sighed deeply.

'The second time I wasn't so lucky. This hunter was a lot older, he knew all the tricks and managed to get one over on me. Knocked me out.'

'So I'm guessing you managed to escape? I mean you wouldn't be here otherwise?'

Auntie M smiled.

'This was years ago and I had just bonded with Arne about three weeks prior. Hunters normally incapacitate you then take you away to do some weird trial ritual they do. Then they kill you.'

I gulped, but my Aunt continued.

'Arne came and found me as soon as I got knocked unconscious and before the hunter could administer and sedatives to keep me out and transport me. Arne... dealt with him.' She sounded distraught as she told me her story, in fact she looked a little uncomfortable.

I knew what she was meaning when she said "Arne had dealt with" the hunter. My Aunt had been drugged and kidnapped and I'd had no idea. I was thankful and quite honoured that she told me though it must have been painful to tell. I gave her a big hug though and she squeezed me tight in return. She then grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me dead in the eyes.

'You will do that though won't you Maddie? You smell this foulness and you get the hell out okay? And you contact me whichever way you can. You get me?'

I nodded as she shook my shoulders gently as if to punctuate her words to me.

'And if any of Arne's clan requests you bond together, you do it. You'll have a friend or lover but most importantly, a protector for life. They'll be there for you should anything happen.'

I nodded again. There were some things in my world now that I wasn't entirely sure about or a little hesitant of and this whole vampire-witch bonding thing was a little strange to me. It mentioned bonding in the handbook but didn't go in to any detail abut what the procedure was. In fact it said nothing about how it happened and that made me hesitant as I liked knowing details on everything I ever did before I went in to it. I suppose that's why I wasn't keen on the vagueness of becoming a witch, it was literally like you were flying by the seat of your pants most of the time. But if my Aunt had done these things and was reassuring me it was all okay then I was okay with it. I trusted her more than I trusted my own mother. I started thinking about my mother, surely she knew I was taking that path, the one she had tried her hardest to keep me away from. But the thoughts left as soon as Auntie M began to speak.

'I think you'll be bonded with Duncan.' She smiled at me warmly. 'You two would be a lovely bonded pair.'

'Stop it.' I bashfully replied while gently shoving her. I tried hiding my smile but I was doing a terrible job of it.

'You would though, he's quite smitten with you I can tell.' Auntie M grinned. 'More than that idiot Liam, I don't know what's wrong with that boy.'

'Liam?' I quizzed.

'Yeah I kinda figured you two would sort of drift together.'

'I don't think he's the kind of guy to chase girls around Auntie M. I've only ever known him have one girlfriend in all the time we've been at Saint Augustine's.'

'Oh is that so?'

'Yeah well what about you and Mr. Evans huh?' I blurted at her with a grin. 'What's that all about?'

'Oh yeah, we've hooked up a few times.'

'AUNTIE M!' I shrieked. 'You did what!?'

'Uh huh, what of it?'

I didn't know what to say, so much so I started stuttering my words.

'But, but... but I thought you were only with Arne! Like, exclusively with Arne I mean you're always all over each other.'

'Maddie listen, different strokes for different folks right? Vampires live for a long time, a long bloody time. They've literally been there done that bought the t-shirt, got blood all over it and repeated it for many lifetimes. Polyamory isn't a rare thing among vampires nor is it among witches either; heck even humans, but it's not something you have to do if you don't want to it's not like a law or anything.'

'And Arne's okay with you like, sleeping with other guys?' I went a little quiet toward the end of that.

'He's fine with it, always has been. I'm fine with him doing it too, he usually has sex with his live donors when he feeds. It's a vampire thing. But we have a totally honest and equal relationship with each other. At the end of the day, we're bonded and we both belong to each other wholeheartedly.'

I let that settle in for a few moments and now I wasn't as shocked about it when I had a good ponder.

'Well that kinda took me by surprise a little bit, but when you put it like that I dunno, it sounds kinda sweet almost.' I said. 'But I'm still totally shocked about you and Mr Evans. I mean woah, if Francesca knew you were um, banging Mr Evans she'd go wrong. She absolutely hates you Auntie M.'

'Well that's her problem not mine, spoilt brat she is. Daniel wouldn't have any of her nonsense anyway she's a seventeen year old girl and he's a thirty eight year old teacher and also, not a cradle-snatcher.' Auntie M laughed. 'Besides, he's got this under same roof as him.'

My Aunt, then proceeded to slap her right arse cheek with her hand, the loudest crack emitted from it as she wandered back in to her laboratory, cackling her head off as if it was the funniest thing ever.

I rolled my eyes. 'Oh my Goddess.'

That's all I had to say.