'You didn't need to ring the bell you know.'

'I know.'

'Come in Morrigan, I'll put the kettle on.'

Morrigan walked in to her sister Miriam's house. It smelt clean, almost too clean; of bleach and disinfectant. The house did feel somewhat clinical, Miriam's obsession with keeping things clean since her husband died had never let up. She had a cleaner in at least twice a week and always had cleaning supplies on hand.

'How have you been sis?' Morrigan asked as she perched herself on a high stool at the large granite island in the middle of the kitchen, placing her handbag down next to her.

'The usual, busy working.' Miriam said as she made a pot of tea, brining out a small milk jug and a bowl of sugar. As soon as the kettle boiled, she filled the teapot and left it to brew for a minute.

'You spoken to Maddie recently?'

Miriam let out a long sigh.

'No I haven't.'

Morrican subtly scowled at her older sister.

'You need to speak to her more you know? Whether you think she does or not, she needs her mum.'

'You don't think I know that Mori? I just, I...' Miriam sighed deeply again. 'I don't know, I feel like we've drifted apart since her father died. It's my fault.'

'You're right, it is your fault.' Morrigan stated as her sister had finished pouring some milk in to her cup of tea. She reached over and took the cup, bringing it to her lips for a sip. Miriam looked slightly shocked when her sister told her that, then Morrigan continued.

'Listen, Maddie's a strong kid. It's blatantly clear that she got over her father dying long ago but you clearly haven't.' Morrigan was giving her sister some tough love right now.

'I'm pretty sure she hates me.' Miriam said. 'She's always liked you more.'

'She doesn't hate you. The reason you two have drifted apart is because she thinks you don't have the time of day for her and to be honest, I can understand why she thinks that.' Morrigan was getting irate now. Miriam was the older sister, she should be the one that gave everyone advice and a verbal bollocking once in a while; not the other way round. Miriam just looked at her sister with slight confusion.

'Aw come on Miriam don't tell me you don't know why? Seriously.' Morrigan shook her head in disbelief. ' You ship her off to boarding school as soon as she was old enough. You work all the time even when she's home in the holidays, you don't go anywhere, you never visit her at school in fact, you barely call her or even message her. Want me to go on? And the reason why Maddie and I get on well is because she's my niece and I don't fucking treat her like a child.'

Miriam looked shocked to the point where her eyes were glassing over with tears. She wasn't going to cry though. She did know exactly why her only daughter was becoming more and more distant.

'For real though sis, you need to get over Mark dying. You've had the best part of a decade nearly to get over it. Mourning for that fucking long doesn't suit you.' Morrigan was playing bad cop. She didn't feel that great being this awful to her own sister, but this was probably the only she would listen to her.

Miriam just stayed quiet. What her sister was telling her was true. She had never got over her husband dying and it had ruined her relationship with her only child. Moment of time passed in silence as Miriam casually wiped a stray tear from her eye with the back of her hand.

'So, how did her awakening go?' Miriam asked genuinely wanting to know.

'It went quite well actually considering she knew nothing. She was quite sick in the first week but got better. Her initiation went well too.'

Morrigan could swear she saw her sister smile a little after hearing that, although that could be bemusement.

Silence again.

'I knew she would go for that life.' Miriam stated.

'But you didn't want her to.' Morrigan retorted.

'Not really. I know what that life entails and I just didn't want that for her. I just wanted her to have a normal life without the aggro or danger.'

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'Well you know what I'm gonna say now. You've pretty much driven her to it.'

'You're right. Christ Mori where did I go wrong?'

'Where didn't you go wrong is what you should be asking. She's a young woman she can do what she wants. I mean bloody hell you made it blatantly clear when you were younger than her that you didn't want our life and you got your wish pretty quick.'

Miriam screwed up her face at that remark. It was true. She had tantrums and threw her toys out of the pram when she didn't get what she wanted anyway. And she sure as hell didn't want to be a witch or have that kind of life. No, she wanted to be like all the other girls around the time of her awakening. She didn't want to study dusty old spell books every night or go to coven meetings when she could be out with her friends or chasing boys instead.

'Listen, if it's anything. Maddie has her head screwed on. She's managing her school studies and craft studies very well and she's showing some natural talent for the practical craft too.'

'She's everything I wasn't then. She's at least had a choice in everything though?' Miriam asked.

'Of course she has.'

'That's something I guess. I do need to ask though, these murders going on in Hitchin. Are you involved at all?'

'We are. It's a man kidnapping young women to use as sacrifices in summoning a demon. In fact, if you knew about the kidnappings and murders I would've thought you'dve rand Maddie to see if she was okay?' Morrigan was not going to lie to her sister, so she told her straight.

'I was going to but...'

'You didn't. Let me tell you now though, one of Maddie's classmates has been kidnapped and now she's scared that her friends may be kidnapped and slaughtered too.'

'She should be scared for herself though! She's a witch now so that means she's a prime candidate for being bloody sacrificed!' Miriam screeched, now actually worrying about her daughter.

'But that's the kind of person she is Miriam! She's more worried about her friends and every fucker else because she's selfless and caring! Jesus she even figured out the one thing that ties every thing together well before the rest of us did, even the damn police.'

'She did?'

'Ugh you don't give her enough credit. She's a smart and gifted kid sis. And if she wants to assist in going after this murderous freak then I am absolutely not going to stop her. In fact, I'd be glad of her help.' Morrigan blurted at her sister then downed the rest of her tea.

'What was it that ties everything together?' Miriam asked.

'Believe it or not... but Waitrose.' Morrigan scoffed.

'Really?'

'Really. Fucking Waitrose.'

The now famous silence between the two sisters lasted as long as it took to our another cup of tea. Miriam had done nothing but sigh for most of the time Morrigan had been there and she carried on doing it.

'I guess I need to trust Maddie in knowing what she wants for herself. I think I just still see her as a little girl who couldn't understand why her dad wasn't coming back.'

'You can't keep treating her like that sis. She's all grown up now. You need to make an effort before you end up not talking at all.'

'You're right. Um, has she met her cousins yet?' Miriam asked.

'Of course she has, they actually all go out quite often.'

'And has she met...' Miriam paused as she tried to get her mouth round her words. 'Has she met the vampires?'

'On her coven initiation. She's one of the family now. She's even been on a few dates with Arne's second-in-command, Duncan.'

'He's the Scottish one isn't he?' Miriam asked.

'Yep. He's smitten with her.'

'And you're still with Arne?'

'Of course.'

Miriam was going to have to stop sighing. She was thankful that her younger sister, the High Priestess of the coven her daughter now belonged to and the Arch-Priestess of the United Kingdom witches council, was the one mentoring Madelyn in the craft. To be honest, there was nobody else Miriam would rather have being Madelyn's tutor.

'Okay. I'll say this on record. Whilst I never wanted my daughter to become part of that world, I can't go against her wishes. What she does with her life is her business and I'm not going to interfere. All I want is for her to be safe.' Miriam said, holding her hand up to give further gravitas to her statement. She then picked up her tea and sipped it.

'Miriam, you literally have no worries there, when I say she's sensible I bloody mean it. She askes questions, takes her practice seriously and she takes really, really detailed notes. She won't get in to trouble at all I'm telling you now.' Morrigan downed her second cup of tea, after all their talking; the tea was now the perfect temperature.

'I guess that's all I can ask for.'

'Let's put it this way, she's more talented that you were at her ages and way less stroppy. And she's definitely less reckless that I am that's for sure.'

'If that's genuinely the case, then I'm glad.'

'Good, it's nice to hear. Anyway, I'd probably better go. I'm sorry that all I've done whilst I've been here is give you grief, but you needed a boot up the arse. You can take a day off from being an arsehole once in a while you know?'

'I know I know. You don't go off on one unless you need to. But thank you, for the boot up the arse I mean.' Miriam smiled at her sister. 'I'm gonna try and get myself sorted out, for Maddie and myself.'

'That's what I like to hear. Now, give us a hug.'

Morrigan slid off her stool and shuffled round to her sister, both of them flung their arms around each other and squeezed the tightest hug they could muster.

'I will leave you with this though...' Morrigan said as she picked up her teacup. She poured the last few drops settling in the bottom of the cup and shook them out on the immaculate granite counter. Miriam's left eye twitched. After a few seconds of twitching, she shook her hand over the drips and they magically vanished.

'HA! I FUCKING KNEW IT!' Morrigan cackled as she pointed at her sister. 'You do still use your magic!'

'Ah you bitch!' Miriam laughed at her sister. 'Only for little things I don't do what you do.'

'But you still use magic though. Hey, there's nowt stopping you from coming back.'

'Maybe. I dunno.' Miriam replied.

'Well, you know where I am if you change your mind.' Morrigan picked her handbag up. 'And call your daughter from time to time, she does miss you. Bye sis.'

'Bye sis.'

Morrigan casually saluted her sister then disappeared in a flash.