The Vampire & Her Witch

Chapter 1640: Blackberry Rose

Saini sampled her sweetened cream one last time before judging it close enough to perfect that no one but her was likely to notice the minor flaws.

At times like this, she truly envied Amahle’s ability to know where the other members of her coven were. Finally, however, her ears swiveled as she heard the faint sound of a flat-bottomed boat making its way over the water toward their quiet, cozy home.

Her tail twitched in anticipation, and she had to take several deep breaths to stop herself from rushing out onto the porch to stand at the railing. Just a few minutes more, and she would make use of every one of them as she slowly spooned the whipped, sweetened cream into the pie plate lined with candied pecans. Once the layer of cream was in place, her fingers moved quickly and precisely to move the slices of pawpaw fruit on top of the cream in an artful pattern of concentric rings.

"There, just in time," she said, smiling contentedly as she rose from the table where she’d been working to take the pie over to one of the cooling boxes that Amahle kept filled with ice. The pie she’d made was a better dessert for the hottest days of summer, when the chilled, sweetened cream could combine with the buttery fruit and crunchy pecans to create a treat that made you forget about the sweat running down your back or the insects buzzing around...

On cooler days like today, Saini actually favored smaller treats baked beside the hearth, whether they were rich, buttery cookies or sweet, nut-filled spice-cakes. But the pawpaw pie was Mamao’s favorite any time of year, and that meant it was the only thing she would make to welcome the Blackberry Witch home.

-THUMP-

The sound of a boat thumping against the dock was quiet enough that it didn’t disturb Jacques or Amahle, but Saini’s ears swiveled toward the door, and she had to hold herself back, once again, from rushing out to the porch. If she did, if she could have Mamao all to herself outside, then they might never get to dinner, and that... that wouldn’t do.

At the table, Amahle wore a slight smile on her lips as she watched Saini’s ears turn toward the door and remain that way as the Rose Witch’s breathing quickened and her hands started fidgeting with the loose, flowing fabric of her skirt. Across the room, she caught Jacque’s eye as a quiet look passed between them before the large, scaly Sandbox Witch made a point of fussing over the garnish for his catfish, putting on an act of being oblivious to the door.

-SCUFFLE, SCUFFLE, SCUFFLE-

-THUMP, THUMP, THUMP-

The sounds of rapidly approaching footsteps felt like they had been timed to sync with Saini’s heartbeats moments before the door opened to reveal a short ball-shaped figure wrapped head to toe in traveling clothes.

It was hard to see more of Mamao than her small, dark eyes. The wide-brimmed Traveling Hat with its floppy, cone-shaped crown had enough trinkets stuffed into its brim that the whole hat seemed to droop down low, reaching the Blackberry Witch’s cloaked shoulders and hiding her away.

The straps of bulging satchels crossed her chest, and she carried a gnarled walking stick in one hand while the other hand was already working at the laces of her mossy-green cloak.

"I’m home, I’m home, and just a moment, I’m stuck on, no, I’m not, I just, whoop, no, stay, stay!" the Blackberry witch commanded as she set her walking stick by the door, giving it a firm order to remain upright, which it promptly disobeyed with a clatter as it fell to the ground. The racket didn’t seem to slow her down, however, as her nimble fingers quickly removed her cloak, tossing it toward the rack by the door, only for her throw to fall short, dropping to the floor.

"I’ll clean that up, mama, I’ll get to it in just a breath, now..." she said before her eyes fell on Saini, and her voice trailed off.

"Sugar-sugar," Mamao whispered half a heartbeat before her feet started moving, all thoughts of taking off her satchels forgotten as her feet started scurrying across the floor as fast as they could carry her. Fast enough that her dusky purple Traveling Hat fell from her head, revealing dull brown hair mixed with rows of cream-colored quills that matched the quills protruding from her shoulders, back, and spine.

"Honey-dew," Saini said as her restraint shattered at last and she rushed across the floor in a clatter of hooves before she dropped to her knees and opened her arms wide.

-THUMP-

Saini nearly fell over as Mamao threw herself into the embrace, burying her head in Saini’s bosom and pressing her cute, rounded face as close to Saini’s heart as she could get.

"I’m home, I’m home, and I came as fast as I could, and it’s so dark out there tonight, and I know I’m late, but there was something odd about the Ancient Willow when I passed it on the way, it’s so quiet and calm now and not angry like before, and I..."

"Hush, now, Honey-dew, you’re home," Saini said as she wrapped her arms around Mamao, feeling the smaller witch’s quills lying down flat as her defenses melted away the way they would for very few people. You could count the number of people Mamao allowed to touch her on the fingers of two hands, and three of them were in this very room, but no one other than Saini drew the instant, yielding reaction from the Blackberry Witch that Saini did.

"I know I’m home and I missed you so much and it was so cold in the mountains and I had to go so high up this time and I..."

"Hush," Saini repeated, pulling back enough to place a finger on Mamao’s lips while she looked into the other woman’s shining eyes.

"I’m a hushin’," Mamao said with a slight pout.

"You’re hushin’ now," Saini agreed with a smile as she leaned forward, tilting her head just enough that her nose brushed against Mamao’s as their lips met at last.

Mamao’s lips were as soft as velvet and her kiss was as sweet as honeyed wine and Saini savored every moment as the world fell away, leaving her and Mamao in a space of their own where time didn’t flow and the only thing that mattered was letting their hearts speak directly to each other through lips and tongues and gentle touches that each woman used to reassure themselves that the person in their arms was really, really here... and that they weren’t going anywhere any time soon.