Chapter 3 - getting revenge

“So… your mother is… interesting,” Thomas managed as they finally parted from her that evening. “Is everyone in your family like that?” he asked, with an undertone of suspicion. His witch-hunter instincts were already kicking in it seemed.

“Pretty much,” Xanthe replied without a care. She was so angry at Thomas, it was all she could do to keep this act going. Before she had left, her mother had enchanted her ring, stopping Thomas from drawing on her power and weakening her further. It meant that she had the time she’d wanted to think out a plan; some sort of justice she hadn’t decided upon yet. “I’m tired though,” she yawned, finding any old excuse she could to go back to her dorm room alone; getting Thomas out of her sight as soon as possible. “I’ll catch up with you when you’re back after the weekend."

A little time was all Xanthe had needed. She had always wondered why her magic seemed to work a little better whenever Thomas was away from her for a couple of days. By Sunday evening, she was levitating objects without many issues at all, and even felt confident enough to try out some larger spells; deciding on the perfect one for Thomas. “Carry my bags for me!” she ordered him, later on that week; grinning with satisfaction as Thomas immediately did as he was told. The boy had completely fallen for the enchantment Xanthe had successfully cast on him; turning him into little more than a slave!

“Thomas is being very… attentive, tonight,” commented one of her dorm friends, as Thomas stood by Xanthe’s side, waiting for an instruction and seemingly unaware of anything else.

“He’s a good boy!” Xanthe grinned, patting Thomas on his broad back, like a dog. The next day, she gave him uncontrollable flatulence, sending him off to his classes and coming back red faced from being unable to hold it all in. The day after that, the boy was cursed to slip and land on his butt wherever he went; making even more of an ass of himself.

It was all great practise for Xanthe’s magic, but as much as these games were fun, it still didn’t make up for all of the anger she felt towards the witch-hunter. Whether Thomas was completely aware of it or not, he’d played her and made her look like a fool! She’d had her magic sucked away from her and was being taken like a lamb to the slaughter. But then, even after all of this, what was she supposed to do? Her magic wouldn’t even work on Thomas in a few weeks’ time, when the boy’s humanity faded and his witch-hunter abilities really started to kick in.

Xanthe could still see her boyfriend changing, his muscles growing impossibly fast, his reflexes sharpening and his mind becoming more questioning towards the strange things in Xanthe’s family; a fierce, unyielding predator growing inside him.

Slowly, Xanthe stopped using her spells on Thomas. What was the point? She’d have to kill him soon anyway.