Mother and daughter looked at one another. Marie knew what her mom was thinking. Marie nodded, reading her mind. “I can do it.”
“You can decapitate him?”
“I can and will. I’m not thrilled about it, but I’ll do it.”
Her mom only looked at her.
“Mom, c’mon. I’m up for it.”
“Okay.” She was silent for a moment. “There is another way.”
“What do you mean?” Marie asked, confused.
“There’s a way we can turn him back into a mortal. Marie, you could be with him as husband and wife. Your powers would still increase his life span. But, I don’t have the necessary ingredients for such a spell.”
Marie took a deep sigh. “I don’t think he wants to stick around. He didn’t marry me for love, Mom.”
“He’s a damned fool, then.” But her mom nodded, understanding. “You should take the information, just in case.”
Her mom went to the shelf and pulled out a few books. “I’m not sure which one of these it’s in, but rest assured, we’ll find it.”
Marie watched as her mother flipped through one book at a time.
“From what I know about vampires, the curse works like a virus. He needs something to fight it off.”
She finally found what she was looking for in the fifth and last book she had brought out.
“Reversing vampirism. Here it is,” the mother-witch said as she read on. Marie frowned when her mother took a deep breath. She didn’t like the sound of that.
“What?” Marie asked.
“It’s just lengthy, that’s all.”
Marie took the book from her mom. “He drinks for six days. Milk thistle, mullein, witch hazel, fennel, thyme, agrimony, Devil’s claw, eucalyptus, lemon peel, bat’s blood, ginger. Then cut both arms and inject him with the venom of a cobra. Then make an ointment of aloe, hawthorn berry, juniper leaf, and lobelia.”
Each ingredient had a measurement next to it. Marie looked up at her mom. “Six bats? Where am I going to find six bats?”
Her mom raised an eyebrow. “You’ve come to the right place. I know just the man who can get us both the venom and bat’s blood. But it’s going to be expensive, and it might take some time. Maybe don’t decapitate him right away?”
She looked back down at the ingredients. “Looks like the potion and the venom work together as they cleanse his body.”
“Without the potion, a cobra’s venom will disfigure him permanently. Marie, you have to get everything just right.”
“It would be so easier just to kill him, honestly,” Marie joked. “I just don’t know if he’ll go for any of this,” she said, growing serious this time.
Her mom nodded. “It’s going to take a few days. My advice is that you stick it out here and get a feel for him. Don’t tell him right away about the reversal. Say nothing of the venom or the bat’s blood we’re waiting on. Just tell him you’ll need a thousand dollars for the ingredients to end his life. That’s what it will cost for six bats, and the snake venom.”
“One thousand dollars? No way, I’d rather just pay it myself. He didn’t ask to be saved, Mom. And garlic costs what? A buck? I’m not going to use his wealth for my own agenda for something he doesn’t even want.”
“Marie, you’d be foolish to waste that money when he has it already. Just ask him.”
Marie shook her head, adamant. “You raised me to be an honest witch. And look, if he’s as wealthy as he says he is and he ends up going with death, I’ll inherit his money anyway.”
Her mother only shook her head. “Some witch you turned out to be. Marrying a suicidal vampire.”
Marie put her hand on her mom’s arm. “Mom, I love him. You don’t know him like I do. I’ve gotten to know him these past few days. I’ve never felt like this before. So, give me a break, will you?”
Her mother looked at her sternly. “He’s a vampire, Marie. Think of the consequences. What will he do if he’s hungry? Their kind, they only think with their hunger. Don’t come here and tell me that everything is hunky dory. Do not trust him until he’s dead, or reversed, you hear me?” her mom asked, her voice raised.
Marie only nodded. She knew her mother had a point. Marie had tears in her eyes and acted quickly to put on a brave face.
Her mom’s tone softened when she noticed her daughter’s face. “Oh sweetie, just be careful around him.”
Marie nodded. “I know. I’ll make sure he’s feeding regularly.”
Her mom thought of something and told her to turn a few pages. Marie’s eyes widened as she read, but her mom interrupted her thoughts.
“You know, there’s been a vampire shortage these past hundred years. This new coven wants to change that. Marie, if that leader is aware of you, there’s no telling what he’d do. He wanted me to join them, of all people, he wanted our forces to work together. And I’m just an old woman. But you, Marie. He takes one look at you, there’s no telling what he’d do.”
Marie nodded. “I’ll make that dispel potion,” she said, as she wrote down everything she needed for the rest of the potions and salves she came across. She read everything back to herself, triple checking the measurements. She knew her mom was right. One mistake and the whole spell would be in vain. Taking a picture of it was completely forbidden. Witches practices were against modern technologies.
Marie left to work on the dispel potion and to see what else she could make while there. Her mom pointed out something rather interesting in one of the books, and Marie thought she’d try it. Maybe she’d be able to sleep with William after all. Maybe tonight. She was getting excited at the idea but reprimanded herself before her fantasies ran away with her. She needed to concentrate on the task at hand.
Witches, despite their overall distaste of garlic, always kept a large amount in their supplies since it was used in a lot of spells and potions. In addition to the dispel potion she was making, she thought she’d keep some undiluted garlic as well, in case she needed to make more later. She usually cooked it down to put in some of the herbal tea she used for the dispel, but this version was more potent. She would put the dispel in three small skinny potion bottles, with light brown corks for all three. For the more potent garlic, ten whole garlics in total, she used a bigger potion bottle with a red cork. The kitchen was smoky, the smell of garlic filling the air. She opened a window, hating the smell of it as much as the next witch or vampire.
Meanwhile, the mother-witch stepped into the room where William was quietly reading. She sat down across from him, a serious look on her face. William set the book down and cleared his throat. He felt nervous around this witch and wasn’t sure why.
“You married my daughter. Why?” she asked bluntly.
“Oh, that?’ He laughed nervously, as if making no big deal out of it. “Well, that was only so that she could inherit my wealth.”
“You know William, if you knew anything about witches, you know that wealth is not a thing we value. Witches need simple things like nature, community. Wealth does nothing for us.”
“But Marie agreed to marry me. Why then, if not for my wealth?” William asked with a raised eyebrow.