VII - Bewitched

She let out a heavy sigh when realization hits her. "It was a dream, it felt so real", she mumbled. Tara came to check on her only to see that she was sleeping deeply. "What was your dream?", she asked curiously.

Odette broke a laugh and shook her head. "You wouldn't want to know what that red-haired girl and I did in my dreams", she jokingly said which is slightly true. Tara is not the kind of girl who would want to hear stories like her dream.

"You mean, Karma? The girl you kissed?", Tara insisted to know. Odette smirked and nodded.

"I have been having a dream about them lately", she added. Realising that they were in the same shoes, an idea popped into Odette's mind. She stood up and grab Tara by her hands.

At this point, Tara feels like she doesn't want to hear anything she would say. She can feel it.

"No, you are not going to propose anything to me", she warned, forcing herself to stay firm with her decision. Odette chuckled and gave her a pout.

"I haven't even got to say anything yet", she said while clinging into her friend's arms.

It was a long discussion after but Tara found herself tracing the usual path they always take to get to the human world. It was a mixed of excitement and fear as they walk through the prohibited area. It's been weeks since the last time they did this and they didn't know what's gotten into them to commit this kind of thing again.

"What was his name again? Kieran? What kind of dream did you have?", Odette asked which Tara quickly dismissed. Her face grew red upon remembering the dreams she's been having lately.

"Yes and I don't want to think about it", Odette's smile grew wider, tickling Tara non-stop.

They stopped from their tracks and look at the portal ahead of them. For the first time in their secret escapes, Tara signals Odette to go by giving her a nod. There was almost no hesitation from her eyes. It was something different. Like she was more than excited for something.

"You sure are doing this" smiling, Odette held Tara's hand like the usual and they entered the pathway to the world opposite to them.

Hiding behind a tree was a small figure, watching the two girls vanished from the beaming doorway.

-

Irritatedly, she let herself rest beside a massive tree. "Fucking hell of a forest", Karma spat angrily.

It's been weeks and she has been visiting the forest from time to time, trying to look for a possible path. She kept insisting to herself that Odette leaves somewhere nearby but she can't get enough information. All she remembered was the path Odette and Tara took, but there's no proof of living beyond the area.

The reason why she's doing doing this remains unknown but her desire to get answer is as strong as the raging feeling in her heart at this moments.

Sounds of footsteps alerted her. She stood from her seat and tried to keep herself calm. Disappointed, she sensed a familiar feeling of human. This is not what she wanted to sense right now, she was yearning for that powerful sense that it almost feels dangerous for her.

"I'm going to kill whoever those people are" she mumbled to herself and starts making a move.

It was a short period of time when she got a sight of her targets. Two old men were walking in the middle of the forest, carrying rifles on their back. They were probably hunters, but unluckily for them, they are the one being hunted at the moment.

Karma moved liked a flash, even faster than the movements of the wind. The next thing she knew, the two men were lying on the ground, both unconscious after getting knocked out from behind.

"You people hunt animals but get paralyzed by a mere punch", she whispered as she reached for the other one's neck.

She shook her head to move the hair away from her face before connecting her fangs to his neck. The pulsating sounds from his veins rang through her ears as she felt every drop of his blood flows around her body. The moment felt like she was in a fast forward, everything almost seems blurry.

"Old men don't really taste the best" she said as she wipes the excess blood from her mouth with so much disgust. "Oh! Good thing you did not die"

She ignored the other person and left them lying on the ground, senseless. She did not drain the blood out of his body so he will live. She remembered she left her backpack on her last position, making her left with no choice but to come back.

"Look, there's a stuff right there" Tara pointed her lips towards the massive tree ahead of them.

Without thinking, they walked towards it. "Someone must have been here. Do you think they saw us?"

"I didn't felt a presence of someone being around" Tara roamed her eyes around and catched a glimpse of a woman standing not too far from them.

Her auburn red hair beam along the rays of sun hitting her face. She looks unusual under the sun. "Is that girl, Karma?" Tara asked which made Odette froze.

"Since when did you get here?" they didn't notice that Karma was already beside them.

karma looks uneasy than usual. Like her confidence was slightly stripped and she's eyeing Odette in a very uncomfortable way. Her presence also felt dark and somewhat gloomy for the two.

"Uhh, kinda long enough. We are actually going home" Odette insisted which confused Tara who's looking at the two of them back and forth.

"Where? Where do you live? I can drive you home" Odette's brows furrowed when she noticed the rush in her voice.

Karma heave out a long sigh and snatched her bag away from the two. She rummaged inside it and realised nothing was gone. All her books were still there.

She chuckled a little, trying to ease the tension building up. "Sorry, I was...going through a lot" she said while brushing her hair.

"Is there something we can do?" Odette asked with an obvious hint of worry.

She shook her head and turned her back against them. "I have to go first", Karma said, slightly glancing.

She already walked a distance when Odette pulled Tara to ran towards her. "Wait!" she shouted. Licking her lips and preventing herself from smirking, Karma turned to look at them

"What is it?", she asked makingit sounds like as if she's in a hurry.

Fidgeting her dress, Odette answered. "Are you going home?"

"No, I am going to some friends." Karma watched the two who cannot respond. Tilting her head, she smiled and added, "You wanna come?" that made their faces lit.

Karma scanned the two infront of her and realised one thing. "You are looking odd", she spat. She bit her lip and tried to think of nice word where she won't hurt their feelings.

"What?", Tara broke in, Odette glancing at her in surprised.

Karma scratched her head and slightly chuckled. "I mean, you look different. Why don't we get some clothes since it's along the way?"

The two eyed each other as if they were talking through their minds. They do not know how this world works so hearing it from her confused and scares them.

Karma noticed the uneasiness between the two so she break the silence. "It's on me. You don't have to worry about anything" and she showed them her most genuine smile.

Karma almost fell to a deep thought realising that the two were really not just dressed oddly, they seem like they don't know a lot of things in this world. Her doubt only get stronger each day she sees them. Like her intuition is going accordingly to her conclusion. 

"Okay, where are we going?" Odette asked that snapped her back into reality. Karma clasped her hand and motioned the way out. 

"Just follow me. And, may I know why you two are always wandering here? As for me, I just really like to read my books here", she paused to wait for their response. Again, the two looked at each other as if they're hesitant to answer. 

"We used to hang around here" Tara answered in behalf of Odette. Karma nodded, knowing well that they don't used to hang around here. This place was already her spot ever since she was a kid. 

-

Kieran woke up from another dream. He reached for the glass of water on the table beside him. "That felt so fucking real", he muttered and heaved out a heavy sigh. 

"Karma!" he shouted while walking around their hallway. 

Instead, he bumped on Brandon. "What are you shouting about at this hour?"

"Where's Karma?" he asked. "She left earlier, she was actually waking you up." and he turned to walk away before Kieran could ever respond. 

"Whatever", he went towards the kitchen and rumage through their refrigerator. 

"It was fine" a familiar voice from his dream suddenly echoed in his mind. He brushed his hair hastily out of frustration. 

"What the hell is happening to me!" 

"What is happening to you?" he looked behind him and saw his mother holding her usual wine glass. He shrugged and continue chugging down the bottle he randomly snatched. "Where's your sister?" 

"I don't know. I just got out of my room but let me know if you if you knew where she is", he said wondering where his sister could be at this moment. 

"Oh! I remember, the ministry is finally visiting on Sunday. Make sure you behave yourselves until that day" he stopped and stared at her for a while. "Hmmm. Goodluck, I have things to do anyways"

And there, he escaped a possible discussion with her mother. Carmen stared at her own reflection on the glas she was holding. She let her son left. "This family is making me age when I should not", she whispered to herself and sipped the remaining wine in her glass. 

- 

The two wandered around the unfamiliar place. Unfamiliar kind of clothings are everywhere and it is making them overwhelmed. "This is so new to me", Tara whispered to Odette. 

"I kind of saw this situation when I was sneaking at Lilith's room but I did not expect it to be this...big?" Odette responded, examining every piece of clothing she can see.

"Do you need help picking?" Karma suddenly appeared beside them with two women behind her. 

Before Odette could speak, Karma motioned the women to get their sizes. The two froze on their spot as the ladies move to check their bodies with tape measures. It took them a while until the two left. "You good", Karma asked, slightly chuckling at the sight. 

They were offered to seat at the cushion. While waiting for the asisstants, Tara suddenly felt a familiar aura. She roamed her eyes around trying to recognize the familiar feeling. 

"Hey! Karma?" her attention shifted to the woman standing infront of them. 

If she could be descrived with all the adjectives possible, she would be a mixture of charming, glamorous, alluring, bewitching, magnificent, and it almost feels like she's glowing. Karma stood straight and faced the woman. 

"Beatriz, you are here too" she said with such coldness. 

"You have company?" the woman replied, eyeing the two who stood upon mentioning them. 

Karma smiled and motioned the two to introduce them. "Odette," she paused to point her. "and Tara. They are my friends and this girl here is Beatriz, my senior" the latter flashed a wide smile and kissed their cheeks without hesitation. 

Tara catched a glimpse of something familiar. The woman smirked at the sight of Tara's eye direction. "Seems like you guys are busy. I just saw Karma so I stopped to say hi! Are you bringing them later?" 

Karma remained with a cold expression. "Actually, yeah" 

"Exciting! See you, I guess?"