15. Goal Met

Eleanor's eyes widened. She thought she misheard. "What?" She replied blankly.

"Well we need one more member and I think it would be a great idea if it's you."

"W-why would I ever do something so ridiculous?" Eleanor tripped over her words.

"I don't know. I just thought it would be nice to be closer to you."

Eleanor's heart skipped. She knew when he said 'closer' it didn't automatically mean in that way. But why did it still make her heart happy.

"What do you say?" He asked her.

She looked into his eyes and they played back a previous event. Her memories sprang forward. The taste of his blood. The feeling of his tongue on her chest. The way his saliva seem to soak into her pours and hijack her internal systems. They all now laid at the front of her mind. To be clear she definitely wanted to be 'closer' in that way.

She turned slightly from his gaze. "F-fine. But it's only temporary. If I deem this club unworthy then I won't hesitate to abandon you all."

Austin chuckled. "Deal."

Eleanor looked at Cereza. "You okay with this?"

She just smiled nonchalantly. "Sure, sure. Why not? I think its a great idea too."

Eleanor shrugged her shoulders. "Don't come crying to me later 'Princess'."

"So? What do we actually do here at..." Christian looked over the small sign on the front door. "...Supernatural Discoveries?"

Cereza clapped her hands together. "Oh yes. So this club was founded to investigate the supernatural and other things that can't be explained like magic and stuff."

"Magic and stuff?" Christian said skeptically.

"That sounds pretty fun." Nessie said. "Do you perform magic...'Sir-REES-sa? Did I say that right"

"Oh, sorry allow me reintroduce myself. My name is Cereza el Bernard. 'Sur-RAY-zah'. A pleasure to meet you..." She extended her hand out.

"Nessandra Cox." She took Cereza's hand. 

"And I am Sir Christian Manson." He took Cereza's hand and kissed it as he had done Schera earlier. "Ever at your disposal. Huh? el Bernard? Why does that sound familiar?"

Several veins popped on Schera's brows. She popped Christian's hand.

"Mind yourself, 'Christian'." Schera disdainfully spoke his name with heavy emphasis.

Eleanor smirked. "I guess its my turn. I am Eleanor Cheshire. The pleasure is all yours. I'm sure."

"Who's the kid?" Christian whispered to Austin in earshot of Eleanor.

A vessel threatened to pop in Eleanor's temple. "The hell you say? Are you blind? I am an adult. 'UH-DULT!"

"She's kinda adorable right?" Christian had a brotherly smile on his face completely missing what was being said to him. "Wanna be my little sis..."

Austin tried to interject. "Hey I wouldn't..."

"...ster..." He barely got to finish the word.

Eleanor cleanly gut checked him. The air deflated from his lungs and he slumped to the ground. Nessie stood there with an uncomfortable smile on her face not sure how to react.

"Was that necessary?" Austin asked.

"Absolutely. He should count himself lucky, you experienced worse when you treated me like a kid."

Austin rubbed his neck and chuckled and looked at Christian with a grim look. "Yeah."

"Relax I have no intention of making that lapse in judgement again."

"Things seem ta' be gettin' lively out here. Mind a lil' mo' company?" 

Bridget came from around the back of the building wiping the sweat from her forehead, with her hair tied back. She was wearing a black and lime green sports bra with matching joggers and off brand tennis shoes. Her arms and legs were thick and the muscles were well defined yet feminine. She was like the most beautiful Amazoness. One could tell from one glance, she was soft to the touch, but capable of popping your head between her biceps. 

Schera step in front of her blocking her view from Christian and Nessie. Then Schera whispered. "Master you're eyes are still red."

"What's 'dat matter? I miss something?"

"Just welcoming the newest members of the Supernatural Discoveries Club." Cereza explained.

"Dat' right?" Bridget, who had just noticed them, asked the two humans directly. "You guys believe in da supernatural?" She gestured her hands in a spooky manner. Red eyes and all.

Christian answered first. "Ghost might exist."

"For sure'." Bridget responded with a delighted smile.

"Hmmm? Curses. Possibly demons and gods."

"Mhm mhm. Doesn't any of that scare you?"

"Not really. Guess I don't scare easily."

Bridget leaned in close with a wicked smirk. "What about Vampires? Do they scare you?"

Christian gazed into her piercing red eyes as if he were lost. Then he came back. "You're eyes are like precious rubies that transcends all logic and defies all common sense. I am almost unworthy of such a sight."

Bridget started to bust a gut. "Oh, I like him. I could jus' eat 'em up."

"Please don't." Austin interjected.

Bridget's eyes sunk low in a sultry manner. "I could always eat you instead."

Cereza hooked Austin's arms and squinted her eyes at her sister with a pout. Schera instinctively moved closer and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose while Eleanor folded her arms and side eyed Bridget. 

Bridget threw her hands up in surrender. "Geez, you girls are too selfish. What's one mo'? Greedy I tell ya'." She laughed again.

Both Nessie and Christian alternated their gaze between Oliver and the four girls. Christian couldn't keep quiet any longer. 

"Hey, what's with this atmosphere?"

"Oh yeah..!" Austin quickly changed the subject. "The magic show is in two days. We have nothing prepared."

They all stopped cold. Then in unison. "I Forgot."

"Well we got to put something together."

"Don't sweat it my man. You have a magician here by your side." Christian smirked throwing a confident arm over Austin's shoulder.

Austin removed it. "You. Are not a magician. I've seen your 'work' and..." He didn't bother finishing the sentence before turning back to the girls. "We should practice some basic things like..."

"...Levitation." Roxas' voice finished.

"Yes. Levitation. Wait can you actually?..."

"No. But it can be made to appear as such." Roxas' voice answered.

"Huh?" It took a minute, but Austin realized Roxas had suddenly appeared beside him. "Ah Roxas?"

"By utilizing wind and gravity magicks you can simulate levitation. But it requires precise control. Furthermore..." Austin covered her mouth quickly.

"Those two over there are human." He whispered. 

"Oh I see." Roxas didn't seem to have noticed them or most likely didn't care to acknowledge. 

"Gravity magic? Wind magic? That sounds really cool. Is it like illusions?" Nessie smiled. It seemed she had an interest in magic theater.

"Not illusion. Blood..." Once again Austin's hand covered Roxas' mouth

Christian stepped in. "Of course a magician never tell his or her secrets. That's rule number one my dear Nessie."

"Exactly!" I confirmed. "It'll ruin the 'ah' of it."

She just smiled and nodded. "Oh you're right. Sorry."

Austin quickly switched the conversation. "Did you need something Roxas?"

"Yes. There's still the matter of your blood. I came to retrieve a sample."

"Is there something wrong with Austin?" Nessie asked

"Yes." Roxas stated plainly.

"No." Austin responded at the same time.

"He is an anomaly."

Austin looked over to his two friends nervously. Bridget laughed first. "Dat's enough Roxas, funny as it is. It's only a joke. Think nothin' of it."

Austin exhaled exhausted while Roxas was her usual self not concerned with who knows what she was and wanted. Never had, never will.

Bridget whispered to Austin. "You'd betta' go wit' her 'fo she says anything mo'."

Austin nodded. "Agreed."

Austin grabbed Roxas' hand and lead her back to the main campus. 

Christian peiced something together. "Ah! The new teacher has that surname."

"Oh yeah and you two have the same color hair." Nessie pointed to Bridget.

"That's cause we're sisters." Cereza responded.

"We?" Christian raised an eyebrow.

"Yup. All three of us." Bridget comfirmed with a smile.