Rising Hostility

Mabel stepped back from Cassie, her hands at her sides balled into fists and her dark brown eyes stared daggers at Marianne.

"You weren't supposed to know we were coming here," Mabel whined. She stamped her foot like a child throwing a tantrum, her heavy boots thudding against the hardwood of the apartment and her white lab coat swooshed around her slacks.

Katherine's brow furrowed, she was initially surprised when her sisters showed up instead of Guard members but it made sense her mother would send someone to get her before anyone else after The Guards examined the blown up Vampire with traces of her magic all over him. She thought Marianne would have been the first choice but based on Mabel's words, something was going on with the hierarchy in the house and Katherine was not looking forward to being thrown back into the mix.

"Ahem, I hate to interrupt your hissy fit, but we should do the spell and leave before mother realizes how long we've been gone," Adelaide interjected as she took long strides over to Katherine.

"Not until she fixes the door," insisted Marianne. She tossed her paper coffee cup to the side for it to to burst into sparkles and disappear completely as she took slow deliberate steps toward Mabel. Marianne took a long drag of her cigarette letting the smoke billow and curl from her mouth as she stared down into Mabel's unwavering face.

They glared at each other for a long minute before Mabel raised a hesitant hand and snapped her fingers. All of the wood chips that scattered the floor started to vibrate as they pieced themselves back together and flew back onto the door and surrounding frame. The front door that had been kicked clear into the kitchen whooshed passed them blowing strands of their hair up and slammed back onto its hinges like it had never left.

"Now that's a good girl," Marianne sneered. She shoulder into Mabel as she stepped past with her eyes on the chalk circle with Dorian still asleep in the middle. Marianne's eyes wandered over each symbol and rune before meeting eyes with Katherine.

Katherine was slightly taken aback, sure her sisters always fought but right now they were more hostile than she's ever seen. She just hoped that things wouldn't escalate further once they got home.

"I take back what I said about doing the spell," Marianne eyed Katherine, "Let's go."

Katherine couldn't believe her ears. She decided she would no longer come quietly if Marianne was going to go back on letting her continue. Katherine took a step toward Marianne ready to fight her if need be but Adelaide grabbed on to her arm to stop her.

"It'll only take a few minutes, Marianne we should just do it," Adelaide suggested. Katherine turned her head to look at Adelaide, her mouth slightly open in awe. Did she really just take her side? Against Marianne? Katherine's chest started to tighten, she felt like she couldn't breathe and her legs felt like radio static. Something was off.

"I don't remember saying this was up for debate," scolded Marianne who turned to Cassie, "Cassandra, I appreciate the phone call, but refrain for doing it again in the future."

"This is my fault, just let me protect him and I'll go with you willingly," Katherine bargained. Marianne had her back to Katherine but turned her head to side-eye her.

"That's just it though, I don't care if you're willing or not," Marianne replied shrugging her shoulders. She swung her hand up dramatically and snapped her fingers with a force hard enough to echo through out the apartment.

Everything around Katherine started to dissolve and become distorted like she was looking at the room through a glass of water. A gust of air rushed passed her face and her ears cleared themselves with a pop.

Katherine fell hard enough on the cold paved road to have the air knocked out of her. She gasped to fill her lungs but the sharp freezing air made her cough as she pushed herself to sit up dusting tiny rocks from her hands. She turned her head side to side, the desolate icy road was surrounded by an eerily quiet forest, leading to a single wrought iron gate with various intricate designs.

Marianne appeared next to her and snatched Katherine's arm to hoist her to her feet. Katherine tried to yank her arm away but Marianne dug her fingers into Katherine's arm piercing through her sweater to sink her long pointed nails into flesh. Marianne waved her hand and a black metal cuff appeared in her hand. Oh no, Katherine thought as she thrashed her body to get away but Marianne only tightened her grip as she put the cuff on Katherine's wrist.

Once Marianne released her arm, Katherine flung herself dramatically into the road with a thud, spreading her arms and legs wide. If she was going to be humiliated by having a witches chain put on her, she might as well give them all something to be embarrassed about.

"Katherine don't be like this, you're on trial for murder," Marianne explained, "You would have gotten one put on you sooner or later, this way we can avoid putting a rewind spell on the house."

Katherine huffed and lifted her head to glare at Marianne. It didn't matter now that she was able to gain a bit of magic from Dorian or that she had her own magic taken from her. With the magic suppressing cuff on her wrist, any one she encounters while she is here will know she's a criminal.

"Yeah, but I didn't actually kill anyone, that guy was dead when we found him," defended Katherine.

"I'm your lawyer, I don't care whether you did it or not, now get out of the road so we can go home," Marianne shouted, but Katherine would not budge.

After a few minutes of silence, Katherine heard the scraping of metal and the groaning of the gate open. From the corner of her eye she could see a shiny white car approach her, not slowing down.

"Katherine, move out of the way!" Marianne called out from the side of the road but Katherine was being stubborn. She heard Marianne clap her hands together and Katherine's whole body slid across the road out of harms way to where Marianne was standing.

The car came to a screeching halt and the back window rolled down to reveal a woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties. Her long blonde hair cascaded in waves down the front of her white turtle neck. Her hazel eyes were wide in surprise at seeing the two young women on the side of the road but softened as recognition set in.

"Oh its just you Marianne," The woman exclaimed, " I was afraid I would have to call The Guard on trespassing intruders."

Katherine stood from the ground dusting off the last bit off rocks, her and Marianne plastered matching tight smiles on their faces. This was just her luck, she had only been trying to irritate Marianne by laying in the road, she didn't think the first person they were going to run into would be Amelie Youngblood; Alice and Dorian's grandmother.