"Who bestowed upon you the powers you use?" interrogated Selena, the council Head overseeing North America.

"It was bestowed upon me by a sister witch named Nadia whose life was claimed during the battle between the Nicolli and Raven clan after I saved her daughter's life," lied Sabrina without blinking. She was standing on shaky ground, just a mistake, and these people would vaporize her on the spot.

As expected the war between those two vampire clans had been so great that Selena took up the case herself. Other times, her overlord Gazia would have taken care of this situation. However, it seems they had woken up from their slumber and tightening their defense.

The place was sort of a gathering room with a throne in which Selena sat, while Gazia was seated beside her on a lower step and a chair less magnificent than hers and bluish fluorescent bulbs lighting the arena.

Other chairs were occupied by witches of various levels and importance with a small attendance of high tier Hunters. On the floor where Sabrina stood was an intricate design of triangles with several triangles of different shapes and patterns overlapping each other.

"You, a witch with no power saved Devon during the war? What could you have done so well without powers?" Mocked Gazia.

"I might have been powerless at that time but I had enough experience with knowledge of poisons and potions. With that, I wiped every enemy in my way, unless you're implying that the method can't be trusted?" was Sabrina's controversial question at them.

If they said no, that means all their doctrines and teachings were wrong and if they said yes, most witches might have to rely on their knowledge of those things instead of practicing and improving their magic. Unlike what others thought, practicing magic was cumbersome and risky with consequences -depending on the magnitude and type of spell- why not seek a close road that's *op?

"You're sure of what you're saying?" Selena asked her, lips pulled to the side in a smile.

"I'm…" before Sabrina could say a word, the ground she was standing on suddenly lit up with a golden light that made her scream in agony.

Of course, she was torturing her to elicit the truth from her mouth. However, Sabrina has decided, as far as Nadia had given her a second chance and Devon had successfully withstood her own torture, there was nothing she couldn't take.

"Are you lying to me?" Sabrina asked her.

"No" Sabrina replied amid the fact that her body felt it was on fire, the light was cooking her alive.

"I don't think so, you're lying to me," Selena increased the intensity of her punishment.

Sabrina wailed, doubling over to the floor yet, that seemed to be worse. Her skin was now red and scalded with blisters forming on her legs pressed directly against the source of the light.

"No, I'm not lying!"

"Liar!"

"No, I'm not lying!"

Sabrina gripped her hair, clothes, she didn't know where to keep her hands on or remove to slow down the distress she was going through.

The intense question and answer session lasted until Sabrina collapsed to the ground and the light went off.

Her breath was fast and labored, her head throbbing so painfully that the only thing Sabrina wished that moment was to shut her eyes and go to sleep.

However, she was shocked to look down and discover that there wasn't any scald nor blister on her body, nor sign of any burn mark. What the hell?

Sabrina glanced up at Selena and knew at once it was an illusion. No doubt, she deserved to be called one of the Council Head, for that illusion was so powerful that she swore it was reality. She had to be this powerful one day.

"You have quite a strong determination, which is unseen in a lot of people. I know you're lying, the time frame you got your power doesn't exactly match and I seem to be missing vital information. But then, I'll find out myself," Selena clapped her hands and the door opened to reveal some people who brought in a naked Nadia on a surgical table.

"Mom" Devon who had been quiet all this while reacted and tried to get in their way but she was grabbed and held back by the witches by her side.

"Mother! what are you doing with her body. That is so disrespectful! " she summoned her magic but they quickly sealed it away momentarily.

"Necromancers," That was the first thought that came into Sabrina's mind.

They were going to summon back her soul. Nadia was pale- dead pale- and it looked like her body had been cleaned since there wasn't a trace of dirt on her.

A group of women in black cloaks surrounded the table, looking up for a go-ahead order from the head which Selena granted to them without hesitation. At once, one of them who seemed to be the leader came up with a sharp scythe which she used to halve Nadia's stomach.

They continued their operation until they successfully opened her heart, capturing a butterfly that flew out of it.

"Anima nostra voco, rediret ad corpus humilitatis," they all chanted before the butterfly was let to fly out of the room through an opened window.

They all stood for a while with nothing happening, waiting expectantly until a trail of smoke began to emanate from the dissected heart which they placed back into the body, cast a spell that erased any sign of them dissecting the body just as Nadia awoke.

She sat up, looking around with white glassy eyes at everyone before speaking with a deep tone, "Who summoned me?"

"I did," Selena finally stepped down from her throne, walking towards her confidently.

"Why do you disturb a soul that has found rest?" she asked Selena with an expression that could be depicted as a scowl.

"Sorry for that, dead one. But we have some questions for you to answer and then, you can return to your land of the dead," the women gave way for Selena to directly stand in front of her.

"Fine, let's get on with this quickly. There's a boundary between the living and the dead, and once found by the keepers of the dead violating that, there's a punishment," Nadia urged her to begin.

"Do you know that woman?" Selena tilted her head in Sabrina's direction.

Nadia turned, took a good glance at Sabrina who stared back before hissing," If that's the reason you summoned me, then you should know that you've made an enemy of me and are never to call me ever again. And yes, I know her,"

However, Selena was unfazed by her threat - as if she'd be needing her services after this. She went ahead to ask," Did you or did you not give your powers to her,"

Nadia asked her, "Did she say yes?"

"Apparently, she did,"

"Then it is as she says. Never summon me again." Nadia was about to leave when she heard...

"Mother!"

"Devon!"

Their gazes met and normally she wouldn't have felt such longing hence she had crossed over but these witches returned her emotions.

"Mother, please come…. " Devon was still saying when Nadia left the body. There was no need to linger here anymore.

"I guess that answers it all," Selena breathed, "You're free to go,"

Sabrina was greatly relieved by the sudden announcement. She had been on tenterhooks when Nadia was conjured, thinking the woman would go back on her words and all her efforts would be for nothing.

Sabrina and Devon were set free. They sent them back to their house through a portal.

"You did well today by hanging on," Sabrina praised Devon who didn't say a word nor even bestow a smile on her face.

"Where are you going?" Sabrina was surprised when she walked in the direction of the door.

"Going to get some air. This place is God damn suffocating," was her reply.

"Devon.." Sabrina called her but she left without looking back.

She sighed greatly, training up a teenager was such a hard job not to talk of one that wasn't even her daughter.

Sabrina turned around to bump into Dan, this vampire was going to give her a heart attack one day.

"Can you please make a sound the next time you appear before mmmm…" He covered her lips in a kiss that surprised her, she didn't expect that.

"I was so worried about you," Dan breathed upon her lips, his hands going to capture her waist, and kissed her once again.

Sabrina was ruffled, everything was happening so fast especially now they appeared on her bed. He pinned her down, trailing kisses and nipping her neck with the tip of his fang that had her arching her back and moaning in pleasure. For Dan to be this needy, he must have been so scared for her safety.

Sabrina threaded her hand through his hair, molding him further against her and feeling his throbbing manhood press against her core. Today was going to be a busy one.