Maybe I should have flirted instead? I asked myself and the witch laughed as she approached me.

“No, that would have been a mistake.” The witch said and stopped walking right in front of me. “I would have to assume that you only wanted me for my body and I would treat you as if you were less that dirt.” She reached out and touched the gun in the holster under my arm. “I would only tell you the essentials and that would barely help you at all.”

I glanced down and saw her stroke the grip of the gun as if it was something else. I felt myself react and grow hard and I looked into her eyes. I felt the world shift slightly and she gave me a wicked grin.

“Oh, David.” The witch said. “I never imagined that teasingly stroking your ego would get you excited.”

“That's my gun.” I said and she laughed.

“That's what I said.” The witch responded and stepped back. “If you had come into my home and saw me naked, then only thought I was someone to sleep with, I would have scooped out your soul and bound it to one of my demons.” She said. “You would have become my plaything and you would have done everything I asked.”

I really don't like the sound of that. I thought.

“That's because you're smart.” The witch said. “I'm very glad that you've proven worthy of learning what I have to teach you.”

I felt the urge to look down at her womanhood again and I fought it. The urge faded and she gave me another wicked smile.

“Yes, you're definitely going to be fun to play with.” The witch said.

“Are you going to keep teasing me like that?” I asked and waved at her nakedness without actually looking. “It's kind of difficult to learn if you're flaunting yourself around like that all the time.”

The witch laughed and waved her hand over herself. Clothing literally grew around her from somewhere and covered her essential bits, then spread out and covered her in a red leather bodysuit.

“Um... that's not much of an improvement.” I said.

She laughed and reached out to touch my chest. “I'm just listening to what my little friend tells me.”

I sighed. “Fine.”

The witch held a hand out to me and I took it.

“Hi. It's nice to meet you.” I said as I shook it.

“Ha ha! That's cute.” The witch said. “I was trying to take the coffin lid from you.”

“Oh.” I said and turned it around as I put it on the floor.

“Hmm. I see.” The witch said. “Why did you bring this to me?”

“I was told that you would know what all these scribbles mean.” I said.

“I do.” The witch said. “And?”

I was kind of surprised by her reaction. “I want you to tell me what they mean.”

“What? Why?” The witch asked. “These are just basic containment runes and spells for silence and sleep. You should know this.”

“Huh?” I looked at her with confusion.

“Hold on.” The witch stepped close to me again. “You... you don't know them?”

“No. Why would I?” I asked.

“It's basic spell work for a necromancer, that's why.” The witch said. “Didn't Angelica tell you about it and advise you?”

It took me a few minutes to recall the conversation from years ago. “At the time, I believe she said that it was dangerous to delve too deeply into that aspect of necromancy, so I didn't bother.”

The witch took my hand and I thought she was going to shake it or something. “Bad!” She said and used her other hand and slapped my fingers. “Bad!” She repeated and did it again. “Bad!”

I was shocked that she was scolding me like a little child.

“You are a child. An ignorant child.” The witch said, her happy face had become stern. “Angelica didn't tell you not to do it. She only told you not to dig too deep into the forbidden rituals.”

I opened my mouth to defend myself, then I sighed.

“No, I don't think you're lazy, just uninspired.” The witch said before the thought could even form in my head. “If you had read even one book that's available as a necromancy primer, you would recognize the constraint runes and the silence and sleep inscriptions.” She said and pointed to the casket lid.

“I guess that means I have a bit of studying to do.” I said.

_______________

You've done it now. She used to see you in a positive light and now she has a different opinion. Nice walking on the razor's edge. I'm rooting for you, buddy! Okay, you've got a chance now to make another decision. Let's see if you can make it out of the basement with your soul intact.

A) Tell the witch to help. B) Plead for her help. C) Accept her help. D) Promise her something.

Wow, okay. I thought. I don't have to think about this very much, though. The first two options are too confrontational, and I definitely don't want to promise her something. I looked at the third option and knew it was the best choice. I choose C.

_______________

“Will you teach me?” I asked in a normal voice.

The witch nodded and turned my hand over, then opened her free hand above it. I felt my palm tingle and then little strings of leather popped out of it and started to grow.

What the hell? I asked myself as a book's cover formed and then the pages grew out and filled it. The book wasn't very big and I read the cover. Necromancy And The Soul: Controlling The Dead For Budding Talents. “What... what is this?” I asked, since I had never seen a book like it before.

“It's a children's book.” The witch said and let my hand go. “You really did skip over everything to get out there and started practising, didn't you?”

I stared down at the book and opened the cover. It was literally a picture book for children. “I guess I did.” I said and flipped the page. On the very first page was the rune set for containing the dead, just like the ones I used in my summoning ritual for raising the dead.

“Come over here and sit. You need to read that all the way through. Then we can talk.” The witch said and led me over to the chair she had sat on before. Another one grew out of the floor beside it and she sat me down on it. “Do you need a desk as well?”

“No. Thank you.” I said and gave her hand a squeeze, then I let it go and started to read. I did not miss the pleased smile on her face at my gesture. Staying on her good side is definitely the better choice.

The witch let out a low hiss and I looked at her. Her face contorted into a twisted version of itself and her eyes glowed slightly red. She opened her mouth to reveal a row of sharp teeth.

“Yes, David. You do not want to be on my bad side.” The now particularly evil looking witch said in a gravelly voice that didn't suit her at all.

I put the book on my lap and reached over to take her hand. “You don't have to show off for me.”

Seeing a confused look on such a twisted face was pretty interesting. Her face morphed back into what it was supposed to be and the red glow of her eyes faded.

“That didn't surprise you?” The witch asked, curiously.

“What? That a witch that consorts with demons can change her face into a demonic representation?” I chuckled. “Yeah, that's a complete surprise.” I said sarcastically.

The witch chuckled, too. “I knew we would have fun together.”

I gave her a smile and went back to reading the book. She wouldn't let my hand go, though. I used one hand to flip the pages and read through it once and studied the runes. To my surprise, they really were all contained within the same ritual I had been using for years to raise the dead, and not once had I thought that they could be used for other things.

“This... why didn't she...” I started to ask.

“Angelica can't actually tell you what to do and not to do.” The witch said. “All she's allowed to do is tell you your options and then let you decide for yourself what you want to do.”

I looked at the book and then at the witch. “I chose wrong all those years ago.”

“Considering what you're facing right now? I'd say yes.” The witch said and waved her hand. The casket lid floated over to us and hovered at eye level. “Tell me what that says.”

I looked at the engravings in the wood and the blood markings in the cloth. “Is... it's... wait, you can make things conditional?” I asked her and she nodded. “Well, damn.”

The witch let the lid lower to the floor. “You are very lucky that you have always used complete runes and the invoked spell to do your dead manipulations.”

I didn't say anything and I also stopped myself from thinking about what happened during the zombie outbreak. I focused solely on the fact that the book was very useful and would like a normal one.

“Of course.” The witch said and reached over and touched the book. I felt something pull on my heart and the children's book grew in thickness and the cover changed.

Necromancers And The Dead: Fundamentals And Practical Usage. I read and looked at the witch.

“Yes, you can kiss me to thank me.” The witch said with a demure smile.

_______________

I'm going to give you a choice here, just because this could turn out to be fun.

A) Kiss her on the lips. B) Pull off her leather pants and kiss her other lips. C) Joke. D) Be truthful.

Good Lord. I thought and shook my head mentally. Yeah, I'm sure that the first two choices are going to happen eventually, no matter what I choose here. I read the options again. Joking is not the mood she's in right now, so I have to choose D.

_______________

“I only just met you and I somehow know that you don't mean a kiss on the lips.” I said and saw surprise on her face, then I saw her face go into seduction mode.

“Would that be so bad?” The witch asked.

“Bad? No. Inappropriate right now? Yes.” I clarified for her, so she wouldn't see it as an outright rejection and possibly get angry at the rebuff.

She leaned in close and put her lips right in front of mine and stared into my eyes. “Only right now, hmm?” She said and her leather clothing seemed to melt a little and left peek-a-boo holes all over.

“I'm a little busy, even if I do have to wait until tonight to head to the graveyard.”

The witch moved slightly to the side and pressed her lips to my cheek for a second. “I need to warn you about what you plan to do.”

“I know all about what could happen.” I said and she had a concerned look on her face. “I'm prepared for anything that might occur.”

The witch opened her mouth to say something, then she shrugged. “You can stay here and read some of that book or you can head home to wait for dark to go and check on your lover.”

_______________

You have choice to make here; but, it doesn't make any difference. I don't like these inconsequential choices that don't affect anything and that's why I've been letting you know beforehand.

Um... thanks? I thought.

No problem, buddy. We're in this together until the end. Go ahead and make a choice.

A) Stay and read. B) Leave for home and read. C) Ignore the book. D) Go right to the cemetery.

Are you sure that none of them affect what happens? I asked.

Not even a little bit. You got the witch intrigued already and you won't get too far into the book before you have to leave anyways, so... have fun.

I think I can hear faint laughter. I thought. If it doesn't matter what I choose, then I better go home and check on things. I choose B.

_______________

“I need to get home and check on a few things.” I said and stood up. “Thank you for your help, even if it was just to point out my inadequacies.”

The witch had to laugh at that and she stood up. “I want to tell you to not wait too long to come and see me again; but, you're going to be busy for a while.” She reached up and touched the spot on my cheek where her lips had kissed me. “I'm going to leave that there as a reminder.”

“Leave what there?” I asked and then I felt a burning sensation on my cheek in the shape of her lips.

“It's all right. No one else can see it.” The witch said. “Only you, me, and another witch with an affinity with souls can see my mark.”

“You marked me?” I asked, immediately thinking about the were-cats and their tradition of doing that.

The witch pat my cheek. “No, it's not like that. I'm not claiming you. It really is just a reminder.”

I nodded and she waved at the door.

“You may leave my august presence now.” The witch said, her voice full of pretentiousness and self-importance.

“That's not a very nice tone of voice for saying goodbye.” I said.

The witch's face went serious. “I was dismissing you.” She snaked her hands up my chest and rested them on my shoulders. “I am never saying goodbye, David.”

Never. Another voice whispered into my head.

Oh, boy. I thought. “Okay. I'll just... dismiss myself all the way out of the basement.”

The witch laughed and let my shoulders go. “Until the next time, David.”

I nodded and walked across the basement. Just before I started to ascend the stairs, I had a strong urge to look back. I successfully ignored the pressure, mainly because I didn't want her to think that I was trying to sneak another look at her. Her soft laugh floated through my mind as I walked up the stairs.

I left the witch's house and went to the jeep. I climbed in and put the book down on the seat. “Oh, damn. I forgot the casket lid.” I said out loud and looked at the house. “I don't think I need it anymore.”

The witch's soft laughter went through my mind again and I sighed.

I drove out of her driveway and went all the way back home. I didn't need the completely empty driveway to clue me in that no one else was there at the house. I parked and grabbed the book, went into the house, and wasn't surprised that I was the only being in the house. I went into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee from the pot and sat down. I saw the note Mikki left and it had the time of her departure, where she was, and who to call if she couldn't answer.

I relaxed and opened the book to the first page and started to read. It was actually very interesting and I wondered where in the world the witch had found this book. Of course, I wondered where she had found a children's book with it, too. I felt a pang of regret that I hadn't asked to keep a copy of it, then remembered that the book I held used to be it. I shrugged and kept reading.

I only got a few chapters in when I noticed that the kitchen was getting dark and it was getting harder to read. I closed the book when I finished the chapter and decided that it was time to head to the graveyard and for Natalie to find her killers.

I called Mikki first and there was no answer. I called the backup number and it was Charlie, her bodyguard. He said she was busy in a meeting for some reason that he wasn't really allowed to talk about with someone not officially in the pack, and I sighed.

“Just tell her I called when she's done.” I said and tried calling Jillian next. She answered on the second ring and I asked her if she wanted to come with me. I think she might have been a little uncomfortable by my idea to bring Natalie back as a zombie, right up until I told her that she should have information about her killers and could even take us right to them. She agreed and said she would be right over.

I tried calling Steve next and there was no answer. I didn't have a backup number for him, so I left a message about what I was planning to do. I made sure my wooden chest was fully stocked and in the back of the jeep. By the time I had changed into something more appropriate and called for another chicken as a sacrifice, Jillian showed up. She was dressed in her normal bodyguard outfit and she had her favorite weapons with her.

“Thanks for coming.” I said and took her hand.

“We slept together and it was wonderful...” Jillian's face flushed red and she coughed. “I mean, it was okay. I'm still your bodyguard, though.” She let my hand go.

“I'm pretty sure I can forgo your protection for a few seconds while we are inside my own house.” I said with a smile, which made her smile for a second.

Jillian stepped close and gave me a quick kiss, then she stepped back and put her hands on her gun. “Time's up.”

I had to clamp my mouth shut to stop my laugh. “All right, let's go.”

We climbed into the jeep and I drove us out to the graveyard where Natalie was buried three days ago.

I hadn't called anyone else, because the less people that knew what I was going to do, the better.