loss with no puncture wounds of any kind. There were some witness testimonies of seeing vampires attacking but most of them were dismissed due to credibility reasons. Josephine did see a couple of incidents that were checked out but the victims were fine with no damage to their bodies. Josephine surmised it must be easy to discredit witnesses and also no one wanted to believe in vampires.
Alex burst into boisterous laughter and choked on his coffee. Jake shot him a questioning look while Josephine narrowed her eyes at him with annoyance.
“This is hilarious! You’ve got to watch this!” Alex said.
Josephine couldn’t help herself. She was so curious that she circled around the desks until she was standing beside Alex who was watching the local news live. For several seconds, Josephine struggled to make sense of it. There were a bunch of picketers and the anchorman, a dark-haired man in his thirties, held the microphone up to a clown. Josephine gasped with astonishment when she recognized Marjorie.
“We feel that category six wizards should work their fair share until their conditions are similar to those of us who are normal and of retirement age. It’s absolutely ridiculous and criminal that they’re still in the prime of their life and they’re retired. It’s highway robbery!” Marjorie said.
“That doesn’t even make any sense! How is retiring the same as highway robbery?” Josephine scowled at the screen.
The camera drew back to reveal the condo complex. Dale took up a position beside Marjorie and wrapped an arm around her.
“It’s lucky you’re working because there’s a movement to pass legislature requiring sixes to wait until one hundred-ninety to retire,” Alex smirked.
“That’s completely unfair.” Josephine straightened to her full height so she was towering over him. She wanted to slap the donut out of his hand and dump his coffee in his lap. “You’re a pig, Whiney.”
“And you’re a spoiled little brat.”
Jake pretended not to notice the argument. Josephine returned to her desk and resumed her search. She needed to find a way to access ancient magic so she could create better defenses for herself and her friends and to possibly cure Helen of her vampirism.
Chapter 8
When Josephine’s shift ended, she made a quick stop at the grocery store for supplies Alice had requested then went over to Alice’s condo where Helen was staying. Alice had a roomy place like Josephine but it was packed with furniture. Two large couches, three armchairs and four coffee tables were positioned in the room with large bookcases lining one of the walls. There was also a desk tucked away in the corner. The bookcases were filled with knickknacks and pictures of Alice’s family rather than books.
“How did things go today?” Josephine asked.
“It’s still the same.” Helen’s expression was puzzled. “I haven’t had any craving for blood at all. For some reason, all I can think about is chocolate cake, cinnamon rolls and tiramisu. Luckily, Alice won’t let me go out or I’d end up stuffing my face and I’d lose my new good looks in no time.”
“I’m not keeping you prisoner here.” Alice regarded her with indignation.
“I know you’re helping.” Helen leveled a reassuring look at her friend. “And I appreciate it.”
Alice’s lips curved with an appeased smile.
“I didn’t find much because I have so much work. They really keep me busy at the station,” Josephine grumbled. “It’s enough to make me want to retire again.”
“You poor thing.” Alice cast a sympathetic gaze at her.
“I wrote down a few names of people who may know something helpful. I’m not sure if they have any knowledge of vampires or ancient magic but they’re all leads to follow up.”
“Did you bring the cinnamon rolls and tiramisu?” Helen asked.
“It’s in one of the bags.” Josephine set the grocery bags on the kitchen counter.
Helen rummaged through the bags and grabbed
Alex burst into boisterous laughter and choked on his coffee. Jake shot him a questioning look while Josephine narrowed her eyes at him with annoyance.
“This is hilarious! You’ve got to watch this!” Alex said.
Josephine couldn’t help herself. She was so curious that she circled around the desks until she was standing beside Alex who was watching the local news live. For several seconds, Josephine struggled to make sense of it. There were a bunch of picketers and the anchorman, a dark-haired man in his thirties, held the microphone up to a clown. Josephine gasped with astonishment when she recognized Marjorie.
“We feel that category six wizards should work their fair share until their conditions are similar to those of us who are normal and of retirement age. It’s absolutely ridiculous and criminal that they’re still in the prime of their life and they’re retired. It’s highway robbery!” Marjorie said.
“That doesn’t even make any sense! How is retiring the same as highway robbery?” Josephine scowled at the screen.
The camera drew back to reveal the condo complex. Dale took up a position beside Marjorie and wrapped an arm around her.
“It’s lucky you’re working because there’s a movement to pass legislature requiring sixes to wait until one hundred-ninety to retire,” Alex smirked.
“That’s completely unfair.” Josephine straightened to her full height so she was towering over him. She wanted to slap the donut out of his hand and dump his coffee in his lap. “You’re a pig, Whiney.”
“And you’re a spoiled little brat.”
Jake pretended not to notice the argument. Josephine returned to her desk and resumed her search. She needed to find a way to access ancient magic so she could create better defenses for herself and her friends and to possibly cure Helen of her vampirism.
Chapter 8
When Josephine’s shift ended, she made a quick stop at the grocery store for supplies Alice had requested then went over to Alice’s condo where Helen was staying. Alice had a roomy place like Josephine but it was packed with furniture. Two large couches, three armchairs and four coffee tables were positioned in the room with large bookcases lining one of the walls. There was also a desk tucked away in the corner. The bookcases were filled with knickknacks and pictures of Alice’s family rather than books.
“How did things go today?” Josephine asked.
“It’s still the same.” Helen’s expression was puzzled. “I haven’t had any craving for blood at all. For some reason, all I can think about is chocolate cake, cinnamon rolls and tiramisu. Luckily, Alice won’t let me go out or I’d end up stuffing my face and I’d lose my new good looks in no time.”
“I’m not keeping you prisoner here.” Alice regarded her with indignation.
“I know you’re helping.” Helen leveled a reassuring look at her friend. “And I appreciate it.”
Alice’s lips curved with an appeased smile.
“I didn’t find much because I have so much work. They really keep me busy at the station,” Josephine grumbled. “It’s enough to make me want to retire again.”
“You poor thing.” Alice cast a sympathetic gaze at her.
“I wrote down a few names of people who may know something helpful. I’m not sure if they have any knowledge of vampires or ancient magic but they’re all leads to follow up.”
“Did you bring the cinnamon rolls and tiramisu?” Helen asked.
“It’s in one of the bags.” Josephine set the grocery bags on the kitchen counter.
Helen rummaged through the bags and grabbed
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