HUNTED

Finn placed a hand over his eyes and sighed at Ajax' shamelessness. Aila rolled her eyes and turned after hearing a low growl, her dad had entered the room, and Ajax backed away, rubbing the back of his head with a smile. 

"Well, now Ajax has made his entrance... mum, dad, you remember Finn?" 

Aila continued as though nothing happened. Finn came forwards and acted as an appropriate adult and shook both of her parents' hands. Aila glanced around the little bookstore and smiled at how it had not changed. Well, it shouldn't have; she had only been away for over a month, although, to her, it already felt like a year. So much had changed since she last sat in here. 

The brick walls were stylishly left the same. The only pictures hanging on them were one with a woman sitting in front of a table with tarot cards splayed out, and the other was a boat upside down in the sea with the sun also in the ocean, as though the world had turned upside down. The store had rows and rows of books on ancient-looking bookshelves; there were ladders set on the side for anyone wishing to collect a book from one of the higher shelves. There was a spiral staircase that led to a second-floor which also had a coffee shop at the back. 

There it was more for anyone wishing to read and drink a beverage. On the ground floor, where the group stood, was the main counter where people paid and, of course, also asked Mandy to find them a book if they didn't know what they wanted. Finn inspected the counter, looking at all the different stones, he reached out his hand, and Aila slapped it away.

"Ow"

Aila tsked him, "They are not to be touched until said so."

"Would you like me to find you a book, Finn Sol?" Mandy came forwards and placed her hands on her hips, "Please," she gestured with her hand over the stones, "pick three stones."

"Finn Sol?" Ajax whispered to Aila, who shrugged in return and watched Finn pick out his stones. 

Mandy smiled at his choices and left the group to collect Finn's books. While Mandy was gone from the group, Andy turned to look at Aila and patted the top of her head rather roughly, but he was a big man, unaware of his own strengths sometimes. 

"How come you're here?"

"What a lovely welcome, father," Aila replied sarcastically before smiling broadly, "we need mum's help. If she can, of course, help."

Her dad's brows drew together, and he glanced around the quiet shop before whispering, "witchy help?"

Aila nodded her head.

"Are you sure?" He asked, but before Aila could reply, Mandy returned and gave Finn two books of love poems and the novel: 'The Three Musketeers.

Aila smiled at the books, and Ajax started laughing, "Is Mandy trying to tell you, you need to learn a bit of poetry to find someone?"

Finn's face and the tips of his ears went a crimson red.

"Actually, you are quite right, Ajax. One of the stones he chose shows that he is searching for something, the other indicated love, and the last stone showed strength. So, books of poetry and the three musketeers was a guess," Mandy shrugged, "now, let us go through the back, and we can get started on what you are here for."

Finn tried to nonchalantly shrug it off, "I haven't found my mate, so it's bound to come up with love.."

Aila smiled at how cute Finn was acting, but she realised her mum had already begun walking away. All three of them looked at each other questionably. 

"But I didn't tell you what we are here for.." Aila trailed off as she followed behind her mum and went through the multicoloured chains of the back door. 

Her dad laughed behind her, "You know she is a witch now. She doesn't need to hide her odd ways with you."

Aila turned to look at him with a frown, but he kissed the top of her head and went back out to the shop, "Someone has to keep an eye on the store," He mind-linked Aila. 

It was quite odd hearing her dad's voice in her head, but strange was becoming an ordinary thing by now. Aila walked around the lilac painted room and sat down on the brown couch, covered with an orange blanket that contrasted brightly against the walls. Ajax and Finn sat next to her, and they watched Mandy began going through a bookcase in front of them. Aila looked at the books and realised they were like nothing she had ever seen before.

Standing up, she walked over to where her mum was scanning them with her finger, touching each by the spine. Aila went to reach for a big, leather looking book with intricate details on it, but her mum slapped her hand away.

"Do not touch a witch's grimoire, young lady. Those things can leave a nasty sting, although you actually picked out the one I was looking for.. well done!" She gushed and grabbed the book Aila had been looking at; she motioned for Aila to go back and take a seat as she sat on the floor in front of the mosaic surface coffee table that had two iron brass candle holders atop. 

Mandy placed the book on top of the table, put her bright pink reading glasses on her nose, and skimmed through the book.

"Mandy, do you know what we are here for?" Ajax enquired.

Without looking up, she replied, "Yes, of course. You want to communicate with Finn and Aila, like how they can as werewolves. Is that correct?" She looked up through her glasses.

Ajax nodded, and Aila couldn't help but chuckle as his complexion paled. 

She gave him a nudge, "Everything's going to be fine.."

"Not being funny.. But witches.. are a whole new area for me. What if something goes wrong?" Ajax gulped, his eyes wide as he watched Mandy flipping through the pages again.

"Stop being a scaredy-cat.." Mandy rolled her eyes, then gasped and pointed at a page, "There! Found it!"

Aila leaned forwards and read the top of the book upside down; it read: 

Bound By Blood.