The Muse And The Vampire

2

Edie usually choked in front of a panel of interviewers, the presence of several stern faces behind a desk was enough to remove any sense of logical thought. It's such a shame only the ones who could talk 'the talk' got the job, while the introverts never got past this first hurdle. Revising techniques hadn't helped either. There was an ocean of difference between someone you knew and total strangers.

The absence of the dreaded panel was refreshing but equally as confusing. Instead the room was dimly lit except for the lava lamp and the comfy sofas and...

Was that patchouli?

There was a small wooden table upon it was a notebook. One of those luxury ones that were bound with suede and cost about ten pounds. Nice to have, but writing a shopping list was wasted on it, which was the only use Edie had for one.

They both sat down.

"It's yours, if you need it," Faith said, picking the book up and slowly turning the pages as if they were filled with a tale of a scandalous liaison, "although, you may also leave it. It is entirely up to you what you do with the notebook, no matter what the outcome."

"I don't know what the job is, so how could I just accept a free book?" Edie looked puzzled.

"Oh you will, I just know it."

"What? How can you be so sure? What about the other candidates?"

"Right now they are making their way back to their lives completely oblivious to the fact that the interviews took place."

"You wiped their minds?" Edie bit her nail.

"Not me!" Faith laughed. Edie was unsure if she was joking or should she be afraid? Sensing the fear on Edie's face she added, "Don't worry, it's just the interview that will be forgotten, bad for business if we have random people in a fugue state."

"Sounds very reassuring, but why would you do that? Is it top secret? You're not MI5 or the Crimson Guard?" Edie said, thinking of the secret service and the vamp police force, both were possible if mind wiping was involved.

"We're not either, that is when I say we I mean me. Well mostly me. Now we're getting somewhere, you like asking questions, researching, solving problems?"

"Who doesn't? What I want to know right now is what this job is all about." preferably before the obligatory mind wipe, Edie thought, she kept to herself. She already knew the answer was no. It was probably a PA job for this eccentric woman. The job website sent candidates here to keep this woman quiet. Though come to think of it, it was just some random email that popped into her inbox. No description of the role, just the date and time of the interview. She should have known better to turn up to a storage unit but she thought it was related to storage facilities. Boring but she could read during the long hours. Still, interviews were few and far between, no one wanted to recruit lately.

"I am getting to that," Faith clapped her hands together , "What we do is very specialised, possibly magical."

"What field of work? I have five year's office experience." In data entry, but it counts. She thought to herself.

"Which won't be any use here. I don't need an admin assistant, I need a dreamer. In this field only a certain person can inspire,motivate and create, By any means necessary. You see there are many people out there, capable of doing great things, brilliant works. However, they sometimes cannot do this without assistance."

"Like what? " Edie asked, "do we give magical motivational speeches at conferences?"

"Absolutely not!" Faith said in what Edie hoped was mock indignation.

Edith breathed a sigh of relief. The thought of giving anecdotes in a hotel room to some overweight businessmen wasn't her idea of fun. "Then what do you do? Cure writer's block?"

"Yes, we cure writer's block amongst other things. Things that stop artists creating or making magic. We don't do it by conventional means. No pep talks or platitudes."

"Like the Muses? The Greek Goddess's."

"We are Muses. I'm a Muse, not like the Goddess, a paranormal." She lowered her voice, "so are you."

She's insane with psychic burnout. I'm going. Edie thought.

"I don't have any powers, you've wasted your time."

"The powers are never wrong. At first I looked at your family history and thought, it can't be true, it's the oldest daughter who becomes the Muse. You have an older sister, but I didn't know at the time she was only a half sister. So I invited you and I was right."

"What about the other candidates?" Edie asked.

"A ruse. I needed an excuse to test you."

"A test?"

"You passed." You were the only one to notice the book. Do you know what that means?"

"It's not exactly a book, is it? "

"No," Faith picked it up , "some muses see it as a wand, some a piece of jewellery, one even saw it as a brush. For you, it is a book. Very apt."

"I used to hide in the library at lunch times at school. Avoiding bullies, felt at home there. Did my homework there most of the time come to think of it. You would with my family. "

"Things will change now. You've got the job. There are conditions though, I'll explain them when you start."

Have I just walked into a practical joke? Is a bearded bloke with a camera going to pop out with a live audience? Edie stood up. "You know it's been great but it'll have to have to be a no from me. I'll be going now. Good luck with the inspiration stuff and all that. Don't worry, I won't shake hands, best you don't find out what I'm feeling right now."

"Ok," Faith sighed, "if that's how you feel. Let's pretend you have a choice." she took the book and placed it into Edie's hands, "the book is yours now, Take it and let's see what happens. Nice meeting you."

Edie put the book in her bag where it would probably be forgotten. She walked out feeling like she had sat a three hour exam on mathematics and hadn't revised. I'm definitely having a bottle of wine and a boxset tonight.

Her phone pinged. It was likely her Mum with a shopping request.

She looked at the message and groaned.

Annabel.

Edie, how was the interview? Dont forget we're going to The Vault tonight. You promised! xx