Hey guys, this is the new and improved SpellBound! I hope you like it! Personally, I'm more proud of this version of the chapter much better. It's more modern and a little more dark.

Witch Fact: There's a variety of different types of witchcraft from all over the world, like Hedge Witches, Green Witches, Voodoo, Wicca, etc.

I thought maybe I should give a different fact about witches in hopefully each chapter. Most you guys will probably already know.

Disclaimer: Sadly no. T_T

Chapter 1: Bad Luck

The old wooden steps creaked under his sneakers as he climbed the staircase of the rather elegant, but dark Victorian style apartment. Romantic red walls, mahogany wood and cobwebs truly gave it the aged and spine-tingling feel.

Third floor, room F13. I hope this is right.

Once he reached the landing of the stairwell that led to the third floor, the young coyote took a deep breath and continued his journey up the stairs. He was searching for a rather unusual resident within the building. He sought her for help; whether or not she would oblige was something his source could not tell.

He made it to the hallway which was lit up with a single alabaster light fixture in the center of the ceiling. Despite it's ancient Victorian beauty, the shadows beckoned him to run for his life. The coyote gulped in skittish fear, but kept walking down the hall and checked each door for the number he was looking for.

"F11...F12...F13!" He whispered. He tried to keep quiet in case she had neighbors that did not wish to be woken up at such a late hour. "Th-this is it."

Raising his quivering fist, he knocked his knuckled on the wooden door. There was no answer, however after a few gut-wrenching seconds, the door opened, but there was no behind it...

He cautiously peeked in, rather spooked that the door opened itself. Brushing that aside, he crept in. He turned the corner to see the rest of the apartment. Least to say her decorating style was rather out of the norm. It was a beautiful Victorian style apartment, though a little on the Gothic side, with a color scheme of black, red, and dark purple. To his right was an antique, red Victorian love-seat with a dark mahogany coffee table in front of it. Next to the love-seat was a small table for the lamp to sit on. Strangely enough, the lamp was covered with a red mesh cloth, same with very few other lights. The true source of the light in the room were the plain Mexican-church candles lit up around the room. The walls were nice shade of black with purple curtains that remained opened to show off the night sky through the large rectangle windows.

The coyote was in such awe with this alluring, yet darkening decor until...

Slam! The door shut out the rest of the world behind him. He yelped in fright and whipped around to see the door completely closed.

"Welcome..." came a silky voice.

The coyote turned back to the apartment and over further left of the room was a pink female hedgehog. She sat at a small high table with a large black candelabra and red lit candles standing next to it. She faced away from him and continued looking at her laptop screen with one ear-bud in her ear. And snoozing on her lap was a black cat with an ankh symbol loosely tied to it's neck.

He took a step towards hesitantly. After she pulled the bud out of her ear, the hedgehog turned in her chair to face him.

The coyote's gray eyes widened. She was a beauty to be hold! She looked to be about 21. Her long, fine, silky sakura quills were pulled over her shoulder in a braid and she had three long bangs that almost covered one of her left eye. Her pale muzzle was dusted with her rosy cheeks, as well a ornamented with her button nose and a pair of cupid's bow lips that shame a pink rose. She was dressed in a pair of mid-thigh jean shorts, a baggy white tank-top and a pair of leather ankle length boots. On her wrists were golden bangles and no gloves, and around her neck was sapphire stone in the shape of a octahedron hanging on a silver chain.

Her jade eyes pierced him, but didn't seem at all bothered with him. But her very presence shook him to the core; there was defiantly odd about this woman. "Is there something I can do for you, sir?"

Breaking from his gaze upon her, the coyote replied. "A-are you...Miss Rose?"

She gave him a suspicious, but sly smirk. "Depends on who's asking?"

"U-uh, m-my name is...is, um..." he sputtered. His fear was getting the best of him.

She couldn't help, but laugh at his humorous skittishness. "Mark Wiley, age 18," she answered for him. "You've come seeking my help; am I correct?"

How the hell did she know all that?! His mind panicked. Is she really a...?

"So, what is it that you want?" she asked, snidely.

"Oh, um, I kind of...need a...curse lifted..." he said in an unsure tone.

Her eyes widened slightly. "Ooh, a curse, eh?" she questioned. "Whaja do?"

"Wh-what makes you think I did anything?" he asked with a glare.

She just gave him a bored look. "People I know don't just set curses on people for no reason; it's bad for your karma, ya know?" she said. "So, I'll ask again, what did you do?"

"I-it was just a simple chain of pranks!" Mark exclaimed defensively. "Couple of my buddies and I were just messing around with some stores in the city."

His yells awoke the sleeping feline in Miss Rose's lap. She glared her opal green eyes at the visitor and growled.

"Oh, so, you're the little punks I've heard about from the other shop owners," she said. Her eyes flashed a bit at him; he flinched at her intense gaze.

He gulped. "So, now, one lady got really mad and...well," he tried to explain, while avoiding eye contact with her.

She gave him wicked smirk. "Oh, she had every reason to be," she stated. "Seeing she's the victim, why should help you?"

"Because she's cursed me with bad luck!" he exclaimed. "My girlfriend left me, no one will hire me for a job, and my school has been infested with rats and spiders!"

Miss Rose laughed. "Hah, nice! You should feel luckier than that," she said. "If it were my own shop, I would've had those rats and spiders infesting your house."

Mark just shivered. I'll have to remember that. "So, you're not going to help me?" he asked in a pitiful voice.

She just eyed him, mindfully. Normally, she would say no to such a request. But, there were also reasons to help. He's 18, still pretty young. And he's probably never dealt with this kind of stuff before. Ah, I'll just let him off the hook this time.

Miss Rose just groaned in defeat and rolled her eyes. "Fine, you've swayed me. I'll give a cure."

He beamed at her. "Oh, thank you, Miss Rose! You don't know much-"

"But!" She cut him as she held up her finger. "You better have learned your lesson! 'Cause if you get into this again for the same reason, don't bother coming back here. Is that clear?" There was a dangerous red aura surrounding her glove-less hand, and the fire on the candles flickered at the sudden breeze came into the room.

His breath got caught in his throat. "Y-yes, ma'am..."

Ignoring his reaction, she got up from her seat and placed her pet on the floor. The cat kept her vicious glare on Mark as she went over to the couch to continue her slumber. Mark just followed Miss Rose as she walked past a black table decorated with more lit red candles in glass containers, and in the center was a large crystal ball. He found himself staring at it as he walked past it, watching his upside-down reflection follow him.

"Hey! Pay attention!" Miss Rose snapped from a large glass table. He rushed over to observe her. On the table was another lit candle, only this one was white with red designs on it. There was also a vase of different dried herbs and a stone mortar and pestle. And behind her was counter lined with books, a sewing machine, bottles of mysterious concoctions, crystals, etc.

She grabbed a bottle of foggy pastel-pink liquid with a label that read "Himalayan Salt Water" and placed it on the table. Next, she took out a silver metal jar with beautiful engravings on it. She took of the top and stuck her fingers in to take out, surprisingly, a four-leaf clover.

Mark watched in curiosity and confusion as she poured the salt water into the mortar, and then let the clover drop in and float on the surface.

"W-what...?" he began.

"Sssh, be patient, " she said calmly. She pushed her pink bangs out her eyes, focused and flowed her fingers over the mortar in fluid, caressing motion. Mark's eyes widened as the water slightly moved with motions of her fingers, which remained hovered over the bowl. The clover span with the waters movement.

Once she finished the spell, took out a pair of tweezers and en empty glass locket on a silk strap from the drawers. The locket was open and ready to accept any treasure to be stored. Using the tweezers, she plucked the clover from the water and gently put it in the locket. She clapped the locket closed, then ended her gift making with placing a kiss on her pointer and middle finger and placing it on the locket.

"Alright, here ya go!" she said casually, as she handed him his gift. "That'll be five bucks, please,"

Mark took the locket. "Okay, uh, thanks, but how is this going to-"

"Help you? Wow, I thought this one an easy one," she chuckled. "Anyway, the curse the shop owner set on you was about bad luck and you got it from doing a tainted deed."

He couldn't help but feel sheepish when she said "tainted deed".

"So, to give you some help, I'm giving you the very symbol of good luck, a four-leaf clover, and had it soaked in Himalayan salt water as a type of purification. Carry it with you, and don't show it to anyone! Got that?" she demanded.

"G-got it!" he stiffened and handed her the money she asked for.

"Alright," she said. "Now, get out."

"Huh?"

Rolling her eyes again, she sighed and with a wave of her finger, some invisible force pushed him out the front door. He nearly stumbled over his own feet and found himself back in the hallway. Mark turned as saw Miss Rose standing at the threshold of her home.

"Uh, thanks, Miss Rose," he said gratefully.

"Yeah, whatever, just don't go blabbing about this little charity to anyone and we'll be squared," she replied. "And you want some wise words of advice to go with the spell that may help?"

"Sure," he shrugged.

"Stop being a punk!" she snapped and slammed the door.

Thanks a lot, witch. He thought humorously and went on his way, making sure to remember to keep his mouth shut like she asked.