I am the swan-white Crow, the rare blonde, the most beautiful of all the Crows. I stand out amongst my black-haired relatives like a snowflake on obsidian. Like the bird my family is named after, I adapt. I take what I can to survive.

The record stops and the needle moves back to the beginning. Chaka Khan starts singing once again about being every woman—my mantra for tonight—even if slightly untrue. My goal when I go out hunting isn’t to be every woman. When I find my mark, I just need to be the woman he wants. I can figure it out in practically no time at all. Does he want the lost girl looking for someone to love her? Or the temptress who wants control? I see it in their eyes—the way they move over my body. It hides between their words. I know who they’re after, and I become her.

I never hunt in the same place, and I never give my real name. I’ve been Angelique, Belle, Desdemona, Guenvere, Aurora… Men like exotic names because it feels more like a fantasy. My real name—Donna—is too real. Their daughter could have my name, or worse, their wife.

I strike a match and light my black candle. Black candles are best for lighting ritual candles because black is the absence of color. I light the white candle on my altar, for attraction and protection. The red candle beside it comes next—love and lust. In the center of the small  table, on a carved wooden pentagram, three candles form a triangle—green, gold and orange—colors for abundance.

I take a slow breath while lighting them, careful not to drip black wax and taint the spell. Soon I might be lighting these candles for another reason if tonight doesn’t go well. I speak my desire into existence, and hope the Goddess is listening.

At my dressing table, I run a brush through long cornsilk hair. All Mom ever told me was that my father was from Sweden, and that my hair came from him. I got the high cheekbones and crystal blue eyes the rest of my family has. We may be notorious and dysfunctional, but we are beautiful people—if nothing else. Being the most beautiful Crow makes my hunting trips easier.

I wear red lipstick to match my red dress and red nails. Red is the color of temptation. A little vanilla extract and rose oil goes on each wrist and on my neck, something Grandma suggested.

While I’m sliding on black thigh high stockings and hooking them to my garter belt, I hear Mike and Victor talking downstairs. The car they just fixed up isn’t selling as fast as expected. Mike is better at negotiating and making them think they’re getting a deal. Victor feels guilty about the mind games.

Mara is studying in her room across the hall. She will be the first of us to finish high school, and maybe go on to college. Imagine that… a Crow with an education.

In the full length mirror I look myself over. The red dress hugs my body all the right ways. If I’m lucky I will get what I need tonight without taking it off. Sometimes all they want is conversation, something far more dangerous than sex.

Behind me the candles flicker, casting orange light onto the walls and making my shadow its own entity. The shadow is the real me—Donna Angelina Crow. The huntress is only a mask.

The red high heels I slip on complete the look. I blow out the candles, releasing my intention into the night, and shut off the music and bedroom light before gliding down the stairs.

Mike and Victor are drinking at the kitchen table. “I told you we should have taken apart the damn carburetor, Vic.”

“We still can, it just might take a little longer to get the parts.”

Mike looks at me and sets his PBR down. “Going out tonight?”

“You don’t see me dressing like this to sit at home, do you?”

“The electric is due, Donna,” Victor says. “Don’t spend too much.”

“We’ll have the money tomorrow,” I assure them.

“Has Mom called this week?”

I shake my head and let them go on with their conversation.

I think tonight my name will be Veronica.

Author’s Note:

Thanks for reading! Follow me on twitter at: https://x.com/Valkrane

Like my author page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569818831489

Or, buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/valkrane

The image above was created with DALL-E, in the future when life slows down a bit, I plan to use my own art for these stories. But for now, this works.

Thanks for reading.

V.