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Zack
My time was running out.
“I asked you a question, Jack. Why do you smell like magic?” Mortimer hissed, bringing all eyes on me.
Tentacles of energy wrapped around my head, trying to force the truth from me. If I couldn’t convince him he’d glamoured me into telling the truth, and that my story was believable, I was dead meat.
“Your Majesty, I’ve followed your commands word for word. I feel a strong loyalty to you I can’t explain, and an obligation to fight for both you and David.” I bent in submission, while staying aware of his every move. “Maybe the witch scent comes from being with him all day every day.”
“Tell me about the intruders,” he ordered.
An almost squeezing sensation around my scalp told me Mortimer wasn’t convinced of my sincerity. “Nothing. I heard the helicopter, but assumed they were invited guests since I was never informed otherwise. But when David locked me out of the dungeon and refused to answer, I became suspicious.”
Mortimer threaded two fingers through his beard, eyeing me a long moment. “Kill him.”
Several werewolves rushed me.
None of you will touch me. I sent the silent order, throwing it like a net over every werewolf in the room. Their motions slowed, then sped again. Then they stopped, jerking back and forth.
I wasn’t going to wait around to see whose glamouring would win, mine or Mortimer’s. He had a thousand years of ancient power against my eighteen vampire-werewolf years. I’d lose. I zoomed out of the cafeteria and into the corridor, coming face to face with Autumn, her parents, Dathan and the witches. Autumn rushed me, throwing her arms around me.
As much as I would’ve loved to hold her a while longer, maybe even for a full week, we didn’t have time for this. “We have to go. Now.”
Mortimer barreled through the doorway of the cafeteria. Werewolves filled the end of the hallway at the door to Mortimer’s suite. My gaze raced to the opposite direction toward the dungeon to see yet more werewolves.
We were surrounded now.
“Tessa, Hayden, Chait and Zoe, you know what to do.” Dathan whipped out a dagger, then another. “Zack, stay behind me and do what you do best.”
He meant glamour the enemy. A strange energy surrounded me that I’d never felt before and it came from one of the blond girls. The werewolf in front of me swung his sword and I ducked. But the sword slowed and the werewolf struggled. The witches had us in a protective bubble. Great, except more werewolves came into view. And Mortimer was silently calling more, I was sure of it. No way could the witches hold them off forever. Dathan, what’s our best option?
Fight.
I dove at the guy closest to me, Autumn by my side as we covered each other’s backs, our daggers striking anyone in our path. They tried to hurt us, but couldn’t get past the invisible impenetrable wall. In case the witches’ magic ran out, I commanded each of the werewolves not to fight us.
“What’s wrong with you people? Kill them!” Mortimer bellowed.
We inched forward, slicing at the enemy. They realized they couldn’t get through the witches’ barrier but they didn’t move out of our way either. If we could get them to back up enough, we could get into the cafeteria where the witches could refuel. “Autumn, cover me.”
“What the hell?” But she did it anyway.
I yanked syringes from my pocket and thrust them at the male witches. Use telekinesis to get this poison into some of them. I hoped that was possible. As I twisted, I noticed the dark-haired witch throw a dart at a werewolf. The werewolf dodged it, but the dart followed him like a missile, plunging through the guy’s skin, and then he plummeted to the floor. We’d crept a few more feet toward the cafeteria.
My side burned and a quick glance told me I’d been hit. Give me your sword and leave, I ordered the werewolf who had just stabbed me. He dropped it and vanished.
Good, now I had a weapon that gave me some reach. I thrust it into the heart of the werewolf directly in front of me. Autumn, take his sword, then use it to remove his head. I couldn’t see her parents behind me, but werewolves were dying in front of Dathan left and right.
While Dathan’s sword flew in a blur and held off the slew of new arrivals, I glimpsed Mortimer scowling in the distance. I doubted he would get involved in the actual fight unless he needed to. More likely, he assumed his men would take us all down.
Only about forty of them remained. Against nine of us.
My leg burned white-hot. I’d been cut, again, which meant the witches’ ability to hold the protective wall was weakening.
Zack, get out of our way. Let us battle them physically while you do your best to control them mentally. We’re running out of time. Quentin nudged me away and took the front while Olivia staved off attackers behind us, wielding swords faster than my eyes could follow.
Good call. I’d been too distracted with fighting to glamour anyone properly. While the witches shielded us all, and Autumn and her parents kept the mob at bay, I focused on the werewolves in our path, ready to attempt a group glamour. The icy blond witch fell against me and I propped her up, zeroing in on four werewolves. You will not fight us anymore. You’ll abandon your loyalty to Mortimer and pledge your allegiance to us. Now!
The werewolves closest to me pivoted and attacked the remaining ones who were behind them. I glanced over at Mortimer.
You little bastard! Red rage flushed his face and his gaze riveted on me. Someone conveniently put the building into lockdown again, which means you’re not getting out of here alive. I’ll kill you first.
We were two feet from the cafeteria door. Once we got inside and locked ourselves in, we’d be safe, at least until Mortimer’s men broke through. Maybe the witches would have enough of a breather to get their strength back. But wouldn’t we be at a disadvantage stuck in the cafeteria with no exit? Since the witches were about to give out, we didn’t have a choice.
Dathan, Quentin, Olivia, Autumn, cover the witches and me. I switched to the werewolves closest who were fighting us again, no longer under my control. Stop fighting my people and block your army long enough for us to get into the cafeteria, I commanded the werewolves.
They twitched and stalled long enough for me to open the door. As soon as I had everyone in the cafeteria, I locked the doors. “They’ll get in soon, but we’ll be watching and ready. In the meantime, the witches need to eat.”
“We should’ve stayed and killed them,” Olivia growled.
Dathan shook his head. “I made a promise to bring the witches home.”
“You’re right. Zack, you’re sure Natasha is safe?” Olivia asked, letting the others ahead to walk alongside me.
“Last time I checked, yes, she was conscious. You could try contacting her.” I kept my pace even with her. Olivia had always been distant and I had no idea if she would ever have a conversation with me again after today. I wanted to take advantage of whatever she was willing to give.
“She’s safe.” Olivia gave me a look full of awe. “What you’ve accomplished...”
“Wasn’t enough. We’re trapped and might not make it out alive.” I jerked my head toward the kitchen. As much as I would have liked to talk more with her, I didn’t want thanks or praise, especially not before I had earned it. I wanted Autumn’s parents and my friends safe, but my main motivation for getting Mortimer out of the way was so that I could be with Autumn. “Feed and heal. Then we need to get back to work.”
“Yes, we need to make some progress, preferably before Mortimer figures out how to break into his suite and reverse the lockdown,” Autumn said, sprinting toward the kitchen. “Then we’ll be fighting off more than just a hundred werewolves or so.”
“Other than the werewolves we disabled or killed, how many more do you think are inside, Zack?” Olivia asked, trailing her daughter. The rest of us shadowed Autumn and Olivia, careful to keep watch for any intruders.
I accepted the chicken wing Autumn handed me, sunk my teeth into it and chewed. “They usually have around fifty inside. I saw a ton rushing in after you guys arrived. I’m guessing Mortimer had them searching the building for the intruders and that’s why we didn’t see them all. Once he realizes there isn’t anyone else, he’ll send them all here. I’d be surprised if most of the town didn’t make it inside before lockdown.”
“I don’t know,” Olivia said, wrinkling her nose. “I’ve got experience dealing with Mortimer. He wouldn’t allow his men to abandon their posts and leave the grounds vulnerable. Besides, as you said, he had no clue how many of us were coming or whether some would storm the mansion by foot.”
“Hold on.” Autumn paused midbite on a hunk of cheese and closed her eyes. “Mortimer is coming back. I sense a lot of energy. And a lot of werewolves.”
Crap. Did the witches have enough time to regenerate their powers?
Jack, you’ll never guess who’s coming. Mortimer’s silent voice sent a chill up my spine.
Who?
They can get in, but you can’t get out. Mortimer’s shrill laughter invaded my head.
“Not to scare anyone, but apparently Mortimer knows a secret way that the werewolves can get in. If that happens, we’ll be fighting hundreds.”
Quentin accepted Chait’s offer of a piece of turkey. I guess he was no longer a vegetarian. “Against nine of us. Not crazy about those odds.”
“I’ve seen worse.” Dathan squinted at the door. “They’re here.”
The thick wood door exploded into shards. “Witches, throw up your walls or this is going to get ugly,” I shouted. Werewolves stormed in, tranquilizers in tow.
“Zack, get control of them!” Dathan dove at the crowd, rotating as he sliced and diced at werewolves.
I stayed near the witches, concentrating on the werewolf attacking Autumn. You don’t want to fight us. Stand down.
He continued swinging the sword. Damn, Mortimer had compelled them not to listen to me. I had to find a loophole. But what words could I say that would override his order not to hear my words? Benjamin, we need help. Gather everyone who’s able to fight, and anything that can be used as a weapon, and come to the cafeteria. Password to get out is star-one-eight-eight. Follow the noise.
Even with the shape-shifters helping, we would still be less than twenty against hundreds. We were all going to get massacred.
