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“Wakey, wakey, witchy poo,” Brianna's voice filtered through my mind.
Ice cold water splashed over my face, making me cough when it went down my throat. Thrusting forward, I spat it out, cringing when it landed on Dave's leg.
“Thanks!” he muttered, his expression grim as I glanced around the room.
We were on the sofa, both of us tied, our arms bound. The rope was thick, cutting into my wrists where they were held in my lap. It was magic-limiting rope. Bastards.
Brianna stood in front of us, her hands on her hips. The other vampires were making a cup of tea, chatting amongst themselves about the latest football score. The contrast of nastiness and sport was an odd one.
“What do you want?” I spat at the woman who was supposed to be my friend. “What in the world did the PFF offer you?”
Crouching in front of me, Brianna reached forward with the intention of tucking my hair behind my ear. I dodged her, my teeth snapping at her fingers when she drew near. The quirk of her lip was momentary as a frown followed.
“Where is your book T-shirt? Those things drove me crazy. I tried to help you, Gemma, I really did... but, the truth is-”
“Shut your mouth, you stupid bitch,” Dave blurted.
His leg was pressed against mine, his hands also tied in his lap. The mass of hair on his head was fluffy and untidy. At least we hadn't gone down without a fight. There was just one problem. Although my team had a rough idea where we were, they wouldn't be allowed to come and rescue us. In fact, now that Dave was no longer in the team, neither of us would be given updates on the case. Which meant that Kate and Jake wouldn't try and contact us anytime soon. Crap.
Leaning towards my boyfriend, Brianna ran a hand down his thigh. Trying to ignore the flash of jealousy that consumed me, I coughed loudly, drawing her attention.
“Sorry,” Brianna said, taking her hand away. “I forgot that he was yours now.”
“As if you have the right to claim you're a good friend.” The words were squeezed through clenched teeth. “Release us!”
Sitting back on her heels, Brianna rocked gently. “Xvair Harvey is our link to destroying the power you have over the ley line. There’s enough to go around for everyone, but you Essex witches have been hogging it to yourselves. It's time that ends.”
Getting up, Brianna paced in front of us. The bigger vampire brought over a mug of steaming tea and handed it to her. She gave him a big smile, her dark eyes kind as he grinned back. How had she manipulated the other two vampires? Were they part of the PFF?
“How long have you been part of the terrorist group?” I asked.
My mood dropped as she settled in an armchair opposite us.
Allowing my shoulders to slump, I pretended to be complacent. In reality, I was trying to cast a fire spell on my binds. It wasn’t working. Ugh, how had they managed to get hold of magic-limiting rope?
My teeth gritted as I screamed inside my head in frustration. I had to keep my cool if I wanted us to get out of the flat alive.
“Paranormals for Freedom helped me when I was in transition. They sold the group differently back then, saying that they were a support group for those of us who had been forced to join this side of the darkness.” Flicking her hair, she glanced between us. “You two were born into a life of middle class ease. My mother and I were thrown into this world, struggling.”
“So, you just joined with a group who want to take innocent lives? Our friendship was a lie all along.”
Sipping on the tea, Brianna closed her eyes briefly before looking over her shoulder at the men. They leant against the work surface, listening to her story. “Don't just stand there, make our guests one too. You better do an extra one, our other guest will be here soon.”
“Other guest?” Dave asked. “Who's that? Xvair Harvey?”
Raising her eyebrows, Brianna looked between the pair of us. “You do make a cute couple, especially now you're no longer wearing your book shirts. You look a lot more grown up, Chica.”
“Don’t call me that! What do you have against me and my books? What have I done to make you want to kidnap me?”
My foot tapped on the carpet, the pent up irritation and throb of my head starting to make me antsy. If I didn't get free soon, I would explode. Maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing, although, finding out their plans for the equinox might help us to prevent it.
Crossing her legs at the knee, Brianna tapped her long nails against her mug. The vampires were talking amongst themselves again, grumbling about something under their breath. Maybe they weren't as in line with Brianna as she thought. Could they be manipulated into helping us?
“You've been so wrapped up in your fantasy world, you've failed to see the importance of your mission. Guarding the ley line is an honour that shouldn't be taken lightly.” Waving the big guy over when he brought the two mugs of tea, she laughed heartily as he stood in front of us.
“Oops, you can't hold your drinks.” A smirk came to her face as she waved him away again. “Down the sink they go.”
Licking my lips, I tried to ignore the thirst that was slowly spreading through me. According to the clock on the wall, I had been unconscious for thirty minutes. Which meant it had only been an hour since we had arrived outside the pub. No one would look for us anytime soon.
“Anyway,” Brianna said as she regained composure. “Where was I?”
“You were about to tell us why you sound like a brainwashed twat,” Dave remarked.
Glancing at him, I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. We were professional agents, that wasn't the questioning technique we used. Although, it was a little hard to be professional when we were tied up in a dirty flat with a bunch of vampires.
“He's a little feisty, no? No wonder you like him,” Brianna said, winking at me. “When Lucien Harvey almost destroyed the ley line, we knew something had to be done. As you know, Joseph and Helen Cambridge are the leaders of PFF, their mission pretty clear. We deserve to live out in the open alongside humans. They have to accept that we're part of their world.”
“That's not the only goal of the PFF though, is it?” My fingers were gripped together tight, my senses on edge as I stared at my former friend. The words coming out of her mouth were treason to the human government.
“No,” she said, glancing at the clock. “Lucien almost drained the ley line of magic. Do you really think we're going to sit by and let any crazy Essex witch destroy our world? Why should one line of witches get to control the magic?”
“Because we were the original witches. Mother Earth forged our blood to the ley line to be sure that all magic is kept safe from those ready to abuse it. You really think the vampires can do anything with the line? You'll destroy it by destroying the witches that are connected to it.”
Tilting her head to the side, Brianna squeezed the mug in her hand so hard, it smashed into pieces, the hot tea running down the arm of her jacket. My heart pounded in my chest as footsteps sounded on the stairs outside the door. Had Xvair Harvey arrived?
“What's happening on the equinox?” I asked quickly.
A smile came to her lips as the footsteps stopped and the handle of the door started to move. A vampire shoved a man into the room when the door was open, laughing when he fell to the ground, his knees banging against the grubby carpet. His hair was shorn off, his eyes wide against his pale skin.
“Gemma,” Brianna cooed as she got to her feet. “Meet your husband to be.”
Dave stiffened beside me, his gaze narrowing on the man currently huddled over on the floor. He wore jeans and a ripped T-shirt, the latter covered in earth.
“He put up a good fight,” the vampire said, kissing Brianna when she went over to him. “Obviously, I won.”
”Of course you did, mi amor,” Brianna replied, stroking her man's face.
I had never seen the vampire before, which meant Brianna had kept a lot from me. Her acting skills were far better than I had realised. I might not have ever allowed her completely into my life, but I had trusted that she was my genuine friend. How wrong I had been.
Crouching in front of the new prisoner, Brianna smiled as she ran a nail across the pulse in his neck. “He smells yummy, all full of untamed magic.”
Swallowing, I looked between the man and Brianna. What had she meant when she said that he was my new husband to be?
“Do you know why you're here, Florian?” Her words were sweet, her tone laced with a false kindness.
Shaking his head, Florian glanced at us, frowning when he saw that we were bound. Before he could reply, the male vampire bent behind him and started to bind his wrists too. The poor man didn't even fight, instead flinching and dropping his gaze.
“I... I...” he stuttered. “... no, I have no idea.”
Glancing over her shoulder at me, Brianna grinned. “A timid one for you, friend. Florian Harvey, meet Gemma Abbott.”
My teeth clenched as my fists gripped the material of the sofa between my legs.
Dave's inhaled breath was sharp and urgent. Everything suddenly made sense. Florian was obviously Xvair's remaining son. The man looked like he had no clue about our predicament. Did he even know he was a witch?
Coughing, Dave drew Brianna's attention. “You're going to try and force him to impregnate her, aren't you?”
Florian's mouth opened and closed as his forehead creased. His gaze raked over me before looking back at Brianna. “What the hell do you want with me?”
Straightening, Brianna clicked her fingers. As her male friend forced Florian to his feet, she paced in front of us, a smirk lining her face. “Florian is Xvair Harvey's last remaining heir. You would be forgiven for thinking that we were going to try and create a baby for Xvair to gain another lifetime, but...” Looking at Dave, Brianna winked. “I can't say what he has planned for you.”
“You can't? I bet you don't even know,” I said, pulling at the rope to try and loosen it.
The rough material cut into my skin, the magic reducing power in them making my wrists burn. If only I could get loose, I would kill the lot of them. They had taken us by surprise, but I wasn't going to let them get away with it. Archie's death would be paid for, and so would our abduction.
Sitting on the armchair, Brianna leant forward, her arms resting on her thighs. “Come the equinox, we'll disconnect you from the ley line and replace you with Florian here. He's an Essex witch, so technically, his blood should forge to the line, especially as he’s such a pure soul.”
“What are you talking about?” Florian barked, trying to wrench away from the vampire holding him.
“He doesn't even know that he's a witch, how archaic is that?” Brianna tutted.
Florian spun suddenly, his leg kicking out and his arm swinging. His soft soled shoe crashed into the vampire’s leg, sending him to the ground.
Brianna's friends put down their tea and was by his side instantly. Roaring, Florian bucked as they grasped each arm.
Nudging me in the side, Dave indicated that I do something.
Brianna was on her feet, waiting for the vampires to calm down the new witch.
Looking at Dave again, I shrugged. What could I do? There were four of them. I would never be able to defeat them with my hands tied and my magic bound.
“Look,” Dave whispered, glancing down at my hands.
Brianna's super hearing clocked onto Dave's whisper. She spun her head and looked down to where I stared. My binds were loose, cut away from my hands, and yet... I could feel that I wasn't free.
“Get her!” Brianna shouted as I surged to my feet.
Dave's illusion magic wouldn't work for long, but I had to use it to convince her that I was free.
As the vampires started to descend on me, I dove towards the bathroom. My feet carried me faster than I had ever ran, dodging the armchair and thrusting inside. The door shut behind me as I kicked it, my hands instantly locking it as the big vampire banged on the wood.
Searching the bathroom for something to cut the rope around my wrists, I grunted when I found nothing. Almost screaming in frustration, I looked at the window. The thump of someone pushing against the door made me jolt. Jumping onto the closed toilet seat, I kicked the glass as hard as I could, my leather boot colliding nicely with the window. My heart pounded in my chest as the glass smashed, sending shards shattering around my leg. I ignored the bite of pain as a piece sliced my calf.
“Get out here, you bitch!” the man shouted through the door.
The gaping hole beckoned me, but I couldn't leave Dave. Grabbing a piece of glass, I tucked it into my jacket pocket. A grunt from outside was joined by the sound of crashing as the door exploded inwards, forcing me to jump for the window. Sweat lined my palms as I tried to get hold of the edge of the seal.
“No you don't!”
A hand grabbed my ankle as I tried to lunge through the window. Survival instinct wanted to kick in, but I was only pretending that I wanted to escape. I would never leave Dave behind. However, the vampires had to believe my fear so they wouldn't search me for my new weapon.
“Got her!” one of the other vampires called as Brianna came to stand in the doorway.
I hopped back into the room as I was tugged away from the window. My boot squelched as the cut on my leg throbbed in pain, pumping out blood.
“Get her healed!” she ordered, her lips turning up into a snarl. “We need her perfect for the ritual.”
Dragging me into the front room, the big vampire huffed and puffed as I thrust away from him, trying to escape. Catching Dave's eye when he spun me around, I winked quickly. He kept a straight face, although his forehead did crease when he saw the blood dripping onto the floor.
“Sit down!” the vampire ordered.
Allowing him to thrust me onto the sofa, I tried not to scream in frustration. The bastards had us cornered, although I would use the glass to cut the rope when they were distracted. Surely they had to leave at some point or sleep for that matter.
“See, she’s still tied. Bloody illusionist,” Brianna spat at Dave before looking at me. “Open your mouth, witch!”
She came over to us, took hold of the male vampire’s wrist and ripped her teeth through it.
He sucked in a breath as his eyes narrowed on her. “No need to be so harsh.”
Tutting, Brianna gripped the back of my head, her strong hands squeezing my neck hard. “Drink.”
The vampire pressed his wrist against my mouth as I squirmed, trying to get away from them. Together, they held me firm, forcing my mouth open. Metallic blood hit my tongue, making me heave. The droplets ran down my throat, forcing me to swallow. The taste was vile. No one should ever be forced to drink vampire blood.
“That will heal your leg, you stupid woman.” Brianna stroked my hair as she pulled her hand away. “Don't say I don't take care of you.”
“You're a psychopathic vampire who’ll be arrested for treason.” Dave's voice was low and cold.
His hands were shaking in his lap, his eyes wide as he watched her retreat.
Blinking slowly, she turned to the men. “Bind their legs, there’ll be no more escape attempts. I need to let Xvair know that we have them both. And, an extra one that I'll enjoy killing.”
She was about to go into the bedroom when she turned. “Oh, and I was about to tell you before your little revolt...” Glancing at me and Florian, who was now on his knees on the floor, she smirked widely. “... the PFF may or may not have chosen the perfect little church to carry out the ritual tomorrow night. Have you ever heard of Little Minster Church?”
Every witch had heard of Little Minster Church, although by the look on both Florian and Dave's faces, they had no idea what Brianna was talking about. Probably because Essex witches were the ones who carried the secrets of the most sacred part of the ley lines.
After Brianna had winked at me and disappeared into the bedroom, Dave turned to me, a concerned expression on his face. Moving my leg, I checked that it had stopped bleeding. The slash in my leggings was visible, but the cut in my leg had gone. The pain had vanished too. The vampire blood had healed me.
“What is Little Minster Church?” Dave asked.
Looking at Florian, who had turned to listen to my answer, I felt my chest squeeze. The man had no idea who he was, let alone why he was a prisoner in a grungy flat. Xvair Harvey had gone insane. He was using an illegitimate child of his to get his wish. He would probably try to force us to have a baby so he could drain it of magic. Well, I wouldn't allow that to happen. Ever.
“Little Minster Church has been condemned by the government and Paranormal MI5. It's a place where its priests were so evil, the veil between Hell and Earth is thin. No one has been allowed on its grounds in centuries.”
“Until now.” Dave sighed.
Nodding, I glanced up at him as I slumped on the sofa. Taking a deep shaky breath, I released it quietly. “Until now.”
