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His laugh resonated as a gunshot rang out. Adrenaline filtered through my veins as I ducked, my high ponytail whipping up and slapping me on the back. My leg muscles clenched and relaxed as my arms swung back and forth, propelling me forward.
The bank of the River Thames changed gradient suddenly. The soft grass beneath my feet turned hard as concrete replaced it. The dim lights from the pathway my only aid.
“Come on,” I willed myself as my breath sifted in through my nose and out through my mouth, just like Kate had taught me.
My fellow agent wouldn’t be proud of me. Chasing the suspect had not been on the agenda. However, when he’d left his house, I couldn’t help but follow. Okay, so being on lookout duty overnight had been a good excuse for me to listen to my most recent audiobook, but after it had finished I’d got bored. Hence, following the man who was now running across the road and into the high street.
Shops were closed up for the night. Our suspect, who was five foot eight with bright blonde hair, glanced over his shoulder. His earlier shot had missed me, but as he flung his arm back again, trying to aim, I noticed a woman on the other side of the road. No, he would not harm an innocent person.
Taking a deep breath, I connected into the ley line and dragged pure witch magic through me. Holding up my arm as I ran, I whispered a barrier spell, bringing it up directly in front of him. A smile came to my lips as his face planted straight into it, falling backwards as his gun skidded on the ground.
“Gotcha!” My exclamation was cut short as he spun and crawled back to his feet.
I was gaining on him, my momentum forcing me forward. The son of a bitch had caught me following him when he’d stopped to tie up his shoelace. His sudden spurt had triggered my fight mode. If he wasn’t guilty of terrorism, he wouldn’t have run.
“They warned me that Paranormal MI5 were watching. I must admit, I didn’t believe them.”
He stood still, his chest heaving, his eyes glancing around. I faced him, my own breathing rapid as I checked that the woman had disappeared. She had. This part of London was known for its high crime rate. Which was in my favour because it meant that most people stayed indoors after dark. The underworld was slowly leaching out of hiding, which wasn’t allowed. The human government had pushed us to try harder to catch our criminal supernaturals.
“I need to take you in for questioning,” I told him, not bothering to elaborate on why.
He shook his head, his blue eyes widening as I approached. Throwing my hand up when he went to dive for his gun, I laughed when he froze, his body going completely still.
“You’re that Essex witch,” he squeezed between his teeth.
Finally, able to breathe evenly, I allowed myself to relax. He was in my custody, I would take him in and interrogate him. The other members of my team had wanted to watch him to gain evidence, but my patience was wearing thin. I wasn’t exactly known for tolerance.
Tilting my head to the side, I put my hands on my hips. The leather of my trousers was slick under my damp palms.
“Are you wearing a... Harry Potter T-shirt?” His frown made my teeth clench.
“What’s wrong with my shirt?” Okay, so I probably shouldn’t be debating my clothing with the suspect, but the dude just dissed my world.
Blinking, the man gritted his teeth, obviously trying to move his extended arm. It didn’t work. It never would. Why? Because I was an Essex witch, which meant that I was connected to the ley line. In my world, Essex witches were the only protectors of pure witch magic.
There were warlocks and they accessed the dirty undertones of Mother Earth’s magic. Normal witches used the pure magic, but they were unable to connect into the line directly. Shifters and vampires didn’t use magic, so they were no threat to me. However, if anyone, and I mean, anyone, dared to gain access to the line, they would have me to skewer them.
“You’re a renowned Paranormal MI5 witch and you’re wearing a book T-shirt. I... well, I respect your-” His tone changed as I came nearer, my eyes able to look straight into his. “You’re taller than you look. Skinnier, too.”
Wait, not only had he fired at me, he was picking my appearance apart. The stupid man would get what was coming to him.
“Wait!” he said loudly as I slid my dagger from its pouch. It was slung around my waist, the left side with a pocket for my gun, the right housed my Essex dagger. A dagger that could only be used by a witch connected to the ley line.
“I can give you names.”
His words caused me to pause, the dagger halfway to his face. I wasn’t going to cut him, I would get way too much disciplinary action for that. He didn’t know that though, did he? It was fun being an agent. Especially when I caught the bad guys.
If he could give me names, however, I had to be nice. Didn’t want to scare him too much before I got him to the Paranormal MI5 building.
My phone vibrated in my pocket as I released the spell and indicated that he should turn around so I could cuff him. Reaching to grab my phone, I pressed the answer button when I saw Dave’s name. My desk friend had probably just woken up, ready to check on me.
“Bitch!” The man in front of me ducked quickly, kicking his leg out as he grabbed his discarded gun.
The bottom of his shoe ploughed into my chest, sending me backwards before I could react. The bastard!
Spinning before I hit the floor, I invoked a spell to keep me upright. The flash of magic made my skin warm as the suspect ran away. My feet rectified themselves as I threw my arms forward, dragged up magic from below and-
The bullet thudded into my chest, the impact sending a spurt of blood up onto my cheek. Shit! He’d just ruined my favourite Harry Potter shirt. He’d pay for that. I would catch his short arse and shove that gun where the sun didn’t shine.
As my body propelled backwards, I marvelled at the almost pitch black sky. I’d been warned not to chase the killer on my own. Seemed like my confidence had finally caught up to me.
“Goodbye world,” I whispered as my arse smacked against the cold concrete.
Falling to lay on my back, I clasped my hand over the bullet entry hole. The squelch of blood wasn’t a good sign as emotions inundated me. Tears came to my eyes as I swallowed, remembering the few people I had allowed into my life. Dave, my desk friend... he hadn’t long been my work partner. He was always at the agency building, being my virtual eyes as I tracked down those that I hunted. My boss had just assigned me a team, too. Apparently, the department was growing. I hadn’t been best pleased about that considering I’d been in control the whole time. Sharing my cases with others wasn’t something I’d taken lightly.
Tears ran down my cheeks as I thought about my mother. She would berate me for letting my guard down. Well, she wouldn’t get the chance, would she?
Silence surrounded me as pain lanced my chest. The stars twinkled above, the little buggers taunting me as my breath slowed and my heartbeat stalled. I had to admit, this wasn’t how I imagined I would die. I’d fantasised that I’d be old and grey, lying in bed with a book fallen from my hand. A romantic ending for a not so romantic woman.
Taking a deep breath as the warmth left me, I waited. My eyes fluttered closed as my heart stopped beating.
The world was gone.
I could sense myself levitating out of my body. My spirit would go back to Mother Earth almost immediately...
I sat up straight as my heart thudded hard in my chest, sending adrenaline through my veins. My breath came quickly, suddenly, as palpitations caused my limbs to shake.
Pulling my hand away from my chest, I gasped at the smear of blood. Looking behind me, I cringed at the amount of blood that was gathered in a pool on the ground.
“What the...?”
“Gemma?” Dave’s distant voice came from my phone where it laid on the floor nearby.
I could’ve sworn I’d just died. Why was I feeling perfectly normal, when moments before, I’d bled to death?
Lifting my stained Harry Potter T-shirt, I felt for the bullet hole. It was there, gaping slightly, but the blood had stopped flowing. My finger prodded to see if the bullet had only wedged in slightly. That would explain the fact that I was still alive, and yet there was no pain. Nope, I couldn’t feel the tip of it.
“Gemma, are you there? What happened?”
Grabbing my phone, I brought it to my ear. “Dave?”
His rush of breath sounded down the line. “Thank fuck. What’s going on? I heard a gunshot. Are you okay? Is anybody hurt?”
A laugh escaped my mouth unbidden. I was fine. I was alive. My heart hadn’t stopped beating. Well, it had... Jeez, I was confused.
“I’m fine, I think.” Coughing, I leant forward as liquid ran up my throat.
Spitting it out, I started to hyperventilate. It was blood. My blood. How was I not dead?
“I can see where you are, I’m sending the others to you.”
Shaking my head, even though he couldn’t see me, I wiped the sweat from my forehead with my free hand. “No, I’m going home to change before I come in. I’ll explain what happened when I get there.”
Agreeing to let me get on with it, Dave hung up the phone. Looking around, I dragged myself to my feet. My boots were scuffed and mucky from the concrete, but the blood hadn’t reached them. My shirt was completely and utterly ruined. Brianna, my best friend, would kill me. She had bought it for my last birthday.
The irony of thinking about my vampire friend made me snort. She would’ve struggled to stick around with all this blood. All my blood.
As my feet dragged me away from my lifeblood, I headed home in a daze. The bullet was still lodged in my chest, I could feel it right near my heart. Tears came to my eyes. Somewhere, deep down, I knew what had happened.
The bullet had killed me. Even though I was walking around as if I was alive, somehow, someway, I knew that I was dead.
