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Serenity drove with Sebastian riding shotgun. Bridget and Elizabeth sat in the back in silence.
As she headed east onto the Interstate 10 freeway, Serenity cast anxious glances at Sebastian. His expression was unreadable, his lips pressed together, his jaw tight. He had his hands clasped together between his knees and he stared down at them, ignoring the world passing by outside the window.
She worried about him. He didn’t like to travel in cars, and having to do so must be a hard thing to swallow. She couldn’t imagine how he felt, his strength and speed disappearing, his beautiful, perfect skin falling away from his body. Clearly, he was also distraught about what he’d put her and Elizabeth through, though she didn’t hold him to blame.
She and Bridget had purposefully not mentioned their suspicions about Natasha being responsible for the demon. Serenity had felt sure he’d rush off to confront Natasha himself without allowing this sorceress to help them first. She couldn’t risk that happening. They had no idea how much control Natasha had over the demon inside him or if she had her own group of witches surrounding and protecting her.
Elizabeth also worried Serenity. She still seemed zoned out, as though she was asleep with her eyes open. She stared out of the window, not responding to anything the adults said to her. Serenity understood the theory that the little girl was still in shock about what had happened; from the way her own hands trembled when she removed them from the steering wheel, she thought she might be in shock herself. But Serenity knew her daughter. If something was happening with Elizabeth that she didn’t quite understand, it was normally because her daughter was experiencing something else. That magic part of her that allowed her to know things before others. After all, their daughter had been right about Sebastian. She’d dreamed about her father being lost, dreams bad enough to cause night terrors that had forced the leader at her camp to send her home from her trip.
They rode in silence, the tension in the car palpable. Serenity didn’t know what to expect when they found the traveler community Bridget said the sorceress belonged to. Would they tell them to get lost? With Sebastian so on edge, she worried he’d make some kind of snide comment toward them. He didn’t do contrite and she couldn’t blame him. He was used to being the top predator, the creature no one and nothing else could hurt, yet now he found himself at the mercy of something unexplainable and he was being forced to ask for help from people who hated his kind.
How was this ever going to go well?
Serenity focused on the road, leaving Interstate 10 to merge onto the Mojave Freeway toward Barstow. Eventually, Elizabeth’s eyes closed and she slept. Serenity relaxed a fraction. Seeing her daughter sleeping was a far more natural state than the awful, silent stare. In sleep, Elizabeth could heal.
The car ate away the miles of desert— the expanse of sand and small shrubs barely made out in the moonlight. Ahead, a vastness of stars stretched out on the horizon. Now well into the evening, the road was more deserted than in the daytime—plenty of Los Angeles residents often using this route to take short breaks to Las Vegas.
Sebastian sat in stony silence beside her, his face now turned to the passenger window. She knew he’d be able to see more of the landscape than she’d ever be able to, but he made no comment on the passing scenery, or on anything else for that matter.
The occasional headlights of other cars swept toward her from the other side of the freeway, making her squint in the sudden glare of light. A small animal darted across the road ahead and she jammed her foot on the brakes and swerved, then apologizing for making everyone jump.
As she hit the outskirts of the city, she followed Bridget’s directions and turned left toward Lenwood. Before they reached the small town, the older woman reached forward between the seats and touched Serenity’s arm.
Bridget pointed across the road. “Look, there!”
Behind a tall chain-link fence, a number of trailers were set up, dotting the dry countryside. Serenity pulled the car over, parking beside a double-wide, chain-link gate which stood the same height as the fence.
The change in motion jerked Elizabeth awake. She sat up, looked around and smiled.
“You okay, honey?” Serenity asked, twisting around in her seat.
Elizabeth nodded. “Are we here now?”
“I think so.”
“We’re here,” said Bridget. “And we have company.” She nodded toward the gate. A number of people approached, crossing the dry terrain with purpose in their walk. “Elizabeth can stay in the car,” Bridget continued. “Sebastian, you stay with her.”
He turned to face them, finally interacting. “I’m not hiding away inside this vehicle.”
She sighed. “Fine, stand outside if you want to, but stay with your daughter.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched, but he didn’t argue. He climbed from the car in one graceful move and propped himself against the passenger door. Serenity and Bridget followed suit, the two women standing on the side of the car closest to the trailers.
A girl walked in the middle of the approaching group. Older men with shaved heads, wife-beater shirts and homemade tattoos adorning their heavily-muscled arms flanked her. Her blonde hair was so pale it was almost white and hung down her back, the ends brushing the base of her spine. She had sculpted features—a fine, pointed chin, slender nose, and bright blue eyes that appeared too large in her delicate face.
The group came to a halt just on the inside of the gate.
“Iona.” Bridget spoke quietly to the side. Serenity shot her a glance of confusion. “The Sorceress.”
Serenity gave a small gasp of surprise. This girl before them was just that—a girl. She couldn’t have been more than sixteen-years-old at a stretch. Surely this child couldn’t be the person they were putting all their hope in.
Anxious, she glanced back to where Sebastian remained by the car, his arms folded over his chest, watching them, his green eyes intense. From the way he stood, angled away from them, the patch of dried skin was hidden. He’d done this on purpose, she guessed, untrusting of those he knew would automatically hate him, and not wanting to expose his newly-found weaknesses. The rough-looking guys with the sorceress highlighted his perfect beauty and composure.
Her eyes flicked back to Iona, but the girl didn’t pay Sebastian any attention. Instead, she looked past him to where Elizabeth rounded the vehicle.
“Elizabeth!” Serenity exclaimed. “I thought we told you to stay in the car?”
Her daughter didn’t answer. She approached the waiting group with a shy smile on her face.
Iona returned the smile, her eyes still focused on the younger girl. “Hello, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth flashed a smile, her cheeks flushing pink. “Hello, Iona.”
The two girls regarded each other.
Serenity frowned. They know each other, but how?
“Can you help him?” Elizabeth asked out of the blue.
For the first time, Iona’s gaze left Elizabeth and flicked toward Sebastian. “Does he want our help?”
Sebastian unfolded his arms and stood straight. “I need your help,” he called across the roof of the vehicle.
Iona nodded, turning her attention to Serenity. Her small, elfin face cocked to one side as she took in the sight of her visitor. “Your daughter is special.”
Serenity risked a smile. “Yes, she is.”
“She’s been talking to me for the past couple of hours, explaining to me what’s been happening. You understand we wouldn’t normally dream of helping a vampire, but Elizabeth insists this one is different from others.”
“Not all vampires are bad,” Bridget insisted, moving in on the conversation.
“No?” The girl arched both eyebrows in apparent disbelief.
“Elizabeth is half-vampire,” Serenity said, placing a hand on her daughter’s shoulder.
Iona’s eyes moved back to Elizabeth and she gave the younger girl a small smile. “She had no choice in what she was born as.”
Sebastian walked around the car. He approached them with long strides, coming to stand behind his daughter. “I had no choice in becoming what I am,” he argued.
“Perhaps not, but you’ve relished in your vampirism. In the blood and the death. All your kind do.”
“I try to limit the amount death I inflict on the human population.” He spoke quietly, clearly understanding the validity of her argument.
“I supposed it could be worse. At least you’re not a werewolf.”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. “There’s no such thing as werewolves. They’re just vampires who’ve tried to live on animal blood and have lost their humanity.”
“Is that so?” she said. “And you know this for a fact?”
“I’ve been alive for more than two hundred years. If werewolves lived on this earth, I’d know about it.”
“Funnily enough, werewolves don’t think much of vampires either. They’re a very secretive race. Understandably, they like to keep to themselves.”
“That’s bullshit. Werewolves don’t exist.”
“Many would also claim vampires, witches and demons also do not exist.” She spread her hands out either side of her body. “And yet, here we are.”
Serenity stepped forward, placing her body between Sebastian and Iona. “Please, this isn’t helping anything or anyone. Arguing the existence of werewolves is doing nothing to solve our problem.”
“Ah, yes,” the sorceress said, putting her hands on her narrow hips. “The problem is a demon, isn’t it?”
Serenity nodded. “A demon inside a vampire.”
Iona bit her lower lip. “Definitely not a good thing.”
“So you’ll help us?”
“Yes. But please understand I’m only helping you because of Elizabeth. I’ve never had someone else in my head before. It helped me to fully see the person she is. To have a soul and heart so innocent when she’s experienced such horror makes her a truly special person.”
Serenity reached back and pulled Elizabeth to her side. “Thank you.”
“Very well,” the girl said, stepping forward with her hand held out to Elizabeth. Elizabeth broke from Serenity’s side and accepted the proffered hand. “Come with me.”
Iona turned and her group of heavies moved with her. Holding Elizabeth’s hand, she strode into the traveler’s site, her blonde hair flowing out behind her. Her demeanor was that of a full-grown woman, not a girl in her teens, and the people around her seemed to treat her with reverence.
Serenity and Bridget exchanged a glance and then hurried after, Sebastian close behind.
“Where are her parents?” Serenity hissed to Bridget, hoping not to be heard.
Bridget tilted her head toward Serenity as she walked. “They died, both of them, when Iona was a baby.”
“Oh, my God, the poor girl.”
“An ancient prophecy says when a powerful witch procreates with a powerful warlock, the two shall never survive. Perhaps it’s nature’s way of trying to prevent a person being created who is capable of destroying it. When the child is born, he or she takes all of their parent’s magic. Not long after, the parents die in a freak accident. Most people with powers stay away from each other, they understand the risks and marry outside of their circle, but her parents either didn’t believe the prophecy or loved each other enough not to care.”
“And so Iona became an orphan?”
Bridget nodded. “Her parents’ circle raised her. They’re her circle now, the people she channels energy from.”
“So that’s what makes her powerful, her parents’ magic and that of her parents’ circle? How strong is she, anyway?”
“As far as I know, she’s the most powerful witch alive.”
Serenity let out a breath. It was unnerving to think Elizabeth had somehow been connecting with Iona before they’d even made it here. Was that Elizabeth’s doing or Iona’s influence? She wondered how strong the two of them were going to be together.
“I didn’t know Elizabeth would be able to make contact with Iona,” Bridget said, plucking Serenity’s thoughts from her head.
In a movement of air, Sebastian appeared at Serenity’s side. “I won’t have Elizabeth working with magic. She’s half-vampire, not half-witch.”
Serenity’s mouth thinned into a line. “If Elizabeth can help rid you of this ... thing, she will do whatever is necessary.”
“Even if it puts her at risk?” he challenged.
“She’s already at risk, Sebastian. Look at what almost attacked us in the house.”
Sebastian fell silent and drew back.
Serenity chewed at her lip as they walked. His smoldering presence at her back set her on edge. She didn’t want to fight with him or make him feel bad, but this wasn’t a time to play nicely or worry about hurt feelings. The thought of the demon lurking somewhere beneath the surface terrified her. Part of her wasn’t sure if it was Sebastian she was communicating with or the horrific thing she’d seen trying to climb from his face when she’d pinned him down on the bed.
The strange group wove between the clusters of smaller trailers until they reached a double-wide trailer at the back. Serenity caught sight of other women and children darting inside other trailers, the women ushering the children inside, watching the new arrivals with wide eyes.
Iona reached the door and turned back to them, Elizabeth close by her side. The younger girl watched Iona, enthralled.
“Leave us,” Iona said to the strapping men either side of her.
“But, Iona, don’t you think—”
“Conner,” she said, firmly. “I’ll be fine.”
“You can’t take a vampire in there with you.” His Irish accent was strong, lilting the end of his sentences.
“He won’t cause me any harm. His daughter has vouched for him.” Iona’s own accent was faint, but still present.
The big men glowered at Sebastian. He held his composure and stared back.
“I’m not asking your permission, Conner,” she snapped.
“Fine,” he said, though by his expression he didn’t mean what he said. “We’ll be right next door.”
Iona smiled at her visitors. “Come on in,” she welcomed them.
Elizabeth disappeared inside, closely followed by Serenity and Bridget, Sebastian bringing up the rear. Serenity stepped through the oval doorway and into a surprisingly spacious and modern interior. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but it certainly wasn’t the mahogany shined floors or simple cream walls. A bank of white leather couches framed two walls in an L shape. The living area opened out into a kitchen complete with marble counters and dark wood cabinets. Nothing about the place indicated a powerful witch lived here, or a teenage girl for that matter.
Elizabeth spun around, a wide grin splitting her face. “Mom, this is awesome! Can we get one of these?” She ran to the couch and threw herself down, waving her arms and legs as though creating a snow-angel.
“Elizabeth!” Serenity exclaimed, shocked at her daughter’s disrespect for someone else’s property.
But Iona laughed. “Yeah, it is pretty cool, huh? Not many sixteen-year-olds get to live somewhere like this on their own.”
Elizabeth sat up. “What about your Mom and Dad?”
A shadow passed across the girl’s face and, for the first time, she lost the in-command demeanor she carried. “They died,” she muttered. “I was only a baby. I don’t remember them.”
Elizabeth’s lips pressed together, not knowing how to respond to this revelation.
Iona tossed her head, her almost-white hair shimmering down her back. “I’m over it. I can take care of myself.”
Bridget stepped forward. “Iona, we need you to help us rid Sebastian of this demon. He’s a danger to himself and everyone around him. I’ve tried to learn more about the possession, but my magic simply wasn’t strong enough, which is why we’ve come to you.”
“Do you know who is responsible for the possession?” she asked.
“Yes,” said Serenity. “We think so.”
Sebastian shot her a fierce look, his dark eyebrows knitted together. “We do?”
Her voice came out as a whisper, anxious about his reaction. “We think it must be Natasha.”
His eyes widened and flared yellow. “Natasha,” he growled. “Of course, she’d want to do this to me.”
Serenity fixed him with her gaze. “To us. She’s doing this to us.”
Realization flooded across his features. “She’s relying on me hurting both of you.” His words weren’t a question.
“She must have known you’d protect us to the death if you had to, that you’d find a way of having her killed if she came anywhere near us. This way, she doesn’t need to do anything more. This ...” she struggled to say the word, “demon takes over, kills us and then you. And she hasn’t needed to come anywhere near us.”
Bridget turned to Iona. “Is there anything you can do to help us?”
“Yes, but first you must find the one responsible.”
“We have no idea where she is.”
Iona frowned, scrunching up her pretty face. “No idea at all?”
“She could be in another country for all we know.”
“Don’t worry, we can still find her. Do you have anything of hers?”
Panic rose in Serenity’s chest. “No, nothing! Why would we?”
“What about Vincent?” said Bridget. “He might have something that used to belong to her. I don’t know how much stuff he took from the club after Demitri was killed, but he removed most everything that might give the police some clue as to the type of person inhabiting there. He didn’t care about Demitri—not after what he did to us—but he understands the importance of keeping the existence of vampires a secret. There’s a chance he picked up something of Natasha’s as well.”
“Who is Vincent?” asked Iona.
“My son,” said Bridget. “He’s also a vampire.”
“Great.” Iona rolled her eyes. “Just what I need. More vampires.” She chewed at her lower lip, her gaze unfocused. She pointed a finger at Serenity. “So you have a child with a vampire.” She continued to point, trailing her finger over to Bridget. “And you, a witch, have a vampire for a son.” Her small nose wrinkled. “Isn’t that like ... inbreeding or something?”
Bridget smiled politely, though her blue eyes remained cold. “Very cute. If you’ll all just give me a minute, I’ll try to get hold of my son.” She turned away from the rest of them, heading into the kitchen area. As she walked, she fished in the purse hanging from her shoulder and pulled out her cell phone. She waved it at the small group watching her. “The beauty of modern technology.”
She turned her back on them again, the phone to her ear. She spoke in quiet tones, quiet enough not to be heard by the humans, though Serenity imagined Sebastian picked up what was being said. At least it was night, so Vincent was awake. She didn’t think she’d be able to stand waiting around for hours.
Iona rolled her eyes again. “Let me guess, vampires with cell phones. Whatever next?”
Not half as surprising as teenage sorceresses, thought Serenity, but she kept her mouth shut. They needed Iona, however snarky she might be.
Bridget hung up the cell. “He’s close and does have something of hers—a ring. He can be here within the hour.”
Iona nodded. “Good. We can get started then.”
“Get started?” said Serenity.
“I need to find out which coven this Natasha has corrupted to use as she has.”
“Why? Won’t Natasha’s location tell you that?”
“Perhaps, but I need to be sure. Each circle of witches has its own strengths and weaknesses. I need to be certain I know the source of this magic before I go in and try to control it.”
“So how will you do that?”
“I’ll ask the demon.”
Serenity felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. “What?”
She didn’t want to see the demon again. Not after the last time in their bedroom. Seeing that awful darkness, how his features had morphed and disfigured—like the creature was trying to climb from Sebastian’s skin—had been one of the most terrifying things she’d ever born witness to.
Bridget frowned. “In that case, couldn’t you just ask the demon where Natasha is?”
Iona shook her head, her white-blonde hair rippling. “A demon wouldn’t know such things. It has no concept of place names or locations. But it understands magic and will be able to give me the name of the witch who called it.”
“Okay,” Serenity relented. “If that’s what you need to do, I guess we don’t have any other choice.”