Everything around me slows. I look around me, just to make sure that Gabriel isn’t in fact here. But he’s been gone for almost two days. No one’s spoken to him. I knew something wasn’t right.
‘You’re lying. You don’t have Gabriel,’ I insist.
‘Oh no? Say hello, Gabriel.’ I hear someone getting a beating. Their groans and grunts as they get hit come down the phone, but that could be anyone.
‘He’s a stubborn bastard. One moment,’ Theo says, before the phone goes quiet. Then I hear a blood-curdling yell, and I know it’s him. Theo has Gabriel!
‘What do you want?’
‘I told you. I want you to come and see me.’
‘Grayson will never let me.’
He laughs a cruel mocking laugh. ‘No. He won’t. I’m impressed that you have him so devoted to looking after you considering he’s only just met you. He’s got you very well protected there. I don’t like it. So, I want you to change it.’
‘Change it?’ What the hell does he mean?
‘Yes. I know you’ve promised to help him break down the veil. Now I want you to tell him you’ve changed your mind. That you will never help him and that you think him and all his men deserve to die. You tell him that if he tries to stop you from leaving, you’ll kill him.’
‘He’ll kill me, Theo. You can’t be serious.’
‘He won’t kill you. He may not be very nice to you in the future, but he won’t kill you. With Grayson as your enemy, you’ll need me to look after you. Or your life simply won’t be worth living. And don’t even think about trying to tell someone what’s happening. You see the man standing in front of you?’ I look at the Nomad. ‘His name’s Adam. He’s a very loyal Nomad but also a devoted husband. His wife is currently a guest of mine, and he’ll do anything to keep her safe. Adam knows where I am, and he’s going to bring you to me. He’s under strict orders. Here are the rules. You’re not to talk to anyone about what’s happening. You’re to do everything Adam asks. You’re going to make one hell of a scene when you leave and when you have left the house, you’re going to come quietly. Adam will keep me updated at particular times. If he’s late calling or picking up the phone, or if you break these rules… Gabriel and Adam’s lovely wife will die. Do you understand?’
‘Yes,’ I whisper. ‘But how do I get out of here? There are Nomads everywhere.’
‘You’re a witch, Lilly. Use your magic. Adam will take it from here. Be a good girl. See you soon.’
‘LILLY! DON’T YOU DARE-’
The call ends and Gabriel’s voice is cut off. I give Adam the phone. What the hell do I do now? Gabriel and I may not be in a good place, but I can’t just abandon him. Or Adam’s wife.
‘What now?’ I ask.
‘I have a car parked out the front of the house. A little way down the lane. We need to get to that. I’m so sorry, Miss Hooper, but I have to do this. I can’t let Clara die.’ I look into Adam’s eyes. They’re completely filled with fear. ‘I can’t let her stay with Theo. Just like you can’t let Gabriel stay there. Theo’s evil. Please, please forgive me.’
‘It’s okay,’ I tell him. ‘I understand. We’ll get them back, just give me a second.’ I need to calm my thoughts. I need to reign in my panic. I take stock of our situation. ‘There are dozens of Nomads all armed between us and that car,’ I say quietly. ‘Never mind Grayson, Collins and Hendrix. I’ll never get us past them all.’
‘Miss Hooper…we need to get to that car.’ He sounds as fearful as I feel.
I drag my hands through my hair in desperation.
Fuck fuck fuck.
‘This is impossible.’ I have to push those ideas out of my head. It can’t be impossible. It has to be done.
Adam holds out his hand.
‘I need to take your binding spell.’ I give him the watch which he slides into his coat pocket. My magic rushes through me like an old friend. No longer feeling like an uncontainable force, but a part of me. I feel stronger, safer. Perhaps it’s because I know I must be strong. That I must be in control. Gabriel’s life depends on it.
‘Do I have to make a scene? Can’t we just try and sneak out?’ I ask hopefully.
‘No,’ he says simply. ‘If Grayson isn’t your enemy by the time we leave, then Gabriel and Clara will die. Theo made that crystal clear. We’re being watched. I don’t know by who, or even how. But he’ll know. I’m sorry, we don’t have a choice.’
‘I know. All that matters now is getting to Gabriel and your wife and making sure they stay alive. When we get back, we’ll explain why we left to Grayson. He’ll understand.’ I can see by the look on his face he doesn’t believe that for a moment.
‘Maybe you, but not me,’ he says quietly. ‘We need to move.’
I take a deep readying breath and accept that this is going to happen.
‘You better stay close. We’ll go through the house. It will attract attention which is what Theo wants. When we’re through the front door, we’ll head to the front gate. The wall’s too high to climb so the gate is the only option. Stay by my side. Keep up…and don’t die,’ I tell Adam who nods.
We turn shoulder to shoulder and face the house.
I’m filled with purpose. It overpowers everything else. We’re getting the people we love back from Theo, and if I get the slightest chance, Theo’s a dead man.
We walk across the lawn and towards the house. No one outside stops us as we go. In the kitchen, two Nomads stand by the kettle drinking coffee. They nod politely at us but say nothing as we continue to walk. In the lobby, it’s the same. Plenty of people, but no one says a word.
Grayson’s office door is open. Inside he’s talking to Billy and Hendrix. I hear his voice, sounding very serious and full of authority and they nod in agreement to whatever it is he says. Adam takes hold of my elbow and gestures to the men in the office.
‘You have to go in there. Theo made it very clear you have to turn him against you.’
‘Easier said than done, Adam’ I whisper. ‘I’ve seen him kill and torture people for insulting him!’
‘He won’t kill you. He needs you alive. Just go in, tell him what Theo wants you to tell him, and then we get the hell out of here.’
Terrified, I stand in Grayson’s doorway and clear my throat. He looks at me with a sweet smile, happy to see me.
‘Everything okay?’ he asks, still sitting behind his desk. Hendrix and Billy are sitting opposite watching me. I’m so busy panicking I forget to speak. ‘Lilly?’ he says, with a slight laugh. ‘Can I help you with something?’
I know what I have to do, but when I do it, all hell’s going to break loose. There’s just no other choice.
‘I’m leaving.’
His smile falters.
‘You want to go out for a walk? Get some air? I’ll come with you.’ He starts to get to his feet.
‘No,’ I say quickly, holding my hand out to stop him. ‘I’m not going for a walk. I’m leaving the house. I’m…I’m… leaving you and your Coven.’ His smile goes completely, and he continues to get to his feet slowly. Hendrix and Billy look between us watching the conversation.
‘Can I ask why?’ Grayson asks coldly.
Adam clears his throat quietly behind me as I stand here silent. I know what I’m supposed to say, but the reality of saying those words to a man like him isn’t easy.
‘Lilly!’ Adam whispers quietly. ‘Say it!’
‘I’ve changed my mind,’ I say quickly, almost tumbling over my words. ‘I won’t help you bring down the veil. After everything you’ve done, all the people you’ve killed… I think you…’ Oh, bloody hell. With a deep breath, I just say it. What else can I do? ‘I think you and your men all deserve to die. Why would I ever help you?’ I step back in anticipation of his reaction. I expect yelling, lightning, violence but he just continues glaring at me. ‘I’m not your prisoner. I’m leaving this house, and you’re not stopping me, Grayson. If you do, I’ll kill you myself.’ Grayson’s eyes flick down at my wrist before they turn on me with savagery.
‘Where’s your binding spell?’
‘Gone.’
I’ve done what I was told. I’ve said the words, and now all that’s left is to go. I turn quickly and head to the front door. I push it open.
‘MISS HOOPER!’ Grayson bellows as I stand just inside the threshold of the house. ‘I strongly suggest you turn around, apologise and get up to your room before I do something you will sorely regret.’
I stay standing and look out ahead of me to the driveway. A quick scan shows me at least twenty Nomads between us and the gate.
‘Lilly. Turn around,’ Grayson says firmly. I turn. So does Adam. He’s so close I can feel his body trembling and hear his terrified breathing. Grayson looks at him. ‘What are you doing so close to her? Step away.’ Adam stands firm at my side. ‘I SAID STEP AWAY!’
I wrap my hand around his wrist and pull him so he’s standing behind me. ‘He can’t. I’ve used my Mental magic on him. He has to do as I’ve said. I need him to drive me away from here.’ Hopefully, that will help Adam after all this is done. ‘I’m leaving, taking him with me and you’re not stopping us.’
I step back and turn to leave when the door slams shut in my face. I look at Grayson over my shoulder. His hands are covered in lightning, crawling across his skin like snakes weaving between his fingers.
‘I won’t let you leave.’
‘I’m not asking your permission.’
‘Is this because of Gabriel? Is this because he’s upset you?’
‘No,’ I reply. ‘This is because of you, and what you’ve done.’ I create my fire, letting it flicker away on my hands as a clear warning.
‘You’re not going anywhere.’
Here we go.
He starts towards me. I send two streaks of fierce fire towards him landing at his feet and spread outwards creating a tall barrier of black and white flames that reach the ceiling cutting him, Billy, Hendrix and the Nomads off from us. It’s completely in control. I shatter the glass around us into hundreds of shards and send them all soaring through the air making everyone dive to the floor. When they’re down, I blast the front door off its hinges with a wave of my hand and grab hold of Adam who’s swearing and looking at the chaos in shock.
‘Run!’
Together, we sprint outside and towards the gravel driveway. Four Nomads on my left turn and point their weapons at us. Two aim for my legs while the other two aim for Adam’s head. Before they can open fire, I slam them with my Telekinetic magic sending them violently sideways. Their spray of bullets goes flying into the sky as their bodies hit the ground hard.
We never stop running. I turn and create another wall of my fire in front of the door, sealing the Nomads and Grayson inside. I swipe my hand widely through the air feeling a slight resistance, like my arms moving through water, as I send a wave of energy at the group of Nomads on my right who are rushing towards us, launching them backwards.
I see trucks and cars parked all along the driveway. They could follow us! So I set them on fire and hurl them across the lawn like blazing tumbleweeds. I don’t want to kill anyone. I just need them to get out of my way and make sure they can’t follow. When one of the cars suddenly explodes, the Nomads close by get thrown through the air in a blast wave of fire and heat.
Men and woman are screaming and shouting. There are explosions and fire surrounding us, all of my own making. Holy shit! I’m amazed at what I’m able to do with my mind so focused. I never thought I would be this…powerful! We keep running. I look back and see Grayson along with Hendrix and a handful of men making their way out of a broken window from the lounge, bypassing my wall of fire by the door and heading straight towards us. Grayson doesn’t look at the fire, the hurling vehicles or his men lying on the ground. His eyes are firmly on me. And they’re murderous. His fists are clenched as he walks towards us with purpose. He raises his arms.
‘Adam…GET DOWN!’
Grayson’s lightning streaks towards us and I have to push us both onto the floor as it flies above our heads. We stumble to our feet and sprint towards the gate.
‘KEEP RUNNING!’ I scream, pulling him with me.
I uproot trees, lighting their branches as they fly overhead and toss them behind me. Anything to slow them down. When the gates come into view, I raise my hand. They come away from their hinges as if hit by an invisible bulldozer and spiral through the air landing across the road forty feet away in a twisted, tangled mess.
How am I capable of any of this? My magic is so much more than I thought it was.
We run through the gap I’ve made by tearing out the gates and onto the road. I take a second to look back hoping to see where everyone is.
It’s chaos! I’ve left behind a war zone of destruction, and in the middle of it all is Grayson still charging towards us. He holds out his hand and an invisible force slams into me. I fly backwards through the air, letting Adam’s arm slip from my grasp and I land on my back in the middle of the road. Pushing myself up with a groan as my body throbs from the impact, I make another wall of fire across the hole where the gate once was as Adam helps me get to my feet.
‘THE CAR’S DOWN THERE!’ He has to yell so I can hear him over the noise as he gestures down the lane. We turn and run. I throw tree after tree in the middle of the road creating blockades so they can’t follow us in the cars I didn’t manage to burn. They won’t get through that mess.
Or so I thought.
The wall protecting the house starts to shake and groan. A single brick shoots out past our heads. Then another and another. Grayson’s breaking through from the other side.
There’s a loud animalistic growl.
‘Shit! LOOK OUT!’
Hendrix hurdles over the twenty-foot wall and lands skilfully on the grass verge before sprinting towards us. I can’t help but scream when I see his bared teeth and jet-black eyes coming straight for us. He runs at remarkable speed, like an animal chasing its prey, all the while the bricks continue dislodging themselves from the wall making a passage for Grayson and his men to get through. Hendrix is moving too fast. We’ll never outrun him. I shove Adam forwards.
‘Get in the car, open the passenger door and start the engine!’ I order. ‘I’ll hold him off.’
Adam nods and sprints ahead as I stop and turn to face the Vampire. He looks thrilled to finally have the chance to cause me some pain and with a silent prayer to a god I don’t believe in, I try and use my new power. If fear is an incentive…well, I have plenty of that. Before he gets close enough to grab me, I shout.
‘STOP!’
He does. Every muscle in his body goes rigid, and he can’t move.
It worked!
‘Protect us, Hendrix,’ I order. ‘Fight anyone that tries to stop us. But don’t kill anyone.’
‘You fucking bitch. Grayson will tear you apart for this.’
I have nothing to say to him because he’s probably right. He gives the angriest yell I think I’ve ever heard as he turns. His fists are clenched as he stands between us and Grayson’s oncoming attack.
I run to the black Vauxhall with the open passenger door and throw myself inside as Adam slams his foot down and speeds off down the country lane. As we turn the corner, the last thing I see is Grayson emerging from the hole in the wall and Hendrix charging at him.
‘We did it!’ I say out of breath.
‘Not yet we haven’t.’ He looks over his shoulder. Turning to see what he’s looking at, I see a car speeding after us.
Shit!
‘How?’
I climb into the back seat as Adam pelts it down the country lanes.
‘What do we do?’ he asks with a quaking voice.
‘Keep driving!’ I tell him. ‘Don’t stop.’
I count five cars behind us and catching up fast.
‘You better do something, Miss Hooper. If we get caught-’
‘I know, Adam! Believe me, I know!’ He’ll be killed, his wife will be killed, and Gabriel will be killed, leaving me at the mercy of Grayson alone. What can I do? I don’t want to throw the cars. That could kill the people inside. I need to stop them from following, but how?
The road’s a simple country road. On my left is the boundary of the house with hedges and a wall that reaches high above us. To our right are vast open fields. There’s nothing to throw at them. Nothing to block the road with. The road! If I could destroy the road, make it impossible to pass…
As we race away with Grayson and the others gaining on us every second, I turn my attention to the tarmac.
I close my eyes and reach out with my magic, feeling it building up from my chest and spreading through me like a wildfire. I build it up and build it up, making it stronger till I can’t keep it inside anymore. I fling open my eyes and expel it from my body directing it to the ground, willing destruction. The tarmac splinters and cracks, like the earth beneath it is shifting. As we drive, the splintering road chases us but never touches our tyres. The cars behind continue to follow, driving over the broken and uneven ground. I clench my fists determined to do this. Determined to stop them. When I open my palms, the road behind me collapses with a loud, horrific crash, making a ditch ten feet deep and stretching way out across the surrounding fields at phenomenal speed. The first three cars don’t stop in time and crash below. The others screech to a stop as I continue to make my enormous trench. Before we fly around another corner, I see Grayson get out of one of the cars he has no choice but to abandon and watch us drive away.
‘Did you see that?’ I say breathlessly. I look at the chasm I’ve made. ‘How did I do that?’
‘You’re the Arcane Witch, Miss Hooper. That’s nothing. The last one levelled a whole town. So the story goes.’
He’s breathing hard and fast as we drive. We’re both shaking. Both full of adrenaline and fear, but we did it. No one follows.
A whole town? Jesus!
‘Give the Miss Hooper thing a rest, will you?’ I tell him as I continue to look out the back window, watching the road. ‘I think we’re past formalities. My name’s Lilly.’
∞∞∞
We join a motorway, and when I’m sure we’re not being followed, I climb into the front seat next to Adam. He pulls off the motorway after a few miles and drives into a large service station where he parks up, gets out and opens my door.
‘Follow me.’
We abandon the Vauxhall for a silver Ford. He holds open the front passenger door for me. I get in and so does he before we drive calmly away. As we travel, he keeps glancing at the small clock on the dash. When it turns eleven twenty-five, he pulls out his phone and dials.
‘We’re in the Ford,’ he says. ‘No. We’re not being followed. Yes, she followed the rules. She caused some serious havoc and most definitely turned Grayson against her.’
‘I want to talk to Gabriel,’ I demand, knowing that he’s talking to Theo. Adam looks at me before handing over the phone.
‘How’s it going, Lilly?’ Theo asks.
‘I want to talk to Gabriel.’
‘No-can-do, sweetheart,’ he says smugly. ‘Well done. Part of me thought you wouldn’t make it.’
‘Prove to me that Gabriel’s alive,’ I insist.
‘He’s alive, and he’ll continue to be as long as you do what you’re told.’
‘What about Adams wife?’
‘She’s fine. See you soon.’ He hangs up. Adam holds out his hand for the phone. I shove it in his hand.
‘What does Theo want me for?’ I ask. ‘Does he want to kill me?’
Adam shrugs and carries on driving.
‘Where are we going?’
Nothing. I sit back in the seat and do the only thing I can.
Wait.
After more than two hours, he pulls into a small carpark with two other cars and no people. He turns off the ignition and sits. When the clock turns to two thirteen, he calls again.
‘We’re at the reservation.’ He nods and hangs up before getting out of the car and walking around to my side. He opens the door. I get out and follow him to a black jeep where we get in and drive for another hour or so in silence.
My fingers are knotted together in nerves. I’m praying Gabriel’s okay and that I didn’t hurt anyone back at the house too badly. I hope Grayson understands and forgives me for what I had to do. I hope I get the chance to fix this. I don’t regret the choices I’ve made. The way things ended with Gabriel and me would never stop me trying to save him. No matter how hard you try, you can’t just remove love.
The sky’s getting darker as the sun begins to set. We’ve driven through town after town, and now we’re slowly making our way down a rough bit of road lined with high hedges and no street lights. It merges into a dirt track, and we’re thrown around inside the car as we go over the frozen ground until he stops and turns off the engine. He leaves the headlights on and waits.
His phone rings.
‘Yes?’ He listens and nods as I sit beside him. I’m miles away from the house, alone and about to be handed over to Theo.
‘Yes. Okay.’ Adam hangs up and swivels in his seat to look at me. ‘Please hold out your hand.’ I do as I’m asked and he replaces the cuff. My magic leaves me in an instant, and a realisation hits me. Grayson has the Bloodstone. He may be hours behind us, but he’ll be able to find me now.
‘Turn away from me and put your hands behind your back,’ Adam orders.
‘Why?’
‘Because if you don’t, I’ll have to call Theo and tell him you’re not following the rules. Please, Lilly, just do as you’re being told so we can save the people we came here to save.’
I turn and put both hands behind my back. He ties them together tightly with rope and returns to his seat looking ahead of us into the darkness.
He says nothing, does nothing. We just sit there. Until the phone goes again. This time he gets out of the car to answer it, telling me to stay put before he slams the door and walks to the front of the vehicle into the headlights. As he faces ahead and talks to Theo, I watch as six men emerge from the darkness and walk straight towards us. I’m so outnumbered and now have no magic. What the hell am I going to do?
Adam hands the phone to a man with long grey hair combed back into a ponytail and a red plaid shirt with a thick black woollen jacket. He places the phone to his ear. He’s nodding, talking to Theo and gesturing at the men around him. The tallest of the six makes his way to my door and opens it.
‘Get out!’ he barks, grabbing my arm and yanking me out so fast I stumble and trip. He pulls me back to my feet before leading me towards the man with the ponytail not giving me a second to compose myself. I’m stopped in front of him as he stands beside Adam. The ponytailed man looks me up and down. His green eyes bore into me.
‘Miss Hooper,’ he says. ‘Nice to meet you.’
The ponytailed man then proceeds to pull out a gun, point it at Adam, and shoot him right between the eyes without a flicker of any hesitation or regret. I scream as Adam’s body slumps to the floor by my feet.
‘HE DID EVERYTHING YOU ASKED HIM TO DO!’ I yell. The shooter turns his attention, and the gun to me.
‘Theo’s waiting for us. If you try anything, I will shoot you and he’ll kill Gabriel. Do you understand me?’ He cocks the gun and raises his eyebrows. ‘Well?’
I nod quickly, eyeing the barrel of the gun that’s still smoking.
‘Good.’
