“Is there anyone here?” I whispered to Tinniel, wishing that Naz was there to help with his telepathy.
He extinguished his ball of light with a flick of the hand and searched the area below with his gaze. I did the same, seeking any presence that could be lurking.
Reaching for his phone, Tinniel sent Naz a message, telling him to join us. I didn’t disagree with my man. He was right to be cautious considering how easy it had been for Frankenstein to take me before. Not that it was hard. He was a hulking vampire beast thing. I was a royal tracker witch with kickboxing experience and a whole lot to learn.
“Let’s go down,” Tinniel said, his voice barely audible, “Stay on guard.”
Beauty was in my hand before he finished his sentence. I had tried to understand what power the sword had had over Amera, but there hadn’t been time for speculation. At least I had managed to keep hold of her.
As Tinniel trotted down the steps, I pictured the box in my mind and tried to connect to it. It was hard to concentrate while moving. However, if I could use my power without having to close my eyes, it would make life a lot easier.
My chest constricted as I struggled to breathe. “The box is still here,” I said as we came onto the platform.
Tinniel held up a hand, shushing me as he listened.
A steady drip of liquid resonated as we crept towards the train, where the windows were shielded in darkness. Had a tap been left on inside?
My heart thundered in my chest as we rounded the train. “Jeez.”
A long rope was stretched between the train and the crudely carved wall. On it, several nooses hung, holding three women. My stomach churned as we came closer and the smell of metallic blood wafted up my nose. It ran down their bodies from deep cuts on their wrists.
“Bloody hell.” Tinniel rushed to the victims, holding one of them up by their legs.
I joined him, looking up into the woman’s face. Her eyes were closed, her head bent over the noose. The skin on her cheeks was pale, almost translucent. “She’s gone,” I croaked, my throat closing.
The puddle of blood under her seeped into the ground, draining away. What had they done to the poor woman?
“The others?” Tinniel asked.
Sucking my bottom lip into my mouth, I glanced over at them, afraid at what I might see. One had short grey hair and a long summer dress. Blood had spread out over the material, forming a heart shape. How ironic that such a gruesome act had been represented by a beautiful symbol.
“They’re dead, too.”
The last woman, no, wait, she was a girl, had long blonde hair down to her waist. The tips were dyed red by her own blood. Tears popped into my eyes as I gripped Beauty and moved closer.
Tinniel was silent as he untied the first woman. I sniffed, wiping away a tear as I raised Beauty and sliced the rope just above the next woman’s head. She slumped to the ground, her descent as undignified as her death. Guilt ripped me apart, travelling over my skin and making me shiver.
“I’ll help you,” Tinniel said, joining me next to the young girl.
His gaze softened when he saw the tears running down my cheeks. I shook my head when he went to reach for me, indicating the girl with my head. We had to get her down.
Holding out his arms, he nodded for me to go ahead. Without hesitating, I swung Beauty, cutting the rope in one swift movement. The girl, who must have been only sixteen, dropped, landing in Tinniel’s arms. A small rasp of breath made my eyes widen as Tinniel placed her onto the ground and ripped the rope away from her neck.
“She’s alive?” I bent down, inspecting her face to see if there was any sign of life.
Frowning, Tinniel searched for a pulse. “I doubt it. The air was probably her body expelling–”
“Okay,” I said, holding up a hand, “I don’t need to know. Hold on. Look, her chest is moving.”
“I can feel a pulse.” Tinniel smiled at me. “She’s alive.”
Kicking into rescue mode, I slipped off the belt that held up my jeans. My heart thrummed loudly, my tears coming even faster now that the girl had a chance. Bending the belt around Beauty’s blade, I sliced it in half, grabbing one bit as Tinniel took the other.
The girl’s gashes were gaping on her wrists, seeping blood. How was she still alive? She should’ve been starved of oxygen, let alone with the amount of blood she’d lost.
Tying the belt above the wound on her arm, I tightened it until it turned the skin blue.
Tinniel copied me, getting his phone out as soon as the bleeding slowed. “I’ll get Synthia here to heal her as best she can.”
“What were they doing?” I asked him, using my sleeve to clean my face.
“You ruined our sacrifice,” a deep voice echoed around the cavern.
Pushing to our feet, both Tinniel and I stood in front of the girl, weapons raised. Shit, it was Frankenstein and two of his bozos. They stood in the middle of the piles of dirt, watching us closely.
Sacrifice? What the actual fuck? How dare the bastards kill humans for their messed up voodoo rubbish.
“She’s here,” Frankenstein said. “The sorceress.”
The box. Did it contain the spirit of the sorceress? Maybe the scroll was a key to unleash the woman who had created the vampire race. If the pair were brought together, it was highly likely I would be hunted.
“You need to leave and carry out your end of the bargain.” Frankenstein addressed me, his meaty hand dismissing us with a wave. “And let us get on with our own search.”
Sounded like Frankenstein wasn’t in the mood for a fight. To be honest, neither was I. Although, would he let us leave with the girl?
“I’ll go if you let us take her,” I said, keeping my stance strong.
The vampires could reach us within seconds, and I didn’t trust that they wouldn’t try to take us out, even though I had a weird bargain with their leader.
Tilting his head to the side, Frankenstein narrowed his eyes on me. “No.”
Tinniel stiffened beside me, his breath coming out in a rush. Oh, great, why couldn’t it just be easy for us to waltz in and take the girl? Not that that had been our plan, of course. Still, plans changed, and we had to get the girl to a hospital.
“The sorceress won’t be found if the blood sacrifice isn’t completed,” one of the other vampires said, a scowl lining his rugged face, “Give her back.”
Rolling my eyes, I glanced at Tinniel, who looked at me. We both raised our eyebrows at the same time, laughing when our thoughts were confirmed. Yep, we’d fight for her. It was an unspoken pact we made to each other. Gosh, he was incredible.
“I don’t think you’ll be needing her,” a voice thundered, making the ground shake.
Frankenstein and his henchmen searched around them, their eyes wide as they tried to figure out where Naz’s voice had come from. I smiled to myself as Tinniel picked up the girl and turned to the platform.
One of the vampires shot towards us, his extended teeth bared and ready to bite. I jumped in front of Tinniel, thrusting my sword forward as the vamp launched himself. His long agile legs came down in front of me, catching the very tip of my blade. The drag of his jeans forced my arm down, almost snapping my wrist off. Gritting my teeth, I held firm as he shrieked, his face contorting as he crumpled on the ground.
Looking over my shoulder, I checked that Tinniel was still moving. He was, although he hesitated near me, clearly not wanting me to defend them. I wasn’t strong enough to take the girl from him, so he would have to trust me.
“I don’t think so,” Frankenstein shouted as the vampire tried, and failed, to push to his feet.
A laugh travelled through the area, the sound bouncing off the walls and back again. Naz appeared behind Frankenstein as he made a run for me. I kept Beauty up, not quite sure what the sorcerer was going to do. My insides quivered as the beast’s shoes thundered on the ground, making the dirt vibrate under my boots.
Darts laced with magically coloured powder, shot from Naz�
�s crossbow, embedding straight into Frankenstein’s back. The beast ignored them, his huge frame still barrelling towards me.
Kicking off from the ground, I swung my leg around as Frank reached for me with his awkward long arms. Beauty came under me as I jumped behind my enemy and thrust the sword upwards, using all my strength to shunt the blade under his ribs.
The hint of a grunt expelled from his lungs as he tumbled forward, his momentum crashing him straight into the side of the platform. Sweat dripped down my neck as I ran for him, ready to make sure the bastard was dead.
Tinniel stepped in my way, his hands gripping my waist and spinning me behind him. Without saying a word, he released me and turned back to the beast, who reared up and roared like a fucking lion.
Bloody hell. Was he truly immortal? Vampires clearly had an aversion to my sword, why hadn’t it killed Frankenstein?
My blood pounded as Tinniel faced the beast, his gun raised and aiming straight at his head. Frankenstein’s eyes were wild, the irises red as he thrust towards Tinniel, my sword still hanging from his chest.
Naz appeared beside me, his crossbow clasped in his hand as he analysed the situation. I was useless without my weapon, but I trusted Tinniel and Naz to take the monster down.
Searching for the girl, I smiled when I saw Synthia carrying her up the stairs and through the metal door. That woman was kickass in all the right ways. I wanted to be her.
“What shall I do?” I asked Naz.
He glanced back at the vampire he had felled, his eyebrows pulled low. “Make sure he doesn’t get up.” His gaze landed on the other vampire, who was crawling towards the exit, unable to get to his feet. My sword had done something to the tendons in his calves, preventing them from healing. I needed Beauty back in order to finish Frankenstein.
“We’ll get your sword back,” Naz said as Tinniel pushed Frank back with his gun, shooting him in the head.
Pointing to the platform, Naz nodded at Frank at the same time. Ah, yes, I understood what he was telling me.
My muscles tried to tense as Naz joined Tinniel, both shooting at the same time. Although Frank grunted and paused, he stayed upright, his long arms reaching for the twins. Naz laughed as he tucked away his crossbow and held up his hands, pushing them together and away in a perfect rhythm.
Adrenaline tickled my nerves as I hovered, waiting for my chance. Tinniel glanced over his shoulder to check on me, his hair flying around his head. Oh, the beauty of him took my breath away. And, just to think, he was mine.
I tore my gaze from my lover as a bright ball of ice formed in Naz’s hands, growing as he chanted.
Frankenstein cried out and stumbled when Tinniel shot him in the head again.
Naz’s ice ball grew quickly, glistening in the overhead light. He shunted the ball forward, whooping when it smashed into the beast’s chest. Icicles trickled down his body, forming on every part of him as they merged onto the ground, freezing his feet to the floor.
Groaning loudly, Frank struggled against the ice that trapped him. My moment had arrived. I grinned as I ran through the twins, my boots bouncing off the ground. The beast’s arms froze just as I reached him, his eyes wide and his mouth snarling. “Don’t,” he said as my hands gripped Beauty and tugged hard.
The ice had trapped the blade deep inside the brute. Crap, that hadn’t been as smooth as I would’ve liked.
“You chose the wrong leader,” I said through gritted teeth.
Placing my hands to his chest, on either side of the blade, I imagined Amera and her annoyingly pretty face. How dare the bitch torture me?
Anger, fierce and powerful, surged over me, bringing the fire I desired. My hands heated, channelling my magic and thawing the ice that had frozen my sword. The crack of it breaking away made my muscles grow firm as I looked into Frankenstein’s eyes and slowly tugged my weapon out of his chest.
“You’ll never win,” he said, his wild eyes darting between the three of us. “The necromancer will revive the sorceress, and she’ll end you all.”
I jarred as Beauty came free and almost flopped to the floor. Grasping the metal in my hand, I ran around Frank as the icicles started to melt, and he tried to wrench free again.
“Hurry!” Tinniel skipped forward, his gun ready to shoot if the beast got free.
Sweat lined my palms as I threw Beauty onto the platform and hauled myself up behind her. The chink of ice breaking sent my heart into overdrive as I picked up my weapon and spun, swinging the blade through the air.
Silence blared in my ears as I checked Frankenstein’s neck, making sure the sword was in line before it connected. Slow motion ensued as the sharp blade cut clean through his neck, and his head flew through the air, landing right in front of Naz.
Blood spurted over the floor as the rest of his body followed, crumbling to the ground. I heaved a sigh as my muscles gave way, and I dropped to my knees. Tinniel jumped up beside me, his huge bulk landing like a feather. How was the six foot four giant so graceful?
“Are you okay?” he asked, bending down to help me.
Holding up a hand, I stopped him, giving him a small smile for reassurance. As amazing as Tinniel was, constantly protecting me, it felt good to have brought the bad guy down. I had to embrace the part of me who had become a killer. I had to know that I could stand on my own two feet, without the help of another, however hot that person.
My chest tightened, my breath restricted as darkness fell over my eyes. I’m beneath the train.
“Lyla?”
Blinking, I shook my head, grasping for Tinniel’s hand as the light returned to my eyes, the scene in front of me revealing itself again.
Naz was searching Frankenstein’s coat, checking his pockets.
“There,” I said, pointing towards the train, “the box is buried underneath. She’s talking to me. I-It’s…” Stuttering, I wiped the sweat from my forehead. “…it’s the sorceress’s soul.”
Chapter Twelve
“I can’t believe Synthia was able to heal that girl so quickly considering she was on death’s door.” Chewing a cookie, I shook my head. “Not only that, she wiped the part of her brain that would’ve created PTSD and memory of the trauma.”
The three men shook their heads, also impressed by our colleague. She’d saved the girl’s life in more ways than one. Maybe she could clear me of my traumatic past?
“I can’t believe Henrick is working with the enemy,” Naz said as he stared at the box.
We had just returned to the twins’ home after a night of questioning and broken sleep at the club. Klarita had forbid us to remove the box from the Federation. We hadn’t listened.
As soon as it had been dug up, I’d felt the intensity of its energy. Whoever the sorceress had been, her magic had been extremely powerful. For some bizarre reason, I didn’t want to leave such a sought after talisman behind.
“We face a moral dilemma.” I ran a hand through my hair as I leant on the island in the middle of the kitchen.
Tinniel was next to me, frowning at the intricately carved silver box. Naz was nearby, sipping from a strong mug of coffee.
“It’s a tough one,” Jamie said, tapping his fingers against his thigh where it was crossed at the knee.
He had settled in well at the twins’ house, even going so far as to offer rent. I’d almost had a heart attack when Naz told me that my human friend was actually helping out around the place. What had changed the hippy’s attitude?
Jamie sat forward and took my hand, squeezing hard. “Has the Federation made a choice?”
I glanced at Naz and Tinniel, a guilty grin spreading on my face as they cleared their throats. What? We had to assess the situation in a professional- Who was I kidding? We had wanted to inspect the box without Klarita hanging over our shoulder. She would run us through with her magic if she knew we’d snuck it out.
“No,” I said, sighing. “Klarita has called a meeting this morning. We’ll go back soon.”
“If we don’t give t
he box to Amera, the whole vampire race will die out. I hate the bastards, don’t get me wrong,” Naz said, chewing on his finger, “but even I admit that it wouldn’t be fair to let them rot into extinction.”
“I agree.”
Tinniel’s sharp gaze made me lick my lips. We’d spent the night together, arguing over the fate of the box. According to him, my life was in too much danger. If the sorceress was resurrected by a necromancer, she would come after me.
Of course, we’d made love between the spats of bickering, but-
“Too much information,” Naz piped up, holding his hand over his eyes. “Don’t picture it, don’t picture it.”
“Oh, what’s going on here, then?” Jamie stared at me, clearly intrigued by Naz’s cryptic protest.
He stared at me, his eyebrows raised. If I just kept my gaze on him without looking at Tinniel – shit, too late – my gaze clashed with Tinniel’s, whose sombre expression didn’t lift. Huh, seemed Mr Happy wasn’t too happy about my runaway thoughts. Clearly, I needed to train my brain a lot better.
What did I tell Jamie? I’d been so wrapped up in my own world, I hadn’t spent any time with my kind human friend. I sucked.
“The charge has been…” What? Confirmed? Solidified? Consummated?
Naz snorted his coffee just as I laughed, sending it flying across the floor. Tinniel glared and Jamie grinned, winking at me. Yep, I didn’t need to spell it out to him, he was a kinky old devil, disguising as a well-to-do hipster.
“Anyway…” Resisting the urge to take Tinniel’s hand, I turned my attention back to the box that sat in the middle of the island.
The rising sun stroked the silver, highlighting the carved roses and lilies. I hadn’t noticed them until I’d had the box in my hands. It was ornate, the lid locked by a tiny clasp that wouldn’t undo. It was clearly spelled shut…and for a reason.
“We have to do the right thing.” I glanced at the others, who nodded their agreement.
Even Tinniel reluctantly inclined his head, his forehead creasing as he frowned. “I don’t like the idea of you being in danger. However, you’re right… We can’t let a whole race die out.”
The Witch With An Attitude (Federation of Magic Book 2) Page 14
