“I’m right?” I said, wiggling my eyebrows at him. “I’ll have to remind you of this conversation when you claim that I’m always wrong.”
“I don’t do that.” Tinniel crossed his arms over his chest in a defensive posture.
Giggling, I waved away his words. “I know, but I’m just remembering it for the future, when you’ll no doubt throw it at me in an argument.”
Jamie took out his vape and puffed on it, flapping the fake smoke away as it came towards me. The sweet scent of rose made me swallow. It was a similar smell to the perfume my mother used to wear. I’d hated it as a teen, resentful of the fond memories it evoked. Now, it made my stomach roll.
“I need to try and track my mother again,” I said, a sense of urgency suddenly gripping me.
Lunging from my seat, I almost tripped as my foot caught the stool. Jamie held out his arm, righting me before I crashed on the floor.
“Ouch!” he exclaimed, releasing me instantly.
Heat covered my skin, sweat pouring out of my pores as I clung to the edge of the island and blinked my eyes closed.
“I can feel her, she’s reaching for me.” My voice was quiet as the darkness gave way to a moving light.
It was freezing cold, and my hands were numb. Straining, I looked around, trying to study my surroundings. The light came from a phone as the person holding it paced back and forth.
“Is she here?” The feminine voice snapped, clicking her fingers when my mother nodded.
Wow, I had completely connected with her. I could feel her chest rise and fall as ice cold water lapped her bare feet. Glancing down, I cringed as I tried to lift them out of the water.
Amera was keeping my mother underground somewhere. Liquid dripped down the walls to form puddles across the concrete floor.
Pulling on my arms, I struggled against the ropes that bound my arms behind my back. No wonder my hands were numb, they were tied so tight, the blood supply had stopped.
“She’s here, isn’t she? I can feel her.”
Blinking, I winced when Amera stepped out of the shadows and sneered at me…no, my mother. She had clearly instructed my mother to track me in order to talk. Bitch.
And there I was, ready to convince Klarita to let me track Amera and bargain with her. Seemed my mother had been more powerful than I realised, pulling me into her through our connection.
“My magic,” Mother rasped, “won’t last long.”
She was right. Her whole body shook, her weakness coming from more than starvation and the cold. Had Amera been using her to track the box?
“It doesn’t matter.” Amera came close and gripped my mother’s chin with her sharp nails. “I only have one thing to say to Lyla Ford.”
Ah, she had somehow managed to regrow the hand I’d detached from her arm. That was a shame. I’d been particularly proud of my amputation skills.
“What’s going on?” Tinniel’s voice was in the distance, breaking through my intense teeth-chattering.
Shaking my head, I blocked him out, determined to hear Amera before my mother’s magic waned. Even if I took over the spell, she would pass out from exhaustion.
My heartbeat was slow, barely pumping blood. Mother was dehydrated, her body shutting down. Tears surged into my eyes as her helplessness spread throughout me, crippling as it settled around my shoulders like a heavy cloak.
“Lyla,” Amera barked, spittle flying from her made-up lips. “If you don’t bring the box to the armoury in the Tower of London today, I’ll kill your mother at midnight.”
Opening my mouth as Amera bared her vampire teeth, I screamed. The agony of my mother’s betrayal, and her own torment, singed my skin, sending little sparks of flames over my mother. She heaved in a breath as her limbs warmed, coming back to life again.
“I will have my talisman,” Amera hissed. “Bring her to me.”
Barely able to lift my mother’s head, I nodded my agreement. I would take her the box. I couldn’t tell her what she had to bring in order to get her prize, unable to force my mother to speak. However, she would know what I wanted in exchange.
“Just get me the box.” Amera’s voice was strained as she straightened her fitted suit jacket and ran a hand over her hair, “and you can have your mother back.”
A shudder flew over my body before Mother’s head slumped forward, and I was shunted out of her, jolted back to reality. Air rasped into my lungs as my eyes fluttered open.
Tinniel held me against his chest, his knees resting on the floor. My chest thundered as my stomach flip flopped. The smell of his clean sweat and light aftershave calmed my senses.
“What happened?” Stroking a strand of hair out of my eyes, he frowned down at me.
The others stood nearby, giving me space to come around. I studied each of them, grateful that I had friends in my life. Before, I would’ve had to deal with everything alone. My mother might have lied to me about who I was, and what I was capable of, but she was still my mother.
“It was Mariah,” I whispered as tears ran down my cheeks. “She was starving, weak and barely alive.”
Jamie gasped, his hand covering his mouth as Naz blinked at him.
Tinniel held me tighter, his fingers warming me where they rested on my waist.
“What did Amera want?” Naz asked.
Looking at the island in the middle of the room, I shook my head. Would they let me take the talisman in exchange for my mother? Klarita was all about protocol. Amera wasn’t our bounty, even if meeting her would lead to my mother. Maybe the new leader wouldn’t want her back at all.
“Trust me,” Naz interjected, getting out his phone, “Klarita will want Mariah back.”
Tinniel snorted a laugh, shaking his head when my gaze snapped to him. What the hell? Why did my lover find that funny?
“What am I missing?”
Disentangling myself from the twin, I got to my feet, using his shoulder as my leverage point. I squeezed it in thanks before rubbing my face and looking at the twins as they glanced at one another, clearly having another annoying silent conversation.
Naz cleared his throat and tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Okay, now they were freaking me out.
“Oh, bloody hell, it’s not a big deal,” Tinniel blurted, “Klarita and your mother are in love.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Lyla,” Klarita greeted me, inclining her head in greeting as we sat opposite each other on the train.
Awkwardly nodding in return, I avoided looking at Naz and Tinniel, who were sitting nearby, pretending to be normal human beings going about their day. Unfortunately, they were failing miserably. Their rugged features and huge frames were drawing attention from both men and women.
“Are you prepared?” the leader of the Federation asked.
My insides shivered as I licked my lips and patted the bag next to me. The box was nestled safely in the satchel, hidden from view. Although light, the weight of it as I’d carried it across London had sat heavily on me. We hadn’t dared try to teleport, in case it messed with the magic of the talisman somehow.
Klarita had instantly agreed to allow me to attempt the switch. Tinniel hadn’t been happy until I’d agreed that he could be beside me the whole time. Amera was desperate for the silver trinket, she would do anything for it, including ignoring Tinniel. Hopefully.
“I asked Tinniel to give you space to work.” Klarita looked out of the window, watching the water as we sped over the Thames.
My gut clenched as I studied her face. Her nose was slightly slanted, her brown eyes wide and unblinking. Dark circles deepened her eyes and her hair was scraped back into a high ponytail.
When Tinniel had told me that my mother was in a relationship with Klarita, I’d been speechless. Shocked was an understatement. Not only had my mother hidden who I was, she’d hidden herself, too. There was never any mention of her being in love, ever. When I’d questioned her about my father, she’d been shady, not giving much information.
&
nbsp; Sadness crept into my chest, laying heavily. I never would’ve judged her for being in love, even if we did have our ups and downs. In fact, knowing that about her might have softened me enough to try and revive our relationship.
“You trust me to handle Amera?”
Sighing, Klarita tore her gaze away from the window and looked at me. A strained smile crossed her lips as she shook her head. “You do look like her. Although, there’s something about you that’s different. You’re softer.”
“Softer?” I snorted, not quite sure her judge of character was up to scratch.
Folding her hands in her lap, she laughed gently, shrugging her shoulders. “Well, as soft as you can be considering what you’ve been through. I pleaded with your mother, urging her to tell you who you were. She was so worried about you being harmed, she refused, even though it caused tension between us.”
And there was that stupid pang again. What was the woman trying to do? Make me into a slobbering wreck before we’d even got there?
“Amera wants the talisman. You do understand that if she is able to unite the scroll and the box, she’ll use a necromancer to bring back the sorceress who created vampires?” Changing the subject was safer than being vulnerable.
Returning her gaze to the window as the computerised voice announced our stop, Klarita inclined her head. “Yes. After careful consideration, and a quick vote, the Federation deems the risk necessary. We need our leader back safely. The whole time the vampires have her, they hold sway over us. It’s about time we got back to our business of bounty hunting.”
Agreeing with a murmur, I stood, ready to disembark. It was time to put our plan to the test. The twins had insisted on accompanying me to the Tower. At the gate, Naz would go ahead to meet up with Synthia and Zac, who had already arrived to perform surveillance. According to them, nothing had happened so far.
The armoury was in one of the buildings inside, on a floor full of medieval weapons and amour suits. There would be plenty of humans milling around, so we had to be careful. Why had Amera picked such a random spot?
“The key interest we have today,” Klarita said, getting to her feet and joining me by the doors, “is getting your mother back alive.”
“What about Amera? Do you think she’ll leave happily once she has what she wants? Or will she try to take us all down?”
I had seen Klarita’s shrewd mind work as she organised the Federation. She would’ve been my mother’s second in command, even if they were romantically connected, which meant she was obviously good at her job. I wouldn’t be able to organise a piss up in a brewery, let alone a whole organisation that hunted the bad guys.
“Your account shows that she’s on the edge, clearly willing to do anything to get the box back, including returning Mariah, her greatest leverage.”
The doors swished open, allowing the commuters to pile out of the train. We stayed quiet as we followed them, pacing our steps so we blended in. If Amera had her vampires on the lookout, we wanted her to be reassured that we weren’t planning an ambush.
Tinniel and Naz walked behind us, keeping their distance from each other so it didn’t seem too conspicuous having two massively built men together.
“Your microphone is working,” Klarita said as we exited the station, “I’ll be on standby nearby in case it kicks off.”
Side-eyeing her, I nodded, breathing hard when my heart started to thunder. A cab waited at the curb, ready to take me to the Tower of London. I waved goodbye as Klarita slunk to the left, disappearing into the crowd and leaving me alone. Well, not quite alone.
A hand grabbed mine as I approached the cab driver. Tingles shot down my arm, making me jump. Shit, I thought the charge was supposed to disappear once we’d connected. It was stronger than ever, sending adrenaline pumping through me. Wait, maybe it was the mission that put me on edge. Either way, I was wired…both figuratively and literally.
“Amera is clever,” I said as we climbed into the car, “she must know I’ll bring the Federation. What if she freaks out?”
Coughing, Tinniel instructed the driver to take us to London Bridge. The man didn’t even reply as he started the engine and eased the car into the slow moving traffic. It would be impossible to be a getaway driver in London, there was way too much traffic.
“Remember what I said.” Tinniel squeezed my hand, almost too hard. Was he nervous, too? “Use Beauty if you have to. For whatever reason, the blade can take her down. We’ll keep you safe.”
My breath rasped in and out as I tried to steady the quiver inside me. The car was moving at quite a good speed, getting over the bridge within minutes. Oh boy, that meant I was closer to seeing my mother.
“My brain’s all over the place,” I muttered as we turned towards the Tower.
Putting his arm around me, Tinniel pulled me into his chest. I rested my head and inhaled, calming as his smell relaxed my muscles and quietened my mind. What was it about him that brought me under control?
“Close your eyes,” he whispered, stroking the back of my arm, “and picture your mother.”
Doing as I was told, I clenched my hands into fists as her face came into my mind. I had tried to connect to her again, but she had been too weak, which wasn’t surprising considering what Amera had done to her.
“Now find Amera’s face,” Tinniel whispered.
My mind drifted away from my mother, landing on… Hmmm… there was a vampire I recognised in front of me. And the hair hanging down my chest was… It was Amera’s.
“I’ve connected to her,” I murmured, keeping as still as possible, “she’s in a room with a dark wooden door and cold stone walls. There’s an axe on the table nearby. I think it’s in the process of being cleaned.”
“Stay calm and don’t try to overtake her. Just observe.” Tinniel’s voice was far away, a balm to the panic that wanted to surge in my chest.
He was right. I had to stay invisible to the queen vampire who was currently berating one of her men. Her long fingernails tapped a rhythm on the table in front of her as she shook her head.
“What do you mean she’s passed out? Wake her up! She needs to be ready for the switch.”
“Well,” he said, shrugging his shoulders, “she’s almost dead. How can we wake her up?”
Snarling, Amera thrust from her seat and approached the young churlish vamp. A long slice of skin hung off the side of his face, barely attached as it brushed the collar on his T-shirt.
My stomach rolled as Amera reached up and ripped it off, revealing a red welt underneath. Oh, bloody hell, the vamps seriously were rotting away. It was no wonder she desired the talisman so vehemently.
“She’s agitated. My mother has passed out.” I kept my sentences short, just in case Amera felt our connection.
Her teeth had plunged into my shoulder only days before. It must have been her lingering energy that had formed such an effortless bond.
“Give her some of your blood. That will revive her for long enough. There’s only a week before the full moon. If we don’t have that box, we won’t survive it, understand?”
Spittle flew in front of her face, landing on his clothes. The man rolled his eyes as he went to turn away. A surge of fury rushed up Amera’s neck, propelling her forward until her hands were wrapped around the man’s throat. He choked, his eyes bulging and blood vessels popping.
“You need him,” someone said behind her.
“Argh!” Releasing the vamp, Amera spun and faced the nameless voice.
A gasp left me as Henrick stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. If he was there, it meant that Amera must have forgiven him for his bad behaviour at her party. What did he have to gain being with her? Surely, he wanted to avoid his brothers?
“I can sense that they’re almost here,” Henrick drawled as Amera patted her hair, “You better prepare Mariah.”
The maimed vampire left through another door, glaring at the vampire bitch before it slammed behind him. Maybe he would turn against his
leader with a little gentle persuasion? Better to be prepared for any eventuality.
“This cannot go wrong.” Amera crossed over to Henrick, taking his hands in hers and stroking his thumb. “Have you confirmed with the necromancer?”
Inclining his head, Henrick stared into her eyes, his gaze narrowing slightly. Oh, shit, would he see me somehow?
“It’s all ready. The ritual will go ahead next week. The necromancer requires payment in full before then.”
Ducking her head, Amera sobbed. Yep, she actually bloody sobbed. “If I cannot find another way to pay, it shall be done.”
“Are you sure?” Henrick’s brow furrowed. “It’s one thing sacrificing humans to keep the rot at bay, but giving the necromancer complete power over the vampire race in a blood ceremony will infuriate the sorceress.”
I repeated the words to Tinniel, trying hard not to rush my words. Shitting hell. So the humans were no longer blood slaves, they were sacrifices to keep the vampire race alive. If I wasn’t totally sickened before, bile rose up my throat now.
“I know,” Amera whispered, her voice barely audible. “However, I will do anything to save our race. The necromancer has agreed to give the sorceress a week before he performs the ritual. She’ll heal us, which is my goal. Once he takes over, they’ll be a war between them.”
“It will bring death to all who live in this city.” Henrick shook his head and turned away, his shoulders stiffening when she sobbed again.
Okay, lady, no need to put on a fake show for the sorcerer’s benefit. He wasn’t a trustworthy source and clearly had no intention of supporting her. And yet, why was he there?
“What’s my alternative?” Amera held up her hand and rubbed her palm, cringing when a piece of skin fell away.
Henrick glanced at her before shrugging. “You have none.”
“Exactly.”
Taking a deep breath, Amera regained her composure, jumping slightly when the other door opened again. The vampire held it open as he looked at her, nodding in Henrick’s direction. “I’ve done what you said. She’s awake, although barely. Are they almost here?”
The Witch With An Attitude (Federation of Magic Book 2) Page 15
