by Mela Zen
“What about Elijah?”
“You guys mated didn’t you?”
“What makes you think that?”
“Oh I don’t know the fact Amelia merely mentions his name you get all angry and upset especially coming out a woman’s mouth. Your heart rate was spiking and then bam into a wolf you go.”
“That obvious?”
“Possessiveness is literally a killer.”
“Yes we did mate. And marked.”
“How did that go?”
“Considering he can’t mark me, it was very one sided. Not that I mind, you know that I like being in control.”
“At least everything is going well on your part. Mine...mine is like a telenovela.”
“You and Anna?”
“Yeah. One day she hates me the other day she doesn’t. She wants to get close but she over thinks and runs away. Then she tells herself that she is no good for me but then other days she says that I am not good for her.”
“Perhaps you need to give her time. I mean her ex boyfriend just passed away. You know she knew the moment she saw you. That she wanted you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah but she thought it was too early since she broke up with Freddie. But I know that look in her eyes, she wants you bad. In a good way. Honestly Jax, give her a little space and time. When this is all over I am sure she is going to want you by her side.”
“Wow, you giving advice.”
“The only time I will.”
“You think it;ll be faster if we run?”
“For me yes, in my wolf form. I am not carrying your two hundred pound ass around.”
“Let’s check it out.”
We hit the side of the road, stretching out legs and arms. I moved around a bit and that is when I heard it. I immediately turned into my wolf form, confirming what I heard.
“What is it Annabelle?” Jax looks at me.
I shift back, “I found them. So are we running?”
“Hell no. I’ll follow you.”
“Good, hurry it up,” I shift back and began running.
Chapter 25
Elijah
“It has been six hours, I don’t think Annabelle heard the call. We should try again, just to be sure,” I say walking back and forth.
“She heard the call, she’s my sister after all. She is always on edge, she heard the cawl,” Zeke drinks the red liquid from a cup.
“Relax Eli, she’ll be here in no time. Have you checked on Kenzie?” Danni chimes in.
“Yeah, still asleep and shaken up. The herbs that Anna brought really helped her calm down. Anna how are you feeling?”
“Like I am on my period but times ten. I feel hot and bothered, but also cold. I don’t know, but whatever this thing is, it hurts my body,” Anna groans.
“Here let me get a wet warm towel for you, it’ll help with the fever,” Zeke gets up and leaves to the kitchen.
I stop to look at Anna who is not her usual bubbly self. She is worn out, dark crevices under her eyes and not to mention the beads of sweat all over her forehead. I look at her closely, noticing something on her neck but my head snap to see a car pull up.
“Jax?” Anna whispers.
I go to check it out, seeing Jax’s scratched and bruised body coming out, huffing in anger. He nods at me then goes inside, rushing to Anna’s side. My eyes gaze back to the car hoping to see Annabelle, but nothing came out. That is when I feel a nudge.
I look to my right to see a big black wolf with orange eyes sitting down. I hug her deeply, glad that she is alive and well. I remove my jacket and place it around her big body so that she can comfortably shift.
“Thanks,” her voice calls below. I see her tail quickly disappear, “There is some clothes in the car. Would you mind getting them for me?”
“Sure, hold on,” I rush to the car quickly getting out the loan sweatpants.
“That’s it?”
“Yeah. I had other ones one but I ripped those apart,” she smiles.
“You look like shit.”
“I feel like it too. It wasn’t easy going up against them but I did it nonetheless. Is everyone okay?”
“Sort of. Anna isn’t looking too hot.”
“What? What’s wrong?”
“Fever, sweating, and aching body. Don’t know if it is magic or not.”
“Well let’s go see her,” she begins to rush inside but I grab her by the wrist.
“We need to talk,” I say sternly.
“About what?”
“What is it like being a coven leader?”
She tilts her head to the side in the most adorable cute way ever, then she responds, “It’s a lot of responsibility when you have thousands in your coven. But if your coven in like mine, which contains only about 10-12 people, including me, it’s pretty much nothing. Why?”
“Anything else I should know about?”
“Um, you have to be a great leader but also a great teacher because the students rely on you the most. Yes you do have students, every summer you got to various locations hosting hundreds of teens to teach them the basic fundamentals of magic and how to use them properly. You also ride out who is best for your coven as some do not function in a coven that they are born to.
You also make sure most of the people in coven are generally well-liked beings. Meaning they are not planning something evil against you or others. You also create memoirs and create your own spells. The only downside really is going to that ridiculous conference they have every year for witches, basically bragging about what they did that year. And you have to attend the committee that hosts all of the supernatural community.”
“That is also to take in,” I chuckle slightly.
“Why the questions?”
“Grace came into contact the other day, you know before you marked me. She talked about how Daryl and I are technically related but not really. Then she told me that she believes it is time for me to take over, you know the coven since she has been holding down the fort for me.”
“You and Daryl are related?!”
“Sort of. His mother is Grace’s cousin. If that makes sense.”
“That is huge news. An evil prick containing Lockwood blood is scary. He could very well be a witch, does he know?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Well, needless to say, I agree with Grace. You need to be in charge of that coven. Show them that you Lockwoods are indeed high and mighty.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Go for it. It may be fun,” she shakes her head but then smiles.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Just my body is not used to the animal blood. When you drink up your mate's blood, it gives you a power boosts, but when you use up all that energy, it drains you a lot. And since you weren't there for the 8-hour trip, I had to rely on animals.”
“Well then, let’s get you worked up,” I go inside to get a small pocket knife. I rush back out to meet a confused Annabelle then I cut my palm.
“You know you don’t have to do that,” she mumbles, “I feel guilty.”
“Honey, it is my pleasure. We could have done it in a sexier way but there are people around and not to mention my little sister. So that is out of the box.”
She throws her head back and laugh, oh how I love that laugh. She bends her head, her fangs retracting at the scent of my blood. However, all she did was sucked on my palms. If we were alone, I would have been turned on. Luckily I managed to stay sane.
“Still very tasty, Elijah Lockwood,” she grins, licking her lips very sexily.
“Glad to know,” I pull her in for a kiss. We stayed like that for a while until Annabelle pulls away, zipping up her jacket and rushing inside.
“Annabelle. What’s wrong,” I ask rushing towards her.
Danni and Zeke come out from the kitchen all wondering the same. Then Zeke gets all hasty and rush over to Anna with Annabelle. Both of them have their fangs out, eyes blood red, and anger written all over their face.
>
“Is it what I think it is?” Zeke asks his sister.
“It is exactly what you think it is,” she responds, her voice shaking not out of fear but in anger.
“I thought this spell was band.”
“It is band. If Maggie used it, she’ll be shunned. If Lucas did it, well…”
“There are no repercussions.”
“Is her body cold?”
“Danni,” Zeke motions for her to come close, “Feel her, is she cold?”
Danni hesitantly touches Anna’s arm then her face. Her face says it all.
“Annabelle...you….are….back.,” Anna smiles as she opens her eyes. The bright blueness that used to pool in her eyes is now gone.
“When did you-” she stops mid sentence coughing up blood. The blood is over her body and it wasn’t the normal red blood, but deep black blood. It looks like oil but without the shiny reflection. Jax crashes through tables rushing to his mates side.
“Anna?! Anna?” He tries to help her up but all she does in response is fainting.
Chapter 26
Annabelle
She wakes again, but this time she is coughing. Coughing so much she literally runs out of breath after several coughs. Jax taps her back as lightly yet as rough as he can, not wanting to hurt her. Anna breathes in and out, heavily until the coughing resumes but this time, blood comes out.
So much blood. Blood darker than most humans.
I look to Zeke who is already furrowing his brows and scratching his head. He looks up at me, his eyes with fear of the assumption. I too now grew worry for I know that this spell is the most painful spell I have ever created.
I never found a cure.
“Annabelle, is it what I think it is,” Zeke whispers to me. I look down at the floor and slightly tilt my head, looking up at him.
“It can’t be,” Zeke angrily whispers to me.
“Let me check,” I finally say, “Jax, let me have a look.”
“No,” Jax says sternly.
“Maybe I can help,” I replied back in a not so nice tone.
“No,” he grips her, blood slightly oozing out of her lips.
“Jax let me examine her or I swear I will put a fucking binding spell on you.”
The threat causes him to hesitantly let Anna go and move out of my way. I touch her, her hands cold as ice, darker than normal. Out of curiosity I look at her other hand pulling away the long sleeve fabric. My eyes nearly fell out of its socket and my heart somehow lumped in my throat.
“Fuck,” Zeke groans.
“What?” Jax asks.
La maledizione nera. I thought to myself.
{Translation: The Black Curse}
Flashback
“So, partner what are we creating today?” Maggie’s hair moves with her sudden movement.
“I have been thinking about this spell for the longest time now. It’s nothing special...okay it really is special,” I say with a small laugh.
“How special are we talking?”
“Hmm the kind that can kill your enemies very, very slowly yet painfully.”
“Annabelle, we have a lot of spells like that.”
“No, no. Not like this. This is not painful for the person, it is more like a discomfort. Caused by the poison ivy and Manchineel, this potion gently attacks the body, namely the nervous system. Then with the slightest touch of wolfs blood, it’ll attack any species marking them with a distinctive black coloration. Almost like coal.”
“Sounds like A Streghe Anima,” she comes up and picks up the small vile.
{Translation: A witches soul}
“No, A Streghe Anima is more face paced killing. Plus the distinctive coal like skin is hardly noticeable. Plus, this one does not have a cure.”
“No cure?”
“No cure.”
“Don’t you think you should make one?”
“I should but what would be the fun of that?” I lied. I have been trying to make a cure for years, however the vile has never been cured.
“Why don’t I come up with one?”
“You do that.”
“You couldn’t figure it out, could you.”
“Busted.”
“Yeah I figured. You never let me figure anything out. You always had the upper hand. Safe to say, I am glad you didn’t know.”
“Me too. I have to give you more credit.”
“Working with you is fine. Anyways, what are we calling this bad boy.”
“For right now, lets call it…,” I am never good with names.
“Negra….something. Since the main ingredient is Manchineel, it should be in Italian.”
“It should. Negra….La maledizione nera.”
“La maledizione nera? Sounds like a prophecy waiting to be broken.”
“Well, it kind of is, isn’t it? I mean we haven’t found a cure so obviously it kind of is like a curse.”
“I like it. Its catchy.”
“La maledizione nera,” I write on the top of the page. Actively writing the ingredients.
End of Flashback.
“La maledizione nera,” I say out loud through Jax’s and Zeke’s ridiculos bickering.
“What?” Jax looks at me.
“La maledizione nera. It’s a vile I made several centuries ago with Maggie, before she even met Daryl. I wanted to create something similar to a A Witch’s Soul, but more painful and more tricky to solve. I never thought it would ever be in use,” I sigh.
“What the hell does that mean, Annabelle?”
“What she means is that the vile is like a curse. The vile is slowly eating away at Anna’s nervous system. Meant to last longer than a witches soul, which is essentially the same potion minus the nonexistent pain Anna is feeling as well as the coal like marking,” Zeke explains.
“Why in the world would you make that Annabelle?” Jax sternly asks.
“Well I don’t know, maybe it’s because I have a lot of enemies for years and i wanted to protect myself?”
“It doesn’t matter now. Can you fix it?”
“No.”
“What?”
“I said no, Jax. When I created it, I couldn’t figure out a counter active. I let Maggie figure it out. Then she told me she didn’t. But I know Maggie, she is way more persistent and willing to find the drug’s antidote.”
Suddenly, a phone rings. I look around to see whose phone, but all of the party looked confused. The ringing became more a apparent in Anna’s pocket, so I grab it out and answering it without looking.
“I take it the girl is slowly perishing by your work Annabelle,” Maggie’s cool voice echoes through the phone.
“And I take it you want something in return to cure her,” I growl.
“No cure Annabelle.”
“Bullshit Maggie, I know you found one. Otherwise there weren’t be that cocky ass tone in your voice nor you would have the balls to contact me after what I did to Lorenzo. What the hell is your trade here?”
“Always the blunt one, Annabelle. Fine. Simple. Your life for the girls. Seems fair. Am I right?”
“Right, it is fair. But no tricks Maggie.”
“Never my dear old friend. Don’t bring anyone else, just you and the girl.”
“No can do, her mate wont let her out of his sight. You should know.”
“Fine. The mate can come but that is it.”
“Am I assuming it is Redwood.”
“The location to meet? Why, Annabelle, it seems that you are also a physic. I must say I am impressed.”
“Redwood is your location and your territory it will only make sense since you can’t seem to do jack shit without that little spellbinding circle you have around it.”
“Be here at 12 am, tomorrow. Do not test me,” she growls then hangs up.
“It’s a trap Annabelle,” my brother says to me as soon as I drop the phone.
“You’re damn right it’s a trap,” I replied then I look at Jax, “But its for Jax and its for Anna. Its simple terms if you a
sk me.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What is happening around here?” Elijah looks at the boys then at me. I give him a soft smile.
“Her life for Anna’s,” Jax bluntly replies.
“No.”
I look at him with anger in which he replies the same. Danni, Jax, and Zeke all notice the high tension and step out from the living room, leaving me with my mate.
“Its trap, like your brother said,” he comes closer.
“I know. I am not stupid Elijah. But I can’t let another one of my friends die because I am being too stubborn or because of me. Anna deserves a good life and you know it.”
“I just can’t lose you like this.”
“Who said I am going to due. I can handle myself.”
“I just have a bad feeling. You’re not going.”
“Yes I am. Don’t you care about Anna?”
“I do..it’s just...I…”
“Exactly. You have no say in the matter Elijah. Your top priority is your sister. My top priority is my family and friends. I have to do this and you won’t stop me,” I say sternly, piercing down his eyes.
“But…”
“No buts,” I say turning away from him, but my heart stammers.
“Jax,” I yell out, “Danni will clean Anna up and I will put a spell on her to control her coughing. Get the establishments ready, we are going to Wyoming.”
Chapter 27
Elijah
You have no say in the matter.
Your top priority is Kenzie.
I can handle myself.
Who says I am going to lose?
I am not stupid Elijah.
I know it’s a trap.
I can’t let another one of my friends to die.
You have no say in the matter.
No say in the matter.
You have no say in the matter.
No say.
No say.
No-
“Damn it, Annabelle, I get it!” I growl at her. I look up realizing it was just her voice playing over and over again like some broken record in my head.
It has only been a couple of hours and I am already nervous, anxious, worried, and angry at her. I should have a say in the matter. I am her mate. I am her love. I am her life and I should have a say. It is only natural for me, as a man, wanting to protect my woman. Yet she is the strongest out of the both of us.
