Wicked (The Drake Chronicles Book 1)

by Clover Donovan

  “Craven?” Emma said, her eyes widening. Craven Bell’s eyes moved to Emma and he smiled at her. She felt her stomach turn.

  “Emma Drake. How I’ve longed to see you again. You’ve grown to be beautiful just like your mother.” Emma could see why everyone was frightened of him. He looked wicked enough.

  “Why did you kill her?” the words fell out of Emma’s mouth. Logan grabbed her hand and held on tight.

  “Foolish girl, I didn’t kill your mother. She was a friend of mine, to be honest. No one ever found out who did that to her, poor woman.”

  “Everyone knows you had something to do with it,” Mason yelled from across the cathedral. Craven spun around on his heels and stared up at the pentagram.

  “Well, well, if it isn’t Mason King. Looks like you couldn’t keep your wretched promise to Marina. You failed old man.”

  “I’LL RIP YOUR HEAD OFF—”

  “I’d love to see you try you—”

  “Sire, the boy isn’t here yet,” Petra interrupted Craven. He turned around, his eyebrows set like daggers.

  “He’ll be here soon, my dear. I want you to call on me when he is. I have some things to take care of,” Craven explained as he walked back over to the middle of the cathedral.

  “Why do you want our powers?” Emma asked, stopping Craven in his tracks. He turned, slowly, and stared into her eyes.

  “To put it truthfully, I’m dying, sweet one. I need more dark magic, but not just any dark magic. I need yours and your brother’s.”

  “You’re not going to get it,” Emma snarled at him.

  A smirk grew on Craven’s face as blue smoke materialized at his ankles. It rose upward, engulfing his entire body in its thickness.

  The smoke rapidly faded and the man was gone, leaving the cathedral silent, except for the cawing of the black birds as they flew between the chandeliers and out through the fractured skylight.

  13

  Oleandra Braswell was bound to a kitchen chair, her hands tied behind her back and her long brown skirt torn from her knees to her ankles. Her hair was plastered to the sides of her cheeks and she looked worn out.

  Ethan stepped out from the hallway and caught her full attention. Her eyes trailed up from the ground and met Ethan’s. He couldn’t deny that she seemed familiar to him. Had he known her before Mason took them to the mortal world?

  “Why is she tied up?” Ethan turned to Adam.

  “Because she didn’t want to come,” Cass answered.

  “I don’t associate with dark bloods like you, Cassius Waverly. Preston should’ve sent someone more trustworthy.”

  “Oh come off it, you old hag.”

  “Cass!” Preston snapped.

  “Sorry,” Cass mumbled and looked down at his shoes.

  “Ethan Drake, you look so much like your father, it’s uncanny.” Oleandra’s voice was soft and soothing to Ethan’s ears. He swore he had heard it before.

  “You knew my mother?” Ethan asked.

  “We were best friends. I knew her better than anyone could. I’m sorry she’s gone. She was an amazing mother and friend.”

  “Thank you,” Ethan said, tears on the verge of spilling from his eyes.

  “Are we playing catch up? We don’t have time for this.” Cass stepped forward and began untying the rope around Oleandra’s wrists. “Don’t try anything slick.”

  Oleandra stood up and shook her purple hands, letting the blood back into them. She looked at Ethan and smiled.

  “Cassius didn’t really explain much to me. What do you need?” she asked Ethan.

  “A cloaking spell for Emma and me,” Ethan replied, hoping that she would help him. If they had to force her here, what if she didn’t want to aid them? She was their only hope. She had to help them.

  “Mason never made it back?” A concerned look grew on Oleandra’s face.

  “You saw him?” Ethan said.

  “Days ago, he came for the final ingredients so he could cloak you again. He was going to take you and Emma to another town and hide you once more,” Oleandra explained.

  “He never returned.” Ethan shook his head as Oleandra hurried over to the kitchen table and pulled a beige pouch out from her black vest. “I’m going to find them.” Oleandra dipped her index finger into a small pot of something red.

  Ethan watched as she drew a large circle on the table and poured black dust in a zigzagged line in the middle of the circle.

  “I need some of your blood,” Oleandra said, turning to Ethan.

  He stuck his hand out and closed his eyes as she stabbed him in the finger with a kitchen knife. He opened his eyes and watched as she spread the blood across the circle and it began to faintly glow.

  She recited a spell out loud and everyone watched as a red orb arose from the circle. Inside of the orb was a moving picture.

  Emma and Logan were tied to a pillar by gray shimmering rope. Ethan rushed forward and stared into the orb. His heart was pounding in his throat and he instantly grew livid. His sister looked hurt and so did Logan.

  On the wall behind them, Mason was suspended in the air on a silver pentagram. He looked unconscious. Below him, three figures were conversing and laughing.

  “Petra,” Sage pointed out. She looked devastated.

  “There’s Vander and Hoke,” Adam added. “Where’s Craven?”

  “This was too easy,” Oleandra said as she ran her hand over the orb and it vanished. “Something is wrong.”

  “They want you to know where they are,” Cass came out from behind Preston. “It’s a trap.”

  “I don’t give a shit. I’m going to get my sister. Where are they?” Ethan looked into Oleandra’s eyes. She took in a deep breath before she spoke.

  “The Hollowmore cathedral in North Elsmere.”

  “I know where that’s at,” Adam declared.

  “We can use the portal in back of the house,” Preston said as he began putting out the fire and blowing out the tall candles that gave the room so much light.

  “We all need to get out of here, quickly if we’re going to make it,” Cass said. “We don’t have much time. Craven is probably there already.”

  “All of you cannot go,” Oleandra stopped everyone from moving.

  “What do you mean?” Adam asked.

  “I apologize for what I’m about to do,” Oleandra said. Before anyone could react, she threw a spell at Cass and Sage. Both of them fell to the ground, seemingly in a frozen state, they’re eyes wide open.

  “Why did you do that?” Ethan asked.

  “It’s not safe for any of you, but it’s worse if all of you go. Preston has a safe house near my home and I will cloak it and you. After you gather, Emma, Logan and Mason, Adam will take you all there. I can’t save you. But I can help you.”

  “Thank you. I know my mother would be thankful. We’ll see you there,” Ethan said as he hugged Oleandra.

  “Be careful, Craven is smart and ruthless.”

  “I will,” Ethan said as he followed Adam and Preston to the back of the house.

  They stopped at a dark red skinny door. It looked unfitting for the house and was giving off a warm sensation. Adam grabbed Ethan’s hand and held it tightly.

  “You know how to get to the safe house, right?” Preston asked Adam.

  “Yes, I remember.”

  “Good. Please be careful,” Preston said as he gripped the doorknob and pulled the door open. A green light outlined the doorway, crackling like firewood.

  All Ethan could see was complete darkness.

  He stared into the void and felt the familiar coolness caress his skin. His dark power was boiling beneath. Ethan’s heartbeat began to slow as he took a step forward toward the doorway. He was going to make them all pay for taking his sister.

  He was going to destroy everything.

  14

  “They know where we are,” Petra told Vander as he threw one last dart in Mason’s direction. It missed. The man stood up from the pew and strolled back to whe
re Emma and Logan were held.

  “Wonderful,” Vander said, turning to Emma. She looked up at him, her eyes sodden. “It looks like your brother will be here after all.”

  Emma sat up and gathered enough strength to stare up into Vander’s black eyes. They didn’t know Ethan. They were clueless as to how wicked he could be.

  “Then you better be scared. Ethan doesn’t play games, Vander. He’s going to whoop your ass into oblivion.” Emma let her head fall back, exhausted.

  She didn’t want Ethan to find her. She wanted him to be out of harm's way and far away from Elsmere as possible. But it was too late. He was coming and she didn’t know what he was capable of now that he knew of his dark blood.

  Emma had a dreadful feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something horrible was about to happen. Something big was coming.

  “I beg to differ. He’s the one who should be terrified.” Preston grinned at Emma and went back to where Petra was standing.

  “It’s going to be okay, Emma.” Logan’s voice was shot and he looked dehydrated. He tilted his head to the side and looked Emma in the eyes. “We’re going to be just fine.”

  Emma stared at Logan and frowned. Nothing was going to be alright.

  “I’m scared, Logan. What if something happens to Ethan?”

  “Because of his dark magic,” Logan clarified.

  “Yes. What if he uses too much?”

  “You’ll just have to trust him, Emma.”

  “Stop talking, the both of you,” Petra commanded.

  “Make me!” Emma snapped.

  Swiftly, Petra kicked Emma in the head and the last thing she saw was the sun shining through a broken window.

  Emma awoke with a start. She was lying on dead leaves and she was cold. The sky was dark and the only light she could see with was the moon. She was in a wooded area and all she could hear were birds chirping and the wind rustling through the trees.

  Something was wrong. Why was she here? Where was Logan? What happened to the cathedral?

  “Emma,” a voice startled her. Quickly, Emma got up from the ground and spun in the direction the voice had come from.

  A slender blonde woman stood, holding a lantern. Her hair was curled in spirals and hung down her shoulders. Everything about her seemed familiar.

  “Mom?” Emma croaked.

  “My name is Ingrid, Marina’s sister, your aunt.”

  “But you’re dead.”

  “Very true, but that can’t stop me from seeing you.”

  “How can I see you? Am I dead?” Emma’s heart began to beat at a rapid pace. She couldn’t be dead.

  “No, my dear. You are just unconscious. This is the only way I can see how and this is the last time you’ll see me. There’s something you need to know.” The woman advanced toward Emma.

  “What is it?” Emma could smell roses and it brought her back to the age of six. She remembered Ingrid, she remembered cutting roses off of the bushes and using them for spells.

  “You and Ethan are not the final Drakes alive. There is one more…” the woman’s voice began to waver in and out.

  “Who?” Emma asked as the woman began to flicker like a dying candle. She was disappearing. Before Emma could ask again, the entire vision blurred to a dull red color and she awoke to a loud crash.

  The cathedral doors swung open, breaking off of their hinges and colliding with the ground. Emma’s eyes shot open in shock.

  Dust and dirt rose into the air, obscuring everyone’s vision of who was standing in the doorway. Two figures entered the building and stepped down into the cathedral; the clacking of boots was the only thing Emma could hear.

  Emma and Logan stared as Ethan and Adam came into view.

  “Hello, motherfuckers!” Ethan exclaimed as Petra dashed toward him.

  With a flick of Ethan’s wrist, he threw Petra across the building. She spun rapidly in mid air and smashed into a wall, knocking an old painting to the ground. She landed in a cloud of dust and shouted in fury.

  Hoke rushed forward and slammed Ethan into a row of pews, as chunks of old wood sprayed all over. Adam threw a spell at Petra but it hit the window behind her, missing her head by an inch.

  Angry, Petra countered the spell and Adam wailed as thin cuts began to appear all over his body. He fell over, gritting his teeth at the pain. Petra walked up to him and scoffed.

  “I should kill you, but I promised I wouldn’t. See you around,” Petra said and spun into purple smoke, vanishing right before Adam’s eyes.

  Hoke snatched Ethan by his shoulders and growled into his face, ready to plunge his sharp, jagged teeth into Ethan’s neck.

  “Hoke, stop!” Vander’s voice rang out and the reptile man jumped off of the boy and ran back to Vander’s side, placing his hands behind his back.

  Ethan sprang up from the ground and was ready to cast another spell when a bundle of blue smoke slunk down the middle aisle.

  A man stepped out from behind the pillar Emma and Logan were bound to.

  “Who the hell are you?” Ethan called out.

  “You have a mouth just like your father, Ethan Drake.” Craven walked around Emma and Logan and passed Vander and Hoke who were now on their knees. “I am Craven Bell.”

  Ethan took a step back, suddenly growing tense. Adam ran to his side, his palm out toward Craven. The man threw his head back and laughed.

  “Boy, step out of the way!” Craven commanded, moving toward Ethan.

  “No,” Adam growled in defiance.

  “Sire, what about me?” Vander said. Craven came to a halt and spun on his heels.

  “What about you?” Vander looked taken aback. He got up off of his knees and walked over to Craven.

  “You said if I brought them to you, you’d put me to rest?” Vander smiled nervously. Craven let out a hoard of laughter that stung everyone’s ears.

  “Ah, yes. See, I played with your mind. There’s no such spell. You’ve been able to die all along, you fool.” Vander stumbled backward, his mouth falling open in shock. Emma stared at Vander and for a moment, she felt bad for him.

  “You used me? No one uses me!” Vander charged into Craven but the man flung him all the way across the cathedral. Vander landed with a crash at the podium.

  “Now that I have all three of you, we can be on our way,” Craven said.

  “What do you mean all three?” Emma asked. Craven smiled but didn’t turn to her.

  “I need Mason too, dear girl. He’s the only one who knows where your mother buried something I need for the ritual.”

  “You’re never going to get it, Craven,” Mason hollered as Vander picked himself up from the floor.

  “Why not, old man?” Craven turned.

  “Because he’ll be dead,” Vander said and with a crush of his fist, Mason fell from the pentagram. He landed on an array of spiked metal candle holders, blood rushing to the ground.

  Emma cried out as Adam ran over to them and tried to remove the rope, but nothing seemed to be working.

  “MASON!” Ethan tore through the middle aisle, his temples throbbing and his heart in his stomach. He ran up the steps to the podium and dropped to his knees in front of his godfather.

  Ethan tried to revive him as more blood spilt from the corners of his mouth. Mason looked into Ethan’s eyes and smiled. He raked at his brain trying to remember a spell, but it was no use. The man was already gone.

  “Mason!” Emma bawled.

  “You imbecile, do you realize what you’ve done!” Craven shouted at Vander.

  “Of course I do, sire,” Vander smirked. “Now, all you’re plans are dust.”

  Out of the blue, the entire cathedral began to rumble. One by one the chandeliers came crashing down, glass and metal flying all over. Something was causing the building to crumble.

  Emma, Adam, and Logan turned and watched as Ethan stood up from Mason’s body and twisted around, facing everyone. Blood garnished his hands and his eyes were pitch black.

  The skylight caved in and
glass showered upon the pews. Purple mist began enveloping the sky. Craven threw his hands forward and impaled Vander onto a broken chandelier. Vander quickly disintegrated, smiling as his face and body evaporated into dust.

  Craven whirled around to Emma.

  “THIS ISN’T OVER, NOT IN THE LEAST,” he roared and vanished into thin air, leaving behind a cloud of blue smoke.