“I think that since my life was being stolen from me by you, my mother, I should have been privy to that information, don’t you?” I snarled.
“No. It would have made you weak. You needed to think clearly in battle.”
“You mean during the few remaining battles I could fight before my insides were torn apart, and I succumbed to this poison within me?”
She exhaled quickly. “Don’t be so dramatic, Avah. This is centuries in the works. Who was I to stop it? Who was I to not join the others who put our cause before anything else?”
“That’s the problem, Mom! You should have put me first! I needed you! It was your job to protect me, not sacrifice me!” I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. They burned as they thrashed down my cheeks. She reached to wipe them away, and I smacked her hand back with enough force to make her lose her balance.
“It’s in your best interest to keep your distance,” I grumbled.
Her look of shock softened the anger within me. She’d never see it my way, and I’d never see it her way. I had said what I needed to, and now, I’d have to live with what she’d done to me. I decided to get to the point of my visit before my anger toppled over and couldn’t be controlled.
“We need your coven’s help.” She gaped at me. Was it because I needed their help? Or was it because I’d finally refused to call them my coven? Did she really expect anything less? “My high priestess has been taken by Rogues. We need to find her.” The words escaped me. I referred to Amicia as my high priestess in front of my former high priestess. I wondered if it hurt my mother to hear such a thing. Out of spite, I hoped it crippled her.
She nodded.
“Good. And when this is over, we’re done.”
“Avah—”
“No, don’t you dare Avah me. You have no right to speak my name. I won’t come for you. I won’t think of you. I expect the same in return. And while you live your pathetic existence, I want you to remember that you witches are sacrificing the only people who would die to protect you. If you witches want a war, you got one.”
I turned, storming toward the door and ripping it open. It smashed into the wall, falling to the ground in pieces. The Hunters stood, staring in disbelief. I was sure they’d heard our encounter; I wasn’t exactly quiet.
“Don’t start,” I warned as I pushed past them. “I expect you at circle in five minutes, Tatiana.” I had never called my mother by her first name. I hoped it would instill the pain and agony she had put me through. Her betrayal stung core deep.
As we entered the backyard ritual space, I stalked past the non-magical members of my former coven. They hurriedly attempted to escape us by closing themselves off within their homes. I ignored their curious glances toward me. I wasn’t in the mood to show them I was the same girl they once knew. As far as I was concerned, they were all in on this ridiculous cover-up hoax.
My mother approached from behind, now dressed in her ritual cloak. Her attire matched that of the other witches, who already stood in their places for the ritual. My aunt waved her sage stick around my mother and let her pass into the circle. If she noticed my mother’s suddenly healthy demeanor, she didn’t mention it aloud.
“Ready for this?” I asked Sebastian as I turned to face him.
“Ready to get it over with.”
“Me, too,” I agreed. I was ready to walk away and never turn back.
“Let’s stay positive,” Malik said.
“I am. I positively want to get the fuck out of here,” Sebastian answered, and I chuckled. If only he knew…
I grabbed Sebastian’s hand, our fingers intertwining. I ignored Jasik as he tensed beside me at my show of affection. Sebastian smiled down at me, his violet eyes staring intensely into mine. His chin-length sandy-brown hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail.
“Let’s go,” I whispered.
In unison, we walked, hand in hand, toward the circle. My mother waved the sage stick around us, cleansing our auras. We turned, and she repeated the process. We turned to face her again.
“How do you enter?” she asked us. Her eyes were wet with tears, but I ignored them.
“In perfect love and perfect trust,” we answered.
We entered the circle, the familiar pull of magic tugging within me. Sebastian’s eyes burned brightly as he stared straight ahead. I wondered if he missed this. I was sure it had been hundreds of years since he last participated in a ritual.
Within the circle of witches, who now chanted in Latin, a spell to strengthen our power, their arms out beside them, palms up, and their heads tilted back, burned four blue candles. The candles represented the four corners and the element associated with each one.
Still hand in hand, Sebastian and I maneuvered through the lit candles and sat down, legs crisscrossed, facing each other.
Together, our fangs lengthened, and we bit into our wrists. Quickly, we slapped our wounds together, dripping wrist to dripping wrist. I inhaled quickly as his power seeped into me through the tiny puncture wounds. With a heaving chest and glossy eyes, he stared down at me. The air tingled around us, and our surroundings began to fade away as our blood magic took control.
I no longer heard the chanting witches. I no longer saw the pacing Hunters.
There was only me and Sebastian and the unfamiliar feeling of his essence coursing through my veins.
My skin was slick, and I ignored the overwhelming urge to reach up and wipe away the drip of blood slipping down Sebastian’s muscular jaw.
“Spiritum Spiritu voccat te. Spiritu Spiritus indicaret mihi,” I whispered, calling to the spirit power within Sebastian and me, begging it to connect with Amicia’s essence. “Spiritum Spiritu voccat te. Spiritu Spiritus indicaret mihi.” This time, I spoke more forcefully.
The wind around us grew stronger, the air heating as Sebastian and I connected with Amicia. I closed my eyes.
“Sebastian,” I whispered. “I’m connected.”
My body swayed as I fought to stop myself from toppling over. Sebastian’s hand reached out, steadying me.
I could see only images in flashes—all things Amicia had seen.
“I see a young girl. A village. Slaughtered. There are bodies everywhere. The girl’s crying, her face in her hands. They’re bloody.” I didn’t understand. I didn’t see anything familiar. “Everything looks… old. Like it’s from a different time.”
“Keep focusing.” Sebastian’s calm voice echoed around me. “Move forward in the vision.”
I nodded, my head too heavy. I fell over and into Sebastian’s arms. My head rested against his chest. His heart was pounding against my ear. I couldn’t hear anything but his breath and the steady, strong beat of his heart. I had to pull away, or I’d lose her.
Understanding my need, Sebastian pushed me back upright, and I sat on my own again. My arm ached where my hand grasped Sebastian’s. I wanted to pull it back, but his power was my connection to Amicia. Our bleeding wrists must stay bound. My wound tingled as the magic within us attempted to heal it, but the ritual was meant to maintain vulnerability, and until we separated, we’d continue to bleed together.
“I see… Jasik. Malik. They’re crouched, I think. Somewhere dark. They’re weak, hungry. Sorting through trash. Cobblestone pathways and crumbling buildings everywhere. It’s old. Everything is old.” I was confused again. How was Amicia seeing the Hunters if they were here? Now.
“You’re seeing her past,” Sebastian answered. “Keep moving. You need to hurry.” He sounded weak.
I gasped but quickly closed my mouth. “I see the battle. I see her. They have her.” We didn’t doubt my last statement, but I still needed to say it aloud. The Hunters were lingering just beyond our closed circle. They watched and listened as I explained what I was seeing.
“Good, keep going. You’re almost there. Stay strong. Keep the connection alive.” His voice was so soft I barely heard him. I knew he couldn’t hold on much longer without refueling. Reaching Amicia took more power than we’
d realized.
My eyes jolted open as I screamed. My wrist fell from Sebastian’s, our connection broken. He toppled over, breathing heavily. In the corner of my eye, I saw Jasik dash toward us, but the witches stopped him by calling on air. He skidded backward, his heels never leaving the ground.
“Do not break this circle!” my aunt ordered.
Unable to hold my weight any longer, I fell to the ground beside Sebastian. I silently thanked him, hoping he was still strong enough to read my mind at that moment.
Sebastian? Did you see that? He gave me no response. I blinked away the images that would haunt my eternity.
Quickly, the witches closed the circle, and Jasik was before me, lifting me into his arms. My head rolled back, and I looked to Sebastian, who was being carried between Malik and Jeremiah. He slowly grinned his cunning sideways smile, but it held no power. It was weak, forced.
“I like doing magic with you,” Sebastian whispered. The same odd sensation burned within me as I realized I liked doing magic with him, too.
I smiled at him. “It was an experience.”
I blinked, and we were in the front yard. Jasik set me down beside Sebastian.
“They need to feed,” he said. Jasik lowered his wrist to my mouth, and I sank my fangs into his skin. I ignored the looks of disgust on the faces of the witches around us. I glanced at Sebastian, who was already feeding from Lillie’s wrist.
Interesting.
When we’d had our fill, we pulled away, visibly stronger.
“Tonight, we hunt,” Jasik said, stroking my brow bone with his thumb.
I nodded and stood. I was still weak, the lingering effects of magic clouding my mind. Soon, it would be gone. The thought left me feeling… empty. I looked at my wrist. The marks were already gone. It was as if we’d never practiced the blood magic that would lead us to Amicia.
“Thanks for your help,” I shouted over my shoulder as we slowly sauntered away, noticing that my grandmother’s body had been moved. Briefly, I wondered where she was and if they truly would make her decision for her. I shook my head at the thought. I was a wash of emotions, but I couldn’t let them control me.
As we began to leave the witches, and my old life, behind, everything was becoming clearer.
I turned on my heel and pulled at what little strength I had within me, and in an instant, I was before my aunt. “I may want nothing to do with any of you anymore, but if you hurt my mother because of what happened here today, I’ll come back, and I’ll rip your throat out and feed it to your newly turned daughters.”
Ignoring her gaping eyes, I gave her my biggest Miss America smile—one I’d learned from Lillie—and stalked toward the Hunters, refusing to meet my mother’s eyes. I may have showed them the monster they wrongly assumed I was, but it was worth it. If they wanted to punish my mother, they had plenty of reasons to do so without blaming this visit on her.
I met Jasik’s concerned look and smiled, hoping I was reassuring him. I was an emotional mess, but I didn’t want him to use that against me. If what Amicia unknowingly showed me was true, then the Hunters needed me. They weren’t strong enough to face what was to come alone.
“Tonight, we feed. Tomorrow, we find her.”
WE HUNTED IN silence, hoping to not frighten potential food. I closed my eyes, focusing on the sounds of the night.
Snap!
My eyes shot open, and I dashed toward the noise. The trees at my sides blurred into one as I raced toward possible food. I came to a near-screeching halt, watching a herd of deer grazing before me—the perfect meal. There were five. My skin tingled as the air shifted. The Hunters now stood beside me, and in one leap, we revealed ourselves to the animals. We killed them quickly and drank furiously, draining everything they had. When finished, I couldn’t help but feel sorrow. I had lived my mortal life beside animals, cherishing their existence, and now, I hunted them daily.
Running his tongue over his teeth, Jeremiah said, “So are we going to just avoid the massive elephant in the room or…”
I rolled my eyes, knowing he was referring to me.
“What did you see?” Jasik asked softly. His hand reached for mine and squeezed it lightly.
I remained silent. Should I tell them? I looked from Sebastian to Lillie. They were readers. Had they already read my mind?
Sebastian slowly shook his head, glancing from Lillie to me. What did that mean? Lillie couldn’t read my thoughts? But clearly, Sebastian could. But he hadn’t answered me earlier, after we’d practiced our blood magic. What did that mean? Could he not read my thoughts then? We were both weak, too weak. Did that affect his ability to invade my mind?
“It was cold. Very cold,” I finally said.
“How do you know?” Lillie cut in. It was a fair question. As a vampire, cold didn’t affect us, but I could feel the change in temperature. It was an odd sensation: to know I should be cold but was not.
“The air was crisp and clear. It held a tingly sensation. Steam clouds escaped lips. It was pretty obvious that it was freezing temperatures.”
“What else?” Malik said, his tone clear.
They were antsy. They wanted to know if I had all the information we needed to find her. I wiped my shaking hands against my bare legs in an attempt to hide my discomfort.
“She’s close. I felt her nearness. I just don’t know exactly where she is.”
“Okay. So cold. Close. This is good, right? I mean, how many places could that be?” Jeremiah asked.
“I don’t know,” Jasik said, running a hand through his hair. “Northern Washington State? Borderline Canada?”
“I don’t think they’d keep her that close,” I said. “They’d want to get her farther away from us, right?” Our coven resided on national forest land. We were on the coast but so deep within the remote lands that no one even knew we were there. Our property was on the northern west coast of Washington State, so keeping Amicia that close to us wouldn’t have been the Rogue’s best plan to date. But they weren’t known for being an intelligent bunch of people.
“Right. So Canada? Montana has potential. It’s cold this time of year, very remote.”
Sebastian visibly tensed, and I arched my eyebrow at him. What did he know?
“Maybe.” Montana seemed like a good guess. I kept my eyes on Sebastian. You know something…
“So, basically, we know nothing,” Lillie said with a stern voice. Well, not all of us.
“Lillie.” Jasik’s tone was harsh, abrupt. It snapped me out of my trance, and I finally tore my eyes from Sebastian’s unyielding gaze.
“No, she’s right. I screwed up the ritual.” I wiped the dew from my forehead.
“What else did you see?” Malik asked, probing.
I swallowed. “I saw them torturing her. I felt her terror. I don’t… I don’t even know if she’s still alive.” I spoke quietly, unable to meet the Hunters’ eyes.
“We need to move quickly, Jasik,” Malik said.
“The sun will rise soon, too. We need to find shelter.”
I glanced at Sebastian but quickly looked away. Was now the time to tell them about my nifty new power? How much information could they handle in one day? I shook my head in frustration. I knew so much, yet also so little.
“There’s—there’s something else.” I swallowed down the air that threatened to choke me.
They didn’t speak.
“In my vision, there were at least a dozen sets of red irises on me as I looked through her eyes. They took turns torturing and feeding from her.”
Lillie gasped.
“But then it spanned out, the vision. Like an aerial view or something. That’s when I lost it, the connection.” I shuddered as I replayed what I saw.
“What did you see?” Jasik asked, his eyes concerned.
“I saw… more.” I kicked the hard-packed ground at my feet.
“More?” Jasik asked.
I nodded and sat. I played mindlessly with broken twigs and frozen grass.
<
br /> “More what?” Jeremiah asked.
“Of them,” I said breathlessly.
“Avah, how many did you see?” Jasik spoke the words slowly, carefully, as if he too was afraid of my answer.
“Hundreds. I can’t be sure. But I’d call it an army.” I couldn’t believe the words even as I spoke them.
“An army? Of Rogues?” Malik swallowed hard, his jaw clenching. I had never seen him fearful. It was uncomfortable to see him weakened.
It seemed as though an eternity passed before someone finally spoke again.
“We need help,” Jasik said.
Sebastian huffed. “Obviously, but there aren’t enough Hunters for this kind of army.”
“What do you suggest?” Jasik responded, annoyed. I could tell he had had enough of Sebastian’s negativity. I pulled my legs toward me and rocked slowly.
Please, Sebastian. Help us. He could pretend to have no access to my thoughts, but I knew better. Sebastian had already admitted that we had access to all Hunter abilities. I just needed to learn to tap into them. Sebastian had centuries to perfect this. He needed to stop playing games with me.
“I have some connections. In Montana,” Sebastian finally said.
Hmm. Montana? Interesting. I stood and crossed my arms.
“As do we,” Jasik responded.
“Not this kind of connection,” Sebastian replied, glancing at me.
I gasped. More.
I nodded. “I want to meet them.” An odd mix of emotions overwhelmed me: I was giddy at the chance to meet more hybrids, but I was also worried. What would they be like? How has The Power affected them? Staring at them would be like looking in a mirror…
“Well, pet. Today’s your lucky day. They’ll welcome you, but them,” he said, glancing at the Hunters, “not so much.”
“Why? They’re Hunters, too.”
“Whoa. Wait a sec. Are we talkin’ more hybrids?” Jeremiah asked, eyes gaping.
“You don’t miss a thing, do you?” Sebastian asked.
I groaned. “Not this again. Can’t we all just get along? For Amicia?”
“For Amicia?” Sebastian snorted. “I have no connection to her.”
Blood Magic (Blood Books Book 2) Page 6
