I showed up in the office just after ten o’clock and got on with my work as I usually did. Jasper promised to get in touch with me by five, so I made sure that I kept busy. The clients didn’t disappoint. The orders from Lucinda continued rolling in and I even skipped lunch. Thoughts about Dad and Kate were always there, but I managed to block them out until my shift was over. Alexandra took over, asking if I was all right.
I wanted to burn all the newspapers because I didn’t want to talk about last night. It seemed like all of a sudden death was following me everywhere, hurting people I cared about.
Jasper was waiting for me outside the office. He was wearing a black coat with a brown scarf. My stomach churned when I saw him. An odd memory of us together flashed through my mind. How far was I willing to go in order to help my father and Kate? Not that far. I shuddered at the mere thought.
"Julia, I need to tell you this before we go any further," he said as we were walking towards his car. "Those witches in the coven aren’t like me. Paranormals are scared. The Nordic witches are bringing back the ritual use of death, using humans as sacrifices. Wizards who would normally talk are keeping their mouths shut."
"What are you saying, Jasper? That you’ll let my father die?" I asked, swallowing back tears. Since yesterday I had been falling apart. My strength was gone and now my ex-boyfriend warned me that even with his help I couldn’t do anything for my father.
He narrowed his eyes, putting his arm around my elbow.
"No, I'm just preparing you for the worst," he said as we stopped in front of his car. I got in without hesitation and then my phone began to ring. I glanced at the screen seeing Nathaniel’s smiling face. I sent it to voicemail.
"Maybe you should pick up," Jasper suggested.
“It's not important," I replied, knowing that wherever Jasper was planning to take me was more important than a conversation with Nathaniel about my life. At that moment there was no place in my heart for him. I could only think about my father and Kate; my heart was shattered.
It had been three years since I stopped seeing Jasper. This time around he didn’t take me to his obscure flat in Hackney, but to a modern townhouse on the outskirts of London. I never thought that his business could bring him a profit, but obviously I was wrong, judging by the expensive décor and furniture.
"So, what’s the plan? Where are we going tonight?" I asked as he went into his secret bar and poured me a glass of red wine. Drinking on a work night wasn't a good idea, but I needed to relax. I had no idea what Jasper was planning to do.
"To the party I mentioned a few days ago. It’s more than just a cocktail party. This is your best opportunity to find someone who might know more about the white witches. In order for me to smuggle you in there, you’ve got to act like my apprentice. Only witches and wizards are allowed to attend. If I get caught they’ll kill me." He sat on the black sofa next to me. I swallowed hard and took a sip of wine, thinking that alcohol might give me the courage to go through with this.
"But I'm half elf, my scent is going to be apparent—"
"Spells; we’ll use magic and a potion. Just act like you know what they’re talking about. There might be some things there that scare you, but you need to stay calm. These wizards won't hesitate to kill you if they smell a rat."
My stomach churned again.
If you don’t go through with this, Dad won't have a chance, I reminded myself while Jasper kept staring at me with his hungry brown eyes.
"These wizards, would they know how to help my father and Kate? How to find the white witch?"
"There might be someone there who has the information we need. Don’t ask too many questions. Let me deal with that. Now I just need a few things and we can start transforming you into my young apprentice."
Jasper smiled tightly, finished his wine, and left the room. I felt a wave of magic waking up inside me. My phone started vibrating again, but I switched it off. It was Nathaniel again. I wasn't sure how long my father had to live; the healers were talking about a few weeks. Kate’s father left for the Sabbath with hopes of finding a cure for his daughter. The paranormal press didn't give them much chance for recovery. Mum stayed in the hospital whenever she could. She was talking to him, fighting with the healers, insisting this wasn't the end.
I couldn’t quite put everything together. In the past few weeks I thought my life was slowly turning around. There was no more trouble, no more boyfriend problems, and now it seemed like I was chasing my tail.
Jasper came back after some time, holding a few flasks and his magic wand in his hand. Every part of me screamed that this was a bad idea, but I was willing to do whatever was necessary to gain information about white witches. He placed his things on the table and started whispering spells, waving his wand. Then he was in front of me, his heavy eyes rested on mine as he recited a list of Latin words. At first my energy was soaring through me, but then I felt as if it was beginning to diminish. After a few minutes there was no tingling, no pressure in my head or chest.
"Now drink this. We need to make sure your elf genes won't be recognisable," he added in plain English. I took a deep breath and swallowed a grey thick liquid that tasted disgusting and then felt darkness consume me. It came quickly, causing me to lose all consciousness.
CHAPTER 5
DARK MAGIC DUNGEON.
I woke up lying on Jasper’s lap, feeling a little queasy, not at all like myself. The smell of his familiar oriental cologne drifted in the air. A hint of desire flickered in Jasper’s brown eyes as I looked back at him. I got up quickly, feeling uncomfortable being so close to him, and started massaging the nape of my neck.
"What did you give me?" I asked, standing up. It had been years since I let Jasper get close to me and I didn’t want to give him any reason to believe that I was romantically interested in him.
"A potion that changed you into a witch. We can’t risk them doubting you."
"How long is this spell going to stay in my system?"
"A few days. Don’t stress, it’s not a permanent thing," he replied lazily with a tight smile. "Now, I have some black clothes upstairs. Put them on; we’re leaving in half an hour. My sister might be there."
Jasper had always liked to order me around and he hadn’t changed much in that respect. His bedroom smelled of cinnamon and fresh blood, inciting an eruption of goosebumps all over my sensitive skin. Ignoring the memories and my rolling stomach, I put on the black dress that was just my size and looked at my reflection in the large wooden mirror that hung on the wall. Normally my hair was soft, shiny, perfect baby blond, but now the colour had changed to a frosty ash blond, making me look paler and ill looking. Dark, large circles appeared under my eyes. All the tingling and vibration had disappeared, leaving me with no magical source. Years ago, I learned that Jasper was unpredictable, so I had to be ready for anything that might happen tonight.
He gave me his old magic wand and asked me to keep it close. Deep down I had a feeling that this underground party was some sort of illegal black magic gathering of everyone who mattered in the paranormal world.
For a brief moment I wondered if Nathaniel had rung again. Except for going to work, Mum hadn’t left Dad since he’d been taken to the hospital. She continued talking to him, not caring that others kept saying that he wouldn't get better, spending every spare moment in his room.
I got into Jasper’s car, feeling dizzy and slightly out of breath.
"How much do you love your father?" Jasper asked all of a sudden, putting the keys into the ignition.
I looked at him, opening my mouth to find out why the fuck he’d asked a question like that, but I stopped. Instead I said, "More than you ever loved me. I know he’ll die someday, but this isn’t the right time for him."
"Then don’t be surprised when you see something that will shock you. Sometimes these parties get out of control. I can’t protect you there. I have to be like myself around others."
I wanted to ask what he meant by like himself,
but I decided that maybe it wasn't a good idea. Tonight, I was all alone, without my friends, with a man that I didn't trust. Jasper’s obsession with dark magic had pushed us away from each other. I’d never seen the real him that worked in his lab, using dark forces, magic thieves and other innocent creatures for his experiments. Everything was about to change tonight.
We didn’t talk while we drove. An hour later he parked the car in a location that I sort of recognised. The river Thames was close by. A lot of homeless people hung around here; many news stations had talked about this area recently. Someone was killed in an alley close by the other day.
"Right, let’s get on with it and see how much it costs to save a life."
Jasper didn't let me question him, because he got out of the car and walked around then opened the door for me. I held on tightly to my fake magic wand, sensing that we were stepping into highly magical surroundings. All the street lamps were off, and the houses looked abandoned. It seemed like someone had spread a heavy black curtain over us, as it was so dark. Without the lights I had no idea if a paranormal had spellbound this area to keep all the humans away from their business or if they simply chose the creepiest part of the river where normal people didn't come after dark. There were tall town houses all around me, empty streets and smashed windows. Other wizards began to appear near us, parking their ordinary cars in the alleys. Jasper nodded to a few and then took a sharp turn to the left, and within a couple of minutes, we were walking alongside the river. I sensed a strong current of powerful black magic running over my neck, electrifying my sharp vision.
Soon we were passing a bridge and Jasper pointed to a small passage, which looked like an entrance to an underground canal. He waited until a few other wizards disappeared in it first. Normally I was brave, and I didn’t like to show any sort of weakness, but that night I really wasn't ready to walk through that door. Fear, thick and warm, poured into my stomach as my heart hammered loudly in my chest. The air stuck in my lungs and I began to question what the hell I was doing with a man who used other beings for his own black magic experiments.
Jasper didn’t give me a chance to think about this for too long because he pulled me into the gloomy wet entrance. I had a really bad feeling about this entire thing, but Jasper was walking fast, not looking back to see if I was keeping up with him. I could turn around and just head back to the car, but then I would be stuck in the same limbo, waiting for Dad to die.
We walked for about twenty minutes until we reached another door that in any normal circumstance probably wouldn't be there. Jasper’s brown eyes flashed with eagerness as he knocked. The door opened and on the other side I saw a large wide space filled with people.
Jasper pushed me forward, nodding to a few black witches who were staring at me intensely. My scent was hidden, and I just needed to behave like I was there to learn everything I could about the darkest and most forbidden magic. A nervous tremor shot through me when I spotted a few wizards who I had definitely seen on my father’s most wanted list on the wall of his office. I glanced back at Jasper, who was smiling widely. His eyes were filled with anticipation like he was waiting for something significant to happen tonight. It was creepy.
In the back of this canal or the room, whatever the hell these paranormals were calling it, there was a bar. I didn’t want to think about what sort of magic these people were going to perform here, but this deadly audience blasted a cold shiver down my neck and spine.
He whispered for me to head towards the bar. Jasper ordered me a drink and one for himself. I was getting short waves of combined energies coming from every part of the room.
"Something is wrong; my magic is active," I said through gritted teeth, wetting my lips and sipping my drink. It tasted fucking disgusting.
"Some of the wizards are testing you. They get a bit anxious when they see a new face," Jasper stated, mildly aware that I was slowly freaking out. Blazes of raw, crushing power were hitting me from every possible direction, but no one was looking at me. I fixed a smile on my face, feeling like I was going to throw up at any second.
"Is there anyone who I should talk to?"
"Go around the room and ask questions. Tell anyone you speak with that I'm searching for a white witch in order to complete my research; see if you can get anything out of these snobs."
I nodded and looked around the room, holding my dodgy drink. It was easier to talk to the opposite sex, so I headed towards a group of stocky wizards with long shaggy bears.
"Hi, sorry to bother you, but my boss sent me around to see if you can help him with something," I said confidently, throwing out one of my best smiles. They stared back at me coldly. The wizard to my right winked at me and stared at my boobs.
"So, Jasper has an assistant? Lazy bastard. Tell him to get off his arse and start acting like he should," another one barked with bright blue eyes.
"Hold on, Martin. I want to know what he needs. Go on, girl, why did he send you around asking questions?" the third one asked, smoothing his shaggy beard. I took a deep breath wondering if I was approaching this conversation from the right angle.
"Well, Jasper’s conducting a new study and he’s looking for a white witch."
My voice was a little broken and my breath was short. Three wizards started laughing, shrugging their shoulders like I’d just told them an awesome joke. My face went red and I turned around searching for Jasper, who all of a sudden wasn't by the bar anymore. Other witches kept glancing at me with open curiosity.
"White witch?" the one who was looking at my boobs repeated. "I think Jasper wanted to have a bit of fun with you. White witches are impossible to track down. I'm nearly fifty and I’ve never heard of anyone who’s even met one."
"Gez is right; Jasper can forget about his research," the wizard standing closest to me added.
I had no idea what to say; the wizards were laughing. I didn't want to look like a total idiot, so I chatted with them for a bit longer before I went back to the bar. The pressure of finding a white witch was slowly getting to me. Maybe these old bastards were right; maybe Jasper brought me here to show me off. I was just about to order another drink when someone else approached me.
"Well, well, well, who do we have here?"
I nearly choked, hearing Georgiana’s squeaky voice. She was dressed in a long black satin dress, her wand in hand. There was something different about her tonight, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. She looked confident, radiant and just more like a witch than a human without any powers. Jasper had mentioned that she would be here, but I wasn't expecting to bump into her straight away.
“She's my new apprentice. I don’t want her dead yet, so play by the rules, Georgie," Jasper said, appearing by my side all of a sudden.
"All right, all right. I'm only messing with her." Jasper’s sister chuckled, eyeing my outfit from head to toe.
A soft classical tune came on and everyone looked at the door, like they were expecting someone to come in, but no one did.
"Anyway, what’s she doing here? Last time I had the honour of speaking with her, Julia didn't want to even hear your name."
"She needs information about a white witch. Do me a favour, Georgie, and take her around to some of your friends," Jasper ordered. "Maybe they know more than me." He turned to me. "Anyway, how did it go with the others?"
"It didn't really. They just started laughing at me, thinking I was joking."
Jasper looked back at the group of shaggy bearded wizards and narrowed his eyes.
"Stay with Georgiana. I don’t have time to approach people. I'm here to deal with urgent business."
I wanted to protest, but Jasper walked away, heading towards the other side of the room. It looked like he wasn't prepared to babysit me. I guessed that if I wanted to stay alive I had to obey. Someone in here must have information about white witches. People desired the forbidden, especially witches and wizards who loved the danger that came with black magic. Georgiana had never struck me as a person who wo
uld get involved with her brother’s shady business. She took my hand, charging me with a dose of magic, and started dragging me towards a group of women.
As it turned out, Georgiana’s “friends” were other beautiful witches, also dressed in black. "Ladies, this is Jasper’s new apprentice. He gave her a task, so go easy on her," Georgiana said, smiling like she was enjoying my humiliation. Looking at her now I couldn't believe we used to be best friends. She’d once showed up at a Sabbath trying to convince me to give Jasper another chance.
Two of the witches were powerful, especially the one who stood close to Jasper’s sister sipping red wine. Georgiana introduced her to me. Her name was Laura and her vibes were terrifying. I had no idea how, but I knew she had killed people, and that magic thieves were her specialty. The worst thing was, that she enjoyed taking someone’s life. I wasn't a psychic, but her emotions were so transparent that I couldn’t stop taking them all in.
"Only Jasper can get himself an apprentice, but he’s so secretive about what he does," Laura observed, pinning me down with her hazel eyes. "Tell me; why are you so special that he agreed to work with you?"
"I can be very convincing if I want to," I replied with a confident smile.
"Well, Jen, so what’s the task our gorgeous Jasper has given you?" Laura asked, biting her lip and glancing towards my ex-boyfriend. She obviously fancied Jasper and I was ready to hook them up if I had more time. At least that way he would leave me alone. Laura darted her eyes at me, sending waves of images of what she wanted to do to Jasper. I tried to breathe, fighting to push her thoughts away.
"I need to find a white witch," I blurted out, breathing through my nose. Georgiana started laughing, bringing too much attention to our group. The other two witches shook their heads looking at me like they were wondering if I was for real.
Witch's Promise : The Witching Hour Series Book 4 Page 4
