Witch's Promise : The Witching Hour Series Book 4

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

  Mum started sobbing in my arms. She had been with Dad for over twenty-five years, and clearly, she still loved him. Neither of us were prepared to lose him, and my family was probably confused as to why I hadn’t been visiting. I hated being away. I hated that last night I didn’t push Shaun to tell me more. Every day was a lost day and I felt hopeless and doomed. Dad’s soul was floating somewhere in this world and his time was slowly running out.

  Eventually I convinced Mum to go home and rest, promising that I would speak to the rest of the family. Her boss was very understanding, but she couldn’t stop going to work and continue spending every night by my father’s hospital bed. The hollow feeling in my chest was getting deeper by the second. In that lonely moment when I was sitting in the car outside the supermarket I needed someone to hug me and tell me that everything was going to be all right. Nathaniel insisted that he would be there for me, but I couldn’t bear being so close to him. My love for him drenched my body and I didn’t trust myself not to do anything stupid.

  In the supermarket I kept thinking how ordinary some shoppers’ lives were in comparison to mine. The temperature outside was dropping below zero degrees. I knew what I had to do, but the question remained: Was I ready?

  Even thoughts about Jasper sent violent turmoil down my spine. But I knew I had no other choice. A few months back I thought he’d changed, stopped his obsession with black magic, but it was all just his game plan to get close to me again.

  I went home, ate some supper, changed and went straight to see the wizard who’d caused so many problems in my life. It was late, but I didn’t want to waste any more time. If he couldn’t help me, then I doubted anyone else could. We hadn’t spoken since that terrifying cocktail party during which he killed that kid, a magic thief. Thoughts of that night still plagued my dreams and shook me to the core. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to get over the fact that I had to stand by and watch an innocent child die by Jasper’s hand. He was a murderer plain and simple. As I parked my car outside his house, that horrific image tangled my mind, crushing my confidence. He’d been ecstatic, proud of what he’d done. He was a monster.

  It was just after eight o’clock, but all the streets were dark and deserted. I didn’t go to see him in his bachelor pad, but in his lab. He chose this location away from other paranormals, where decent people didn’t wander off to. The gangs and drug addicts worked as Jasper’s cover.

  I toyed with this idea for a while, knowing that because of Jasper’s weakness for me I held power over him. His reputation and strength put him as a front-runner for the worst scumbag award. But my father was counting on me. Mum was in a terrible state; my parents had always been proud of me, so I had to live up to that and act. I had to do whatever I could to try and save my dad’s life.

  Jasper knew that he could wrap me around his little finger and I would still have to do what he said. I had to use our past to my advantage. This idea burned in my mind when I was walking down the sidewalk towards his front door, glancing around to make sure I was safe. My fingers tingled with blue sparks. It was a clear indication that a dark wizard was in the house.

  I took a deep breath and then knocked on Jasper’s door. I tried to imagine that I was just about to see Nathaniel. Surging heat dropped down between my thighs. Jasper took his time, and when he finally opened the door, my heart kicked me in the chest. Yeah, it wasn't the usual gut wrenching kick like I experienced when Nathaniel was close, it was fear poking me in my gut with a long lean stick.

  Jasper’s dark eyes hovered over my body and my brain shrunk to the size of peanut.

  "Hey, Julia, my favourite girl. To what do I owe this pleasure?" he sang, leaning against the door with his arms folded against his chest.

  "Are you going to let me in or are we going to talk about your magic on the street?"

  He took his magic wand and waved it around. Before I knew what was going on I was in his arms, the familiar oriental, cinnamon cologne swirled in my mind. Jasper’s eyes burned with raw lust, and my magic died down. I had to behave wisely; this was what he wanted from me, but I didn’t expect him to act so fast.

  "Julia, have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

  I nodded, swallowing hard, and then he added, "You know I don’t think I can handle just friendship. I want more than that."

  Instead of getting angry and frustrated, I imagined that I was in Nathaniel’s arms. The heat inside my core brushed over me, shifting my breath into slow gasps.

  “Let's get inside and talk. I didn't come here to start a relationship with you."

  A challenge with a hint of lust flickered in his eyes. He smiled with mischief and let go of me.

  “That's my price, Julia. I know why you're here. If you want my help, then you need to consider giving us another chance."

  I smiled back, realising that I was screwed, totally and utterly screwed. Jasper wanted me, and I had to try really hard to figure out how to get out of that stupid deal.

  CHAPTER 12

  PAYING GORDON A VISIT.

  I walked past him, trying to keep calm, repeating to myself over and over: Don't chicken out. He’s just your ex.

  My hands felt stiff, and rushing power beamed out of Jasper’s lab. My back ached as I glanced around his place searching for black magic. I didn’t find any, so I walked into the living room and folded my arms over my chest. Closed body language should’ve let him know that I wasn't interested in any sort of relationship with him.

  "Is that really how you’re going to play this?" I asked with tension in my voice.

  For some reason I wanted him to feel guilty, but I doubted it would work. Jasper was the guy who plunged into my life and tore it apart until he got what he wanted, not caring for other people’s opinions or the consequences.

  “You're single and I'm in love with you. There’s no one else in London who can help you find a white witch. You need me. Together we make a great team."

  I had to try really really hard to keep my expression composed. Jasper was an idiot thinking that we were a “great team.”

  "I told you I'm too stressed to think about my love life. Help me and I’ll consider your proposition," I said, knowing I could keep playing this game until I saw results. Jasper had access to Gordon, but there was no guarantee he could help me in any way. He switched all the lights on in his house with his wand, muttering something under his breath. His lab looked more used than the last time I saw it. There were more blood stains and cutting tools that made my stomach churn with unease. He eyed me intensely, like he wanted to guess if my intentions were truthful.

  "You will keep your promise. I’ll know straight away if you ever lie to me," he snarled, running his finger over his magic wand. "Are you ready then?"

  "Ready for what?"

  "To see Gordon."

  "Yes, of course," I lied and looked away. Of course, I wasn't ready. Jasper brought up memories from all those months ago when I thought I was a killer. Thoughts that I had buried in the back of my mind.

  Jasper started packing some stuff into his black bag. I didn't know what to think anymore. Nathaniel underlined a number of times that Gordon never forgot those who he’d come in contact with; he’d caught my scent. I managed to escape from his people and now I was crawling back to him, asking for a favour. Jasper needed to know what went on that night if I wanted this to work.

  "Listen, Jasper, there’s something I have to tell you about Gordon," I began. He put away some flasks, staring back at the text of a book he was reading.

  "What are you talking about, Julia?" he asked, not even looking at me.

  "Well, do you remember when I had those blackouts a few months ago?"

  I had his attention then. His dark eyes stared back at me.

  "Yeah, but everything stopped after you killed that shifter, right? You aren’t with the leech anymore, so your magic is more settled now."

  "Yes, the blackouts stopped, but during that time, I woke up on the street with a body next to me w
hen this whole thing was going on. The police showed up and I had to run. Anyway, to make a long story short, I ended up face-to-face with Gordon."

  Jasper inhaled sharply.

  “You've met Gordon?" he repeated.

  "Well, I was filthy, covered with blood and dirt, my pyjamas were torn apart. Something happened, and he had to leave, but he was very interested in knowing who I was. Then, one of his buddies tried to rape me, but I managed to escape."

  Jasper exhaled loudly and closed the textbook.

  "Julia, Gordon doesn't forget.”

  "I was a real mess then, so I don’t think he would put two and two together."

  "He will. It’s not your appearance, it’s your scent and your magic."

  "What does that mean?" I asked, running through the events from that night in my head.

  Gordon had only spoken to me briefly. I didn’t even look like myself. He tried to drain me of my magic; I felt it and was scared as hell.

  "He might use it to his advantage. He’s more intelligent than people give him credit for. Why do you think your father hasn’t locked him up yet?"

  "I don’t know," I admitted. "Because he knows how to avoid the police ?"

  Jasper laughed, shaking his head.

  "No, he has people everywhere: inside the unit, out on the streets, in the council and parliament. Paranormals owe him debts. He hunts for fun, kills without hesitation and enjoys wolf meat."

  Goosebumps appeared on my arms and I remembered how terrified I was standing in front of him.

  "I'm not an idiot, Jasper. I know he’s dangerous."

  “That's not the point. Gordon’s a psychopath who enjoys inflicting pain and fear on people. I can’t protect you from him. Maybe you should think twice about this—"

  "I’ve been thinking about this for days. There’s no one else who can help. Just take me to him," I insisted.

  Jasper looked like he wanted to convince me otherwise. After a while he said, "Fine, but don’t tell me I didn’t warn you."

  "What about my identity? Many paranormals know I work at the agency and my father’s the Chief Inspector of the Paranormal Unit."

  “You've got to take the risk; he’ll remember your scent and your escape. There’s no point lying to him, because he always senses it."

  This didn't sound too encouraging. I didn't want to think about what would happen if Gordon recognised me. Dad had been hunting for him for over ten years. It was easy to guess what Gordon would do once I showed up in his nest. Chief Inspector Taylor’s only daughter came to ask him for a favour. This sounded funny even to me. My stomach growled, and I decided to look at it from a different perspective—Gordon liked playing games with the police. I would’ve been dead already if he wanted to kill me just because he was annoyed that Dad interfered in his shady business.

  Jasper finished packing his bag.

  "Right then, let’s go."

  I gave him a faint smile, took a sip of water, and followed him to the car. I was much stronger than six months ago, more in control of my magic. If Jasper loved me, like he claimed, then he would do anything to protect me. I prayed that things would go according to plan. After the night in the club I didn’t want any more screw ups.

  We took Jasper’s car. I looked around, making sure we didn’t have another tail. Nathaniel kept sending people to make sure I wasn't getting myself in any more trouble. But was someone else doing the same? Shaun didn’t die for no apparent reason. Someone was covering his or her tracks, so far with great results.

  "What kind of relationship do you have with Gordon?" I asked. It was dark outside and it had just started raining. My ex-boyfriend looked focused.

  "He owes me a favour. We did a few business transactions together. Don’t delude yourself that he’ll just give you want you want. He’ll expect payment."

  "Payment?" I gasped.

  "Yeah, something in return for information."

  My magic was on a full alert, straining my muscles and turning my insides into knots. I didn’t know why I hadn’t thought about this before. Obviously, Gordon would want something from me. There were too many possibilities. Jasper was just the middleman, but he wanted to own me like before when we were together.

  I had magic and that’s what Gordon desired the most: being able to use unlimited amounts of power. I had to pretend that I knew it all. My father had a pretty dangerous job and until recently he’d never been hurt. My grandmother held a significant position within the elves’ community. I could use all this to bargain with Gordon. Dad was still in this world and I had to do anything I could to bring his soul back. I closed my eyes for a moment and relaxed, not even knowing when I fell asleep.

  "Hey, wake up. We’re here, sexy."

  I flinched back to reality. We weren’t moving anymore. When I opened my eyes, Jasper’s face was right in front of mine. I didn’t plan on falling asleep, it just happened. I didn’t expect him to do anything, but then he kissed me. It was exactly as I remembered, wet and not satisfying at all. I quickly broke it off, pushing him away.

  "I said I’ll consider it. Don’t push me, Jasper."

  "Sorry. You’re irresistible."

  It was easier to let go of that comment. Jasper had proved a few times that he wasn't stable psychologically and even now he scared me, creeping over me while I slept. I composed myself, trying to keep my distance once I got out of the car. We started walking towards the rough estate. As we emerged from the alley and walked for about ten minutes, there was a stretch of council flats in front of us. Teenagers were smoking outside a shop, staring at us and whispering quietly amongst themselves.

  "Where are we?"

  "Southwalk."

  "Really? Is that where Gordon hangs out these days, in some shabby council estate?"

  “It's Gordon. He never stays in the same place, Julia. He moves around the city."

  I knew that sometimes it was safer to avoid council estates in London. Humans and even some paranormals were aware of their reputation. Soon Jasper turned, and we walked into one of the roughest apartment blocks that I had ever seen. The stairs led us to the first floor, and in the corridor, we passed a short witch. She glared at us not saying anything at all. Jasper stopped at the last door and silently asked me if I was ready. I nodded, because I just wanted to get on with this.

  I had practiced some protection spells my grandmother and Tron taught me. The magic behind the closed door was intense. I felt it, igniting my own. My pulse increased, sending a cold chill down my spine.

  Jasper knocked three times, holding his magic wand close to his body. No one answered for about five minutes and I began to doubt that there was someone on the other side, then the door opened up. As I took a closer look at the biker who stood in front of me, I thought I was going to have a stroke. It was the troll who nearly raped me all those months ago when I woke up on the street with a dead body.

  “Hey, Malik.”

  He spat on the floor and shook hands with Jasper. I widened my eyes staring at both of them with my jaw on the floor.

  "What’s up, bro? The boss didn't say you were going to show up tonight," Malik said. I charged my fingertips, ready to do anything in order to protect myself. No one was going to be touching me tonight. "And who’s this? Your new whore?"

  "This is my girlfriend, Malik, so I suggest you shut your fucking mouth and treat her with respect," Jasper barked, his eyes flashed with danger. Malik didn’t appear to have any kind of intelligence and there was no way he remembered me. As I suspected, he backed off.

  We walked into the shabby, dirty-looking flat that smelled of cigarette smoke, burnt meat and sweat. It was small, probably a two-bedroom, filled with rotten rubbish. A few bikers and a wizard stood by the window. Gordon himself was sitting on the sofa watching TV.

  He didn't even lift his head to look at us. His posture reminded me of everything I’d been trying to forget in the past few months. The hollow eyes that invaded my soul and fear that had drenched my body.

  A f
ew bikers looked at me. The dark-haired wizard nodded towards Jasper. Finally, after some time Gordon turned his head towards us, his bright yellow eyes moved from Jasper and stopped on me. He inhaled, sending a wave of fear through my trembling body.

  "And who do we have here—a half-breed, an elf?" he asked, running his chunky fingers through his greasy hair. Tension exploded in the air and I tried to keep calm, but my heart was pounding away, and a bolt of anticipation surged through me.

  "Yeah, this is Julia, my girlfriend," Jasper introduced me, probably thinking that this way he could protect me better. "She has some questions for you."

  Gordon took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. All eyes in the room were focused on me.

  "Questions, you say. How do I know I can trust her?" he asked, revealing his fangs.

  “She's with me. Doesn’t that tell you anything?" Jasper was already annoyed; I could tell from his tone of voice.

  "I'm just messing with you." Gordon laughed and got up. I kept telling myself to keep it together, but the hair on the back of my neck shot up when he approached me. "So, Julia, what sorts of questions do you want to ask me?"

  He inhaled again, his eyes narrowed, and he threw his cigarette to the floor. I lost all ability to speak and knew if I didn’t say something I wouldn’t be able to help my dad. Gordon was staring at me and his expression began to change. My reasonable side kept telling me that he was slowly remembering my scent from all those months ago.

  CHAPTER 13

  CHALLENGE.

  I underestimated this entire meeting. Gordon’s eyes were like two yellow billowing flames—it was like looking into the eyes of the devil himself—drilling me down with shooting pain. I felt paralysed with a sudden dose of hurtful energy. It came unexpected, crushing me down and knocking the wind out of me. Gordon was doing something to me, causing my magic to become active, moving through my body faster than a fighter jet. The empty bottles, trash cans and boxes began moving around the room; the cold breeze whistled in my ears. I felt his power surrounding me. Gordon inhaled deeply with a blissful expression on his face.