Witch's Promise : The Witching Hour Series Book 4

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

  I looked at my phone wondering if I was really talking to my good friend, Nicky. A woman who always advised me to keep away from every possible trouble and told me off when I revealed that Jasper was helping me. I hardly wanted to believe that her information was real. Besides, Dannika wouldn't want to hear about this. I didn’t want to hijack her investigation.

  "How did you find out about this?"

  “Don't ask. It’s one of those things I can’t talk about, but it’s true. Those bitches are going to be there."

  "All right, give me the details," I said, not even sure if I was ready for another disastrous plan.

  Nicky gave me the address, assuring me that her information was from a very reliable source. I had heard about this event before. Someone from the association had put this whole party together for paranormals only in one of the venues in Central London. The most successful paranormals gathered to drink and dine in a prestigious location. I didn’t understand why witches from the coven would want to take part in it.

  When I went back to the office I thought about what Nicky said. The plan wasn't bad, but there was always a risk. I called Kelsie and told her what Nicky had suggested. Two hours later, we met in my apartment to discuss our new strategy. Kelsie was ready to try anything, assuring me that we could use other paranormals to corner the witches. Nicky assured us that she could get us a few invites to the event. But I wasn't convinced we should do it. The decision was mine and after so many fiascos and failures I thought about my promise to Dannika. She was the one in charge and if we really wanted to catch the witches we had to get her involved.

  On Friday evening after I finished work I headed to the station to have a chat with her, which I knew was going to be very difficult. She made me wait for over an hour, which was fine because that gave me some time to think about what I was going to tell her.

  When she eventually arrived, she looked like a right mess with many facial injuries.

  "My office," she barked as soon as she saw me. I went in feeling anxious.

  "Are you all right?" I asked. She waved her hand like the dried blood all over her chin wasn't a big deal.

  "Just busted a black magic dealer and he put up a hell of a fight," she said, staring at me. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

  "Right, so don’t take this the wrong way. I have some information, but I’ll only tell you if you promise me that I’ll be involved with whatever you decide."

  She didn't like what I said, not one bit. She wrinkled her forehead with effort and her violet eyes flashed with anger.

  "I can’t promise you that. Don’t be stupid," she snapped coldly. "So, stop fucking around and tell me what’s going on right now!"

  "No," I said firmly. "This is my idea and my sources, so I'm in whether you like it or not."

  She shook her head and got up, chewing her lip. Maybe I was playing with fire here, but I had to make sure I was in that party.

  "Jerry’s stubborn, but you, girl, don’t take any shit, do you?" she asked but didn’t let me answer. "Fine, go on; what’s your new master plan?"

  I ignored her sarcasm then went ahead and told her what I had in mind. I didn’t use Nicky’s name. She listened and the wrinkles on her forehead kept getting deeper and deeper. Once I was done with my plan, she didn’t look too happy.

  She sat down, twisted her lips, puffed and breathed for a little while, giving me the evil eye.

  "And why do you want to be there? We both know you should leave this matter to the unit. You saw what these psychopaths did to your father? Do you really want to risk your life?"

  "I have an idea how they look, and I can help you. Listen, I came to you because I didn’t want to screw this up. Dad hasn’t got much time.". For about a minute she stared at me without saying anything. I really wanted to read her mind, but her expression was blank.

  "Undercover, huh? From what I heard this event is popular and if we’re going to do this, then we have to be very careful."

  "We, so does that mean you want me in?"

  "Let me think about this and talk to the guys. I want to get that bitch as much as you do, but it’s a risk. Other paranormals will be there, very important and famous ones. I think I need to take this upstairs first."

  There was no messing around with Dannika. When she said that we had to wait for a decision, that was it; without the go ahead from upstairs we couldn’t even plan anything. I went home expecting a phone call next week. I had mixed feelings about the whole thing. What if the unit refused to go ahead with this plan? What would happen to Dad then?

  I didn't even want to think about it. Dannika knew that she wasn't any closer to arresting the witches. We both knew that this was our last and final chance.

  CHAPTER 30

  GOING UNDERCOVER.

  K elsie wasn't too impressed with me when I mentioned that the unit had to get involved. We needed to have solid backup if this operation was going to work. Kelsie had to get used to the fact that police would be there to protect us, and she had to try to be nice enough to Dannika.

  I took a few shifts over the weekend. I preferred to keep busy; otherwise I couldn’t sleep—my mind worked twenty-four seven. There was no news from Ella and I wasn't in the right frame of mind to discuss her situation with Nicky.

  On Monday morning I had a call. Dannika wanted to see me in the station. When I arrived, I had a feeling that people were talking about me. Officers were staring, and no one asked how my father was doing this time around. There was a slight tension in the station and I had a feeling that I was the one who caused it. Stewart and Dannika greeted me in her office.

  "Right, I got the go ahead from upstairs," she said. I wanted to jump with excitement, but I held back, feeling that maybe this wouldn't go well with what we were planning.

  "Great."

  "We’ll have a certain number of undercover officers in the venue and quite a lot outside in unmarked vehicles. Your job is to locate the suspects and then disappear. That’s it. No ifs, no buts. I'm going to kick your arse if you disobey my orders," she barked at me, eyeing me intensely.

  "All right, fine, I get it. Kelsie will be with me," I assured her, knowing she meant every word. I wouldn't want to cross her.

  "And about that. I want to talk to your shifter friend as soon as possible," she added. We discussed what was necessary, but we needed Kelsie to go into more detail. Dannika had a list of every paranormal that would be there, reminding me that no one could see anything out of the ordinary. I didn’t want to think about the scandal that this action could cause. Politicians, actors and other important paranormals were expected to attend, so everything had to go smoothly.

  Dannika left no choice for Kelsie to say no. She had to come down to the station if she wanted to be part of the plan. I didn't understand what Kelsie had against the police. It took some convincing and eventually Kelsie went along, complaining all the way through. She just didn’t trust anyone in uniform.

  Dannika’s plan sounded good on paper, but I knew once we were at the party many things could go wrong. Kelsie and I were convinced that we would be able to pinpoint the head of the coven. We had never seen her face, but for some reason out in that scrapyard container, my powers bonded with the witch in charge, giving me an advantage over everyone else.

  This wasn't a small event; at least a thousand paranormals were going to enjoy themselves, so everyone had to be vigilant. Dannika kept us in the loop, but I was certain she had a few cards up her sleeve that she wasn't prepared to share with us just yet.

  The meeting went on for the next two hours. Dannika went over the spells and charms that we were going to use to identify the suspects. Kelsie didn't look too happy when she was given instructions on what to do and how to behave, but when I kicked her under the table she settled in her seat. As we left the station, she muttered that Dannika was bossy and stuck in her ways. I didn't say anything, thinking that those two were very much alike.

  I got home late; it was a busy day and I was anxious as t
he weekend was only a few days away. This was our last chance to catch the witch. Later on, Kelsie called me and insisted that Michael had to be included. I tried to reason with her, but she had already shared our plans with him.

  "He ain’t going to the station," she said.

  "Fine, but I have nothing to do with this if he gets arrested."

  "All right, girl, chill. I’ll let him know," she said and hung up.

  I decided to take a bath to de-stress. Thoughts about Nathaniel floated in my mind as I lay in the bath the same evening. I missed him. I had days to think about what happened between us. Nathaniel was furious about Jasper and that was understandable, but that bastard had taken advantage of me while I’d been drugged, even using his powers to influence me further. I would have never even looked at him that way otherwise. Surely, Nathaniel could understand that.

  The rest of the week dragged, but with each day I was growing more worried and nervous. Next week it was going to be over for Dad and Kate. Dannika was certain that once she caught the witch, she could make her undo the spell. Nothing was guaranteed anymore, but I liked her enthusiasm.

  When Saturday came, my magic was alerted. I used a few spells in my living room to be ready for the evening. Just before six, I put on an old super sparkly dress that I found in the bottom of my wardrobe. I didn’t really care how I looked, but Kelsie insisted I make an effort.

  "Yeah, that’s what I'm talking about, girl! Now you look decent," Kelsie said, smoking in my living room when I came out after changing for the fourth time.

  "Great, I think we should get moving. We can’t be late," I said, annoyed that she made me take so much time to get ready. Dannika texted me earlier checking to make sure everything was all right and reminding me to be at the venue on time.

  Kelsie inhaled the deadly smoke and threw her cigarette out the window. She looked amazing in a silver, very short dress. She took something out of her bag and then began spraying me with it. I nearly choked to death but noticed sparkles all over my skin once she was done with me.

  "Now we can go."

  "I think I'm going to be sick," I said, feeling dizzy. My nerves were getting to me and my stomach kept churning loudly. I knew that I had to rely on my gut feeling. This was the biggest and the most exclusive Christmas party in London. As long as I stuck to my plan, no one’s life would be in danger, but that was just a theory. At the end of the day we were dealing with witches who were more powerful than any other paranormals. Jasper looked like a schoolboy in comparison when it came to their rituals.

  "No, you can’t be sick, not right now," Kelsie growled. "Keep it together. Remember, we’re getting that bitch tonight!"

  She was right. This was our final and most likely only chance. I needed to get a grip and make that witch who cast the spell undo it. I had to forget about finding the white witch. That task was long forgotten.

  "All right, let’s do this," I said.

  My dress was way too tight, but there was no time to change. Five minutes later, we jumped into a taxi. Dannika ordered me not to pay any attention to the undercover policemen outside the venue. I couldn’t recognise who was who anyway, because there were so many cars outside. There was a reason that the witches wanted to attend this party. There was a possibility that they were looking for other more significant connections to expand their coven.

  Outside the venue many paranormals dressed in the most glamorous clothes were already heading inside. I had never in my life seen so many security officers. The organiser obviously wanted to be vigilant and I was glad that Dannika was involved. I didn’t think I could do this on my own.

  We walked through the massive entrance, following other paranormals. Kelsie started posing on the red carpet for the paparazzi as they snapped pictures. I pushed her forward trying to avoid bringing attention to ourselves, reminding her that she needed to stick to the plan. Every breed of creature was here; even ugly hags and trolls made an effort to look decent.

  Other elves were glancing at me and I was beginning to regret that Kelsie made me wear such a tight dress tonight.

  "Right, let’s find our table and then head to the bar," my friend suggested after we managed to get inside the venue. A young uniformed wizard took our invites and showed us to the table after we circled around the place searching for our seats. Kelsie, Dannika and I were able to use our thoughts to communicate with each other. Dannika used a special spell that she had to have a license for. The problem was that the spell only lasted for about two hours, so we had to act fast and not waste any time with pointless conversations.

  Once we located our table, we headed to the bar. The party wasn't starting for another half an hour and I wanted to have a good view of the entrance, so I could get on with my task of finding the witches.

  Kelsie ordered us some martinis and I turned around scoping out the room as other paranormals searched for their tables. After some time, I finally spotted Dannika. She was with Stewart, smiling and looking really pretty in a long shiny black dress. Her eyes were everywhere scanning the crowd of paranormals.

  We’re by the bar. I informed her using the spell. Her eyes shifted around, scanning the bar.

  Good. Have you spotted them yet? she asked.

  No, but we’re on it.

  “She's so uptight and bossy." Kelsie scowled, smiling towards her boyfriend, Michael, who was standing on the other side of the room. I felt a little better having him near. He always got us out of trouble.

  “That's why Dad likes her: she always gets the job done and she’s a total bad-arse," I said. Kelsie rolled her eyes.

  More and more paranormals were coming in. I was searching for a blond, tall, and quite skinny witch, trying to imagine what she would wear to such a significant event. My body guided me. Somehow when we hid in that container I was able to connect to her magic and I hoped that I’d be able to do it again. A few times I gripped Kelsie’s arm staring at a group of witches who walked passed us. One of them looked familiar but soon enough I realised that she wasn't the person who I was looking for.

  "Can you stop doing that? It’s painful. Just relax; we’ll find her," Kelsie snapped, massaging her arm. Dannika was sitting at the table by the door along with Stewart, chatting away, but her eyes were constantly alert and wary.

  Twenty minutes later I decided to head to the ladies’ room to calm down. My hands were trembling, and my dress was too tight, restricting my movements. It was quite a distance and as I reached the door I felt it. Waves of powerful, twisted magic circling nearby. I exhaled sharply, as the energy slammed into me unexpectedly, bonding with my own. The air hitched in my lungs. I leaned against the wall pretending that I was searching for something in my clutch bag, at the same time trying to find the source. My breathing became heavy, wheezy, as my watery eyes moved around the room.

  The energy left me as quickly as it appeared, but I continued to search for witches that were near. Three dark-haired women were sitting at the nearest table chatting amongst themselves. None of them looked familiar.

  I felt her, but the energy is gone now, I explained, switching back to the spell. I couldn’t see Dannika, as there were more and more paranormals inside. My pulse started racing, but I kept scanning the crowd intensely. Three blondes a few tables away from each other didn’t fit the description.

  All right, I see you. I’ll send someone over there. Keep your eyes open, Dannika said, and a few minutes later another elf approached nodding towards me.

  The unease settled in my stomach, but I had to find the loo. I left the undercover officer in the space where I felt the energy and carried on walking. In the loo, fairies and elves were chatting, laughing and talking about a few actors they’d seen earlier. I reapplied some makeup, did my business, and left feeling that it was time to get to work.

  I didn't get far. There was an announcement that the starters were going to be served, so I had to go back to my table. My magic came in waves, alerting my body that it was time for a release spell. I went to the bar
, hoping to get something to drink to calm down. I couldn’t let my energy slip right then.

  "Can I have a glass of water, please?"

  "This lady needs something much stronger than that." The voice that I knew so well folded over my shoulder. Nathaniel leaned next to me, brushing his body next mine.

  CHAPTER 31

  SPOILED PARTY.

  I gripped the edge of the bar, trying to breathe steadily. How could I forget that Nathaniel La Caz would’ve had an invitation to this event? He was an entrepreneur with a multimillion-pound business. He wouldn't miss a lavish party like this, especially in London. My body alerted me that he stood near. A flush crept over my face as I turned around to face him. He was leaning against the bar, drinking whisky and looking amazingly handsome, but he wasn't looking at me. A soft heated breeze blew up around my body. Desire, mixed with popping anger permeated the air around us.

  The barman was looking from Nathaniel to me, confused.

  “Don't listen to this man, darling. A glass of water will do," I said a little furious. I felt heat between my breasts that began spreading quickly putting me in a state of unease. My magic went berserk like someone had switched it on and all of a sudden, I had no control over it. The barman winked at me and Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, looking away.

  "I wasn’t expecting to see you here tonight Julia, " he stated coldly, finishing his whiskey. He was obviously still pissed off about our previous conversation. I had to stay calm. The outcome of this operation could be fatal if I lost it just because my ex was talking to me. I was here to find the witch, and Nathaniel could mess everything up. I had to get rid of him as soon as possible.

  “Please, I’m here to have a good time,” I said taking a drink of my water. "Do me a favour and leave me alone."