"Do I have any more wishes?" Grace asked the djinn when he arrived at the house.
"No, you do not. Is that the only reason you summoned me?" He seemed to be impatient.
"Of course not. I need to ask you some questions."
"You may ask, but I cannot guarantee I will be able to answer."
"Are you my grandfather?"
Roland laughed his booming laugh again. "No, I am not."
"Who is your master?"
"Nice try, my dear."
"I had to ask."
Daisy and Violet sat down on the sofa, and Grace gestured for Roland to take a seat. Instead of sitting on the small seat that he was presented with, Roland waved his arm and two plush thrones appeared. He motioned for Grace to sit in the chair closest to her. She felt the cool, soft fabric against her skin as she sat. When she was settled, Roland unbuttoned his suit coat and took his own seat.
"So Grace, shall we begin our dance? You will ask me more questions that I am unable to answer, and I will politely deflect."
"I think you might be able to answer a few of my questions, at least. Did you love Aurora?"
"So it seems you know much of my story then." He smiled, but Grace thought he might look a little worried. "I did in a way. She was kind to me in a manner that I was unaccustomed to."
"Did she love you as well?"
"I believe she did, but at the time, I was not able to reciprocate that same type of love she had for me, unfortunately."
"Aliza kept you in her service for decades. What did she force you to do?"
"She used me to defeat her enemies and to crush anyone that she perceived as a foe. She also wanted to use my magic to gather riches and power."
"How did Aurora defeat her?"
"I cannot give you this information, Grace."
Roland shifted in his seat, visibly uncomfortable.
"Am I making you nervous, Roland?"
"Of course not, my dear. I am simply not used to such surroundings." He gestured to the room and wrinkled his nose. "No offense intended."
Daisy and Violet looked at the djinn as though they smelled something foul.
"None taken," Violet said as she cracked a sarcastic smile.
"Are we done here, Grace?"
Before Grace had a chance to answer, the front door opened. Mooney walked in, followed by Gus and Doc. Kayla entered after them holding her own unconscious body in her borrowed arms. She brought the body in and laid it on the sofa across from Roland.
"What is the meaning of this?" He stood up and took a step forward.
"You tell me. This is your handiwork, isn't it?" Grace asked, slowly rising from her seat.
"Who is this?" he asked again.
"Are you trying to tell us that you don't know?"
"I know the body, and I know that your mother's spirit inhabits this man, but who is that?" He pointed to the woman on the sofa.
"That is my grandmother, Carolyn. That is who I assume is your master."
Roland suddenly burst out in rich laughter.
"No, my dear. This thing does not have the power to command me. This woman is nothing more than a petulant child that hungers for power and revenge. Her magic is strong, but not nearly strong enough."
Carolyn moaned and stirred, tugging at the restraints on her wrists. As she began to regain consciousness, her eyes opened slowly and she looked around the room.
"Shit. I'm back at the 'It's a small world' ride," she croaked as she struggled to sit up. She worked her jaw, obviously feeling the remnants of the right hook she took in the woods. "I think you cracked my face, Gigantor."
"You're lucky I didn't put a stake in your heart," Kayla replied with a hint of satisfaction.
"And who is this tall drink of water?" Carolyn asked, looking Roland up and down. "Did you trade up from Strawberry Shortcake here while he was otherwise occupied, Grace? Nice choice. A dark and mysterious hunk of desert lover."
She continued undressing Roland with her eyes and licked her lips lasciviously.
"Shut your filthy mouth," Grace snarled, trying not to charge the women on the couch.
"Are you saying that you don't know this man?" Mooney asked.
"Short stuff, if I knew this man he would look a whole lot happier." She winked at Roland. "And he wouldn't be standing here fully clothed."
"You're disgusting," Grace hissed.
"Yeah well, I'm also thirsty. Does the Lollipop Guild have anything to drink in this joint?"
"There is nothing here for you, witch," Daisy snarled.
"Oh, that is where you are mistaken, Tiny."
Carolyn threw her head back and began chanting out loud.
"Vino la mine copiii mei . Eliberează-mă și omoare răpitorii mei. Am comanda."
"Shut her up," Kayla called out.
"It's too late," Grace said as she heard the first howls coming from outside.
"Princess, they are here," Jorek announced while he entered the living room.
"You! I knew we should have killed you years ago, you filthy half-breed," Carolyn shouted, struggling against her bonds to reach the sprite.
"Neither you nor your sister had the power to kill me, witch," Jorek said smugly.
"Get these cuffs off and we'll see about that, you mutt." Carolyn grew more and more agitated as she shouted at him.
"Calm down," Kayla shouted. "Do I have to knock you out again?"
Carolyn calmed, but only slightly.
"This is all gonna be over soon, anyway. All of you are going to die tonight. Too bad you have to go, hot stuff." She eyed Roland.
"Petulant and vulgar," he replied, curling his lip in disgust.
"Your loss, Abdul." She shrugged and turned to Grace. "You and that little pup of yours are going to be ripped to shreds. All of your little friends are going to be hors d’oeuvres before the big meal."
"Not as long as I'm here." Kayla moved to Grace's side protectively.
"Don't worry, Giant. You won't be here for long."
Carolyn cackled as the howls drew closer.
16
The wolves came together in front of the home where their mistress was being held captive. Her commands rang in their ears like a dinner bell.
* * *
"Vino la mine copiii mei . Eliberează- mă și omoare răpitorii mei. Am comanda. Come to me my children. Free me and kill my captors. I command it."
* * *
They were compelled by magic and loyalty to comply. In addition, the promise that they would all be able to have a witch of their own to eat was too good to pass up.
Behind the three wolves, three vampires stood baring their fangs, ready to fight. They had lost Logan, as well as two members of their pack already, and they did not intend to lose any more.
Once, an entire pack of wolves and a large nest of vampires had stood loyal to Carolyn, but now this small group was all that remained. The others had either been killed or had moved on, denying the mistress after her first death.
Carolyn had gathered them upon her return and had promised them great things once she was able to kill the queen and her daughter. She had told them they would receive riches and magic if they helped her to get her enemies out of the way. They had happily complied. It was a bonus that they would get to kill the coven that had held them all down for so long.
Joshua, the alpha wolf, raised his head and let out a long, loud howl. The other two joined in. The vampires hissed and walked forward toward the house. They could see members of the coven standing at the window, looking out at them.
The wolves howled, and the vampires shouted threats and obscenities as they charged forward. The group of monsters stopped just short of the front door, each of them snarling and drooling in anticipation, but unable to move any closer.
"Let us in, you bitches," a small blond vampire shouted at the door.
"I'm going to pull out your heart and show it to you," a larger male vamp joined in.
The wolves snarled and howled, sniffing the ground to
find a way into the house. One wolf caught a scent on the far side of the porch and ran to it. He began digging furiously, throwing dirt in wet clumps behind him.
The other two wolves joined in, clawing at the moist ground, creating a hole at least two feet in diameter. When the crater was deep enough to accommodate the largest wolf's body, he dove in nose first. As he writhed through the hole, the smell of burning fur permeated the night air. He let loose a series of whimpers and mewls with every shock the magical field delivered. As soon as he reached the other side of the shield and dug the rest of the way out, the magical force field sparked in a bright blue arc before it fizzled out completely. The rest of the wolves and vampires walked straight up the front steps to the door.
"Little pigs, little pigs, let us come in," the blond vampire said in a sweet voice while she lightly knocked. A small chuckle escaped her lips.
"Go away," a voice said from inside the house.
"As soon as you let our mistress go," she purred. "Oh, and right after you all die."
"You first."
"What the hell are you—"
Before the vampire was able to finish her question, the wooden stake shot through the door and into her heart with a loud crunching sound.
The scream that came from her set the wolves howling again. The other vampires cried out in anger as their youngest sister turned to a cloud of gray ashes and fell to the ground in front of them.
They heard a voice from the other side of the door as they moved in, trampling over the dust in front of the door.
"One down."
17
Kayla pulled the stake out of the wooden door and turned, resting her back against the wall.
"You bitch," Carolyn screamed in fury and scrambled to her feet. "I'll rip your face off!"
"Sit down," Roland said calmly.
"Who the hell do you think you are, Habib? You can't tell me what to do."
Roland took a step forward, his eyes blazing. Carolyn took a step back, still attempting to look defiant but failing.
"I said sit down," he repeated quietly.
This time, she did as she was told. She sat down on the couch, seething.
"What can we do? It's only a matter of time before they bust through that door," Grace asked, obviously scared and on the verge of crying. "We made a stunning potion, but it only works for a few seconds at most."
"The first thing you need to do is to calm down, Munchkin. You are projecting pretty hard. Even I'm feeling it," Kayla said as she put a hand around Grace's shoulder, attempting to comfort her daughter.
"Sorry," Grace said, taking deep breaths to try to calm herself.
They all slowly turned back to the sofa when they heard the maniacal yet quiet laughter. Carolyn sat there with her hands still bound, chuckling to herself wildly.
"You are all going to die. You are all going to die and then I'll get the power. I'll be able to come back for good, and I will be her mother."
"Who is her?" Kayla asked, stepping toward her mother.
Before Carolyn could answer, there was a loud bang against the front door. That was followed by another, and then another as the monsters took turns trying to knock the door down. Their howls and taunts only grew louder.
"Come out, little pigs. We are going to eat you alive. We'll take that baby and eat it for an appetizer. I'll use its bones to pick my teeth."
The door made a cracking sound as it started to give way. Kayla and the coven members took a defensive stance in anticipation of their entrance. Roland placed a hand on Grace's shoulder, attempting to lead her away from the coming scuffle.
"No. I have to help," she yelled, pulling herself free of his grasp.
"What can you do, Grace? If they need a telepath, or a potion, they will call you. You musn't put yourself or your baby in danger," he pleaded.
"Is that you being concerned, or are you speaking for your master? Do you even give a shit about me, or is it just that you want to deliver my baby to whatever monster owns you?" She hissed, hoping that whatever feelings he might have were at least slightly wounded.
He simply looked her in the eyes, was although her words had obviously stung. Grace watched as a blue glow emanated from his body. It was the same glow she had seen in his office when he was so angry with her. She took a step back, fearing the worst. After a moment, the glow subsided and Roland took a seat, seemingly exhausted.
Grace had no idea what to make of the events, but she had to worry about helping her family, not Roland.
Another sharp crack from the door put them all on edge again. Kayla stepped forward and pushed the bookshelf from the hall to the front of the door, hoping it would at least delay the inevitable. She didn't trust her magic completely in this body, and using it could cause problems for Harry when he got back to himself. She wanted to be as careful with her current vessel as possible.
The shelf rattled as the lock on the door gave way. Kayla stood with her family and waited for the rush of teeth and fur to come at them full force. What she heard was a car horn honking in the distance. Everyone in the room shared her bewilderment, except for Roland. He sat in his chair with what looked like a slight smile on his lips.
As the car engine revved forward, the pounding at the ruined door slowed.
"What the hell?" Kayla heard one of the vampires cry out.
That cry was followed by a pained yelp from one of the wolves. The other monsters snarled while they moved away from the front door and toward the unseen attacker. Mooney ran to the window to try to see what was happening outside. A smile spread across his face as he turned back.
"You guys have got to see this."
18
The wolves tried not to be distracted by the car horn honking in the distance. It was increasingly difficult as the car got closer and closer.
They were almost through the front door, and soon they would be feasting on witches. This distraction was nothing more than an annoyance, until the first shot rang out.
The vampire Michael turned, looking stunned before he disappeared into a cloud of dust. The alpha wolf yelped as a silver bullet tore through his hind leg, leaving a ragged flap of fur before he fell to the ground in a melting puddle of flesh. The other two wolves and the one remaining vampire turned toward the source of the shots and leapt off the porch.
The man in the red SUV took aim again and shot a hole through the smaller wolf's face, sending her tumbling. The vampire, Aiden, took off running to his right as the last wolf charged.
Just like a vamp, the last wolf, Estella, thought to herself as she leapt onto the vehicle's hood.
Before her jaw could find purchase on the man's arm, she felt the blade of the silver knife cut through her lower jaw and bury itself in her skull. The pain shot through her body like a bolt of lightning. She felt her body rapidly transforming to her human form, and the pain was excruciating. Her tendons pulled and stretched and her bones snapped and cracked before she felt the silver of the blade melting what was left of her brain. She fell in a heap of molten skin and fur oozing down the hood of the car.
"Daddy?" Grace called out as she stepped through the splintered front door, avoiding the piles of ash and goo.
"Munchkin, it's me," David replied with a wave.
"Daddy, look out!" she screamed as the last vampire lunged from behind him.
David ducked down to avoid a bite, and the vamp's jaw connected with the steel frame of the car door. David heard the crack of teeth and bone while the thing stepped back, holding his mouth.
"Son of a bitch," he cursed, turning back to look at his prey.
David stood weaponless in front of the vampire that had forgotten the pain of his broken fangs and now wanted only blood.
"I will eat you alive, you piece of shit," he taunted, walking in a slow circle.
Grace watched in terror, fearing that her father wouldn't be able to fend him off. She closed her eyes and let her mind focus. When she opened them, the stake was floating in the air directly in front
of her. She raised her hand and pushed with her mind. The stake flew through the air with the force of a bullet and landed in the final vamp's heart just as he leapt at David's face. Instead of teeth and claws, David was hit with a cloud of ash.
He turned and spat out the remnants of Aiden onto the ground. Grace ran out and threw her arms around him.
"Dad, how did you get here?"
"I got a message from a man. He told me that you needed help, and I felt your fear. So, I left that hospital and rushed here. How did you do that… with the stake?"
"I think it's all this little one," she said, rubbing her stomach.
"Well, thank you very much, little one," he said, looking down. His mood turned suddenly serious, and he looked at her sadly. "Grace, your mom, she—"
"I know Dad. That isn't Mom, it's Carolyn."
"Well, that explains a lot." His relief slowly turned to disgust. "Oh my god, I—"
"Dad," Grace said as she put a hand up and shook her head. "She had all of us fooled, and Mom is not upset about it at all."
"Doesn't make me feel less queasy."
"Well, just wait until you hear the rest of the story." She took his hand and led him into the house.
As he walked through the door, Harold rushed forward and threw his arms around David's neck, kissing his cheek.
"Um, I'm glad to see you, too Harry."
"Dad, that isn't Harry. That is Mom."
"I'm really confused," David said as he took a seat in the nearest chair.
"I'll explain it all to you." Grace took a seat opposite him. "Wait, where is Roland?"
"He left, Princess, and he took your grandmother with him," Jorek gestured to Kayla's body that now sat slumped on the couch, her hands still bound.
"Crap. Well, Jorek, do you know how we can get all of this straightened out?"
"Give me a few moments, Princess, and everything should be right as rain."
"That will give me time to explain."
Grace turned to David, who looked like he was developing a migraine from all the confusion, and began the story one last time.
Burkheart Witch Saga Book 3 Page 8
