Damned and Cursed (Book 7): Four Centuries

by Glenn Bullion

  Kevin agreed.

  "You're…still on my side?"

  "Yeah."

  "Okay," he said, relief in his voice. "We have to get to the office. Can you pull us along the ceiling?"

  "I can, but I don't know this place. What office?"

  "There's a door leading to the office area up front. But I'm so turned around, and I can't see. Do you see any doors?"

  "Shit, Kevin," she said, looking everywhere. "I see a lot of doors." Her eyes fell on one in particular. "Wait. There's a guy guarding one. I think I see a bulletin board next to it."

  "That's it. We need to go there."

  "Okay. Hold on, don't let me fall."

  Zoey reached up and grabbed a beam as Kevin squeezed her. Her movement nearly made her lose balance. Floating weightless was a sensation she never thought she'd experience. One leg drifted in between Kevin's knees, and she nearly slid downward. He readjusted his grip, locking his legs around her, and for the first time, she felt the feather he talked about tickling her neck.

  As they drifted along the ceiling, she kept an eye below. The chatter began to pick up. The men moved with purpose, some even jogging. Something was going on. She wanted to listen, but it was difficult enough not falling from Kevin's grasp.

  In her lack of focus, his head bumped into a beam. She covered his mouth before he let out a cry. She kept them still for ten seconds, making sure no one below heard. It was during that time Ramses spoke again.

  "Witch, I think he said your name is Kevin. Please know this isn't personal. You were dealt a bad hand. One of your parents just happened to be a witch. You might not even know what you are. I'm really sorry about this."

  Zoey noticed a flickering light coming from behind the door leading to the offices. Kevin turned his head carefully, also seeing the glow.

  "What is that?" he asked.

  She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, channeling Victoria. Her nose twitched at the familiar scent that she now hated.

  "Fire. They're burning this place down."

  "Oh, no. No, no. Hurry."

  She grunted as she propelled them forward. "I'm going as fast as I can."

  The men filed out of a side exit. Zoey pushed away from the ceiling, heading down. They were halfway to the ground when Kevin's grip loosened. She rolled off to his side, but he held tight. Her feet touched the ground first. Kevin ran past her, the fire behind the door guiding him. Zoey was embarrassed she didn't smell the fuel before.

  "The sprinklers aren't going off," he said, reaching for the door. "Why not?"

  She shrugged, not caring at all about the sprinklers. They needed to leave immediately.

  "They broke them or something. C'mon! We can't stay here."

  "Wait. We have to get to the server room."

  Reluctantly, she followed Kevin through the door, even though every vampire instinct inside told her it was a terrible idea. Flames leapt and licked at the chairs, desks, walls. She hesitated for a moment, afraid to go any further, but Kevin grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

  Zoey didn't feel pain the same way since becoming a vampire. Clumsily banging a shin, stubbing her toe in the shower, even a knick while shaving her legs, none of it carried the same sensation. The pain was lessened, dulled.

  But fire was the same. She could feel the heat around her, and knew that the flames would hurt just as badly as when she was a mortal.

  "Kevin, this isn't smart," she said. "They're probably setting up by the doors right now, waiting for us to come out. We have to get out now before they're ready."

  "We don't have a chance without my magic. I need my coat."

  He led her through the halls, twisting and turning. The fire was spreading, and it wouldn't be long until they were trapped. Fire from a break room nipped at her, catching her arm. She pulled away in panic as Kevin continued to push forward.

  He stopped when they turned another corner. Zoey watched his shoulders sink in defeat.

  The office marked Server Room was engulfed in flame, like all the others. There was no way to safely go inside. Safety was a feeling that was already gone. The route behind them was blocked as part of the tile ceiling came crashing down.

  "All that time," Kevin said, sadness in his voice. "All that magic."

  She tried to pull him, although she didn't know where to go.

  "If we don't get out of here, you'll never do magic again."

  Kevin blinked and nodded, snapping out of whatever spell he was under. He led her to another office. She threw her hands up in disgust when she saw there was no other door, no way out.

  "What the hell are we doing here?"

  He said nothing as he eyed the room around him. Rummaging through the desk, he muttered to himself. Zoey had no idea what he was looking for.

  "Damn it, Mindy, " he said. "I always thought you were useless."

  "Kevin!" she said, losing her patience. In a matter of moments the flame would trap them inside a dead-end office. "What are you doing?"

  "Just looking. There has to be something to use." A look of relief came over him as noticed the white-board on the side wall. "Like that."

  Zoey's frustration only grew when he grabbed a blue marker. What was he going to do with a marker?

  He drew a large circle on the wall.

  "Okay," he said, grabbing her shoulder. "Outside here is a grass field. Past that is the woods."

  "Where do they go?"

  "I have no idea. I only work here."

  She rolled her eyes. "Great."

  "I'm going to make this wall disappear. We'll run to the woods."

  "Run to the woods? Are you serious? That's your plan?"

  "Yeah."

  "Shit, Kevin, you're supposed to be a witch! Can't you make a fireball or something like that?"

  He smiled, which was unnerving, considering the fire had now spread inside the office.

  "Sure. Do you have any sugar? Maybe some Jell-O? Goat urine also works."

  "No."

  "Then running, it is. The side door to the offices is along this wall, too. So watch out for people trying to shoot us."

  She drew closer to him as she felt the heat at her back.

  "Okay, okay. Let's just go."

  He placed his hand on the wall, similar to how he did when they were both at Victoria's house. The wall vanished, revealing the field he spoke of. She didn't have time to be amazed before he grabbed her hand and started running.

  The night air felt wonderful, much better than the inferno behind them. Risking a glance to her right, she saw a van parked near the door. Several men with guns used it as cover. She was right about their plan.

  Zoey picked up speed, and was surprised when she began to pass Kevin. Guilt poked at her, as she'd forgotten that she wasn't just stronger, but faster. She could have made it to the woods easily, before they even saw her. But she couldn't leave Kevin behind.

  That mistake would cost her.

  "There!" someone from the group shouted.

  They turned and fired. She could hear the bullets flying around them. Some chipped away at the trees ahead. What felt like a bee sting smacked the back of her calf. She stumbled for only a moment. Kevin held onto her hand, keeping her from hitting the ground. They disappeared into the trees, as another bullet barely missed Zoey.

  "Are you okay?" Kevin asked.

  "Yeah. It's just…my leg."

  He knelt down to examine while she leaned against a tree.

  "Shit! You've been shot!"

  "What?!"

  She bent her knee and twisted her head. The pain had already dulled, but sure enough, blood poured out of a wound, soaking her jeans.

  "If only I had a magnet. Do you have one?"

  What he was going to do with a magnet was a mystery. It didn't matter, as she shook her head.

  "Can you walk?"

  She flexed her leg and took a step. There was some discomfort. She could feel the slug lodged inside her. But she'd manage.

  "Yeah."

  Fear
reflected in Kevin's eyes as he reached for her hand. The men were running toward the woods to pursue.

  "Zoey, we have to go."

  She resisted. She had another idea.

  With as much steadiness as she could muster, she reached for Kevin and tossed him over her shoulder. He was light, much like carrying a backpack. She jumped straight up, landing on a sturdy branch of a nearby tree. For his part, Kevin was quiet, only letting out a rush of air as she landed. After bracing herself, she jumped again. Another jump, and they were near the top. The fall season had claimed some of the leaves, but not all. The men rushed past below and spread out.

  Zoey set Kevin down as slowly as she could. He held onto her arm while she balanced the both of them using the trunk. She could hear his heart hammering in his chest.

  "Shit," he whispered. "Warn me next time."

  "Sorry."

  She wanted to use the respite to think, but her mind refused to obey her. No conscious thoughts came, only feelings. Terror, anxiety, anger, even a bit of excitement. Kevin squatted, using Zoey for balance, to examine her leg further. It was an unnecessary action, but still very sweet. She smiled as she regarded him. It was easy to see what his girlfriend saw in him.

  "I don't have any water," he said.

  "Don't worry. I'll be okay." A scent touched her nose through the trees. "I smell saltwater."

  "This is a beach town."

  "People hang out at the beach," she said. "We should go near people."

  "Not this late, though. And I'm not sure these guys care."

  "Do you have a phone? We could call for help."

  "No, I didn't bring it. How about you?"

  "You broke mine."

  "Oh, that's right. Sorry."

  A branch not far away splintered and fell as a bullet sawed through it. They looked down to see one of the witch hunters, aiming up at them.

  "I found them!" he shouted. "They're in the trees!"

  "Shit," Zoey said. She was strong and agile, but she wasn't sure if she could leap through the treetops carrying Kevin, especially with an injured leg. But she had to try. Pulling him close, she hugged him with one arm. "Hold on tight."

  He shook his head. "No, it's okay. Go. I'll be right behind you." He pulled a feather from his pocket. "Don't worry."

  Zoey nodded and moved past Kevin. She leapt from one tree to the other. The men gathered below, trying to track them from the ground. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Kevin move with amazing dexterity. He ran across a thin branch, one that actually shouldn't have supported his weight, and jumped to a limb above her. He moved across the trees as if they were solid ground. Zoey struggled to keep pace with him.

  The men moved below them, barking at each other and taking aim. Zoey yelped when the shooting began. She'd already been shot once.

  They continued to move through the trees. Kevin fell behind, as he couldn't see in the dark. Despite him telling her not to, she paused between jumps, waiting for him. She could see the trees opening up ahead, and heard the sounds of the ocean.

  The shooting slowed as the men fanned out. She realized they'd lost track of them, at least for the moment. Hopping to one final tree, she stared out at the beach and ocean ahead. She couldn't appreciate the beauty, the waves gently pushing against the sand. There were people in the distance, but not many. A man walked a dog, and a couple lay together on a blanket.

  A hand grabbed her from above. She'd jumped and nearly slipped before steadying herself.

  "It's me," Kevin said. "I don't hear them. Are they still here?"

  "I can hear them, and smell them. They're not far. Where are we?"

  "I don't know. I didn't know the beach was this close."

  "Well, that means stores, right? A phone we could use? We can get help."

  "I don't see any stores. Damn, I don't see any houses. I guess that's good. No one will get hurt."

  Zoey couldn't believe her ears. "We might get hurt, Kevin. We have to do—"

  The shot rang out. Her shoulder felt like it was torn apart. She didn't see the hunter settle in beneath them and take aim. Kevin called out her name as she fell. Her head slammed against one branch, which spun her stomach-first into another. Vampire or not, her body throbbed when she hit the ground. Her lungs refused to work as she gasped for air.

  The man stepped on her wounded shoulder, sending spikes of discomfort down her arm and side. She opened her eyes to see the barrel of a rifle pointing at her forehead. Supposedly, a point-blank range gunshot to the head wouldn't kill her, but she panicked all the same.

  "You should have given up the witch," he said. "I'm sorry."

  Zoey gasped when Kevin landed on the man from above, having jumped from the tree. They struggled, with Kevin on the man's back. He snaked an arm around the hunter's neck, but he wasn't a match for him physically. The hunter flipped him aside easily and raised his fist to strike.

  He never got the chance. The pain made every movement difficult, but Zoey jumped to her feet. She wasn't even aware the fangs had grown in her mouth. Spinning the hunter by the shoulder, she lashed out with her good arm, connecting with a hand that was no longer human. Her fingers were elongated, curved, and sharp. They ripped through the hunter's face, leaving a bloody mess behind. He fell to the dirt, the fight all but gone. He tried to crawl away, flesh hanging from his cheek.

  She stared at her hand, amazed. Only once before did she remember turning her hand into a claw, without even realizing. It was the night she attacked Alex in the alley. At least this time she'd actually helped someone.

  Kevin winced when he noticed her shoulder. He nearly touched it, but drew his hand back.

  "Are you okay?"

  "Y-Yeah," she said, not sure that was true. She willed her wand to turn normal, but her fangs were another matter. Her speech was slurred. "I just need a second."

  "I'm not sure if we have one. They have to be close by."

  He moved to her non-injured side and put an arm around her waist. She nearly pushed him away, her pride getting the better of her, but her legs wobbled. Using his shoulders for support, they stepped foot onto the beach.

  A minute nearly passed. They moved as quickly as possible, wanting to put as much distance between them and the witch hunters as they could. The sand and saltwater filled her nose. Kevin angled them toward the water, the waves nipping at their feet.

  Dread took over as her gaze fell on the horizon.

  "Kevin," she said. "Look."

  Dawn was approaching, doing its best to push aside the night.

  "I see it."

  "I'm going to die." The thought came calmly, which surprised her. She even smiled slightly at the irony. "I thought I was going to die earlier tonight. But I guess I was just a few hours off. At least I'll get to die on the beach."

  "No, you're not. No one's dying while I'm around."

  It almost didn't sound like Kevin. The strength in his voice, the confidence, wasn't something she expected. She glanced at him, admiring him. Jack had sent her to help him, but it was he that was helping her.

  A new scent cut into the wonderful beach. She could almost see them in her head, leaving the woods.

  "Fuck." She didn't dare look over shoulder. "They're behind us."

  She tried to pick up speed, her leg feeling good enough to run. Kevin didn't budge, keeping his arm tight around her waist.

  "It's okay. Don't run. If we run, we stand out. We're just a couple walking on the beach." He gestured to the young couple on a towel near the fence. "Like those two packing up over there."

  To her astonishment, Kevin stopped to pick up a seashell in the sand. He bent over to collect saltwater as a small wave came in. Only then did Zoey risk a look behind them. Like she thought, the men had all left the woods. They jogged along the beach, like a scene out of a war movie. Two of them pointed in their direction, but kept their weapons lowered.

  "Kevin!" she hissed, her fangs finally gone. "What are you doing?!"

  "It's okay. Grab a handful of dry s
and, please. Make sure it's dry."

  She did so, not asking any questions. They walked together once again, their arms around each other. She no longer needed his help to walk, but they kept up the illusion of a couple.

  "How are you so calm?" she asked.

  "I'm not. I'm scared out of my mind. But, believe it or not, this isn't really new for me. I've done this before."

  The scent of the hunters behind them grew stronger. She could hear them. Whispering, trying to figure out if the young couple walking ahead of them were their targets, or if they were still back in the woods.

  "The sun will be up soon."

  He patted her side, gesturing to an empty parking lot with a brick building behind the beach.

  "That's where we're going."

  "What is that place?"

  "I don't know. But it'll keep you out of the light."

  "We'll be trapped."

  "One thing at a time. Give me some of that sand. And get ready to run."

  "What are you doing?"

  He said nothing as he poured sand into the seashell, mixing with the saltwater. After shoving his feather inside, he stuck a finger inside the shell. Zoey watched as the water inside glowed bright green. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several hunters had broken from the group to investigate the couple on the towel, while the rest headed in their direction.

  They'd finally recognized them, and raised their weapons.

  Kevin tossed the shell in their direction.

  Zoey's jaw dropped as the seashell exploded, knocking the hunters down. The sand stopped and swirled around them, like a sandstorm that would have been more at home in a desert. They tried to cover up and protect themselves as she lost sight of them in the walls of sand.

  The sight was so odd she'd forgotten to follow Kevin's simple instructions. Run. He was already halfway to the building when he stopped to face her.

  "Zoey!" he shouted. "Let's go! That spell won't last long!"

  She caught up to him as they reached the back of the building. There were no doors or windows.

  "Go around," she said.

  He grabbed her arm. "No. No time." He felt the pockets of his jeans. "Shit, I lost the marker."

  His eyes fell on her shoulder, as if noticing her injuries for the first time. She stepped back and looked down at herself. Her entire body was covered in dirt, with the bottom of her jeans and the front of her shirt soaked in blood.