The Witch & the Bounty Hunter (Federation of Magic Book 1)

by Rachel Medhurst

  At the mention of food, my stomach growled rather aggressively. It was the middle of the night. What did I have to be hungry about?

  “Did you eat last night?” Naz asked, taking out a biscuit tin and offering it to me.

  My stomach answered his question, practically begging for me to stuff my face. I had been a little too wrapped up in practicing my new found skill to remember to eat. Although, we literally only had a handful of food items in our cupboard anyway, so I had kept that in mind.

  As Naz opened the fridge to retrieve the milk, I snuck a few cookies in my hand, ready to devour when he was completely distracted. I couldn’t eat like a monster in front of him, even if it was his brother that constantly entered my mind.

  “You need to think seriously about becoming a bounty hunter. The pay is good. You could eat like a queen.”

  Burning heat flashed across my neck, traveling to my cheeks. Why couldn’t I keep my thoughts to myself? I wouldn’t dignify his observation with an answer. Instead, I shoved a cookie into my mouth, not caring what I looked like as I munched on it.

  “I think you need to make some life changes.” Naz leant on the work surface, his expression grave as he looked towards the door. “Your friend was in danger tonight.”

  The squeeze of my chest was forceful enough to make me cough on the crumbs of the cookie. Accepting a glass of water from Naz, I swallowed it down, clearing my throat. Why did he have to be so… right?

  “I never imagined I would be in danger. Who would be interested in me? Why have I been attacked twice now?”

  Shrugging, Naz poured the hot water into a blue teapot. A smile tugged my lips as the huge man daintily handled a little petite teapot. Who were these people? Men like this didn’t exist in the real world.

  “Look…” Leaning forward on the work surface again, Naz folded his arms in front of him. “We need your help, you need ours. I understand how daunting this is, considering we’ve literally bombarded you at the same time as you’ve been attacked. However, if you throw yourself into your powers, we can work together to not only find our bad guy, but also to bring home your mother and discover who’s after you.”

  My chest tightened at the mention of my mum. There was no denying that I had to do something about my situation. Twice now, I had been attacked, and I was no closer to finding out why. My new life was quickly unfolding, even though I still didn’t know much about the world I had found myself in. The only thing I could do was trust those who had introduced me to it.

  “Very well,” I said, standing up and taking the tray Naz had so prettily prepared. “Shall we tell Jamie what’s going on?”

  His fingers wrapped around my elbow, gently pulling me to a stop. When I glanced up, his eyebrows were pulled low. “Are you sure you want to tell him about our world? Can you trust him?”

  The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind. What if he had known about my mother’s kidnapping and my subsequent accident all along? I had blindly trusted him, unaware that I was even in danger at the time.

  “I assume,” Naz started as he took the tray, “from your baffled silence, that you’re not sure if you can trust him.”

  Biting my lip, I shook my head, not quite sure what to make of my jumbled thoughts. Not once had I even considered that Jamie could have something to do with what had happened to me. My lost memory, my head injury, all of it. He had just happened to help me when I needed it, hadn’t he?

  “Let me handle Jamie.” Naz strode out of the kitchen, not waiting for me to catch up.

  Almost running, I slammed through the door, smacking straight into a hard chest. Tinniel’s hands caught my wrists as he swooped me away from the door, which was quickly swinging back in my direction. “Careful,” he growled, releasing me as soon as my feet were firmly on the ground.

  Usually, I would’ve backed away, thanking him for – wait, why should I thank him? He had been in my way, not the other way around – Instead, my mind had a weird brain flip.

  “Why was there no charge?” My vomited words hung between us, causing me to cringe deep inside. What was my problem? Where did my filter go? Had I ever really had one? Probably not.

  Tinniel shuffled on his feet, his gaze looking around my head, completely avoiding eye contact.

  “Well?”

  My insistence made him snarl. “It’s a weird onetime thing. Just forget about it.

  Storming away, he went to the library to aid Naz. I trotted along behind him, keeping my distance. I had to forget about Tinniel and our supposed connection.

  “Did you know Lyla Ford before you met her after her accident?” Naz asked Jamie.

  They were sitting opposite each other, backs straight and heads held high. My human friend glanced at me when I sat nearby, trying to keep myself out of the interrogation. His eyes were clear, his expression soft, almost sad.

  “No, I didn’t know Lyla. I’ve told her, and you, how we met. I’m being truthful.”

  Naz looked up at Tinniel, who stood beside him. Shrugging, he screwed up his mouth as if there was a nasty taste in it. “He’s telling the truth.”

  “His thoughts don’t reveal anything?” Tinniel asked.

  “Nope.”

  They each looked at me then, both with raised eyebrows. I swallowed hard, knowing full well what they were asking me. Did I want to drag my human friend into a dangerous world? Or, should I let him go on with his life… without me in it?

  Chapter Nine

  Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I crawled out of bed and made my way downstairs. Jamie had been quite understanding, considering I had probably ruined his world. I hadn’t wanted him to live in ignorance, not when he had seen things that could get him killed.

  The twins had offered for us to stay at their place until we could sort new accommodation. I wasn’t sure that living with Jamie was the best idea going forward. I’d cross that bridge when it came to it. I did, however, look forward to a regular income. If I was able to help the bounty hunters with their work, that is.

  “You look like you could’ve benefited from more time in bed,” Naz announced when I walked into the kitchen.

  Tinniel sat at the centre island, his huge shoulders hunched forward. When he registered his brother’s statement, he twisted to look at me. A frown instantly crept over his features before he gestured for me to join him. “Are you sick?”

  My head pounded as I lowered myself onto a stool and grabbed the cup of coffee Naz offered. There were several pieces of paper laid out on the surface in front of me, all very formal. They had obviously been working before I dragged myself out of bed.

  “I don’t know,” I replied, trying to stifle the shake of my hands.

  Leaning over, Tinniel placed a meaty palm on my forehead. As soon as skin touched skin, he pulled back and almost stumbled off his seat. “You’ve got a hit.”

  “A hit?” Almost sucking up the warm coffee, I shuddered when it hit my stomach.

  Naz touched my neck, making me jump. What was this? Grope Lyla for free day?

  “That’s handy. Did you touch the bastard who attacked you last night by any chance?”

  My mind travelled back to the fight, trying to remember every moment of it. “I think I did.”

  Tinniel had regained his composure and was now riffling through the papers on the worktop. He grunted, a tiny smile crossing his lips when he held up a notebook that had been hidden under the mess.

  “Have you managed to practice your skills?” Naz asked.

  Really? It had been two days since my first experience of tracking with magic. Oh, that sounded so cool. And strange at the same time. “I haven’t exactly had a chance.”

  Flipping open the notebook, Tinniel offered it to me. “Try it now. Just like we taught you. Then write whatever you see in this book.”

  Sweat lined my forehead, almost dripping into my eyes. I had been fine when I had gone to bed in the early hours of the morning. Why was I suddenly coming down with the flu?

  “The mix of you
r magic with the imprint of your foe has made you feel funny. You’re not ill, you just need to learn how to channel it so you can track his energy.” Naz looked at Tinniel, indicating me with a flick of his eyebrows.

  Tinniel licked his lips before offering me his hands across the worktop. Frowning, I glanced back at the nicer brother. Yes, I’d decided that Naz was a lot easier to be around.

  A smile lit Naz’s face when our gaze met. He winked, letting me know that he’d heard my thought. Crap, favouritism wasn’t good in any situation.

  “You can pretend,” Naz said, placing his hands on my shoulders. “But, I know the truth.”

  Widening his eyes in Tinniel’s direction, he indicated that I take the man’s hands.

  Doing as I was told, just in case he decided to divulge my secret crush, I faced forward.

  “Close your eyes,” Tinniel whispered, sending a shiver over me as I followed his instruction. “Concentrate on how you feel. Is there anything that doesn’t feel like you inside?”

  A tingling in the pit of my stomach rose, forcing my throat closed. I nodded quickly, realising that I’d felt a little nauseous since I’d awoken.

  The foreign feeling was easy to pinpoint once I focused. So, that’s what it felt like to track someone? Tuning into their being without them being in the same room was beyond comprehension. No wonder they wanted me to learn, it was incredible.

  “Now,” Tinniel whispered. “We’ll help to keep you grounded while you think of the man in your mind. Don’t forget the spell.”

  The words came easily, floating from my tongue as if I’d known them for years. A stranger’s face immediately came into my third eye before I blinked, seeing the world as he did. The dark hoody that was pulled low over his forehead came off as he entered a building, a backpack thrown over his shoulder. He looked behind to check that no one was watching. There… in his reflection in the window… he had the nose of the man I had fought the night before. “He’s going into what looks like a warehouse,” I said quietly.

  As the skin on my fingers warmed from Tinniel’s touch, the man bounded up a metal staircase. At the top, he pushed through a door and into an office. Three men held guns towards him, ordering him to stop. Reluctantly, he dropped the bag on the floor and lifted his hands in surrender. Although adrenaline rushed through me, I didn’t allow it to engulf me. Instead, I looked around, studying his surroundings.

  “Geralter Inc,” I read as my gaze traced a whiteboard nearby.

  “What do you want?” one of the men asked my hit.

  Inclining his head towards the bag, the suspect shrugged. “I have what he needs.”

  His accent was eastern European, thick and strong. The others glanced at each other before one of them reached for the bag. He kept his gun aimed as he rooted through it, pulling out a passport in triumph.

  “It’s here. He’ll be able to get out of the country.”

  Repeating what was happening, and hoping that Tinniel and Naz could hear me, I kept my focus, waiting to see what would happen.

  “I need to see Jimmy,” my attacker said, backtracking when two of the men surged forward. “Wait, I have information about the girl!”

  “Jimmy?” I heard Naz say in the distance. “That’s the vampire we’re after.”

  The men ignored his plea, instead grabbing his arms and dragging him out of the room. The image faded, leaving a black shadow in my eyes.

  Shuddering, I released the spell and slouched in my seat. My skin was no longer clammy and the sick feeling had gone. It was as if the man’s energy had left me.

  Naz released my shoulders at the same time as Tinniel sat back, leaving me almost cold without their support. And yet, a surge of power rushed through me. I had done something worthwhile. Hopefully.

  “Good job,” Tinniel muttered, gathering the papers on the desk. “I’ll go and research Geralter Inc. If I get a location, we can make our way there today.”

  Agreeing, Naz waved him off. I stared after the man who was like a closed book. Why had he run away so soon after I’d performed awesome magic? He could’ve at least given me a high five.

  “You’re craving a big fat kiss really, aren’t you?” Naz joked, knocking me with his shoulder as he passed. “Admit it.”

  As if. I wouldn’t be desperate enough to kiss a cardboard box.

  “Cardboard box? My brother has been called many things before but never a cardboard box. It’s a new one.”

  “Well,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “He’s stiff and serious. It’s a brilliant simile to describe him.”

  Tapping his fingers against the worktop, Naz sighed deeply, his jovial expression dropping. His energy changed, losing its usual air of indifference.

  “He would kill me if I told you,” he said, leaning forward slightly.

  I instantly shifted to the edge of my seat, my legs dangling and my throat going dry. Juicy gossip was always a win. Maybe I would understand the miserable handsome sod better if Naz shared his woes.

  “This is his life, not gossip.” Straightening, Naz raised his eyebrows at me. “Can I trust you?”

  Immediately growing sober, I nodded slowly. I had never known the twin to act so seriously. Did that mean that what he was about to tell me was important?

  “We had another brother,” Naz whispered, a shudder running through him.

  Ice cold pinpricks danced over my arms as I watched the fun loving twin huddle in on himself. Something about his demeanour made me swallow. What had happened to the other brother?

  “He was the baby, three years younger than us.” Naz stared out of the window to the stretch of lawn in the garden.

  My heartbeat sped up, rocking through me as I gripped the edge of the work surface. Keeping my thoughts calm, I waited.

  Naz shook his head and brought his attention back to me. “We were on a case five years ago. Henrick had been on the tail of his latest bounty. He was better than any of us, always the fastest to catch his man. This time, he somehow got caught by a warlock who had a personal vendetta against the Federation of Magic.”

  His gaze left mine again, dropping to land on his black heavy boots. I held my breath, unable to contemplate what he was about to tell me.

  “We tracked Henrick down and managed to sneak into the warlock’s safe house, only to find that he’d tortured our brother by having his legs amputated from the knee down.”

  Almost choking, I coughed, trying to keep my composure as my chest squeezed. Naz didn’t seem to notice my start of panic. Who would do such a thing?

  “Tinniel offered to go back in time in an attempt to stop it from happening.”

  Why did my stomach suddenly feel like emptying itself? Naz was too engrossed in his story to notice my hand coming up to cover my mouth. Just in case.

  “What happened?” I whispered when he went quiet for a few moments.

  Chewing his lip, he glanced at me. “Henrick refused at first, too afraid of what might happen to Tinniel. Our young brother was hunched over, clutching the remains of his legs, worrying about us instead of himself. I held him, trying to convince him to let Tinniel use his sorcery.”

  “And did he?”

  The slow blink of his eyes made me swallow.

  “Yes, Henrick agreed. Tinniel left us to go back in time. I bound my brother’s legs with a tourniquet and called the Federation, informing them of what Tinniel was doing. Your mother was furious.”

  “She was?”

  I couldn’t imagine why the leader of a magical cult would be angry at a man for wanting to save his brother’s legs. If I’d had the power to do such a thing, I would’ve done it in a heartbeat. Surely, that’s what the power was for?

  “You can’t manipulate magic. Sometimes…” A huge sigh wracked his body. “… playing with magic is like playing with fire. Someone gets burnt.”

  The touch of vulnerability in his voice made me wonder if I wanted to hear the rest of the story. I had to, even if I was scared silly. I had to know what had happened to poor He
nrick.

  “He disappeared from where I cradled him in my arms,” Naz said, obviously hearing my inner thoughts. “And reappeared on the floor a few feet away.”

  “Was he…?”

  Shaking his head, he pursed his lips. “He had his legs, but he was dead.”

  As the threat of vomit surged up my throat, I swallowed it back down, gripping the edge of the work surface to steady me.

  “Tinniel reappeared, tears streaming down his face. He wanted to go back, to try again. I only just managed to stop him. Your mother and Klarita arrived, forcing him to go with them. He had broken the rules by messing with reality.”

  “I thought that’s what his power was all about?”

  “Not exactly,” Naz said, taking a deep breath and composing himself. “We can use our magic to help us in some things. However, destiny is always stronger. By attempting to change events, Tinniel had twisted Henrick’s path and all that ensued was his new destiny. One where he didn’t survive.”

  My whole body shook as I got up from my seat and went to the sink. Turning on the tap, I ducked my mouth under and swallowed the crisp water, grateful for the distraction. Tears rushed into my eyes as I imagined what it must have been like for the twin sorcerers. No wonder Tinniel was so serious all the time.

  “Did they punish him?” I asked, wiping my face with a wet hand.

  Seeming to pull himself out of his reverie, Naz tidied away miscellaneous kitchen bits. “No. He was suspended from duty for a while. When he eventually recovered, he was allowed back in the field.”

  “I suppose it probably helps him to keep fighting his brother’s fight.”

  A smile lifted his lips for a moment. “Indeed, I suppose it does. On that note, let’s go and find the man who attacked you. Maybe he can lead us to our hit.”

  Chapter Ten

  Naz’s revelation had shocked me to the core. Tinniel had re-joined us not long after, almost gleeful that he’d found the factory belonging to Geralter Inc on the other side of London.