The Protectors

by April Hollingworth

  As quietly as possible, the three of us ascend the staircase, being careful to step only in the footprints already visible. I look through my double magick vision. My wolf peering out of my eyes overlaid with my witch’s magick turns everything violet tinged and brighter than normal. Shadows become visible, and things wanting to be hidden show brightest of all. Like the footprints leading into the wall, which had been covered by a film of magick to hide them. Sending out two Goddess Traps, one up the staircase and one toward the wall where the masked footprints lead, I pause to see what happens.

  A split second later, the wall beside us trembles before crumbling into pieces. Inside the hidden room is a witch I’d seriously hoped I’d never lay eyes on again.

  “Ah fuck,” mutters Victor from directly behind me, “maybe it’s best that Kheda isn’t here.”

  Chapter 35

  “How did you find me?” demands Sarah Sullivan, anger rippling from her, pulsing in the room.

  Ignoring her question, I ask one of my own. “How the hell are you here? I thought your ass got arrested?”

  “I was let go the same day.” A sneer curls her mouth as she looks me up and down. “All I had to do was cry how my evil sister was all to blame. How I had no choice. Idiots believed me.”

  It doesn’t take me long to realize this girl has jumped on the crazy train with no intensions of ever getting off. She’s also filthy and stinks to high heaven.

  “How long have you been here?”

  “Since the moment they released me. I knew your friends were here, so I decided this was where I was going to be.” She flashes me a look of such satisfaction I can’t help feel wary. “All these meat bags and the constant supply of magick at my fingertips. Perfect for supplying the energy my sister needs as well as the others.” She cackles, actually cackles, and sounds totally demented while doing it.

  “Christ,” mutters Felicity as she peers over Victor’s and my shoulders to gape at the filthy woman in the room. “How exactly do you know her?”

  “She tried to kill Jasmine and Kheda. She and her sister murdered God only knows how many people and liked to keep trophies,” Victor informs her.

  “What kind of trophies, or do I really not want to know?”

  “You seriously don’t want to know; it still makes me feel sick to think about,” I mutter to her out of the corner of my mouth while weaving my Goddess Trap larger not only to encompass Sarah but also to connect with those siphoning her magick. Like a large fly swatter, it’ll knock them all out and cut them off from the source.

  I feel my magick click into place and with a prayer to the Goddess Hecate I release it. Violet, silver, and bright yellow power erupts from me, howling around the room like a screaming Banshee. It twists in a circle, swirling and crackling like a tornado with flashes of lightning erupting inside it.

  Wrapping around the crazy witch, tendrils seep into her, delving through layers of magick and into The Protectors connected through her blood link. Pulling the stolen magick back through the link and dispersing it back to those it was stolen from.

  The witch’s screams shatter through the circling storm, sounding like thunder erupting and vibrating throughout the room, until finally the trap secures her, binding her in its power. She crumples to her side, sprawling in a contained frozen state, her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide, staring blankly into space.

  “Holy shit on a brick! What the hell was that and is she okay?” demands Felicity pushing past Victor to gawp at Sarah.

  “I think she’ll be okay?” I can hear the question in my statement and feel my brain has a WTF bouncing around my head.

  “Could it be because of the connection to the others?” Victor asks through what sounds like a slightly strangled voice.

  “Probably,” I mutter in reply while feeling completely dumbfounded. Bloody hell, I hope she’ll be okay.

  It’s only when we see her eyes blink that we all release a breath.

  “How about we bring her outside to Kheda and Nina so they can…do something with her?” asks Victor.

  “Sounds good to me,” I readily agree, while looking wearily at the magickally bound witch.

  Victor gently brushes past me to enter the room. He wearily reaches down and picks her up, carrying her out of the room in a fireman’s lift. We retreat down the stairs the way we came up. This time, though, Felicity leads the way with me covering our backs.

  I can’t help feeling torn between enjoying the view of my sexy lover’s ass and the fact that he’s potentially in danger of the demented witch hanging over his shoulder. I keep a tight rein on my spell making sure she stays confined but not harmed.

  By the time we’ve exited the hospital, I’m ready to scream from stress. I do not like the man I love being near a woman who would happily drain him of his life energy to share amongst her freaky-ass minions.

  “What the blooming hell is going on?” demands Nina when she notices the unconscious woman. “Is that…?”

  “Sarah Sullivan, yes. She’s also the one who’s been draining and sharing the life essence and magick of the patients,” I inform her before turning to face the hospital and call forth all the traps I’d placed.

  A few minutes later, we hear startled sounds, and then numerous traps come flying from the building before us. Each contains dark shadows, though one also holds George Seabast the Fourth. He, like Sarah, is unconscious, though beginning to awaken.

  “Oh, good God, this day just keeps getting weirder by the second,” I mutter in disgust.

  A moment later, I hear Nina talking to someone on the phone and realize she’s calling the police station when she gives them her name and badge number, before requesting a van to collect Sarah and George.

  Ten minutes later, the dark shadows have disappeared as the energy holding them releases back to the patients, severing the connection completely from all who were draining them, and a police van has arrived to take away Sarah and George.

  Nina informs the officers that she’ll come to the station after she’s taken care of her sister. Turning to us, I’m surprised to see tears in her eyes as she thanks us for rescuing her sister and the other patients.

  “You can go now; there’s no need for you to come to the station,” Nina informs us while stroking her sister’s hair back from her face. “I’ll write up a report about what happened here; though truth be told, I’m unsure how to explain those two,” she adds turning to glance in the direction of the retreating van.

  “You sure you don’t need us to give a statement?” I ask, glancing down curiously at her.

  “I’m positive. Detective McKnight, I’m guessing you’ll be going with them. If you send a report to me, I’ll file it. Thank you for helping me. After the way I’ve treated you…thank you.”

  “I’ll send you the report,” Kheda informs her, before indicating we should leave. Turning back to her he asks, “Do you need a lift somewhere, you and your sister?”

  “If you don’t mind, I’ll accept. My parents live in the housing estate off Lagoon Road. If you could give us a lift, I’d appreciate it.”

  Everyone piles into the cars. While Kheda and Jasmine drop off Nina and her sister, the rest of us head back to mine. Once there, Talia, Felicity, and I take a drive to the local supermarket and buy some food for dinner.

  The girls receive a couple of curious stares, probably because they’re new in town, but as they’re witches, we don’t cause too much attention, though I do see some customers talking in furtive whispers and glancing in our direction.

  Once back home, we make dinner and give our statements to Kheda, who goes and hands them in to Nina at the police station. We then make plans to fly out to London the next afternoon. In the morning, Jasmine and I need to sign the papers at my solicitors.

  The deeds for Jasmine’s house and the land I’d specified had been drawn up a couple of months ago, but with everything that had been going on, we hadn’t a chance to sign them, something I want to rectify before we leave for Lond
on.

  Victor also wants to check in on the builders tomorrow before leaving and see how his pub is coming along. Jasmine decides she’ll meet them too and see if she can hire them to rebuild her house, once they’ve finished with the pub.

  Decisions made, we discuss sleeping arrangements. Kheda and Jasmine opt to sleep at Victor’s house as Jasmine will be coming with me in the morning. Janna, Roísín, and Vincent, and Cedrix and Jezebel also come with us, leaving the others to sort themselves out. I wonder if Dante will be going back to his house or staying. Then I wonder where exactly does he live.

  Deciding my brain hurts and I don’t care that much right now, I instruct my handsome vampire to take me to bed. I receive a lascivious smile and a smack on my ass for my trouble. Thirty minutes later, I’m in his bed, and my eyes are drifting closed. I’m exhausted. Curling myself around his big body, I stroke his firm chest and slowly drift off to sleep.

  Chapter 36

  Once more, Victor and I fly to London. This time though, the others have come with us, and we fly in by private plane, courtesy once again of Janna. I could get used to it, much more comfortable and a darn sight easier, in my opinion anyway.

  We hire cars and load up with our luggage and sleeping bags. We all agreed to bunk together at Victor’s house. Granted, it’ll be cramped, but none of us mind.

  Upon arriving at Durward Street, I carefully look around before exiting the car. The last time Victor and I were here, we were almost attacked by a dark shadow, a vicious entity that I hope never to see again. As one, we quickly grab our stuff and hurry into the house. Vincent, Janna, and Roísín are given one of the bedrooms. Victor and I drop our stuff off in his room, leaving the others to decide who’s having the third room and who’s sleeping in the sitting room.

  There’s a flurry of movement, a couple of squeals of laughter, and scuffles as people are forcibly removed from the stairs until finally silence. No sound. No nothing.

  I glance around and wonder if I’m still in the house. Seeing Victor raise his head and look at me with a puzzled expression, I gather two things. The first, I’m still here. The second, I’m not the only one startled by the lack of noise.

  Together, we creep toward the bedroom door and peer out. Encountering an empty hallway, we hear faint noises, but other than that, everything is silent. We slowly descend the stairs. It’s only when I notice slight movement to the right that I realize everyone’s in the kitchen hunting through drawers. Nancy has the kettle on and enough mugs laid out for all of us.

  “We need to get food and milk,” Victor informs me, breaking the quiet. His words seem excessively loud and startle everyone out of their thoughts. Turning to the others, he informs them we’ll be right back, takes my hand, and leads me outside.

  I quickly glance about the street to make sure all is safe, and then in silence we walk to the local shop, just enjoying the normality of it. The simple fact of walking hand in hand. Buying food together. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside as well as a hope for the future, something to look forward to once we come out the other side of the impending battle ahead of us.

  Before too long, we’re back at the house, eating sandwiches and guzzling coffee. The silence is eventually broken when Vincent asks the question playing hide and seek with my thoughts.

  “How are we going to do this?”

  Sighing, I drop the rest of my sandwich onto my plate and look up.

  “I don’t know,” I admit, glancing at the others. I hesitate before continuing. “I think…I think we should try to enter the Shadow World. It’s where I dreamt we went and also…”

  “Also what?” Victor asks quietly, from where he’s sitting beside me.

  “I’m not sure.” Looking up, I turn slightly so I can look him in the eye. “I have this feeling that we need to draw the battle lines there. Almost as if…it’s the one place we might have a chance.”

  “Are you thinking that because the portal was opened and so many spirits were sent there by The Protectors?” demands Jezebel, while staring at me intently as if she’d like to root around my brain and inspect my thoughts. A rather disconcerting feeling, if ever I’ve had one.

  “Yes.” Nodding my head, I stare back at her before looking around the room. Maybe they need to see what I saw to understand my logic? It’s only when I see everyone start in surprise I realize I’d said that out loud.

  “You can do that?” Dante demands, looking slightly flustered at the thought. “What exactly are you?”

  I can’t help but laugh at his question. “Sorry,” I apologize at his disgruntled look. “It’s not the first time I’ve been asked that.”

  “Probably not the last either,” chuckles Selena, turning to Dante she adds, “Poor Candi has been asked that by everyone in this room, and to answer your question, she is unique in more ways than one. She’s the Double Magick one, from the Prophecies.”

  “You’re not serious, are you?”

  Instead of answering, I decide to figure out how to show everyone what I saw. “Remember it, and they will see,” Hecate whispers to me.

  Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and picture the scene I’d seen in this very kitchen. A second later, startled gasps sound. Popping my eyes open, I’m once more greeted by men, women, and children being brutally removed from their homes by members of The Protectors. This time, however, we’re shown what happened next, the rape and massacre and the opening of the portal. Of how, even in the Shadow World, these souls were persecuted, mainly by Rose, Vincent’s mother.

  “Gather allies from those amongst the persecuted. Together, the living and the dead will fight for freedom.” Hecate moves silently into the room with her hounds at her side, startling everyone. I notice some of my friends paling in disbelief as they realize who stands before them. While others stare at her in confusion, knowing that before them is an entity of great power, yet not realizing who or what she is.

  Kheda, Jasmine, Victor, and I stand, each of us cup our right hands in our left and place them over our hearts and bow to her.

  She gives us a slight inclination of her head and continues, “The battle ground has been chosen. It’s time to bring the beginning of the end to fruition. Be careful, though, for none of you is safe until the Prophecy is complete.” She looks at each of us in turn, inclines her head at us before simply vanishing.

  “Bloody hell,” exclaims Cedrix, looking slightly shell-shocked. “Who exactly was that?”

  “Hecate, Goddess of Witches, the Underworld, Crossroads, and Magick,” I reply. “I did tell you the gods and goddesses were real,” I add with a wink at his dumbfounded expression.

  “I thought you were joking” is his muttered reply, before turning a wide-eyed gaze on the others. “Did you all know?”

  “Umm, no, well, yes, but I didn’t think…” babbles Jezebel who looks seriously spooked.

  “I can’t believe that happened to those people,” Roísín says to her mum, her lip trembles as she turns to look at me. “You saw this happen before?”

  “Yes, sweetheart. Well, some of it and only for a split second.”

  “You have to stop them from doing it again. Promise me you’ll stop them!”

  I feel my throat tighten and swallow around the lump that has risen in it. All I manage is to strangle out two words, “I’ll try.”

  I think she realizes that I can’t promise anything. Hecate said it herself; there is no guarantee that any of us will survive this coming battle. And I refuse to make a promise unless I know I can keep it. Especially a promise to this little girl. A child that has already been a victim of The Protectors’ minions.

  Chapter 37

  Night finally falls. One by one, we slip from Victor’s house, all except for Janna and Roísín. No way in hell are we taking a child into a potential war zone. Dressed all in black, we creep across the darkened street to reach the alley.

  Looking around at everyone, I remind them to watch out for dark spirits and to stick together no matter what. Grasp
ing hold of Victor’s hand, I give it a squeeze before stepping forward and into the Shadow World.

  A thick mist covers the streets before us, making everything darker and more cloying than I ever imagined it being. Glancing at the others, I realize I can barely see them even though they’re directly behind me. Even Victor whom I’m holding hands with is barely visible.

  “Candi, maybe we should cast a link spell so we don’t lose one another!” exclaims Talia, strange how even her voice sounds so far away.

  “Hold on, don’t do it yet,” I call back to her, before quickly casting a ball of light which I hold in front of me. Finally, we can see each other, the shadows and mist retreating from my light. I notice something slithering away. I have no idea what it was and hope to never find out.

  “Okay, everyone, gather around and hold hands.”

  “I’m not going to start singing some song,” jokes Nancy, as she quickly grasps hold of Selene’s and Vivian’s hands.

  I grin back at her, before releasing my ball of light into the middle of our circle and grabbing hold of Jasmine’s hand with my now-empty one.

  “Okay, let’s magickally link together so, even when we drop hands, we’ll be unable to lose one another.” Glancing around the circle, I nod to my two fellow witches as one we start to chant.

  “Bind us who are linked together,

  Hand to hand so we shall stay together.

  Even when separated in this world,

  Join us together so we can find each other.

  Link us now by thread of magick,

  Link us together until we are ready.

  Magick weaved on this night

  Protect us from darkness

  Protect us from all.”

  A delicate-looking violet and gold thread weaves between us, wrapping around our hands, linking us together, as if we’re joined by skin and bone. Once the circle of linked thread is complete, it simply vibrates and disappears.

  “Umm, guys, I can’t see the thread anymore. Does that mean it didn’t work?” Dante asks, while looking worriedly at Selene. He looks terrified that she’ll disappear before his eyes, bless him.