by Ruby Raine
They left, though not nearly as energetically as they’d arrived.
Michael got behind the wheel. His resolve hard and steady. “Where to?”
“Home,” said William. “We need to regroup.”
THE GARGOYLE CAME TO a sudden stop. So then did Lucas.
“White Pines,” mumbled Melinda. They were at a side entrance to the park. One still used, but not as often as the main entrance. Somehow, it did not surprise her that the park is where they had ended up.
She worried about Michael and Lizzy in there all by themselves, guarding the old tree. She had no idea they were no longer in the park. And with her phone smashed, she had no way to contact anyone.
Lucas didn’t have his phone, having left it at the mansion. The battery had died, and he hadn’t had the chance to go home and get his charger since they’d found his brother. It was an older phone, and the Howards didn’t have a charger he could borrow.
Lucas hid the motorcycle behind some trees.
The gargoyle lifted its head and pointed, with a sharp snort.
“I guess that’s where we need to go,” said Melinda. It was a path leading into the woods.
“Do you know where it leads?”
“No, I’m not sure. And it’s getting very dark.” Melinda held back a shudder.
A damp nose nudged her arm. The gargoyle snorted with a panting grin, its wet tongue hanging out. She reached out and petted its broad head. It returned her gesture with a nuzzle against her hand. A strange sort of happy trill came out of its mouth.
“I think it likes you,” Lucas chuckled.
Melinda smiled. “Thank you,” she told it. “Thank you for helping us.”
It abruptly turned and dashed into the shadows. She assumed to return home.
“There are some parts of this job I’m not sure I will ever get used to.” Melinda turned to Lucas. “William said they sensed evil, but he never mentioned they could track evil.”
“Maybe William didn’t know they could track.”
“I doubt that,” said Melinda. “Probably just didn’t bring it up. Probably didn’t expect we’d be following one so soon.”
Their gazes turned from the shadow running home back to the path the gargoyle had brought them to. Lucas looked apprehensive. He wanted to find his brother. But this did not seem like the smartest idea, just sauntering off into the dark woods unprepared.
“I am aware,” stated Melinda, recognizing the look he wore. “We’re not prepared in the least. I just want to confirm if this is where they are, then we’ll go home, meet up with everyone and make a solid plan.”
“Okay. We’re not prepared, but I don’t think I could just leave Riley out here either way. I need to know where he is.” He led the way, motioning for her to stay close behind him. He wasn’t about to abandon his brother, but he would have preferred to be more prepared. He had a bad feeling his brother was going to need more help than he or Melinda could offer.
It was dark. An ink black sky. The moon hidden by passing clouds.
Melinda didn’t dare create any light for fear of giving away their presence. They took one cautious step at a time, attempting to remain calm. Melinda was glad she had worn her tennis shoes rather than flip-flops today.
She broke a twig underfoot and froze. They held their breath but heard nothing in response to the noise she made. Lucas reached behind him protectively, keeping her steady and still.
The moon came out of hiding casting a silvery glow around them. Shadows danced, tree branches swayed as if reaching for them.
Just the breeze. Just trees.
Melinda flicked her head to the right. Had something just moved? Her eyes searched but saw nothing.
“Let’s keep moving,” whispered Lucas, turning his head toward her.
“Okay.”
They moved forward, deeper into the woods. The only sound, their quiet as possible footsteps and shaky breaths. Lucas stopped abruptly, reaching back to stop her. He shook his head a minute later.
“Sorry. Thought I saw something up ahead. There’s nothing.”
The silence was overwhelming. If they didn’t move, and stopped breathing, and Melinda could somehow control the thudding of her heart against her chest, the silence was almost deafening.
The silence... “Do you hear that, Lucas?”
He listened, and shook his head.
“There is nothing to hear,” she told him poignantly.
They listened again.
Nothing. Not anything.
No birds. No insects buzzing. No owls hooting. Just utter and complete silence. Almost like all life had been sucked out of the place.
“I don’t like this,” breathed Lucas heavily.
“Yeah, I’m starting to agree with you.” She toyed with turning around and getting her brothers, feeling as though she’d made a terrible mistake. Why had she come here? Why had she followed the gargoyle? Why had she allowed them to fly off without being prepared? And Lucas didn’t know shit about using magic.
She sucked in and let it out slowly.
She’d done it to save Riley. So had Lucas.
Melinda gasped.
A sound. Lucas heard it too.
Hideous snickering.
Melinda tried not to let out the frightened whimper gurgling in her throat. She was confident she knew exactly what sort of freaky ass face was making such a terrible sound. She wished desperately William and her brothers were here to help.
Oh my God I fucked up. So bad this time. So bad.
This fear needled into her pounding chest.
The eerie laughter echoed in front of them.
In back of them.
Over their heads.
They were surrounded.
Lucas walked in a circle seeking out any moving shape. Melinda tried to calm herself and focus. She raised her arm, although not as confidently as she wanted to. Her hand shook as she faced her palm outward, ready to strike.
Thwack!
It came out of nowhere.
Lucas toppled to the ground, knocked unconscious.
Melinda spun, gasping. Her voice stopped working and she could not form the words to call out to him. Her eyes widened, bulging. Dark shapes moved fast all around her. Bodies? Trees? Shrubs? Shadows?
Her breaths came out ragged and swift.
She needed light, but she could not create the light orbs like her brother Charlie. It was not wise to start a fire. She might end up burning down the entire damn park. Melinda leaned down and felt around on the ground, snatching up a thin branch. She needed to see damn it! She shot fire onto the thing and it burst to life.
It cast a haunting glow in front of her face, lighting up the night just in time to see the toothy grin of a Firebrand Feyk advancing in front of her.
It pulled her attention away from the Feyk attacking from behind.
MICHAEL PULLED THE truck into the mansion driveway. His brain ran through scenario after scenario of how they’d track Eva Jordan, the Feyk, and now Emily. He was surprised to see the cleaners just pulling out to leave.
They slowed and rolled down a window, explaining that Melinda and Lucas had shot off on his motorcycle, following one of the gargoyles.
“She did what?” breathed out Michael.
“Tore off outta here,” explained Earl Skidgel. “After some prisoner got plucked outta your basement.” He didn’t ask for explanation of why there was a prisoner locked in the basement. The cleaners pulled out.
Lizzy let out a groan, plunking her head onto the dashboard of the truck.
Michael had no response than to turn to William on the other side of her.
The vampire got out of the truck.
“Stay here, Michael. Wait for Charlie,” he commanded. “Do not do anything rash while I am gone.” He knew Michael was in full swing, save Emily mode.
“I’ll wait,” promised Michael, though William wasn’t sure he trusted him.
“I’ll make sure,” said Lizzy.
William nodde
d curtly. “I’ll find Melinda and Lucas, and will return as soon as possible. Then together,” he emphasized sharply, “we will formulate a plan, and locate Emily.”
Michael parked the truck, sitting behind the wheel, his mind reeling, emotions still numb.
William vanished into the night.
Melinda’s scent still hung in the air, faintly, but enough that William could track it easily. He was not surprised when it led him into White Pines. He stopped, breathing her in.
She’d been here recently. The scent was more powerful. No, it wasn’t that her scent was stronger. “Blood,” he uttered. An outraged snarl pushed through his lips. It tore at him to think of her injured and bleeding. With another dash at vampire speed, he stopped and crouched down, his hand hovering just over a pool of blood.
His nose caught another scent.
Another pool. He assumed it belonged to Lucas. Yes, it smelled of Deane.
They were both injured and had been dragged away. Taken. Now prisoners.
Most likely now in the clutches of Eva Jordan and the Feyk.
He stood erect again, sensing something nearby.
With a blink, his eyes flashed an angry black. His fangs dropped, ready to sink into whoever had done this. His eyes shifted from side to side, his head unmoving. His body in complete stillness.
They were near. He could not see them, but they were close. The Feyk. Probably Eva Jordan. Most likely Melinda, Lucas, and Emily, as well.
William reached out for Melinda’s mind. He found her with ease; she was close enough for him to slip into her thoughts. “Melinda,” he called out to her silently.
No reply. Only an entranced moan. No thoughts in her mind, only darkness.
She was alive but unconscious. Close enough for him to slip into her mind.
William let the connection break. He flew forward, her scent still strong.
His eye caught something on the ground. He stopped, crouching down.
It was a tennis shoe, which belonged to Melinda. His eyes scoured the surrounding area for more of her personal belongings. He found her second shoe a few steps away, hidden under a bush.
If Melinda was outside she’d be getting cold. The night air on the Isle was chilling even on summer nights, and she was not dressed warmly enough. Plus she’d been injured, and was losing blood.
A guttural growl spewed out of his throat.
Those responsible would not live to see morning.
MELINDA TASTED SOMETHING rusty in her mouth. Her eyelids struggled to open and the back of her head throbbed. She tried to move her arms; they wouldn’t.
She felt a chill on her toes. Her feet were bare. An uneven surface underneath her.
It took a minute to get her eyelids to cooperate and open. It was dark and difficult to see. She tried to move her arms again.
She could not. Because she’d been tied up.
It hit her quite suddenly, what had happened. She and Lucas had been caught by the Feyk. They’d gone traipsing off into the woods unprepared, searching for Riley. And gotten caught.
Her tank top and cutoff jeans, perfect for the hot summer day, were not enough to stave the incoming night chill. She shivered, although she was certain not all her shivering was from being cold.
Don’t panic. Deep breaths.
Her eyes slowly focused, but it was dark. Too dark to make out where she was being held. Her arms were bound behind her back, which was pressed up against something hard and tall. It went the length of her body. The bonds wrapped around her middle and down her thighs far enough that her legs had almost no mobility, except to adjust her feet to a new position. What was she standing on? It was not flat or even, and very uncomfortable.
They had her tied up nice and tight. No way to get free. Her captors had clasped her palms together just like they had done with Riley, to keep him from using magic. She could try all she wanted to but any magic or spells she attempted would just get sucked up by the other hand, effectively canceling out the spell.
There were witches that could work spells without speaking them. Or using their hands to channel the magic; Melinda was not one of them. This was something that took many years of practice to master.
What it all came down to is that she was bound, and helpless.
There would be no easy escape.
Her captors were smart enough to know how to stop her.
Oh my God. I’m someone’s prisoner. I can’t move. I can’t defend myself.
Shit. Don’t.
Just... don’t...
Focus. You’re not going to get out of here unless you focus and don’t panic.
Lucas, where is Lucas?
Her concerns shifted to Lucas. Where was he? Maybe he was close by but still knocked out. She listened, hearing nothing but deafening silence mixed in with her own panicked breaths. She tried to control them but her lungs would not obey.
She had no idea how long she’d been unconscious but it was still dark, with a sliver of shadow from the moon overhead. Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the dark. She made out a few distant shapes and silhouettes. Of what, she wasn’t entirely sure.
A cool breeze hit her bare legs and feet. She shivered and peered down.
Maybe I can somehow shimmy out of these knots.
If I could just see what I’m standing on. What I’m tied to.
There could be a weakness. Don’t stop looking. Don’t stop trying.
Melinda could practically hear her brothers’ voices encouraging her to keep going.
Her breath caught in her throat. “Oh my God.”
Everything went numb for a few seconds. Her mind shut down almost to the point of passing out. Even in the outdoors with a light breeze whistling through, there was no air. Her lungs refused to suck in deep enough. Her eyes fluttered and she fought hard to keep them open and stay conscious.
Below her feet was a pile of wood stacked high off the ground.
She was bound to a stake, perched on a pyre.
“This isn’t happening.” She mumbled this breathlessly over and over.
She’d had the dream to stop this from happening.
All she’d done was place herself on the pyre instead of William.
The nightmare replayed in her mind. Riley’s heartless torture of William, the heat of the flames, the fire blistering her skin. Every terrified detail unraveling until vomit threatened to rise up her throat.
There had to be a way out.
She looked around desperately but there was nothing but darkness and distant shapes. No sounds. No movement.
She begged her mind to stay with her and not give in to the fear and dread about to drown her. No, she would not drown. She’d burn.
Think. Just think, she ordered her brain. I’m in the woods. Probably White Pines. She focused hard on a tallish shape in the distance, but straight in front of her. It looked like another person. Lucas?
She called out to him in a loud whisper, her voice echoing back at her, getting no response. Fearing he was injured, she squinted, trying to get a better look. The clouds lifted just then, a wider shadow cast silvery light down into the trees.
“Oh...” it came out riding a ragged exhale.
It was not Lucas. It wasn’t a person at all.
Before she could stop it, tears streamed down her face.
She was merely the bait to set the trap.
It was a second pyre.
And Melinda knew exactly who it was meant for.
If she hadn’t been bound to the stake she’d have fallen to the ground.
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No... this was the only word that clambered through her brain.
Melinda tried to scream but nothing came out.
She needed William to know it was a trap set for him. To warn him to stay away. Why hadn’t she just told him everything that had happened in her vision? If he found her like this, he’d never turn around and leave her. He would attempt rescue.
This is what they wanted. She felt it in her bones.
&
nbsp; They’d bound her to the stake to make him attempt rescue.
She was the bait, so the trap had to be close.
She squirmed, barely able to move. She searched desperately, looking for the trap.
How would they immobilize him?
William was strong. It took a lot to take down a vampire.
Blood of a dead witch could do it. She had no idea if they had any; of course, they could just kill her and use her blood, but there was a much more effective way to paralyze a vampire.
Fangs of a dead werewolf, or werewolf’s blood could cripple William almost instantly. Melinda knew Eva had possession of the dead werewolf Charlie had killed (believing it was the alpha).
Melinda groaned despondently.
Why hadn’t she just told William the truth? At least warned him that Riley’s rage was all about killing him. When explaining her dream, she’d only said that Riley killed everyone but her and William. She’d left out the rest. Thinking she was sparing everyone’s feelings.
Is this how it all started? How her dream would come true?
And would it really end with her and William burning at the stake? Forcing him to change her into a vampire to save her life...
She didn’t see how that would be a possibility now, being there were two pyres instead of one. Did that mean something had changed? If so, it was not for the better.
She had not done enough to stop her nightmarish vision from coming true.
Her fear of having an awkward conversation or hurting someone’s feelings seemed stupid now.
No, dumb.
Really fucking dumb.
The most foolish, shortsighted, selfish mistake she’d ever made.
And now William, her William, would suffer the price.
As if on cue, the vampire appeared out of nowhere, his murderous gaze fixed firmly on Melinda and the pyre she was bound to.
“It’s a trap,” Melinda cried weakly upon seeing him. “You have to leave me.”
With a silent spring, he landed with a soft thud directly in front of her, his perfect face just inches in front of her own.
“They’re going to torture you,” she cried. “And then kill everyone else and burn us both. I didn’t tell you everything about the dream.” The words gushed out of her, each one stabbing at her throat.
