*
The dripping vibrated through my head as I woke up, groggily blinking to adjust to the dim light. The last thing I remembered was stepping into the black cab style car and a man’s arm waving in front of my face. He must have used magic to knock us out.
Looking around, I took a deep breath and tried to steady my rising nerves. I had no idea where we were. There was a hunched shape in the corner of the room.
“Daniel?”
Trying to move, I cringed when my wrists protested. They were bound behind me, the harsh rope rubbing my skin. My head was sore, but I couldn’t reach up to rub the pain away. Where was I? Why had Nick trapped us together?
The ground was hard beneath me, the stone making my hip ache. The water was the only sound in the silent room, which was shadowy and cold. Searching for the source of light, I spotted a thin line coming from under a door nearby. There was nothing else in the room.
“You’re awake?” Daniel asked, his voice jolting me.
The sound of shuffling was followed by a warm presence next to me.
“Why did you do that?” I asked, sitting up and leaning against the cool brick wall.
He moved even closer and pressed his thigh against mine. My stomach tightened as I thought about our kidnapping. How would the others find me? Maybe Nick had found a way to kill me.
“Do what?”
“You could’ve gone straight to my father. He would’ve rescued me.”
My arms were tight against my back. I tried to pull them apart, cringing when the rope burnt my wrists. The harder I tugged, the more it hurt. As I sucked in a breath in, Daniel put an arm around me and tucked me into his side.
“I know, I realise that now. I didn’t think at the time, I panicked. I didn’t want to leave you.” His breath hit my cheek.
I leant into him for support, grateful that someone kind was with me. He was also warm and smelt a whole lot cleaner than the air around us.
“Any idea where we are?”
The back of his head rubbed against the brick wall as he shook it.
“Wait, if your hands are free, you can untie me.” I sat forward, offering him my arms.
He grabbed me back to him. “No, they said I wasn’t allowed. They have cameras down here. If I untie you, they’ll kill me.”
Okaaay. So, why had they allowed Daniel’s wrists to remain free? My skin prickled at his words. Something didn’t ring true.
Shutting my eyes, I settled into his side again, deciding to play along for now.
“Hello, Penny.” Nick’s voice boomed, blaring through the room.
What sort of sick man put an intercom into a dingy underground room?
“If you’re going to kill us,” I screamed back. “Just get it over with!”
My mind whirled with possibilities, my stomach clenching at the thought of Nick ending my life. I had been led to believe that my mission would be a nice, happy one, where I fell madly in love and it all ran smoothly. Well, maybe that’s how I’d chosen to look at it, but still, it had been nothing like my daydreams so far. It had been a nightmare, and quite frankly, I wasn’t sure if it was worth it.
“It’s okay,” Daniel said, patting my head.
Wrenching away from him, I managed to get my legs under me. I stood up without using my arms and started to pace.
“You know what? I don’t want to be a witch anymore. I’m done. Just kill me now so I can forget all about it!”
Opening my mouth wide, I screamed, jumping up and down on the spot. Daniel was sensible enough to stay where he was as I calmed down from my hissy fit.
“That would be too easy… unfortunately. I’m not allowed to kill you. However, I can happily kill those who protect you,” Nick’s voice came again.
I froze. What did he mean?
“Well come in here so I can bloody kill you, then!”
A chuckle came over the speaker and my whole body tensed. Anger wasn’t a natural emotion for me, I didn’t deal with it well. Heat blazed over my skin as I went to the door, attempting to yank the metal handle. It was locked tight, we weren’t escaping any time soon.
“You’re not allowed to kill me either. Courtesy of the curse. Your witch elder knew that the balance wouldn’t be fair if you could kill the head of the warlocks. You can kill Daniel, if you like.”
My muscles loosened and my shoulders dropped as the anger ran out of me and into the ground. He was right, the witch had made sure that we were on an equal playing field, neither able to kill the other.
Daniel stood up and wrapped his arms around me, shushing me like a child. I didn’t understand my body’s reaction when he touched me. My skin prickled, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. And yet, a sigh of relief escaped me. It was good to have someone by my side.
My throat closed, a sob echoing around us as I gave in to the fear. I shouldn’t be afraid. If Nick couldn’t kill me, I would find a way out eventually.
“Are you okay?” Daniel asked when my body slumped against him.
“This is a joke.” I wiped my tears on my shoulder, pulling away to look up into his face. “If he can’t kill me, why would he kidnap us? I don’t understand.”
The door opened and light flooded into the room, revealing a set of concrete steps leading up to the floor above. Maybe we were in one of the old Victorian houses in London.
“I have some food and drink here,” Nick said, dropping a tray on the floor and backing out of the room.
Charging for him, I cursed when he aimed a gun straight at me. I stopped, not quite ready to test if a bullet would hurt.
“Don’t you dare leave!” I said through gritted teeth. “What are you going to do with us?”
A shudder ran over me as the corner of his lip sank into his cheek.
“I’m going to help you remember. It’s proven to be a handy trick in the past. Daniel, untie her and hand me the rope.”
Daniel did as he was told, his hands shaking as he released me. The door closed behind Nick as he left, his chuckle following him. I was tempted to throw myself against the metal in an attempt to get to him, but Daniel’s hand on my elbow forced me to remain calm. If he was my match, which at this point was unclear, it was him who was in danger.
“I want to remember, you fool!” I shouted instead.
It was true. I hated not having a clear image of what had happened all those lifetimes ago. I needed to know what the true meaning of our mission really entailed. What would a world with magic look like?
Somewhere deep inside, I knew the answers to the how and when. My parents had told me everything, so intellectually, I was educated, but I had to feel that connection to my match and the magic so desperately ready to return.
“What does he want you to remember?” Daniel said. “What’s all this about, Penny?”
It would take a lot of energy to explain it to him, which I didn’t have. I bit on my lip and bent to the tray on the floor, determined to keep my strength up in order to fight.
Picking up the glass of water, I downed half of it before offering it to Daniel. At first, he refused to take it, quickly changing his mind when I went to set it down again.
The toast on the plate was lathered with butter, the yellow gloop dripping off the edge. As hungry as I was, my stomach clenched at the thought of putting food in my mouth. The water had given me a boost. That would have to do. Leaving the toast and butter on the plate, I returned to my cold seat on the floor.
“I want you to remember your past lives,” Nick said over the speaker. “It’s insulting that you don’t remember me or our fights from the past. I’ve done some pretty impressive things to you, and I’m the only one who knows about them.”
My lips pursed in disgust at the braggart. “You’re a coward. You couldn’t stay in here and say that? You hide behind your weapons, you’re a bloody wimp!”
“Stop encouraging him, he must be a psychopath,” Daniel said, taking my hand as he lowered himself next to me again.
I blinked ra
pidly as acid climbed its way up my throat, making me cough. Sweat beaded on my forehead as heat suffused my whole body. Something wasn’t right. My head started to swim, my eyes becoming blurry. I had to lean against the wall to stop myself from falling forward.
“Just allow, Penny, and the memories will come.” The voice was distant as a rushing sound filled my ears.
My eyes drooped shut, the darkness taking over until a sun appeared in front of me. It was low over a rapeseed field, dancing on the yellow of the stems as they swayed in the gentle breeze.
My gaze was transfixed, my mind at peace.
“Are you well, my dear?”
Turning my head towards the voice, I smiled when my gaze landed on him. I was lying in the rapeseed, the swaying stalks next to my head. Beside me, a handsome man with mousey hair and a beard, looked down at me. A rush of love filtered through me when our gaze met.
“Yes, I’m perfect,” I replied, stroking the hair on his chin.
A rustling sound nearby made us scramble to our feet.
“There you are, you whore!” a man in a red coat shouted. “Come with me now! You are accused of adultery and sentenced to death!”
The sergeant’s hair was tied back by a black ribbon, the ends fluttering in the wind. He lurched forward, his arm stretched out in an attempt to grab me. My lover moved in front of me, blocking my view of the English soldier. He must have been lying in wait amongst the rapeseed, watching us.
“You will not hang her. You’ll hang me in her place,” he demanded.
The protest that left my lips went ignored. Trying to grab him back, I cried out when he pushed me away. His gaze begged me to run, but I couldn’t move, my feet were stuck to the muddy ground.
“I will not leave you,” I whispered.
“You are married, woman!” the soldier shouted.
Cringing at his words, I looked over the field, towards the woods that led to my house. We were alone, the soldier hired by my husband, who had planned our discovery all along. He was a rich and powerful duke, one who always got his way. My father, a famous witch, had been worth a fortune, too. Every man in the country sought a marriage to me in order to gain my dowry.
When my father had announced my betrothal to the duke, I had protested. I had already fallen in love with a local man, the one who currently defended me.
Alas, my father had been influenced, persuaded by my current husband to marry me off. It wasn’t a surprise that he now wanted me hung so he could claim my fortune.
My lover turned to me and cradled my face in his calloused hands. “I will always love you. Just go and be free. Pretend you are someone else and that I am by your side.”
Holding him, I tried to fight. He was too strong for me, shoving me so hard, I fell to the ground. He would never hurt me, why was he acting so cruel?
“One of you shall hang today,” the soldier said, taking a step forward.
“That will be me, so let her go.”
The pleading look in my lover’s eyes made me turn away. He was going to give his life for me, and if I defied him, he would suffer. My throat closed and tears ran down my cheeks as I started to walk.
Looking over my shoulder when the soldier came forward, I swallowed hard. The swing of a rope in his hand caught my eye, and I couldn’t take another step.
I watched as my lover was led out of the rapeseed field and towards his pending doom. He didn’t look back once. The tears that blurred my vision ran down my face. I couldn’t let it happen. My soulmate was about to die because of me. I couldn’t run away and try to live without him.
“You won’t die alone,” I whispered.
My footsteps were silent as I followed the men to the village. My husband waited by the stables, a scowl on his face. The skin on my arms crawled when I caught sight of his grey eyes. Following his gaze, I gasped, my hand coming to my mouth.
A noose hung over a nearby tree, swinging gently. A lump formed in my throat, almost closing it completely. I tried to swallow it down but it wouldn’t move. Swiping at my cheeks, I choked on the tears that landed on my day dress.
“So, he sacrificed himself for her, did he? How touching,” my husband said.
I ran forward to stand beside my lover, gripping his hand in mine. He looked down at me, a sad smile crossing his lips. If he could say anything, I knew he would rebuke me for joining him. He knew that I would’ve done anything for him, even die at his side.
Looking my husband straight in the eye, I replied to his question, “No. We’re going together. I love him and there is nothing you can do to stop that.”
My husband roared and ordered one of his men to ready another noose.
“You are a whore and will be punished in hell,” he hissed into my face.
“As long as I’m by his side, I don’t care,” I said through gritted teeth.
The soldier positioned my lover under the noose. I was dragged to the second one as it was thrown over the branch.
“Why are you here?” my lover said as we were forced to stand on wooden stools and the rope was placed around our necks.
“No matter where we are, I will be with you. I love you,” I said, gasping when the duke kicked the chair out from under my lover.
My husband smirked at me, waiting so I could watch my love choke to death.
“We will always be together,” I whispered before the stool disappeared from under me, and I left that lifetime.
Air rushed into my lungs as I sat upright. My head bumped against something and a groan sounded in my ear.
“Are you all right?”
Daniel’s voice was muffled, as if he was far away. The sensation of life leaving my body still lingered and my muscles quivered at the memory. What had Nick done to me?
Wiping sweat from my forehead, I tried to get to my feet.
“You passed out,” Daniel said.
I swayed as I pulled my feet under me. Nope, my head was so dizzy, it pounded. Giving up, I leant against the wall, the world vibrating around me. The ringing in my ears forced me to hold my skull and lie back down.
“He’s drugged me,” I muttered.
“Do you remember, Penny?”
The voice over the speakers made me squeeze my eyes shut. “You were cruel.”
The chuckle echoed around us, but I was losing consciousness again. I didn’t want to go back to another lifetime. I now knew why we suffered amnesia when we were born, it was too painful to remember.
“Hold me, Daniel,” I begged as the darkness enveloped me again.
Chapter Fourteen
“You don’t love me?” I whispered.
He looked down at me, his face blank. I had always seen love in his eyes, but now, I couldn’t see through the invisible brick wall he had put around himself.
“You’re only eighteen,” he replied, staring off toward the fields.
The easy companionship was gone. We were best friends. We had grown up together, chased each other and played happy families. I had always been the mother and he had been the father. Now he was distant and cold. A lump closed my throat as tears slunk into my eyes.
“You’re only twenty-one. I thought you loved me.” I couldn’t stop the tears falling down my face.
I had been in love with him since the day he had arrived, ten years ago. His dark hair and tanned skin had fascinated me.
“I do love you but not like that.”
“Wait, don’t go,” I cried, grabbing his hand as he turned from me.
He froze, unable to look at me, but also unable to move away. He had travelled around the world for the last year. I had missed him with all my heart. When he returned, I had been determined to let him know how I felt.
“I’m courting Angelina.” He shrugged me off.
Glancing down at my corseted dress, I cringed as the hem of the blue material touched the light brown mud.
“Do you love her?”
It was a bold question, one that a lady should never ask. I couldn’t help myself, I had to know.
I had imagined that he would confess his undying love for me and ask me to be his wife.
“I don’t know.”
He stormed off, not looking back. I let him go. I knew him well enough to know that he would need time to process my words. He loved me, I was sure of it. Why was he fighting?
“Are you well?”
The voice belonged to our neighbour, a tall man with a thickset neck and heavy hands. His grey eyes were a little weird, but he was kind enough. He had shown interest in me for a while, often popping up to say hello. I had been so wrapped up with my love, I hadn’t allowed him to court me.
“Not really. Will you take me to the dance tomorrow?”
His face split into a grin and it sent a thrill through me. At least someone wanted me. If my love wasn’t interested, I would let my neighbour court me.
The next day at the dance, I watched as the man I loved held Angelina close and swayed to the music. Grabbing my neighbour’s hand, I let him lead me to the dance floor. My beloved watched the whole time, his eyes darting towards us.
When the dance came to a close, he appeared beside us. “Can I talk to you?” he said, dragging me outside. “What are you doing?” he hissed into my face when we were out of sight.
“You don’t love me so I’m finding someone that will.”
“That won’t make you happy. I’m sorry I can’t love you the way you want me to, I didn’t mean to be so cruel. Please don’t be stupid because of me.” Taking my hand, he looked into my eyes.
Tears flowed yet again, my heart stuck in my throat. I had been so convinced that he’d loved me. For ten years, I had bided my time until I had been old enough to confess my feelings for him.
“Please, don’t…” he whispered. “I have to leave.”
“No, I’ll go.” I took my hand away from him.
“I meant, I have to leave the village.”
I froze in mid-retreat. “Why?”
He shook his head and ran a hand over his hair. “I don’t want to cause you pain.”
Wiping my cheeks, I turned and slowly walked away from him. He had caused me pain; I couldn’t deny it. For the last two years, he had flirted and strung me along with lingering looks.
Chasing Magic: The Last Witch Coven Book 1 Page 14
