A Very British Witch Boxed Set

by Isobella Crowley

  For his part, Tarquin appeared to be coping a bit better. He continued to stare through Karl and the windscreen as if in a trance, although there was now something about his expression that alarmed Karl. Tarquin’s eyes flashed sideways to look at Tabitha.

  “You doing okay, Tabitha?” Tarquin whispered again.

  Tabitha swallowed hard, smiled and persevered. Tarquin gave Karl a reassuring nod and Karl turned around, affixing is eyes on the car park and the bright lights of the base beyond.

  Tabitha’s voice quivered. Tarquin increased the volume, shouting and chanting at the top of his voice until Tabitha could no longer be heard. To Karl, it looked like Tabitha’s lips were simply going through the motions.

  Karl glanced at Tarquin, whose mouth had grown tight like Tabitha’s. Tarquin’s voice wobbled and broke, revealing for the first time that Tabitha was no longer chanting, but merely croaking, growing quieter by the second. In no time at all, she’d stopped chanting altogether.

  Tarquin’s eyes flashed concern at Tabitha. Once again he picked up the volume, his expression strained to say the least.

  “What’s happening?” Karl’s eyes flashed from Tarquin to Tabitha, whose head had drooped.

  Tarquin’s words galloped from his mouth. “We can’t hold on much longer, Karl.”

  Tabitha looked totally spent.

  “So, what does this mean? Are there any implications?”

  Tarquin nodded. “The spell—it’s in danger of failing.”

  “So, what does this mean for Tim, Scarlett, and Ronnie?”

  “It means that unless we can contact Tim and Scarlett, they’re in grave danger.”

  “And there’s no way of communicating with them?”

  Tarquin shook his head. “We’re having problems getting a message through, I’m not sure why.”

  Revived, Tabitha focused through the windscreen and recommenced her chanting.

  Tarquin looked visibly relieved. “Tabitha, you sure you’re okay to continue?”

  She nodded. “I just needed a rest. I feel stronger now.”

  Tarquin took a deep breath and joined in.

  For five minutes or so, Karl stared through the windscreen, trying hard to ignore the daggers in his eardrum, as he had before. Just when he thought everything was going to be okay, Tabitha’s voice started to waver again.

  This time, however, Karl continued to stare straight ahead, trying to ignore the panic that was starting to manifest itself in his expression. He might not be Scarlett’s greatest fan, but he didn’t want her to come to any harm either. If everything Tim had told them was true, once that Moseley guy caught wind of their plan, there’d be no telling what he might do. Scarlett might even end up in mortal danger.

  The windscreen gripped hold of his eyes as he held his breath, hoping against hope that he wouldn’t pick up on another quiver in Tabitha’s voice. It wasn’t long before the inevitable happened. Completely out of the blue, her voice went hoarse and she started with her croaking again.

  “You okay, Tabitha?” Tarquin whispered.

  Karl was fully expecting Tabitha to say that everything was fine and start with the chanting again, but this time there was no response from her.

  “You’ve had enough, I can tell. You get some rest, I can do this on my own.” Tarquin cranked up the volume another notch as he tried to prove the point.

  The chants grew increasingly louder and for a while, Karl relaxed until Tarquin’s voice started to quiver and shake. Unlike Tabitha though, his voice didn’t turn into a croak, but his chants did turn to monotone, like he was just being forced to recite something without a shred of enthusiasm.

  Tarquin paused, took a deep breath and persevered, with much more vigor in his voice. But this appeared to come at a cost. It was like he’d expended so much energy and effort into going solo that he’d been drained of all his strength and powers.

  As soon as Karl noticed the tinge of weariness in Tarquin’s voice, he started to panic. In all the time he’d known Tarquin, he’d always been in control, like he had the power to do anything he wished. Seeing him struggle in this way was a new experience for Karl.

  “I—I can’t—” Tarquin muttered. The candles flickered and smoked.

  “Have a rest, Tarquin, why don’t you. I can take over for a while. I’m feeling better now.”

  So Tarquin gave it a rest while Tabitha started up again.

  With renewed enthusiasm, Tabitha picked up the pace, shouting, chanting at the top of her voice. The candles too felt a new lease of life, flames sprouting up into the darkness. She took one deep breath after another, each time rocking her head right back so she could give it everything she had.

  And this time, her voice didn’t quiver or reduce to a croak. Instead, right out of the blue, she dropped her head in despair. Suddenly, all Karl could hear was their breathing and the rustling leaves outside. The candles dimmed and went out altogether.

  Tarquin’s eyes looked ablaze with panic. “What are we going to do?”

  Tabitha shook her head and said in a strained whisper, “I—I don’t know. We have to find a way of getting through to them.”

  Tarquin nodded. “I agree. But not sure how.”

  +++

  Somewhere around Coventry

  The voice of reason took hold of Cliff’s thoughts.

  Come on, get a grip, you can do this.

  Cliff opened his mouth to release the empty blood packet from his vice-like grip. The packet, without a single trace of blood remaining, fluttered around and dropped to the floor by the pedals.

  That was when he heard footsteps.

  A bolt of panic shot right through him before his vampire-nature came back to the fore. What was there to panic about? He had nothing to fear, he could more than hold his own. Especially now he had fed.

  Staring through the window at the houses opposite, Cliff considered breaking the rule of a lifetime and killing them all so he could feast on their blood. Why did he have to calm down? Why couldn’t he go across and help himself?

  Because you have a job to do, that’s why. Ronnie needs your help, that’s why.

  And what’s more, if he’d been around to help the night before, he wouldn’t have been in his current predicament. He still cursed himself for ignoring Karl’s call.

  Looking in the mirror above the windscreen, he became aware of how he might look to an unsuspecting mind and felt suddenly self-conscious. He leaned back and ran the back of his hand over his blood-smeared lips, cleaning himself up.

  It was time to get moving anyway.

  He clicked his seat belt into place, and started the car.

  It stalled.

  “Come on, don’t do this to me now,” he cursed, thumping at the steering wheel.

  The footsteps were nearer now. He glanced in his mirrors and saw a figure approaching him in the darkness. “You there, you in the car. Police! Turn off the engine and step outside.”

  He tried the key again, pushed his foot flat to the floor. “Come on!” he growled. The engine withered and died.

  “Police!” the voice repeated. There was a light pointing into his car now. “You, come out of the car!”

  Leaning forward, struggling to grip with moist fingers, he turned the key with a little too much force, thumped his foot down and prayed. The engine revved, then gave a low rumble as it fought to stay alive.

  A knock on the side window. “Come on, out of the car, now!”

  The engine rumbled and assumed control. He pulled forward and out into the road. Looking behind him he saw the figure holding the flashlight after him.

  Cliff turned the car in the direction of the dual carriage way he had come from, and made his way through the residential streets, just over the speed limit.

  Once on the main road, Cliff hit the accelerator. He knew there must be a way back to the motorway from here, but he needed to make sure he wasn’t being followed.

  He saw signs to the town center.

  That would be a good pl
ace to loose a following police car. They’d have to consider the safety of the public and would likely let him go sooner than cause an accident.

  He pressed on determinedly. It wasn’t until he slowed down at a set of lights as he came into the main high street that he heard the distant siren.

  The siren got louder and louder, clearly gaining on him. Then it fell silent. Cliff glanced at the wing mirror to see a police car had joined the back of the queue for the lights, about five or six cars back.

  Cliff felt his human side panicking. The last thing he needed was attention. But he couldn’t go to prison.

  He breathed heavily. “Change, damn you!” he instructed the lights.

  Finally the lights changed. Cliff sped off into the night, the shops, houses, trees and pedestrians rushing towards him then shooting off into the distance.

  He managed to get through the first set of lights without incident, but approaching the second, someone stepped out onto the patterned crossing. Cliff pressed on the accelerator and raced by, missing the woman by inches. She called out, cursing, giving him the finger.

  He realized he wasn’t going to be able to get away. Not permanently. By now the police probably had his registration number. He would be on cameras. He need another approach. He needed to end this.

  He slowed down and watched for the flashing blue lights to catch up to him.

  Then he pulled over, leaving his lights on. In the few moments he had, he used his windscreen rag to wipe the blood from his hands and face. It was a feeble attempt, but better than nothing he reasoned. Although he still felt antsy from the feeding, he felt his human-side retaining more and more control.

  The police car pulled up behind him. The siren was still silent but the blue lights reflected harshly in his mirror. He watched carefully as the policeman got out of the driver’s side.

  Good, he thought. That meant that there was only one of them. With that observation he deducted his normal cognition was returning too.

  He rolled down his window and put his hands on the wheel. He knew that opening his car door would only make the officer more nervous. He took a deep breath and hoped like hell his powers of compulsion were back at full force.

  The officer appeared at his window, flashlight held as a weapon shining into through the open window, deliberately directed at his eyes.

  “Keep your hands on the wheel, sir,” the police officer instructed.

  Cliff looked straight ahead, partly to give his eyes a chance, and partly to not appear confrontational. He knew how alphas worked. He knew how power dynamics worked. And besides, everything was about to change.

  “So do you mind telling me why I had to chase you all the way through town to speak with you?” the officer demanded.

  “I’m sorry, officer. I didn’t mean to cause a problem. It was stupid. I have no excuse.” He turned his head to make eye contact. “I can assure you, it won’t happen again. I’m not a threat to anyone.” His voice took on the silk over steel quality.

  The officer started nodding slowly. “You’re not a threat to anyone,” he repeated.

  “You can write that in your report too. It seems you overreacted. It was a false alarm.”

  The officer nodded. “Yes. A false alarm,” he agreed, his voice flat and monotone.

  Cliff continued. “I can be on my way now officer. No need for you to follow. You have a good night.”

  “You can be on you way now, sir. No need for me to follow.”

  Cliff started up the engine again, and pulled away. Once he was back on the road in the flow of traffic, he closed up his window to the night air.

  He dragged a hand down his face.

  “That was a fucking close call,” he muttered under his breath, as he started scanning the road for signs to the M40.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Secure Facility RAF Bicester, Launton

  Ronnie threw an awkward looking smile towards the wall on the right. “Hang on a minute.”

  Scarlett looked awash with confusion. “Ronnie, what do you mean? Come on, we have to go.”

  “What about Raven?”

  Tim sighed. “Ronnie we have to go! Who the hell is Raven?”

  Ronnie looked again at the partitioning wall, to find Raven standing with her nose inches from the glass. “That’s Raven.”

  “A cat? You want to risk everything for a damned cat?” Tim lowered his voice. “Do you have any idea what Moseley has in store for you?”

  “I don’t care. I’m not leaving without Raven.”

  With a quick glance over her shoulder, Scarlett moved forwards to stand beside Tim. “Tim, is there nothing you can do? He’s obviously fond of the cat. No one can see us, can they?”

  Ronnie and Raven looked at him with pleading eyes.

  “Oh, okay then. Whatever you say, but let’s go.”

  Ronnie gave Raven the thumbs up sign.

  Once all three of them were out in the corridor and Ronnie’s cage was closed, Tim took out the card and held it against the pad at the front of Raven’s cage. When nothing happened, Tim screwed his eyes and started tapping his fingers impatiently on the wall. “Come on, come on, open up!”

  When, thirty seconds later, the cage still didn’t unlock, Tim returned the card to the pad. “Strange,” he said, shaking his head.

  Noticing Tim’s worried expression, Scarlett moved up close. “Tim, what is it?”

  “It’s not opening. I’ll try one more time.” Tim raised the card to the pad for a third time, but it was no good. He folded his arms and gave the matter some thought. “Oh, of course!”

  “What, what is it?”

  “The silent alarm must have been tripped, which means the entire facility will be shut down in no time.”

  Scarlett looked aghast. She’d only come to rescue Ronnie and now it seemed all three of them were going to end up in hot water. Noticing the worried expression on Tim’s face, Scarlett felt a shiver of panic.

  A heavy door clanged shut somewhere behind them and Scarlett glanced at Tim, hoping for some reassurances that they weren’t sealed in. But Tim’s face was completely expressionless.

  “Excuse me!”

  Each of them swung round to look at Raven, Ronnie grinning. “Yes, Raven, what is it?”

  “You’ll have to hotwire the keypad. It’s the only way of getting out.”

  “Really?” Ronnie glanced at the others. “Okay, stand back then.”

  “What are you doing?” said Tim, as he pulled his keys from his pocket and pried open the pad. “Smashing it won’t help, this requires delicate surgery… I don’t suppose anyone knows how to do the rewiring, do they?”

  “Okay, Scarlett, listen to me.”

  Scarlett jumped out her skin at the sound of the voice behind her, or was it in her head?

  “Yes, it’s me, Raven. Don’t turn around. From what I’ve seen so far, I think you’ll be the best person for this job, so do exactly as I say. You got that?”

  “Y-Yes.”

  Scarlett stepped forward, looked at the mess of wires, and did exactly as instructed by Raven. The moment she began the intricate task, the reality of the situation faded and she became like a kid who’s just discovered that Santa is real and is planning a journey to visit.

  No one was ever going to believe that she—Scarlett Slater—was in a secure military facility, shorting a security pad under the guidance of a talking cat. In years to come, she’d tell the story to her grandchildren and they’d laugh, saying it was too unrealistic.

  “How’s it going?” Tim whispered, looking over Scarlett’s shoulder.

  “Nearly done. I’d never have believed that I was capable of doing something like this.”

  “You amaze me.”

  “Shhh.” Raven motioned to Tim.

  “That’s it, finished.” Scarlett stood back and waited with bated breath. When nothing happened, she frowned and was about to start readjusting the wires when the door buzzed, clicked into life and slid open.

  Scarlett tu
rned to face the way they’d come. “This way, follow me.”

  Tim grabbed her arm. “No, wait. The main door is locked down.” He frowned. “I’m afraid we’re trapped in the lab.”

  “Excuse me.”

  Everyone turned to look at Raven who was in a great mood and exuding calm confidence in this mess. “Excuse me, but there is another way out of here, but you must follow me now.”

  Tim jumped out in front. “No, wait. I have to return Moseley’s pass first. Wait here, everyone.”

  Raven shook her head. “No, we’re coming with you. All for one and all that.”

  They followed Tim along the corridor to Moseley’s office. Hiding behind the door, backs pressed to the wall, still as statues, they held their breath as Tim crept in and carefully exchanged the passes again. Moseley was nowhere to be found, which was either good or bad, depending.

  Tim a smile. “Well, that solves that problem.”

  Raven assumed command. “This way, come on, follow me.”

  It was apparent to Scarlett right from the get go that there were parts of the building even Tim was unfamiliar with. His expression, the way he kept widening his eyes and shaking his head, told her he was as surprised as anyone about how much Raven knew.

  She took them through a labyrinth of old, abandoned offices, with cobwebs on the wall and a layer of dust on the desks. Some dusty, half empty bottles lined the shelves, holding some kind of liquid that looked years beyond its sell by date.

  “This way. Keep moving.” They followed her through one set of offices, where she paused for Tim to open a door that led to the next. Scarlett took one step through the door and covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh my God,” she said, looking down at the cockroaches running around in some kind of spillage. And the smell. It was quite unlike anything she’d ever smelt before.

  Entering the room, Scarlett caught sight of something that was lying in a heap beside the opposite wall. Whatever it was, she just didn’t want to know. Focusing her eyes out in front, she proceeded forward to the exit.