A Witch's Love (6 page)

It couldn’t have been her imagination. There’s no way she could have conjured up the sound that thing had made when Lucas had twisted its neck.

Her palms began to sweat as her heart pounded out of her chest. She threw back the sheets, then tried to jump to her feet, which were now tangled in the fabric. She fell to the brown Berber carpet like a fallen tree in the woods.

Damn all flat sheets to hell.

Her shaking hands wrested with the snake-like material that held her hostage—

Lucas stood before her, although all she could see were his black shoes. The very same ones he’d worn to the party.

Dare she chance a look to his face? Her eyes met his as fear blossomed in her chest.

“Shit, Ava, are you all right?” Concern laced his voice, but she wouldn’t be fooled.

“No! Get away from me.” How could he even ask her that? Her head hurt like hell, and her boyfriend had the ability to turn into a monstrous beast. Of course she wasn’t
all right.

He bent a knee, his bronzed skin showing through the slashes in his pants as he helped her untangle the sheets. When his hand grazed the delicate skin on her thigh, she shoved away from him.

He held up his hands, showing her his flat palms. “Ava, I know last night was a lot to process but everything is going to be okay.”

He looked human enough but she knew the truth. She could still remember the moment he changed:
His red-collared shirt ripped as muscle grew over muscle on his chest and arms. Slits formed down his thighs. His pants stood little chance against the bulging strength that now appeared through the holes. Then . . . the claws . . . his fangs . . . the sounds he made. He was an animal made human.

How was any of that
okay
?

She refused to look at him as she shook her head. “Y-you, you turned into a monster, right before my eyes.”

He let out a long breath. “I’m a lycan.”

“What?” He was crazy. She had to get out of this room. She leapt to her feet, ignored the throbbing in her skull, then tried to move around him.

He sidestepped her, blocking the path as he continued to show her his palms. He was acting like she was the wild animal that needed to be tamed. “It’s kind of like a werewolf, except without all the fur.” He acted as if his statement was everyday news and she just, so happened, was the last to know.

“Oh, really? And who were the rest of your little friends?”

His face grew dark at her words. “They are not my friends.
They
are demons.”

Demons . . . right, okay, he was really off his rocker. “Look, it doesn’t matter. I just want to go home. Where are my shoes?” She climbed over the bed to get a better look around. Her shoes didn’t appear to be in the room.

From behind, he grabbed her arm.

She spun to face him. “Don’t touch me!”

“You must listen. You are in danger. I thought at first they must have sensed my presence, but then I realized they were after you.” He let go of her arm, but didn’t step away.

She backed up a step. “After me . . . Why would they come after me? It’s more plausible they were trying to get at you, since you can go all Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hyde on their asses.” She turned, then headed for the door but he stepped in front of her, creating a barrier between her and the exit. “Get out of my way.”

“No, not until you listen to me.”

“What could you have to say to change things?” She dodged around him, then managed to open the door a crack before he slammed it shut.

“You’re a witch.”

It took all her control not to laugh. “I don’t know what kind of drugs you are on, but I’m not a witch.”

He eased himself back against the door. “Yes, you are, and so are your sisters. Maeve is your immortal light guardian. It’s her job to guide you to your true destiny.”

This shit was really starting to piss her off. “Do I look like I have stupid written on my forehead? You really expect me to believe this crap?” He was trying to distract her. Keep her from focusing on what had happened.

He folded his arms over his chest. “So, what did you see last night? Did the men that tried to take you away look human to you?”

They looked human enough, only with gray skin and black, lifeless eyes. For Pete’s sake they had claws, not to mention their awful smell made her want to gag. No, she wouldn’t say they were merely human, and if they weren’t human, then perhaps he spoke the truth. She inhaled a sharp breath as her eyes met his. “If they were after me, because I’m a . . . witch, then what about my sisters?”

When he paused, her heart fell into a bottomless pit of dread. As urgency surged through her veins, she began to tug on the doorknob. His weight was still pressed against the door. She’d never get out with him leaning on the damn thing. “No. Let me out. I have to go to them.” Tears formed in her eyes as her fists pounded the metal door. This wasn’t really happening. Her sister’s were at home.

Better yet, this was all a dream. All of it, Lucas, the demons.

Lucas took hold of her shoulders, giving her a shake so she’d focus her attention on him. “I would never let anything happen to you. I’m sure your sisters are fine. If anything tried to hurt them, Maeve would flash your sisters away.”

Tears began to spill onto her cheeks as the fear leeched away. “What do you mean, she’ll flash them away?”

“Only light guardians can transport beings from one place to another using a flash of light.”

She couldn’t stop the quiver in her lip. “You
lied
to me. You knew, and you never thought to tell me?” She’d thought him so noble. It was obvious now that she had misread him.

He reached to cup her face but she turned away, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath. “I didn’t lie to you. Maeve and I decided that after Cara’s birthday party she’d tell all of you.”

So Maeve knew what he was too. Was she the last one to find out everything? “Why, then, what’s so special about now?” She couldn’t keep the bitterness out of her tone as she looked at him through blurry eyes.

He rested his hand on her shoulder once more. “You are reaching your mid-twenties, which means you will become immortal soon.”

That did it. “Immortal!” She shrugged out of his grasp and renewed her efforts with the door. When that proved useless, she screamed, an ear-piercing, glass-shattering plea for help.

Someone would hear her, rescue her from this paranormal prison.

His eyes widened.

In disbelief? Did he not think she was serious about leaving this room?

Then she hit him, connecting with his jaw, forcing him to take a step back.

Only for a moment. His guard was down but it was enough for her to get out the door. Bounding down the stairwell, she hauled ass all the way through the front entrance. She didn’t have a car but she didn’t care, it was only two miles to her house anyway. She was in her bare feet, but as long as she kept to the blacktop, she should be fine.

Minutes later, she approached her house. The air left her lungs, her heart stopped beating in her chest . . . something was wrong. It was the ass crack of dawn, everyone should’ve been sleeping, yet the front door was open—a touch away from falling off its hinges.

She entered through the broken doorway and her blood ran cold in her veins. The furniture was overturned, ripped, broken beyond recognition. Claw marks marred the walls. A stench that was now all too familiar filled her senses, causing her limbs to go numb.

She moved further into the room. The television hung crooked—

That’s when she saw the blood splatter on the wall.

Moving the tree trunks she called legs as quickly as they would go, she searched for any sign of her family.

She spotted Maeve’s light brown hair feather on the wood floor and quickened her pace, stopping only when she saw the pool of blood. The full view of the destruction hit her frontal lobe like a Mack truck.

Maeve lay in the middle of the living room. Blood stained her clothes and skin.

In an instant, Ava was at her side. “Maeve!” She grabbed her wrist, seeking any sign of life. Lucas had said Maeve was immortal, so she had to be alive. “Maeve, can you look at me?”

Maeve moaned. The sweet sound met Ava’s ears, causing her to let out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. Joy seeped into her until she heard footsteps. Someone was coming.

She snatched a poker from the fireplace and readied herself, prepared for more of those demons, when Lucas strode through the door. He had changed his clothes in the short time since she’d seen him last. Through the shock, she registered that he now wore jeans, a black tee shirt, and leather jacket.

“Ava?” He moved toward her, his large shit kickers thumping over the wooden floor until he saw Maeve. The thumping turned rhythmic as he rushed to her side.

Ava continued to hold the poker. He’d allowed this to happen. He wasn’t any better than those demons. “Leave, Lucas, this doesn’t concern you.”

Maeve reached up her hand. “They took them,” she said in a near whisper. “Your sisters.”

Tears rushed to Ava’s eyes at her words. “Who took them, Maeve? She dropped the poker then knelt by her side, taking hold of her hand.

Maeve turned to Lucas, her eyes wild and wide with fear pain. “They took them. Please—” Gasping for breath, she paused. “They won’t stop till they have Ava. Save them.”

Lucas took hold of her other hand, gave a noticeable squeeze, then nodded. “I will. You have my word.”

“We have to get you to the hospital.” Ava brushed Maeve’s hair from her forehead. This woman had been like a mother to her.

“No, you must go . . .” Ava flinched as Maeve’s cough jarred her broken body. Regaining her breath, she gazed at Ava as if she’d memorize her features. “You must find Belinda Turner . . . she lives north of here. She can help you.”

Tears poured from Ava’s eyes, disbelieving. “Who is Belinda Turner? Maeve, please—”

“I’m sorry, I should have told you sooner . . . but I know you are destined for great things.” Maeve gave her a weak smile. A blinding bright light flashed, then Maeve was gone.

“Where is she?” Ava demanded, confusion and anger vying for control. “You said she was immortal. Doesn’t that mean she can’t die?”

“No, immortal’s can die, but it’s complicated. I don’t believe Maeve died.”

At that statement, her temper rose. “Then where did she go?”

He drew her to her feet. “I don’t know, Ava, but I wouldn’t give up hope. Right now we have to move. The demons
will
be back.”

“What do you mean ‘we’?” She followed him around the house as he collected food and blankets.

He found a plastic bag in the kitchen and shoved the items in, then turned to face her. “I’m going with you.” She shook her head at his words. “Whether you like it or not, you need me. You will have a better chance of finding your sisters and not getting yourself killed if we go together.”

He started to turn from her but she grabbed his arm, forcing him to face her once more. “I don’t know, or even understand, everything that’s happening right now, but what I do know is that my sisters were kidnapped. I have to go to the police.”

His face grew dark at her words, making her take a step back. “You have no idea what you’re up against. The police won’t be able to do shit. Now
listen
to me, I will help you get your sisters back and afterward, if you want me out of your life, I. Will. Leave. Deal?”

She turned away from him, resting her palms on her once organized and clean kitchen counter. Her eyes scanned the mess, the scattered debris, the deep scratches that came from a set of claws.

She sighed.

He was right. She didn’t know what the hell was going on or who she needed to look out for or what she was up against.

None of this made sense. Why were her sister taken in the first place? Just because they were, what? Witches?

A quick glance over her shoulder told her Lucas was still waiting for her answer. His wide, set stance, crossed arms, strong, determined jaw, and bulging veins in his neck told her his patience was wearing thin. She wasn’t even sure that she could trust him. Still, if he had wanted to harm her, he’d had plenty of opportunities.

Plus, he did save her form those things last night. On top of that, he seemed to be the only person who knew what was happening right now. She turned back to him, then nodded. “Deal!”

Lucas continued to search the house for supplies while she froze in place. She couldn’t seem to take her eyes away from the wreckage that had once been her home.

Sad didn’t begin to cover what she felt. She was angry as hell, and her eyes ached with tears that she refused to shed. This was not her home, not anymore. She knew she could never return to this place that had once held such wonderful memories, now replaced by visuals of demons, blood, and destruction.

On the counter she found an oil lamp, which had once provided light when the power went out. Now it would become a different type of tool.

She picked it up and threw it against the wall, shattering the lamp and allowing the oil to leak onto the floor. With wooden movements, she crossed to the stove and picked up the box of matches. Lighting the stick with a swift flick of her wrist against the rough edge of the box, she watched as the flame took hold.

When she was about to throw the small flame onto the oil, Lucas grabbed her arm.

She hadn’t even known he was standing next to her, but now his presence was hard to ignore.

His eyes locked with hers. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Her eyes moved back to the flame. She couldn’t believe that the past twelve hours were true. Her life had changed so much in such a short time. Nothing would ever be the same.
She
would never be the same. She could never forget all that had happened, all that she now knew existed. No matter how this turned out her old life was gone. The old Ava was dead. Disappeared from this earth with Maeve. As she met his steady gaze, she felt an eerie calm take over her. The match left her fingers and fell to the floor. The fire took hold as she said, “Abso-fuckin’-lutely.”