Cassie (The Coven's Grove Chronicles #3) (11 page)

The chains around Cassie’s wrists shattered, as she pulled them apart, broken links flying in every direction. She roared in triumph and sprang to her feet, as power surged to every muscle in her body. The chains around her ankles were still attached, but the men who had been holding them were running for their lives. She sprinted toward Caleb.

One of J’onn’s flunkies moved to block her.

She smashed a fist into his face, and felt the bones collapse under the force of her blow. The man didn’t make a sound, as he tumbled to the floor, sliding out of her way. She continued forward, until she reached Caleb.

“Thank God,” Caleb said. “Are you okay?”

“Give me your hands!”

He did so.

She tore the ropes apart, careful not to crush his wrists in the process. She did the same for his ankles, and then hauled him to his feet. “C’mon!”

They made a break for the door.

“Die, you murdering bastards!” Someone yelled, as bullets continued to rain down from the loft. “You killed my family. Die!”

Cassie didn’t look around to see who had given her the chance to escape. She knew whoever it was would be dead once the demon got a hold of them, and there was nothing she could do about it.

“Stop them!” J’onn screamed.

There was only one flunky between them and the door. He had a knife, which Caleb took from him in two smooth movements, and then slammed it into the guy’s neck. He fell to the floor, gurgling his last breath. Caleb jerked the barn door open, and ran out.

Cassie hopped over the dying creep to follow Caleb, when her feet were suddenly ripped out from under her. She hit the ground hard, her head smacking on the floorboards. Before she could turn over to see what had happened, she was yanked across the floor back toward the bloody symbol.

“No escape for you, Sweetling,” the demon hissed.

Cassie glanced over her shoulder. The lengths of chain that hung from her ankles were now wrapped in one of Carreau’s fists. In his other hand was the lifeless body of some boy that couldn’t have been more than fourteen years old.

The sight brought tears to her eyes, and anger to her heart.

The demon dropped the boy, and continued to drag her ever closer, until she was near enough for it to clamp a steely grip around her arms. She was lifted off the floor so that she dangled face to face with the creature. “You will remain, to fulfill your—”

She head-butted the monster in mid speech. She’d had enough fear for one day, it was time to cause some of her own. As the demon stumbled back from surprise, she wrestled an arm free. The monster tried to regain his hold, but missed, as she jabbed her thumb into its eye. She gagged, as blood and ichor sprayed up her arm and across her face.

An unearthly bellowing came from the demon. In a fit of rage and pain, the monster threw her across the barn. She slammed into one of the horse stables, breaking several wooden beams from the impact. Pain rifled along her side and shoulder, but she didn’t give in to it. Cassie got to her feet and bellowed at the demon. Power surged through her, following the rage that burned in her veins.

She charged.

The demon came at her, roaring its own battle cry. Just as they were about to collide, the demon spun to the side, and slashed Cassie’s back with its hooked talons.

She screamed, arching her back in agony. She stumbled around in time to block the demon’s next attack with her forearms crossed in front of her. The force of the blow knocked her to her knees, but she held her ground. Another fist hammered down. This time she shifted to the side, grabbing hold of its wrist, and twisted as hard as she could.

The demon’s bones cracked under the strain. It roared in pain, and lashed out with a vicious kick to her stomach. She folded over the massive foot, releasing her hold, and flew back against the wall.

Pain once again cascaded across her body. She struggled to remain focused through the haze, and managed to dive out of the way, before the demon’s club-like fist crashed into the wall behind her.

J’onn’s surviving flunkies were starting to regroup, as they ran to cover the exit.

Her options were thinning. She couldn’t take much more punishment. She had to get out of there and fast.
C’mon, you can do this
.

Her legs were yanked out from under her again, as she ran for the exit. The demon had grabbed the cursed chains once more. The muscles along its sinewy arms flexed, slinging the chain and Cassie, into the air. She soared over the demon’s head, and then plummeted with the speed of a falling star, crashing into the floor. Boards snapped and broke apart beneath her. Darkness closed around the edges of her vision, threatening to rob her of consciousness.

“Don’t kill her!” J’onn commanded.

She coughed, and the taste of iron filled her mouth. She couldn’t bring herself to move, there was just too much pain.

“Help me,” J’onn motioned to the demon. He was leaning up against one of the stable walls. It looked like the boy had managed to shoot the cultist bastard in the leg as well.

Kudos, kid
. She was so hurt and tired, it was hard to concentrate.
At least Caleb got away
.

The demon lumbered toward its master. One of the remaining three flunkies closed the barn door, which sounded like a death toll, as it slammed into place. The other two were sauntering her way, when the door suddenly exploded into splintered shards. An old work truck plowed through the three flunkies, and then crashed into the demon as it was almost to J’onn. The gangly monster went flying, and crashed through the wall on the far side of the barn.

The driver’s side door opened, and Caleb hopped out. He ran over to Cassie, concern turned the corners of his mouth down. “Jesus Christ,” he muttered, as his blue eyes scanned over her injuries.

“Had to use the car again, huh?” Cassie choked out weakly.

“Hey, if it works...” He scooped her up in his arms, and took her to the truck.

“We need to stop meeting like this,” she said with a cough.

“Whenever you’re done with the whole occult groupie thing, I’m there.”

She chuckled, even though each laugh brought on another spike of agony.

After setting her in the seat, Caleb jumped in and slammed the truck into gear. He took off, crashing through another wall of the barn.

Cassie couldn’t fight the darkness any longer. She yielded to its call, and drifted away happily, in spite of all the pain.

M
iranda jolted awake. Sweat had soaked through her nightgown, dampening the sheets. She was panting as if she’d been running through the grove.
It must be the spell,
she thought while throwing the covers off.
It’s becoming more powerful
.

The vision of the petite, black-haired girl was so vivid, Miranda could have reached out and touched her. The danger she had felt was just as real.

She quickly slid out of bed, stripped out of her gown, and went to the bathroom. The cool water of a shower helped calm her nerves, as it cleansed her body. The vision of this new girl was much stronger than what she’d experienced with Alix. The details much more vivid. She needed to speak with Hannah.

Dressed in a robe, and hair wrapped in a towel high on her head, Miranda retrieved her cell phone, and tapped Hannah’s number. It rang four times before being picked up.

“Hello?” Hannah answered, grogginess distorting her voice.

“I’ve had another vision.”

There was a moment of silence before Hannah replied, “I’ll be right there.”

Miranda stepped into her walk-in closet. She grabbed a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. She then retrieved a pair of calf-high boots from the cherrywood island that took up the center of the closet. Once her outfit was complete, she strapped them altogether with a belt, and headed downstairs.

It was late, but that didn’t matter. If a witch was in trouble, it was her duty to help. Given the fact that she had cast the spell that summoned these girls, Miranda also felt responsible for any harm that might befall the potential coven members during their journey.

She went to the study, the one place where she truly felt at ease. But even surrounded by all of the leather bound books, the finely crafted furniture, the Persian rugs, and the cozy stone hearth, she could not find calm. The need to be off looking for the new witch practically prickled across her skin.
Dammit Hannah, where are you?
she thought, as she began to pace. In reality, she knew full well where the woman was. Hannah’s cottage was not far from the manor. The botanist had wanted close proximity to the greenhouse where she grew her wondrous creations. Unfortunately, Miranda wasn’t in a state of rational thinking at the moment, so the little jaunt to Hannah’s cozy abode may as well have been twenty miles. Desperate to distract herself from her own thoughts, she started a fire.

The minutes stretched on, seeming like hours, until the sound of the front door opening carried faintly down the hall.

“Miranda?” Hannah called. The clacking of her footsteps ushered her approach.

“I’m here,” Miranda called. She took a deep breath, and forced herself to sit in one of the crimson lounge chairs near the hearth.

“What’s happened?” Hannah asked. She came through the doorway in a rush, dressed in a long winter coat, and slippers. Her thick, dark hair was a bit disheveled, but her brown eyes were sharp and alert. “Is she near?”

Miranda shook her head. “This wasn’t like last time, with Alix. I can’t see where this one is, but I know she’s in danger.”

Hannah took a seat across from Miranda. She looked down at the bundle of clothing, and frowned. “What are those for, then?”

“I had to do something,” Miranda replied in frustration. “Sitting around helplessly isn’t really my style.”

Hannah smiled. “No, it isn’t.” She patted Miranda’s hand. “I know you’ll do everything you can, and you’ll have my help when you do.”

Miranda stared at the flames. “I hate this.”

“Tell me what you saw.”

Miranda rubbed her chin. So many things had been different this time...
where to start?
“I was in her dream, I think.”

“So you didn’t actually see her?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“How do you know she’s in danger?”

“A feeling. From the dream.” Miranda looked at Hannah. “I was there, but had no control. It was like I was being used as a puppet.”

Hannah frowned again, “By whom?”

“The spell,” she blurted. Miranda didn’t know how she knew, she just did. “Our summoning spell. It’s become stronger, more powerful. It used me to speak with her. To warn her.”

Hannah leaned back in the massive chair. “We must document this, closely.”

“Yes, I agree. There is too much knowledge that was lost. We must rebuild.”

Hannah stood. “I’ll get some notebooks. You’ll need to tell me everything you saw and felt. Everything.”

Miranda nodded.

Hannah went to fetch the things she needed, leaving Miranda alone with her thoughts. If...no, that wasn’t right, as the spell became more powerful, what would it mean for her? Would she lose more than just the control in the dream world? Would it stop once thirteen witches were assembled? If only she’d had a chance to cast the summoning spell with her former matriarch. Maybe then she would have an idea of what to expect. Perhaps then she would know how to deal with the fear that tore at her for that poor girl running for her life.