The Council, A Witch's Memory (23 page)

“I-I,” he shook his head. “No, I’m not. But what about you?”

I drew a deep breath. “This was what I was born into. I’ve trained for this and I’ve disposed of soulless creatures with diseased minds.”

“I got it. Now go find my sister.” He clapped my back and I followed Quinn and Dmitri to the garage, giving Flora and Zane one last look over my shoulder. I watched Zane tell her everything would be all right. Zane was a good kid, and Flora had more fight in her than she let on. Once my grandparents got here, they would be fine.

Quinn nodded, “Do we tell our parents we’re going to face him for Venna, and ask for some backup?”

“We’re on our own, remember?”

Quinn dialed a number on his phone anyway so see if he could ready a team and notify our parents. But when he hung up and shook his head. “Gentlemen, we really are on our own.”

“Guys, we got this.” Dmitri stopped at the shelf in the far corner of the garage. He pulled on a lever disguised as a baseball bat propped against the wall. The self swung outward to reveal a small room. The walls were covered in an array of weapons, new and old. Quinn reached for a crossbow and silver tipped arrows. Dmitri preferred a matching pair of daggers, also tipped in silver. He grabbed a revolver equipped with silver bullets. Silver was the only way we could be confined or injured, the only way to slow our healing process to that of a human.

I wasn’t going to waste my time with insignificant pawns working for a mad man, I intended on going straight to the heart of the problem. I had my eye on Craven, and I armed myself with the one thing the monster would recognize.

Dmitri nodded to my grandfather’s sword as I phased back into the room. “You’re not messing around are you?”

“No.” I removed the scabbard, revealing a gleaming steal blade, also tipped with silver. “My father fought Craven once before with the sword. The blade delivered the first deadly blows then, and it will finish the monster for good today.”

“At least take one of the guns,” Quinn said, motioning around us.

“He’s a terrible shot, leave the shooting to me.” Dmitri sealed the room behind us.

I looked at Quinn. “Where to?”

He took a deep breath and walked toward the gates at the end of the driveway. “The woods. They didn’t get far. I smell Venna and a male werewolf…” His eyes glowed gold. They always did that when he wanted to wolf out. “A girl. She smells like cherries and bubble gum.”

“That would be Pepper, Venna’s human friend.” I started down the road, sword drawn and ready.

“Now there’s a human involved?” Quinn had the crossbow up, eyes still glowing.

“Perfect, looks like Henry will be charming her to forget if she survives.” Dmitri held a dagger in each hand, with the revolver tucked into the waistband of his black pants.

I didn’t say anything. Once Venna and Pepper were safe, I’d worry about protecting our identities.

The trees grew dense as the road curved to the left, the dirt leaving a fine dust on our shoes. Paved roads weren’t a top priority in Capeside, which worked for us. I could see the faint outline of footprints. Quinn slowed and gestured with the crossbow to a thick line of trees ahead. “What’s through there?”

“The lake.” I said. “And a mill.”

Quinn raised his good eyebrow, the one without a massive scar. “Would this be one of those old, rundown jobbies?”

“Perfect place to hide,” Dmitri added.

“Yes, and secluded enough from the humans.” I left the road. Quinn ran beside me with Dmitri. Vampires and werewolves were fast, they could cover some serious ground. Luckily we weren’t racing and kept pace with each other.

We wove in and out of trees, leapt over a creek, and finally slowed as the brown rotted roof of the mill came into view.

More importantly, I sensed Venna was inside.

The crumbling wood structure sat in a small clearing and looked about as sturdy as a house of cards. Half of it was covered in vines and moss. Grass and weeds grew out of cracks in the foundation, doors hanging from rusted hinges swayed in their frames. With even a slight breeze, the wood scraping and rubbing, moaning as if it were alive.

We circled the perimeter, looking for a way inside. The windows, streaked with dirt and grime were no longer clear, but the color of dishwater, obstructed any view we could have had inside.

While we watched the sky darkened, light filtering through the trees faded to dim beams, leaving the woods shadowed. A beastly rumble of thunder sounded in the distance.

Dmitri grinned. “Nothing better than a summer storm to drown out the sounds of tortured screams we’ll elicit from those traitors.”

I agreed completely.

“Typical day at the office,” Quinn drawled. He checked his crossbow. “Rescue the girls, save the human world from being enslaved by demons, and kill the bad guy. we should go for burgers and shakes after we’re done.”

“Yeah, just another ordinary day.” I lowered my voice as we neared a broken set of windows. It would be perfect to crawl through. But first we had to assess the situation. We did not know how many men were inside, or if we risked hurting Venna and Pepper by charging in.

Dmitri stiffened and turned around. “We’ve got company.”

The hair on the back of my neck stood up. “Just the one?”

“Yeah,” Quinn growled. “I smell a vampire.”

I kept my eyes on the mill, eyeing the windows, glancing over my shoulder every few seconds. The thing was getting close. He phased from in front of us to behind us.

Dmitri crouched low to the ground, watching a black-eyed vampire twenty feet away.

“He’s the guard dog,” Quinn said. “ Craven may be insane, but he’s not stupid.”

“He’s mine!” Daggers aimed right for his head, Dmitri leapt for him. The other vampire didn’t have time to react; his head was severed and rolled to the ground, body crumpling beside it in seconds.

I inched closer to the mill, now less than ten feet from the windows. Dmitri and Quinn stayed close behind me, eyes peeled for unwelcome company.

Every nerve in me buzzed as my hands gripped the hilt of the sword. I let myself focus on Venna’s feelings, trying to decide if she was hurt. I didn’t sense any pain or suffering, just fear, and the fiery temper she wanted to unleash.

“One bad guy down, three to go,” Dmitri said, drawing my attention way from the mill. Three men phased between the mill and us. A warlock and two werewolves.

The werewolves had changed from their human forms. Their skin color had changed to a brownish-gray. Razor sharp claws, black and shiny, extended from hands the size of boat oars. Feral snarls issued deep from within their throats.

One of the werewolves leapt at Quinn, who hadn’t changed. He preferred it. For one, you were just as powerful. And, as Quinn put it, he liked having real thumbs.

His right hand changed though, long black claws replaced his fingers as he smashed his hand into the werewolf’s head, sending him face first into a tree. He didn’t even try to get back up.

Dmitri rolled his eyes as the other werewolf charged for him.

He pulled out the revolver, fired one shot, and the dog went down.

I looked back at the warlock. His glowing blue eyes locked with mine. “Give me your sword.”

“You’re kidding me.” I pretended to sound bored, mostly for effect. “Mind control doesn’t work on us.”

“Drop it. Do as I say.”

I walked toward him. “No.”

“I command you to stay back!” He ordered. He looked to Dmitri and Quinn; they weren’t listening either.

“Your mind games won’t work on us.” Quinn said.

“We may be young, but we’ve been trained by kings.” I raised my sword and pressed the tip of the blade to the center of his throat. I backed him into a tree. “Answer my questions and you can live.”

His eyes stopped glowing and he nodded.

“How many men are inside the mill?”

“I think one, maybe two…”

I let the tip of the blade pierce his skin, “Try again.”

“About ten, plus Craven and another man.” He gulped.

Quinn came up beside me. “How many in the woods?”

“T-two more, I think.”

“Seems a little sparse,” Quinn frowned. “And you’re awfully helpful.”

Yes, and a little strange. Craven must have wanted us to make it this far.

“Thanks for your help.” I said.

“Nighty-night.” Dmitri appeared beside him and brought the butt of his dagger down on his head. The warlock fell to the ground.

“He’s going to have one hell of a headache when he wakes up.” Quinn sniffed the air. “I got one vamp and another warlock.”

We disposed of the last two traitors patrolling the perimeter of the mill. We had control of the outside, now it was time to move onto the inside.

A rustling sound came from my left and the hair once again stood up on the back of my neck.

Another warlock was patrolling the perimeter. I didn’t give him a chance to find us and stepped from behind the tree. With a glare I sent him flying backwards into a large oak. His head snapped back, slammed into the trunk. He hung lifelessly in the branches.

“Nice.” Dmitri said. “He never saw it coming.”

“I smell the girls.” Quinn growled. “They’re definitely inside and alive.”

I knew Venna was alive, but I breathed a sigh of relief anyway.

As we closed in, I eyed an enormous wall filled with windows.

“I have an idea,” I said. “And this will be a big surprise.”

Chapter 29

Venna

The ground felt cool and damp against my cheek. I didn’t move, but I squinted around the room, trying to figure out where I’d woken up. I spied an old table saw, and a wall of cracked windows. The dirty cement floor was covered in sawdust and grime.

I inhaled, taking in the familiar woody scent.

I was in the mill.

When I was little this place thrilled me. Its spooky atmosphere provided the best sort of backdrop to have a good game of hide and seek.

Not anymore.

I wanted out.

I lifted my head slowly. It throbbed. The room spun. I laid back down and saw Pepper lying on the floor a few feet away. She was out cold, a purple mark on her forehead. It would be so easy to reach over and heal her…but I didn’t know what had happened to me. I couldn’t heal myself, and I couldn’t protect her. The second she was awake she’d probably freak out.

I touched the tips of my fingers to her hand, tempted. But I couldn’t risk it.

The sound of boots hitting the floor startled me. I closed my eyes just after seeing a man in a black hooded cloak come through the doorway. He stood there for a few minutes, just watching, and when the sound of his boots retreated, I opened my eyes again.

I’m not sure how this happened, how I got here. Pepper had come into Henry’s house, we’d started talking, and she went out to her car because she’d left something inside it. She’d been gone for a while, so I went after her. I wasn’t going to leave Henry’s property and put myself at risk.

I remembered seeing a man in a blue coat, much like the one I saw Captain Fulk wearing. He’d been standing at the edge of the driveway, Pepper laying at his feet unconscious.

“Come with me, or I’ll kill her.” He said.

I had no choice. I went with him, knowing that I’d never forgive myself if I let him kill Pepper.

The second I reached his side his hand sailed through the air and met my face. Everything went black.

I could feel how angry Henry was, blind with rage. It made my stomach hurt to feel it. I knew he was looking for me; I wasn’t worried that he wouldn’t be able to find me. I hoped he did the finding before something terrible happened. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to fight. I didn’t know where to run, or even how to make myself hurt someone with my powers. I just knew I could when I was in danger.

The man in the hooded cloak came back again. He stepped through the doorway and walked toward us with a pronounced limp. The heavy heels of his boots scraped against the cement floor.

A curl lay in front of my eyes. He couldn’t see me squinting at him while I pretended to be passed out.

I tried to figure out who he was. Not Cal, he was too tall. And not Captain Fulk, he was dead. I kept my breathing even and steady, watching him lean against the old table saw. If he was waiting for us to wake up, he would wait in vain. I wasn’t going to move an inch until Henry came.

“You’re a very good actress.” A deep voice slid from beneath the hood of his cloak and sent a chill through me.

I didn’t answer him.

“It would be prudent for you to sit up and stop pretending, Venna.” He chuckled darkly. “Lest something horrible happen to the human.”

I considered him for a moment and decided gambling with Pepper’s life wasn’t very smart. Brushing the curl from my face, I pushed myself into a sitting position.

“Ah, now that is so much better.”

“What do you want?” I asked, my voice shaking.