Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
“Mabel!” I call and drop the shield completely so I can run. She’s tied to a chair in the middle of the freezer. It smells like old, rotten meat in here, and there is a pile of something moldy in the corner. She’s hooked up to an IV, keeping her drugged and under control. Her head has fallen completely forward and she looks dead.
“Mabel,” I repeat and pull the IV from her arm. “Come on, wake up!” I turn, hearing the hunters outside. I don’t want to get locked in here and Dale is right by the door. Panic rises in me and I make the last second decision to spring forward, calling on all the energy I have left to create another shield. This time, the wall of magic glows with each pulse of my heart beat.
“Wren?” Mabel asks groggily. Yes! The drugs are wearing off already. “Is that you?”
“Yes, it’s me! Can you free yourself?” I step forward, standing in the threshold of the door. Dale has his gun pointed at me but doesn’t know what would happen if he shoots at a wall of magic. I don’t either, but something tells me the bullet will bounce right back at him.
“I think so,” she says and I look beyond Dale and see Randall trying to wake Larissa.
“We really need to get out of here,” I call to Mabel. I don’t want to tell her I don’t think I can hold the shield much longer.
“I’m almost out,” she says, vigor coming back to her voice. Larissa slowly gets to her feet, pulled up by Randall. “I’m free!”
“Good,” I say, risking looking behind me. There’s blood on her clothes, and judging by the lack of blood on the hunters, I’m going to say this is her blood. The humans are cooked if any of the Malus family gets her.
“I don’t understand what happened,” Mabel starts.
“It’s okay,” I tell her. “You need to go. Let everyone know you’re okay.”
“I don’t want to leave you with them.” She takes my free hand and steps in front of me, shielding me from the hunters who just kidnapped and tortured her.
“I’ll be fine. They won’t hurt me.”
“I don’t believe you,” she says.
The magical shield starts to wane. “Go,” I press. “Zeke is so worried about you. Tell him you’re okay and that I’m handling the situation.” I grimace, struggling to keep the shield. “Mabel, please. I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you.” I swallow hard and look her in the eyes. Yes, she’s a vampire and is stronger and faster than humans, but she doesn’t have it in her to hurt anyone. She’s aloof and too innocent, and all it will take is one hunter to come at her with a wooden stake to put her down for good.
“You’ll be home tonight?” she asks.
“I promise.”
She gives my hand a squeeze and nods, looking pained before she turns and speeds away. Letting out a ragged huff, I drop the shield, feeling depleted from using a brand new type of magic.
“You fucking bitch,” Larissa sneers. She’s still fighting the effects of the sleeping spell and has to hold onto Randall to help hold her up.
“I’m not a bitch,” I tell her calmly, fully aware that if she tried to come at me, I wouldn’t be able to fight her. Not yet at least. “A witch, yes, and you’ve always been jealous because it makes me a better hunter than you.” Inhaling, I look from Larissa to Dale and Randall. “Ezekiel Malus is on his way here. If you don’t know, that’s Mabel’s husband. Xavier and Theo will be with him. I don’t think you want to be here when they arrive, do you?”
“Fuck this, man,” Dale starts, lowering his gun. “I don’t want my heart ripped out.”
“Not gonna lie, it doesn’t seem pleasant,” I chide.
“Come on,” Dale says, elbowing Randall. “The mission failed. Let’s go.”
“Listen to your friend,” I go on. “And I’ll see what I can do to keep the Malus brothers from ripping you to shreds.
“I’m out.” Dale puts his gun in his holster. “Promise me, you’ll keep that motherfucker away from us?”
“I promise I’ll keep my husband away,” I tell him, looking him in the eyes. “Cross my heart. But only if you go. Now.”
Randall hikes Larissa up on his shoulder and helps her walk away. I let out a breath, hands trembling, and my eyes close in a long blink. I promised to keep Xavier away…but not Theo and Zeke.
Keeping my guard up, I leave the building. I’m ready for another attack, and it’s not until I make it to the lot where I parked that I let myself think about what just happened. Holy. Fucking. Shit. I had no idea I could do that kind of magic.
And Mabel—she’s okay. She’s really okay.