Damned and Cursed (Book 9): Witch Trial Page 27

  "I fixed your wife's leg," he said. "Believe it or not, Alex. I'm not a killer. I don't want to kill anyone. I just want what you stole from me, when you were a baby."

  "What is he talking about?" Alex asked quietly.

  She gave him an eye roll of her own.

  "Later."

  "I took your family to lure you here." His tone was different from earlier. Angry, almost hateful. "But that's done now. If you agree to make this easier on all of us, they can leave. I'll have my assistant here drive Alicia and Cindy home. There's been enough death in this place, as I'm sure you can see. There doesn't need to be any more."

  Alex leaned up and flipped the conference table over, creating a shield. He ducked back next to his sister. Staying on one knee, he kept a hand on Cindy.

  "Is he serious?"

  Leese shook her head.

  "Stop," she said. "Don't even think about it. Even if he isn't lying, no one's leaving."

  "Alex?" Michael called. "Can you hear me? How are you feeling? A little slow? Run down? I wondered how losing your powers would affect you. You're the only one in all my reading where the demonic world chose a baby. Did you know that? You were only human for…what? Maybe a few minutes?"

  Alex met Leese's eyes. A mix of confusion and—she hated to see it—fear. She only had half the puzzle, while Alex had no pieces at all. She took his hand, trying to reassure him. Whatever was going to happen, she was there for him.

  "He's taking your powers," she explained. "Using magic, and this place. We have to get out."

  He nodded.

  "I've got wards all over," Michael said. "It's just time, now." He leaned against one of the spotlights. Evan stood at his side, holding a gun. "I can wait. No hurry."

  Alex pulled Cindy into a sitting position.

  "Hold her," he said. "Wrap your arms and legs around her. Hold on tight."

  Leese did as instructed. Alex knelt behind her as she gripped Cindy. They were so close she could smell Cindy's shampoo.

  He clutched Leese around the waist. She fought off the sense of claustrophobia. Too many people, too close.

  Alex's arms tightened, almost hurting her. He grunted in pain, and she heard the familiar sound of clothes tearing.

  "What are you—?"

  Her question turned into a shriek as Alex flew into the air, taking his family with him. Leese nearly lost her grip with her left arm, but managed to pull Cindy back and readjust her hold. She saw a quick flash of her brother's wings, and Michael's stunned expression, before they flew out of the lecture hall.

  "He can fly," she heard Michael say. "The son of a bitch can fly."

  Leese gasped as they approached the end of the hall. The wall was coming at them fast. But Alex could fly with such ease. It didn't matter if it was the open sky or a tight corridor. He banked right, the tip of his wing grazing the ceiling. Leese tried to keep calm and hold Cindy steady. Her muscles were starting to burn, but she held on.

  "Which way?" Alex called.

  The question caught her by surprise.

  "I have no idea—"

  Alex let out a pained breath, and Leese slipped closer to the ground. The three fell in a heap. Leese tumbled over several times before slamming into an old desk. Her shoulder took the brunt of the impact. She tried to pull herself to one knee, but her arm wouldn't work. The pain grew sharper when she tried to move it.

  Alex was several feet away, leaning over Cindy. He checked over her for injuries.

  His wings were gone.

  Leese didn't know where they were. All the hallways of the boarding school blended in. She caught a glimpse across from her of what was once an office. Only a ruined desk remained. The wallpaper was peeling. Tiles hung at awkward angles from the ceiling, exposing a metal skeleton and ducts.

  "Alex…."

  "Are you hurt?" he asked.

  "No," she lied. "Cindy?"

  He shook his head.

  "Besides whatever magic they used on her, she's okay."

  "What happened?"

  He couldn't look at her.

  "My…wings…."

  Another gunshot. Leese flinched. She couldn't see where it came from, but knew they weren't far from the lecture hall. Michael could now see in the dark. He was probably in the shadows just beyond them, testing out his new abilities.

  "Alex," Michael called. "Never have I read about a chosen one being able to fly. They must have really taken to you."

  He was close. Alex grabbed Cindy's hands and gestured for Leese.

  "Help me."

  She wasn't even sure if her legs worked. Relief washed over her as she squatted and moved to Alex. Wincing in agony, she gripped Cindy's wrist with her one good arm.

  "Alicia?" Alex said. "You are hurt—"

  "Just pull."

  They dragged Cindy into the nearby office. One of Michael's wards sat in the corner, the flame still flickering. Alex approached and kicked it angrily.

  "What do we do?"

  He knelt and reached for Leese's shoulder. She pulled away, almost falling over. He flashed an apologetic look before running to the window. The glass was long gone, but it was still barred from the outside.

  "I can't really fight them," he said. "I can't even walk through a wall."

  Leese took a breath and searched the room, looking for a weapon. She spotted an old chair leg sitting in a pile of old papers. Her body ached as she gingerly bent over and picked it up. Cocking the chair leg back, she stood next to the open doorway.

  "We'll fight here then. Wait until they come."

  Alex approached and took the broken wood from her. He was gentle and careful, but the motion still sent pain throughout Leese's body.

  "You can't fight, Alicia. Just stop."

  "Don't tell me—"

  Her body stiffened in anger, bringing more discomfort. Her knees trembled, and the floor rushed up at her. It was only Alex's reflexes that kept her from falling. He caught her under the arms and lowered her to the floor next to Cindy.

  There was a shout of what sounded like pure ecstasy from somewhere beyond the office.

  "They're here!" Michael shouted. "I've…missed you so much."

  The wall behind Alex moved, as if it were a body of water. A low, inhuman moan surrounded them.

  Leese knew what that meant.

  "Oh, no," she said, grabbing Alex's shoulder. "Can you control them?"

  "I don't think so. Not right now. Listen, I'll go distract them. See if I can slow them down."

  "Alex, no. I'm not letting you—"

  He dug something from his pocket. "And you go for help."

  Leese held out her hand. Alex dropped a stone into her palm.

  It took a moment to realize what it was. Goosebumps shot across her arm.

  "That's Victoria's," he said. "I didn't have a case tonight. She sent that to Zoey, and I was at her place picking it up. It was supposed to be a surprise."

  Leese said nothing. Alex stood and walked to the door. He turned one last time, his expression somber.

  "Tell him, I'm sorry."

  He left. Terrible thoughts plagued Leese. Would she see her brother alive again?

  Something grabbed her from behind.

  She screamed and spun to see a deformed arm protruding from the wall. A horrific head pushed its way through next to it. Four eyes, no nose, razor-sharp teeth. Its lips curled into a twisted grin as blood dripped from its teeth.

  Leese held the stone to her mouth.

  "Kevin? Are you there? I need you."

  CHAPTER 23

  Kevin stared at Martha, confused. The world seemed to freeze. There was no Aggie, no coven. They weren't in danger. No one wanted to cut off his hands.

  Then the voice spoke again.

  "Kevin! Please, answer me!"

  He held his ring up.

  "Leese?"

  "Oh, thank God! Listen, oh, there's so much. They were never after you! It was Alex, this whole time!"

  He shook his head.

  "What? Who
's after Alex? What do you—?"

  "We're in trouble! The demons…they're coming!"

  The entire house rocked violently, like they were in the middle of an earthquake. It pulled him from his conversation with Leese, and back to his own problems. Martha nearly toppled over. Kevin steadied her and helped her lean on the bed. He ran to the doorway.

  "Marie!"

  Her head poked into view from the other bedroom. She held up something dark and rectangular.

  "I found—!"

  Every window in the house shattered. Glass sprayed onto the back of Kevin's neck. He squatted and protected himself as best he could. When the glass settled, he turned to check on Martha. She was on her side on the floor. She gave him a quick nod, signaling she was okay.

  Kevin helped her to her feet.

  "Leese," he said. "I need a picture. Can you send me one?"

  They left the bedroom to rejoin Marie.

  "Hey," Martha said. "I hate to say this, but we kind of have trouble ourselves—"

  There was another loud explosion downstairs, followed by voices. Footsteps and a quiet conversation.

  They were in the house.

  "Leese?" he said again.

  "Yes!" she said. "I have Cindy's phone!"

  Marie met Kevin in the hall and handed over the laptop. The three gathered by the printer as he propped the laptop open.

  It felt like a minor miracle that it turned on.

  "You remember," he said, feeling a stab of pain at the memories. "Take a picture of a wall and email it to me."

  "I know."

  Aggie called out.

  "Martha! Please. This is it. Just…walk away from the kid. We won't hurt you, or the werewolf. If you just walk away. There's still time."

  The laptop booted to a cluttered screen full of icons. He launched a browser and stared at a white background as the page slowly loaded. The laptop was painfully old.

  Everything felt so surreal. His friends' lives were in his hands. They weren't relying on his magic, but on a stranger's laptop and his ability to type.

  He launched his email. Leese screamed from wherever she was.

  "Leese!"

  She didn't respond.

  Kevin pressed on. His email finally loaded. There were no new messages waiting for him.

  "Shit!"

  In the hallway beyond the room, they could see shadows making their way up the stairs.

  "This is your girlfriend?" Martha asked. "The one that's so important to you?"

  "Yeah."

  Martha took a step forward.

  "You save her. I'll buy you a few minutes."

  "Martha—"

  "It's okay." She gave him a sad smile. "I know my time is running out. Aggie and I, we're going to have one last talk."

  The email arrived. Kevin opened the attachment to see a creepy photo, a wall smeared with grime and dirt. The printer roared to life as he sent it over.

  "Wait," he said. "Martha, you don't have to—"

  He looked up to see Martha at the doorway. Marie had already caught up to her. The werewolf spun the witch around by the shoulder, and punched her in the jaw. Martha immediately lost consciousness and collapsed, landing next to the bed.

  "Shit," Marie said. "Hope I didn't kill her."

  Kevin stole a quick glance at the printer. The photo was nearly complete.

  "Marie?" he said.

  She shrugged.

  "What was Martha going to do, without hands? This needs a different touch."

  "Don't. They'll kill you."

  "Don't worry about me." She shook out of her pink robe. "I do my best work without clothes on."

  She charged forward. The door slammed shut behind her. He could hear the violence out in the hall. The walls shook. Bright light spilled under the door, as Aggie and her coven unleashed their magic.

  His hands shook as he grabbed the photo from the printer. He remembered to print one more very important picture, saved in his online storage.

  Kevin still had a long way to go in being ready for the dangers in his life. He was caught unprepared, again. But over the past few months, one of the skills he'd improved upon was his use of portal magic. He had the act of preparing a photo and drawing a portal down to three seconds, two on a good day. This case was no different, as even with an unsteady hand, he kept his speed. The portal warped into being, on the wall behind Martha.

  Leese was screaming, and fell backward into the bedroom. Kevin fell to one knee, looking at Leese's upside-down face. She was caught in the portal, as something pulled on her ankle. She held out her hand.

  "Help!"

  She slid back the other way.

  Kevin had seen demons before, many times, but jumped regardless. He looked up to see something dragging her back. The demon dug its claws in, ripping through Leese's jeans and flesh. Its red skin almost looked to be on fire in the moonlight. Its body was wiry, all muscle. It had four arms, and grabbed a leg with two of them.

  Another demon stepped out from the far wall. It was then he saw there was more than one. He didn't know how many. Their shadows blended together.

  He grabbed Leese's hand and pulled. He slowed the demon for a moment, but then it yanked again. He fell next to her.

  "Don't let go!" Leese shouted.

  "I won't."

  He braced his feet on the edge of the portal. An idea sprung to mind. He glanced at the nightstand next to him to see a lamp. A lamp was just as good as any pocket flashlight he carried. But would that even work? Was it possible to blind a demon?

  Kevin didn't dare risk letting go. He kicked the nightstand, knocking the lamp to the floor. The move caught the attention of the demon, and that was just enough time to reach out and set the tip of his finger on the bulb.

  The demon released its grip as it stumbled backward. They all howled, and that noise was enough to haunt Kevin in his nightmares. He grabbed Leese around the waist and pulled her into the bedroom. They stumbled and fell on top of Martha. The elder witch finally roused as she let out an uncomfortable groan.

  "Kevin?" she said.

  He leaned forward to close the portal, only for Leese to grab his shoulder.

  "Cindy!" she said, pointing.

  Peering through the mass of shadows, he saw her. Cindy lay just beyond the portal, not moving. The demons were already regaining their senses.

  Kevin didn't hesitate. He jumped through the portal. Leese was shouting behind him. The change in environment was jarring, like it always was. The warm, cozy home of a recently born infant gave way to an abandoned demon-ridden nightmare. He kept low, moving between the creatures. He only had ten feet to go, but that didn't ease his nerves. The confused demonic grunts were turning into angry snarls. He felt a pair of claws graze across his back.

  He made it to Cindy. She reeked of something awful, and he couldn't help but think of some of his magic potions. He grabbed her by the wrists and pulled.

  Leese leaned through the portal, reaching out to help. The terrifying thoughts swirled. The demons would take her again. Or even Cindy or himself. He was surprised when he made it back and felt Leese's touch on his back.

  "Hurry," she said, before her voice went up. "Kevin!"

  Kevin looked up to see a demon rushing toward them. He was already in the bedroom, with Cindy halfway through the portal. His muscles were aching, his strength waning, but he had just enough to haul her through. He flung her into Leese's arms, knocking her to the ground. He stood in between his friends and the portal. If the demon was going to grab someone, he'd make sure it was him.

  The demon didn't grab him. Instead, it howled in frustration.

  He turned to see the demon trying to reach him. Its arm was missing from the elbow down, right at the mouth of the portal. Kevin felt silly that he'd forgotten. Of course, that's what happened. Demons couldn't just exist anywhere. They needed a gateway to cross into the living world. It had tried to use the portal, but wasn't able.

  He swiped the portal closed. The demon locked its mult
iple sets of eyes on him, full of anger and hate. He tried to ignore the creature, but could feel his blood turning cold.

  "Kevin?"

  It was Leese. He turned to check on his friends. Martha was on her knees, still trying to piece together what was happening. Cindy was unconscious, her head on Leese's lap.

  Leese sat with her legs crossed in a small pool of blood. Her blood. She looked like she'd been through hell. Her leg was bleeding. Her hand was covered in blisters. She held her arm perfectly still, refusing to move it. Her throat was red and bruised.

  She was still beautiful.

  "Can I come over and play?" she said.

  There was no humor, no sultriness in what used to be a private joke between them. She was simply searching for something, anything, familiar. Kevin almost smiled.

  The door burst open. One of the women from Aggie's coven ran inside. Her face was covered in blood. A ball of fire hovered in her palm.

  Kevin had taken Leese from one dangerous situation to another.

  "Ina," Martha said weakly. She held up an arm. "You don't have to—"

  Ina pulled back the fireball, ready to hurl. Her eyes were apologetic, but focused. Kevin raced forward. He wasn't sure if he had time to get in between them, use his shield, but he had to try.

  He jumped when the werewolf attacked.

  Marie leaped through the doorway and pounced on Ina. The witch managed to shove the fireball in Marie's muzzle as they fell to the floor. Marie let out a whimper.

  But the witch's magic wasn't enough.

  Ina screamed as Marie raked a claw down her chest. She held up an arm to defend herself, and Marie gripped it in her mouth. Marie violently ripped her head back and forth. Kevin was stunned at the aggression. Leese screamed and held onto him.

  He gasped when Ina's hand flew across the room. Marie had bitten through the bone.

  Another fireball whirled into the room. It struck Marie on her side, and hurt her enough to collapse. Aggie's coven swarmed inside. Aggie herself brought up the rear. Marie had left her mark on each of them, with various wounds and torn clothes. One witch tended to Ina, dragging her to safety, while two others placed magical trinkets Kevin didn't recognize along Marie's prone body. She cried and struggled, but was unable to move.

  Aggie turned her attention away from Marie. She glanced at Leese and Cindy, surprised at the new arrivals, but not for long.