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  I hopped back into the room as I was tugged away from the window. My boot squelched as the cut on my leg throbbed in pain, pumping out blood.

  “Get her healed!” she ordered, her lips turning up into a snarl. “We need her perfect for the ritual.”

  Dragging me into the front room, the big vampire huffed and puffed as I thrust away from him, trying to escape. Catching Dave's eye when he spun me around, I winked quickly. He kept a straight face, although his forehead did crease when he saw the blood dripping onto the floor.

  “Sit down!” the vampire ordered.

  Allowing him to thrust me onto the sofa, I tried not to scream in frustration. The bastards had us cornered, although I would use the glass to cut the rope when they were distracted. Surely they had to leave at some point or sleep for that matter.

  “See, she’s still tied. Bloody illusionist,” Brianna spat at Dave before looking at me. “Open your mouth, witch!”

  She came over to us, took hold of the male vampire’s wrist and ripped her teeth through it.

  He sucked in a breath as his eyes narrowed on her. “No need to be so harsh.”

  Tutting, Brianna gripped the back of my head, her strong hands squeezing my neck hard. “Drink.”

  The vampire pressed his wrist against my mouth as I squirmed, trying to get away from them. Together, they held me firm, forcing my mouth open. Metallic blood hit my tongue, making me heave. The droplets ran down my throat, forcing me to swallow. The taste was vile. No one should ever be forced to drink vampire blood.

  “That will heal your leg, you stupid woman.” Brianna stroked my hair as she pulled her hand away. “Don't say I don't take care of you.”

  “You're a psychopathic vampire who’ll be arrested for treason.” Dave's voice was low and cold.

  His hands were shaking in his lap, his eyes wide as he watched her retreat.

  Blinking slowly, she turned to the men. “Bind their legs, there’ll be no more escape attempts. I need to let Xvair know that we have them both. And, an extra one that I'll enjoy killing.”

  She was about to go into the bedroom when she turned. “Oh, and I was about to tell you before your little revolt...” Glancing at me and Florian, who was now on his knees on the floor, she smirked widely. “... the PFF may or may not have chosen the perfect little church to carry out the ritual tomorrow night. Have you ever heard of Little Minster Church?”

  Every witch had heard of Little Minster Church, although by the look on both Florian and Dave's faces, they had no idea what Brianna was talking about. Probably because Essex witches were the ones who carried the secrets of the most sacred part of the ley lines.

  After Brianna had winked at me and disappeared into the bedroom, Dave turned to me, a concerned expression on his face. Moving my leg, I checked that it had stopped bleeding. The slash in my leggings was visible, but the cut in my leg had gone. The pain had vanished too. The vampire blood had healed me.

  “What is Little Minster Church?” Dave asked.

  Looking at Florian, who had turned to listen to my answer, I felt my chest squeeze. The man had no idea who he was, let alone why he was a prisoner in a grungy flat. Xvair Harvey had gone insane. He was using an illegitimate child of his to get his wish. He would probably try to force us to have a baby so he could drain it of magic. Well, I wouldn't allow that to happen. Ever.

  “Little Minster Church has been condemned by the government and Paranormal MI5. It's a place where its priests were so evil, the veil between Hell and Earth is thin. No one has been allowed on its grounds in centuries.”

  “Until now.” Dave sighed.

  Nodding, I glanced up at him as I slumped on the sofa. Taking a deep shaky breath, I released it quietly. “Until now.”

  Chapter 10

  The darkness had crept in, but no lights had been switched on. We had been sitting in silence for two hours as Brianna napped in the bedroom. Her men stood on guard, well sat really, but their eyes watched us, only occasionally looking away. Florian leant against the wall, his head drooping every now and then.

  “Make a tea,” one of the men instructed the big guy. “I'm starving and trying my hardest to resist drinking the blood of these witches.”

  “You know they taste nasty,” another said.

  “Especially the Essex ones,” another replied.

  “I'll have you know...” Dave joined in. “...that the Essex ones, especially the men, are much tastier than mere mortal witches like me.”

  Hitting his arm, I shook my head. In a time of need, it was good to know that Dave would throw me to the vampires before himself. It was almost laughable.

  My skin itched near the binds. The vampire blood had healed the welts, but they were slowly starting to return. The glass sat in my pocket, the sharp edge beckoning to me. If only the men would take their eyes away long enough for me to manoeuvre my hands into my pockets. Or, at least get Dave to take it out.

  “When was the last time you ate?” the newer vampire asked. “I thought she said she'd bring us blood bags?”

  Snorting through their noses, the other two shook their heads. The smaller one got up and went to the kitchenette to put the kettle on. All three vampires glanced at one another, a question in their raised eyebrows. When would they get the blood promised to them?

  “I'm hungry too,” Dave interjected. “I haven't had my tea. Gemma was going to cook me burgers tonight. Can we get a take away?”

  The men looked at him, an ironic smile coming to their lips. I was about to open my mouth and use manipulation to appeal to their hunger when a tingling in my chest made me stop. My intuition told me that something was about-

  “What's that?” one of the men said, looking towards the door.

  It crashed open, the wood rebounding off the wall. A cloud of smoke bellowed into the room, instantly filling it. Dave's hands nudged my leg as I surged from the sofa, ready to try and escape. It was probably Paranormal MI5. Jake was bound to have attempted to check in with us, regardless of what my mother had said. When neither of us had replied, he would've come looking.

  “Gemma,” Dave's voice rose through the smoke. “Don't run, just stay here. I can feel Jake.”

  A hand suddenly clamped around my mouth from behind, the feminine fingers strong as I tried to dislodge them. Brianna's flowery perfume slipped up my nose, making me choke more than the smoke that was starting to fade. I could just make out the shape of figures tussling on the ground, the vampires obviously putting up a fight.

  “I'm afraid you have to come with me.”

  Brianna's voice was soft as something sharp stabbed into my neck. Trying to call out to Dave, my muffled voice met with resistance as darkness overtook my brain.

  *

  “Don't drop her, we need her,” Brianna's voice came through my clogged mind as I woke up.

  My body was moving, my limbs weightless as someone carried me. The drug they used to knock me out was slowly wearing off. Nausea rolled my stomach, making me heave. How long had I been out? Where was I?

  “She's going to puke on me!”

  My body was released, smashing onto a hard surface. Groaning, I opened my eyes, almost jumping back when Florian's frightened eyes came into view. We were laying side by side on the floor. Looking up, I blinked rapidly, trying to bring the flickering flame above my head into focus.

  “A job well done,” came a familiar shaky voice.

  Sitting up, I cringed as my head spun. Pressing my tied hands to my stomach, I fought the urge to throw up onto the cavern floor. We were in some kind of underground cave. The walls were made of solid rough stone forming an open area big enough for a living space. The magic in the cave was strong, the vibration humming through my limbs. No wonder I felt sick.

  “Ah, she's awake,” Xvair Harvey announced, leaning on his walking stick as he watched me.

  Standing in the centre of the room, Xvair glanced at Brianna and her vampire boyfriend. They had obviously managed to escape from Paranormal MI5's raid. Hopefully
Kate and Jake had managed to rescue Dave. Would he worry about me?

  “You have to let me go,” I muttered.

  My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, the drug completely drying it out. Looking around instinctively for water, I frowned as I noted every inch of the cave. A bed was pushed into a corner, the cover pulled halfway up. A tin bath was sat on the opposite side, the water in it steaming. Xvair Harvey's hideaway was in the tunnels under London. Devon had told me about the underground network under the city, but it had never been in our jurisdiction.

  Hobbling towards me, Xvair, whose wrinkled face was hanging, his chin almost dangling with loose skin, grinned at me. “It's good to see you again. I'll enjoy punishing you for killing Lucien in such a cruel fashion.”

  “He deserved it,” I spat. “And, so do you.”

  Trying to tug my hands free of the rope that bound them, I growled in frustration.

  Xvair ignored me, moving to look down at his son.

  Florian slowly sat up, wincing when his tied hands pulled against the movement. There was no expression of familiarity between the pair, and yet, Xvair stared, almost longingly.

  “You look like me. Well, when I was a young strapping man.”

  “Who are you?” Florian asked, a bite in his tone. “Why am I here?”

  Shaking his head slowly, Xvair clicked his tongue. “You're my son. When your mother found out that she was pregnant, she was so full of joy. An enemy of mine informed her that I was a witch who had lived longer than any witch in history. I loved your mother, so I confessed everything to her. At first, she was fine with the idea that I would only need your first born child...”

  “I doubt that somehow,” I muttered, pressing my arm against my jacket pocket to check if the glass shard was still there. It was.

  Sneering at me, Xvair turned back to his son. “The bitch lied to me. She ran away in the night, taking you with her. I never saw you again.”

  Florian swallowed hard, his eyes almost bulging. “She told me about you. You're sick in the head. No one should ever take another life in order to prolong theirs, it's against Mother Earth's nature.”

  My ears perked up. Maybe I would have an ally in Xvair's son. Maybe he knew more about the witch world than he had let on. If his mother had been truthful with Florian, he could very well detest his father as much as I did. Working together might not be out of the question.

  “You can judge me all you like, lad,” Xvair said slowly. “I don't actually care to bond with you. I just need your pure blood.”

  Brianna and her friend called to Xvair, asking him for their payment. He laughed, his head thrown back before he turned to them. “So impatient. Vampires are such a weak species.”

  “Excuse me?” Brianna's hands were on her hips, her gaze avoiding me.

  “He's right...” I joined in. “You're the weakest creature of the underground. My respect for your kind has been completely lost.”

  Her jaw tightened, but she still ignored me, which meant that I'd hit a nerve. She would have come back with a sarcastic remark if she truly believed that what she had done was worthy. My insides quivered, heat running through my whole body. The anger that pierced me every time I looked at her face would be enough to fuel my power to end them all.

  “The PFF expects full participation in the ritual.” Brianna held her hand out to Xvair, offering a silver engraved stamp.

  The corner of the old man's lip tried to quirk into his cheek, but the rolls of old skin prevented movement. I couldn’t tell if he was smiling or frowning.

  Instead of replying to her, he indicated that she put the stamp on a small table, next to a jug of blood red liquid.

  “Florian, my son,” Xvair said, turning back to us. “You know nothing of this world, but I will teach you its ways. Once you've been forged to the ley line, you can kill Gemma and have sole control.”

  I went to speak, but he flicked his hand, silencing me with a spell. He couldn't have had much magic left, but as he held out his hand to Brianna, he smiled down at me. Trying to lunge to my feet, I tripped, toppling over. I would not let them get away with their evil plans.

  “I'll carve these runes into you, enabling the spirits of Hell to rise with a ritual I found in my ancestors’ grimoire.”

  Brianna went over to the flickering flame of the old fashioned torch and held the silver stamp to the fire. Her face screwed up as the heat burnt her vampire skin, but she held firm.

  “Why do you want the spirits of Hell on Earth? How will that help you?” I took a deep breath after hearing my shaky voice.

  The others in my team would have no idea where I was. If I wanted to outwit Xvair, I would have to remain calm. If I could somehow get the binds off my feet at least, I would be able to harness the magic in the cave. Xvair was able to stay alive because he lived in the spot where the ley line crossed under the Earth. No wonder the ancestors had told me that he had to die. He was still draining the planet of magic, causing the imbalance.

  “The PFF think it's high time the humans stood to heel. Demons of Hell will most certainly help us to overpower them, which will make it impossible for them to defeat us.” Xvair watched as Brianna came over with the stamp.

  Holding it out, she offered it to the ancient witch, raising one eyebrow when he took it from her. Not one utterance of pain came from his lips as he turned and sank to his knees in front of Florian. The red hot metal must have burnt his frail skin, but he obviously couldn’t feel anymore.

  Florian stared at his father, his eyes flicking to me as Xvair lurched forward, pushing the stamp onto Florian's wrist. In an attempt to pull away, Florian pushed at his father's arm, trying to disconnect him.

  “Leave him alone!” I shouted, throwing my body towards Xvair.

  Managing to knock him over, I laughed as Brianna and her male friend grabbed me, pinning me to the ground. I tried to buck them off, but their vampire strength was too much for my magic-less body.

  “My ancestors wrote a spell that swapped bloodline relatives.” Xvair righted himself. “For instance, my great, great, great, great, great uncle Charlie didn't want to protect the ley line, so he cast a spell to convert the forge to my grandfather. Of course, we know that our privilege was taken away, but it's time to restore it.”

  “I don't want any part of this,” Florian snapped, his young eyes blinking.

  “I originally thought that I would have to force you to marry one another but it seems I don't! Isn't that a bonus?” Xvair laughed as he handed the stamp back to Brianna.

  The male vampire held me tightly, pulling me to my feet.

  Brianna rushed over to the flame, heating it again.

  Cringing as Xvair placed his hand over Florian's wrist, right where the new burnt brand glowed red, I listened to the Latin words that formed the spell that prepared us for the ritual.

  Thrusting my head back forcefully, I ignored the pain as my skull cracked against the vampire's nose. He sucked in a breath, but his grip stayed firm. If only I could access the magic that was screaming to enter me.

  “Play nice now, Gemma Abbott,” Xvair muttered. “Once the ritual is done, you'll be free.”

  “Free?” I went still, watching as Brianna made her way back over to us. “How can I be free? You're going to force your son to rape me.”

  Laughing, Xvair came closer, his hand extending to my old best friend. “Well, that was the original plan, but since I found out about this spell... and your death... I realised that I could just live the way you do.”

  Dropping the stamp into Xvair's palm, Brianna came back to me. I growled at her, the sound literally bubbling up my chest. Grabbing hold of my arm, she held tightly, looking at the ground as Xvair reached forward.

  “No!”

  My fight was pointless. I was held firm by two vampires, tied by magic-limiting ropes. I had no chance of escaping the brand that came towards me. My teeth gritted together as the heated metal made contact with the inside of my lower arm. My sucked in breath released as the
pain ran through my body, my singed skin letting off a hideous smell.

  “Once my son has taken the line from you, I will no longer need children. He'll just forge his blood with me and we'll share the line together. I've seen that Mother Earth allows you to live, even though you're dead.”

  Letting the metal stamp drop to the ground, Xvair placed his pale wrinkly hand over the rune mark and recited the same spell.

  I fought the tears that came to my eyes but hopelessness squeezed my chest. My power was gone, I could no longer fight.

  “How will I be free?” I said quietly.

  Moving away, the evil man looked over his shoulder at me. “As you detach from the ley line you're so fond of protecting, your body will start to die. To prevent anyone from resurrecting you, my son will use our Essex dagger, plunging it into your heart.” A smirk came to his lips as his chin wobbled. “You, Gemma Abbott, will be the last Abbott witch of your line. I will destroy all that you have, all that you are, and all that you will be.”

  Chapter 11

  “Do you really think you can get away with this?” I spat to Brianna as she dragged me across the car park.

  A run down church, the spire completely decimated, stood above us, the dark night throwing the shadow of the building across the graveyard. The night air was cool against my skin as I stumbled, my boots scuffing against the gravel. There was no one around, not even an animal.

  Xvair followed us slowly, his cane the only other sound in the area.

  “You can't do this!” I heard Florian say behind me.

  Brianna's male companion dragged the poor man behind us. Ever since his father had made the revelation that he wanted him to kill me, he had stayed pretty silent. I had no idea who the man was and what he was capable of, but I did wonder whether he would break under pressure. He certainly hadn't shown me that he was a powerful witch so far.

  Brianna and her friend stayed quiet as we traipsed towards the church. The clouds moved to reveal the bright full moon, the light illuminating the stone angel who stood proud on the nearest grave to the iron gate. The eerie stains that streamed down the angel’s cheeks made me shudder.