The Cure (5 page)

She touched his face. “Don’t worry about it. From now on, I’ll wait for the shower to heat up.”

Trapping her against the corner of the shower, he lifted her off her feet and stared into her eyes.

“You’re ready to fuck?” she asked.

“One night, right. One night for you in my arms, for me to fuck, make love, and to hold you.”

“One night,” she said.

“I’m going to take advantage of our one night together.” He cupped her cheek, sliding his thumb across her bottom lip.

“We’ve got to fight them.”

“We don’t have to. Tomorrow night, we can run.”

“Where to?”

“Anywhere. We can run to the end of the earth. I told you I’d protect you, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

He found her heat once again, sliding all the way inside her. They both groaned together. “I’m not giving this up. Not a chance in hell of giving this up.”

The following morning, Sandra woke up still surrounded in darkness, yet the clock said it was a little after seven. Glancing toward Lucas, she released a sigh. He was scared of losing her and had spent the whole night fucking and making love to her. She didn’t want to leave him, and yet she didn’t have a choice. The Cure was still a problem. They were closing in, and it didn’t matter how far they ran, they’d keep on coming.

Climbing out of the bed, she made her movements slow so as not to awake him. Moving as far from Lucas as she could, she opened the curtain and saw the sun was shining. Staring into the garden, she saw Sean and Patricia drinking and talking.

Grabbing some clothes that were hung in the wardrobe, she stepped into them, making her way down toward the garden.

The moment she entered the garden, the warlock and witch turned toward her.

“I’ve got to go and do a perimeter check,” Sean said.

He wouldn’t look at her, and so Sandra made her way toward Patricia.

“He’s angry at me.”

“No. He’s angry at Lucas but he’s taking it out on you,” Patricia said. “Coffee?”She shook her head. “Nah, I don’t want any coffee.”

“Lucas is confined to the house until nightfall.”

“I know.”

They stayed silent for several seconds, and Sandra looked around the old grounds that were once owned by the coven.

“The Cure takes out witches as well?”

“We’re strong. A coven is stronger than single witches as we channel our energies through each other. The Cure came during one of our Wicca moons. We didn’t expect to be invaded, and so we were weakened. They came, they killed, and I was the only survivor.”

The pain in Patricia’s voice was easy to hear.

“I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s something that can’t be helped. What has happened has affected everyone. The Cure, they want to take over the world, run it, and have everyone at their mercy. We can’t let that happen.”

“Lucas wants us to run.”

“Running will only get you so far.” Patricia turned to look back at the house. “I can’t keep running anymore.”

“I don’t want to run. I know why Lucas wants to run, and I can’t fault him for that. We’ve found each other, and the thought of anything happening to him last night is what brought the wolf out of me.” Sandra touched her chest. “I’m not going to run.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to go and hunt out The Cure. We find their source of wolves, we take out their strength. Once we free the wolves, even weakened, these vamps won’t stand a chance.”

“What are you hoping to do?”

“You must have something of Malcolm’s to do like a locator spell. Wherever these vamps are, they’ll be guarding their bounty. Something with metal doors, locked cages.”

“They can’t teleport in or out,” Patricia said.

“That’s right. What if I can?” Sandra asked.

She’d been dreaming about saving the wolves that were trapped, being used as nothing other than food.

“What do you mean?”

“Last night, I teleported because of my connection with Lucas, and I was able to turn into a wolf. What if I can teleport into these cages, and bring the wolves out, without even alerting the vamps that I’m there?”

“That’s one fucked up plan,” Sean said, coming back.

“How long have you been listening?” Sandra asked.

“Long enough to know it’s crazy. Fighting The Cure is going to be certain death. What you’re doing is a suicide mission without any guarantees.”

Sandra growled. “Look around, you smart ass. We’re in broad daylight, and if what we know is correct, they’re feeding on wolves, so they could be hunting us now. They’ve got us running scared, and they’re usually-guarded bounty could be exposed. What better way to hunt us than to do it when we least expect it?”

Sean stood back, rubbing his chin. “It’s possible.”

“They don’t know about me and Lucas. I don’t even know if Lucas can walk out in the sunlight yet. This is worth a chance.”

Patricia and Sean shared a look. “It’s worth a shot.”

“What do you propose we do?” Sean asked.

“You must have something of Malcolm’s. Wolves carry the most scent, so I’m not being biased to any kind here. He’s a wolf, and the wolves are what the vamps are feeding on. We take the wolves out of the equation, they will weaken. Locate the area that Malcolm is at. I will teleport to him and come back with him.”

“This is a crazy plan.”

“It beats running, and when Lucas wakes up, it’s what he’s going to want to do. We’ve only got a short time to decide what to do. I don’t know when he’s going to wake up, and when he does, he may be able to walk in the sunlight. If not, we’re trapped here till nighttime where The Cure can find us, easily.” Sandra ran her fingers through her hair. “What do you want to do?”

“This is a plan,” Patricia said.

“If it doesn’t work, and Sandra ends up trapped in the metal cages, what then?”

“Then you’ve got to come and get me.”

“Fuck, Lucas is going to be pissed if we let this happen,” Sean said, pacing.

“What’s the issue?” Sandra asked.

“Sean and Lucas have been friends for a couple of hundred years. If he risks your life, he’s risking his friendship with his friend.”

She’d not even thought about it like that.

“I’ve got to do something,” Sandra said.

“Fight or die. It’s only one option.”

“Then let’s do it.”

Patricia pulled out a necklace from her pocket. “This belongs to Malcolm. I just need a map.”

When she went to go inside, Sandra grabbed her arm. “No. We can’t go inside. We can’t risk it.”

“Then let’s go to the shed just down there by the stream,” Patricia said.

“It’s by the boundary, Patricia. We go there, and you do magic, it can be tracked.”

“It’s worth the risk.”

Entering the large shed, Sandra groaned at the sight of the spiders and webs.

“I hate creepy crawlies.”

“They don’t bother me,” Patricia said, going to the far shelf. She grabbed a map of the world and spread it out over the table. “This could take a little time. Sean, keep an eye on the boundary. I’ve put an extra detail in. If vamps are close by, the boundary will shimmer blue sparks.”

Sean looked out of the window, holding his hands up to the glass.

“I hope you’re serious about this,” Patricia said.

“I am.”

Patricia nodded, closed her eyes, and started to chant words that Sandra didn’t understand. She watched the necklace circle over the wide map, going around and around.

Goosebumps erupted over her arms, as the chanting got louder, and the necklace spun faster. Stepping back, Sandra gasped as the necklace landed on a spot.

“They’re there,” Patricia said. “All of them. They’re there, waiting, and they’re all weak. There are loads of them.”

“We need to leave the boundary,” Sean said. “We can’t do this here. We’re at risk.”

“Let’s go then.”

They walked back toward the center of the grounds. “I just need to visualize what the inside looks like,” Sandra said.

“You don’t. Remember what Malcolm looked like. It will take you to him, and you can bring him back.”

Letting out a breath, Sandra stared at the two people. “If Lucas wakes up, just tell him where I am. He’ll come for me.”

Thinking about Malcolm, the last time she saw him, she put his face and body details in her mind, and blinked.

“Holy fuck!”

Opening her eyes, she turned around in the small cage and gasped. There on the floor was Malcolm.

“Sandra?”

“It’s me.”

He climbed off the floor, gasping, and that’s when she saw his body was covered in blood. His clothing torn from the bite marks of the vampires. “They don’t exactly feed cleanly.”

“What the fuck you talking to her for?”

She turned around, and Sandra gulped. There were easily over a thousand wolves trapped; men, women, and even children.

They were waiting for the children to grow up in order to feed on them. Sickness washed over her, and she wrapped her fingers around the bars.

“The Cure have gone?” she asked.

“They said they were going hunting for a rogue female wolf,” Malcolm said. “That’s you?”

“Vampire bitch.” One man cursed.

Sandra snarled. “I’m mated to a vampire, you fuck. I’m here to take you back. I’m a wolf.”

“Vampires teleport. Not wolves.”

Show him.

The wolf in her mind spoke and, staring at the men, Sandra answered the call of her wolf, bringing her forward to show him. “I’m a wolf.”

“Fuck, the legends are true.”

“What legends?”

“Vampires and wolves mating.”

She listened to the talking echoing around the cages.

“Listen up. I’m a wolf, and I’m mated to a vampire. The Cure right now are out there hunting me, hunting the very people trying to find you. We’ve got a plan to get you out.”

“What is it?” Malcolm asked.

“I’m going to try and teleport you all out of here. Take their food source from them, and it weakens them. All of us being together is better than dying one by one. It was our weakness not to band together against them. We can fight The Cure, together.”

Sandra watched them all stand up. Even weakened they were trying to fight what was happening to them. In that moment she couldn’t believe the power of hope. With hope, they were willing to fight.

Going to Malcolm, she took a breath.

“This might not work, and you could be trapped here,” he said.

“I know, but it’s worth a shot.”

Wrapping her arms around his arm, she thought about Patricia and Sean. Nothing happened. Her heart started to pound, and a sick feeling began to build.

“Relax,” said the man who’d been cursing her. Glancing toward him, Sandra didn’t recognize him. “Teleporting is a natural skill. If you’re stressed, it will fail.”

Nodding, she let out a breath, thought about Patricia and Sean once again, then closed her eyes.

“It worked. It fucking worked,” Sean said.

Releasing Malcolm, Sandra sat on the ground, and couldn’t believe what had happened.

“Are you alright?” Patricia asked.

“Yes. I can’t stay. I’ve got to go back. There are thousands of people waiting for me. Men, women, children, I’ve got to go.”

“Then go,” Patricia said.

Nodding, she closed her eyes, and imagined the man who’d cursed her.

“You came back.”

Opening her eyes, she saw him stand in shock. “I’m back. I can’t take the kids yet. They’re going to be the last I take,” she said.

“They need to get out of here.”

“If The Cure attacks where I’m taking you, they won’t save us. They’re weak and they’re young. I will come back for them, but I have to take you first.”

Over and over, Sandra went back and forward, teleporting as fast as she could. Within the hour, she’d taken a hundred wolves back.

Collapsing onto her ass by the second hundred, Patricia placed a bottle against her lips. “You’ve got to stop. You’re teleporting, and you’re not ready.”

“I’ve got no choice. I’m the only one who can do this.” Looking around the grounds, she released a breath. “We can do this. We’ve got no choice but to do this.”

Her body was shaking from not being used to doing what she was doing. She didn’t stop and kept on teleporting in and out of the room, bringing more people.

After another hundred, she had to take a rest. The wolves were looking at her, raising their cups of water in appreciation.

She could do it. She didn’t have much choice anymore.

Lucas woke up out of his dream and rushed toward the window. Something had been calling him, and he didn’t know what. The moment he saw the wolves surrounding the old coven, he rushed out of the house. The sun was still shining and yet, he didn’t care.

He found Patricia attending to a woman’s cuts at her throat, even though it looked like her throat had been ripped out.

“Where the fuck is Sandra?” he asked, drawing the attention toward him.

“Lucas, get back inside,” Sean said.

Looking up at the sky, he gasped at the beauty that was the sunshine, glaring down at him. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The sun hadn’t burst him into flames. He was alive, and the sun was so warm.

“He doesn’t need to,” Patricia said. “His link with Sandra is keeping him alive, and that same link is helping her to teleport them out of there. We can’t stop her, Lucas.”

“You let Sandra put her life at risk? I told you I would do everything in my power to protect her, and you’re doing this.” He gestured around the field full of wolves.

They were interrupted by Sandra bringing another person in. Lucas stepped forward, and Sandra rushed toward him. She was shaking, and he knew she’d pushed herself too hard.

“You’re going to kill yourself,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

“No, killing you is our job.” The growl came from the house, and they all turned to see The Cure swarming out of it. Lucas had never seen such a large group of vampires in one place.

“So, you’ve gone to steal our bounty, have you?” The one at the head of the caped vampires removed his headpiece, and Lucas didn’t recognize him, but he was a vampire. Next, all of The Cure started to remove their capes and smirked at them.