WitchLove (4 page)

I closed my eyes and let my soul reach upwards, out of my body and soar into the air… but I couldn’t. There was something stopping me, some kind of barrier. My head exploded in pain and I sat back in my seat dazed.

‘Jess, are you okay?’ Daniel said again, rushing round to my side and holding my hand.

‘No, I’m not ruddy okay. Get away from me!’ I figured there must be magical wards hindering my escape, which was pretty obvious if I’d stopped to think, but I hadn’t and I didn’t. I just needed out. I jumped up from my seat and ran. I leapt over Sebastian, who rose from his seat to intercept me, and used all the vampire speed I possessed to leg it out of there. The wooden doors crashed open as I shot through. The guards barely saw me coming and I dove through an open window and was outside, in the grounds, blinking in the light.

Naturally, being vampires themselves Daniel, Sebastian and the girl, Violet were hot on my heels, but I possessed the one thing they didn’t. I could fly. All I needed was one second before they caught me and I was up, my soul flying, my body close behind as I caught hold of the nearest ley line and was away. Thankfully the midday sun was now tempered with an accumulation of rain clouds, but I could still feel the warmth on my skin.

I didn’t know where to go. All I knew was that I wanted a bit of peace and somebody to talk to; someone who cared about me, someone who would listen. There was nobody, and once again I found myself wishing I still had Alex in my life. I had missed my best friend so much when I was a new vampire, yet I always had the hope that I’d get to see her again, get a chance to explain, but now she was dead. Really dead, and due to the striking violet eyes which showed up on the hospital security cameras we knew it was Cole’s psychopathic sister, Mary who had murdered her, shortly after I’d returned to Manchester.

That was when I knew where I had to go. I’d been once before, a month earlier so I envisioned the place and concentrated hard. I sped through the ley lines and after only a couple of minutes I found myself slowing down for my exit. This time I was determined to land properly, but it had to be surreptitiously as well, as it was now midday and there may be humans around. It wouldn’t do for a girl to fall out of the sky and land on her feet in the middle of a graveyard; people would get the wrong idea!

It’s hard to explain, but after slowing right down I could see where I wanted to land. The crematorium looked empty thankfully, but even so I headed for a thicket of old oak trees at the far end. I faced my feet forward, but instead of pointing them I flexed them, readying myself for landing. I flinched and instinctively bent my knees as I felt my feet touch grass. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the worst to happen. But it didn’t.

I opened my eyes. A perfect landing and there was absolutely nobody around to witness it, typical! I stepped out from behind the oaks and made my way across the garden of peace, winding my way past the vases of roses and flowers left on each neatly-manicured plot, sticking to the shady spots until I came to a stop in front of Alex’s. I looked down at myself and frowned. Even though I hated to admit it, Luke was right, this black vampire warrior look wasn’t me and I wanted to be myself, here of all places, but with only three months of magic practice with Brittany I didn’t have much to go on.

I didn’t know how to create an outfit, to make one materialise so I could actually wear it. All I had learnt was the rather nifty camouflage spell Brittany had utilised, the day of our escape. I could change my hair colour, style and even what I was wearing, but it was a mirage spell, so it used a lot of energy to hold it in place, but still it would do for a while.

I wanted to look respectful, good… I didn’t want Alex to think of me like the monsters that had tortured her, drank her blood and then murdered her. I whispered the spell and imagined my new look. I giggled. Maybe I’d gone one step too far, but I liked floaty dresses and didn’t often get the chance to wear them.

Southern England hadn’t had as much rain as the north, so after patting the soft turf in front of her plot, I gathered my maxi-dress around me and sat down, crossing my legs. I pulled my hair loose from its band, let it fall around my shoulders, closed my eyes and breathed. I didn’t care what the Council thought, I needed to gather my thoughts and then I’d go back and help defend Luke. It was unreal. I was exhausted and my skin was already feeling uncomfortable in the sun.

How could Daniel think it was even the slightest bit okay to do what he’d done to me, even if he
had
thought I’d cheated on him? I was so angry, that as soon as his face materialised in my mind, I felt a deep, searing hatred coiling and writhing like a snake on a bed of a coals.

I squeezed my eyes tighter and rubbed my palms over my face, over and over, trying to rub away the confusion and stress, and that’s when I felt it. There was a slight prickling at the base of my neck, the fine wispy hairs standing up, alerting me to someone’s presence, someone’s gaze. I opened my eyes and looked up, across the garden and stared right into those same violet eyes I remembered from the cells in London. Those same violet eyes that were caught on the security cameras. Mary was here, watching me. A smile slithered across her face, her eyes icy pits of hatred. She sneered at me as I jumped up in surprise and crouched into a defensive position.

‘I knew you’d turn up, if I persisted. Your weakness is your soul, Jessica. They say that your soul is your strength, that it will make you stronger than any of us, but they are wrong. Your soul weakens you, it makes you vulnerable, and now they will see just how vulnerable you are,’ she said, her whispered words carrying easily between us as she too crouched down low, getting ready to launch herself at me.

Great! I wanted a chance to kill this crazy bitch. I had planned to have a few more spells up my sleeve, but I would just have to fight vampire style. I didn’t fancy the inferno spell again, as it had given me a serious case of arsonphobia. I watched and waited. Let her come to me, I thought. But she didn’t. Just as she pulled back, there was a sudden crack of thunder, which was strange considering the bright blue sky. We both looked up, to see new white clouds rushing together and forming, and when I glanced back to the place where Mary had been, she was gone.

‘There you are. Your friends thought I might find you here, but why are you poised ready to attack in the opposite direction from the threat? Could you not tell the direction from which I was arriving?’

I jumped up and swivelled round. The elderly witch from the Council was standing directly behind me, smiling.

‘I err... it wasn’t you I was ready to attack. It was Mary, she was here.’ I answered.

‘Mary? Here? Are you sure, dear?’ she said, swiftly looking round in all directions, her grey eyes sharp and clear.

‘Yes, I’m sure. She’d been waiting for me apparently, but she vanished the instant we saw your clouds appear.’

‘Yes, she would, as she knows she is in great trouble. We will have to get back rather quicker than I anticipated, so we can notify the guard and they can search the area. Are you ready?’

‘I suppose so. Is Daniel still there?’ I asked.

‘No, we thought it better if he gave you some thinking time.’

I nodded, unsure as to whether I was pleased or if the niggling mixed up feelings in my belly were indicating something else.

‘I must say, I’m rather glad you decided to change. None of us could understand why you had chosen to dress in such defiant clothing today. This is much more befitting.’

I was confused. Firstly she didn’t seem at all annoyed regarding my departure from court, and secondly I’d never seen her or any of the Council before in my entire life, so how did she know what suited me?

‘Your aura, Jessica. It shows the soul inside, it shows us who you are. With the clothes you were wearing, I would have expected to see your aura shadowed with red, but yours was varying greens. That told us more about you than anything your statement could tell us.’

‘Oh!’ I felt a little silly, immature for thinking I could possibly dupe the Council with some black clothes.

‘Come now, we must get back.’

Chapter Four

I landed back in the grounds gently, travelling in the elder’s wake. I was tired, as the camouflage spell had been sapping my energy, so when we landed I could hold it no longer and I was back to being a vampire warrior.

‘Oh dear! What a nuisance. Just one tick… Here you are dear. Now you can go and change in the visitor’s bathroom.’ The witch, Adaryn, had done what I could not. She had conjured me the exact replica of the dress I had created with my illusion. She handed it to me with a smile.

‘I think your decision to stay with your aunt is a wise one, Jessica. She can teach you much, and there is much you need to learn.’

I nodded, feeling a pang.

‘Come, Luke is being questioned and I believe you can help him.’

We entered the vast manor house via a different wing to the one I’d entered with my friends. Adaryn had shown me to a vast, ornate bathroom, with velvet padded chairs and marble sinks. I quickly changed, and leaving my old clothes behind stepped into the hallway to find Violet waiting for me.

‘Adaryn told me to show you the way. Come.’

‘What’s your problem?’ I asked her as she stalked ahead of me, silent.

‘I’m sorry?’ she said, pausing to stop and look at me.

‘You have a problem with me. What is it?’ I asked, feeling suddenly annoyed that this girl who knew nothing about me had taken an instant dislike to me.

‘Why should I tell you? Because poor Jess wants to know? Because poor, wronged Jessie is having such a hard time and has such a lot to deal with?’ she said in a phoney baby voice.

‘What? No! I’ve never said that!’

‘I’ve worked my ass off for ninety years. It’s really damn hard to gain respect within the Council as a vampire, and then
you
turn up. You interrupt Balthazar and don’t even remember how to address him correctly and get away with it.
You
get a choice of where to go and what to study and get totally off the hook for roasting half the Southern vampire clan.
You
are the golden girl who gets away with charging out of court and disappearing; a vampire that can fly the ley lines. A freak… and yet for some reason they can’t get enough.’

‘You have got to be kidding me? I didn’t ask for this. So yeah, I’m new, so I get things wrong, and I know I’m stubborn sometimes, but I had to grow up fast after mum died, then this happened and I find I
can
make my own choices, even if they aren’t always right. I bet you didn’t have to deal with all this shit when you were a new vampire? I bet all you did was follow your maker round with gooey eyes doing what you were told, but I too am going to work my ass off and I hope in ninety years’ time I’m a nicer person than you!’

I stalked past her stationary figure, heading off down the corridor in what I hoped was the right direction, and it was only as I reached the end that she caught up to me.

‘This way,’ she said in a slightly softer tone, as she indicated the door on the right, opened it, and stepped through.

We were in a different room this time. It was much smaller and less formal. These stone walls had actually been plastered and papered, although probably some time ago, since the design was somewhat dated and ornate. Luke was standing on a raised section of flooring, a little like a stage, and the Council were sitting facing him. Caoimhe, Brittany and a couple of other angels sat in a row of seats placed along the edge of the room. Violet gestured for me to take a seat on the bench next to Brittany, who smiled and mouthed
nice dress
, as I gratefully sank down next to her.

‘What’s happening?’ I whispered directly in her ear.

‘Basically they’re giving him a right rollicking, but I think he’ll be okay, because angel’s can’t lie, so they know he’s told the truth when he says it was a one-off and was purely to save your life,’ Brittany whispered back.

‘So you say you no longer have the same romantic feelings for Jessica that you once did, when she was human?’ Ariel, the beautiful human-born angel asked Luke, her words making both me and Brittany jerk our heads up.

‘No, I do not. Even Jessie knows that I struggled with who she’d become until very recently. I hated that she was a vampire,’ Luke replied, quickly looking at me and then away.

‘But now those feelings have subsided?’ Ariel said.

‘Yes they have, and too much has come between us. I think Jess feels the same when I say that we don’t see each other that way any longer. We are
just friends
.’

Ariel and the other members of the Council seemed happy with his answer as they nodded slowly.

‘So Jessica, welcome back to court. Do his remarks hurt you? Did you feel something more when you bit him?’

Oh heck!
Suddenly and without warning all eyes turned to me and Ariel’s question rang in my ears. Of course I felt the same, we were friends now. I had Daniel… or I had, had Daniel, and then I’d lost Daniel and now he was back, wanting me… I really could not get into this right now. Luke needed me to get a grip and answer coherently! I looked up, and found myself staring straight into the eyes of Seth, the African Vampire. He smiled and ducked his head, urging me to speak.

‘Yes, I mean no, I didn’t feel anything
more
, well no more than any of the other times…’ Oh god! This was not coming out right. Luke looked confused, as did everyone else.

‘What do you mean
other
times?’ Balthazar said. ‘Luke has told us it was just the once, and we would be mightily surprised to find he had managed to lie.

‘I’m sorry Sir…Your Highness,’ I said, hearing Violet’s ‘tut’ just behind my ear. ‘I mean I’d been drinking bottled blood since I was turned and apart from Daniel, I’d only bitten one other person, before Luke that is… so I didn’t have much to go on. At the time I thought it was amazing, but I was dying, and new to the taste. Since then I have errr, fed normally in Sebastian’s club and I guess… well I guess I’m trying to say is that no, it wasn’t any different.’