Cliff was going on and on about Jesus, making himself out to be some kind of religious nut. Scarlett grinned. She’d had no idea he was so quick-witted or, indeed, creative. She didn’t have to listen long to get the gist of what was going on.
They were trying to get away, but he kept stopping them, saying they were too busy and should find time to spend with Jesus. He was really convincing, too. She tried to stifle her laugh, and as she did, a crumb caught in her throat.
She thrust her hand over her mouth, eyes bulging, cheeks aglow, desperately fighting to breathe without coughing her guts up. It was either cough or choke to death. She took a deep breath and squeaked out a cough. Cliff turned, caught her eye and nodded.
“Okay, gentlemen,” he said to them. “You two be on your merry way now and just you remember what I told you.”
They crossed the road, with Cliff and the policemen heading off in opposite directions. Scarlett hung her bag over her shoulder and walked in the direction that Cliff had gone, discreetly hiding her face from the policemen as she passed. By the time she arrived at the car, her hip was in agony from where the bag had thumped into her as she walked.
As Scarlett went to throw her bag into the back seat, she received the shock of her life. A feline body jumped up onto her shoulder.
“How did it go? Any problems?” Raven purred at her. “I took the liberty of climbing in through the window.”
Scarlett slipped into the passenger seat. “None at all.” She glanced at Cliff. “I had Jesus on my side.”
Raven laughed. “I never had you down for that kind of thing.”
“Cliff spun them a yarn. You should’ve heard the outrageous things he was saying.”
Cliff turned to look at her. “I had to think on my feet and once I got started, there was no—”
Scarlett grinned at him. “There was no stopping you. Like when you sink your teeth into someone’s neck.”
“Yeah. Exactly like that.” He glanced in the wing mirror. “Come on, let’s get out of here. Before the poor unsuspecting souls wise up to the fact they’ve been hoodwinked.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Slater Residence, Bicester, England
Over two hours had passed since the team were last here. Having acquired all their materials they had taken them back to Scarlett’s house to perform the priming ceremony. She had been learning about the Orante formula in order to charge a talisman. This went much further.
Under Raven’s auspices she fumbled her way through a strange concatenation of spells from her grimoire in Latin and Hebrew, phonetically sounding out the translations scribbled under the text. It had been a long and exhausting process, but one that Raven insisted was necessary if the spell was going to work.
As they had been finishing up Cliff had suggested they use his car in the hopes that the muted color would be more inconspicuous. If they were going to do something risky and possibly illegal, it was best to minimize their chances of drawing any kind of attention.
The group piled into the car, bracing against the cold, carefully carrying their spelling objects in carrier bags to disguise the sacredness of what they held.
Once they were in, Cliff glanced nervously from Scarlett to Raven. “Back to Robert’s flat?”
Scarlett nodded. “’Round the back of Costa.”
Cliff nodded. “Yes, I remember.” He started the car, flinching against the sound as if even being in the car was breaking some kind of rule.
The roads were fairly quiet given the late hour. Cliff pulled around past Costa, they took a right and pulled up in a side street, just around the corner from the flat.
Cliff moved to open his door. “Here we are.”
Raven, who had opted to sit in Scarlett’s lap for the second drive, placed a paw on Scarlett’s hand. “Wait a minute.”
“What is it?”
“I just wanted to make sure everyone knows what we’re letting ourselves in for.”
She frowned down at her. “Thought we were going to cast a spell, weren’t we?”
Raven nodded. “Yes we are, but it’s a pretty big spell. Definitely not one for the faint-hearted.”
Scarlett thought about the choices she’d made earlier and felt a rush of panic. “Do you not think I can do it?”
“Well, let me explain it to you first.”
She thought about all of Tabitha’s books she’d read and wondered what she might have misunderstood. “By all means.”
“Okay.” Raven took a deep breath and began. “The spell is a big deal because any slight imbalance could have dire consequences.”
Her eyes widened. “What type of consequences?”
“The type that could take us permanently back to that time—or sooner.”
Scarlett gaped as Raven continued.
“Or, well, do you remember what I said about paradoxes? The whole area between here and Oxford could be sucked into a black hole of nothingness.”
“Really?” said Scarlett, feeling the panic rise in her chest. “I should have just put the knife back! Oh my God, what have I done?”
“Relax,” said Raven. “I’m talking worst case scenario. Didn’t mean to put you off entirely; it’s still better than putting the knife back.”
Cliff looked between the two women before offering his thoughts. “Tell you what, I wish Tarquin was here. I for one would feel much better if he was on the case.”
Raven shook her head. “No. Don’t think that’s a good idea. He’d put a block on this, I know he would.”
“Maybe for a good reason,” Cliff said.
Raven tutted and ignored him. “No, if we’re going to do this, we have to do it ourselves.”
Scarlett placed her hand on the handle of the car door, finding her courage once more. “Right, are we ready to go then, people?”
Raven sprung off her lap, onto the sidewalk. “Well, I’m good.”
Cliff threw out an arm. “Hold on just a minute.”
Raven sighed. “Oh, what is it now?”
“How do we know they haven’t got this place under surveillance too?”
“Oh,” Raven tilted her head to the side. “Good point… also, someone may have already reported your earlier visit.”
Scarlett’s mind flashed up a possible scenario in which they’d gone traipsing into the flat only to be caught red-handed. It would have been kind of similar to a modern-day Guy Fawkes. She took out her phone. “I’ll just see what they’re up to.”
It didn’t take long for her to find the information she needed. It was all over the police site as well as the news section of the local radio station. “There’s been some break-ins and they’re diverting most of their resources to find out what’s going on there.”
Cliff smiled. “By there, you mean not this break-in? That’s a stroke of luck, isn’t it?”
Raven led the way to McMillan’s flat. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s get a move on, shall we? Before anyone sees us and starts asking questions.”
+++
McMillan’s Flat, Market Square, Bicester
Vixen looked at the photos on the bed and felt her stomach turn. Raven had stolen her happiness and she was going to have her revenge, no matter what it took. A car door banged shut outside.
Peeking through a gap in the curtains, she grinned. Raven thought she was so smart, bringing her friends with her to go snooping around his flat. But what did they have with them? Clearing the curtains as far as she dared without risking being seen, she noted what they were carrying, put the photos away and waited.
The front door banged shut and their footsteps ascended the stairs. There was a man with them this time, someone new whose voice she didn’t recognize. When the door creaked open, she stepped into the closet, trying to listen in on their whispering.
The bedroom door handle lowered. She held her breath, exhaling again once they decided to move on to the living room. This is their first mistake, she thought, creeping across the room to stand with her ear to the bedroom door.
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Whilst she’d managed to work out for herself that they were doing some kind of spell, she’d been unsure until this stage what the spell was for. Although, she did have her suspicions that they were trying to learn what had happened to Robert, and more specifically, to see what part she’d played in it.
She stood with her ear to the door, listening to her own breathing, waiting for them to get started. In no time at all, the moving around and whispering stopped and the chanting started. Vixen left the confines of the bedroom to peek around the living room door.
She grinned. They were so engrossed in what they were doing that they were totally oblivious to her presence. Anyone with half a brain would have checked the place over before starting something like this.
The woman she’d seen snooping around the flat took center stage. She was called Scarlett, and she’d overheard her call the man Cliff. Vixen knew straight away what they were trying to do. She’d studied the spell often while she was learning witchcraft.
It was a difficult and powerful spell with some dire consequences if it went awry. She could feel the excitement bubbling up inside her. All she had to do was come up with a few words of her own. Then, her mind flashed back to the murder. The way she’d plunged the knife into his flesh, the way his screams hid the squelch as she twisted. Killing anyone was wrong, but to do this to someone she loved in a fit of rage? She felt a shudder at the thought of seeing the scene replayed.
It looked like this Scarlett was a witch too. Maybe she was, but from the looks of things, she wasn’t very strong. She wouldn’t be able to counteract a little meddling. Vixen took a deep breath, looked at the ceiling and began mumbling some incantations of her own. Much to her delight, Scarlett looked more than a little confused.
Flustered, Scarlett turned to look at Raven. “What’s happening? I don’t get it.”
Raven looked just as perplexed as Scarlett. “I don’t know. There must be some kind of interference.”
Bingo.
Cliff, the knight in shining armor, stepped forward to help out. It turned out he knew a thing or two about spells, on account of being a vampire. Vixen shook her head and gritted her teeth. What does he know about anything?
Vixen listened with interest as he explained himself to Scarlett.
“Well, this is my world, isn’t it? I’ve been acquainted with many witches in my time, so I’m kind of familiar with the lingo.”
Scarlett, bless her, looked puzzled. “But I thought witches didn’t usually like vampires?”
Cliff grinned in a way that made Vixen’s stomach twist in disgust. “That’s true, but we often end up working together. It’s just the way things are.”
Cliff gestured for them to stand back, took out some salt and made a white circle on the living room floor. Vixen thought about the cleaner’s reaction and had to stifle a chuckle.
“Stay inside the circle, Scarlett,” said Cliff. “It’ll protect you from the effects of the spell.”
Scarlett stepped inside the circle.
But Cliff wasn’t finished his lecturing. “Stay inside the circle. No matter what happens, you don’t leave its confines. Understood?”
Scarlett nodded and they lit the candles.
+++
Clarke’s Quarters, Barracks, RAF Bicester
Tim took out his phone, laid it on his wooden desk and glanced at the time. He’d wasted nearly half his day doing things for Scarlett. All he’d been able to think about was Raven and Vixen, so his regular work, the work he was paid to do, had gone by the wayside. He sighed, got to his feet and trudged to the mess hall to make a coffee.
Back at his desk, he sat back and extended his legs, trying to get comfortable. He had to try and clear his head. If he didn’t get to work soon, he’d have to stay late, which could have consequences further down the road. He couldn’t understand why people didn’t realize this. With the bitter taste of coffee lingering in his mouth, he pushed his chair in and switched on his computer. Two minutes later, he was beavering away, working even more efficiently than usual.
His phone rang. Not now, damn you, he thought, scowling. Whoever it was would have to wait and if it was important, it would serve them right. His typing continued but so did the ringing of his phone. Go away!
The ringing persisted until finally, he shook his head, scowled and answered it. “What do you—Tabitha! How nice to hear from you, again.”
From her tone of voice, it was clear that she’d noticed and fully understood his intonation, but had chosen to ignore it. “It’s Scarlett.”
“What about her?”
“Well, I don’t know how to tell you this, but I haven’t heard from her all day.”
“She’s most probably in Costa with Amanda, you know what she’s like. Have you tried ringing Amanda?”
“No, no. It’s more than that. Call it a witch’s intuition if you like, but I just get a sense that she’s in trouble.” There was a pause, as the older woman collected herself. “Tim, I‘m worried.”
He sat up straight. “What can I do?”
“Can you see if you can trace Scarlett’s phone? That should give us some kind of a clue, at least.”
“I’ll do it right away.”
He could hear Tabitha breathe out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
“There’s no need to thank me, no need at all. You just leave it all to me. Don’t worry about a thing.”
“Thank you. That was what I’d hoped you’d say.”
“You stay on the line if you like.”
“I will.”
Tim brought up the software on his computer, entered Scarlett’s number and waited for the circle to finish rotating. Seconds later, the screen flashed up an address. Tim nodded, then felt a rush of panic.
“Tabitha?”
“Yes, I’m here.”
“I’ve found it. I’ve got the address here.”
“Oh, good job. Read it out then.”
“Do you have a pen?”
“Yes, I’ve got a pen.”
Two minutes later, Tabitha sounded puzzled. “What’s she doing there?”
He hesitated. “I’ve no idea.”
“Sounds like you do, but you don’t want to tell me.”
“No Tabitha, I really don’t know why she’s there.”
“Right, well I’m going to have to go down and see for myself. Will—will you do me a favor, Tim?”
“Sure, anything.”
“Can you meet me there? I don’t know what I might find.”
Tim reached forward and switched off his computer. “I’ll meet you there.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
McMillan’s Flat, Market Square, Bicester
Cliff tugged on Scarlett’s sleeve. “Remember, don’t leave the circle and you’ll be okay.”
She flashed him a grin, her expression awash with trepidation. “Thanks, Cliff. Don’t know what I would have done without you.”
Cliff looked genuinely concerned. “Scarlett, are you sure you’re okay? You’re starting to tremble.”
Scarlett swallowed the ball of anxiety that was rising up in the back of her throat. “Yes, let’s just get on with it, shall we?”
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I know, Cliff. But I want to. I want to prove Raven’s innocence and prove to myself that I can carry out a spell like this. Think I’ll be stronger for it afterward.”
He nodded. “I understand.”
Cliff struck a match and walked around all four corners of the room, lighting up the array of candles that came in every size and shape imaginable, before stepping into the middle and doing the same to the rectangular formation that stretched back to the window. In no time at all, the living room, and indeed the entire flat was filled with puffs of smoke and the smell of hot wax.
A different color of smoke drifted across from each corner of the room until they converged in the middle and formed a multicolored cloud over the circle of salt.
Scarlett threw a nervous glance
around the room, pausing to lock eyes with Raven, who nodded her some encouragement.
Cliff again stepped forward. “Scarlett, it’s not too—”
She held her hand up, arm fully extended in his direction. “Shh.” The column of light grew taller, reaching, then intermingling with the cloud of smoke, producing a shower of golden rain drops.
The room fell silent as they all stood looking into the mesmerizing vortex. Raven was the first to notice. “Look,” she said, pointing into the rain.
Cliff and Scarlett peered into the rain and gasped as the outline of a figure appeared.
Raven grinned. “Scarlett, you did it. Well done.”
Scarlett wanted so badly to step into the shower and revel in her achievement.
Cliff urged caution. “Don’t lose focus now or all your good work will be for nothing.”
Just as her breaths turned shallow and fatigue started to make its presence felt, the outline turned into a clear human form. It was a woman, of average height, maybe shorter. She had long, straight dark hair and a spiteful face. She reminded Scarlett of the evil Queen she’d once seen in an animation of Sleeping Beauty.
“Looks like a right nasty piece of work,” Cliff muttered, shaking his head.
Raven glared at him. “Shh. She’s doing something.”
A window appeared, prompting them to reposition themselves.
Cliff furrowed his brow. “What’s that she’s got here? Looks like she’s delivering some kind of gift.”
Scarlett nodded. “Yes,” she said through shallow breaths. “Th—that’ll be the chocolates.” She paused to breathe deeper. “And the card. The things I found on the table.” Right there and then, the day she’d found the chocolates and the card felt like a million light years away. And for all she knew, it could have been.
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