Using my inhuman speed, I grabbed the knife hidden in my boot. I didn’t think I would ever need to use it. After all, I always relied on my magic. This was crazy, but my desperation had reached a new level. The Warlock guard most likely didn’t expect that I would try anything. She was much stronger than me and could easily use her complex magic to tie me down, but I no longer cared.
I grabbed her by the collar of her cloak and pushed her down, wrapping my elbow around her neck. My movements were quick, unexpected. A moment later I had a knife pressed against the side of her neck. This was most likely the stupidest and most desperate move, but I was done with bullshit. Alexis was going to die tonight whether she liked it or not.
“Hey, you fuckers, you let us all out, or this Warlock here is going to die. I’m done with wasting time!”
Chapter 9
“My gaze was trained already into his,
while he, brow raised, was thrusting out his chest,
As though he held all Hell in high disdain.”
―Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
Eve and one of the other Warlocks shot up on their feet. I swallowed hard, dragging my guard away with me. Her pulse was speeding. Zach was quickly disabled by one of the Warlocks, and Emma was arguing with another. Eve and two others were suddenly holding long, thin wooden sticks in their hands. I started moving toward the exit, gripping my knife tighter.
Zach was pinned down to the ground by one of the guards. He didn’t even have a chance to reach for his gun. I didn’t want him to shoot anyone. We just needed to get the hell out of here.
“Tell your guards to get away from my friends now!” I roared, losing my obedient girl attitude. That bitch couldn’t get away, she had no advantage in this world, in this dimension.
“You won’t get far. Demons were always less receptive to our magic. We could co-exist peacefully. We do work well with mongrels,” the muscular tall Warlock said, stepping out in front from the group in the back. My pulse spiked, and I pressed the knife harder. I wasn’t planning to hurt my guard, but these people weren’t listening.
“We are here to stop a demon from committing a crime. I told you that we didn’t want any trouble. Now you left me no other choice,” I shouted again, feeling like I had made too many mistakes already. “You get away from my friend, or this Warlock dies!”
The guard that held Zachary pulled away, taking a few steps back. Emma was already free; a second later, she was beside Zach. He wasn’t hurt, but he had been shot by the Warlock’s magic, and it weakened him.
Zach was struggling to breathe, but he was going to be all right. His eyes gleamed with twisted excitement. He was ready for anything just to get out of here. I thought about the potions that I had on me. Suddenly my whole crazy idea could work, but Emma and Zach needed to be close.
“Lori, stay calm; this mongrel girl won’t hurt you,” James said. He was the Warlock who spoke to me the first time. The female guard must have been his lover or relative, because he seemed very concerned about her.
“The hell I won’t. Trust me, I’m desperate and my time is limited. Let us leave and no one will get hurt,” I said, knowing that they were pointing at me with what looked like magic wands. If one of their spells struck me, I was as good as dead. Either way I had to act quickly. Alexis was moving faster than I anticipated.
“Maxine, what the hell are you doing? Who are you trying to protect?” Zach hissed in my ear.
“No one, that bitch is nearby, and she is going to escape again if I stay here and keep chatting away.” I spoke brusquely. “Get ready. I’m getting us out of here, using magic.”
He was just about to ask me what I meant, but there was no time. I reached into my pocket and held a small brown bag in my hands. Jinxed powder could transport me anywhere I wanted, but it was useless without a specific formula. It was a Latin phrase that I’d memorised a couple of years ago. It was a hell of a gamble. The formula could take me straight back to London, but right then, I was willing to take that risk.
Within a heartbeat, I made a decision. I pushed the female Warlock and tore the bag apart. The powder shone in the darkness, and I whispered the formula concentrating on the Forgotten Street. My pulse sped up instantly. I heard screams around me. With no time at all, I grabbed Zach and Emma. There was a loud bang, more screams, and a split second later, we crashed on the wet pavement somewhere outside. Disoriented and achy, I shot back on my feet, the adrenaline still moving through my system. Zach was massaging his head. I looked around, praying for us to be on the Forgotten Street. The area was too quiet for one of the streets of London. The mist was gone, and I had a feeling that the powder took us away from the Warlocks.
“What the fuck happened? Where are we?” Zach asked, brushing ash from his jacket and trousers.
“I used my magic to get us out of that circus,” I replied. “Emma, are you all right? We need to move, before those Warlocks decide to send a search party after us.”
“I’m fine, it’s just my ears are popped.” Emma giggled, and I seriously needed to figure out later on if part of her brain got damaged during my spell.
“Alexis is here. We need to move. Zach, take out your gun. You might need it,” I said and started jogging toward the empty street. Zach was complaining about the fact that he couldn’t see anything, but we didn’t have time to stop. The street lamps were off, and it was hard to get a sense of direction. I suspected that the time worked differently around here. Goosebumps appeared on my arms when I sensed the magical current all around us. Only several meters later we crossed another street, and on the corner, we stopped abruptly. It seemed like we entered yet another dimension: in this part, the streets were lit, cars were parked on the road, and we saw humans there.
My heart began thumping loudly in my chest. I could only hope that my spell took me to the right place. The wind picked up and small dots of rain began falling from the sky.
“What are they doing here? I thought this territory was only inhabited by Warlocks?” Emma asked when I stopped, wondering what to do next.
“I have no idea, but let’s keep going,” I muttered, aware that everyone was going about their business. The further we moved toward more inhabited territories, the stranger things became. Some of the houses disappeared, others seemed burned down and abandoned. Humans were walking up and down, chatting to each other like everything was perfectly normal. The streets were bright with lights that were suddenly everywhere.
“Do you hear this, guys?” Emma asked. “The music seems familiar. What is going on?”
Indeed, I heard the music coming from the other side of the road. It seemed that humans were heading there with their children.
“I think we should follow them,” Zach suggested, pointing at the light beaming in the darkness on the south side of this mysterious place.
“Daddy, let’s go quickly; otherwise the circus will disappear,” a little boy screamed as he stepped out of the terrace house on our right. His ginger father glanced at us for a brief moment, then turned his attention to the boy.
“Let’s hurry then, we don’t want to miss all the fun,” the father responded. I thought about my vision back when I was with the Warlocks. Summer was so happy back then. I had lost track of Alexis, so maybe it was wise to follow them to the circus. Slowly I began suspecting that people who lived in this dimension couldn’t be fully human, but they weren’t demons, either. I shook my head, reminding myself that this wasn’t important.
“Zach is right. Alexis must be heading there,” I said. Matilda must have vanished once she realised Summer was in danger, but Alexis somehow found out about this place. Someone must have been helping her.
“Oh, my Lord, I love the circus. Suzi always tells me that she wants to go and see clowns,” Emma said, rushing behind me. Warlocks were supposed to be wiped out; demons ruled in Hell and on Earth, and I didn’t understand how this dimension even existed.
We kept following the humans for about fifteen minutes until the ro
ad opened up to a large square. The colourful tent had been built right in the middle, attracting humans with their children. People were queuing to get inside.
It was a typical fun fair event with rides, screaming children, food stands, and other attractions. I was certain that we weren’t in London, and I was tempted to grab someone and ask for the name of this little town. A tiny voice in my head told me to stay back and just watch the crowd.
“This whole thing is amazing,” Emma announced with her eyes wide. Then between a girl in the yellow dress and some older couple who were drinking lemonade, I thought I saw a glimpse of a green silky dress. The woman who wore it had her back to me, but I could have sworn that it was Alexis. She was moving through the crowd of people.
“There. I see someone. Let’s keep moving!” I shouted, knowing that I couldn’t waste anymore time. Suddenly everyone was blocking my way, pushing me, and screaming. My energy rose, and I kept moving, passing people, keeping an eye on her back.
Zach and Emma were shouting after me, but I couldn’t stop. Images of Summer and Matilda were vivid, rolling in front of my eyes. She was quick, circulating between people while I struggled. Kids, there were so many kids jumping in front of me. One of them nearly knocked me off my feet.
“Hot dogs, burgers all for a pound,” someone yelled right in my ear. It seemed to me the people were purposely walking into me. My fingertips were sparkling, my excellent vision couldn’t have misled me. All I could think of was the green silky dress and the red hair. She was right there, a few meters ahead of me. Shortly after that, she disappeared behind a large tent, away from the crowd.
My heart stuttered in my chest, the energy pulsating deep in my bones. Finally, when I was away from the crowd, I found myself at the back of the circus. Right in front of me, there were hundreds of old gypsy caravans.
A wave of strong magic wafted through the air, and Alexis’s energy hit me like a cold summer rain in the middle of the day. I couldn’t waste time waiting around for Zach and Emma. They were going to be fine.
The caravan site seemed deserted, but most of the artists were inside, performing. I started moving around, trying to locate her. My muscles were tense, throat dry, as I walked, passing colourful caravans. I could sense that bitch near me, she must have been a couple of meters ahead.
I created a fireball and kept balancing it in the centre of my palm. I walked slowly, concentrating on all my power. The last spell weakened me slightly, but not enough to become a victim again.
“Well, well, well, who do we have here?” a voice asked that I mildly recognised. I lost my balance, and my fiery ball vanished, leaving burning marks on my hand.
A split second later, I turned around facing a demon I had met before. He was the stranger who’d stood by the fountain in the night market, connecting people to opportunities. We’d shared a kiss, a very intimate and erotic kiss that nearly cost me my life. I shook my head, trying to block his energy, focusing harder on my task, but I was losing my head again. I was here to kill Alexis.
“Hey, listen, I would love to stay and chat, but I have to go,” I snapped, ready to sneak to the next corner, but the stranger grabbed me quickly and pulled me toward his body. Somehow, he managed to tackle me, pinning me to the wall of an old blue caravan. His cologne was sexy as hell, and his eyes were staring directly into my demonic soul. His magic began causing havoc inside my overheated body.
No, no, no, I couldn’t let him in. This guy was using his demonic abilities to steal one more kiss from me, so he could keep me with him forever. Dark eyes, olive skin, and that cologne. Suddenly I was melting, feeling like I was in the palace with Arthur.
“No, you have been naughty. You will stay here with me,” he muttered, placing a small kiss on my neck. I had to close my eyes not knowing what was happening to me. Suddenly my pulse began racing. The excitement rose, and all I could think about was him making love to me. There was something that I had to do, something important.
Then he kissed me, and the fire burned through me, spreading quickly. Suddenly he was touching my thighs, running his fingers over my cleavage.
“No, please, let go of me,” I begged, but my body responded to his touch, wanting and needing more. The hot demon in front of me was everything I ever desired.
“Sweet mongrel girl, did you think I wouldn’t see through that spell in the market? I had a feeling we would meet again,” he said, wrapping his moist lips around mine. His kiss was mind-blowing, but the tiny voice in my head kept telling me that I had to get away from him before his spell enchanted me completely.
When he kissed me again, I suddenly remembered. Alexis. I was after Alexis. I used my electric magic to push him away from me. Then glancing back, I saw my enemy several meters away, hiding between two caravans. I screamed, but no sound came out of my mouth. Every part of my body seemed paralysed. I couldn’t move. The stranger’s energy embraced mine, locking me to the spot.
“You’re mine to keep, Maxine Brodeur. You can’t escape now.” He was saying, running his finger down my arms.
My head was turned, and I was looking directly at Alexis. She couldn’t see me from there. The stranger demon had done something to my abilities. Alexis’s face was deformed, some parts of her skin were hanging off, but she hid it under the charm. The colour drained from my face when I saw Summer standing several meters away from her. The sudden shock punched the air out of my lungs. She couldn’t be there. She was supposed to be with Matilda.
No, no, this wasn’t happening right now. It was a dream, a cruel part of my subconscious mind. Alexis wasn’t going to get my daughter.
“Just a few more steps, darling, and it’s going to be all right.” Alexis was saying, spreading her arms wide.
The child looked so vulnerable and hesitant. The stranger demon was talking to me, but I wasn’t paying attention to him.
Then we both heard a scream.
“Summer, get away from her!”
Matilda was running toward her, paled and hurt. She was bleeding, slowing down, then running again. I fought with myself, fought with my magic to get it working again.
Summer smiled—it was a stunning, joyful smile—and then she grasped Alexis’s hand. I screamed silently, breaking apart. Then Matilda screamed, “Nooo.”
But it was too late. There was a loud bang, and they vanished in front of my eyes. I was left behind. It was over. My daughter was gone.
Chapter 10
“What we hold here by faith, shall there be seen,
not demonstrated but directly known,
even as the first truth that man believes.”
―Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
As soon as Alexis was gone, my power exploded. Emotional pain radiated through my body, injecting my heart with venom. The stranger had me pinned against the wooden door of a caravan, but that didn’t matter. Seeing my daughter gone shattered my energy. I was broken, screaming at the top of my lungs, and kicking the demon who prevented me from rescuing her as hard as I could. His charm was broken, and his body went flying upwards. A moment later, he slammed through the wooden walls of another caravan, landing on his back. Somewhere at the back of my head, I realised that Alexis had won. She had gotten to Summer before me.
“You son of a bitch, I’m going to kill you right now!” I roared, and with every bit of strength I had, I launched myself on him. I started throwing punches when he tried to get up, losing complete control of my energy. His magic stung me a couple of times, but I turned into a grieving monster. If it weren’t for him, I probably would have killed that bitch.
His attempts at blocking me were pathetic. Soon my fists were bloody, and he stopped fighting me. I couldn’t stop hitting him; the anger was riddling through me like a wildfire. All I wanted was to kill him.
I had no idea how long I kept punching him, but eventually someone must have pulled me away. Then the same person slapped me hard, shaking my arms until I could pull myself together.
“Max, you have to c
alm down!” Zach shouted. I looked at his dark eyes and felt drained, exhausted all of a sudden. My knees couldn’t hold my body any longer, and I went down on the ground. There was blood everywhere. I could smell it on me, feel its metallic taste on my tongue. I glanced at Emma. She was staring at me in shock, standing behind Zach.
“Alexis took Summer. She was here when that arsehole locked my abilities. I couldn’t do anything. I was paralysed. I have no idea how she found her. We arrived here too late,” I said, not able to hold my tears any longer.
A few of the artists came back. They were staring at me and the beaten-up demon that lay motionless in the broken caravan’s doors. Emma exhaled sharply, and I started screaming hard, louder than I ever had. Minutes or maybe hours passed, and then it poured down with rain. I kept screaming in agony, feeling like Mother Nature was crying over me. She knew, too, that Summer was gone, and I didn’t save her.
At some point, Zach told me to get up and get myself together. The circus artists dragged the injured demon out. He was still alive, barely, but they told me that he was going to make it. Zachary dragged me back on my feet and told me that we needed to go. He seemed scared, and the performance inside the circus was coming to the end.
I was numb when we started walking back. No one was saying anything. I kept telling myself that Matilda was with Summer, and she wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her. It was time to find the way out from the Forgotten Street. I also had to speak to Morpheus again. He lied to me.
“Matilda was hiding in here, amongst her kind. She realised very early on that Summer was in danger.” I kept repeating the same sentence over and over. Somehow Zachary had managed to lead us back to the street where we’d fallen through the magical portal on the London Bridge. Emma was anxious; we didn’t want to bump into the same bunch of Warlocks again. We needed to get back to our world. I had to figure out a new plan.
Doomed Cases Box Set: The Complete Collection Books 1- 4 & Prequel Page 56