Jolting out of the memory, I sat upright. Justina rose with me, steadying my shoulder with a hand. She knew exactly what I was aiming to do.
“I need them to tell me.”
Just as I spoke, my parents came into the room. Their shoulders were drooped, their eyes red. Why were they so tired? What was going on?
“You need to tell me about the tree.” My words were strong as I got to my feet.
The adrenaline of the last few hours sunk out of my body. To counteract my weakness, I pulled on my warlock magic. It filtered into me, making me stronger.
“Devon,” Justina warned. “You need to be careful, that’s too much.”
Grabbing my dagger out from the inside of my jacket, I closed my eyes and allowed the power to move through me and into the blade. It felt good. Better than it ever had. In fact, it soothed me.
“Okay, I feel better now. Ready to hear the truth.”
My mother’s hair was tied up in a bun, her big brown eyes staring at me. She still hadn’t got used to how I was channelling my magic. She had skirted around the issue but hadn’t spoken to me about it outright yet.
“There’s something we need to tell you.” My father went over to the window and looked out. “We didn’t want to say anything before because… well, you’ve not been yourself.”
“I’m still not myself,” I said, going closer to them. “I won’t be myself until I figure out what she wanted. If she was desperate enough to let me starve to death, she might try and capture me again. I won’t allow that to happen.”
Taking a step towards me, my mother tucked her hands into the pocket of her cardigan. She shrunk in on herself when I studied her casual clothing. Why wasn’t she the mum I remembered? The powerful witch who had been respected wherever she went.
“Please, sit down with us so we can talk.”
Gesturing to the chair nearest to her, I did what she asked, sitting directly opposite her. My father sighed, his back straight as he came to join us. Justina stood, a bystander who knew that I needed her support.
“We didn’t tell you about our experience before, but Justina knows about it. We went missing when you were ten.”
I nodded when my mum paused. Of course I knew that, I had been alone in the house for days. It had been great for about twelve hours. Having the television to myself, using the internet, and even eating a whole pack of cookies.
My father took my mother’s hand. His mousey hair was dishevelled, the top pulled up into spikes. It reminded me of Gerard for a moment. Ew, that was weird. “We didn’t just leave you, we were taken. By Helena. She tried to get us to tell her about the tree too. But, we refused.”
Frowning, I glanced at Justina who nodded. She had known about this little bit of info. Well, a bloody huge bit of information actually.
“Why didn’t you tell me this? Don’t you think that was a huge factor that I should’ve known about?”
My anger was short lived as Justina squeezed my shoulder. Not in comfort this time, but in warning. She had seen what I had just done when I lost my temper. Poor Lucia. Not.
“We were trying to protect you. We had no idea she would manage to get to you. We’d persuaded her that you’d died.” The tear that escaped my mother’s eye was real.
It was my dad’s turn next. “Eventually, your grandmother got so angry when we wouldn’t tell her anything, she threatened to take away our memories. Of you.”
I froze. She did what? That witch had the audacity to threaten to erase me? As if she would ever succeed. Or…?
“She did it,” Mother said, dropping her head into her hands and sobbing. “She took away our memories of you.”
Words were stuck in my throat. Wow. So, they had forgotten their daughter. They’d forgotten me.
“Before you panic,” my father said, holding up his hand. “It was short lived. One of Helena’s friends helped us escape. She reversed most of the spell. Although, there are some memories we can’t remember, including that day in the park. With the tree. After that happened, we decided that it was too dangerous to come back to you. We contacted Isaac Senior, who was already close to you, and asked him to raise you as his own.”
Leaning back in my chair, I absorbed the information they’d just given me. Why hadn’t they thought to tell me this before? It was important. It explained everything that had happened even more. I was never abandoned. They hadn’t even run away without telling me, they’d been taken by force. It brought a whole new perspective to my life.
“I wish you’d told me a few weeks ago, when you came back into my life. I resented you a ton when I was tied up. I believed that you’d abandoned me, even if it was to save me. Now, I know that you didn’t make that choice, it was made for you.”
Getting to my feet, I went over to them. They stood at the same time, embracing me in a hug so tightly, I couldn’t get any air into my lungs.
A lump came to my throat, but I swallowed it down. I wasn’t going to let my emotions, or my experience, stop me from finishing what my parents, and Justina, had started all those years ago. My grandmother had to be taken down. She had to be finished. But, first, I had to find out what that bloody tree was all about.
Chapter Six
Sweat lined my whole body as I stepped over the police tape. Yes, I was insane. In fact, I was walking straight back into the asylum. Crazy wasn’t the word for it. Mentally lost-the-plot may just about cover it.
The night was cool, the air damp. Every time the clouds moved, the moon shone down to highlight the hospital. It was eerily quiet. Scarily dark.
I had been standing before the doors for a full hour before making the move to enter the place. The agency had stripped all the evidence, including the video. However, after waking up from my sixth dream of the night, I had felt called to return to the building of my torture.
At least if I snapped, I’d be in the right place. As long as they actually fed me this time. Not that there was anyone there to look after me if I slipped into psychosis, but…
I was losing it.
“What are you doing?” I asked myself as I stepped though the broken glass and into the lobby.
The agency had obviously blown a hole in the barrier spell to allow them to enter. Why had they left it open?
It was dark, very dark. In fact…
Gasping when the lights flickered on and off, I slunk to the wall, trying to hide in the shadows. Had someone just put the electric on? Or, had it been doing that all along? I hadn’t noticed the lights when I was standing outside. Shit, this was creepy as hell.
My boots were soundless on the lino floor as I moved towards the room. My hellhole. The place I had lost myself. Maybe I could find her there, still strapped to the bed.
The skin on my arms became cold as I glanced down the hallway to check if anyone was there. No, it was all clear.
The light went off, making my heart beat in my ears. Why did I come here? Who in their right mind would go into a scary, abandoned hospital? No wonder Gerard had stayed away from me. I wouldn’t want to be around me right now either.
When the place was illuminated again, I rushed over to the open door of the room. Sticking my head inside, I looked around. The bed was exactly where it had been. The padded walls were still padded. Everything looked the spitting image of where I had been.
Going over to the bed, I picked up one of the straps that had tied my wrists. My stomach churned as the image came into my mind. As the pain sliced my skin again. It wasn’t real, though. It wasn’t real.
Backing away, I went to the corner of the room. Bending over, I retched, my whole body shaking as I managed not to be sick.
“I’m such a fool.” My words echoed around me, making me laugh.
“I agree.”
The masculine voice made me spin. I grabbed my dagger out of my pocket and held it towards the door. A short man stood in the entrance, his head cocked to the side. “What are you doing in here?”
Ah, a vampire. That shouldn’t be surprisi
ng. My rescue would’ve been spoken about in the supernatural circles. Not much got past the creatures of the underworld. Still, it was a little odd that he was hanging out in the hospital.
“I’m an agent. I’m making sure no one’s using this place as a squatter’s home. What are you doing here?”
Raising his hands, he shrugged, a sly grin on his face. “I’m just arranging some swaps, that’s all.”
Oh, great, I had stumbled on a dealer. That wasn’t the best type of person I wanted to be around while I was trying to exorcise my demons.
“You need anything?” he asked when I stayed quiet.
“No,” I snapped. “I could arrest you. It’s just as illegal to sell drugs in our world as it is the humans. The government will give you a hefty sentence.”
Retreating, he put his hands in his pockets. He probably had a weapon. Without even thinking about it, I drew a ball of flames into my hand, rushed forward and threw it at his chest. It smacked into him, sending his body flying across the lobby.
“Woah!” he shouted, patting himself down as I put my dagger away and came out of the room. “No need to do that, I was just going to leave you alone.”
A hole had formed in his shirt, the edges a dirty singed brown. Oops, maybe that was a bit reactive, especially as a burn mark appeared. Fire could kill vampires, but his wound would heal in the next few days.
“I’m sorry, I’ve been a bit jumpy recently,” I muttered, going to walk past him.
It was better that I leave the dealer to get on with his swaps. My usual agent head wasn’t working as well as it should be. If Justina found out that I’d come here without her, she would probably take me off the case. That wasn’t something I was willing to risk.
“I can help you with that, girl,” the vampire said as he got to his feet.
His blonde hair was flat against his head, his light eyes barely visible under the flickering lights. His energy wasn’t threatening.
Crossing my arms over my waist, I stared at him. “Firstly, I’m not ten, so don’t call me girl. Secondly… how?”
My curiosity was piqued. The tension in my muscles as I stood still made me want to punch a wall. If I couldn’t release the crap from what had happened to me, I wouldn’t be able to stay an agent. Especially if my little show of magic, just seconds before, became a constant reaction.
“You’re suffering, I can tell. I’ve been where you are. I was in the army.” He waved, stopping me from speaking as I went to open my mouth. “Yes, the supernatural army. You should know how the human government use us for our powers.”
It didn’t surprise me. Come to think of it, my mentor, Isaac Senior had mentioned something about a division in the army being solely made up of the supernatural. Apparently, they were rewarded generously.
“I’ve never been in the army,” I said, not relaxing my stance, even though he had my attention.
The army would’ve never taken me. I was sloppy, terrible at fitness and lacked discipline. Maybe it would’ve been the best place for me? Nah.
“I’m talking about PTSD. Quick reactions, harsh breath, panicked look. You have the typical symptoms. I managed to overcome mine.”
Swallowing, I stared at him. Was it possible? The way I felt at the moment, my skin constantly crawling, my wrists continuously itching… Would it ever go away? “How?”
The corner of his lip quirked as he reached into his pocket. Bringing out a vial, he held it towards me. “Vampire blood. For other supernatural beings, it’s a natural high. One that can numb the pain.”
Numb the pain. That sounded so inviting. “I can’t take that, I’m an agent.”
Shrugging, drug man tucked it away. “Okay. Good luck with sorting it on your own. I sure wish I could’ve done it without narcotics.”
He wasn’t being sarcastic. His tone was edged with a touch of sadness. The life he’d chosen for himself wasn’t making him happy.
A bang down one of the corridors made me duck to the floor, my arms over my head. Breathing heavily, I stayed still as the man laughed.
“It’s okay. That’s my friend, just letting me know he’s impatient.”
Straightening, I tapped my jacket pocket to check that my dagger was there; yes, I had replaced it when I left the room. Checking it had become an annoying habit that I couldn’t shake.
“Wait,” I said when he went to turn. “I… How much for…?”
Gesturing to his pocket, I reached into my own to see how much money I had. His chest rose as he pulled out the vial and came closer. The red liquid moved as he handed it to me.
“It’s on the house. Let’s call it a ‘thank you’ for not calling the cops. And, a sorry for whatever it was that made you this way.”
Staring after his retreating back, I tried to pull the tongue from the roof of my mouth, but it was stuck there. His kindness had made me all sorts of confused.
The door to the room that had trapped me was still open. Going over to it once more, I slunk inside, locking the door behind me. I didn’t know what I was doing. Not that I ever knew what I was doing. But, the vial was held tightly in my hand as I approached the bed.
“I don’t want to feel this anymore.” Without hesitating, my shaking hands popped off the lid, bringing the glass to my lips.
Pouring the blood into my mouth, I cringed at the disgusting metallic taste as I swallowed it quickly. A rush of warmth filtered through my body, instantly putting me at ease. The relief from the tension brought tears to my eyes.
I turned to leave the nastiness behind, but standing right in front of me was Helena, my grandmother. Wait. No, she was fading. Oh, shit, I was hallucinating again.
“If only you’d remember,” she whispered, her voice shaky. “Then all this could end for you.”
Sitting on the bed, I held my hands over my eyes. No, this was making it worse. My whole body shook, fighting the urge to lay down and relax.
It was too much, I couldn’t resist it. Slowly releasing my muscles, I laid down, my fingers gripping the side of the bed. What was I doing? I was actually laying where they’d tied me down. I had well and truly lost the plot.
“Honey, what are you talking about?” Helena’s voice was in my head, and yet, a cool breeze wafted over me.
She was taller. A lot taller. And, the soft grass beneath my feet was a lot closer to me. I was always close to the ground, being only five foot, but this was different.
Glancing over my shoulder, I waved at my parents. They were younger, their faces clear of wrinkles, their hair lush and full of colour. Huh. That wasn’t right.
“Tell me about the tree, sweetie,” Grandma said, bringing me back to her.
A smile lit my face as I pointed at it. “There. It’s a special tree.”
“Okay, my lovely ladies,” my father interrupted as he came over and swept me into his arms. “Time to get going.”
The video. I was in the memory of the video. Which meant I was a little girl. The soothing feeling of being in my father’s arms made me grin. Oh, how lovely it was to be back here. In a time when all the shit was yet to come.
Shaking myself, I looked over his shoulder. Wait. I knew this place. It was near our old home. A place they took me every Saturday morning, without fail. The fumes from the city were slightly less here, although it was still in the centre of London. However, the small patch of greenery had always been a favourite place of mine to play.
Shoving out from the hallucination, I sat upright on the bed. The tree. I knew exactly where it was. I tried to get up, but my legs were shaking too badly. My head spun as I eventually made my way to the door. It took me ten attempts to unlock it.
“Do you know the answer yet?” The male voice made me turn back as I was about to leave.
John stood there, the wrist binds in his hands. No, I wouldn’t let him do that to me again. Stumbling out, I somehow made it to the front of the lobby.
“She’ll know what you know.” He appeared in front of me, his hands extending with the white
foam things he had used to keep my eyes open.
My knees gave out, and I fell to the floor. No, I couldn’t do this. What had I done? Taking the blood had made it worse.
Digging my phone out, I texted Gerard. He had to rescue me. He might kill me in the process, but there was no way I could get out of this hospital by myself. I was messed up. Well and truly screwed.
Chapter Seven
“What the fuck were you thinking?”
Whose idea was it to text Fuming Mac-angry-pants? He was hurting my head as he paced my apartment and shouted at me.
“Can you keep it down?”
I cradled my head as I sat up in bed. He had let me sleep off my high, staying by my side the whole time. A strong protection spell was placed around my apartment, but I’d had to admit that it was too dangerous for me to stay living here. Too many people knew where I was. Including Helena.
“You want me to feel pity for your blood hangover? You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“No,” I said crawling back under the cover. “I’m not kidding. Being completely serious.”
The hope that my muffled words weren’t heard was dashed when the cover was yanked off me. I huddled in on myself, completely unprepared to face the day.
“Devon!”
Ugh. He wasn’t going to shut up until I placated him. “Okay,” I said, pushing myself to sit up. “I was an idiot.”
“A fucking idiot.” His hands clenched my duvet, his fingers turning white from the pressure.
Forcing myself to look at his face, I cringed at the expression of sadness mixed with anger. His jaw was tense, but his eyes were soft, sorrowful.
“I’m a fucking idiot,” I whispered as I hugged my knees to my chest.
Putting my forehead on my bare knees, I sucked in the sob that tried to escape. The bed moved as Gerard sat next to me. I kept my head down, not daring to look at him. The disappointment was too much.
Arms came around me from behind. Pulling me back, Gerard cradled me against him. How could he still care?
“I just want the dreams to stop.” My hiccup made my head bump his chest.
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