Spells & Magic

by Rachel Medhurst

  His hesitation made my mother click her fingers. She was one of the top dogs of Paranormal MI5, no one defied her. Except her daughter, which was kind of allowed.

  Glancing at my mother, Dave stared for a second before he looked back at me. “You need backup.”

  “I’m going to call Archie.”

  Narrowing his eyes, Dave frowned. “Archie? The vampire book nerd?”

  Did I detect a little hint of jealousy in his voice? A smile came to my face as I nodded. The vampire might not even want to help me, but it was worth asking. If I couldn’t have the people I trusted by my side, I needed the next best thing. Someone that Brianna trusted.

  Dave stared at me, his lips pressed together but moving slightly as if he was contemplating what to do. His hands clenched into fists as he turned towards my mother.

  Taking out my phone, I sent Archie a text asking if he could help me to rescue Brianna.

  Dave walked over to our boss, his back straight and his hair loose around his shoulders. Glancing towards the pub, I hoped the others would leave soon. If anyone was keeping watch, our cover would be blown already.

  My phone vibrated, the reply from Archie instantaneous. He would come immediately, I just had to let him know where I was. He wasn't exactly the most trustworthy vampire in the world, but he had helped by telling me about the CCTV. I could always detect when someone was lying, but he had been genuinely concerned about Brianna.

  “This is ridiculous,” my mother snorted. “You can't do that.”

  Raising my gaze when I'd replied to the vampire with the address, I frowned.

  Dave was handing over his gun and badge. Rushing over, I clasped his arm in mine, relieved that my mother had refused to take them. I couldn't let him leave MI5. They needed him.

  “What are you doing?” I hissed.

  Turning to me, he pulled me to the side, away from Jake and my mother, who looked awkwardly at one another. Dave's grip was light on my wrist, the touch soft as he brushed his fingertips across my skin.

  “Don't push me away now,” he started, putting a finger over my lips when I went to protest. “Gemma Abbott, your friend might be in there. I'm not going to leave you to find her on your own... or with any vampire.”

  Chewing the inside of my cheek, I gazed at him. No one had ever looked at me with such fierce determination. He wanted to be by my side, regardless of whether or not he lost his job.

  “I will replace my daughter if I have to,” my mother warned. “This isn't just about one person, this is about the whole ley line.”

  Looking over his shoulder, Dave shook his head slowly. “Mrs Abbott, I know you think you're protecting your daughter, but by taking her off the case, she's even more in danger than she was with us. I'm staying with her.”

  Marching over, my mother held out her hand and accepted the gun and badge when Dave placed it in her palm. Her eyes were wide, her jaw clenched. Her movements were jerky as she turned to me.

  “Do you really think I want you to be in danger?” she almost spat in my face. “You're my daughter. If I had my way, I would lock you up until that bastard witch was found and killed. Oh, and the leaders of the PFF.”

  Holding still, I waited for her to go on. Her cheeks were red, her eyes almost bulging as she squeezed the gun and badge between her hands. “You mean everything to me, Gemma, everything. There are people higher up that have overridden me. I'm not going to tell them that you brought your team here, against my commands, but I cannot have you all defy me without consequences.”

  Dave took my hand as my mother faced him, her sigh loud as she spoke. “I accept your resignation.”

  Without looking at me, she turned to Jake, gripped his arm and flashed them away. She would probably write up a job termination letter for me as soon as she returned to the building. My mother had always done exactly what she was told. Those higher up in the agency never deigned to lower themselves to talk to us, always ordering my mother to do that. If they were pulling the strings, there wasn't much she could do.

  “Are you alright?” Dave interrupted my thoughts.

  My palms were sweating, my stomach tight. It wasn't very often my mother got emotional, but it was nice, in a weird sort of way, to see how much she cared.

  “Let's make your rash decision worthwhile... we'll talk about how to get your job back later.”

  He was about to reply when footsteps sounded, running extremely fast down the alley towards us. Archie swung around the corner, his legs slowing when he saw us standing there.

  “That was quick!” Dave stepped forward and offered his hand. “Thanks for coming to help.”

  As he switched back into work mode, Dave nudged me gently. Clearing my head, I followed his lead. It was time to check out the pub and see if Finlay had been telling the truth.

  Archie shook Dave’s hand before turning to me. About to speak, I paused when my phone vibrated against my leg. Taking it out of my jeans pocket, I held it up for Dave to see. It was a number I didn't recognise. He took a picture of the number, ran it through his smart device thingy that he kept on him, then nodded. I could answer it safely.

  “Hello?”

  “Gemma!” Brianna shouted down the phone, her cries loud and desperate. “Please help me! I've managed to find a phone, but they'll be back any moment now!”

  “Where are you?” I asked urgently as I tried to keep my voice down.

  If she could give us a location, we would know whether or not she had been left where Finlay dropped her off. If she had been moved, we would have a harder time finding her. Would Xvair Harvey risk that?

  “I'm in a flat underneath some pub, I can hear them at night. I don't know where it is, I just remember Finlay... Please, I've been here for days... I don't know what's happening!”

  My heart pounded in my chest as I told the others to be quiet. If she had heard the noise of a pub above her, she must still be inside. Hopefully, she was literally only a few feet away. Her frightened call sent chills up my spine. The poor girl sounded petrified. Had Xvair hurt her?

  “Brianna, listen to me,” I said as she sobbed down the phone. “I'm outside, I'm coming in to get you. Is Xvair there?”

  “Who?” Brianna's voice was tight, the shock in her voice evident. “No one is here right now. A couple of men have checked on me occasionally. They drug me with vervain so I can't escape!”

  Dave listened closely as Archie searched for a peephole in the fence. He found one, sending me a thumbs up when I raised my eyebrows. He had a clear view of the back of the pub... that was a bonus.

  “Brianna,” I said in a hushed voice. “I'm so sorry, this is all my fault.”

  Her hitched crying eased a little. “It's not,” she said quietly. “Please... just come and get me before it's too late.”

  Chapter 8

  “Okay,” Dave murmured. “I've cast the illusion spell. No one can see us, even if they look out of the window. Instead, they'll see a normal courtyard with a fake cat or two.”

  Smiling, I put my hand on the fence, dragging up magic from the ley line. The impact of it jolted my body. I hadn't used much in the last few days, preferring to try and get by without wasting it. The balance of magic might have calmed, but it hadn't restored completely. Brianna's kidnap would lead me to Xvair, I just knew it. His death was the only thing that would restore Mother Earth back to her natural state.

  “Can I walk through now?” Archie asked.

  Nodding, I indicated that he should try. I was casting a science matter spell, making the atoms in the fence soft enough for us to travel through.

  Archie had surveyed the courtyard as I reassured Brianna that we were on our way. My heart was heavy with sadness. She'd gone through so much because of me. Xvair Harvey would have a slow and painful death. I would make sure of it.

  “It looks like the door to the flat is beside the pub's backdoor. We need to be extremely careful.” Dave took my hand, pulling me through the wood.

  Walking together, we approached th
e door. Punters were filing into the pub, their heads bobbing in the windows. If only life was so simple. A human had no idea what it was like to live a life of fear and longing as a paranormal creature.

  “The door's locked,” Archie announced when he tried the handle.

  That wasn't a surprise, of course. Stepping forward, I joined hands with Dave, indicating that we both grasp the handle together. Smiling, he did as I asked, allowing the magic to move through him. As the magic poured from us, almost making me shudder, it clicked the lock, forcing it to release.

  Smiling at one another, we lost ourselves for a moment. Sharing magic was quite an intimate thing. If we wanted to double our power, we could work on it. Although, would that mean I would be Dave's conduit for magic? Would that be a healthy thing? I wasn't quite sure how other illusionist witches lived from day to day when they had a magical partner.

  “Love-birds!” Archie breathed, the sound only just reaching our ears. “Get on with it.”

  Pulling back, Dave indicated that I should open the door. Snapping out of my moment of infatuation, I switched into agent mode. The handle moved easier in my hand, the click of the latch satisfying as well as terrifying. If there was anyone inside, they might have heard it.

  Opening the door a crack, I listened. The others stood silently as I waited, only pushing the door open when silence ensued. Tingles shot down my spine as my foot stepped into the hallway. It was a small landing, stairs almost immediately going down to a wooden door. The area was lit by a dim bulb with no shade.

  The smell of sage hit my nose as soon as I took a step down. Someone had tried to cleanse the place, but it hadn't worked. The energy was heavy with darkness. Poor Brianna had been locked in a flat full of evil. Xvair Harvey must have been with her for some of the time. He had terrible beliefs, which lead to terrible crimes.

  Tapping me on the shoulder, Dave held up his tablet. “There's someone down there,” he mouthed.

  A red light flashed on the screen, although the jargon on it made no sense. We already knew that Brianna was down there. She had said she was alone, so it appeared her story matched up. That was a positive sign.

  “Let's hurry before anyone comes back,” I whispered.

  Nodding, they indicated that I go ahead.

  Skipping down the steps, I kept my footsteps silent, even though no one else was there. I didn't want to scare Brianna too much, although she would be on guard anyway. The poor vampire would never forgive me.

  Reaching the door, I wasted no time in twisting the handle. It moved easily, the hinges quiet as it swung open. My hand found my dagger automatically, pulling it out from my holster. I missed my gun, but the blade would do. It was my pride and joy, my witch heritage.

  The living area smelt of dirt and unwashed bodies. A stained sofa was pushed against the wall, an old cover ruffled up on top of it. Someone had been sleeping in the flat. Who was keeping guard? Or was it Xvair? I somehow doubted the old man could even get down the stairs.

  A kitchen area consisted of two cupboards, a fridge and a table top cooker. A pile of dirty plates and empty mugs sat on the drainer next to the sink. Whoever had been looking after Brianna clearly didn't believe in washing up. No wonder it smelt so bad.

  Stepping beside me, Dave pointed at the two doors leading off to presumably the bathroom and bedroom. Nodding, I indicated that he take the right hand door, while Archie and I took the other one. I intuitively felt that we were heading into the bedroom. Having Archie with me meant that the vampire would be a comfort to Brianna when we found her.

  Both of them moved silently as we approached the doors.

  Dave opened one door, going straight into the bathroom with his hands raised, ready to use his magic.

  Nothing happened, so I gently thrust open the bedroom door and quickly moved inside, my dagger raised in front of me. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath fast.

  “Brianna?” I whispered.

  The bedroom was just as dirty as the living room, bed covers strewn all over the place. Someone huddled in the middle of the mattress, their back to us. Brianna's long lush locks were not attached to the person's head. Had they shaved them off or-?

  “Nice try!” a masculine voice came from the figure.

  Spinning, he pounced, his canines extended. Archie shoved me out of the way, his own teeth protruding as he bared them with a fierce hiss. The skinny vampire wrestled Archie to the ground, his teeth snapping in his face.

  My dagger slipped in my palm a sweat burst from every pore. What was happening? Had we got the wrong pub? Had Finlay Harrington set us up?

  “Get out!” Archie told me as he punched the vampire straight in the balls.

  His screech went through me, almost bursting my eardrums.

  My arm flung out before I thought about what I was doing, my fingers latching onto the vampire’s throat. Magic poured through me as I cast a blood vessel bursting spell. His scream got louder as the vessels in the whites of his eyes popped causing blood to pour from his eyeballs.

  Pushing him off Archie, I released his neck, trying not to smile too much when he slumped to the floor. Archie scrambled to his feet, brushing his smart suit down in an attempt to get rid of the dust from the carpet.

  “Help!” Dave shouted from the other room.

  I was out the bedroom before Archie, my dagger extended as well as my free arm. Whoever was hurting Dave would pay. No one threatened my team... or my boyfriend.

  “Wait!”

  Dave was on his knees, his hands held behind his back by a hulking vampire. I could see that his left shoulder was already distorted, the force of the vampire's pull dislocating it. Holding still, I froze when Brianna stepped out from behind the beast.

  “Hello, Gemma,” she said, her pretty face fresh and somewhat bright.

  Her jeans and leather jacket were pristine, her makeup perfected. There was no way my friend had been kept captive, which meant...

  “You set me up?”

  Resisting the urge to vomit, I clasped my stomach as it rolled. Looking at Archie, I scrutinised his face but his eyes were wide, his mouth opening and closing. He hadn't known either.

  “What are you doing?” he asked his vampire friend.

  Sauntering over, Brianna took a gun out of her pocket, aiming it towards me. “Don't try anything, witchy poo. I know that your mother would very much like to keep you alive. I can't have one of the top Paranormal MI5's agent’s death on my hands now, can I? However, I will kill the others.”

  Raising the gun towards Archie's head, Brianna laughed gently. She knew that I was an agent? I had tried to keep that secret, but then again, I hadn't anticipated Xvair's ruthless attempt at getting to me any way that he could.

  “What are you doing? You're my friend. Did he brainwash you?”

  My hands shook as I kept my weapon in front of me. A quick glance at Dave told me that although he was in a lot of pain, he was okay. If that vampire dared to hurt my beloved, I would chop off his you know what and feed it to him.

  “Aw,” Brianna crowed, “you think I'm affiliated with that evil man. Well, I suppose in a roundabout way, the PFF are involved with him.”

  Licking her lips, Brianna looked between Archie and myself. My free hand clenched into a fist, the force of my anger sending a burst of magic down my arm and shaking it so violently, it released a stream of fire to the ground.

  The carpet instantly singed, distracting Brianna. Her arm dropped slightly, giving me the opportunity to lunge at her. My fingers wrapped around her wrist, cranking it down in one swift movement. Her screech followed the crack of bone as she flailed. My arm came up to her shoulder, wrenching her back against me, my blade coming up to sit by her throat.

  The thundering of footsteps behind made me spin the vampire to face her hulking friend. Dave was on the ground, his face contorted in pain. The vampire reached for me, a grumble rushing up his deep chest.

  “Stop, you idiot!” Brianna snapped.

  Coming to a halt, the vamp
ire glared at me. “Let me kill the witch.”

  Tilting her head to the side as much as I would allow, Brianna giggled gently. “Don't worry,” she said. “Her time will come on the equinox.”

  “Gemma,” Archie's strained voice reached my ears.

  I had been about to question Brianna about the equinox. The bitch was working with the PFF, meaning that she was trying to claim the bounty on my head. Wow, with friends as enemies, I had no chance.

  Wrenching Brianna around with me, I paused when Archie shook his head. The vampire from the bedroom held a stake behind Archie’s back, the tip pushed into his jacket suit. I didn't really know the vampire who had tried to woo me but seeing the wide eyed terror of someone who had lived a few hundred years made me gulp. Was there ever a time when someone didn't fear death? Even though Archie had died in the past, he had still lived on. If that wooden stake pierced his heart, he would cease to exist forever.

  “How could you do this?” he asked Brianna.

  Waiting for her reply, I pulled the blade tighter against her throat. Hopefully Dave had somehow managed to recover using the magic I had given him. We could take the vampires down, we just had to implement our agent training. I had been doing this job for years, I was one of the best in the field... and yet, my heart was heavy with sadness as I held my Essex dagger against my best friend's throat.

  “You two are perfect for each other, but I had a feeling she would go for the handsome nerd in the end.”

  Brianna's hand swung back, her long nails slicing into the skin of my arm. Spinning me, she thrust her head backwards, sending her skull into my nose. Thrashing my blade forward, I sliced her ear as she spun away, her leg kicking out. Her high heeled shoe ploughed into the back of my knee, sending me sprawling to the ground.

  “All those books have made you weak. You think too well of people. You don't have much use anymore, do you, Gemma?”

  My face grazed the dusty carpet, the pain adding to the throbbing of my nose. My friend had betrayed me. How could she have sold me out to the PFF? When she knew that they planned to kill me?