“Avah! Time to eat,” Father called.
I skipped to them, plucking flowers as I went. When I reached his side, I offered the bundle to him.
“Did you thank Mother Earth after each pick?” he asked, scratching at his beard.
I nodded excitedly. I learned my lessons quickly, and I knew that made me Father’s favorite. Though I didn’t have any siblings, my coven was overcrowded with young witches, and each fought to be the best.
“Good,” he had said as he took the flowers from me and set them in our picnic basket. His smile was wide, and I knew that my flowers made him happy.
“Now, Avah, we’re not here to play. Eat,” Mother said. She handed me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which I devoured almost instantly. “Continue with your studies.”
I nodded as I sank my teeth into a green apple. I winced as the tart juices swarmed my mouth.
“Who is the witch council?” she asked, quizzing me. I strived to be the favorite, because Mother expected the best. She expected me to be better than my cousins and the other children. She told me this daily.
“Elder witches who pass down laws and maintain order,” I said with a cheeky smile. I knew I got that one correct.
“Very good. Where is the head council?”
“Europe.”
“Europe is very big, Avah. Be more specific.”
I nodded. “England.”
Mother shook her head, and my stomach grew queasy. “Again, be specific.” She paused after each word. She was upset; my smile faded.
“Near London?” I questioned.
“Are you asking me, Avah?” she asked.
I shook my head quickly. “Near London,” I said again, this time with more confidence.
“Better. You’re not wrong, but you’re not there yet, either,” Mother said.
“Maybe we shouldn’t work her so hard,” Father said.
Mother’s eyes narrowed, and I swallowed hard. “She must be prepared. You know this as well as I.”
Father exhaled sharply and nodded. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. It’s just… with all this preparation, she has no time to enjoy being a child.”
“She’s not a child anymore. She must embrace her destiny. If we don’t prepare her now, it may be too late.”
Father’s face darkened. I knew they were talking about the vampires. Every day, they moved closer. We were never safe from them. No matter how many spells we cast, they always seemed to find us.
“Someday, this information may save her life.”
“Honestly, Tatiana. Why would she ever need to know the locations for the witch council? We’ve never even left the States.”
Mother huffed, running a hand through her hair. “You never know if she’ll need to seek refuge there. The war is only getting worse. We must prepare her for her destiny.”
Father nodded without speaking.
Mother leaned forward, pushed the food to the side, and dropped a piece of paper before me. “Pay close attention, Avah. Remember this map.”
We spent the next few hours memorizing every detail of the map. Mother had me recall every twist, every turn, every angle, until she was sure I could find my way there without it.
“My love,” Jasik whispered, and I opened my eyes. He smiled at me. “We’ve passed the city limits.”
“Where do I go from here?” Ivor asked, his eyes on me in the rear-view mirror.
I nodded and sat forward, directing Ivor to the witch council’s base. I closed my eyes, and the map to the secret location flashed before my eyes. Their location would forever be burned in my memory.
CLOSING THE CAR’S door behind me, I strolled toward the building before us. It was massive in size, big enough to encompass at least a dozen of our Washington manors. The red brick building was surrounded by a stone wall with daggered tops. It stood double my height. Surely, the council members were trying to prevent someone from getting in. I also guessed that it was spelled to keep vampires from entering.
The occasional gargoyle glared back at me from where it perched. Humans often believed gargoyles were solely for aesthetic appeal. Eventually, theories behind their true purpose were leaked, and the idea of these stone warriors plagued the green screen in Hollywood. Many believed gargoyles were demons hiding in plain sight. Others believed they were protectors of good, fighting a nightly battle against evil.
As I gazed at the haunting statues before me, I knew their sole purpose. If I didn’t know what to look for, I wouldn’t see it. The iridescent shimmer that glowed ever so lightly was easy to miss. But it sang to me. It sang at deafening intervals. It called to me, luring me in, begging for a taste. Though unmoving, they opened their jaws and howled. They spoke to me, guided me, ruled me. And I obeyed.
“So, do we just go in?” Jeremiah asked, breaking my trance.
I shook my head. “Spelled.”
“Maybe we should knock.” Lillie said, sarcasm coating her words.
I nodded, my eyes still on the beasts. They grinned back at me, their mouths twisting devilishly, tauntingly.
“I was kidding…” Lillie said. “You don’t seriously think that would work, do you?”
I shrugged. “Honestly, there’s no other way in. This is probably the most secure building in the world. Powerful witches reside here. Their magic keeps out the unwanted.”
“Then how exactly do you suppose we get in?” Lillie asked.
“Easily. We’ll walk through the front door,” I said. My breath caught as the gargoyle’s eyes took on an eerie glow. I licked my lips.
“You just said the magic will keep us out,” Lillie said.
“The magic will keep out the unwanted.”
“So they knew we were coming?”
“Unlikely,” I said.
“But they know we’re here now?”
“Without a doubt,” I whispered.
I walked closer to the wall, finally tearing my eyes away from the glaring statues. Closing my eyes, I raised my hands before me, hovering my palms before me like a mime at a carnival. I inhaled sharply, the power of this place slamming against me in forceful waves.
“Sebastian,” I whispered, keeping my eyes closed. “Do you feel it?”
“I do,” he said.
I opened my eyes and walked the length of the fence until I came to a gated entrance. Half metal, half wood, the hybrid gate towered over me. The stone wall jutted closely beside it, with two squatted dragons on either side. Their fangs were fierce, their wings drawn, as if they were mere moments away from an attack.
Their gazes bored into me, and I challenged their strength. My chest heaved as my breath came in slow, painful gulps. My limbs fell heavily at my sides. As my skin desiccated, my lips chapped, blistering painfully as I ran my drying tongue across the delicate surface.
They challenged me, forcing me to prove my worth. As the power of the spelled boundary threatened to annihilate my being, I held on. I refused to succumb to the choking pressure.
Almost as soon as it began, the magic faded. I blinked, and the gate creaked open.
“Yeah, that’s not at all creepy,” Jeremiah said.
“Creepy? You’re a vampire, Jer. Get it together,” Lillie said playfully.
I turned back, smiling as Jasik stepped to my side.
“You okay?” he asked, his eyes concerned.
“Never better.”
“That was intense—” Sebastian said.
“What was that?” Malik interrupted.
“She was being tested,” Sebastian replied.
“And I guess I passed,” I said.
“Yeah,” Sebastian said with a chuckle. “Thank the goddess they chose you instead of me. Those choking spells are a bitch.”
I nodded, rubbing my throat. “That they are.”
We took the final few steps toward the gate in silence, stopping just before we passed the threshold. I swallowed hard, keeping my emotions in check. I didn’t know what we’d see once we entered, but I knew there was no goi
ng back. Whatever was waiting for us in there, we could handle it.
We would survive.
“So…” Jeremiah said, cutting the tension with his words like a dagger through flesh. “Who wants to go into the creepy building first?”
THE INSIDE OF the building didn’t look much better. The brick walls were crumbling, the support beams teetering. The rooms were in utter disarray. Windows were shattered, and dust coated the ground. Scorch marks licked the corners. The rooms were sheer chaos. I shook my head and crossed my arms, squeezing them together, holding myself closely, tightly, as my eyes flickered from one wreck to the next. Either the witches here lived in rubble, or my grandmother had gotten here first.
“I’m not liking our odds,” Sebastian said, kicking broken beams at his feet.
“Yeah, me neither,” I answered.
We moved from room to room, reality smothering any flare of hope we’d had.
“Perhaps we should spread out. Search for survivors,” Malik offered.
I shook my head. “Let’s stick together. She could still be here.”
“She may be, but she’s just one Rogue,” he replied.
I swallowed the knot in my throat and met Malik’s eyes. “I don’t think so.”
He arched an eyebrow.
“Look around. Could one Rogue—one Rogue against a powerful coven of witches—do all this? Plus, there’s destruction, so where’s the death?” I asked.
Dread danced across the vampires’ faces in unison.
“There are no bodies,” I said to no one in particular. “There’s only one thing she could be doing with the bodies…” I swallowed hard. I couldn’t say the words aloud, but I knew I didn’t have to. The missing bodies could only mean they transitioned.
“Someone let us in, Avah,” Sebastian said, silencing my inner thoughts.
I nodded. “I’m just hoping it’s someone we’ll want to see.”
I kicked the shards of glass at my feet and spun on my heels. We investigated deeper into the building. Each room grew devastatingly worse as we searched for the witches. A soft whisper danced through the wind, teasing my heightened senses. The voice was muffled, weak. Holding my breath and closing my eyes, I focused on it, silently begging the speaker to lead me to him or her.
Thump. Thump. Thu-thump.
The vampires’ heartbeats echoed in my mind, overpowering the weak witch’s moans.
“Maybe we should—”
“Shh!” I ordered. “Listen.”
I closed my eyes and focused on the witch’s whimpers.
“Someone’s still alive,” Sebastian whispered.
Opening my eyes, I nodded. “Let’s go.”
We ran through each corridor, our eyes flickering across the rubble. But each room left us empty-handed. With the main level cleared, we took the stairs two at a time. I came to a lone doorway at the end of a tight, winding hallway. Grasping the handle of the door, I pushed it open and found him. He was huddled in the corner, crouching. He rocked himself as he whimpered, his eyes closed. Under his breath, he repeated the same verse: “Deus incolumem servaveris, confortans me.” He begged his gods to keep him safe, strong.
I slowly entered the room, holding my hand up to stop the others from entering. The boy looked broken and bruised. His button-up lab coat was stained with dirt. I walked closer, but he never opened his eyes. I wasn’t sure if he was even aware of my presence. He was so focused on his prayer to his gods. He was so focused on surviving whatever had happened here.
I dropped to my knee by his side and reached for him. He trembled under my touch, his eyes still closed. My fingertips trailed over his smudged skin, and a tear slid down his cheek.
“What’s your name?” I whispered.
His eyes shot open, and a piercing scream bellowed from his lungs. I stumbled back, afraid I had somehow hurt him. The others ran to my aid, lifting me from the ground to stand beside them.
The boy crawled to the corner, burying his hands in his hair.
“This isn’t real. This isn’t real. This isn’t real,” he whispered, and my heart ached to heal his pain.
Cowering in the corner, he looked no more than ten. Everything about him screamed innocence, and I knew I had to help this boy.
I stepped forward, reaching for him again. The floorboard creaked beneath my weight, and the boy’s head shot up. His eyes no longer pained, he looked at me with an eerie glare that forced a cold shiver to run down my spine. Involuntarily, I stepped back. Though still young, he wasn’t a boy. This kid was likely five or six years older than I had guessed. And in those extra five or six years, he would have learned more control over his magic. I just prayed he wouldn’t use it on me.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” the kid said, his voice deep, almost demonic.
“We came to help,” I said, unsure of what else to say.
I glanced back at the others, but their confused and concerned eyes matched my own.
“You’re not welcome here,” he growled. “Get out! Get out! Get out!” With each word, his voice cracked a little more, until it was nothing but a pleading screech.
“Leave us,” I said, but no one moved. Annoyed, I glanced at the others, hoping my eyes betrayed my confidence.
Jasik arched an eyebrow at my request.
“You can’t be serious,” Sebastian said.
“Yeah, this kid clearly has a screw or two loose,” Jeremiah added.
In response, Lillie elbowed him in the gut.
I exhaled dramatically and faced the kid.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” I said softly. “My name’s Avah, and I’m—”
The kid gasped and jumped to his feet. “You! She—She said y—you’d come.”
“Who?” I asked, though I already knew.
“Death.”
“Death?” I asked.
“She said to call her Death.” He swallowed and met my eyes.
“She’s gone now,” I said in a sad attempt to reassure him.
“They’re all gone! She took them all!” he whined.
“Why would she leave you behind? And alive?” Jasik asked.
He swallowed hard. “She—She told me to wait here, to stay here. Right here,” he said as he pointed to the ground with both hands. “Stay here, and I won’t kill you. That’s what she said.”
“Why here? Why in this room?” I asked.
“I don’t know. She hits you when you ask questions,” he said, his eyes watering. “I stay here. She has to know, right? That I stayed here. I did it. I did what she said. I stayed here.”
“It’s okay. She can’t hurt you anymore.”
He ran his hands through his greasy hair, tugging on the ends. “She—She told me to watch. She made me watch.”
“Watch what?” I asked.
“Oh, god,” he said as he fell to his knees. “I watched them all. They begged for help.” Tears streamed in white lines down his dirty face. “Oh, god, please forgive me.”
“Shh,” I said, sinking to the floor beside him. “You did what you had to do. You don’t need forgiveness for surviving.” I rubbed his back, and he tensed beneath my touch. Reluctantly, I pulled away but remained sitting beside him.
“Do you know why she chose you?” I asked.
“Because… Because I know where she’s going.”
“Tell us,” Sebastian ordered. Apparently, there was no time for pleasantries. I eyed the vampires, putting every ounce of effort I could into my glare. We’d need to tread lightly. This boy was damaged goods—and she knew it.
“She told me to wait for you. She said you’d come, but you’d be too late.”
“I’m sorry we were too late. I wish we could have saved your friends,” I said.
“They weren’t friends! They were family!” he spat.
“Of course. I’m sorry,” I said, biting my lower lip.
“You’re a vampire. One of them,” he said as he scooted farther from my grasp.
“I shook my head. I’m not
like them. We’re not like them.”
He crossed his arms and sank back. “Do you think I’ll believe that?”
“Yes. I need you to believe me.”
He shook his head. “I know about you.”
“You know about me? What does that mean?”
“I worked here. I was training to lead the next generation. My power… it’s weak. Water is weak. Useless.” He threw his arms to his side in anger. “But I’m smart,” he nodded. “I learn quick. Real quick. Smartest kid at my school.” He nodded again, as if I needed the extra reassurance. This kid could be the next Einstein. Who was I to argue? All I cared about was the information tucked in that brain of his.
Again, he began rocking. He pulled his knees to his chest and held them tightly as he moved back and forth in a slow, hypnotizing motion.
“Mum said they needed my brain. She put me in records. The file room, that’s where I know you. I know all about you. That’s why she kept me. She told me to stay here. Right here.”
Defeated, I exhaled calmly. At this rate, I’d be too late to save the next group, too. “What’s your name, kid?”
He shook his head. “We’re not friends. I can’t help you.”
“We’re not going to hurt you, but I do need to know what you know. She left you alive for a reason, and I’m guessing you already know why. I don’t have time for games, okay? And as soon as you come clean, we’ll be on our way. You’ll never have to see us again. I promise.” My words came out harsher than I intended.
His arms fell to his sides, his knees dropping to the floor, as he looked up at me. “She said she chose me because I’ll lead you to her. That’s what I know. That’s all I know.”
“She wants me to know where she’s going?” I asked, confused.
“She wants you to go to her, to Death,” he said. “But that’s all I know about that. That’s it. She said to tell you that and to stay here. Right here. She said to wait for you.”
“You don’t have to wait anymore. I’m here. I’m right here.”
“She’s going for the others,” he said, his face paling as he stood.
“What others?” Our eyes met. The dread I found in his washed over me in cool, dank waves.
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