Elf's Affection: The Witching Hour Series Book 3

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

  I placed my ear to the door but heard nothing. No one saw me running into this alley; the police probably lost my scent. Maybe I was lucky enough, maybe those cops weren't paranormals because I would have been dead already. They didn't hesitate to shoot me on the spot.

  Minutes passed, and the silence was making me nauseous. The shock and adrenaline started wearing off, turning my body into a large open wound. I lifted my feet and with gritted teeth saw that I was bleeding badly. Excruciating pain was pulsing, and I exhaled.

  Chapter 21

  Gordon.

  I stayed in the same position for good five minutes trying to catch my breath. My feet felt like I’d been walking on a fire bed and the coals were just burning hotter, until the point where my skin started melting off. My fingertips shimmered with light as I tried to listen to see if anyone was hunting for me around this building, but only silence answered me. I could’ve made a connection with my dad; he could’ve been here within minutes, but then I knew I’d face questions. I wasn't prepared to explain what was going on going with my blackouts, training with Tron or the fact that I was killing people in my sleep.

  Looking around I instantly knew that this building had been abandoned for years. There was no way I could get outside without being spotted. Shivering, I lifted myself up feeling the excruciating pain in my feet. Despite that I had to get the hell away from this spot, try to pass through the building to the other side of the road. My plan was not to bring any attention to myself, but I knew it would be very difficult considering the state I was currently in.

  I walked in through the back door, so I quickly figured out that there had to be another way out. The only source of light came from my fingers, but the energy only lasted for couple of seconds; I was exhausted. I walked through pitch-black corridors filled with rats and dust. Shaking like jelly, I managed to pass a large room filled with old office furniture. I lost all sense of time. The first door I found was locked, but somehow, I managed to get out through the fire exit straight into the black night and into a group of bikers.

  My first instinct was to run but there was too many of them and my feet were a mangled mess.

  "Are you lost, hunny bunny?" the one who caught me asked.

  "Get off me!" I screamed but he slammed his big hand over my mouth pulling his other hand across my waist. If they were human then maybe I had a bit more of a chance to escape, so I tried to use my energy, but these guys were paranormal. Trolls, and they didn't normally hang around respectable areas.

  He held me in front of him, giving me a chance to count five more trolls who were having some kind of gathering in this obscure alley.

  "She’s paranormal, I can smell her, fairy maybe? But not sure now, they’re normally sexy. This one here is filthy." This troll was short, obese, dark-haired and he kept licking his lips. The group laughed, and I twisted trying to free myself, but the troll holding me tightened his grip over my stomach.

  "We can use her up a little. Gordon won’t mind, he has his own bitch," the biker who was holding me laughed. The group laughed along with him, and nausea hit me.

  "So, what stinky, Helena doesn't do it for you anymore?"

  "Fuck you, Kirk. She looks like a junkie!"

  I roared trying to bite through the troll’s hands, but he tossed me over and grabbed me by my hair.

  "Fuck off, all of you. I'm taking her to Gordon. He can decide what to do with her," the troll barked. He started dragging me away passing the others. I tried to think fast, aiming to gain control of my energy, but my body felt like I’d run out of fuel. Blackouts were draining away what was left.

  I didn't know how long he dragged me, but I must have lost my consciousness for a moment or so, because when I opened my eyes I was on a cold floor surrounded by empty barrels in some sort of warehouse. Someone slapped me.

  "She’s awake, sir!" someone shouted, pulling me back to my feet. I stood for a second trying to regain my balance when someone approached me. It was another troll, but this one didn't look like one. His skin was pale, transparent and ugly. His eyes were yellow, shimmering with curiosity and he didn't smell at all. Trolls were characteristic but the one in front of me presented himself like no one that I’d ever seen.

  “What's your name and why are you here?" he asked in a whisper that sent chills down my spine. I had no idea why, but fear unfolded within me. My heart began to race faster than it normally would, and I couldn't breathe, petrified that he would touch me. He was largely built, muscular, and dressed in leather. Remembering my last encounter with men like this I knew I was standing face to face with Gordon. The head of the gang that everyone was afraid of, the one who’d escaped the justice system numerous times.

  "Dolores Jones," I replied with a shaky voice. I had to lie. Paranormals knew me because of Nathaniel and my work with the agency, so there was no way I was giving him my real name.

  He took sharp intake of breath studying me, his cold eyes were like demons curling in my body.

  "I hate repeating myself, Dolores. Why don’t you tell me why you’re here looking like you’ve been on the streets for some time?"

  He was using a tone of voice that made me feel like I was losing all the hope.

  "The boys are ranting that she’s a junkie, a magic stealer, sir," the biker stated. My chest heaved because magic stealers were simply whores without their magical genes. Their desire to be like other paranormals caused them to sleep with other paranormals and take away their energy. Magic stealers used this power for their own personal gain to become normal for a few hours. They stayed away from society, many of the them often turned to a life of crime or prostitution. They felt like outcasts and misunderstood.

  I didn't think Gordon believed whatever the troll was telling him and when my stomach made another contraction, he was reading me, not like a troll or another paranormal, but he was forming a connection with my magic. When he looked away, the energy passed, and I was able to breathe again.

  "I didn't ask you, Malick," he said, and his eyes flashed with red light. My mind started forming some sort of an escape route, but Gordon turned his attention back to me. “Dolores, I’ll get the truth out of you one way or another. Half elf like you doesn't just hang around this neighbourhood. You aren’t a magic stealer, and you aren’t a whore."

  Now I was in really big trouble, from what I knew the guy standing in front of me wasn't an ordinary troll. He parted his lips slightly and then I saw his abnormally long teeth, possibly fangs. Colour drained from my face when I realised Gordon was some kind of half vampire and half troll. This was beyond my comprehension.

  I couldn't open my mouth to explain what was going on. Fear clinched my insides and images of me dying here with that obscure future were making me sick.

  "Give me what I want otherwise your life will be much more miserable from now on," Gordon said gently, leaning towards me so I heard every word. His eyes were emotionless, chaining me with coldness and emptiness. He was pushing me to do more, making me speak about everything that happened to me.

  I opened my mouth to say what he wanted to hear, then someone walked through the large metal doors.

  "Sir, something is happening on Harris avenue; shifters are taking control. They have a new pack master," one of the other trolls shouted, standing in the middle of the warehouse looking at Gordon.

  My mind sped up and I was ready to risk it and with his short moment of distraction I wanted to run, but I’d foreseen the consequences and stayed in the same spot. Gordon narrowed his eyes not responding for a long moment. Then he looked at the troll who’d brought me in.

  "Take her in the back. I need to deal with this," Gordon ordered calmly.

  "Yes sir," the troll replied then grabbed me. Soon, I was being dragged away from the small space. I went calmly pretending that I wasn’t going to make any trouble. The troll who was with me seemed excited about something.

  "Now, we can have some fun while good old Gordy is out there sorting stuff with wolves," the troll sai
d with a sadistic smile. He smelled like old sour milk and horse poo. He pulled me to his chest breathing hard and fast. My stomach contracted with sudden fear. I tried to push him away and some of his thoughts reached me. He’d wanted me since the moment I jumped out of that building. His dick went hard and even though I was filthy, he was ready. "Gordon won’t mind if I use you up a little."

  At first, I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs but then I knew this area was completely deserted, so there was no way anyone would hear me. His unshaven face scratched mine and I waited until he was distracted touching my breast. I had one shot and with the last strength of my own energy I lifted my knee sending a powerful punch between his legs, crushing his balls.

  He let go of a roaring sound staggering backwards, which gave me only a small window for escape. It started raining again but I ran as fast as I could, not caring that my feet were blistered or deeply wounded, because I wanted to live.

  "I swear, bitch, I’ll kill you once I get my hands on you!" the troll roared, but I was no longer scared, just happy that I got away. My feet were taking me away, cold air hit my lungs as I crossed between the alleys.

  Without seeing where I was going I stepped on a few shards of glass and a wave of pain shot through my left foot, so I stopped. The troll was going to close in on me and now I was even more injured. The sound of my own breathing scared me but then something else got my attention. A few meters away I saw two shadows. In the darkness it was hard to know what I was looking at. I widened my eyes feeling like my whole body was going to fall apart. I rubbed my eyes wondering if I was staring at two dogs that were hanging around searching for food.

  A moment later I realised that I wasn’t looking at large dogs, but two grown silver wolves. Fear mixed with a disturbing feeling that I was going to die jetted through me. I stood there, completely frozen, my legs rooted to the same spot as the wolf approached slowly. In the darkness their eyes were glowing with yellow light, they crept, watching me.

  "There you are, sweet whore. Now you’re going to—"

  That rough, raw sound of growling moved through the air as two wolves came closer. The troll stopped, his face went from flushed to ashen within moments. My heart was pounding so fast it felt like it was going to gallop out of my chest. The wolves were maybe a meter away from me; their large teeth bared ready for attack. I knew well enough that wolves didn't just run around London, but that didn't make me feel any better. Those wolves were shifters or werewolves and they were looking for dinner.

  "This is Gordon’s territory, so I suggest you two leave!" the troll barked, although he didn't sound very confident, swallowing hard.

  I had no idea what happened next. I dove to the ground, covering my face and head. I heard a growl and felt as one of the wolves passed me. The troll shouted something in another language, before I heard an agonising scream in the alley. Someone was standing next to me and I just knew I was going to be next.

  In the distance, I heard the wolf ripping the troll apart.

  “It's okay, you’re all right," a familiar voice said, touching me. I opened my eyes and stared at Kelsie standing naked next to me. I blinked rapidly opening my mouth to say something but the noises in the background distracted me. Soon enough the troll stopped struggling, he was probably dead.

  Kelsie helped me to stand, my pulse was racing but I managed to wipe the sweat off my face. I brought Kelsie closer and hugged her, sobbing.

  “It's okay, sugar, you’re safe now," she said patting me on the back gently.

  "Oh, my God, Kelsie I thought I was going to die, this whole—"

  "Hold on, how do you even know my name?" my best friend asked, pulling away from me. I didn't understand what was going on staring at her bewildered face. I glanced to another wolf who’d changed back into a human. I instantly recognised Michael Langridge.

  “What's up, Kel?" he asked walking towards me nude with blood all over his face.

  “It's me, Kelsie, it’s Julia. I had another bla—"

  "Julia!" Kelsie screamed taking a step back looking at me, like she still wasn't recognising me. Michael approached me as well and when he looked into my eyes, his pupils dilated.

  "Miss. Taylor, what the hell happened? Are you hurt?"

  It took me a moment to find my own voice and even longer to explain what happened to me that night. Michael paced around me, still naked, and Kelsie hugged me again.

  "We need to get you out of here. It’s not safe; I'm going to shift into a horse and you can ride on my back," Langridge announced. I started to protest but within couple of seconds in the alley Michael shifted into a horse. Kelsie helped me up. I assumed that I was still in shock, otherwise I’d have passed out long ago.

  Kelsie shifted back into a wolf and followed us. I had a slight idea of where we were now. There was more and more suspicious looking paranormals watching as we flew through the streets.

  A few streets later Michael was back in his normal form as we went into one of the back alleys. Kelsie fetched some clothes from a black bag that she’d probably hidden earlier on. Once they were dressed the initial shock wore off.

  "We need to get her to the hospital, Michael, look at her feet," Kelsie hissed helping me to sit on the cold ground.

  "No, no hospital, I need to get home. My father can’t know about this," I shouted trying to get up, but Kelsie was pushing me down.

  "I need to make a quick phone call," Michael muttered disappearing soon after that.

  "Julia, no offence, but you’re a wreck. Have you seen your feet? And you’ve got a nasty cut on your forehead," Kelsie said.

  "I'm fine, everything will heal. I just need to get the hell out of here. If it weren’t for you two I think I don’t think I would’ve made it," I sobbed as the pain came back knocking me off like a strong drug. Maybe it would’ve been better if I did go to the hospital.

  Michael came back a minute later.

  "Help is on the way. Don’t worry, Miss. Taylor, we won’t take you to the hospital," he said running his hand through his hair. "Blackouts? I don’t get it; has this happened before?"

  "Michael, not now. Please, she shouldn’t talk," Kelsie hissed. I didn't know what they were planning to do with me, but I sat on the ground for a couple of minutes before dropping my head on Kelsie’s shoulder. I probably passed out because when I opened my eyes, I was dreaming again.

  Chapter 22

  The heat.

  "Nathaniel?" I asked wondering what was happening to me. If this was a dream, then I wondered why I didn't feel any better. All my injuries were giving me hell.

  "Julia, come on, let me help you," he said lifting me off the ground. It took me a moment to realise that this wasn’t a dream, because then I saw Michael and Kelsie.

  "You called him?" I shouted trying to stand up, but Nathaniel only held me closer. Michael ignored me. When I glanced at Kelsie she looked away.

  "You didn't want to go to the hospital, Miss. Taylor, so I thought that your boyfriend—"

  "He is not my boyfriend," I said as we approached Nathaniel’s limo. Roberto opened the door as Nathaniel placed me in the back.

  "Thank you again, and you too, Kelsie," I heard him say.

  "You know who I am?" my friend asked.

  "Of course, you’re Julia’s best friend and Lucinda’s PR. Come and see me later. I need to give you a raise.”

  I didn't hear the rest of the conversation, because I closed my eyes hoping to rest for a moment. I felt Nathaniel sitting next to me and then Roberto started the engine.

  "Where are you taking me, to your apartment?" I asked later on.

  "No, we can't go there, I’ve called a healer to the hotel room. She’s going to patch you up," he explained breathing heavily. "Then you’re going to explain what happened to you tonight."

  I was going to tell him that he had no right to know my business, but I was too tried to even speak.

  The drive wasn't long and when I started hearing traffic I relaxed, knowing that I was around p
eople again. Nathaniel insisted on carrying me upstairs. My feet were still bleeding, and I was so tired that I wouldn’t be able to walk anyway.

  He didn't take me to a fancy hotel, this one was small and away from town but beautiful. He laid me on the bed and glanced at my feet; they were red, bruised and looked like they went through a meat grinder.

  "I won’t ask you anything now, the healer will be here any minute, but you can't imagine what I was thinking when that shifter called me!" Nathaniel shouted pacing around the room. I just wanted to close my eyes and drift to sleep. The nightmare was finally over, and I had two days off, time to recover and hide my wounds.

  "He had no right to call you, this has nothing to do with you. It’s complicated, very complicated," I said not opening my eyes. In any other situation I would have kissed him, despite the guilt, but right now the painful pulsing in my body was making it difficult to bear or even talk.

  Nathaniel was going to say something but then we heard a knock at the door. He swore under his breath, possibly because he wanted to take me across his knee and spank me.

  When I opened my eyes again I had a very short hag leaning over me. Her face was covered with warts and she had a large nose with a pimple in the middle. She must have been around for a hundred years.

  "You have to take her clothes off. She is filthy, and stinks of trolls and shifters," the woman ordered, narrowing her eyes at my feet.

  Nathaniel clenched his fists but obeyed and began to undo my soaked pyjamas. I had nothing on underneath and this whole situation wasn't erotic at all, even though I was lying in only my panties on a clean bed.