Family Feud: The Witching Hour Series Book 5

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

  A moment later I was conscious enough to realise that I was standing in the lake. My hands were on Tron’s neck and I was drowning him; he was fighting back, slashing at the water. My first instinct was to pull away, to let him live. His energy seeped into me and his terrified thoughts passed through my mind. He twisted, digging his nails into my arms, trying to pull away.

  I quickly pushed that thought away. Tron was Sid, a murderer, a thief, and a mad fairy filled with hate and vengeance. I didn't stop, instead I held on until there was no resistance. He stopped fighting and the water stopped bubbling. My heart was jackhammering in my chest when I finally let him go. He was dead. I had killed him.

  The water was disturbed, it covered me up to my waist, and the body of the royal fairy floated on the surface near me. Images began spinning in front of my eyes. Tron standing in front of my grandmother; Tron influencing Anthony’s partner to fight me in his house, him making a deal with Jasper, Tron slashing Ella’s throat.

  My body shook as I stared at his corpse, feeling numb from head to toe—all his misdeeds running on a loop through my brain. Everything was finally falling into place. I turned around and started walking away from the water, knowing that Tron was right. My grandmother had marked me when I was born in order to protect me. I felt the magic in my veins, strong and lustrous. I could control other people’s thoughts, influence the weather. Suddenly I had it all, power that could make me live forever. There were no more limitations, no constraints—by killing the royal I had released them.

  I left the lake, drying my clothes. I saw Ella’s body lying on the ground; blood soaked the grass around her. I looked at my sparkling hands, wanting to help her, to do something, but no one could bring back the dead, even the marked one. Ella was dead, and it was entirely my fault.

  Then a bright red light shot at me from out of nowhere and my sleeve caught on fire. An enormous force spun me around and I was forced down on the ground. Hot, pain erupted in my skull, and my stomach revolted.

  "Did you think once Sid was dead it would all be over?" Jasper demanded, approaching me slowly.

  I had almost forgotten him, thinking he wasn't a problem anymore. I roared, trying to reach out and burn him, but he laughed, stepping on my hand. He was crushing my fingers, and when he let go, I could feel him in my head again. I noticed his wand shining in the darkness. Jasper squatted, grabbed my mouth, easing my suffering. “I've been waiting for this moment since that old bastard told me what you are. Now I just have to complete the ritual and get what always belonged to me. The power of immortality."

  He tied me up and for a moment I just laid there, expecting the worst, losing my strength. My mouth was full of grass, my breathing long and laboured. Jasper was moving near me. He was wrong. I was still useless, and the power that I felt for a brief moment was gone. It was an illusion. I was never more powerful than either of them.

  "I’ve taken the potion. I felt what you’re capable of. There is no escape, Julia. You were always the missing piece, but I was too blind to see it for years. This is going to hurt, so get ready," he whispered. I caught the scent of spicy cinnamon and felt a stabbing pain between my eyes.

  The pain came back, and it was worse than the last time. It penetrated me, sliding deep inside, wrapping itself around my spine and neck. Every part of me burned, and I couldn't stand it, but I had no energy left to scream. Jasper must have sliced my back open; it felt raw. I could feel him pouring something hot and sticky over the wound. It burned, and I moaned pleading for him to stop, crying for him to show me some mercy. I heard Jasper’s raspy voice, unknown words and more pain.

  "I have always loved you, Julia."

  I couldn't make a sound. His dark, lethal spells were tearing my power apart. My heartbeat was slowing down. The flames were real this time, melting my skin, making deep slashes along my spine. This wasn't any marriage celebration. Jasper was killing me with an infinity spell.

  I started having flashbacks of my life. The moments that mattered. I saw my family, Nicky, Ella, Kate and Kelsie. I went back to the day when I saw Nathaniel for the first time, when we made love. All those memories were precious. I just needed him to stop now. He had won, but I couldn't give him what he needed when he was killing me.

  Then, the pain stopped. I had no idea what happened or how long I was lying on the ground. My heart pounded deep in my chest. Panic seized me as I looked around. Jasper was in front of me, but he was frozen, his pupils dilated, and before I realised what happened, he fell forward on the ground. There was a large dagger stuck in his back.

  My mind couldn't comprehend what just happened. He wasn't moving. His wand lay a few meters away from him. Trembling furiously, I tried to lift myself up, but whatever he had done damaged me from inside out—he wrecked me.

  "No, Julia, stay still. You’re injured," said the voice that I would have recognised anywhere. My grandfather was beside me, assessing my injuries. He looked so sullen, and weak, like he hadn't had a proper meal for months.

  "Grandpa Fred? What’s happened? How did you get here?" I asked, and tears began streaming down my cheeks. Maybe I had died. Jasper had done what he planned, and this was the afterlife.

  “That's a very good question, darling, but I believe we need to call the authorities first. You need to get to the hospital before it's too late."

  I didn't need to look. I knew that I had a large open wound on my back. I felt dizzy and disoriented as I lay there. I looked at Jasper, hoping that he was dead. That dagger must have pierced his heart and I was happy about it.

  "There’s another body here," Grandpa said.

  "It's Ella. Tron butchered her. None of this was her fault. She just wanted to find her father," I grumbled in anger, looking at the lake, where Tron’s body still drifted above the surface.

  Grandpa looked at her for a long moment. His clothes were dirty, and he was limping.

  "How long has it been since she died?" he asked.

  "Half an hour… I don't know. She was in the boot. Jasper must have kidnapped her."

  "Come with me. I know you’re in pain, but this is important," he said, helping me to get on my feet. Dizzy and lost, I held my grandfather’s hand and stood up. His hand was warm, and I instantly felt better. He was using his last bits of energy to heal me. Grandpa took me to Ella. I couldn't look at her. She was dead, and it was all because of some stupid prophecy.

  "How will I live ever with myself? This was all my fault," I cried.

  "Her life isn't lost yet," Grandpa Fred said and then leaned down touching her cheek. I didn't know what he was doing. It was too late.

  Grandpa dropped his head and started moving his hands over her body. I felt the warmth in her; I heard her heartbeat. This was impossible; his illusion was cruel and sick. Ella had bled to death, but yet her slashed throat began closing, the large wound fading in a matter of seconds. Tears were falling down my face; I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The colour returned to her cheeks. Her mouth opened, and her chest began to rise and fall. She was waking up.

  Chapter 30

  Massive apology.

  "Grandpa, what are you doing? It's too late. She’s dead," I stuttered, shaking my head unable to process that she was moving. Ella couldn't have survived unless Grandpa Fred was using black magic to bring her back, to heal her—spells that were illegal for a good reason. He was toying with nature.

  "Julia? Is that you?"

  I refused to open my eyes. Ella hadn't just woken up. She hadn't just asked me a question.

  "Julia, please look at her. She needs you," Grandpa said. When I obeyed him I nearly tripped, backing away, my lips trembling. Ella was alive, and she was staring straight at me. Magic couldn't do that. It couldn't bring someone back from the dead. There were bloodstains on her sleeves and around her throat. I started touching her, wanting to see for myself that she was all right.

  "Julia? Why are you crying? What happened?" she asked. She finally noticed my grandpa and flinched with shock. My hands were tremb
ling; tears were streaming down my face.

  "Oh, my God, please tell me you’re all right, Ella," I whispered.

  “She's fine, Julia," Grandpa Fred said.

  "Julia, Tron was here. He grabbed me and… and—"

  "Tron was Sid, the man who murdered my grandmother. The royal," I said, still not able to come to terms with everything that went on only a few minutes ago.

  "He showed up at the house unexpectedly," Grandpa Fred said. "Your grandmother fought, but he overpowered her, used spells that aren’t known to elves or fairies. He restrained me and kept me prisoner in the woods for weeks at a time. He was trying to make me honour the contract, to make sure that he could go on. Sid had been a family friend for over a decade. He kept me alive because he thought I would eventually break."

  "We’ve been looking for you, Grandpa. The whole family knew you weren’t dead. I found the letter in Grandma’s office. That was my first lead."

  I could feel my father was on the way. When I killed Tron, the spell had sent him a warning. This always happened when I was in danger, but Jasper had blocked my energy before.

  "I was cursed, spellbound," Grandpa said. "Sid kept me alive because he needed the contract signed. Once he married you and gained his immorality he could claim the king’s crown. No one would have been brave enough to stand against him and his powers."

  "I killed him, Grandpa. Someone fired a shotgun, distracting him and Jasper. I lost control and drowned him in the lake. A few hours ago, I was arrested, but someone bailed me out. I should have known it was a trap. Jasper used black magic, he blocked my power, then brought me here. We drove for ages. Tron—I mean, Sid appeared a bit later. He… he slashed Ella’s throat. He killed her real father, Alex.”

  Ella gasped and touched her throat. I still couldn't believe she was okay. I hoped this wasn't a trick or dark magic.

  "Julia, Sid has been tormenting your grandmother and me for months. I don't know how he found out. We didn't want to say anything to anyone because we thought we had it under control. Your grandmother went to the king and he promised to take care of everything. A few weeks later Sid paid her another visit, so I intervened. I began travelling abroad to see a friend, but no one wanted to help. This situation was getting out of control. Then, one evening, Sid showed up and used a deadly curse. When Barbra resisted him, he suffocated her with his bare hands. While he held me captive in the woods, he kept coming back to the place where he had me bound, telling me all that was going on and that he was close to getting what he desired most."

  "So how? How did you manage to escape?"

  "It was you, Julia. The spell stopped working when you killed him. Your grandmother had been trying to void the contract, but the king who ruled at the time wasn't having it. She knew you were the one with the gift the moment you were born. She used a spell to make sure that no one else recognised it, that no one in the family knew what you were, even your father. Sid was always ambitious; his overinflated ego and desire to rule put you directly in danger."

  "Dad knew about the contract. He told me it was a boy who was supposed to be born, not me. I don't understand how they thought I was the one with the gift. Besides, how are you so sure I can give someone immortality?"

  "The imbalance of power was the first sign and the mark on your neck," Grandpa replied. "You won't see it, but it's there. Your grandmother hid it. Well, the prophecy was wrong. For some reason, when your dad chose to love a human, he created something special—you. You made us proud, Julia, but your grandmother never showed it. She was constantly worried, especially when you chose a vampire. She thought you were putting yourself in danger."

  "I met Tron two years ago. He came to the agency when I started blacking out. I was scared, and I didn't want to tell anyone. His magic lessons were helping. He introduced Ella to Alex, her real father. I was silly, I should have told Grandma."

  Grampa Fred looked astonished. Tron or Sid, had known about me for longer than anyone thought.

  "We made a mistake. Too many people knew about your imbalanced power. I wish we had been more careful."

  Ella stepped forward. "I'm sorry, Mr. Taylor, but I still don't understand. I was dead? Is that right? This man, Tron killed me?"

  Grandpa smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder.

  "His spells died with him, so I knew we had a chance to bring you back. You don't know it, Julia, but I have some rare abilities of my own that sometimes come in handy. I healed Ella, because there was still time. Your love for Ella was enough to bring her back."

  I was so overwhelmed and lost, trying to deal with all the information.

  "Jasper…you killed him, Grandpa. He knew—he was ready to complete the ritual to gain immortality," I whispered.

  "Actually, he’s not dead, Julia. The dagger was an artefact. Jasper has no more magic left in him. It was a gift from a friend of mine back in Africa. It had been charmed with black magic. You no longer need to fear Jasper. He has no more power, and I can say that he’s no longer a wizard."

  I knew I shouldn't have been happy, but Jasper had only gotten what he deserved. He had always wanted to be more powerful than anyone and now he lost everything, all because of greed. We kept talking, and soon after, we heard voices and police cars racing through the field. Dannika, my father, and Stewart with other police officers surrounded the place, sealing the magic.

  Minutes later, I watched as Jasper was lifted off the ground and dragged to the ambulance. My father was going crazy, demanding the paramedics check if I was all right. Other officers found the human man several meters away from the lake. He’d been in the woods when Jasper was performing the ceremony. He was the one who used the shotgun—he was my saviour. Luckily, he was alive.

  Shortly after that, the officers transported Tron’s body out of the water. Then Dad wanted me to go to the hospital. I was saved, my best friend was alive, and my grandfather was going to be all right. Everything was fine, so I closed my eyes wanting to drift away and rest.

  "Julia, oh honey. I'm so glad you’re okay. I felt better when I didn't know about magic," Mum said, blowing her nose. She had been crying, happy this whole thing was finally over. It had been a few days since the night in the forest, when I nearly married the royal fairy.

  It was my last day on the ward. I was going to be discharged today. There was nothing particularly wrong with me. I had a large wound on my back that was healing very, very slowly, from where Jasper had cut me with the knife, plus some scratches and bruises. The healers insisted on keeping me, just to be sure that everything was all right with me. My grandfather was a few rooms away, so I wasn't bored at all. He’d spent two months being locked up somewhere in the forest, so the healers needed to make sure that the curse had faded, and he wasn't a threat to anyone around.

  "No, Mum, I think if I had to do this all over again, I would have told you everything from the very beginning," I said. "Lying never got me anywhere."

  "Good, I'm glad, because I don't think I could take any more of your father’s humours. He’s finally back at work."

  “That's good, Mrs. Taylor. I’m sure he couldn't wait any longer." Kelsie chuckled.

  Then, one of the healers came back to the room.

  "Mrs. Taylor, I think your father-in-law wants to talk to you."

  Mum sighed loudly and left, telling me not to get excited about the fact that all my friends were with me. Nicky, Ella, Kate and Kelsie were sitting at the back, waiting for some time alone with me. We all had a long chat when I woke up.

  "I told you that Tron…or Sid was bad news," Kate insisted for the tenth time.

  "So, has your grandfather told you anything else about your gift?" Nicky asked, obviously curious. "Immortality sounds pretty good. Do you know what you’re supposed to do?"

  "No, and I don't want to hear it. I’ve had enough surprises as it is. I just need to get back to normal."

  "What about Mr. La Arse? Has he been around at all?" Kelsie asked, knowing full well that Nathaniel hadn't show
n up. "You know, since Tron made him do all those horrible things to you."

  "No, but Rufus told me that everything is fine. Apparently, Nathaniel has reinstated the contract and employed everyone again. I'm sure you’ll be getting a phone call, too," I said, looking at Kelsie. When Nathaniel had broken the engagement, humiliated me and got me arrested, I knew he wasn't himself, but he hadn't made any effort to straighten things out between us. I was still hurt.

  A few days ago, Dad found out that Tron paid one of the members of the Association to make it look like my grandmother had committed fraud, that she stole the money from the organisation that she truly loved. Tron needed to have leverage; he wanted to control me from the very beginning, but he failed.

  "You know what I think? I wouldn't be so sure that it was just magic that turned Nathaniel into a total twat," Kate said.

  I didn't say anything to that. I looked at Ella, who hadn't said a word since she arrived with the girls. Grandpa Fred had a new task. He was supposed to search for her family. She was sad that Alex was murdered and didn’t even have a chance to get to know him.

  "For the first time I do have to agree with everything you said, Kate," an alluring voice said from behind the door.

  My magic swamped the room when Nathaniel walked in, looking good, shaved and handsome. The girls got up, not looking pleased at all. I opened my mouth, then closed it. My heart pounded loudly, sending signals to the rest of my body that the love of my life was standing a meter away from me.

  "I don't think you’re welcome here, Mr. La Arse," Kelsie growled, standing right in front of him.

  "Kelsie, I'm terribly sorry for the way I treated you and I'm sorry that I slapped you. You can have your job back, if you still want to work for me, that is."

  "You can shove that position back into your—"

  "Kelsie," I cut her off, raising my voice. She narrowed her eyes on him, chewing her bottom lip.