chapter Six
“Wait and see about what?” Katie climbed off the bed.
James spun around and looked at the clock beside the bed. He chuckled. He looked crazy.
“Well, you see, I sent William a little message about your whereabouts,” he said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
“The dead bodies I saw?” Katie panicked.
“My way of telling the Valentine men to go and f*ck themselves.”
“You’re going to kill William?” she screamed.
“My dear girl, he’s probably already dead.”
Katie moved away from him, her heart racing, her head hurting.
Think, Katie think. William can’t be dead. You promised him.
She paced, not caring what James thought. She had to find William. He wasn’t dead. She would have felt it—she was sure she would have.
No, not dead.
“I love you, Katie.” Katie heard the whisper echo across her temple. She recognised the voice. William was in a trap. She had to help him! If he could connect with her here, she could try to save him.
They were partway bonded.
“You evil, motherf*cking bastard.” Using her anger, her fire and everything she possessed, she drew on the elements closest to her. She shot her power at James. He was thrown directly across the room and through the door.
“You little witch.” He charged her.
Throwing her right arm into the air, she slammed the door and pressed her hands forward to push all the heavy furniture in the room against it.
“Shit, now what do I do?” She stood and spun in one complete circle, bringing forth the power of fire. She was surrounded by a circle of flames.
She sat down, took a deep breath and thought about William, opening up the connection he’d made several months ago with their exchange of blood.
She felt him. It was like being plugged into another circuit.
Pushing past the last little bit of resistance, she found that she could see what he saw. The wolves, the blood. William was wounded, bitten by a werewolf. They were all struggling and had no room to escape.
“William, I’m here,” she said to him.
He looked up, trying to find her. “Katie?”
“William, this is a trap.”
“Don’t you think I’m aware of that?” he replied.
“Unlock your mind.” Katie opened her eyes, staring straight ahead. She released her mind to the elements. Wind, fire, water and earth. She connected with them. She could feel everything. She touched the ground beneath her feet. The window on the opposite wall smashed, allowing her a connection with wind. She had the earth, wind, fire and the pitcher of water. She was a part of the forces.
She felt the elements and she found William. He was so close it was unbearable.
“Open your eyes and trust me,” she told him.
He dropped his weapon as the werewolf approached. The connection would only last for a short while. She knew her strength would give out.
The werewolf lunged to attack.
“Now,” she yelled, and thrust all of her magic into his hands, their minds working as one.
William directed the magic, working quickly, spreading it around the room.
Wolves collapsed in a heap on the floor.
For five minutes she kept it going, her magic draining, her hands shaking. Her chest felt tight and her head hurt.
“Keep going Katie,” he urged.
“I’m trying,” she answered.
The last wolf lunged at the woman in the group. Katie tried to hold on. She couldn’t. She drained and crumpled on the ground.
The door was flung open as she lost consciousness.
Their souls separated. She didn’t even know if William had made it out alive.
* * * *
“Poppy!” Adam shouted, running towards her and the giant wolf biting into her side.
He put three bullets into the wolf, flinging it from her body.
“What the hell happened?” he asked William.
“Katie.”
All the people who had made it limped over. Adam inspected Poppy’s wound. She screamed as he moved the cloak out of the way.
Blood was pooling around her.
“We’ve got to get out of here,” Adam said, scooping Poppy into his arms and securing her against his chest.
“You go, get home, we’ll get the wounded,” Robert ordered his brother.
Don limped over. “The witch is on our side, I presume?”
William nodded.
“That much power could kill her,” Robert reminded him.
William turned and growled at his oldest brother. “You don’t think I know that?”
William took in the bites on Don and the rest of the crew.
“Aren’t those infected?” he asked.
Don shook his head. “These aren’t full werewolves. Humans turned—their bite is harmless, but hurts like hell and slows the healing process. If a full werewolf had bitten me, I’d be dead within the day.”
“That’s good to know,” Robert said. “Gather the wounded.”
Jason limped over to the group. He was bleeding. “Where’s Adam?” he groaned.
“Taking care of the girl,” Robert said.
“The necromancer?”
He nodded.
Jason moaned. “She could kill us all.”
Don frowned at him. “What the hell are you talking about, boy?”
“Everyone knows necromancers control the dead,” Jason argued.
“Well I didn’t think it was possible, but you’ve made me laugh tonight.” Don tapped him on the shoulder, chuckling. “Remember, fairy tales that you read in books are simply that—fairy tales.”
He left Jason looking at him with confusion.
“What the hell is he trying to say?” William looked at Robert with a raised eyebrow. He was the oldest for a reason.
William walked across to stand with Don.
“The witch is special to you?” Don asked.
“Yes.”
They both looked at the bodies, which had changed back to human form when they’d died.
“Do you know where she is?”
William looked at Don. “Do you really think that if I knew where she was I would be standing here? I want her back. She’s mine.”
Don nodded.
“We’re going home. You coming William? Don?” Robert called over.
“Yes,” Don said, and William was about to refuse but the look Don gave him had him shutting his mouth.