Chapter 11

I looked back at Michael and Kelsie: they were both standing naked in front of me. My heart hammered in my chest and I glanced around expecting to see someone else, but we were alone with the body, in an empty alley between semidetached houses.
The vampire was spread out on the pavement. He had been beheaded and someone, whoever the joker was, placed his head between his legs, so it faced his crotch. The smell of fresh blood was strong, and I was ready to throw up. Then Shaun’s body went rigid and it slowly began shifting into dust. A few seconds later he was gone, and we all stared at the bulk of grey ash on the pavement soaking in a pool of fresh blood.
"What the hell happened to him?" I asked, walking away, taking long pulls of air. It took me a moment to realise that we were still in Hackney, probably a few streets away from the club. I heard police sirens somewhere in the area.
"No idea. We found him as soon as we got out," Kelsie said, pacing around, probably trying to get warm. I lost my coat and I was freezing, but my two friends were completely naked. I had a throw over my arms, so I took it off and passed it to Kelsie.
"Thanks."
"No one could have known what Shaun was talking to us about," I said, staring at the blood. "Do you’ve any idea who killed him?"
"No, and I don’t think that’s important at the moment. We’ve got to move. Police are in the area and I don’t have any clothes on," Michael said.
"I don’t get it. Why did we run in the first place?"
"Because every single vampire in the club is hunted by the unit and I'm on probation, so this wouldn't end well for either of us. Come on, let’s move. I really don’t want to be caught without any clothes on."
"Right, I get it, but someone must have listened to our conversation. Someone went after him as soon as the police invaded the club," I said.
"Michael, Julia’s right. This is too much of a coincidence," Kelsie said while we were walking, trying to locate the car. "Shaun was certain about the witches. There was no way he was lying to us."
"I agree, but we can talk about this later."
Michael looked anxious and I shouldn't have been surprised. If he was caught, he would have been locked up straight away, and I didn’t want that to happen.
We couldn’t walk too fast or too slow. Luckily for us, the streets were empty and when I checked my watch, it was just after one in the morning. I was pretty sure that any human who looked out the window would report us to the police straight away. After half an hour of intensive searching, we recognised the street where we left the car. I sat in the back and relaxed once Michael started the engine and drove off.
I didn't even remember when I fell asleep or how I got to my own flat that night. The exhaustion hit me pretty hard. I woke up in the early afternoon in my own bed. My entire body ached, my shoulder and neck especially. Memories from the night before were rapidly flashing through my mind.
When I glanced at my phone to check the time, there were no missed calls. Nathaniel didn’t try to get ahold of me. Once Michael got rid of his tail, no one knew where we were going. I had a terrible feeling in my gut that there was someone else who followed us all the way to the club.
In the fancy lounge, there were just vampires and they were too busy sucking the blood of those poor fairies and elves. We weren’t talking loudly, but there was a slim chance that we could have been overhead. Last night we had a plan, but even Michael didn’t expect the police. Shaun’s new theory about the coven made me realise that I was wasting time. Even if I could track down the coven and confront the witches, I wasn't strong enough to make them bring Dad’s and Kate’s souls back. They didn’t hesitate to kill people for the sake of their rituals and black magic.
Someone must have known we were in that club last night asking uncomfortable questions. We had basic facts now, but we still didn’t know the names any of witches. Dad had less and less time to get out of this mess alive.
I felt like a coward. This whole thing was getting out of hand. My friends were important to me; I couldn’t keep getting them involved. Dannika was in charge of the investigation; I was sure that she knew more than I did. Unfortunately, it appeared that Jasper was my one and only option.
I took a shower, working out my aching muscles. Later on, in the afternoon I wanted to have a late lunch. My fridge was completely empty, and I had to buy some groceries. I wasn't convinced anymore that it was Nathaniel’s people who’d followed me. Maybe Dannika had missed something; maybe there was someone out there who wanted me dead.
I was starving, so I went out hoping to do some shopping. I had to get back to work tomorrow and felt like one day off during the week wasn't enough.
My mother turned up on my doorstep when I was locking the door. "Julia, for Christ’s sake, what’s wrong with your phone?" she asked, catching me off guard. I barely recognised her. Her makeup was smudged, her hair looked like it hadn’t been washed for about a week, and she was wearing the same clothes from a week ago. Warm guilt settled in my stomach. I should have been looking after her better. Instead I left her all alone, taking care of Dad.
"Mum, what are you doing here?" I asked, baffled. "When was the last time you had a shower?"
"Shower! I can’t think about washing when your father’s dying in the hospital and you haven't even taken the time to see him!" she shouted, shaking her head nervously. “You're his only daughter and you have this… magic in you, but you haven't done anything to help him. The doctors or… healers aren’t making much sense."
"Mum, please calm down," I said, placing my hands on her shoulders. “I've been trying to find a way to help him and Kate. I can’t believe you’d even think that—"
"Julia, your father hasn’t got much time left, so you should be by his side while you still have the chance. Your grandmother keeps asking about you. Tomorrow the whole family is expecting you."
I began to sink back down, as if the earth had opened up to swallow me whole.
"Mum, listen to me. I don’t think you understand what’s happening. I won't do Dad any good sitting by his bed."
"Then what are you going to do? What if he dies while you’re away?"
"He won't; there’s still time. I'm going to find a white witch to bring him back to us."
"Julia, your grandmother was deeply saddened by your absence. I keep asking her why she isn’t doing something in order to help your father, but she waves her hand, telling me there’s nothing she can do."
This was getting a bit absurd. I was disappointed that no one was doing anything to find the white witch and of all the people in the world my own grandmother should have understood. Mum was in a terrible state and she couldn’t keep on living like that. At the end of the day the entire family only wanted one thing: to get Dad back.
"Magic can’t solve every problem, Mum. It helps paranormals, but it can also do the same amount of harm as good. Tell Grandma that I’ll try to be at the hospital on Sunday, but don’t count on it," I explained, embracing her in a hug. "Please, Mum, let me do this my way."
Mum started sobbing in my arms. She had been with Dad for over twenty-five years, and clearly, she still loved him. Neither of us were prepared to lose him, and my family was probably confused as to why I hadn’t been visiting. I hated being away. I hated that last night I didn’t push Shaun to tell me more. Every day was a lost day and I felt hopeless and doomed. Dad’s soul was floating somewhere in this world and his time was slowly running out.
Eventually I convinced Mum to go home and rest, promising that I would speak to the rest of the family. Her boss was very understanding, but she couldn’t stop going to work and continue spending every night by my father’s hospital bed. The hollow feeling in my chest was getting deeper by the second. In that lonely moment when I was sitting in the car outside the supermarket I needed someone to hug me and tell me that everything was going to be all right. Nathaniel insisted that he would be there for me, but I couldn’t bear being so close to him. My love for him drenched my body and I didn’t trust myself not to do anything stupid.
In the supermarket I kept thinking how ordinary some shoppers’ lives were in comparison to mine. The temperature outside was dropping below zero degrees. I knew what I had to do, but the question remained: Was I ready?
Even thoughts about Jasper sent violent turmoil down my spine. But I knew I had no other choice. A few months back I thought he’d changed, stopped his obsession with black magic, but it was all just his game plan to get close to me again.
I went home, ate some supper, changed and went straight to see the wizard who’d caused so many problems in my life. It was late, but I didn’t want to waste any more time. If he couldn’t help me, then I doubted anyone else could. We hadn’t spoken since that terrifying cocktail party during which he killed that kid, a magic thief. Thoughts of that night still plagued my dreams and shook me to the core. I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to get over the fact that I had to stand by and watch an innocent child die by Jasper’s hand. He was a murderer plain and simple. As I parked my car outside his house, that horrific image tangled my mind, crushing my confidence. He’d been ecstatic, proud of what he’d done. He was a monster.
It was just after eight o’clock, but all the streets were dark and deserted. I didn’t go to see him in his bachelor pad, but in his lab. He chose this location away from other paranormals, where decent people didn’t wander off to. The gangs and drug addicts worked as Jasper’s cover.
I toyed with this idea for a while, knowing that because of Jasper’s weakness for me I held power over him. His reputation and strength put him as a front-runner for the worst scumbag award. But my father was counting on me. Mum was in a terrible state; my parents had always been proud of me, so I had to live up to that and act. I had to do whatever I could to try and save my dad’s life.
Jasper knew that he could wrap me around his little finger and I would still have to do what he said. I had to use our past to my advantage. This idea burned in my mind when I was walking down the sidewalk towards his front door, glancing around to make sure I was safe. My fingers tingled with blue sparks. It was a clear indication that a dark wizard was in the house.
I took a deep breath and then knocked on Jasper’s door. I tried to imagine that I was just about to see Nathaniel. Surging heat dropped down between my thighs. Jasper took his time, and when he finally opened the door, my heart kicked me in the chest. Yeah, it wasn't the usual gut wrenching kick like I experienced when Nathaniel was close, it was fear poking me in my gut with a long lean stick.
Jasper’s dark eyes hovered over my body and my brain shrunk to the size of peanut.
"Hey, Julia, my favourite girl. To what do I owe this pleasure?" he sang, leaning against the door with his arms folded against his chest.
"Are you going to let me in or are we going to talk about your magic on the street?"
He took his magic wand and waved it around. Before I knew what was going on I was in his arms, the familiar oriental, cinnamon cologne swirled in my mind. Jasper’s eyes burned with raw lust, and my magic died down. I had to behave wisely; this was what he wanted from me, but I didn’t expect him to act so fast.
"Julia, have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"
I nodded, swallowing hard, and then he added, "You know I don’t think I can handle just friendship. I want more than that."
Instead of getting angry and frustrated, I imagined that I was in Nathaniel’s arms. The heat inside my core brushed over me, shifting my breath into slow gasps.
“Let's get inside and talk. I didn't come here to start a relationship with you."
A challenge with a hint of lust flickered in his eyes. He smiled with mischief and let go of me.
“That's my price, Julia. I know why you're here. If you want my help, then you need to consider giving us another chance."
I smiled back, realising that I was screwed, totally and utterly screwed. Jasper wanted me, and I had to try really hard to figure out how to get out of that stupid deal.